Editor’s note
I hate arguing with people who know more than I do, but somewhere along the way these smarter guys messed up big time when they created the calendar. If I were in charge (which is never going to happen), the year would end on March 31st and the New Year start April 1st. Why? Because life starts all abuzz the first weeks of spring.
Winters (in my mind) are a dormant period: cold, snow, ice, short days with long nights, nothing growing (I am talking northern hemisphere here, guys – and ignoring you ski bunnies). Come spring, trees remember they have leaves, birds return from their winter vacations, grass spurts up and turns green, insects awaken with bursts of energy, and bees are all abuzz around a world of budding flowers. Bears even come out of their dens to ask what’s for breakfast. It’s a New Year all abuzz
And we, too, are all abuzz with our Spring issue: new stories, new writers, new poems, and new efforts from some of our favorite authors. First up, BWG’s own Daniel Krippene regales readers with our featured story, “Desert Buzz.” True to its title, small buzzing things play a part in a budding romance. But never fear, bug-loathers; these busy buzzers have beaks and feathers! For our other stories, William Sharon’s “Jacob” peeks into the perspective of a young man with an extraordinary mind, while Richard L. Shelby’s “Saturday Afternoon at the Wash & Dry, Fluff & Fold” muses on life, love, and the consequences of the choices we make. Our Spring 2022 issue is especially rich in poetry, with Alexander Zera, Christopher Clauss, and Maggie Kennedy all offering their musings on family, the changing of the seasons, and how to make the best of the moments we’re given—good thoughts for spring!
The BWG’s own Christopher Ochs handles this issue’s interview. We were very lucky to snag Peter Prellwitz, author of the sci-fi Shards series, with ten novels and eight anthologies to his credit. The words of the prolific Mr. Prellwitz, who also writes under the name H.K. Devonshire, should prove both inspiring and thought-provoking for fans and fellow writers alike.
Finally, as usual, the BWG Roundtable is happy to supply writers with Betty’s Tips, a column featuring links to interesting and useful sites, as well as this issue’s Literary Learnings, in which Carol L. Wright takes us beyond the romantic aspect of Jane Austen’s novels to view the practical foundation of the lovers’ relationships.
That’s it for this issue! We’ll be back in the summer with our lazy Unplugged issue. But for now, keep buzzing busily away!
The 2022 Short Story Award
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 30, 2022
We’re seeking stories of 2,000 words or fewer on the theme:
An Element of Mystery
Winners will receive cash and publication.
See our
2022 Short Story Award tab for more information.
Featured story
“Desert Buzz” by D.T. Krippene
Nathanial Beekman surveyed the desert horizon. The cowboy hat Monty Contreras gave him shaded his eyes from the bright sunlight of mid-March. He missed the New England springtime of his former Connecticut home with its arrival of avian choirs singing for mates. One could almost hear tree buds awaken with a snap from their waxy cocoons. Here in Nevada’s version of spring outside the cities, the only sound was that of the blustery wind laden with dust, the cry of a hawk on the hunt, and the scuff of his boots on hardscrabble dirt.
Featured Poetry
“Hysteranthous” by Maggie Kennedy
Her parents are too busy following
along in their hymn books to notice
their pint-size daughter has escaped the pew.
She twirls down the aisle round
and round, leaps and pirouettes,
her tutu a glittering purple swirl,
heels of her gym shoes flickering rainbows.
Also in this issue
2022 Short Story Award competition information
Interview with author Peter Prellwitz
Short story by William Sharon
Short story by Richard L. Shelby
Poem by Alexander Zera
Poem by Christopher Clauss
Literary Learnings by Carol L. Wright