Image based on photo by Marja Flick-Buijs
Editors' Note ~
The Abundance of Summer!
Summer is a season when just about anything goes—especially in the U.S. Upper Midwest, where both of us were born and raised. After the icy chains of winter and dreary wet days of spring, summer releases everyone’s wild, crazy, dreamy energies. Suddenly, the outdoors is filled with noises that were forced indoors the previous six months: the screeching of children playing once again in their sandboxes, the laughter of picnickers, the pounding bass beats from the cars of teenagers released from school.
In this part of the world, the Summer Solstice surfaces the hunger of our souls to see more, experience more, drink in more of life—both inner and outer.
This incredible issue of Cezanne’s Carrot reflects that same effusiveness and aliveness. Like a summer garden that explodes with all sorts of flowers, vegetables, rabbit nests, and even a deer wandering through it, this issue bursts with stories and artwork that vary wildly in all ways except their excellence.
This issue contains stories that made us both laugh and ponder—for example, the memoirs “Dad Drives,” by Charles Ries, and “God Uses a Headset,” by Jewel Beth Davis—and ones that made us choke up with emotions—the short story “Dance Home,” by Kathryn Gossow, for instance, or “Balancing on Its Rusty Blade,” a poetic nonfiction piece by Christine Boyka Kluge.
Other pieces, such as the stories “The 4th Horseman,” by Jim Esch, and “The Boy Who’s a Floating Flower,” by Tantra Bensko, are like summer fireworks—expansive, full of light and wonder, and unpredictable.
In every one of this issue’s stories, you’ll find unusual ways of peeking behind the “veils” that usually separate childhood, adulthood, and old age—not to mention those that separate small-r reality from capital-R Reality.
We’ve also done something special with this issue’s Visual Art section. We are featuring the visionary art of Netherlands artist Simon Frantzen, whose amazing paintings explore the vast realm of truth and experience beyond the physical. Take a moment or two to gaze into each painting and see how far and deep it can take you.
It’s summertime, and extravagance, ebullience, and wonder are the order of the day! Let the creative energies of our contributors carry you into new and intriguing worlds.
UPDATE: Our "Return of the Light" Winter Solstice Competition is now open!! For submission details, go to our contest guidelines page.
Coming soon to Cezanne’s Carrot: our first contest! We will feature the winning fiction and nonfiction stories of this contest in the Winter Solstice 2007 issue, as a way of celebrating the start of our third year. Details of this contest will be announced in a few weeks, so if you’re a writer, check our website around mid-July for the guidelines, deadlines, and what we hope is an inspiring theme!
In the meantime, take an exciting “summer trip” through the words and images of this issue of Cezanne’s Carrot! We hope you’ll find it as funny, meaningful, and expansive as we do!
Copyright 2007 by Cezanne’s Carrot
