Today, a snow storm and the really amazing realization that I do not have to go out into it unless I want to (and I certainly do not.) Instead, I stayed tucked inside with a writing assignment on Slavic Mythology I was finishing up. On the subject of further proof that Christian missionaries ruin all the fun, I had a hard time, since I know the lesson content is written with high school kids in mind, trying to convey that some celebrations involved orgies, without actually using the word, ya know, "orgies. " I settled on "fertility rites" but it loses something in the translation. The myth and fairy tale content is a nice break sometimes from the lit, esp since yesterday involved an in-deep piece on confessional poetry, and earlier in the week, the rabbit holes of Lillian Hellman and her testimony in front of the House Committee of Un-American Activities (something easily I could have spent many more hours reading about but had to stop before I went too deep into 1950's nonsense and the evil figure of Walt Disney.)
A couple days ago, my proof copy of animal, vegetable. monster arrived, and there is the usual adjustments on the interior, but am very happy with the cover. I should be able to get the whole shebang finalized in early March, which pushes back the release a bit later than I intended, but April is my birthday month, so it seems propitious to bring it out then. In the meantime, I plan to start making some videos, including some for the artist statement pieces that open the book. Also some other promos for reels and such as we get closer. I went with a slightly smaller trim size and am really liking the look, as well as the creme paper instead of the usual white.
The past two weeks, I've doing my morning writing routine over breakfast in the mornings before I switch to other things, but I haven't yet had a chance to see whether or not it is actually any good. While it is definitely slower and less stressful, my days are still long, so usually wrap up around 9pm, when eat dinner, then settle in for some streaming (lately REIGN, which I am loving for it trashy CW version of a period drama.) After I knock out a few new layouts next week, I can dig in on my own editing projects at least once a week going forward, possibly even with a whole day set aside for them if I like.
