Mandi Bean's Blog, page 9

On schedule changes.

Moody BlueThe hardcover edition is so e l e g a n t!

According to my publisher, Tuesday, July 5th was the day Moody Blue is going to be published, released and available for purchase. I spent that day a little dismayed because they hadn’t posted any information about it on their Instagram page, I couldn’t find it on their website, and Google searches came up empty. I was so eager to finally share purchasing information and get feedback from readers, so the lack of information was incredibly frustrating.

I sent a brief email for more information, to see what was going on, and apparently my publisher posted the wrong publication date. Moody Blue is now being released on July 12th. If I’m being honest, I’m embarrassed about the error because it’s unprofessional and makes everyone involved look misinformed and unprepared. Then again, this publisher sent me ARCs in paperback and hardcover, which was something my last publisher couldn’t afford. I’m moving in the right direction and I need to remind myself of that.

And I need to remind myself that I have the support of some amazing friends and family. My aunt Michelle read one of my ARCs and said it was “very good.” My friends and classmates from Ireland sent me a short clip of them cheering me on. And no one seemed to mind the change in schedule.

Reading

I didn’t get much writing done with a house full of company, but I did manage to read The Colorado Kid by Stephen King. One of my favorite television shows, “Haven,” was loosely based on the story and while the plot wasn’t exactly riveting, strong characterization carries the story and King’s narrative voice is gorgeous.

“It was all a matter of the equipment you got in the lottery, was what Vince claimed; you ran it until it fell apart, patching it up as needed along the way, and he was sure that even to folks who lived a hundred years–as he hoped to do–it seemed like not much more than a summer afternoon in the end.”

(King 28).

King nails the Maine dialect and masterfully employs colloquialisms to give his fully realized characters even more depth. In the same vein, he artfully describes the beauty of living on Maine’s coast.

“The sun was warm, the air was cool, the breeze was sweet with salt and rich with the sound of bells and horns and lapping water.”

(King 51).

And one of my personal favorite elements of King’s craft is his ever present understanding of his craft woven in with the narrative. The man always knows what he’s doing. For example, even though he breaks one of the ultimate rules and leaves the story essentially unresolved, he does that to unsettle the reader. And he cleverly explains it through a conversation between the characters.

“He shook his head. ‘Steffi, people don’t like things like that. They don’t want things like that. A wave is a pretty thing to look at when it breaks on the beach, but too many only make you seasick.”

(King 58).

The Colorado Kid was an interesting read, and I put Joyland on my TBR list, which is similar and earned rave reviews.

Writing

Though I haven’t written anything new in the last week, I sent my dissertation supervisor the first 1,000 words of my dissertation. We had a meeting to discuss the work and it was so uplifting! I feel invincible! He said my “lovely style” would come through my writing no matter what, so I don’t have to worry about having poetic or grandiose descriptions. He said the excerpt was well written, that I have a strong and clear narrative voice, and that my dialogue “crackles.” He even said I should that excerpt as a benchmark for the rest of my dissertation.

He apologized for not being more helpful, but I think that sometimes, all a writer needs is some validation that doesn’t come from a well-meaning family member or overly enthusiastic friend. I can’t wait to send him another scene and receive feedback.

Miracle Maddie

Recently, I had a crazy dream where Maddie was better. Her nose was mushy and pushed to the side, but when I said “hi,” she said “hi” back. It was phenomenal. Later that day, when Mom and I went to Missy’s house, Javier put the cap on Maddie’s trach and we got to hear her sweet, perfect voice. She was making sounds! And Javier listened to her lungs and her heart and said both lungs were inflating fully and they were clear! It was amazing! And Javier even became emotional when he told us about Maddie’s consistently tracking during therapy and “showing off.” She’s a miracle for sure.

Before the long, holiday weekend, she had a chiropractor appointment, which went awesomely well, and she was excellent with her trach, and she showed off with better tone in her hands and fingers! She showed more range of motion in her joints and we’re up to capping her trach for 30 minutes a day!

Next week, we’ll be launching a fundraising effort specifically for our upcoming trip to see Dr. Crawford and his team at the Austin Center for Developing Minds in Austin, Texas. Be on the lookout for more information!

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On getting down to the writing work.

