yes, suffering from graphomania

I don't know how to explain my current burst of energy and even - dare I say it? - confidence. Maybe it's winter, nothing else to do. Or being 71 and seeing time vanish. Some days I get up quite early and still am not too tired to read by the fire till 11 (though today I was worn out by doing Carole's class at the Y for the first time in months and needed a nap. Poor aching unused muscles, not to mention the excess poundage winter has packed on around my middle... Yes, the Y is open again, with masks.)

The essay manuscript is coming together remarkably fast - a few more revisions to do, and even a few more pieces found in my files that might go in. And then I'll get it out to beta readers to give me feedback. 

In the meantime, Queen's Quarterly just sent their layout of "Correspondence," the essay that's coming out soon. It's beautiful; they've done such a lovely job, it made me cry. The story of Barbara, my penpal from the early sixties who died at the age of sixteen, has haunted me all my life; finally, I've told her story and introduced her to the world. Thanks to the team, particularly Stephen, at the magazine. Stunning work.

Another essay that means a lot, about another dear childhood friend, is coming out any minute in the online nonfiction magazine Full Grown People. I'll post when it does. As a result of the interview that went up last week, writers have been getting in touch about editing, and one just got a mentorship grant from the Writer's Union to work with me. The U of T term ends in two weeks, so I'm glad I'll have ongoing work. 

https://www.traciskuce.com/courses/wyfonb2-full/lessons/day-4-2/topic/beth-kaplan/

I think I'm afflicted with this and have been all my life: GRAPHOMANIA

PRONUNCIATION: (graf-oh-MAY-nee-uh) 

MEANING: noun: An obsessive inclination to write.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek grapho- (writing) + -mania (obsession). Earliest documented use: 1827.

 

Can't explain it. Since learning how to hold a pencil and draw letters on paper at about six, I've not stopped. Writing=life.

Not going to talk about the truckers. Andrew Coyne in the Globe may be right, for once: just wait them out. What would happen if everyone just paid absolutely no attention?