Get cozy by the fire
I had "write a newsletter" on my to-do list every month in 2024, and only managed it in January. There were too many updates, too many thoughts, too many things just around the corner that I might as well wait for. And now it's 2025, January is already gone, and I'm getting really tired of failing at this.
And so here we are again, giving this newsletter thing another whirl. I'm calling this newsletter "Fireside" because the image of all of us sitting around a fireplace and sipping hot beverages makes me happy. I want to be myself here, and I'll be sharing the good, the bad, and the messy.
The Grand Plan (ha ha ha)
In an effort to keep myself focused, it's my intention to send out short missives covering one of these three topics:
- Writing (updates, musings, etc.)
- Art (a drawing, maybe, or a freebie)
- Geek life (what I'm watching or reading or playing)
Writing Update
Not gonna lie, writing has been rough for a while now. This year I have a short story coming out in an anthology (see below!) and in September my very first picture book releases (see a later newsletter!). But I wrote those ages ago. Since then, I've been struggling to land on a novel project.
For a while, I blamed the new meds that I'm on. During the pandemic I went on anti-depressants (all hail science!), which are amazing. Later, I finally got diagnosed with ADHD and went on ritalin. It's been helping a ton, but it changes the way I do things enough that I worried it was messing with my writing.
I don't think that anymore. I think I was trying to get back to a pre-pandemic creative life that no longer exists. I need to build new coping methods and writing routines, and I need to understand that I'm a different person now than I was five years ago.
That said, I've finally written a proposal for a new middle grade book--one that incorporates even more of my art--and I'm really hoping it will find a publisher. It's a terrifying book in terms of subject matter, but I really want to write (and draw) it. Please keep your fingers crossed for me.
Starstuff
Huzzah, I've got a short story in the upcoming middle grade anthology Starstuff: Ten Science Fiction Stories to Celebrate New Possibilities. Look for it May 20th, 2025.
My story is about a roadtrip at the end of the world. The best part, for me, was getting to interview my astronomer friend Jeff about "occultation" and the wonderful folks who fly around the globe to stand in the shadows of distant objects, like asteroids.
Community
Conversations by the fire should not be monologues, so please don't be a stranger. If I can get this place to grow, I would love to eventually host check-ins, meetups for writing or drawing, art challenges, etc. Friends and community are at the tippy-top of my life priorities pyramid, and I'm making room up there for all of you.
Stay tuned for more. (I mean it this time, really!)
Jenn
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