My nephew Jack turned 11. We had ice cream cake and went swimming, and it was just a really nice day. I’m learning to appreciate those more and more. And I think I’m finally finding my groove here in the Sunshine State. I still have to be adaptable and be able to shuffle priorities, like this week when I stayed at Missy’s to help out because Maddie’s nurse was on his well-deserved vacation. Between the appointments and cleaning up vomit and spending time with the nephews, there wasn’t a lot of time for reading and writing, but I managed. That’s all life is, really: a balancing act.

I made progress in the two books I’m currently reading: How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines (Revised Edition) by Thomas C. Foster and Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them by Francine Prose. I’m nearly done with Prose’s book and though its tone is pretentious, and her references and examples are outdated and obscure, she does provide valuable nuggets of knowledge. And to be fair, she relies so heavily on examples from older novels because “You can assume that if a writer’s work has survived for centuries, there are reasons why this is so, explanations that nothing to do with a conspiracy of academics plotting to resuscitate a zombie army of dead white males” (15). She makes a point, but I find little to no value in discounting modern literature simply because it exists in modern times.

She implores writers to slow down and read every single word as they read because that is how the words got on the page in the first place. And the words that are left out, what is unsaid, are just as important and that’s why such care and attention must be paid to the words and the language on the pages. Word choice is obviously crucial, but books should be read for pleasure as well, so again—there’s that balance I’ve been looking for. Prose strikes that balance when she emphasizes that “…any set of ‘rules’ offers only the loosest of guidelines” (95). So what a writer really needs to do is make a series of decisions and to make sure those decisions are informed and intentional.

I guess I find Prose’s book frustrating because she pontificates—at length—about writing rules with outdated, pretentious examples, and then negates all she’s discussed by asserting there are no real rules. Weird flex.

On the other hand, I am thoroughly enjoying Foster’s book. While it wasn’t specifically written for writers, approaching writing with an analytical and critical eye will help every writer. These books are helping me in my writing craft and my teaching craft. But I’m not feeling as inspired as I’d like to be, so I’m planning a Barnes & Noble run to buy some fiction and put what I’ve been learning to use. I want to buy The Colorado Kid by Stephen King, anything by Joan Didion, and Where the Crawdads Sing. I’d also like to pick up Taylor Jenkins-Reid’s latest, too. I’ve got to get busy turning some pages.

Zoom in for spoilers!

I’m SO HAPPY to report that I’ve been busy making pages. I remembered what I learned from Robert Olen Butler at a conference in St. Augustine and I threw all my major plot points onto index cards and organized them. My next novel is what I’ve been working on for my dissertation, and because of the nature of the courses and the workshops, I’ve had to submit small sections out of order. I won’t end up with a complete novel unless I keep the big picture in mind.

I have a meeting with my dissertation supervisor next week, the one and only Donal Ryan, and I have to send him work in advance of the meeting. I have the section selected and I’m feeling pretty confident. I’ll let you all know how the meeting goes.

And my second novel, Moody Blue, comes out in LESS THAN A WEEK! How exciting! Keep an eye out for purchasing information.

Miracle Maddie

Maddie Girl continues to do well during physical and occupational therapy at Ability Plus Therapy in Melbourne, Florida. She went in the pool with her family for her brother’s birthday and she showed amazing trunk control! She was also tracking family members and really showing off! She also showed trunk control during her speech therapy appointment, and she definitely was alert and engaged. She’s been doing more sensory work and getting in her stander more, and she just always makes us proud.

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On going home like it’s a vacation.

Being back in New Jersey was a blur, but in a good way. It really and truly felt like a vacation, and that was wonderful. The first day, I got my hair cut and colored by the endlessly engaging and amazingly awesome Veda St. Vier. I’m in love with the way it came out.

I love feeling beautiful. It honestly makes everything better.

I had so much fun with my friends on Thursday and Friday. It was absolutely wonderful catching up with everyone.

I owe my friends Melanie and Brian so much for their hospitality and generosity. We ordered food and had some drinks at a local brewery, and sitting outside in the evening with great people felt like an absolute dream.

Writing

MOODY BLUE COMES OUT IN TWO WEEKS!

Miracle Maddie

MADDIE GIRL HAD AN ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR DAY!! She impressed the pulmonologist at her appointment on Wednesday and made him emotional! He said her recovery is 1 in 1000 and that the PICU wouldn’t believe how far she’s come! He said someone up there is looking out for us AND he’s on board with capping her trach! He supports our inclusion of stem cells and HBOT in Maddie’s recovery plan and he was saying how people probably thought Mom was a little crazy in the beginning but it IS working! Also, Maddie Girl got fitted for her leg splints after PT/OT today! Her legs have been looking so good lately so this can only make them look GREAT!

