I still don’t know how to title my newsletter about all things writing. The “month” at Writual? In Writual? For Writual? I’ll just keep throwing them out there and see which one sounds best. And if you have some suggestions, don’t hesitate to let me know!
As many plans as I had this summer to do certain things, are as many that fell through. I’m still working on not one, but two books and I’m holding classes and workshops on line; some have even been in person. But some of the more say, income-producing ventures I have been pursuing have all gone away. Either by a change of plans or by disappearing altogether and not by my own withdrawal of intent. So, this next announcement might sound counter-productive then—I am taking the month of July off from holding classes. (There seriously has to be some warp in my thinking, right?) However, I am using the month of July to get tons of work done on my books (more on the below) and—possibly the best reason—we ended up having a vacant cottage in Maine through the summer and we are taking advantage of that—for two weeks. And the best part? We’re taking Luca with us! (The kid who knows how to relax in the picture above.)
Of course, if you have questions or ideas for workshops or are looking for some information about writing and/or publishing—you know where to find me. Email or message me and let me know what you need. See you in August!
July Writing Opportunities & Events
The first thing I want to share with you is the launch of a brand new opportunity for women writers. The kick-off date is August 10th and in the words of the creators:
“…Amy Ferris, Lisa Lucca & Beth Broday [will hold] a virtual gathering that launches a community for women at all life stages. We will introduce our intention to explore topics that impact women's lives - the good, the bad, and the ugly - in roundtable discussions, writing workshops, and retreats. Let's get real and deep about what matters to us!”
I signed up the moment I heard about it. These three women have devoted their lives to uplifting the voices of other women and I can’t wait to see what they’ll do next.
Even though I’ve paused classes, the Saturday AM Writing Group is ongoing. If you need a little boost for your writing practice or want to get some feedback on a project, we do that. The sessions run for 3 weeks on/1 week off. We start back up on July 15th. Come join us! (More info here: http://cindyeastman.com/writual.html)
What I’m Working On
You probably know that I’ve been working on an anthology to share the many voices of grief. I closed submissions last month and am overwhelmed by the response I received. You can read a little bit about that here:
I’m still looking for a publisher but I’m committed to getting these stories out there. I’m also 13 months out from my next book, Caregiver Confidential: True Confessions of an Ambivalent Caregiver—August 6, 2024. (Don’t get too attached to the title, it might change.) I still have a bunch of work to do for that book, although it is essentially finished. I’ll be posting information about that over the next few months, too.
Other Writers, Other Books
I have two books to share with you (links below in my “Bookshop” :)
The first one is by Allia Zobel-Nolan and it is her most recent one, Heavenly Headbutts: Reflections of Hope about Cats and Eternity. She has been “writing books for a long time, and have close to 200 to my name.” Many of the books demonstrate her affection to the members of her family who also happen to be cats. This is one of them. Written as a way to understand the loss of losing two of her beloveds in a short time, Allia researched writers, scholars and the Bible to find the hope in her grief. Here is just one review of her latest book: Book Review: Heavenly Headbutts by Allia Zobel Nolan. To find out more about Allia, visit her website, Allia Writes.
The next book I want to share with you is by Melissa Giberson. Her debut memoir is a coming-of-age book—at midlife. I loved the title and cover—Late Bloomer—both are immediately engaging. I met her last fall and she is also immediately engaging—open, honest and a pleasure to get to know. Her book will be published by She Writes Press on August 8th. You can pre-order it now through the link below or at her website (linked above).
Cindy’s Bookshop
I’m still having trouble getting back into my reading habit, but I have a plan for that—I’m going to institute a “reading hour” for Luca and me while we’re up in Maine. (He doesn’t know this yet . . . ) I’ll be sure to report back on how that worked out! Meanwhile, here are the two books I mentioned as well as the link to my Bookshop shop. When you order books from this link you are supporting authors (me) and independent bookstores.
Heavenly Headbutts: Reflections of Hope about Cats and Eternity
That’s all for now! Thanks for following along. I appreciate that.
xo
Cindy
Maybe "New Moon Writuals" or "Writes and Writuals?" Have a wonderful sojourn. So necessary to rest and nurture the soul for future productivity!
Love this and happy you taking a break. What fun a cabin in Maine. I am jealous! Looking forward to August 10th!