Do you like wintering...?

Where Fleur contemplates the weight of snow, finds a raven, and cleans up her office.

I read a book not too long ago where the author was saying that there are times for head-up and times for head-down. Basically, she was referring to those times when you hunker down (in my case, to write), and times for head-up, where you’re social and promoting your work. Another book referred to this head-down thing as wintering, which makes me feel a little like the fat bear who ran through my street in the fall.

Head-up would be when I’m going to conventions, being social and wearing pants that are not leggings or overalls.

I like the head-down/wintering part. It’s good for healing, too. Just give me a corner, a cuppa and a cat, and I’m in my happy place. This past week, Colorado weather has definitely been of the head-down variety. Here at the Colorado cottage in the foothills of the Rockies, I unscientifically guess we had about 3 feet of snow fall. Even if you wanted to go somewhere, you really can’t. And snow is heavy, just ask my pine trees (there’s a metaphor in there).

Here’s my snowy front yard, with the giant branch that fell off (luckily, in the road and not on my roof).

I took it as a good opportunity to clean my office and my files. Nice, though I’m looking forward to seeing more humans. It’s time.

How about you? Do you like wintering?

Good News

My story How to Teach Yourself to Swim, which appeared in Dark Yonder 3 last year, was chosen for the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2024 anthology, forthcoming in the fall. This is a big deal (over 3K stories were submitted), for those of you not familiar with this anthology, and a feather I didn’t think I’d ever have the honor of putting in my cap. So huzzah, and cake.

You can order the book here, if you are so inclined.

Plus, look at that nifty raven cover, y’all. It’s like they read my mind…

What I’m Writing

I’m tinkering with short stories, articles I owe to a few blogs, and that non-fiction writing craft book that I kinda let linger for a while. It’s on the front burner now and lots of fun to write.

I’m a busy bee, despite this wintering business. Here’s my cleaned-up office and author visit Zoom background.

Your Weekly Floof

Before this mother of a snowstorm, we had unseasonably beautiful weather, which Floof approved of. She loves watching the world go by from the open bathroom window.