Events!
of both the book and injury kind
This will be short and sweet this week for two reasons: my thumb is bandaged and I don’t have much to write about.
Well, that second part isn’t exactly true. I have been ruminating on a topic that I’m not sure how to write about yet. It’s not fully risen in the oven of my brain. But the first part is true, and making it cumbersome to type anyway, so I’ll let my idea cook a bit longer before I share.
I got a little overzealous in the garden this week while weeding. Went for a pesky dandelion (which I actually love elsewhere, just not among my phlox), smashed my thumb on a rock, and split the nail vertically down the middle. Super fun. But here’s a photo of my baby lupines, for which I damage myself.
On Sunday, my bookstore Wordplay and their adjoined neighbors Drifter’s Cafe hosted me for a casual chat and signing for Spinning Toward the Sun, the essay compilation that came out earlier this month that I got to be part of. We had a lovely turnout, I met new local readers and writers, and it was all around really fun. Talking with adults about writing and creativity is a happy place. Quite different than interacting with young readers, which is rewarding for other reasons like seeing a young person love a book or want to know more about how one becomes a writer.
One of the things Marlene (bookstore owner and good friend seen above) said was that the theme of “community” resonated through Spinning, and I think that community is what resonated through me during this event. After we left New Jersey in 2019 for the Mountain State, I wanted to escape people for a while, but these days it’s refreshing to get back out and gather with our new community, find common ground, and connect. I also think it’s more important now—post election—to do so. We need to remember that even if we don’t all agree about everything, we are all still human. Maybe I shouldn’t qualify that with a “we”. I need to remember. There are so many good people here.
So, here’s to hoping my thumb heals quickly. I have lots of words to write and babies to plant.
Happy Spring, everyone.
Here’s to a healthy thumb!