Folks, it’s been a long strange trip this round. The world feels like it’s on fire, and my head has been spinning. If you’ve been paying attention, I know yours is, too. But, when one slows… pauses… the landscape settles and perspective comes into clear focus. That’s truth.🔥
Try it. I dare you.
Literally shake, twist, throw your arms up, or dance wildly and weirdly for 5 minutes, then slow to a stance. This Kundalini move is guaranteed to rid you of excess anxiety, stress, or unwarranted fatigue.
And slowing to look around causes awareness to sprout.
Since Spring, I’ve developed a new review partner and traded feedback on her sci-fi dystopian novel, which I’ve come to love almost as much as my own. I attended a writers’ conference in Seattle, and I’m scheduled to beta read another Boo Walker book.
This fall I’ve also trained in teaching an Ashtanga style yoga class and made surprising gains in getting my head in order using a new type of therapy. I gardened a new, raised tomato bed underplanted with squash, yielding terrific results. Found my love in New Orleans, again.
When things get hard, the people party harder. 🎉💀🌺🍬🕊️ We come together. At Preservation Hall in New Orleans, we ALL sang When the Saints Go Marching In. Fitzel’s (below) would have been standing room only, except for benches.
New Orleans also keeps their lessons from history—all of them.
Root Bound
I’ve realized Root Bound is such an important story. The issues of extractive industry, class, and women resonate more now than ever. 🍂 As hard as it is to open my novel to rejection, I took it to PNWA Con 2025 in Seattle. The Conference was great—both intimate yet big enough to host Vancouver-ite Margaret Atwood!
Of the 8 agents I pitched to, 7 asked for pages. 🔥
What I took is the shorter version of the whole idea, coming in at 80,000 words. It’s focused on Bridget Kelly’s story of remarrying in a stateside WWII mining town in Idaho. As I pitch Bridget’s story to agents, I’m getting VERY excited to delve back into John’s story, which is a darker, more industry-oriented story while he fathers twin boys.
Now, I merely have to juggle a ton of (paid) technical editing with shuttling Root Bound to the finish line. Working. Working. Working.
mOther
I miss Friday nights writing with the cast of mOther! Brian/Starlight especially. The dark queen Mel and sweet, hardworking Sarah. Love (whom I actually met in-person at the Hot Springs Resort over Labor Day! It’s so crazy and amazing to meet a real person who is basically a character I imagined!).
Thus, I’ve also realized just how important mOther is. The story of an abandoned young person (character Brian) is tragically still current. This year, I’ve met two kids, via my college kid, whose lived experience 100% resonates with Brian’s backstory of parents moving out without leaving a forwarding address. The kids’ questions are “Where is it safe for me to be? How can I avoid a bunch of loans starting out? How do I navigate the world (without support)?” and “I’m so sick of ham I’ve never touch it again.” (No joke, one parent stocked their fridge with only ham and a few bananas for periods untold). 💔 The answer is of course to find support and develop the self, consciously, carefully, through hard work. Personally, I’ll feed these kids a homecooked meal whenever. Even if they’re vegan now. As an adult, I also know that these kids will grow into some of the deepest, most compassionate people I’ve met.🌸
Yet I’m on the fence about the writing due to the seasonality. It’s so very… the summer of our lives. I might shelve mOther until next year. But I haven’t decided yet. Maybe it’s season needs to change to winter? Hot springing in winter is pretty spectacular…
Yoga Your Brains Out
This collaborative effort is an exciting seed of an idea yet to come in 2026. Let me know what you think this is (or should be)! And keep an eye out!!!