Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
- Robert Frost
|
|
Snow has been slowly sifting down all day, every now and then edging into rain before sliding back into snow. This is a good thing. We've had more than enough rain this winter already---more than I've ever seen in 20-odd years in Maine, with so far three major flooding events (one that hit rivers hard and two that hit the coast). We could use some gentle Robert Frost-style snow (as well as some serious action to combat climate change).
January has gotten off to a slow start for me. I thought that once the twins went back to school in the middle of the month I'd fly into action, but I've been having a hard time getting my feet under me. But I think I'm feeling the shift. I sent out my fist submission of the year this morning, and my first piece of the year was published today (see below). I've started drafting two essays, both for specific, paying publications (my goal this year is to only submit to publications that pay well). I'm trying to focus on a book project---one I've been messing around with for a long time and committed to finishing this year---but another book idea keeps whispering its siren song in my ear. I've told that other idea to sit back and wait its turn. We'll see if it listens!
I have lots of goals and plans and things I want to accomplish in 2024, and there are a couple you can help me with:
- I intend to finish up with my book coach training in the next couple of months, and I need one practicum client for developing a pitch plan. If you have a complete manuscript of around 75,000 words (preferably mystery/suspense, literary fiction, or women's fiction, but memoir is a possibility too) and you're ready to pitch to an agent, get in touch with me (reply to this email) and we can chat and see if we might be a good fit.
- I plan to offer 5-10 nature journaling (or nature writing) workshops of 1-4 hours each, on a volunteer basis, at nonprofits around Maine. If you're affiliated with a land trust, nature preserve, or other similar organization and you'd like to offer this kind of program, get in touch with me and we'll see what we can put together!
Thanks in advance! And things aren't all work around here. Another goal I have this year is to visit more museums, and I've already been to two with friends. Curry, Milo, and I got out ice skating on the river last weekend, in the sweet spot between cold weather and warm slush. It was beautiful out there, but somehow I get worse at ice skating every time I do it, rather than better.
January provides for lots of cozy indoor time, and in addition to reading (see below), Curry and I have been doing puzzles, and our latest is a mystery puzzle that had no image for us to work off of---and it's turning out to be a dark interior of a room that's a morass of brown and black woodwork and bright windows. I look for colors and shapes to match up while Curry tries to understand the architecture of the room and guess which piece would fit those elements. I imagine there's a metaphor for our marriage in there, but I don't know what it is. Finally, we're obsessed with the show Lupin on Netflix. If you haven't seen it, you must! (We prefer the French with subtitles, but dubbed in English is an option if you don't want to read the TV).
|
|
|
Labor of Love
Published Today
I'm thrilled to have my essay "Fledging Season" included in Labor of Love: A Literary Anthology, which is available for purchase *today* from Small Harbor Publishing. The collection includes writing by staff members of the journal over its first 20 years online. There will be a launch event via Facebook Live next Thursday, February 1st at 8 pm eastern time. If you want to attend but don't have Facebook, email me and I'll send you a zoom link.
|
|
|
|
January Reads
Nonfiction: Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, Janisse Ray. Growing up in Central Georgia and the natural history of Longleaf Pine forests.
Fiction: So Happy Together, Deborah Shepherd. Unhappy yuppy '80s mom goes on journey to revisit hippie youth and find love of her life. Landslide, Susan Conley. Woman deals with aftermath of accident that badly injures fisherman husband while coping w/ teenage boys. Thunder on the Right, Mary Stewart. Classic romantic suspense.
|
|
|
Or visit your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy for you
and a few to put on the shelves for other customers.
|
|
|
|
Have a cozy winter, friends!
~ Andrea
|
|
|
|
|
