Monday, January 23, 2006
  New Tricks
Well, today has been a day for new tricks. First, I got notice that my poem Foreign Thoughts was accepted for publication by Star*Line which is the bi-monthly journal of the Science Fiction Poetry Association. This was the first sci-fi poem I have ever written. (Lots of science fiction prose, lots of poetry, but the first time together.) I may have to try my hand at more. I have to say, it wasn't easy forcing an idea to come to my brain, but once it came, the poem flowed pretty well. Unfortunately for all y'all that might want to read it, it's not coming out till the Nov/Dec issue. At least you have something to look forward to ALL YEAR LONG!

The other new trick -- I wrote a song! A nasheed to be exact. (Nasheed for those of you who probably don't know are like psalms, or hymns in praise of God.) This is also the first song I've ever written. I love music, I love songs (Winterreise is perhaps my favorite song cycle ever), I would kill to be able to write like Beethoven or Chopin (ok, no I wouldn't but I would be sooo happy!). Unfortunately, I cannot write a single original stanza. Period. But now I have written the lyrics to a song and if I'm lucky they will be selected by the singer Ahmed Bukhatir to be made into a nasheed. Of course, if he does choose to use my lyrics, it won't sound anything like The Halleluiah Chorus, or even Scherezade; nonetheles it's exciting to think about adding lyricist to my list of odd writerly jobs.

I think I not only have to write a few more sf poems, but I also have to write a couple more nasheed, in case Mr. Bukhatir would like more than one, and in case he doesn't like the first one! Gosh, see how quick what was an old trick becomes a new one?
 
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Progressive Muslim, feminist, mom, writer, mystic, lover of the universe and Doug Schmidt, cellist, theologian and imam.


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Cane River
An interesting exploration of the gradual whiting of a family through slavery to modern days.

To see an archive of all the books I've read (well the ones I've read and review since I started the blog) with comments, please click here

Causes Worth Supporting

This is just a short list -- a few of my favorites.

English Language Islamic Fiction. We need more of it. Lots more.
Pay a Teacher's Salary in Afghanistan. The Hunger site actually has a lot of worthwhile programs. You can find them all here .
Muslims for Progressive Values. My organization. We can always use donations, of time or money!
Human Rights Campaign for the glbt community
National Religious Campaign Against Torture
The ACLU I'm a card carrying member. Hope you'll become one too.
MoveOn.org. The organization that has done the most, as far as I can tell, to pull the countries progressive side together.
Network of Spiritual Progressives. Working to reclaim religion and morality for the religious left.

Blogs Worth Reading

Wanda Campbell also known as Nochipa A very gifted poet and a gentle, compassionate soul. Nochipa and I are on the same page on sooooo many things
Writeous Sister Aminah Hernandez, she's got some excellent latino pieces and always has good writing info on her blog.
Sister Scorpion aka Leila Montour - Leila is a fount of energy, quirky humor, and bad attitude. She's also a talented poet.
Muhajabah Very interesting commentary here. I don't always agree with her, but her pieces are always thought-provoking.
Georgie Dowdell Georgie is a great writer and a good friend.
Louise Marley Another great writer. I think Louise is one of the best sf writers exploring faith themes.
Ink in My Coffee Devon Ellington (who has numerous aliases) who is also the editor of Circadian Poems. A truly inspiring woman with a seemingly endless supply of energy.
Ethnically Incorrect With a name like that, isn't a given I'm going to enjoy this writer?
Freedom from the Mundane Colin Galbraith, another excellent writer, from Scotland.
The Scruffy Dog Review This is a new e-zine with an ecclectic mix of fiction, poetry, and non-fic, some really enjoyable pieces here.
Ramblings of a Suburban Soccer Mom Lara, another gentle soul, very thoughtful.
Circadian Poems A journal of poetry, new stuff up all the time.
Ye Olde Inkwell Michelle writes romance and is one of my writing buddies.
Muhammad Michael Knight The original punk Muslim writer. Like him or love him, Mike is always coming up with the unexpected.

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