A Buncha Catch-Up!
Good goddess, it’s been too long since I’ve posted! May has come and gone. What a zippy little month it was! Significant moments include turning 47 (!), whilst my son turned 19 (whaaaaat?!), visiting Stratford for the festival to see some stellar theatre, finishing a new poetry manuscript….
Indeed, did I mention that I turned ‘We the Mourners’ into a full poetry manuscript? I did, and I’ve been submitting it here and there, hoping to get a pub-deal. I’ve been submitting a lot, in general. Poetry, flash-fiction…Remember that Honourable Mention I got for a flash fiction piece? Well…they had to say this about my story…
And…I entered a novel excerpt contest…and this is some of the feedback I received from editor Eliana Gruvman. THANK YOU, ELIANA!
It feels sooo great to receive feedback in general…considering that silence and/or no responses at all (!) is one way that folks respond…but to get this rich support based on the first chapter of my novel…helps me keep working on it, and believing in it…and feeling that deep-heated ‘knowing’ that what I’m writing matters.
I’m still editing yes! It’s a hard, long job…and I keep making new commitments to myself regarding getting it done asap…and then…well…PMS and birthdays and weather and events and friendships and, and, and…! Writing a novel is such a different beast than writing poetry. I can write poems quickly and submit then eagerly…but editing a chapter in a novel? It’s like…an entirely different experience in my head, heart and body. I will get it done. I know I will…I’m trying to be gentle but also not give up. There’s a fine line there!
I did my first Poetry Marathon! Twelve hour of writing poetry, one poem per hour! A thousand tender thank-yous to Cassie Caverhill for sharing this hilarious and hard journey with me! We wrote some damn great poetry, didn’t we?!
I taught a ‘Healing Through Writing Workshop’ last week that was fun and helpful (I hope!). I talked about how writing in a journal all these years has been healing for me…and offered some tools/prompts for bringing healing writing practices into one’s life. I’m also teaching a writing workshop later this month on Writing & The Body…
Registration is open! 
Each time I teach, I remember how much I love teaching! That lovely, zinging, giddy, nerve-wracking, love-inducing feeling of sharing creativity with others is the best! I’m in talks with other teachers about offering some classes in the fall…stay tuned!
And now…for some fun photos…I haven’t posted a pic of myself in a minute…have I? Well…here we go! (PS. I’m growing out my grey hair…)
Gardening Hack! Cup up an old rain boot and stick in a plant!
Me with bubble braids…is that what they’re called? 
Our Pages…lookin’ frothy gorgeous!
It’s official. 
Charis Cotter! Stay tuned for an interview with her about her new book! 
Me…I don’t think my hair has ever been this long! And this:
Miller (16!), Moi (47), and Jett (19!) in Stratford!I’m working on a post about author Jane Christmas…aka Elizabeth Braithwaite! She’s published a new book, her first fiction, entitled A Flight of Saints! I have a zoom interview to share with you!
And…soon I’ll be interviewing Charis Cotter about her new novel The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall!
Happy sigh. Life is busy and full. And hard and sad and devastating and wonderful and love, love, love…..
