As I wait for the moon to be high enough for me to see it (no, I don’t have the energy to get in my car to find an unobstructed view), I ponder once again my plans vs. my reality. They’re like Bele and Lokai from Star Trek: Let that Be You Last Battlefield. They’re standing on a ruined planet but still they fight each other. Captain Kirk and his crew, however, give up on the pair. They shake their heads in consternation and go on their way. I can’t leave the scene. They must sort this out!
Of course, I don’t think my plans and my reality hate each other like the hate-consumed Bele and Lokai. I am not that disturbed. Nonetheless, the struggle is real.
I wanted to have a glorious, full moon edition to send out. Instead, I have a last minute rush. So it goes, so it goes.
I don’t have a new story to share, but I will link to the story I sent Patrons this month (along with stickers!). It is my first published short story, The Fear of Apples. I was even paid!
In other news, I have FINALLY finished my rewrites of The Fairy Tale Asylum. It will be a collection of short stories plus a novella. I haven’t decided how to put it out into the world, but I am excited about it.
In books, I finished Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead: The Day of the Dead in Mexico and Beyond. It’s a well-researched and thoughtful book about the holiday. And unless you have already really done your homework, it will dispel some misconceptions you have about Day of Dead and what it means and how it’s celebrated. The book was published in 2006, so I wish a new edition were available with some updates on the holiday now. In any case, buy it used or get it from you local library if you’re interested. The cost of a new copy is ridiculous.
Even this brief review is sufficient to demonstrate that all over the Mexican Republic—whether in Michoacán, the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, or the State of Mexico—mourners react to the death of loved ones in a manner that defies national stereotypes. ~ Stanley Brandes
I’m currently reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. I’ve never read or seen the movie for Eat, Pray, Love (though I did watch an interesting video about it and still have no plans to read it). Gilbert seems to inspire adoration or mockery in a lot of people, but whatever. More power to her. As a writer, I loved her TED Talk. If you also enjoyed her TED Talk, then Big Magic is for you. It’s made me think about my fears and perspectives on living a creative life. I highly recommend if you struggle with doubt and anxiety about your writing. (I haven’t finished reading it, so maybe she’ll say something infuriating by the end, but I won’t let that tarnish the gems I’ve gathered so far.)
“But never delude yourself into believing that you require someone else’s blessing (or even their comprehension) in order to make your own creative work.” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert
Now I didn’t spend the time on this that I wanted, but this is a reminder that whether or not the moon is full, look up. It’s pretty amazing up there.