A Special Farewell:
Moving On
by Barbara Jacksha
My office has never been the epitome of organization or cleanliness, but now the floor space has become a maze that threatens my tender shins and perplexes even my generally patient and agile canine companions. I've got mounds of old writing magazines, boxes of paper for recycling, stacks of boxes filled with books I thought I'd hold on to forever.
Though I usually feel the spring cleaning urge, something is different this year. I feel a strong need to let go — of activities, attachments, objects that don't reflect who I am right now. Recently, I spent one very dusty week pulling book after book off my shelves, and with each book I asked the question: Is this me, now? To my surprise, most of the time, the answer was a very clear no.
It's not the first time I've felt my life shifting, nor the first time I've found myself faced with the choice to cling to the old or embrace the new. I'm not only feeling this in the physical 'body' of my office, but also in my writing. Some pieces that I was very interested in six months ago now seem like strangers. Even my interest in forms is changing. I'm moving away from an almost exclusive devotion to flash fiction toward an interest in longer forms — novels and screenplays.
In my current period of change, as I settle more into my new role as an editor and co-founder of Cezanne's Carrot, I've also recognized the need to leave flashquake, a place I've called home for two years now. They've been two incredible years — I've grown both as a writer and an editor from my time here. I've been impressed and inspired by the writers we've published, as well as the other editors whose quiet, usually unseen devotion and commitment to the journal is astounding.
I'm going to miss being part of the flashquake team, seeing the submissions pour into my inbox, reading for the amazing works that stand out like glittering gems. I'll even miss the last few frenzied days when we make our final selections.
As a flashquake editor, I received CDs containing the issue I worked on, and these CDs are displayed on my 'brag shelf' beside the copies of journals that have published my writing. No matter how many periods of change, how many 'purges,' I go through, I can't imagine those CDs ever leaving their place of distinction on that shelf.
It's been an honor and a joy. Thank you.
On behalf of flashquake's remaining staff, I'd like to personally thank Barbara for her support, her ideas, and all of her hard work during the time she's been an editor here.
Please visit Barb at her new home, Cezanne's Carrot.