darcie friesen hossack

Table of Contents. March 2022. Issue 14

Letter from the Editor. Darcie Friesen Hossack Fiction. Edited by Sylvia Petter Picture Perfect. by Cath Barton The Marriage of True Minds. by Debra Kennedy Bussing for Your Lives. by Sylvia Petter Shock and Denial. by Doug Jacquier Non-fiction. Edited by Olga Stein Women’s Happiness: Linking Writing with Well-being. March 2022 Editorial by Olga SteinContinue reading “Table of Contents. March 2022. Issue 14”

Hypoxic Hours. non-fiction by Anjum Wasim Dar

Hypoxic Hours “Mama, do you know what happened to you, a few minutes ago ?”Speechless and numb, I stared at my elder daughter Sara. Her pale face, reflected grave concern. Something had happened, for I felt my clothes were wet. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, in a daze, my mind foggy.Continue reading “Hypoxic Hours. non-fiction by Anjum Wasim Dar”

A Spark in the Ashes. non-fiction by Anjum Wasim Dar

A Spark in the Ashes “From the ashes a fire shall be woken” — J.R.Tolkien. J.R.Tolkien’s poetic expression stirred the ashes in the sorrowful soul, blew them away a bit, and began to awaken the saddened muse, still in shock from the killing wave of Covid -19. It had struck harshly, crashing like a hurricaneContinue reading “A Spark in the Ashes. non-fiction by Anjum Wasim Dar”

Springing into Something Else. a review of books by Gordon Phinn

Springing into Something Else Books Under Consideration: Beautiful World, Where Are You; Sally Rooney, (Knopf Canada2021)Orwell’s Roses, Rebecca Solnit (Viking, 2021)Nothing Could be Farther from The Truth, Christopher Evans (Anansi, 2022)Vagabond, Ceilidh Michelle, (Douglas & McIntyre, 2021)Apart, a Year of Pandemic Poetry and Prose, Courtney Bates-Hardy & Dave Margoches, eds, (Saskatchewan Writer’s Guild 2021) SomeContinue reading “Springing into Something Else. a review of books by Gordon Phinn”

Literary Spotlight. The Poetry Pharmacy: Deb Alma in Conversation with Sue Burge

My interviewee for this issue seems very apt. In these troubled times I am turning more and more to words to provide solace and so am thrilled to be chatting to Deb Alma. It’s not often you meet someone who has made her belief in the therapeutic power of poetry her life’s work, and inContinue reading “Literary Spotlight. The Poetry Pharmacy: Deb Alma in Conversation with Sue Burge”

Bussing for Your Lives. fiction by Sylvia Petter

Bussing for Your Lives I’d been to visit a cousin on Lake Constance close to the Austrian border. He was an anti-vaxxer. My best friend had also gone down the rabbit hole. Part of me wanted to understand. Another part didn’t. “I’ll drive you to the border,” he said. “There’s a bus going straight toContinue reading “Bussing for Your Lives. fiction by Sylvia Petter”

Picture Perfect. fiction by Cath Barton

Picture Perfect The gîte looks exactly as advertised in the brochure: Blue pool, shady terrace (for long, lazy lunches), vineyards dripping with ripening grapes stretching into the distance. Three spacious double bedrooms. Peace and absolutely quiet. Perfect for a relaxing family holiday. The only thing it doesn’t say in the brochure is that it’s aContinue reading “Picture Perfect. fiction by Cath Barton”

The Marriage of True Minds. fiction by Debra Kennedy

The Marriage of True Minds We sleep in separate bedrooms now and text to communicate. I won’t get within six feet of him, but I’m not leaving, nor is he, now that we both know our true minds. It started with an earworm. A couple of weeks ago I was weeding one of the flowerbedsContinue reading “The Marriage of True Minds. fiction by Debra Kennedy”

Shock and denial. fiction by Doug Jacquier

Shock and denial Rufus Hornblower, the ‘it’s only the flu’, ‘it’s your sovereign right not to wear a mask’, ‘vaccination’s a plot’ shock jock, was bewildered when he woke up on a hospital trolley in a warehouse, after he’d gone to ER about his severe breathing difficulties. A doctor wearing full PPE was observing himContinue reading “Shock and denial. fiction by Doug Jacquier”

Women’s Happiness: Linking Writing with Well-being. Editorial by Olga Stein

A recent trip to my doctor’s office yielded something I value greatly — an article that could prompt me to start writing. I had been mulling over how to address one of the main themes of WordCity’s March 2022 edition: living and writing during the pandemic. It was pure luck that while waiting for myContinue reading “Women’s Happiness: Linking Writing with Well-being. Editorial by Olga Stein”