Happy Valentine’s Day!

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amreading, amwriting, blog post, Flash Fiction, love, publications, stories, Valentine's Day

Gustav Klimt, The Kiss

May your heart be filled with love, today and always, whether it’s for a partner, a child, or a pet. Love makes us human.

Here are links to some love stories:

https://sicklitmagazine.com/2016/09/28/zero-plus-one-by-sebnem-sanders/

https://spelkfiction.com/2018/12/24/laundry/

https://spelkfiction.com/2020/04/10/venice/

Thank you very much for reading! 🙂

Mother and Child – Xi Pan Contemporary Chinese Artist – Born in Wenzhou

Hendrik Maarten Krabbé Dutch artist 1868 -1931 A Saucer of Milk for the Cat

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My Story, Shadows, is live at SAVA, Subject and Verb Agreement Press

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abduction, amreading, amwriting, CarpeArte Journal, child, cold case, dresses, Ekphrastic Fiction, Flash Fiction, grief, joy, jumping rope, loss, memories, pain, publications, remembrance, SAVA Press, seamstress, shadows, visual inspiration, writerscommunity

Many thanks to the Editor, Blaine Myers, my story, Shadows, is live at SAVA Press, Subject And Verb Agreement Press. This story was first published at CarpeArte Journal, many thanks to the Editor, the lovely Eva Wong Nava.

Here are the links:

https://savapress.blogspot.com/2022/04/shadows-by-sebnem-sanders.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR3X8_L11x96IlaMdh6bcTXyt3dQXYKxaG-uG7iijVZDPxefJnZyipnY-kg

https://carpearte.wordpress.com/2018/10/30/shadows-by-sebnem-e-sanders/

And here is the photo that inspired it:

Innocent Shadow by Mark Slone

http://home.hiwaay.net/~slone/ishadow.html

Many thanks for reading. 🙂

Angel’s Cove- by Sebnem Sanders

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amreading, amwriting, aromas, attraction, beach, blue, boat, dreams, Flash Fiction, loss, lost places, love, memories, nourishment, publications, sand, Sea, sea people, seafood, SickLit Magazine, soulmates, writerscommunity

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Here ‘s a love story from me, first published at SickLit Magazine, then in my Anthology, Ripples on the Pond. Many thanks to the Editor, Kelly Coody for having faith in me. 🙂

https://sicklitmagazine.com/2016/07/23/angels-cove-by-sebnem-sanders/

Silhouette Sunset Dusk Beach Woman Looking

The Song of Spring by Sebnem E. Sanders

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addiction, daughter, death, Flash Fiction, grief, loss, love, memories, mother, murder, publications, Punk Noir Magazine, regret, relationships, violence

My Story, The Song of Spring is at Punk Noir Magazine. Many thanks to the Editor-in-Chief and author, Paul D. Brazill. 🙂

Punk Noir Magazine

The Song of Spring

Belma

Belma watched over the crowd gathering in the courtyard of the mosque. On the altar, stood a coffin. Draped over its raised head, a muslin scarf with a crocheted edge, and a small wreath of white and purple freesias placed upon it. Her favourite flowers. The men were lined up before the altar and the women, their heads covered, assembled on both sides. Belma scanned their faces. They all had tears in their eyes. She recognized most of them. Friends, relatives, colleagues. Someone must have died, a woman. She saw her mother, her best mate, and her cousins. Her eyes searched the congregation. Where’s Aila? She jabbed a finger at her mother’s shoulder and whispered in her ear.

The sweet aroma of the freesias reminded her of the Song of Spring she used to sing to Aila when she was a little girl, and how…

View original post 1,002 more words

Cercis Siliquastrum, my first story at Spelk Fiction from 3 years ago

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amreading, amwriting, blossoms, cercis siliquastrum, cycle of life, Flash Fiction, friendship, human life, judas tree, May Day, publications, Spelk Fiction, tree of life

It must be Judas tree time in Istanbul. As it’s the 1st of May, I remember the picnics we used to have on this day, the happy memories of childhood, surrounded by purple blossoms.

Here’s a link to my first story at Spelk Fiction, from 3 years ago: Cercis Siliquastrum (Judas Tree/Erguvan Agaci)

https://spelkfiction.com/2017/04/21/cercis-siliquastrum/

 

 

via Cercis Siliquastrum

 

Stream Of Consciousness Drawer Four

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amreading, amwriting, Drawer No.4, Flash Fiction, literary magazine, publications, Special Issue, Stream of Consciousnes, The Cabinet of Heed, The Pedestrian Underpass, writers community

I’m delighted to have my story, The Pedestrian Underpass, together with many tales from brilliant writers, in The Cabinet of Heed‘s Stream of Consciousness Issue-Drawer Number 4.

Many thanks to The Chief Polisher, Simon Webster.

Thank you very much for reading.  🙂

 

via Stream Of Consciousness Drawer Four

 

Happy Birthday, Ripples on the Pond! Recap, December 8th, 2020.