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On logging miles…again.

I’m writing this blog post from the Great Garden State. It feels so good to be back. I made the drive in 19 hours, spread out over two days. Monday night, I stopped at a hotel somewhere in North Carolina. I started the drive cranky and miserable–I’m not sleeping again–but ended it in a cool room with clean, crisp sheets. I got to sleep in and ate a delicious breakfast before hitting the road.

My friend Melanie has been kind enough to let my stay with her and has already treated me to real pizza! The weather was gorgeous and I was able to witness Melanie’s green thumb in action. The garden and her home are both stunning.

Brian, Melanie’s husband, is the KING of social media. Melanie let me follow her around while she worked in the garden–gorgeous. The aforementioned real Jersey pizza!

And there’s more good news; my published posted the cover reveal for Moody Blue, with a release date of July 5th!

I’m not sure if my plans to have a launch party will come to fruition because of the timing, but at any rate, I’m excited to have another book out in the world!

Miracle Maddie

Maddie Girl is STILL doing work. She’s been KILLING IT at therapy. We’ve been seeing more joint rotation, more range of motion in her hips, and we’ve been trying more sensory exercises with her. We’ve been pushing her to complete physical and occupational therapies with her Passy-Muir valve in and she’s been rising to the challenge. She’s also been making INCREDIBLE strides in improving the tone in her feet and legs. She’s so amazing.

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On busy, busy, busy.

Busy woman trying to juggle daily obligations.

The following blog post is a rambling recounting of the past week. I want to apologize from the outset for the lack of cohesion. Another issue is the lack of a strong internet connection from where I’m posting from. This post will likely lack media as well.

My nephew Jack graduated from fifth grade a week ago. It was an adorable ceremony, and it was short and sweet and to the point. My nephew Jimmy also had his graduation party and it was a roaring success.

I met with my dissertation support group. It’s hard having meetings at six o’clock in the morning, but that makes it’s 11 am in Ireland and I’m the only one not in the country. I send out the invite via Zoom, which would normally be no problem, but the internet at my parents’ house sucks. They live kind of in the middle of nowhere; they have to have a satellite dish for their cable. It all worked out well and it was delightful talking to my classmates. Everyone’s so talented and supportive. I just need to get some writing done.

It’s storming here, which makes the already dodgy internet even worse. Impatience is my worst quality, for sure.

I’m having trouble sleeping, which is annoying because I make these big plans to go running and make breakfast and sit out on my parents’ front porch and sip coffee. I always end up sleeping in. At least I performed some manual labor when I helped Dad move furniture. Their church is having an auction and Dad volunteered to help gather donations. We loaded up a coach, a recliner, a table and chairs, a couple of televisions, a desk, and some random, kitschy items. For myself, I snagged an intriguing unauthorized biography of Frank Sinatra. I want to read some fiction; it’s been mostly nonfiction lately and I don’t think that’s helping me be inspired.

I went to Melbourne with Maddie and Missy so Maddie could attend her physical therapy and occupational therapy sessions. Missy had plans to try out a new hotel for a better price, but when we showed up, it was clear she’d made a mistake. The hotel wasn’t really handicap accessible and the hallways were cramped and narrow. There was a weird, pervasive smell and there was furniture leaning against the hallway walls. Once we were in the room, we noted the stained carpet and shabby couch. We turned around and left, booking the two nights at the hotel Missy stayed at last week. That was a lovely experience.

But we were bored Monday. Maddie finishes therapy at 10 am, and we’re back at the hotel by 10:30 am. I didn’t bring my laptop or anything to read. Neither of us brought our laptops to binge watch anything. I ended up flipping mindlessly through basic channels and eating snacks I purchased from the lobby just so I could take a walk.

I’m excited to head back to New Jersey next week.

Miracle Maddie

Maddie Girl’s been having another string of good days. She’s been working hard at therapy, and I’ve been blessed enough to be able to work on her MNRI therapy with her. I drive to Missy’s house around three times a week and go through the exercises part of her home care plan. I get to talk to her and work with her, and it’s amazing. At the MNRI conference I attended about a month ago, one of the therapists told me how I’d be able to tell Maddie what I was able to do for her when we’re celebrating her wedding day. That made me sob.

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On reading like a writer.

