Fingers Crossed
“'Hope' is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all - " --Emily Dickinson
In a recent issue of this newsletter, I mentioned having applied for the Jack Hazard Fellowship. Ever since I applied back in December, before Christmas, I’ve been crossing my fingers I would be one of just a dozen educator-writers across the country to earn the award.
I learned earlier this month I am not.
A few days later, I learned that not a single poem I submitted to the Poetry Society of Virginia annual contests placed. Not a single one. Not even an honorable mention.
Fortunately, I have years of rejections from agents under my belt, so my skin is pretty tough at this point. That’s not to say these disappointments didn’t sting. They did—and they probably will again, but I’ll also learn from them, and my fingers are still crossed for lots of other things. Maybe there really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It’s fun to hope.
What I’m Working On
My Debut Novel: An Expected End
Some of the finer details are starting to come together. My updated author photos, which include the Littles, are ready to roll (and I love them!). My publisher and I have even narrowed it down to The One, the photo that will actually appear in the book.
Cover art is well underway, and I hope to reveal it soon-ish.
I’ve typed up and turned in my Acknowledgments. I also typed up the rough draft of my Author’s Note, which I admit to dreading writing—but once I got started, it was kind of fun.
My publisher tells me we’re probably looking at a summer 2023 release (fingers crossed the book launches before school begins in the fall).
As we (hopefully) near publication, I am simultaneously eager and terrified. I can’t wait to hold this book in my hand and share it with the world, but a million what-ifs temper my excitement.
What if it gets bad reviews, or no reviews at all? (Which is worse?) What if no one wants to read it, or they do, but find it disappointing or offensive or boring or otherwise just not good? What if after all this work and all this time and all this effort and all this build-up, I’m disappointed? What if it’s actually just crap—unimaginative, myopic, inconsistent junk?
What if it’s not just impostor syndrome?
What if I’m good at hyping my writing up (am I even good at that…?), but I’m not actually good at writing…?
Fingers crossed, all these nasty little what-ifs are baseless…
Outdoor Writing
Last week, I received the proof of my Virginia and Maryland state parks piece for my ExploreMore column in Cooperative Living Magazine. Despite its having to be considerably shortened, I’m happy with how it turned out. It will run on April 1.
This weekend I’m heading to Tennessee and southwest Virginia for two article assignments for upcoming ExploreMore articles in Cooperative Living Magazine. The Littles, my photographer friend, and I have dozens and dozens of miles of hiking ahead of us, so fingers crossed for good weather all weekend!
Next weekend, I’ll head to the opposite end of the state for my second visit to the Abandoned President’s Heads for another future piece in my ExploreMore column. I’m hoping for good weather for that adventure, too.
Volunteering
Saturday, I drove out to Virginia Equine Welfare Society (VEWS) to meet some of the horses available for adoption there—Mya, Whiskey, and Jack—so I can write about them in an effort to help find them new homes.
I myself felt immediately at home when I entered the five-stall barn and the smell of sweet hay and horses greeted me, along with a green-eyed, black and white barn cat.
One highlight of my visit included hearing and seeing Whiskey whinnying across the fence to Nada, a bay mare not yet available for adoption. She kept her back to him, not even turning her head his way, like a wizened old woman who knows it’s better to ignore them than egg them on.
Another highlight was Mya’s coat. Despite the biting March wind, her bay coat was warm—almost hot—from the sunshine, and I couldn’t keep my cold, bare hands from smoothing over the soft warmth of her coat.
When it came time for me to leave, I bid all four horses farewell (for now). The friendly, black and white cat that approached me when I first arrived was curled up on a blanket in a little tack room in the five-stall barn, the wind knocking ropes and tack around on the walls. And I was armed with memories and notes to get started with the writing.
Board member reports, photographs, and community announcements have started to trickle in for the April 1 Bay Quarter Bulletin. I need to start sorting and organizing the materials as they arrive in my inbox in an effort to work on the newsletter gradually as opposed to all at once. Fingers crossed I find a few little snippets of time to do that…!
