Looking at the past from the future

At the end of 2011, I somehow took time to go over everything I’d done that year, plus mention things I wanted to accomplish in 2012.

Among the highlights from 2011 were reading my work at bookstores, finishing the second draft of Conjoined States, and applying to graduate school.

In 2012, I was fortunate to do a dozen readings–a book launch at WORD, a reading at Moravian Bookshop (where I worked for three years), another reading at my very favorite local bookstore, Brookline Booksmith, a turn at Literary Death Match (which was hilarious and exciting), and a reading at Baltimore’s citywide Book Festival. The writers I read alongside were humbling and wonderful; some of my favorite people were among them: Jill McDonough, Gillian Devereux, Dolan Morgan, Michael Kimball, and Randolph Pfaff. I finished the third draft of Conjoined States (and have begun work on the fourth), thanks to a scholarship from the Wesleyan Writers Conference and grant from Turkey Land Cove Foundation.

I mentioned in 2011 that I was very happy to have two stories published at Wigleaf. I’m happier still to have had work published at the following journals/presses in 2012: Aqueous Books, Little Fiction, Untoward, Consequence, Newfound Journal, The Good Men Project, The Collagist, Curbside Splendor, The Lit Pub, The Massachusetts Review, and Fourteen Hills.

I mentioned also that I wanted to get my many unfinished short stories tidied up in 2012. I did that and found homes for some of them in the publications listed above. I am so grateful to their editors. I can only hope that 2013 will find me doing much of the same.

I talked about all the great writers I got to work with via Literary Firsts–that trend continues, thankfully. I worked with fifteen amazing writers who gave me the best of their best last year. I love Literary Firsts and I’m a huge fan of those writers. There will be sixteen more in 2013 (and, actually, more than that–keep your eyes on the LF site later this month for that news).

I finished my 2011 post by listing the things I wanted for 2012. I said I wanted to read at least forty-two books. I didn’t. But I broke thirty and wrote a big, big draft of my own book, so I still think that works.

I talked about working toward publishing a prose collection for AP’s next book. That didn’t happen either. But! We’re looking into distribution and will start pursuing that path again in 2013.

I applied to graduate school again in 2012 (as 2011′s attempt was met with rejection) and I’ve already received my first response–an acceptance. So that will happen in fall, 2013.

But this is my only modest wish for myself for 2013:

I want to finish the next two drafts of Conjoined States. This book is so important to me. It’s long and earnest and I need to get it to the point where I can let other people read it. It’s not there yet. But once it’s through the fifth draft, I sincerely hope it’s ready and I sincerely hope that happens this year.

And here’s my wish for you:

Great literature. I hope you read a book that knocks your doors off their hinges. I hope you encounter an author whose work moves you to tears of relief. I hope you find the words you need to help you wrestle through these times that are undeniably stressful. I hope that book convinces you that though we are often inhumane, intolerant, and insensitive, we as people have the capacity for enduring those trials for the better.

And, when you find your book, I hope you’ll let me know.