Tides

Hello Sweet People!


This month has seen floods of activity and social engagement, followed by empty stretches of unscheduled time. It's odd, how each kind of time leaves me longing, just a bit, for the other. Maybe this is just because the tides are more dramatic this time of year. More on that anon.



Highlights of the month included a whirlwind trip to Washington DC and New York City to see family and friends. I was able to reconnect with a few of my oldest, dearest friends and, as Piglet says, "to be sure of" them. So sad that I didn't get pictures of everyone, but my need to archive everything is weaker than my desire to be fully present. Here are just a couple of the many beautiful faces I saw:

Phoebe Search, Co-Founder of Snugglyland
Lindsey Buller Maliekel, Keeper & Giver of the Bicoastal Heart

I was also able to squeeze in a bit of time with a few of my new writing friends and heroes. (Again with the no pictures!) I'm pretty much constantly amazed by the generous spirit of many of the professional writers I've met through the SF/F community. I thought taking my writing life seriously was going to be a horribly isolating experience, but the truth is I've met a bunch of truly awesome people.



For example: Adam Gidwitz. If you haven't yet read A Tale Dark & Grimm, please do. It's horrifying, beautiful, and exactly the kind of creative mash-up retelling that today's kids (and grown-ups) crave. Also, he's funny, kind, and smart in person. Bonus.

I've already done some gushing about Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman, but just in case you missed it: they are magic. Sheer magic. If you haven't read them yet, well, actually, I'm thrilled for you because you're about to discover new and brilliant worlds. You'll never be the same.

So, small confession, I get a little freaked out when I think about trying to sustain these and other new friendships that are often spread out across hundreds, or thousands of miles. But it's the digital age, right? We can do this, RIGHT?

After about a week of east coasting, it was home again, home again, jiggety jig, to our own shoreline - just in time for some of the lowest tides this time of year. The boys wanted to go tidepooling today, the last day of their Spring Break, so we did. I'll leave you with a few of the gorgeous, ugly, and mysterious creatures we found. 

Eggs of the Frilled Dogwinkle Snail (I believe.)

Heart Cockle Clam

Dungeness Crab

Flounder

And now back to work. Lots of drafting and querying to do.
Thanks so much for reading! I mean it. Best wishes from my place to yours.


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