First and foremost … last. day. of. SCHOOL!!!! I don’t know who’s more excited, my kids or my husband and I. (Spoiler: It’s us … totally us.)
The interwebs were full of article goodness this week. In no particular order:
- Willie Nelson is a national treasure. International treasure. My BFF Anne and I have seen him twice in concert and we vow to go again whenever he comes back to the Midwest.
- Oh, Kate Winslet … ever since she started working, she’s been one of my favorite actresses.
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Random: There is a fantastic meme out there that talks about loving your body … this is the body that helped flatten the curve during the pandemic, it’s the one that kept you and your family safe, etc. It is in response to the other prevalent messaging out there about “hot girl summer” and trying to trim down those pounds that some of us (ahem, me) gained during the pandemic.
Along with my newfound bike riding hobby, I’ve returned to the gym after a year hiatus. Going to the gym inspires me to eat better (although I totally snarfed a donut yesterday and it was delicious.) I don’t know that I’m going to lose my “Covid 19,” but I feel stronger and it’s huge for my mental health.
(PS – if I celebrate “hot girl summer,” it will be because I am outside in 80 degree weather and sweating like hell. Because that’s what I do. Fall is my season, seriously.)
Reading: I have too many books that I’m working through right now. I’m reading a couple by Tim Ferriss – this scratches my “reading about productivity” itch. I need to continue reading the “Legends of the Fall” novellas by Jim Harrison. My TBR list is lush and a little overgrown.
Writing: Some days, I don’t think I get anything done, but this past weekend, I hit the majority of my goals. The main one was to finish a draft of a short story that’s been lurking around my mind for the past couple of years. It still needs work, a lot of it, but it was something I wanted to write before I started my next novel.
Querying | A dear friend of mine suggested buying a subscription to Query Tracker prior to my querying adventure. I kind of scoffed, because as much as I tell everyone I’m fairly disorganized – actually, I am not. I love a good spreadsheet and I had my target list built in Google Docs and figured I’d track my submissions that way. Hoooo boy … I love Query Tracker. I’ve queried multiple people named Sharon or Katie or some variation of Jessica/Judy/etc., and QT has helped keep my agents and queries straight. I think there’s a free version, but I shelled out the $25 for the professional version and it’s fantastic.
Next Book | I’m grateful for my friend Julie for recommending Jami Attenberg’s #1000wordsofsummer. I still think that I’ve forgotten how to write new content, but this has been a good kick in the pants to start working on my new book. (I’m also grateful for my friend Jerry for the continued support and email check-ins to make sure I’m not procrastinating the start of this book. He knows me way too well. 🙂 )
Get outside, get vaxxed, wear a mask. Stay safe and well, friends!
– Shelley
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What is Friday Fare? As a recap, on Fridays I post link love to the various bits of arcane shiz I discover on the Interwebs. I liken it to a glimpse into my mind, but without the 80s song lyrics or mental cobwebs.
michellekubitz 