Twelve Good Things and a Bit of Book News
Happy New Year from the arctic tundra of Michigan! The first two weeks of January were swallowed up in the post-Christmas void, so here I am with a belated gratitude list for 2023 (a number which looks like it should be prime but which, the internet tells me, isn't.)
It's easy for me to look back at 2023 and whine, which is why I'm trying really hard not to do that. Gratitude, she says through gritted teeth. And I do have a lot to be grateful for.
In March, I turned 30. Round number and a multiple of five — I'll take it. Surprising even myself, I did not have an existential crisis, and instead celebrated with tickets to Riverdance.
In April, I celebrated five years of work at OSV. I've learned so many things — like when to keep my mouth shut in meetings, diplomacy skills that rival the United Nations, and when to take a nap in the afternoon and try again later. But in all seriousness, I have the best bosses, mentors, and colleagues, and I love my job five years in even more than I did at the beginning.
Speaking of vacation — at the end of May, my husband and I took a long weekend at one of our favorite spots: the Brigadoon Bed & Breakfast in Mackinaw City. It's a beautiful old hotel with fantastic breakfasts (and afternoon snacks, and dessert...) plus they've added jacuzzis in each room. What's not to love?
The Brigadoon — my happy place In the spring of 2023, I started freelancing with Chrism Press. I've been able to dive deep into the world of fiction with a delightful team, and I've loved every project I've had the privilege of touching.
June brought news that my grandmother was dying. The time I spent at her bedside turned out to be as life-giving as it was challenging. I was able to reconnect, or even connect for the first time, with some dear family members. I sang old hymns by Grandma's bedside, which she seemed to really love. Hard, but so good.
Somewhere in the summer I made the choice to commit to a weekly Eucharistic holy hour. Best. Decision. Ever. Some weeks I just sit and worry in front of the Lord, but having a weekly date with Him has kept me connected and grounded even in difficult weeks.
My friend Amy and I made it back to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival after a several-year absence thanks to the pandemic. Love's Labours Lost was the highlight of the trip, sparkling in all its romcom glory in a blackbox setting.
Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario In August, my first book released. It's been an adventure, learning how to market and see the publishing world as a debut author. Meet Sister Mary Margaret has been the conduit of some fantastic conversations and experiences!
Also in August, I finished and submitted the first draft for Love in the Eternal City (Chrism Press, 2024.) Now if I can get the revisions done...
September brought a number of trips, from an annual Lay Dominican meeting to a family get-together. I also had the privilege of attending and reporting on the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage, which was an incredible experience.
Over the summer, Carl and I hosted a dear friend for a couple of months while she got her feet on the ground in-between moves. Hospitality is fun, plus we got built-in friend time!
And last but not least, I ended the year by taking a couple of courses that have helped me reset and rethink how I am approaching 2024. Monica Elias' Catholic Self-Care Week was full of wisdom, and Erin McCole Cupp's Filled With Good is still, well, filling me with good.
And now, the promised book news!
February's email will have a cover reveal for Love in the Eternal City! I cannot WAIT to share it with you all (newsletter subscribers are getting early insights!) The design is just...chef's kiss, as the kids say. In the meantime, I'm posting character quotes and scene settings over on Instagram, so join me there, and shanghai your friends and family into joining my newsletter, which I fully intend to send out on a more regular basis. (I've said that for several years running, but now one of my publishers subscribes, so he's going to know if I don't.)
Last but not least — how can I pray for you?
Love,
Rebecca
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All opinions are my own, and are not endorsed by Our Sunday Visitor, Chrism Press, the Order of Preachers, NaNoWriMo, or the Catholic Writers Guild.