We've landed in a spate of soggy, humid temps I am mostly combatting by laying on my bed, flipping through poetry books and scrolling instagram, a couple feet from the fan and waiting for the storms that seem to be rolling in as we speak. *cue distant thunder rumbling and the dirty smell of rain* Normally, I spend my Saturdays on cleaning and projects around the house, but I am calling it a "heat index day" and doing nothing much in particular.. After much of last week was claimed by wrestling with technology and recording my presentation for a library conference on marketing, most of this week was catch up and a lot of hefting and moving books, so I hit Friday pretty exhausted. and in need of a weekend, even though it was one of these short summer weeks I am going to miss come fall. The week was productive outside the library as well, and I was able to put a bow on the final file of dark country and send it off for a final print galley. The process is very enjoyable of seeing it go from sheaf of messy pages to a fully designed thing--and even though it will probably need some adjustments, even that galley version in the mail is exciting. While working with traditional publishers has its own benefits, this feels, like when I make chapbooks or ziines---much more hands on from start to finish, seeing a book being made, which has its own rewards. Its also exciting because I went a bit more squarish with this book than the last, and while it meant some more formatting tweaks, I love squarish publications--especially since this collection is blocks of prose that look really nice that way.
So I wait, and in the meantime, am working on more promo bits and bobs for the book for social media--including a very awesome spotify playlist, something that a previous publisher (Sundress) created for it's books and something I enjoyed compiling so thought I'd give it a whirl for dark country. Also some short little videos for instagram and more postcards. I should have copies by mid-august for the shop. August brings a couple other things, including a first dip into the dgp submissions that have come in this summer as we close out the open reading period at the end of August. I am also thinking of embarking on the #sealychallenge--reading one book of poems per day in August. I have stacks that have accumulated during my covid anxiety year or no reading, so it's easy to choose which books for the list and at least lighten my to-read pile signifigantly as we head into fall.
And ahh, yes, fall. We've reached the stage in summer--earlier than ever this year, where I start jonesing for autumnal things. It started with eyeing dresses its still too early to commit to and now I am looking on Pinterest at photos of fall foliage and campfires and once again, fail to fully embrace the season I am in instead of rushing to the next. There is still time for summer, though hopefully not the sticky swamp variety that definitely sends me longing for cold weather.--stull a couple trips to Rockford, maybe some barbecues and beach days (let's be real--beach evenings since I am ever so no nocturnal and sun-avoidant.) This weekend a friend passed off copious amounts of blueberries I was eating by handful yesterday til they were gone--fresh off the farm and always better than store bought. They taste like summer, as do things like sweetcorn and really good tomatoes. I need to remember to embrace it, even though my eye is in spooky season, since in a few months, everything will be dead and covered in snow. The days are already just a smidge shorter than they were, unnoticeable except I am losing my daylight at home a little swifter before I have to turn on a light. When it gets dark at 4:30 by November, I need to remind myself now I shouldn't be longing for autumn.
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