Sunday, November 20, 2011

Bittersweetly . . .



I am beside myself with pride and joy as I announce a new publication. My short story, "Zar," has found itself a home in the Fall 2011 edition of Yellow Medicine Review: A Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art, and Thought. Set in Cairo, Egypt, "Zar" is a story of culture, ritual, superstition, and faith. It is a story of the persistence and resilience of the human psyche in its unwavering pursuit of Light and Truth.

I really wanted for "Zar" to be published in the proper niche, and after searching long and hard for an appropriate publication, I found YMR to be just the right journal. As luck would have it, the editors of YMR felt my story was right for them, too. How about that for happy endings!

The beautiful Fall 2011 paperback edition of Yellow Medicine Review is available for purchase from Amazon. I highly recommend it. This magnificent bouquet of ethnically flavored and skillfully written stories and poems from the four corners of the globe has something to satisfy every literary palate. Enjoy . . . 

28 comments:

GYPSYWOMAN said...

yes, we are all nomads/gypsies of a sort, are we not - traveling through this life - and your beautiful words, nevine, always make the way a bit brighter - can't wait to read zar - many caring thoughts to your family and your egyptian home -

Martin said...

Egypt is already in my thoughts, Nevine. The publication of your story is a great personal positive. Congratulations.

Man Named Kim said...

you step outside of your normal poetic form and still - i'm touched... by your love of country and your power of story.

thank you.

Yvonne Osborne said...

First, congratulations on the publication of your short story! That's great.

Secondly, I hope Egypt stands strong as a beacon to the rest of the region, that the bearded, beady-eyed misfits are ground under the foot of the intelligent level-headed masses. That, by the way, is one of the best descriptions I've read of the zealots...bone-headed, drooling buffoons that they are. Wish they'd all crawl back into their cave for the sake of Egypt and the entire Middle East. For the sake of humanity. It's so nice to read blogs like yours.

S. Susan Deborah said...

Congrats on your publication, dear Nevine. Makes me proud to be your reader for about two years now.

The situation is Egypt is indeed dismal and I join with you in sending prayers and comfort. A universal writer/poet is always the one who acknowledges and writes about his/her own locale. All greta writers were so: Shakespeare, Dante and Virgil. I am happy to have found in you a part that is always Egypt inspite of not living there in the present.

Cheers to you, your writings and your thoughts.

You make us PROUD.

Much love and hugs across ether (a term I learnt from you).

Joy always,
Susan

Mildred said...

Coucou Nevine!
Je suis vraiment désolée que ton peuple soit à nouveau dans la tourmente, et j'espère qu'il arrivera à couper la tête du dragon qui essaie de l'asservir une bonne fois pour toutes!
Je te félicite du plus profond de mon cœur pour cette nouvelle publication et te souhaite tout le succès que tu mérites!

***
Gros bisous, mon amie, et belle soirée****

Owen said...

Dear Nevine,
I sincerely hope that your prayers for peace and for positive solutions will not fall on deaf ears...

And that is simply fabulous news about your publication, I have no doubt the story is beautiful, and hope to track down a copy soon.

Deepest congratulations...

ConTemplate said...

When I hear the news of Egypt I cannot help but think of you, Nevine and then I say a prayer for the safety of your family there. I also pray that Egypt would come to a resolution of these conflicts and show itself as a model to the peoples of other nations (including the good 'ol U S of A).

Congrats on your latest publication ... the momentum continues!

Betty Manousos said...

oh, nevine, congrats on your publication!
but you do deserve it.

i'm so excited and makes me proud to be your blogging friend, dearest!
i've been thinking of egypt lately after all those horrible things that are happening there.
i heart egypt you now.

big hugs to you!

Judith Mercado said...

I have been monitoring the developments in Egypt, hoping that this was part of the birth pangs of true democracy rather than a slide back into tyranny. I will keep my fingers crossed.

Congratulations on your publishing news!

Mildred said...

J'ai lu ton dernier post dans TNL!
He he he! Courte mais bonne!

***
Gros bisous, ma belle * et belle soirée****

Nevine Sultan said...

Jenean – Thank you. You are ever gracious, and I know how much you treasure my homeland, so double thanks to you, Jenean.

Martin – I know Egypt is in your thoughts, Martin, so thank you. And thank you also for your kind congratulations!

Nevine Sultan said...

Kim – Sometimes I have to break the poetry and do something a little different. My love of country is eternal, so thank you, Kim! I appreciate your swinging by immensely.

Yvonne – So kind of you to stop in and leave such words of comfort and support. I can’t begin to tell you how meaningful and dear it is to see you here. Thank you, Yvonne.

Nevine Sultan said...

Susan – Oh, across the ether! Yes, that is one of my favorite phrases, though I feel it’s getting old. Still, I felt the warmth of your words, and their sincerity, from across this vast ether that separates us. And I am so thankful for your kind support in both my publication and what is going on back home. I am the one who is proud for knowing someone as sweet and as intelligent as you are. Hugs back to you, Susan!

Mildred – Merci, ma belle amie. Tu es toujours ici, et toujours un trésor. Et je t’apprécie! Gros gros gros bisous… mille fois!!! :-)

Nevine Sultan said...

Owen – Thank you for your ever kind thoughts. I hope the same, though the situation is pretty grim. Still, I believe that goodness will prevail. I’m just an optimist like that!

