Ellie Di Julio's Blog, page 9
November 5, 2016
When you want to shake the baby
When you announce that you’re pregnant, a tidal waveof advice follows. Everyone who’s ever seena baby wants to tell you what they know, what happened to them, what you should do. Mostof it is horrifying.
“It’s fantastic what you’re doing. I love the way you’re handling this. It won’t be like what happened to Michelle.”
“What? What happened to Michelle?”
“Oh, did I say Michelle? I didn’t mean to mention that, I’m sorry. Don’t worry…she was a fool. She ate vegetables and drank water. The baby...
October 17, 2016
Things I wish I understood about being a mom before I became one
You’re never alone; you’re alone all the time.
You want to hurt your baby.
You’re proud of how early you can go to bed.
You don’t automatically get mother’s intuition.
You forget those precious first days.
Your decisions have outcomesyou won’t knowfor years.
October 8, 2016
Quick, before the baby wakes up
Remember when I had a blog?Yeah, me, neither.
*gets locked out after too many incorrect passwords*
*blows spiders out of comments section*
*tries to remember how a keyboard works*
So, uh, turns out that having a baby takes up a lot of your day.
Stop laughing.
Okay, you can laugh a little bit.
I saida little. Geez.
The last time we talked, I was still T-minus a month or so to babyhaving time. It’s been…a bit…since then. Miss Mackenzie is pushing sixmonths old now and looking more like a person...
April 15, 2016
Love in the time of burnout (or: how I killed and resurrected my writing career)
Burnout is real, people.
I know you know that, but it’s worth repeating.
What you might not know is that it happens to folks who aren’t “professionals”–rookies and amateurs (which wasall Olympic athletes until the late80s, just for perspective). People in love with their art, whatever it is, and are desperately tryingto turnit into a paying career.People who haven’t made it but are hustling to do so.People like me. People like you, too, maybe.
That’s what happened when I quit writing last su...
March 31, 2016
Of returns and expectations
I never know how to start these “statement of intent”-style posts,despite doing them sooften. Mostly because it’s utterego-fluffing (why not write a real post and move along? why the commentary?) and I’m just self-aware enough to know that, so it’s also embarrassing, but I can’t not do it. I’ve got agenetic mutation that requires I make a Grand Proclamationwhenever my life/work/blog status changes. Why couldn’t I have gotten telekinesis instead?
Anyway.
This is just a little note to say that...
October 9, 2015
Coming Soon(ish): The Littlest Di Julio
That’s right, folks! The Littlest Di Julio is on his/herway, much to the shock and amazement of all our family members and close friends (and me).
Now, I’m sure you have a lot of questions, so let me answer them as best I can. These are just the basic ones, though; any otherquestions or comments are graciously accepted below!
Baby FAQsHow far along are you?
9 1/2 weeks! Yes, I know it’s early and common wisdom says tokeep quiet until afterthe first trimester in case anything happens, but f...
August 31, 2015
The State of the Ellie: Be Still
Hoo-boy, but it’s been a long time since I’ve done one of these. And I have to admit that coming to the keyboard is giving me the sweats. That’snot internet hyperbole — I just had to go change my shirt. But there’s a tiny susurrus of bravery keeping me here. Let’s see where it leads, hrm?
It’s been a month and a half since The Quittening. It feels like a year and more.
Every time I meet up with someone for coffee, they inevitably ask what I’m up to these days. Some people don’t know I’m not...
July 13, 2015
The writer is out
There’s no good/easy/clever way to say this, mostlybecause I’m terrified of how it’s going to be received, so I’ll just blurt it out like a teenage girl in the AV Club shouting her crush at the quarterback from a moving car. (Not that I’ve ever done that…)
Here it is:
My dearest darlings, I’m hanging up my writer’s hat.
No more novels, flash fiction, self-publishing, or Patreon.
Not forever, but for the foreseeable future.
It’s not that I don’t love writing (I do), and it’s not that I don’t l...
June 30, 2015
MIRROR OF ASHES has arrived!
June 22, 2015
MIRROR OF ASHES cover reveal!
