A bit of exciting news, folks. My good friend and superb poet Maggie Watson has been nominated for Writer of the Month for August 2025 at Spillwords Press. Earlier this year, Maggie won the award for Publication of the Month for April 2025 at Spillwords Press, so she’s on a roll. I want to ask all of you to check out her latest offering at Spillwords Press, a magnificent piece titled “Holy Communion,” then give her a vote of support. She is absolutely deserving of this award.
Voting for Author of the Month for August 2025 ends August 28. You may cast your vote here:
You can also experience Maggie’s sublime poetry on her blog, Ephemeral Encounters. Maggie’s writing is intense, at times brutal, always courageous, and deeply personal, and I admire her as both a writer and a person.
Help support our writing community by casting your vote for our friend Maggie, will you?
This ongoing initiative showcases blogs with fewer than 500 subscribers which I think are deserving of more attention. Hopefully these blogs will spark your interest and you’ll check them out. It’s my way of spreading awareness of talented writers whose work I admire.
This week’s featured blog is Fata Cu Suflet De Cerneală (The Girl with the Ink Soul) by Romanian poet Bianca Alina. My first experience with Bianca’s poetry occurred last year when I saw some of her work published at the various Masticadores literary sites. I was immediately entranced by the passion and intensity of her romantic poetry, her deft skill with words and her deep understanding of the human heart and all it desires. Bianca’s poems speak to the secret yearnings of the heart, the longing for closeness, the sorrow of heartbreak and the singular joy of intimate love. Her words paint beautiful, poignant panoramas of human relationships and emotions and have a unique way of touching the hearts and souls of readers. What’s more, Bianca’s blog also features her original nature photography, and gorgeous images abound. Bianca’s talent is boundless and rejuvenating, and her universal themes of love resonate with all of us.
I asked if Bianca could share a bit about herself:
“I live in Romania. I am very passionate about poetry, learning new languages, and nature photography.
My mother is the one who taught me that language has power. I inherited from her the passion for writing.
I wrote my first poem when I was 11 years old. At 16 years old, I had a few poems published in the high school magazine. I continued writing poetry throughout my university years, but I didn’t publish any poems online. Then, I got my first job and I stopped writing for a long time.
I returned to poetry in 2022, when I started writing on my blog:
Bianca’s poetry reminds us of the love and passion we all carry in our hearts, that desire and intimacy are powerful emotions that both hurt and heal, and that the magic of romance enhances our lives. Take some time and indulge yourselves in Fata Cu Suflet De Cerneală (The Girl with the Ink Soul), where the finest poetry of the heart awaits.
Let’s spread the love and support our fellow bloggers.
Silent Pariah 