Words about words

Work in Progress by Robert Stikmanz (pencil, ink and watercolor pencils). Click on the image to view it uncropped.
New Musings

A new Musings column (read it HERE) excavates a little more Stikmanz family history as Robert sketches some of his notable maternal ancestors. In the wake of bad news about unavoidable dental work, he elected to pair more words on a popular topic with a plea for support. An unbudgeted failing tooth has to be replaced by an expensive implant. These things just won’t seem to happen on a convenient schedule. Enjoy and share the column, and please consider using either the Ko-fi or Buy Me a Coffee button to leave a tip.

And other words

New writing from the Stikmanz world splits between English and Spanish. On the Spanish side, revision of around three dozen poems nears completion. The count is imprecise because a couple may get cut up and pasted into a single piece. What comes after revision? Good question. It would be great if an Uruguayo/a willing to workshop the lot materialized, but that seems unlikely. Even without that kind of safety net, several may be solid enough to tempt rejection—if only there were an Uruguayan market for poetry. Such a thing, if it exists, is well hidden. There are open mike events around town, but those require a level of confidence still out of reach. Writing poetry in a language one speaks imperfectly is one thing. Words on a page can be mulled and polished. Interacting at a live reading is altogether something else. It will come eventually.

Apart from recent Musings, the focus in English has been The Seven Jewel Bird. An end is in sight, which is to say an end of the written part is in sight. Before the story sees publication as an ebook it needs a “cover” illustration. That inspiration has yet to strike. Those who have given support through Ko-fi and Buy Me a Coffee will get it in some form before it sees general release, possibly as a text only PDF. Look for a decision when the final draft comes out of the oven. Opinions are welcome from anyone who clicks one of the coffee buttons to leave a tip.