What We’re Talking About in Issue 0402 (December 2019)
The complete table of contents
as it appears in the December 2019 issue of Blank Spaces.
from the editor — Choosing Creativity
shameless — Into the Heart of the Storm by Margo McCall is a striking reflection on faith and snow as a cross-country road trip takes her from summer to winter in a dizzying change of landscape.
— In A Tale of Two Tables, Irene Reilly revisits that first Christmas after her son died of a Fentanyl overdose, inviting us to come with her to some of the triggering locations as she works toward finding the healing she needs to move on.
red solo cup — Reading Good Mourning and Dissatisfaction, poetry by Vlad Krakov, is like taking a front row journey through a subconscious mind. His turn of phrase and bold commentary make him one to watch!
— In her poems, Bolero and Road Rage, Saskatchewan poet, Sherri Rohovich gives a vulnerable account of human relationships and emotions.
— In knock-kneed and Lines scribbled in an airplane for Scott, Dessa Bayrock invites us into her world as she examines her reality with her feet planted on the ground, and then at forty thousand feet in the air
flash fiction — In his thoughtful piece, Geosmin, Kees Kapteyn touches on nature and climate and the human desire to seek out better places to lay down roots when all we really crave is the home we came from.
— When a writer finds a letter on the ground in Colin Thornton’s story, Ten Minutes in Maine, he can't help but let his imagination fill in the gaps.
— In Zambezi, Doley Henderson takes us through the rapids on a wild ride of cold water, capsizing, fear, elation, and discovery.
different strokes —We live in compliance with the laws of reality, time, and daily routine. Multi-media artist, Milena Doncheva, attempts to break these laws, creating a new world with her art. Her Personal Mythology series explores familiarity, but reinvents it into something abstract and storied.
fiction feature — In his story, Long and White, Eric Prost explores the endurance required to watch a parent fade, and the plethora of emotions a child faces when confronted with death.
story matters — Our editor-in-chief, Alanna Rusnak, shares her thoughts on the party Blank Spaces hosted in Toronto for our latest Just Words Anthology in A Launch Party for the Books.
more than words — Photographer Andrew Ruhl shares part of his series, Dallas Pier, capturing people as they interact with one of his favourite locations on Vancouver Island.
make art not war — In her Sewn Open series, Joanne Probyn communicates with the intimacy of a personal journal, creating with paint, medium, thread, string, and gold leaf. Probyn invites inspiration from the Japanese art of kintsugi: preparing ceramic breaks with gold.
between the lines — Gail M. Murray brings us a review of The Wolves of St. Peter’s by Canadian authors Gina Buonaguro and Janice Kirk.
write prompt challenge winner — Kimberlee Ashby captivated our judges with her story. The Empty Page is an engaging interpretation of the image prompt, each beat revealing just enough to keep the reader fully engaged.
final word — In On the Margins, David Perlmutter reminds us of the importance of clear communication and respect within today’s climate of public social uprising.
