JAMES M. MASKELL ESSAYS, FICTION, & POETRY
Writing Portfolio
Nonfiction Essays
Clicking on the images below will take you to the original publication wherever possible.
Every Time She Moves
Published in Volume 28 of Waccamaw: A Journal of Contemporary Literature, "Every Time She Moves" is about a day at the beach being interrupted by a nearby malfunctioning bathing suit.
In the Backyard
This CNF essay published in Volume 6 of Windmill: The Hofstra Journal of Art and Literature details a key moment in the relationship I shared with my father.
The Record Keeper
My love for music really started when I was very young. "The Record Keeper," published in Volume 5 of Drexel University's Paper Dragon, details a moment when I snuck into my brother's room to gaze at his record collection.
Windmill Interview
The editorial staff of Windmill was kind enough to include me in their Windmill Writers series as they asked about my process in writing "In the Backyard."
FICTION
Clicking on the images below will take you to the original publication wherever possible.
Suburban Laureate
"Suburban Laureate " was inspired by an experience my father had when I was very young. I decided to craft a completely fictional story around that moment. It was originally published in the first issue of
Vita and the Woolf.
A Renewal
"A Renewal" is my first attempt at a bit of a haunted tale. It was published by the British journal Crow and Cross Keys on April 24, 2024.
Ceremonial Rains
"Ceremonial Rains" is a story about grief, its solitary nature, and how we never really grieve in the exact same way as someone else. It was first published in the August 2024 edition of Bright Flash Literary Review.
A Parting Gift
"A Parting Gift" was inspired by the song "Everybody Loves Christmas" by Nat Bayne. Listen to both (and give it a read) on the Dance Cry Dance Break podcast.
Sundown
Originally published in the Lucky Jefferson 365 Collection, "Sundown" is the brief account of an adult son calming his elderly mother who suffers from dementia.
Next Fall
Some of my early publications were 100 word stories on the British site Friday Flash Fiction. "Next Fall" was one of my favorites.
Poetry
Clicking on the images below will take you to the original publication wherever possible.
For the Record
Originally published in the Summer 2022 edition of Loud Coffee Press, "For the Record," an homage to vinyl records, is the very first thing I ever published. The issue appears as a single PDF. "For the Record" appears on page 25,
The Windchimes: A Villanelle
When I put my parents house on the market, I was struck by the "For Sale" sign on the lawn, where my father's wind chimes used to hang. I knew I had to write about those two images. The villanelle seemed the perfect form to illustrate that juxtaposition. This poem was originally published in Assignment: The Literary Magazine of Mountainview MFA on June 20. It appears on page 42 of the issue linked in the picture above.
August 16, 1977
This English sonnet is inspired by the above photo of my father and me. It was taken at my favorite childhood vacation spot moments before we all received word of the death of Elvis Presley. Even as a young kid, I understood the cultural gravity of this event. It was first published in the Spring 2024 "Happy Poems" edition of Poemeleon: A Journal of Poetry.