A story and an essay

The mission of the online journal Craft is to not only publish fiction but examine the making of it.  Each writer whose work is accepted is asked to provide, as an Author's Note, a 400-500 word essay about the piece. The editors provide illustrations and thoughtful introductions.  I was especially pleased to have my short story "The Wishing Pot" published there because the story about how the story came to be is unusual, and something I wouldn't have been given the chance to tell in other publications.

https://www.craftliterary.com/2019/08/09/wishing-pot-kathryn-paulsen/

 Craft pays modestly and publishes a new story every week.

WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME: see it before it closes

. . . if you haven't already.  The story of how, as a teenager, actor/writer Heidi Shreck put herself through college by performing in debates about the U.S. Constitution sponsored by the American Legion, What the Constitution Means to Me is a unique and extraordinary show--and timelier than ever.

The play--nominated for Tonys and other awards--is running through August 24.  If you miss it in New York,  try to catch it (with a new cast) in the national tour, scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in January 2020.

First begun in 1938, the competition still exists.  For a description, see

https://www.legion.org/oratorical/about

and the rules

https://www.legion.org/oratorical/rules