Teacher Life
I received my first AI-generated plagiarized essay about a week and a half ago (the perpetrator is still sour with me for catching her). While I knew it would happen eventually, I didn’t necessarily think it would happen as soon as it did (but isn’t that always the case with technology—that it outpaces us?). On a personal level, I find the idea that any student believed I would fall for that pretty insulting. But bigger picture—I find the whole thing pretty terrifying. Images from the opening scene of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which traumatized me when I was a child, have resurfaced in my mind. Thank you, Chat GPT…
Links to My Latest
Press
On March 3, an episode of The Story of my Pet Podcast featured me as the guest. I got to discuss Jack, Sadie, Nacho, Soda, and my writing. You can find the episode, titled “The Outdoor Adventures of Rescue Dogs,” here. Fingers crossed there will be more podcast appearances in my future.
Writing
Three of my poems and an essay (featuring The Littles) I wrote appear in the anthology Writing Through the Apocalypse, Pandemic Poetry and Prose, available at Barnes & Noble and most other booksellers. I’ll be reading one of my included pieces during a virtual event on March 26 (more info on that in the Literary Calendar below!). A local, in-person reading with three other local authors is in the works, too.
Writer Spotlight
Win an award? Have a new book coming out? Present at a conference? Publish an article? Want it shared in the “Writer Spotlights” section of an upcoming issue? I’d love to share your writerly news! Fill out this Google Form for a chance to be featured!
What I’m Reading
I’m nearing the end of Chesapeake Requiem. One of the many elements of reading it I have really enjoyed is learning more about Cameron Evans, who I met back in June before I ever knew he was included in the book. We attended his art show at the docks and bought one of his photographs.
The Littles
Below are some of the photos my photographer friend captured during our author photo session. I think they convey how happy The Littles make me, and how much love there is in our little pack of four.
Look What I Saw Outside
Last Sunday, my sister and I met up after church to jog at Pony Pasture. As we slowed for a walk break, I looked up and noticed this beautiful wreath suspended way, way up in a tree. This photo doesn’t do the detail of the wreath justice. You can’t see the way the sticks are woven together, or the way the beech leaf in the center resembles stained glass, but I wanted to share it, anyway.
During the same run, I saw rainbow water. This phenomenon occurs when oils produced by decaying vegetation are released into the water.
Literary Calendar
March
March 19, 2023 | 1:00pm EST | Virtual Reading of Writing Through the Apocalypse, Pandemic Poetry and Prose |
Join writers from around the world as they share poetry and prose they produced during the pandemic. Simply click this link, and enter the following information:
Meeting ID: 836 0487 8739
Passcode: 517680
March 26, 2023 | 4:00pm EST | Virtual Reading of Writing Through the Apocalypse, Pandemic Poetry and Prose |
Join writers from around the world as they share poetry and prose they produced during the pandemic. Simply click this link, and enter the following information:
Meeting ID: 894 7282 7307
Passcode: 096029
*I will be sharing some of my work in the March 26 virtual reading, and hope to see you there!*
April
April 15, 2023 | 11:00am - 2:00pm | Book Signing at Books, Beads & More, 8106 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville, Va. |
Joyce A. Miller, a local Richmond author, will be signing copies of her books on Saturday, April 15 from 11am till 2pm at Books, Beads & More in Mechanicsville, VA. Joe Harris, the Moon is historical fiction based on the true story of Miller’s granduncle, who played baseball in the 1910s/1920s against Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. A great book to read on Jackie Robinson’s birthday, April 15th. Look! You’re Dancing, A Memoir of Dogs, Dance and Devotion is about Miller’s time volunteering for a greyhound adoption group and performing canine freestyle, or dog dancing, with a few of her greyhounds. April is Adopt-A-Greyhound month and perhaps after reading this book there will be a few more greyhound adoptions in central Virginia.
Want your literary event to appear on the Literary Calendar in the next issue of my newsletter? I love to share book signings, writing conferences, literary festivals, workshops, classes, and readings. Just fill out this Google Form for a chance to be featured!