In undergrad, for one entire semester, I sat behind a kid who was writing a pulpy AF vampire novel while our professor lectured about early British literature. (Side note: the 16th century had too many authors named John. It was a wild time.) A year or so later, we ended up working in the university Writing Center together and he didn't remember me (because I sat behind him), but I remembered him and was delighted to learn his ambitions included:

1. Becoming the next Stephen King

2. Having a hearse with a refrigerated casket as his daily driver, so his milk wouldn't spoil on the way back from the grocery store

I don't know what became of him or his ambitions, but I was struck by the memory recently because I've been thinking a lot about success, and how I will know it when I find it. Like, what actually makes me feel like a Real Writer™️? And, of that list of things, which parts are actually in my control?

My old classmate's list is the perfect case study: he had no way to ensure he'd be the next Stephen King, but for all I know, he's driving around somewhere in a shiny black hearse with a cool as hell refrigerated casket. None of his dairy ever feels the southwestern heat. He is free, and he is happy.

Erm, where was I?

Oh, yes, my list. Things I can control. I'll be honest, I'm bad about this kind of thing. I let my goalposts slip and slide without ever marking how far I've come. So, here, I'm going to write some things down. Controllable things, not the pie in the sky Stephen-King level ones. I hope you will, too:

• Attending friends' book events!

• Having conversations about writing with friends

• Collecting stationery and fountain pens

• Reading a book and just SCREAMING at the things the author accomplished that maybe other readers don't even notice

• Reading drafts of writing friends' novels and getting to share feedback

• Getting feedback on my writing

• Getting tattoos to commemorate my books (whatever happens to them)

• Commissioning character/book art

• Quirky, morbid , ghoulish jewelry

• Being just a little weird, even when I'm in full academic mode

Okay, enough of the rambling thoughts this month. Here are some updates and recommendations.

Story Sale!

My short story "Ask a Hearth Witch," featuring ominous plumbing, an 'Ask Abby' style newspaper column, and cohabitation drama will be published in the final issue of Wizards in Space early next year. I'm so thrilled to have placed something with this market before they close. And I'm so excited it's this sweet little flash piece. I can't wait for you all to read it.

WIP Updates

As I've mentioned before, I'm currently producing the final season of my audio drama, The Way We Haunt Now. Today, I received word that I was awarded a grant to help me complete it. The Way We Haunt Now is now officially supported, in part, by Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts!

I decided to rewrite the beginning of my current novel-in-progress to amp things up a bit, and I've been using NaNoWriMo to help me get some momentum. As of last week, I've finished act one and am officially in the murky middle. Magic Embroidery (working title) is going to be so much fun. I'm hoping to have it ready for my critique group by February.

November Recommendations

In one of my previous newsletters, I mentioned reading Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott. The library gods yanked it away before I could finish, but finish it I finally did this month. And, ya'll, I cannot recall the last time I read a book whose prose slapped this hard. It is a heartbreaking delight of a book that doesn't pull a single goddamned punch.

That's all, because how could anything possibly follow that?

Thanks for wallowing with me,

Courtney