Progenitor Art and Literary Journal

My daughter Grace Wagner edited this year's addition of Arapahoe Community College's art and literary journal, Progenitor. Ryan Zimmerman was her co-editor. For some beautiful artwork, and some good poetry, nonfiction, and fiction click 2015 Progenitor. Do not be dismayed if you go to the home page and see the 2014 Progenitor cover. It is in fact taking you to the 2015 issue. (By the time you click this, that may be corrected.)

I am especially pleased to be included in this issue with my "Click" a piece of short fiction. And even though Grace is my daughter, the selection committee had no idea "Click" was by anyone related to her. They chose it because they liked it and not because they like Grace -- though I'm very pleased that they like her, too.

This is my first short fiction to be published. Many years ago I had poetry published in several literary journals. I couldn't afford to continue submitting poetry. In those days we didn't have cell phones and anything outside our area code was long distance. Not to mention that literary journals only paid two free copies of the issue your poetry appeared in. And there was no such thing as journals online. I couldn't afford the phone calls to brag and the extra copies to show.

I've also written for two small town papers in Oklahoma.

When I was in college I wrote a Women's Sports column for the Edmond Sun-Booster -- no pay, but I got to go to all Central State College's women's sports events. I wasn't good enough to make the teams, but I could write. and where there's a will . . . .

Years later when I was pregnant with my son I did obituaries, covered the local courthouse, wrote feature articles complete with photography, and edited the Women's Page at the Guthrie Daily Leader. 

For some reason I can't explain, the acceptance of this short story seems more important. (Maybe I'm entering my dotage.)

       "Dear Claudia Wagner, 
       The staff at the Progenitor Art & Literary Journal has accepted your submission for
        publication. Congratulations! Click has been accepted for the 2015 issue and will
        also be published in the online edition of Progenitor." 

These were the magic words via email.

And they invited me to read three minutes worth of "Click" at the release party. Hooray!

The party was held in ACC's Gallery of the Arts. I got to meet Stephanie Rowden, the Fiction Editor, and visit again with the staff sponsor Dr. Kathryn Winograd.

                                 

             Stephanie Rowden, Fiction Editor       &               Dr. Kathryn Winograd,

                                                                                                    Staff Sponsor

They let me read early on the program which allowed me to fully enjoy the other presenters. We were surrounded by fine art, served with tasty infused water (which I needed before I read) and comestibles of the most enticing kind (which I did not need.)

And to repeat what I wrote so many times back in my Women's Page Editor days -- A good time was had by all.