In the fall of 2013, my short story “A Man, a Plan, a Canal” was published in Commonthought Magazine. As today, 02.02.2020, is a global palindrome day (or something like that) I thought it only fitting to share it here with you. A Man, a Plan, a Canal by Carolyn Clare Givens Date: December 25, 2008 Time: 0510 hours Officer Making […]
Introducing Smuggins, The King’s Messenger
Quite a few years ago (I’m not going to say how many because it makes me feel old), I sat in a Great Christian Writers class in college and listened to my professor talk about one of John Milton’s most famous sonnets, “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent.” As Dr. Bancroft walked us through the final lines of the poem that day, a character was born in my imagination: Smuggins, a messenger for the King.
Three New Twitter Followers
This week I must have been brought to the attention of some fine folks and they managed to find me in the Twittersphere and therefore I now have my ego stroked enough to last me for a couple of weeks, I’m sure.
Words, Words, Words
I learned a new word today. I love learning new words, particularly when they’re multi-syllabic and fun to say. Today’s word was “concatenation.” Both multi-syllabic and fun (and defined as a series of interconnected things or events). Evidently, listening to NPR does make you smarter. It reminded me of some of my favorite words of the past and my adventures […]
Rethinking Scarcity: New Post at The High Calling
I’ve got a new post up at The High Calling today. I was asked to write on the theme of “rethinking scarcity”—and to look at in the context of art. Immediately I thought of the ways the artists I know come together and support one another in their work, forming communities that not only advance the production of art, but also […]
Figuring It Out Later: Hutchmoot 2013
“I’ll probably figure out what this weekend meant to me in a few days,” I said to Rachel and Christine as we drove home from Hutchmoot on Monday. After I attended for the first time last year, I discovered that I couldn’t put into words what it had meant until I’d read the offerings of a few other attendees. When […]
New Guest Post at Story Warren
Have you been introduced to Story Warren yet? It’s a delightful place, full of wonderful people who tell wonderful tales and recommend wonderful things. Y’all should head on over and check out one of those links in the previous sentence. Or all of them. S.D. Smith, who runs the place with his many allies, is a highly enjoyable human being […]
New Guest Post at Everyday Liturgy
I had another guest post go up today at Everyday Liturgy titled, “A Romance It Certainly Is.” Here’s a snippet: We cannot avoid the reality of this world. We see its dark underbelly in everything from the news to human trafficking to the person who pushes past us in a crowd without apologizing. This world, and we people in it, […]
Leaping
In less than two months, I will not be employed full time. It’s a slightly terrifying idea, but a step I’ve seen the Lord clearing the way for over and over as I’ve walked forward. I talked with a friend about it a few months ago. I said something like, “I’m going to take a leap and leave this job […]
Bent Branches, Straight Baselines
It’s been just over a month now since spring began – slowly this year in Philly – coming at us in fits and starts. I think it has actually arrived now, though there are still one or two trees that are only just leafing out. But the azaleas and the dogwoods have bloomed, so I think it’s really spring. This […]