What I’m doing now
Updated: 2025-11-12
Life
I'm planning a 3rd birthday party. Still unbelievable to me that we're three years into this parenting thing and that she's three years into, well, living! Her favorite thing to do lately is walk backwards into elevators.
As the weather gets colder, I'm trying to hold on to our morning and evening 10-minute walks to and from pre-school. The light is so beautiful both ways.
Writing
I'm working on a 3500-word story about organ extraction, supplanting the status quo, and the ways we navigate ambiguity; partially inspired by our experience being stranded in Asheville, NC, after Hurricane Helene. About 2500 words in, but I'm hoping to submit to a few active calls, so I need to get it done and revised in the next couple of weeks.
I'm also preparing for the release of my first four (!!) published stories. The acceptances arrived within weeks of each other (conspiratorial? My husband thinks so). Contracts are all signed, and I'm awaiting any edits.
One story in particular will require some reformatting, as it includes right-to-left script (Arabic), which doesn't always play nice with content management systems.
Reading
I'm about 60% through Red Rising, which I learned recently is sometimes classified as YA. It explains my growing annoyance. And why the inciting incident for the protagonist is a murdered partner (i.e., fridging). I don't love the direction, but I'm still going to finish (yes, I'm one of those people).
Less frustrating but more emotionally unmooring is John Berger's And our faces, my heart, brief as photos, which was gifted by a dear friend. I feel so lucky to be reading this book. Though I've had to pause, annotate, and think more than usual.
Also, Stephen King's On Writing, which I'm bouncing around aimlessly. I like opening to a random page during a writing break. He's funny.
Other
Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein was gorgeous. I loved the costume design. My favorite scene was probably the confessional and subsequent dance, though these have very little to do with the core of it (I just want the next season of Bridgerton, please).
Inspired by: https://nownownow.com/about