March comes on little cat feet
March doesn't really come in like that, but sometimes your brain makes a connection and you have to go with it. That's how I write most of my flash fiction, actually – by putting one sentence after another in an improv "Yes, and..." sort of way. I am intentional with my novels, thinking far too hard about every decision. With short short stories and picture books and poetry, writing feels more like play.
If only I could write a whole novel from that mindset. I know some of you do, and I will never not be envious. (But in a good way, I promise.)
Fog
by Carl Sandburg
The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
What I'm Reading
Every year I set a "Pay It Forward" goal for myself. Most of the time this means doing one or two mentorships during the year, wherein I share my Extreme Wisdom (TM) with writers who are usually only just a few steps behind me on Ye Olde Career Path. (This paragraph is definitely getting away from me.) Mentorships are extremely rewarding and I've ended up with some lovely new friends/peers, but this year I knew I didn't have it in me.
So I've agreed to read submission stories for a writing workshop (already done!) and novels for a local award (still in progress). I love this exposure to new-to-me writers. I don't love always feeling like I have homework. Hopefully I'll get better at this as I go. (Tips on reading for awards are welcome.)
The list of books I will read when I'm done my assigned reading is massive, but heading that list is Sara Ryan's Mountain Upside Down, their first middle grade novel. (You may already know Sara from their groundbreaking YA novel Empress of the World or their fantastic graphic novel Bad Houses.)
I did cheat on my award reading long enough to reading a wonderful short story by Stephanie Burgis titled "Mail Order Magic," which is the free story in Sunday Morning Transport this month. (Sunday Morning Transport is a lovely fiction magazine that mails out a new story every Sunday. One is free, and three are for subscribers only.)
Shopping online during a bout of brain fog was a terrible idea. Unfortunately, like everything else Hayley Bent tried to carry, common sense had a habit of slipping from her grasp whenever she was trapped in that state of thick confusion.
And speaking of Steph, her new romantasy series just kicked off with the incredible Wooing the Witch Queen! I was lucky enough to read this as Steph was writing it, and it immediately won a spot on my "read and re-read and read again" shelf. I simply ADORE the brash witchy heroine and her adorably nerdy librarian love interest. I also love that Steph's books have a lot of action and plot, that they don't shy away from serious issues, but that you always feel safe when reading them. Things are going to work out, tragedy will be averted, hope will triumph.
Also, you will laugh. Probably a lot.
Whiskerwood Press
For about two years now, I've had "Whiskerwood Press logo" on my to-do list. "Whiskerwood" is the name of my house, and my partner and I decided it would be the name of our press as well. My partner Chris intends to self-pub some of his novels soon, and I would like to make a few chapbooks. Thus the need for a logo. After about a zillion pages of sketches and mockups and failed attempts over many months and years, I sat down and made this logo in about 30 minutes. We both love it.
I'm also working on a color version that highlights the fact that the cat is sitting in a house-shaped space in the trees, but I haven't nailed down the exact hues yet.
Although I love being a traditionally published author, mostly because I know myself and how terrible I'd be at editing, marketing, and self-promotion, I also crave the sense of control that self-publishing grants. The ability to make something myself, start to finish? Exciting. And if I make chapbooks, I can include my own art, too. In this world where AI-generated everything is flooding our eyeballs, going back to basics and the 'zine era makes a lot of sense to me.
Thanks for reading,
Jenn
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