Spark: A Creative Anthology, Volume VII

From the foreword by Jen Greyson:

Change. It occurs everywhere we look—from the seasons, to our relationships, to ourselves. Change is truly the only constant in our lives, trite as the saying may be. Change bears opportunity for growth, though oftentimes we reject the chance to embrace the newness out of fear, whether fear of the unknown, or fear of rejection, or fear of who we’ll become on the other side of the change. Characters are no different.

A good story can immerse us in the progression of change through a character’s eyes. Whether they choose to accept the challenge or refuse it, both decisions carry consequences. Refusal of a growth opportunity can mean more challenges for our favorite characters until they finally relent, while immediate acceptance can bring dark nights and lonely journeys. Growth isn’t easy and easy doesn’t make for good stories that stick with us after we read them. We want to see our characters make the tough decisions and ponder what we’d do in the same situation. [220 more words]

Cover Art by Tatiana Marlee

Foreword by Jen Greyson

Contributors:

Lillian Li Jackson
Gloria Keeley Garage Sale
Eliyanna Kaiser Virgil’s Cave
BD Wilson Perfect Peace
George Wells Below My Window
Lucia Cherciu Bacșiș
Marie Bacigalupo Mother’s Day
Anita Marquez Dining with the Dead
Miriam Zeitz IV
Sarah Pinsker Still the Caves
Kacey Vanderkarr Distraction
Carie Juettner Teardrops and Watermelon Seeds
Alexis A. Hunter Emerson’s Shadow
Karen Paul Holmes In a Year
Frank Scozzari Two Men and a Gun
Camille Guillot Ghazal for a New Decade
K.C. Norton Rue d’Zoi
Iain Ishbel Privacy Poems
Levi Jacobs Snow in Thailand
Michael Garrett Ashby II Oh Solomon
B.C. Matthews For the Price of a Memory
Corey Pentoney The Wordeater
S. Babin Bottles
J. J. Green Dream Spinner
Gabor Kiraly A Man’s Face
Michael Haynes Living in the Whitespace
Miranda Hellinger Lessons
Seth Marlin The Archivist
Travis Daniel Bow Those Who Remember
M.V. Montgomery Retracing my Steps
Elliot Cooper Working Stiffs