November ‘25 update: planning and planting
Hello, friends! And welcome to my “new” website. Why the change? Well, as anyone who has been online since the mid-’90s knows, the internet is littered with abandoned websites, blogs, projects, etc. And while my WordPress site was exactly what I needed for over a decade, now I need to take things a step further. Since I’m no web developer, I decided that combining my art site with the rest of my work made the most sense. So… here we are!
In general, right now I’m thinking about planning. My Aunt sent me something last winter about how in the winter, much like the animals, our bodies are meant to rest and plan. After the final harvest, it’s the season of hibernation. It’s time to rest and let the past year settle.
So, right now, I’m choosing to let my ideas rest. In doing this, I’m hoping that everything will settle and the ideas that are burning and that light me up will rise to the top. Instead of pressing forward on everything I had planned, I’m letting the excitement around each idea germinate on its own, and let me know what’s next.
That said, I do have some exciting project updates…
Project updates
I’m really excited to share this month’s project updates!
First, I’m thrilled to announce that “Becoming 1% Better” is on Chanticleer’s 2025 Mind & Spirit Book Awards long list! Writers know that applying for awards can often feel vulnerable, scary, disheartening, etc. so to have my first non-fiction book recognized is very exciting!
Second, I had an idea for my next non-fiction book and immediately jumped in with both feet. I’m still researching for two others that I’ve been chipping away at, but the theme and timing of this one feel so energizing and exciting. I believe it’s important to follow that feeling of excitement, so that’s what I’m doing. My goal is to release it in the early spring.
Third, creating this website! This is a big deal for me, as I try to consolidate two decades of content that I’ve littered the internet with over the years. I’m hoping this can be a one-stop shop to connect with you all and to showcase my work. Thank you in advance for your patience while I continue to redesign and populate the site.
New (to me) interesting fact
This month, it was the 50th anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinking in Lake Superior while on a fairly routine trip. There has been some excellent reporting on this, both through the book “Gales of November” and in several extensive YouTube productions.
But the fact I can’t stop thinking about is that of the ship’s captain, Captain Ernest M. McSorley. He was 63 years of age when the ship sank, and it was intended to be his farewell trip. He was planning on retiring afterwards, since it was the end of that shipping season. He was only on this shipping run because he wanted the bonus check to help with the medical bills for his wife, who was battling cancer.
It was so interesting to learn more about the crew members, including how many of them had girlfriends and wives named Cindy. The wreck has been immortalized thanks to Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad and the topic’s popularity on social media, but we don’t often hear personal details about those who were lost.
Class I’m currently taking
I’ve taken several classes from Masterclass in the past, but kind of ran out of writing classes that seemed interesting to me. Then I got an ad for BBC Maestro with Harlan Coben talking about his process, and he explained that the assignments are you writing along with him. Then I looked into the other classes that are available, and there were so many interesting writing classes! I’m starting with this one about writing children’s books with Julia Donaldson. I’ve always been interested in that process and can’t wait to learn more.
That’s it for now!
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