I’ve never thought of myself as an essayist. When this was accepted, I made the comment to someone that it was my first attempt at an essay proper since my Leaving Certificate (not today or yesterday…), essays, or more strictly, academic essays, never really forming a large part of a civil engineering degree.

I’ve read many essays, and essay collections over the years, admiring the learning and technique, and also recall proofreading materials for a friend teaching English for Academic Purposes, explaining the structure and content of academic essays to students for whom English would not be a first language.

All this probably helps explain why I have never properly attempted an essay, until now.

Inspired, as I explain in the essay, by my chancing upon a piece of art created by Fred Tomaselli, I wrote an essay, and am delighted that the good people at The Tangerine have decided to publish it.

Through the essay I explore memory and grief, and how they both influence, and sometimes overwrite the ability to appreciate another’s narrative.

I’m especially happy that the editors of The Tangerine were able to secure permission to use an image of the creation of Fred Tomaselli; Mar 16 2020, which forms the backbone of the essay.

Anyone wanting to buy a copy of the journal can do so at:

https://thetangerinemagazine.com/issues/issue-12

I’m extremely happy with how the essay has turned out, and how it has been produced in the journal.

My short piece “Live Feed” is now available to read online courtesy of the good people at Sublunary Editions

https://sublunaryeditions.com/magazine/live-feed-colm-oshea

If anyone wishes to buy a copy of Firmament, containing my piece, and much more excellent content, it’s available here

https://sublunaryeditions.com/products/firmament-vol-2-no-4-various

Thanks again to Sublunary Editions for publishing it.

As I put this post together, the world of social media remains up in the air over the future of a particular site, you know the one, all because it was bought by, you know, yes, him.

If [the social media site that sounds like a small bird…] ever does disappear, my greatest sense of loss will probably be around the writers and publishers from around the world I’ve learned about, been able to follow, and in some cases interact with.

Without social media, I think it’s unlikely I would have come across Sublunary Editions, based in Seattle, publisher of, not only extremely high-quality literature in addition to, the quarterly journal Firmament.

I was very happy that they recently accepted a piece of mine, “Live Feed”, which has been published in the latest edition

The piece began as an exercise in the Fragmenting Experiences course given by Roe McDermott in the Irish Writers Centre (for anyone reading this in Ireland, I highly recommend the course), one I was able to expand, and happily now see in print.

Even though I am included, I still encourage anyone interested in writing to explore, both Firmament, and the work being produced by Sublunary Editions.

Hopefully the potential collapse of (this one aspect of) social media won’t mean we lose touch with such consistently interesting work.

https://sublunaryeditions.com/products/firmament-vol-2-no-4-various