I haven’t been writing much lately as I’ve been working to finalize some sort of writing schedule. It’s proving difficult since I spend most of my time traveling to and from my sister’s house from my parents’ house to help with Maddie’s care. Luckily, I always remember what my hero Stephen King wrote in his memoir On Writing:

If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut … If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.

Stephen King

So although I haven’t been able to write, I’ve been able to read. Specifically, I’ve been reading and annotating the book Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them. I’m about 25% through the book and I am finding it invaluable. It’s helping me not only with my craft but with my teaching career as well. The first chapter is all about Close Reading. Prose explains that she learned how to write by writing and by example, by reading great writers. I remember I caught some flack online not too long ago because I posted an article about the problem with only reading young adult novels. My reasoning, and the reasoning presented in the article, is similarly presented and validated by Prose. The only way to grow as a reader and a writer, and the two are inextricably linked, is to challenge yourself. You have to read and write A LOT, just like King advises.

Prose goes on to explain the advantages of reading masterpieces. She writes, “…reading a masterpiece can inspire us by showing us how a writer does something brilliantly.” It’s important to read whatever you want, but serious readers and writers should make an effort to read the brilliant classics to better themselves. It’s important to pay attention while you’re reading to every single word on the page. That will help you better discern the writer’s choices, which in turn will improve your choices as a writer.

The second chapter is dedicated to Words. Prose warns, “… it’s surprising how easily we lose sight of the fact that words are the raw material out of which literature is crafted.” Writing may start with an idea, but it’s executed as its most basic level: with words. It may seem a daunting task, but Prose recommends evaluating every single word on each and every page, understanding their purpose and arriving at the answer to a particular question: why that word?

The third chapter covers Sentences. Words form sentences, so they’re the next basic building block writing. Prose prefers complex, flowery sentences but also readily acknowledges that simple sentences can be profound and beautiful. She writes, “The well-made sentence transcends time and genre. A beautiful sentence is a beautiful sentence, regardless of when it was written, or whether it appears in a play or a magazine article.” If a beautiful sentence can be long or short, simple or complex, in a magazine or a novel, then how do we know a sentence is beautiful?

READ IT ALOUD.

Every creative writing teacher I have ever had has implored me to read my work aloud when editing, and I am no exception.

Miracle Maddie

Maddie Girl had her second rounds of PT and OT this week and she did great! She’s working so hard! Maddie Girl was OUTSTANDING at her alternative therapy today! She impressed Kristie, her therapist, A LOT! We’re so very proud of our warrior princess and she responds so well to this alternative therapy.

And because she’s been responding so well to therapies, her home care has been easier to facilitate and we’re seeing more improvements! Maddie was rewarded with a relaxing weekend. She definitely enjoyed her three-day weekend and she’s got a busy couple of days coming up with appointments, so she’s soaking up some sun while she can.

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On logging miles.

Last Wednesday, I left for New Jersey early in the morning with Dad. We started out making great time until I-95 got shut down randomly in Virginia–for “security reasons”–and we got re-routed. Traffic was absolutely terrible, so we stopped and treated ourselves to a delicious dinner at Cracker Barrel. I had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and dumplins with ice cold beer. But the best part might have been that it was within walking distance of the swanky hotel we called home for the night.

We finally made it to New Jersey late Thursday afternoon. We stopped at Andy’s garage and then spent the night at my aunt and uncle’s house. They ordered dinner and it was pretty nice time.

I was supposed to look at a winter rental in Seaside on Friday afternoon, but my realtor was unavoidably detained. Dad and I drove by and it’s in a great location. I really love living by the water. Even in Ireland, I was living by the Shannon. I don’t think that will ever change for me; I think I’ll always be drawn to a shore. I was able to talk with the landlord today, and she’s simply delightful. Looks like I’ll be living in Seaside from September to May.

Instead of touring the rental, Dad and I were back on the road Friday afternoon. We loaded up his trailer, said goodbye to our gracious hosts, and hit the road. But the traffic was atrocious again. We made abysmal time and stopped at a disgusting hotel: there were holes in my bedspread from cigarette burns.

We left the hotel before dawn on Saturday but didn’t make it back to Florida for another 14 hours. It was a miserable last day of traveling–it seemed like the trip would never end.

So I thought I’d sleep in on Sunday, but I didn’t. I spent the night at Missy’s house with the nephews and took Jonathan to school Monday morning. I spent the rest of the day running errands.

