The News Notes
ACG newsletter and updates #3
Hello, you amazing human beings, and welcome to another ACG newsletter! I have been so happy with the growth and transition of A Cornered Gurl over the last three months, and I hope all of you have had a great experience reading what we have shared.
We have had gut-wrenching poetry, soul-shaking nonfiction, and a challenge that tapped into our ability to take six words and write about our next travel destination.
We are moving in the direction I hoped we would and witnessing its occurrence gives me so much joy. I believe ACG is moving along the way it should, and having all of you alongside us makes the ride an even more fascinating one!
What have we done? How have we made an impact these last three months? Will you still be here after June says goodbye to us? I hope you will be. It is my prayer you will remain right here with us.
We appreciate you. You are welcome in every form. Continue to grace us with your light.
Writers and followers
As of today, we have 71 writers, and we have gained an additional 35 followers since the last newsletter was published on January 31, 2023 — increasing our follower count to 1,801.
These numbers are feasible for us — for the type of community I envision for A Cornered Gurl. I want to be sure this space will continue to be a safe space for anyone who chooses to commune with us.
Everyone should be extremely happy with the results and your work here. With each submission, and over time, you will grow — your work will flourish — you will be changed by it.
I truly appreciate your existence in this space.
Poetry that will shift your spirits & bless your souls
I admire what we can do as writers with words. Poetry is a tool to be wielded however it should according to the writer who holds it. I love certain devices and forms, and how one can pull several meanings from all of them with each read.
Below you will find a few words by some amazing writers to sink your teeth into and come up full:
The Message, Amanda Laughtland
The Underside, Jonathan Greene
The Power a Writer Holds, Tvisha D. Kumar
The Waves, zoe
Glimpses From the Rearview Mirror, Linda Sharp
Enchanted, Lubna Yusuf
Sharing our stories with others can often make us feel better
Creative nonfiction is a pathway to the souls of writers. It’s a genre we can use to give others a snippet of us and still keep ourselves intact.
Below you will find a few pieces well worth your time — I wouldn’t steer you wrong:
Bessemer Super Highway, Terry Barr
Hi, Dear Me, Lita Tiara
The Joys of Cooking Your Dog’s Food, Tre L. Loadholt
The Wave in My Head, Kerstin Krause
What makes us, us? Our stories — our lives
When we can share ourselves wholly and completely with our readers, it is a gift that keeps on giving. ACG Writers are unashamed to allow readers to walk into their minds, pull up a seat, and settle in for a few hours.
We have so much love hidden within our words — we want to lend it to those who want and need it:
I Gave Myself My Own Damn Flowers, Linda Sharp
Good Neighbors: A Story From the Suburbs, Amanda Laughtland
The third challenge was what I believe most of us needed
A Cornered Gurl has always been a publication that shared writing prompts/challenges. The third one since our relaunch did not usher in as many responses as I thought it would, but the submissions received and published are well worth their weight in gold.
What did I expect from the participants?
The challenge: Writers will share where they’d like to travel next. However, use six words only to tell us about this place. Is cabin fever finally wearing you down? Do you have a place you sincerely want to go that is simply calling your name? Let us know — but come up with your story using only six words.
This was our 6-word Story: Where do you want to travel next challenge, and we received seven submissions (not including mine). You can find them under the Community tab on the homepage.
I am glad you are here. I am even more ecstatic that you have decided to come along on this journey with me/us once again. I have so many ideas brewing in my head-space for A Cornered Gurl, and I pray I am given the time to see these ideas become a reality for this publication.
Thank you for reading, connecting with us, and giving us your attention.
Peace and blessings.
