Well, November has turned into just a stinky poo-brain month in which I feel like I’ve gotten almost nothing done1. It’s also been a month of people getting sick2, having random annual doctor appointment and shifting schedules and unexpected no-school days and time change ennui and it’s just all piled up and left me rather shellshocked and tired.
But I finally got a post for my Monstera, so-! There’s that.
And now the holidays are upon us, and while I know better than to try to set goals for this time of year, I’m having to work really hard not to get caught up in trying to be too “productive” at this very chaotic time. Little steps. Little bits. Low expectations.
Another facet of why this month has been so slow writing-wise is that I’ve been focusing a lot of attention on getting The Placebo Emporium launched on Etsy again (it’s not up yet, but I’ll let you know when it is). I’ve been designing a couple seasonal placebo bottle labels and doing inventory and research and planning and estimating and blah blah blah all that small business stuff. I’ve gotten a lot of it done, though, so I’m proud of that.
Now it comes to the final push to get both “Christmas Spirit” and “Holiday Cheer” listed before the end of November. (Look at you! Getting a sneak peek!3) They come empty so you can put in whatever kind of candy you prefer to use for placebos. (I highly recommend Tic Tacs, personally, and Smarties are great for “tablets,” but I’m loving the classic peppermints in the jar!) Each of the smaller bottles (4oz and 3.75oz respectively) will be about $18.00, and the bigger jar in the back will be $20.00. And YES, that’s Andy’s face as Dr. Eponymous.
So, in actuality, I *have* been doing a lot, just more on the design and business side of things because of wanting to get this up early enough to meet the holiday season. But I haven’t been avoiding all writing! I’ve edited a story that I’m hoping to get submitted in early December, and I wrote a faux review for the little dogwood tree out front in my garden, and even put together the text for a perzine4 called, The Neighborhood Beast, about living with and training a reactive dog, which I’m hoping to put together soon.
Also, it’s nearly time for my monthly physical newsletter to go out, so if you’re interested and would like a copy, just pop over here and let me know! (I can also send you a digital scan of it, if you’d prefer. No judgement–I just really like mailing stuff.)
Oh! And the final bit of update is that I just heard from the lovely folks at The Core Review that they’ve nominated my short story, “Gluten Breath,” for a Pushcart Prize, which is a super kind nod and makes me feel all fuzzy that they felt moved to do that. I deeply appreciate it, and also deeply appreciate finding such a fantastic home for that odd little story!
1 Correction: I have added 8,013 words to Love Me to the Bone, so *not* nothing.
2 Correction: ME getting sick. UGH. I HATE COLDS. Especially bad ones
that make me want to sleep for an entire day without even looking at my phone
(7+ hours! Not including nighttime!)
3 Hey, since you’re getting a sneak peek, why not get a discount, too?
Promo Code: INSIDER10
(Use this to get 10% off of any purchase of $20 or more during the upcoming
Placebo Emporium GRAND REOPENING until 12/31/2025!)
4 perzine – n. a personal zine, which is a zine about personal stuff