I guess I’m telling you all this because I haven’t had much time to read or write. This was a problem before Ireland, before Maddie’s accident even, because I don’t know how to say no. And I always feel guilty when I do because I feel like I’m letting people down. It’s hard to navigate. The deadlines while I was taking the course helped, as did the distance. But I can’t live like that.

So I’m working on that: trying to effectively combine my personal life and writing life. Right now, I’m working on carving out time to review the corrected galley pages my publisher sent me. This will likely be the final review before publication, so I’m excited! Once I get an official publication date, I’ll make some real plans for a launch party.

And I need to work on my dissertation. Coming back home is a bigger adjustment than I realized. I feel like I’m always underestimating life.

Miracle Maddie

Maddie Girl’s trying to adjust to her schedule, too. She’s working on getting back into the swing of her HBOT therapy and incorporating more her MNRI therapy into her daily routine. She traveled back to Melbourne with Missy and Mom for some PT and OT. It was her first time back since the MNRI conference, and her therapists commented on her improved tone and alertness! They also noticed decreased tone and more facial expression. She had her second rounds of PT and OT today and she did great! Tomorrow, she has her MNRI appointment—she’s working so hard. I think sometimes we get frustrated because we’re impatient. We want Maddie to make the big, impressive gains. I’m working hard to be happy with the little improvements because they’re more than we were ever supposed to get.

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On little miracles.

I’m so blessed. I’m struggling to keep that in mind because I am just so sick of being in transit. I keep telling myself I’ll start living a “real life” once I have a home base. But how could I possibly think my life was paused in Ireland? I guess that begs the question: what is it exactly that I think is missing right now?

I moved back in with my parents shortly after Maddie’s accident and lived with them until I went to Ireland, selling my home last summer. Since then, I’ve been living out of suitcases. I mean, even when I unpacked in Ireland, it was only temporary. And now that I’m in Florida with my family, it’s still only temporary. In fact, I’m on the road to New Jersey as you read this to find a winter rental. I’m unable to acquire a mortgage because of financial circumstances and I just am humbled by how unpredictable life is.

But as much as things change, it helps to believe that they change for good. How can I not believe that when I look at Maddie Girl?

I haven’t heard from the publisher, but I’m thinking I’m not going to email until I get back from New Jersey; one thing at a time. I have my dissertation to keep me busy. And the top priority is finding a place to live for the upcoming school year. I can stay with my parents and my sister for the summer, but it’s temporary. And maybe that’s the point, that’s what I’m supposed to learn, that life is temporary.

Miracle Maddie

I spent the last week in Orlando, Florida at the 5-Day MNRI HIE Trauma and Non-Fatal Drowning Recovery Family Conference. It truly was a life-changing experience. Not only we were blessed enough to meet other families walking this long, arduous road, but the gains we saw Maddie make in such a short amount of time were nothing short of incredible! She is indeed a miracle! May is National Water Safety Month, and Missy told me that only 4% of children who suffer near-drownings live past the first week. Maddie and her friends have been defying the odds from day one!

We saw more flexion in Maddie’s hips and elbows. She listened to and followed commands. She was making purposeful movements. She’s still here and working so hard every day to get better. The amazing therapists sent us home with a care plan and though Maddie gets five days off, I’m so excited to start using MNRI therapy with her.

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On finding my groove again.

I’ve been home for a week. I’m not sure how adjusted I am because I’ve been on the go with Missy and Maddie. Luckily, I’ve finally carved out some time to write. I’m updating this blog (obviously) and worked on the beginning of my dissertation. I’m in a “support group” with some of my Irish friends/classmates: Jane, Aileen, Barbara, Maeve, and Anna. They were all in my workshop and they’re all SO talented. I know I’m in good hands and I really think it’s so cool how we all have such different styles. I sent about 2,000 words and the whole dissertation has to be 10,000 words, so to get 20% finished before June is a pretty awesome accomplishment.

I sent some corrections to my publisher before I left Ireland. I haven’t heard back yet, but I’m not worried. Honestly, I’m more worried about securing a place to live in New Jersey. I know I have plenty of places to stay, but I don’t want to be a burden. And honestly, I’m dying for a place of my own where I don’t have to live out of a suitcase and it’s not so temporary. I’ve been in transit for so long, I feel like I’ve forgotten how to behave.

