This afternoon I found myself seated among other English professors, student writers and artists, and other staff and faculty from Tulsa Community College. We collected together in an auditorium space for the Tulsa Review Launch Party – TCC’s online Literary Magazine/Journal. Student readers and a colleague of mine read selections from this year’s edition located at http://www.tulsaccreview.com. The majority of the read-aloud pieces were all student submissions to the journal, and it was a thrill to hear their works read out loud and see the visual arts submissions flashing across a screen above where the readings took place.
One young lady sat next to me – and with pride, she pointed to her painting when it was displayed on the screen. It was lovely, and I asked her if it were a self-portrait. She said that she’d seen the photo and wanted to duplicate it as a painting because she’d found it so lovely. This is her piece which is in this years’ Tulsa Review edition:
(The woman/student I sat next to)
As I sat there listening once the “party” started – and the introductions were made by my colleague Josh Parish, also an English Professor at TCC, I realized that I had accomplished something big here! Yes, there were student submissions, but the Tulsa Review also accepts and publishes general submissions worldwide. This year, I anonymously submitted – I’d thought about submitting a piece the two previous years, but I second-guessed myself and did not do it. Why? It’s been a “minute” since I submitted a written piece and was published by a magazine or an anthology – the past few years of my life stunted me and kept me from creativity. No longer! My piece, “The Devil’s Promenade,” was chosen for publication by the review board of TCC student editors. How exciting! I am excited and honored to have been chosen – and I’m planning what I might submit for the next edition! For now, though …
“The Devil’s Promenade” is a ghost story mash-up of Joplin Spooklight legends and my own experience visiting Spooklight Road in Seneca, Missouri, with my cousin and two of our friends. After reading the legends surrounding the Spooklight, I had to write a ghost story. Had to. This is one of my favorite pieces that I’ve written – and I’m excited to point you to it.
The visual art accompanying my short story is by a TCC student – James/Jaime Cunningham. Not related that I know of … and neither are our works; they are not connected beyond being linked together in the lit magazine. James’ picture is made of small pieces of paper collected to form the larger “painting” of Cain’s Ballroom. Lovely.
I hope you enjoy “The Devil’s Promenade.”
Lenazy's Life 