Why hello again! 

It’s SPRING! Finally… and I can tell as my internal world of writing is shifting into the expansion of reaching out with all the places you can find travel stories, listen to the podcast or yoga classes and even find my latest book. Feeling busy in a beautiful way. 

After all the years of writing fiction/prose and getting published with a variety of presses, I have to give a huge public thank you to Kim at Madville Publishing. She’s worked with me on this memoir, it’s very close to my heart and I’m nervous about the conversations it will provoke. The pre-orders just opened and it makes a big difference in the whole process when there’s interest shown early in the game. If you can, please order a copy . The catalogue describes it as such: STAY is a hybrid visual story of a British tomboy & clown negotiating place/identity, trauma/neurodiversity, friendship/play, sexuality, and violence. Mixing illustration, photography, and narrative non-fiction, this experimental work transcends the binary, bravely imagining a world that makes space for all of us. STAY received an honorable mention from Red Hen Press for their 2020 Quill Prize.

Other news is that the podcast is taking off. I’ve had some great books come my way and read from a huge variety of writers and travelers. It’s a place where I share excerpts from stories, long and short, that inspired me to see places I’d not thought about before. Recently I read from Sam Brakeley’s book on hiking the South Island of New Zealand, as well as finding queer POC through hikers in the Pacific Northwest. Coming up is an episode on food around the world with excerpts from Anthony Bourdain amongst others. For me, travel is all about connection, seeing others as similar not different. We see the common humanity within a range of cultures. Perfect. My mantra is explore, publish, and inspire. Can you tell? 

I’ve been spending the last few days pulling together all the places where I publish other people’s work at www.wilddogpress.com . I like how it is coming along. This is an ongoing process of how I share essays, stories, blogs etc from other writers, travelers, as well as where I’m reviewing their books and more. If anyone would like to be a sponsor, I’d appreciate it. These are all non-paying projects, no funding from college programs, adverts or anything. There’s a link at the bottom of the homepage if you’d like to help out. You’ll find links to the podcast, the journal, upcoming books, and the GenderQueer Literature resource for reading suggestions and where I share emerging writers and poets focused on living outside gender roles and expectations. 

I finished a first draft of a novel and posted a bit from the opening chapter here, an early version. It’ll be interesting to look at in a year’s time since I’ll be working on it over summer which should be fun. The main character is called Rocket and I have to say, I rather like her. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to find an agent/publisher for this one.  Any suggestions? 

And finally, something I’ve wanted to do since I lived in Guatemala in 2005, I took a yoga teacher training and am now certified. I’m really seeing the difference in my own health, especially considering the last couple of years flat on my back taking tons of pain pills. No longer though, I’m getting better every day. Still learning, and hoping to help others one on one with whatever you need as we’re all growing older but it seems there’s no need to suffer…that’s the plan. In the meantime, I shared some audio files of three classes. Free online access. See if they help. 

As you see, books, links, offerings, and continued learning for me. What about with you? What’s your news? Stay in touch, alright? Keep me posted, thanks. 

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