Miracle Maddie

Maddie Girl’s having great days—very calm and looking so alert! Sometimes, it looks like she wants to tell us something so bad. I was so excited to go to her acupuncturist appointment with her and she did so well. Dad got specialty plates for the RV, a.k.a. the Miracle Maddie Mobile, and made us all cry. After Mother’s Day, Missy and Maddie and I traveled to Ability Plus Therapy for Maddie’s physical therapy and occupational therapy. She’s killing it there, too! We saw more range of motion in her hips and arms, and we noticed really impressive trunk support.

We’re currently in Orlando to attend the 5 Day- MNRI® HIE Trauma and Non-Fatal Drowning Recovery Family Conference. We’re meeting other families embarking on the same journey and it’s so important to not feel alone. Last night was tough for me and Missy. We both kept thinking about the horrible ordeal we survived in Louisiana and got trapped in the sadness in our heads. Maddie’s accident is a tragedy–that’s plain and simple. But what’s not simple is how that tragedy affects everyone. For me, I’d rather be angry than sad, but I’m sad most of the time. Going to Ireland changed me, but it didn’t change what I left or what I came back to.

No matter where you go, there you are.

Look at that range of motion in her hips! Looking so alert! I love it! Working on some occupational therapy. Reunited at last! 

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On my American wake.

Miracle Maddie

Maddie Girl’s been having a string of good days. They’ve been so good that when she had a neurologist appointment, it was actually a fantastic appointment! The neurologist was impressed with her progress and with her being off all the medications! He also said he believes she’s in there and wishes there was a device to read her mind In the office, he asked Maddie to turn towards him AND SHE DID! He believes the stem cells are really helping her. I am so very anxious to get back and see her and all her progress in person. In the meantime, let’s just enjoy this picture of her watching “Judge Judy.”

Enjoying “Judge Judy” 

Ireland

According to Irishcentral.com, an American wake is a term that “…originated in rural Ireland in the 1800s at a time of poverty and famine, when emigration to America meant a one-way ticket and never seeing your family again.” Luckily my departure from Ireland was not nearly as dramatic and a lot more fun because I can always return and am already planning on it.

My American wake had it all–pints and singing and dancing. It was a truly perfect sendoff and I am forever grateful to my classmates and friends.

Ignore Michael’s face. He’s just devastated I’m going home. Barbara is so fabulous I can’t stand it. I was sovving because Sarah Moore Fitzgerald said the nicest things. There’s a video below. So much dancing. There’s a video below of that as well. Some of my favorite people. Bob is a LEGEND. Write Club, my writing group and favorite people.My classmates presented me with a card and a generous gift, and Professor Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, wonderful author, made a speech and I was a mess!So much dancing. And I had to get a video of me and California Joe.

I handed in all of my assignments on Friday and spent a last day on campus with Write Club. I was walking around with a lump in my throat. Joseph tried to distract me at Riverfest in Limerick and even though we spent two days there, and even though Ruth and Isabel joined us, it was a bittersweet goodbye.

Ruth was kind enough to bring me to my hotel in Dublin and then I ventured into the city with her and Barbara and Jane and Sarah Lou and Sharon. Barbara brought me for a very last lunch and showed me Ardgillan Castle. I am so completely spoiled.

I’m traveling a lot today: flying from Dublin to Boston and then flying from Boston to Fort Myers after a two-hour layover. But then I’ll be home; well, almost. When I get back to Jersey, it’ll be home.

Writing

I was able to fix some last-minute typos in Moody Blue and it’s still on schedule for a summer release. With that wrapping up, I can focus on finishing my dissertation. I joined a “support group” of sorts with some classmates that will keep me on track.

But I’ll share the rest of the poems I wrote for National Poetry Month for your enjoyment.

28. Rust on my tongue
There’s rust on my tongue
A bitter and metallic taste
from staying silent
when I should have screamed
Rusted in stillness
from underuse
when I should have used it
to tell you I love you

29. Tibula and fibula
Are the names of bones
Today I learned
that in Irish
the same word is used for
hand and arm
and for
foot and leg
and that the word for limb
is the same one used for tree limbs
and you can call your love “my pulse”
but there’s no exact translation for “I love you”

30. A poem I’ll burn
I actually like Taylor Swift
And I don’t hate Nickelback
I’ve always loved the “Twilight” movies
and I think “Weekend at Bernie’s” is a classic
I’m an adult and still don’t eat vegetables
To me, yoga pants and leggings are the same

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