I am so excited to bring you this latest edition of WestWord. The theme for this edition was hope, and it feels so important that we bring this to our stories in the dark times we find ourselves living in.
From turkey farms to a post-apocalyptic wilderness, childhood dreams of a trip to the fair, and escape from small town life and minds, or a revolution started by a ska rhythm tapped out on an old paint pot, each of these stories shows hope in a myriad of forms. Moving on after grief, growing seeds of trees in urban slums and finding a way to cope when violence shatters a world, show how human resilience always shines through in the end.
I thank all of the writers for sending them to WestWord and giving me the chance to bring them to the world.
I hope you enjoy them and please share them with others if you do.
With love and hope,
Edition 4
Firsts
More and more, there are firsts. The first time she puts her head underwater, the first time she swims a length of the pool without stopping. The first hundred…
The Moment of Escape
The fine-large tom-turkey savoured the swell of grain in his overstuffed gullet. ‘Don’t y’ll just love the winter? Cold-short days, endless rations, sleeping critter…
Respair
Like the old tongue, we retreated to the wilds. Among the last, a linguist. Searching for firewood, we learnt fellowfeel. After, confelicity, sharing its orangely glow...
The Revolution Begins With An Empty Can Of Paint
It was Ted and an empty paint pot that started the revolution. Tired from a night spent packing parcels that people didn’t really need, on his way home, Ted sat...
Prescription
You’re at the mall, ringing up purchases at a pharmacy in a backwoods mining town, over the railroad tracks from where you were born. You’re a girl in acid-wash jeans …
The Hurdy Gurdies
A jangling tumbleweed of children piled into Uncle’s car. Cousins with skin sun-raw and hair salt-stiffened from beach days. ‘Where are we going?’ We knew, we hoped…
Misery Beach
The thing about Misery Beach is that it’s beautiful. It’s a beach straight out of guided relaxation exercises and stock photo libraries. So beautiful you almost take…
Tears of a Clown
The wheels came off the bright red and yellow car. Horns were honking and sirens screaming. Clowns were wriggling through every available window and door. Woodwinds…
Germinating a Tiny Hope
Looking out from my high-up tenement window, I whisper to the wind: “I miss the trees of home.” The wind sighs. It is not softened and soothed by spikes, shards…
The theme for the next edition of WestWord is FAITH. Submissions will be open for this from 1st to 31st January 2024.
There is one more submission opportunity in 2023 - the 1000 Word Photo competition deadline is 31st December. 10 winners get published in the anthology edition and win cash prizes.
There are now paid subscriptions to WestWord that include competition entries, submissions, craft articles and workshops.