Refocusing, Resetting and Re-centering

Refocusing, Resetting and Re-centering

A pretty good rule of thumb when you’re publishing your first novella is to have a robust marketing plan. Have a ton of resources ready to go, be ready to talk about your book until your voice is raw and scratchy and champion your new work on every social media platform imaginable. It is not a time to disappear from the face of the earth, make major life changes or re-evaluate a huge component of your identity.


But who am I to do things the right way?

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The Terror of Editors

The Terror of Editors

Sometimes I forget that being a writer means that, inevitably, people are going to actually read what I’m writing. The last few weeks I’ve been working through the final draft edits for The Light Keeper, which has meant many rounds of what’s called “beta edits” (i.e. editing). I’m lucky to have many generous, brilliant friends who took the time out of their busy lives to be advanced readers for the novella. They patiently engaged in debates with me over whether a crab “tunneled” or “burrowed” under the sand (before I finally just nixed the troublesome line altogether) or the levels of anachronism involved in wine glass technology.

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Hello and Goodbye to Summer
Elsie M Elsie M

Hello and Goodbye to Summer

Summer is not my season. It’s humid and hot. I hate shaving my legs. My toes do not look cute no matter how many pedicures I get. I am one of those people who instead of getting normal mosquito bites I get those awful blisters that scar even if you don’t itch them. Summertime is just not for me. In contrast, my wonderful partner is essentially a lizard. He is perfectly content to lay out in the hot sun for hours and slowly roast in a meditative trance. It’s honestly amazing to watch. I have tried to be that person. I want to be that person.


I am not that person.

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