How can you tell it’s summer vacation? Because I drop off the face of the planet, of course! No, but seriously, we’ve hit the doldrums of summer. It’s a time I both love and loathe: love, because it means lazy mornings and time with the boys and relatively relaxed plans and time to read; loathe, because I always have a natural depression dip at this time of year, probably at least in part because getting any quiet thought time for writing is incredibly difficult, and I find when I go for more than a week without producing new words, my brain starts to fizzle and spit sparks from the buildup.
July was a busy, busy month. Much busier than I typically like, though we have had a nice time. We visited family in Texas mid-month for two weeks, which was lovely if hot. Andy and I saw and enjoyed both Maxxxine and Longlegs at the Alamo Drafthouse (one of our favorite spots to visit in the Austin area) on two lovely date nights, thanks to my indefatigable mother-in-law babysitting for us. We spent some excellent time with my brother-in-law’s family, where I got to *finally* meet my nieces in person (and they are TOO CUTE FOR WORDS OMG). I finished Reading like a Writer by Francine Prose (5/5 stars) on the plane thanks to switching off with Andy on who was entertaining/i.e. managing/the boys.
After we got back from that, we had my grandmother’s funeral, for which I read Edgar Guest’s “Good Books,” in memory of my grandmother being both a librarian and a prodigious reader. It was a bit fraught, but overall a good experience, and I got to see my sister’s family, including my AWESOME-SAUCE nephews from all the way out in California, so that was awesome.
Then it was August.
I’m about 860 pages through A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, and enjoying every moment of it. It’s a wonderful book to wind-down in the evenings with. I’ve just finished Richard Beauchamp’s lovely (and horrifying!) Horror in the Highlands collection (keep your eyes open for an interview with him soon!), and just today finished Seán Padraic Birnie’s I Would Haunt You if I Could. I have so many thoughts on that one, I can’t even, but suffice it to say: I loved it and my mind is melting, and I am so jealous of Birnie’s skill at writing quiet, spooky stories, I’m just…wow. Amazing.
We also cleared out the garage, which was a huge project, because our garage is huge.
But in other news, I’m social-ed out, it’s been too hot/humid (this is the first day it’s been mild and cool despite the humidity), the garden was invaded by weeds over July and I’ve only made a dent in beating the invading hoards back, and I feel like my writing brain is atrophying with how little work I’m getting done. I *have* gotten some new words, now and then, in the evenings, and I’m making a concerted effort to do more of that, but by the evening, I’m always so tired, and I’m trying not to judge myself too much for that. One lives; one tires.
I did recently learn, however, that my short weird story about grief and loss, “A Preparation of Tombstones,” was bought by Kaleidotrope, so I’ll let you know when that one’s coming out. I’m also now an official slush reader for Beneath Ceaseless Skies, so that’s crazy fun! I’m thrilled to be back on the slushing side of things, because there’s just no better way to read a lot of short fiction and analyze what works and what doesn’t. I’ve already learned so much getting back into it, so as always: I highly recommend slushing for a market if you get the opportunity! It’s also a wonderful way to give back to the community that does so much for us writers.
Three (+1 for the wee one) more weeks until school starts, so in the meantime we’ve got swim lessons, one week of camp for Thing 2, a zoom course on ghost story writing, maybe a visit to Boston or the White Mountains–that’s yet to be decided…
Anyway! More when I’ve got it, and in the meantime, make the most of your summer (and take some time to rest, too!).