Safety Harbor Writers & Poets is pleased to present the 2017 Edition of Odet, a journal of prose and poetry written by Florida authors.
For this, our first edition, we chose to honor Florida to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Safety Harbor. It includes submissions that touched upon many phases and attributes that have inspired generations: its history, beauty, wildlife, and community, from the early days of pottery making to the destruction of beloved landmarks, presented in fiction, poetry, and memoir form.
The idea to publish this journal coincided with an annual contest in honor of a fellow writer, Romeo Lemay, an original member of Safety Harbor Writers & Poets, and includes a story by Romeo from his self-published book, Facts, Fiction Fantasies and Foolishness. Like many of the contributors to this journal, his stories commemorate the people who came before us, and also honor the state many of us did not grow up in, but have adopted with an intense love of home.
The journal is named for the man we consider to be Safety Harbor's first storyteller: Odet (oh-day) Philippe, who moved to the area in the 1840s and is credited with the development of citrus and cigar industries. Philippe is remembered as a count of noble birth, a childhood friend of Napoleon who later served as his chief surgeon, and a friend of pirates. He may have told such tales to disguise his past and elevate his status, or to simply amuse his grandchildren. Whatever the truth, we do know that he was a generous man, whose life has become legendary, and that legend intrigues us, especially the stories that survived him.
The editors of Odet hope you enjoy this inaugural issue and welcome your feedback. For details on future submissions, visit www.theodet.com.
