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It Is What It Is

This week has been crazy busy at my job, a week that saps the energy of me. Good thing I like where I work. Even on the busiest days, I find myself learning something new or different. That’s also the benefit of working in marketing and higher education.


However, a busy week really upsets the delicate balance I have created between work and home. Last night I was working late on a project that I will go back to after this blog post. It is what it is, I guess. The imbalance also magnifies the fact that I’m a single parent. It’s not like I can call ahead to have someone start dinner, or go through the endless amounts of paperwork that the kids bring home from school, or help them with their bedtime routine. Leaves little time for creativity or “me” time. And not time for sleep.


I need to hunker down for the next few weeks, but at least I know this wave of work has an end in sight.


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Check out Urban Dictionary’s definition of “It is what it is.”

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On Tuesday, I received the nicest note from none other than Phil Levine! I sent him a copy of Underlife and he wrote back, which was unexpected but a welcomed surprise. Sending him a copy was a way of coming full circle for me. It’s nice to hear that my mentor likes my work. He especially loves the book's look and feel, and the title! In his letter he says, “I hope the book gets the attention it deserves.”


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Tonight, I get to celebrate the work of young adult novelist and talent extraordinaire Erin Dionne. She’s having a book release party for her second title, The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet! Will have pictures (maybe video) from the event.


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Jennifer said…
Ah, it must have been great to get that note from your mentor. I have two questions. Did you run any drafts of your manuscript by him? As you were putting Underlife together - my copy arrived yesterday, btw! - did you have a few trusted readers, or was it, by that stage, a solo effort? And I know you had input on the cover art, but did you have any input on the cover style (the french flaps I think they're called)? Guess that's three questions.
3:07 AM
January said…
Hi Jennifer, the first and second questions I'm going to answer in a blog post tonight (great questions, BTW).

And the third question, about cover art, I'll answer now but I've asked the designer to offer his feedback next week.

CavanKerry Press leaves it to the author to select cover art. They have final say, but it was up to me to come up with a concept. Not all publishers allow their authors to have a say in the design, and if they do the input is minimal. So I feel very lucky CKP left it to me. The image is a photo of mannequin legs that my friend and graphic designer Eric Stich put together for me.

And all of CKP’s books, as far as I know, have the French flaps as far as I know. It just adds to the book’s look and feel.

All great questions, Jennifer. I hope you enjoy Underlife!
10:16 AM
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