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Amazon, anniversary, anthology, birthday, debut, flashfiction, goodreads, journey, literary magazines, photos, places, publications, Reviews, Ripples on the Pond, short stories, the world, travel

Another year has passed and I still haven’t published my longer fiction… Sorry, I have been distracted for more than a year watching movies, series, human stories I love. Maybe I should attempt to write reviews on these, not as a critic, but as a spectator. Never mind, maybe I will, maybe I won’t, but I know it’s time to concentrate on my longer fiction and stop procrastinating …

Anyway, I’m updating the below post from a year ago, with a few new photos, some reviews, and links to the stories which appeared on online literary magazines, before and after Ripples on the Pond was published.

The below stories were first published at Sick Lit Magazine. Many thanks to the Editor in Chief, Kelly Fitzharris @kellycoody.

My Paper Memories / The Train

King of Hearts

Angel’s Cove

House of Detachment

Zero plus One

First published at Twisted Sister Literary Magazine, many thanks to the Editor in Chief, Liz McAdams.

The Song of Spring

Shards of Glass

First Published at Spelk Fiction, many thanks to the Editors in Chief, Gary Duncan and Cal Marcius:

Cercis Siliquastrum

Virginia Creeper

The Bosphorus Review of Books, many thanks to the Editor in Chief, Luke Frostic:

King of Hearts

Virginia Creeper

The Naked Street Lamp

Selma of Soghut

House of Detachment

Three Drops from the Cauldron Issue 22, many thanks to the Editor in Chief, Kate Garrett.

Angel’s Cove (Page 51)

The Rye Whiskey Review, many thanks to the Editor in Chief, John Patrick Robbins.

Amber Street

Yellow Mama Webzine, many thanks to the Editor in Chief, Cindy Rosmus:

Shards of Glass

Punk Noir Magazine, many thanks to the Editor in Chief, Paul D. Brazill.

The Song of Spring

The X Factor

Hunter’s Moon

Flash Fiction Offensive, many thanks to the Editors, Jim Shaffer, Jessie Heels Rowlings, and Mick Rose. 

A Kind of Love

A few more photos and reviews:

Ripples at Ölüdeniz, Fethiye, Muğla, Turkey.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/customer-reviews/R13VNBN72FJ9EU/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B077XCK3SD

5.0 out of 5 stars Read between the words…

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 January 2018

Verified Purchase

Ripples in the Pond is a series of short stories based on life’s big question and learning, as well as a tangle of true stories set in a fictional world. The author has descriptive prose that flows like liquid silk across each and every page, leaving the reader mesmerised in every way. Her characters throw up questions in scenarios akin to a dreamlike landscape, the answers given at the end of every story will open your eyes to a more complex way of thinking, woven in empathy and spiritual belief.

Ripples at Çeşme, İzmir, Turkey.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/customer-reviews/R2NDI1OHFTTD54/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B077XCK3SD

“Ripples on the Pond” by Sebmen Sanders

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 June 2019

Verified Purchase

“Ripples on the Pond” by Sebnem Sanders

I loved this collection of short stories: evocative, colourful and brimming with imagination. I wonder where Sanders gets her ideas from, and marvel at the level of detail she manages to cram onto the page. I’ve always loved short stories, and this collection is delicious. Thank you!

Ripples in Ankara, Turkey. The cat wants to read it first! 😀

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/customer-reviews/R2R8BMF2GF11RO/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B077XCK3SD

These short stories are indeed like ripples on a pond. They are almost cameos of a life of the character in each story, a ripple that goes outwards to effect either that person or those around, a momentary choice that can change the direction of a life. Ms Saunders is a short-story master; her gift of perfectly portraying just about anything from fantasy to historical, the weird and wonderful to the ordinary, that somehow under her ‘pen’ becomes extraordinary. She has great skill of being able to immediately draw the reader into the story under a short narrative, she understands and portrays all emotions that a human being can experience and you go with it. I’ve even shed a tear or two! This book is a joy; one that can’t be rushed, but treasured and one that can be dipped into and read again and again.

Thank you for reading! Much love and I’ll be back shortly! 🙂

December 8th, 2020, Marmaris, Turkey

The End

Ripples on the Pond  is celebrating its second birthday this week, and she has been travelling to many magical destinations, over the past two years.

From 2019 to 2017, here are some photos with highlights from a few reviews on Amazon and Goodreads :

Ripples on Poros, Greece

“Sublime Power Each of the seventy-one stories creates more than a ripple – it’s a surge that transports the reader to unexpected places, people, and situations existing all over our world and the magical ones beyond. BTW, ‘Weeds’ is a marvel – an environmentalists delight! Ripples on the Pond stays on my nightstand. I will continue to enjoy the abundance of wisdom revealed in such beautiful and powerful stories. Gratefulness to and thanks sent to the author!”

Ripples at Phatrithias, Ithaca

I’m delighted to have tasted the delights of this exceptional flash …

“Rich storytelling guided by intelligence, empathy and keen observation of life. Wisdom cannot be taught, bought or borrowed – yet, it can touch us through words. As I read each story, I wondered, how far willl the Ripples of Wisdom travel, how many lives will be touched? I’m delighted to have tasted the delights of this exceptional flash fiction anthology. Recommended.”

