Writing updates

Sifting through my mailbox this morning, I found the following emails:

From Laurie O'Hare, Editor of Chickflicks Ezine .

Thank you for your submission. We enjoyed the creative prose of your nonfiction piece. We have accepted it for the upcoming issue.

This is about my non-fiction piece entitled "Falling in Love". Yayness and a big smile from over here.

The Skin Byteback book is out too. You can download it for free from Route Online or buy a hard copy of the byteback. I have a story in this book entitled, "My Skin, Us". Enjoy.

Here's the blurb:

Skin - Editor Crista Ermiya A mixture of fiction and non-fiction stories are to be found in this new byteback book edited by Crista Ermiya on the theme of skin. In her introduction Crista describes skin as 'a border frontier, the porous barrier between what's on the outside and the inside; appearance and reality.'

And on the fictional side of things, I got this email from Dark Energy SF editor, Jerry Davis

Just a quick note to let you know your story has passed the first round of readings and is in the final selection stage. 99% of the stories we receive don't make it this far, so even if we decide against it at this point, please consider this a compliment.

I'm quite pleased about this, and hope I'll have more opportunity to write and submit work soon.

In the meantime, my Being and Becoming column is up on, Haruah

And an Interview with Marshall Payne has been published at: The Sword Review .

I'm still grinning from ear to ear about the Chickflicks acceptance. Thanks to Laurie O'Hare and Stacy Taylor.

This came in the mail for our Samuel. With this posting, we're saying thanks to dear friends and loved ones for the lovely cards, and presents we've been receiving in the mail.

Samuel at one month.

Samuel in the tummytub.

Samuel -- second week at home

Proud Older Brother poses with his little brother for the birth announcement.

Home from the hospital. We discovered our house had been decorated with banners welcoming Samuel home.

Updating this blog

So much has happened in the past month, and it's taken me time to think of writing in this blog again.

As I've written here, Joy and Sorrow live close to each other in my heart. Samuel's birth was such a joy. He is a wonderful miracle of life, a testimony of God's goodness and grace.

Jessica's passing leaves behind a great gap only time will be able to fill. Looking at her photograph, I think that as long as we remember all the good and beautiful and joyful things about her, as long as we hold on to the memory of all that made her the Jessica we loved, she will continue to be with us.

I think of the Filipino tradition of bringing food for the dead, and I think it is not a bad tradition. In many ways, this comforts us --the living. We remember our dead and we keep them alive and keep ourselves connected to them through the traditions that keep the fire of their memory alive.

Jessica

Joy and Sorrow live side by side.

Saturday, 17 February 2007. Jessica , my neighbour, died. She was only a few days younger than me.

I remember Jessica standing in the hallway on the day after I arrived in The Netherlands. She brought me a pot of yellow chrysanthemums and welcomed me to Holland. She was a good neighbour and a good friend and we all will miss her.

She would have loved Samuel, but it comforts me to think that she sees him now from her heaven.

God in his heaven keep you in peace, dear Jessica.

The day after Samuel was born

Joel Jan greets his baby brother with pride. When he saw Samuel for the first time, he said:

"Is that our baby?"

When I said yes, he said:

"Oh Mama, thank you for giving me a baby brother."

It's been a month since Samuel was born. A busy, hectic, emotion-packed month with very little time in between to update blogs and write. Samuel is a beautiful boy. Quite well-tempered and easy to care for. He still sleeps a lot, but his waking hours are increasing. Two days before he turned one month, he could already lift and turn his head when laid on his stomach. He loves music and will sleep even beyond his feeding hour if someone is playing the piano.

Our Samuel

Here's our Samuel at two days old. It was a lovely winter day. Cold but not too chilly. The river outside had frozen over, but the sun was shining in through the hospital window.

Samuel Hendrik Loenen

born: 23 January 2007

weight: 2780 grams (about 5.5 pounds)

length: 48 centimeters