Confession Tuesday

Santa called. He's checking his naughty list! Share a little of yourself with us and we'll do the same. Don't forget to say hello to those hanging out in The Confessional.

I've started this Confession at 4:50 a.m. because I can't sleep—the first copies of Underlifewill arrive Wednesday!!! Just trying to wrap my head around the concept of being an author. I am over-the-moon excited about this collection of poems. Anything that happens next is gravy because this has been the dream for a very long. I'm just thankful that CavanKerry decided to take a chance on me.

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I have a hard time sleeping before big events, As a child, I'd wake up hours early the week before Christmas. Now, I get into a sleepless pattern before big trips and big poetry readings.

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A while back, I talked about a really great thing happening, but couldn't go into details about it. Well, I still can't—but I'll reveal my news this week! I will say that it is a wonderful complement to the release of the book. And, it's very cool.

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If I had to describe this time in one word, it's bittersweet. The divorce is close to final. In a lot of ways, this book has saved me. Don't know what kind of mental state I would be in without this kind of focus. The publication of Underlife is the closing of one part of my life and the start of something new. Much like photographs capture certain moments, so do these poems. Nothing can taint them.

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I'm happy to see so many writers finding success in 2009. In my last post, I talked about Maya and Colleen publishing their work. New books forthcoming from Kelli, Jim, and Olie. New chapbooks forthcoming from Jennifer and Jessie. Amazing creativity from the dynamic duo Carolee and Jill. What a year for Collin, Jericho, and Tara! And I can't tell you how proud I am of Erin Dionne, BFF and author of YA titles Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies and the forthcoming The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet. And many more writers and authors I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Look around. 2009 has been a terrific year for creativity and now we're reaching the end. In this year of recession, new projects have been started, poems accepted, books signed, books published, and more readers reading. Yippie!

Today, I celebrate you!