Friday Five: Q&A with Natalie Welsh, editor of Syncopation Literary Journal

‘If we listen to each other’s stories—whether told through music, poetry or prose—we may realize that there is so much that connects humanity.’

Those who know me well know I have a deep affection for music. Many other writers share this interest. Natalie Welsh is one of them. She loves music and writing so much that she created a literary magazine that celebrates the fusion of music and storytelling called Syncopation Literary Journal.

Cover of the inaugural issue of Syncopation Literary Journal.

With a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and a Master of Arts in humanities from York University, Natalie brings a rich academic background to her editorial work. She’s also a multi-talented artist. Both writer and musician, she is proficient on piano and guitar, and has had her short fiction published in New Sociology: Journal of Critical Praxis, Indelible Literary Journal, and Duck Duck Mongoose Magazine. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Natalie launched Syncopation in 2021 as a platform for musicians and writers to explore the rhythmic interplay between sound and narrative. The first issue went live in January 2022. I was thrilled Natalie saw fit to include my essay “Not Fade Away” in volume 4, issue 1 of her journal, and I’m happy that a couple more pieces I wrote will appear in volume 4, issue 2, later this year.

In this Friday Five, on the final Friday of Women’s History Month, I’m happy to introduce readers to Natalie and her labor of love.

Continue reading “Friday Five: Q&A with Natalie Welsh, editor of Syncopation Literary Journal”

Introducing LitLinks (blog feature and AI-generated podcast)

Thanks to the wonders of AI and an idea from Ashley Budd, I am entering the world of podcasting with a new feature I’m calling LitLinks.

LitLinks is an occasional compilation of literary- and writing-related content posted right here on the blog and also fed into Google’s NotebookLM AI research assistant to create an audio summary of all those links. That way, if you don’t have the time to read all those great links, you can listen to the podcast-style presentation while driving, jogging, doing the dishes, or avoiding your daily chores.

Continue reading “Introducing LitLinks (blog feature and AI-generated podcast)”