Coast to coast on Hayden’s Ferry

Last week, a literary magazine featuring my daughter Molly’s work launched it’s 77th edition.

I love her writing — currently a combination of magical realism in a pastoral, Midwestern setting. I recently read a short story of hers in which wild elephants roamed the prairie. Midway through her vivid description, I had to pause for a second, shake my head and take stock of my surroundings to save my Google search history from an embarrassing query about whether wild elephants had, in fact, once roamed North America.

The story she read last week, Fish Skin, which is set in Wisconsin and has been nominated for a Pushcart Award, involved sturgeon and a group of tall women who grew up on a Lake Superior island.

I was already excited to log into the virtual launch party to hear Molly and her fellow contributors read their work.

Then, one by one, I saw our people chime in when the host asked attendees to introduce themselves and their locations — Charlie and Tara from New Jersey, Vinnie and Danni from Maiden Rock, Katherine and Ed from Los Angeles. All of Molly’s siblings found time in their busy schedules to attend her big night.

Members of Molly’s large and supportive aunt colony also joined the chat — Kathy from Milwaukee, Elaine, also from Milwaukee, Jenny from Chicago.

All that family support warmed my heart and I know it did Molly’s too.

Hayden’s Ferry Review, a semi-annual international literary magazine, draws readers and contributors from all over the world. So, the audience that night was diverse.

We heard some lovely work, and enjoyed seeing the writers receive feedback in real time. Among our little group, we also texted less scholarly observations.

“She said Biskupic right!” Charlie texted after the introductions.

“I gave Molly that sweater,” I bragged.

“Woo hoo!”

I smile every time I think about that experience and all of the support that found its way to Molly by way of Hayden’s Ferry and a family that loves her dearly.