Ripples on Yaya Beach,  Ithaca

Ripples on Yaya Beach, Ithaca

Ripples on the Pond will leave ripples on your heart

“This is a perfect book to leave on the nightstand and read before sleep. Bedtime stories for the soul. These tales invoke emotions spanning from joyful to painful, and at times, feel deeply personal, as if the author has glimpsed inside your life. Ripples on the Pond will be a staple for me to pick up when I need a reminder of what is truly important in life.”

Ripples in Çeşme, Turkey

Sebnem Sanders writes beautifully, often with an anthropmorphic slant that reminds me …

This remarkable compilation of short stories is quite different to anything I have read for a long time. Sebnem Sanders writes beautifully, often with an anthropmorphic slant that reminds me of the stories and plays of Classical Greece, yet with a modern voice. In these vignettes, nature can sometimes take on a life and voice of its own, immersing the reader in a world that is viewed from a different perspective. There is a also a deep sense of reflection in the writing style which I enjoyed and her stories make us think, but in a subtle and contemplative way. I look forward to reading more from this author. Highly recommended.

Ripples in Datça, Turkey

a wonderful collection of stories

“This delightful collection of short stories encompasses a span of human emotions, frailties and flaws as well as a wider perspective on what it means to be human. Sebnem Sanders examines loss, love, despair, joy as well as the philosophical picture of our place in the world and our relationship with nature. In ‘Selma of Soghut’ she explores transience and ageing, in ‘Shards of Glass’ the magical realism of another self performing shocking acts, and in ‘King of Hearts’ an unlikely friendship is struck between a dying man and a sick child.”

Ripples in Stockholm, Sweden

fantastic collection!

 

“Great collection of flash fiction stories, all different genres and focused on human experience & existence. Written in beautiful clear language, cool plotting and awesome heroes!”

Ripples in Florida

“Brought a book along, to read, while on the white sands of the Gulf of Mexico. From Clearwater to Venice, Sebnem traveled along, telling stories the waves often whisper and the gulls cry out loud. This book is for those who oft think and find beauty in everything or yearn to live mindfully. Each story has you linger a bit longer, while waiting for a sunset… or perhaps you are the person anticipating the sun rise. A real treat! A fantastic beach read!“

Thank you very much for all the wonderful reviews, I’m most grateful. 🙂

Season’s Greetings and much love! 🙂

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36954446-ripples-on-the-pond

Amazon.co.uk

Not all the stories in Ripples on the Pond have specific locations, but these area few that do.  Trailer for Ripples on the Pond.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sebnem Sanders (@sebnemsanders) on Dec 8, 2019 at 12:46am PST

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My story, House of Detachment, is in the September Issue of The Bosphorus Review of Books

Tags

addiction, apathy, attachment, Bosphorus Review of Books, dependence, detachment, elimination, erasure, Flash Fiction, happiness, memories, neutrality, pain, past, publications, remembrance, September Issue, sorrow

 

Many thanks to the Editor, Luke Frostic, for publishing my story, House of Detachment, from  Ripples on the Pond ,in the September Issue of  The Bosphorus Review of Books  .

Here’s the link to the story:

https://bosphorusreview.com/house-of-detachment?fbclid=IwAR22dgYkEM18QfyPjUAhPRDlVGI84csiUWS2ORhpWi5y-1PO9UoU00ActyA

And the link to the contents of the September Issue of  The Bosphorus Review of Books , full of interesting articles and selections of fiction and poetry:

https://bosphorusreview.com/new-page-70

 

Many thanks for reading. 🙂

 

Sebnem

 

Amber Street is at The Rye Whiskey Review

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abstaining, abuse, alcohol, alcohol abuse, Amber Street, clairvoyant, Fantasy, Flash Fiction, intoxication, magic, publications, quitting, seer, The Rye Whiskey Review, writing

 

 

 

I’m back at the The Rye Whiskey Review with Amber Street from Ripples on the Pond. Thanks for having me onboard John Patrick Robbins. Nice to be among such good company. Cheers.

By the way, this is my 22nd published story on various online magazines and in anthologies in the US, UK, Canada, and Turkey. I just updated the list here: Publications

 

Amber Street

 

The last customer leaving the bar, Harry staggered into the cold night air and made feeble attempts to walk in a straight line. The icy wind signalling the approach of harsher weather, chilled him to the bone. Despite the protective shield of his padded coat and the woollen hat pulled over his ears, he felt naked. The combination of intoxication and freezing temperatures blurred his sight. All he could see ahead were dark buildings on either side of the road and a few flickering streetlights. He followed the pavement, counting his steps on his long walk home down Amber Street.

Harry kept counting to keep his mind active, but the road seemed to continue forever. 2500 steps later, he still had not arrived at the turn to the street where his flat was located. He halted and glanced back, then looked ahead again. There were no side roads, but one long avenue where all buildings looked the same. “I’m lost,” he muttered.

continued here:

https://ryethewhiskeyreview.blogspot.com/2018/09/amber-street-by-sebnem-e-sanders.html

Photo from Google