Hello from the Writing Table!

Where paint samples and light fixtures and random papers and tools have all infiltrated my workspace. Framing is done in the attic and the exterior is being painted as we speak. Electrical roughed in, plumbing starts Monday. We are rounding month three of Operation Master B&B and I’ve settled into my dusty existence.

Happily, this hasn’t stopped me from completing the second big pass of book two, now sent off to my agent. Lord have mercy, I’m glad to take a break from it. I also sent in the third pass on a story I’m doing about the hospital in my home town that shut down last year, and my God, that has been a beast since March.

For now, my schedule remains clear and the slate is blank, which is always exciting and terrifying. What will bubble up next? What story has been waiting so patiently to be realized? We’ll have to wait and see.

For now, let’s gossip.

Submission Success Story — “Elysium” by Jacob Schrodt, published in The Forge

It is such a thrill when writing buddies get a win. And this piece, published by writing buddy, Jacob Schrodt, was a big win! I remember when he brought early drafts to our critique group. I’d read some of Jacob’s stuff off and on, but when I read the opening lines to this particular piece, I knew he had something special. So I am so thrilled to turn over this month’s Submission Success Story to Jacob!

From Jacob:

In late 2019, my children, both five years old at the time, came to understand the concept of death—more specifically, that impermanence eventually touches every living thing, including themselves. Understandably, my son took the news quite hard. For several months, his questions and fears lingered. Then COVID brought the world to a halt, and with headlines worsening by the day, similar feelings of dread overtook me.

"Elysium," documents those times and conversations with my children while examining how music and art play a role in my own personal feelings about death. I spent most of April 2020 writing the first draft, trusting that if any deeper insight were to be found, it might reveal itself if I simply stuck to the facts—just write down what happened. After a socially-distanced writers' meet-up over Zoom, at which I received feedback and lots of encouragement from the one and only Lisa Bubert, (Lisa note: Aww shucks) I worked through two more drafts and sent the piece out into the world. For the rest of the year, the rejections poured in. I pressed pause on any further attempts at publication. I couldn't imagine editors wanting to read another story or essay set during those months we all so desperately longed to leave behind. But, in early 2021, I gave it one more try and, thankfully, placed the piece nine days later.

Total time spent on submission: 262 days

Response time from The Forge: 9 days

Total rejections received before an acceptance: 36 (2 close calls, 1 higher tier form, 33 form)

Pay: $75

Read it here.

Early Voting Runs Through July 27! Election Day is August 1!

I am breaking from our regularly scheduled book/writing content to share the Good Word about Voting!

Early voting for federal and state primaries are currently in full swing here in Davidson County. We are voting for who we want to see in the federal and state elections in November. The ones I’m personally watching closely here in Nashville are the:

1) Democratic US Senate race (I endorse Gloria Johnson)

2) Democratic US House of Reps District 6 (My vote goes to Lore Bergman)

3) Democratic US House of Reps District 60 (Tyler Brasher or Shaundelle Brooks, but I lean toward Shaundelle)

4) Republican US House of Reps District 5 (I don’t vote Republican, but Courtney Johnston is head and shoulders better than Andy Ogles any day of the week)

If you have questions about any of this, please email me! I love talking local politics.

And if you want to know more about how to vote in Davidson County, the Nashville Banner put together a great how-to vote guide.

If you want to know where to early vote, here’s a great map of all the locations in Davidson County. (You can come vote at the Madison Library AND say hello to me in person!!)

Here’s where to find your polling place on Election Day (August 1) if you like to live dangerously and vote on Election Day.

Here’s a Sample Ballot.

And here’s where you can get a copy of the Voter Guide from the Equity Alliance, which is hands down the best voter guide continuously created and what I use every election to make my decisions. You have to put in your contact information to get the guide but they don’t spam you. It’s worth it, so just do it.

For the love of God, please vote. Vote! Vote like your life depends on it, because it does. Bonus brownie points if you send me a picture of you and your I Voted! sticker after voting.