Listing Toward Update

On reading, rhythm, routine

I’ve been having trouble making a coherent thread, so instead of a typical post, a list.

1. I’M READING AGAIN. Sorry for shouting, but this is all-caps worthy. For the majority of my life, I’ve been a one to several book(s) a week reader. Reading is intimately connected to my writing life too, and I’d say that I maybe finished four books in the last quarter of 2023. And my writing was largely sporadic and involved research more than words. But between tearing through an early ms. of Jen DeLuca’s next book, Haunted Ever After, and a newfound Lisa Tuttle obsession that started with the reissue of her novella My Death and has me now well into The Mysteries, I think this week may be for a reading vacation. The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is also right at the top of my stack and my fingers are itching to reach for it.

2. I think I’ve talked about this before, but “reading vacations” are where I give myself permission to read anything and everything that appeals to me for a few days or a week. One writer friend always says that a problem of output can be a problem of input. Sometimes you need the dancing ball of another story to follow so that your subconscious can get back to work. At least, I do. Plus, what is more decadent and delicious than a week of reading? NOTHING. Then, maybe even now, I’ll get back to writing the next book. Anyway, it’s not like I can do my workouts with the ankle…

   

3. I had therapy yesterday and filled my lovely therapist in on the events of late and how there were definitely some moments of wanting to throw up the hands — particularly when due to a misadventure between cat and dog, Stella the Cat ended up needing jaw surgery. Yes, we both have plates now. She seems much perkier today, and I’m getting the necessary medicines and foods into her. And so I am making it through this latest season of So Much just fine, with the help of friends and family and friends who are family. Which makes me know I can handle whatever I have to, and I will not have to do so alone even if I’m flying solo. A good thing to know. Much gratitude to those of you who KNOW I’m talking about YOU. And to everyone who has sent a note or a sympathetic comment or etc etc. It all helps.

   

4. We also talked about my getting back to work and routines. Routines have always been an essential part of my writing. Perhaps the word I’m looking for isn’t even routines—it’s rhythms. Rhythms have always been a part of my writing process. Walks, particularly dog walks, fit in there, but I won’t be having those until the ankle heals a bit. A good therapist asks the right questions, as much as guides, and while we were talking about this, she asked me if it was intimidating to set a hard daily schedule for myself or if it was liberating? I said BOTH. Which led her to observe that sometimes we want to go from Total Disruption and All Out to All-In. And perhaps that the better way is to listen to what is making us anxious and see if there are adjustments to be made that lead to a greater sense of security, if there are small changes that begin to rebuild the routines, the RHYTHMS. I think this conversation is part of what sparked the reading vacation of it all. The truth is, I am excited and energized about getting back to the new book.

5. That talk also led to me figuring out how to put some gentle, non-weight-bearing yoga back on the table, because I hate not moving. HATE IT. And luckily, there are several videos by my beloved Lissa Sims that I can use to do just this. (The surgeon did say that he believes I’ll be able to bear weight earlier than he initially thought — yay — and I only have one more week (!) in this hard splint. The boot is much more outdoors friendly, especially since winter has actually made its presence known.)

   (Don’t yell at me, but my neighbors came over for an impromptu dance party to distract me on Friday night and me and my Grogu nightgown needed to participate somehow.)

   

6. T minus one month until THE FRAME-UP lands! Got a great review from Kirkus (!!!!) that I’m not sure I can share yet, but will when it posts online. Have you preordered? *bats eyeslashes*

   

   Amazon - B&N - Bookshop - Signed Preorder

   More soon! Stay warm and safe,

   
   G