I have been incredibly out of sorts since my laptop touchpad stopped working and it had to be shipped out for repair. I'm not a depression prone individual. I've always been easygoing, upbeat, optimistic...so it was difficult for me to comprehend that I had crashed into an abyss like that.
The computer has been repaired and is making its way back home to me...but it's only been the past two days that I've felt any inclination to write. I've read a couple books. I haven't done much else. I'm tired, bogged down by fatigue, but I don't know if that's from being down or from being ground down by rheumatoid arthritis and the constant fluctuations in temperature- warm one day, chilly cold the next, warm again...the roller coaster ride this winter has been grueling on arthritic joints. It gets old fast.
I've been reading a collection of Shirley Jackson stories called Dark Tales, a penguin Classics book with a forward written by PEN/Hemingway Award winner Ottessa Moshfegh. I'd forgotten how uneasy Jackson's creepy tales can be. They are not graphic horror, but rather more psychological horror touching on such subjects as paranoia, people not being who they seem to be, things not being as they seem, people being caught or trapped in situations...she was the queen!
It reminded me that one of the first short stories I wrote was called Such Pretty Eyes. The story was definitely influenced by Jackson's tales. I remember my mother read it and she didn't like it. It was written on an electric typewriter...it's not even on my computer anywhere. I should dig that one out of the file cabinet and type it into a Word file. I'm still proud of it.
I bought and read all three of 8-year old (well, he may be 9-years old now) Ayden Rogalski's books- Ayden's Washington, Ayden's Lincoln, and Ayden's Titanic. I met Ayden last fall at an author event at the Southwick Library but really didn't get to talk to him as it was crowded and busy and I had to get back to my own table. I didn't get back to his table to buy his books either, so ended up ordering them on Amazon this week. Now I'm going to try to connect with him because I believe in encouraging young people to research, think, and write. You don't see very much of that anymore.
I also need to start reading Glen Ebisch's new book Dearest David. It's on my to-do list.
The revised copies of The Hanging Man and Other Stories arrived today. When my laptop gets home I'll be ordering stock for Aticulture2018. I'm also waiting on the silver shortlisted stickers for Black King Takes White Queen and Out. I'll have those three books with me at Articulture on April 21st. Kelly will have Teleport and Parapsychology with her, and we'll have some copies of our joint anthology Disturbing also with the new cover. Looking forward to this event because eight WhipCity Wordsmiths will be featured this year showcasing local authors- Kelly Buffum, Kate Anderson, Judith 'Sandy' Sessler, Melissa Volker, Judith Foard-Giucastro, Rhonda Boulette, VC Russell, and me. Elaine Frankonis will be reading poetry as will VC's daughter Debbie. Rhonda will be reading from T-s Adventures on Bear Paw Ridge, and maybe other stories. I'm hoping Sandy will read also. I'm undecided if I'll read. Maybe Melissa will read, too. We'll have to see!
It felt like spring today. This is a teaser week with mild temps in the 50's. More of winter in the wings though. Pretty soon the crocuses will be poking pale green noses through the soil. I haven't seen any robins yet, but someone saw some in Connecticut recently.
Beginning to feel more like my old self...but still have tendrils of melancholy drifting through my psyche. Just wish my life would get back to "normal."
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