Retired for 12 years, after nearly 38 years as a STEM production editor, trainer, and team leader for a local printer/publisher, I now have the time and energy to pursue my love of writing, music, and other arts. My writing is primarily in the form of essays, book and film reviews, and poems. I am also a musician---a vocalist who plays piano, organ, guitar, and flutes. My music can be found on this page, as well as on Facebook and YouTube. Some of my writing has been published in online and print magazines and books. Check out my site for more details.
Publishing & Editing Sessions The three Sessions covered distinct aspects of the publishing and editing process: finding an agent, submitting work to literary magazines, and revising your writing. The approaches to these topics were also very different but enlightening. Shedding Light on the Agent Hunt – Elle E. Ire & Jose Iriarte Married authors Elle … More 25th Annual Bay to Ocean Writers Conference – Part II
On Saturday, March 5, 2022, I had the honor and pleasure of attending this annual writers’ conference for the first time. In fact, it was the first writers conference I’ve ever attended. Sponsored by the Eastern Shore Writers Association (ESWA), the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference (BTO) brings together writers spanning the Delmarva region, at … More 25th Annual Bay to Ocean Writers Conference – Part I
This year marks the 8th year of Black History Month posts on this site. When I first began this annual feature, I introduced it with a post about the origins of this special month [https://baltimoreblackwoman.com/2015/02/02/the-origins-of-black-history-month/], as much for my edification as for you, the readers, who may question why this celebration even exists. But the … More Black History Month 2022
Honoring Dr. King: The Enduring Relevance of ‘Letter From a Birmingham Jail’ On Sunday, January 16, 2022, I, along with more than 150 other people, attended this Zoom MLK event, sponsored by Jews United for Justice (JUFJ) and Repair the World. As an ally and friend of the Jewish community, I was excited about both … More Martin Luther King Day 2022
One year ago today, we witnessed the battering of our American Democracy by an Insurrection orchestrated by a defeated but defiant ex-President and abetted by his followers – both private citizens and members of Congress. Incredibly, the horror of that day has been overshadowed by so many more insults and onslaughts against our country: the … More January 6 – A Day That SHOULD Live in Infamy
Baltimore Sons By Dean Bartoli Smith StillHouse Press, Fairfax, Virginia 128 pages Baltimore Sons, a book of poems by Dean Bartoli Smith, is a masterpiece, blending memoir, history, detached observation, poignant vignettes, and craft to tell … More Book Review: Baltimore Sons
December 26, 2021 (Spoiler Alert: It has only taken me 5 and a half weeks to put this post together!) Though I have not been posting on the blog much, this year, that’s what I’ve been doing—keeping my nose to the grindstone, aka working hard continuously. On a lot of things, many of which are … More Keep Your Nose to the Grindstone
Originally posted on Global Poemic:
by Jackie Oldham May 23, 20219:05am Sunday morning, 9amand already 79 degrees. Silence brokenby the one-note symphonyof cicadas singing from trees. But there’s a soloistwhose song rises above the rest—an urgent fifth – F to B flat Waaay-oh, repeating at steady intervals. Is this the lucky cicadawho found his mate?…
Where I’ve Been Though I have not posted here since May 17th, I have been busy—writing, mostly; I’ve been posting new poems and promoting recent events on the companion Facebook page, Baltimoreblackwoman@jolivia1016. On Juneteenth 2021, I joined Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram, founder and host of Quintessential Listening: Poetry Online Radio, as a co-host, along with … More Catching Up with baltimoreblackwoman
I am excited to announce that I will be reading poems and discussing Mental Health awareness at this important event, on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at 8:00pm EDT, along with the following poets: Christina Bejan, Brian Donnell James, Hilton Lewis, Bypo Phoenix, and Monique Pickens. As a person who has lived and thrived with both … More ANNOUNCEMENT: National Mental Health Awareness Month Poetry Reading NOT ALL SCARS CAN BE SEEN
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