Dearest Readers,
My thoughts on Tuesday and Thursday morning are usually blurry because I wake up early (by my standards) to try to beat the traffic on a long commute around the Beltway. I have been told that for some people these fuzzy-headed minutes are ideal for writing, especially when generating pages, as their inner critic cannot yet fully articulate the ways in which their ideas are terrible and subtle connections across larger works are able to wave their hands and step forward.
This is not my experience.
For me, this time can be too nebulous and freewheeling. I need just a little bit of caffeine/ADHD medication to cast a wide, comfortable net over the butterflies of my thoughts. For example, I started putting on my shoes—which were red—and ended up reading a Guardian article that claimed Hans Christian Andersen "vengefully" named some of his most tormented characters after people he hated, like his half-sister. This is after I've become fully functional. Otherwise, I start to have a thought, Isn't there a fairytale about red—and before I can finish it I am staring at a spot in the baseboard that needs to be dusted, bemoaning my slovenly habits.
There's a balance, I've found, between knowing my habits and under what conditions I can work best, and becoming imprisoned by them (I require this pen, these beverages, this slant of light through the window). The hardest thing for me—and the most important thing, I am telling myself right now—is that I just sit my ass down and actually write, which I am now off to do. <3
Till next week,
AS |
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| | MIRROR SELFIE ALERT
I am very pleased to say that our READ MORE POEMS sweatshirts have started to arrive in the mail, and they are very soft. They are available for a few more days, if you want to snag one. |
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We are somehow nearly halfway through our poem-a-day initiative, and I hope you've been enjoying the pieces. Did anyone notice the breasts and celestial bodies themes? I thought the transition between the two was very clever (which I can comfortably say, as I did not plan it).
I hope you'll also join us in continuing our celebrations this Friday, 4/15 @ 7pm EDT for our virtual reading hosted by Books are Magic with Chen Chen, Derrick Austin, Bionne Janae, and Michael Chang. |
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Our next Letter in the Mail is from award winning writer Robin McLean. Robin writes to us about research, observation, and how experiencing the natural world around you can spark inspiration.
Our next Letter For Kids is written by author Natasha Wing. Filled with Easter/Ostara-adjacent themes, her letter is all about bunnies, from stuffed animals to real live rabbits. |
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| Last warning! There are only 3 days left to sign up for our May book clubs. Get access to our exclusive author chats and read along with us :)
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Our poem-a-day schedule is included below, and we've also got some recent prose gems to share: |
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Did I mention that we're hosting a reading with Books are Magic this Friday @ 7pm?
Did I mention that there will be trivia?
Did I mention that Friday is also the pub day for Brionne Janae's latest collection? See you there! |
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Your support keeps The Rumpus going! |
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257 Haywood Rd Unit 201
Asheville
28806
United States of America |
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