Whatcha Got?

Showing up for community, activism, and creativity

This past weekend, Americans in record numbers—at least 5.5 million and possibly up to 13 million; tallies are still coming in—took to the streets to proclaim that the United States is not a monarchy. Most of us have been crystal-clear on that since we learned about the 1781 surrender by the British at Yorktown, but since many others seem perfectly willing to allow the sitting president to behave like a king, a day spent recognizing “No Kings” in this country was a day well spent.

I was out there on Saturday afternoon with my family. In Denver, as in most places, the mood was peaceful and determined-but-upbeat. The signs were spot-on. The chants were loud and continual as we walked through downtown. Those who could marched, and those who couldn’t passed out water bottles or honked from their cars in solidarity.

If you participated in any way, thank you.

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We marched. Now what?

It’s the question many of us are now asking ourselves. Where do we go from here? Certainly, more marches, demonstrations, and speeches will happen, and we need to do everything in our power to ensure these remain peaceful. Additionally, in the coming weeks and months, I hope we’ll see election results on the state and local level that show a turning tide. (Looking at you, New Yorkers about to vote in a primary.)

Nonetheless, many of us are tired. I don’t need to go into details—we all see them every day in our news feeds, so I won’t use this space to reiterate the long list of issues requiring our attention.

Instead, I’ll turn the question to you: How do you keep going? In what ways to do you continue to show up, and what do you do when you need to recharge?

Beauty is everywhere. Beauty helps.

I’m eager for new ideas…please share!

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Creating in Community

The fun-from-all-angles staircase at Lighthouse.

Last week was Lighthouse Writers Workshop’s annual Lit Fest, and I was thrilled to be there as an instructor, student, reader, listener…and, of course, socializer! As always, this year’s Lit Fest was a great way to connect with so many in the Denver writing community, as well as visiting authors and participants.

With my husband and the ever-awesome Jenny Shank. Check out her insightful and witty Substack, The Tumbleweed.

I was especially inspired by Helen Phillips’s class “Create a Moment, Create a World,” which focused on flash fiction. Helen said she began writing flash by crafting a 340-word story each day. Why 340 words? It was what fit on a single sheet of paper. She’d often start with something a bit longer, then edit down.

I’m taking her advice below to heart. It applies not just to flash fiction but to anything we write:

“Revision is generative and creative.”
— Helen Phillips, author of And Yet They Were Happy and Hum

So often, we dread revision—but if we look for ways to approach it creatively, it can be as rewarding as the initial creative spike.

Whatever your creative work is, I encourage you to get words on the page, paint on the canvas. Just do the thing and trust in the process. Given love and attention, your best work will emerge.

Set Us Free

A special shout-out to the participants in my Lit Fest craft seminar “So You Want to Go Indie.” Our discussion was lively, with great questions asked—clearly, there’s a lot of curiosity about this publication route.

Some indie-pub resources I shared in the seminar include:

• Joanna Penn of The Creative Penn

• Wide for the Win

• Independent Book Publishers Association

• Authors Guild (recommended for all writers, not just indie-pubbed authors)

My fourth book…and first indie-pubbed book.

If you’re indie-pubbed, what are your go-to resources? Let us know!

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Let’s Get Together

I have a few more events before June winds down. I’d love to see you at any of these:

• Tuesday, June 24, 6 PM, Castle Rock, CO: Douglas County Libraries Writers Workshop: “Advanced Revision Techniques.” Registration is here. (Note that this is a reschedule of a workshop originally planned for Monday 6/16.)

• Thursday, June 26, 9 AM, Wheat Ridge, CO: Jefferson County Libraries, Author talk. I’ll be meeting with this open-to-all book group to discuss my latest novel, Anyone But Her, which is currently a finalist for the Colorado Book Award. We’ll be talking spoilers, so be sure to read the book beforehand! More info is here.

• Friday, June 27, 5 - 8 PM, Monument, CO: Covered Treasures Bookstore, Downtown Monument Art Hop. Art! Books! Make-your-own chalk art! More info is here.

Elevation in Monument is 6.982 feet. This photo is the top of Second Creek Trail in Grand County last weekend…at 11,934, not quite twice as high. What I’m saying is, you probably don’t have to worry about snowpack if you come to the Monument Art Hop, but if you go up here, wear your waterproof hiking boots.

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Where will you be?

Wherever summer is taking you, whether near or far, I hope you stay safe, stay connected, embrace your activism—and keep creating.

See ya out there, friends.