Monday at the office

I added some new art to that wall above the big comfy couch. Never mind the skewed camera perspective, the frames are straight and the lamp doesn't have a spout on one side. When I sent that picture to my daughter to get her opinion, she texted back, "Caribbean colors, looks like you, love it!"  Caribbean colors—I hadn't consciously decided to reflect that, but I suppose those are the colors in which I dream. As for the curtains, I have tried different ones in the past weeks, variations on white, linen, teal and blue, but none of them pleased me as much as the bold red that currently hangs at my windows, and so now, I'm pressing pause on the buying and returning of drapes and letting those red curtains be. Besides, I like a pop of red when I stumble out each morning to start my day.

I turned in my manuscript last Thursday. Now I wait. My subject started reading on Friday, and texted me within fifteen minutes, saying "Hey YOU! OMG! This is so good! You captured my voice so well!" I was immediately and joyfully filled with love for this woman, who took the time to let me know that her initial response at least, was positive. It was such a kindness. I texted her back and told her how much I appreciated her letting me know her early impression, how it's always nerve-wracking turning in a piece of writing. She texted back, "Girl, I get it. I'm a writer too. I felt so guilty not writing my own book, but I could have never turned in something like this." She is so busy all the time, jumping on planes almost every day of the week, yet she made time to be generous and affirming. I have no idea if her first impression will be sustained throughout her reading of this first draft, but she took me a bit out of my misery, bless her. I still have to wait to see how it lands for her agent and the book editor, but whatever revisions might be needed from here, the heaviest lift in this memoir writing process is done.

And now it is Monday again. The man and I are at the table by the window, working away. Stories for the new issue of the magazine are hitting my queue, so I better get cracking on editing them. Thank God for work (she said with feeling).