ConTemplate – Thank you so very much for your warm thoughts. I believe in my people’s desire to bring positive change to our homeland. There is really no other option, as difficult and challenging as this situation is. I know it won’t be an easy fight, but I’m confident that it will eventually work out for the best. Again, thank you for stopping in and leaving such kind thoughts. It’s good to see you here.

Nevine Sultan said...

Betty – Dearest, you are so sweet, and ever the supportive friend. Thank you so much for the much-needed support… on both levels… he he he. Hugs back to you, my dear!

Judy – I am keeping my fingers crossed as well… and watching the news (though I don’t hear much of the truth) and keeping in touch with my family. They give me the real scoop, fortunately! Thank you for your congratulations, Judy.

Nevine Sultan said...

Mildred – He he he… les hommes, quoi!!! ;-)

steveroni said...

Not a surprise, your publications, Nevine. Seems like I've been gone for a year...but the beauty and delicacy of your writing will be noticeable, where and when.

You work hard at your craft. And that is clear. Yet you make it always seem so easily flowing from inside you. And your heart, oh! Well.....
(sigh!)

Beethoven, the genius, changed a musical phrase ever so slightly 20-30 times (it is all in his notebooks). His genius was that he persevered. And that is YOU! Your writing is a craft--and an art! Hey! Arts-and-Crafts"???--grin!

Everyone respects your talent, woman. I sometimes forget the work which partnered with and completed that talent. Thank you for sharing it with us.

About Egypt: That 'crowd mentality', so reminiscent of the crowds in Jerusalem
c. 2,000 years ago, or our "99%" Peeps, or the Senate who said, "Hail Caesar" one day, and stabbed him 44-plus times the next day. Like the rebellions, revolutions, which happened from time to time throughout history.

An orator-fired crowd is the second most powerful force in the Universe. The first most powerful is...LOVE! So prayer may be one great hope for Peace over there, here, and other places. Not yet hopeless.

Bless you and your family, Nevine, Queen, and all those suffering needlessly in our world of modernity.

Nevine Sultan said...

Dear Steve - So wonderful to see you here! And thank you so much for your faith in my writing ability. Your enthusiasm and your warmth are so very felt, Steve. I really appreciate your presence immensely! Yes, I am not losing my hope. I can't. There is too much at stake, really. And your encouragement and that of others helps keep everything in perspective. Again, thank you thank you for coming by and just... for being Steve. :-)

Mildred said...

Coucou ma belle Nevine!
Je t'ai un peu délaissée ces temps-ci car je traversais des moments difficiles (explications dans 'Mildred a dit") et j'espère que tu ne m'en veux pas!
J'espère que tu as passé un très bel weekend et te souhaite une merveilleuse semaine.

***
Gros BISOUS, ma belle amie * et mille fois merci pour tes visites et tes petits mots qui me font toujours bien chaud au cœur****

ps: et merci aussi pour le partage de toutes les belles pensées dans TNL;o)

Mildred said...

***
Et que ton ciel soit toujours illuminé de plein d'étoiles amies***

Mildred said...

Coucou Nevine!
Je viens te remercier pour ton petit mot sympa laisssé dans 'mildred a dit'!
En fait, j'ai donné ma démission et je suis retournée dans un petit collège au centre de Nancy, où je me plais beaucoup, et où j'ai travaillé la majeure partie du temps ces 5 dernières années.
La personne que je remplace là-bas, a des soucis de santé et est obligée de se mettre en arrêt maladie régulièrement et souvent elle ne travaille qu'à mi-temps et du coup c'est moi qui m'occupe de la moitié de ses classes;o)
Enfin, ce n'est que provisoire et je ne sais où je serai dans une semaine, mais ce qui est sûr c'est que je refuserai d'aller travailler dans un lycée professionnel du même type que celui où j'ai travaillé ces dernières semaines!

***
Je te fais de gros bisous et te souhaite une merveilleuse semaine****

ps: donne le bonjour à qui tu sais;o)

Nevine Sultan said...

Ma belle Mildred, je te souhaite tout le bonheur dans ton nouveau boulot. J'ai compris que tu avait donné ta démission, et je t'assure que tu as pris la bonne décision. Je comprends que la situation n'était plus idéal pour toi où tu travaillais, et bien, on doit prendre des décisions difficiles, parfois! Merci, ma belle amie, d'être passée plusieurs fois par ici. En fait, j'avais un horaire horrifique, les deux semaines passées, mais maintenant... Ouf! C'est fini... finalement! Gros gros bisous et merci, ma belle, pour ta gentillesse! Je t'apprécie!!! :-)

Mildred said...

Coucou mon amie!
Contente de te lire dans TNL! Ouf! Tu dois te sentir bien soulagée. Ça fait du bien de pouvoir penser à autre chose qu'à ses études ou son travail!
Repose-toi bien, et merci mille fois pour tes petits mots adorables chez moi;o)

***
Gros bisous et une merveilleuse fin de semaine pour toi et ton chéri****

Mildred said...

Je ne l'ai pas dit, mais tu sais que je t'apprécie aussi énormément;o)

***
Bisous bisous bisous****

Nevine Sultan said...

Mildred, merci ma belle amie. Gros bisous!!! :-)

Momo Luna S!gnals said...

This is wonderful Nevine, i am so happy for you. And yes, i have Egypt in my thoughts and as i see the news about Egypt on televison or in the newspapers i alsways think of you and hope you and your family are fine.
Sending you my love......

Nevine Sultan said...

Monica - Thank you, my dear, for being so thoughtful. You can't begin to imagine just how much I appreciate it... and you! :-) Warm hugs from me to you!!!