Too busy to blog, but enough time to brag a bit

Reading fairy tales, age 7 (photo taken by mom)

My post-MFA career is taking off at full speed, just as the weather turns toward fall and I turn another year older. I long to spend my days curled up on the couch with a good book (I've got a leaning tower by my bedside, always threatening to topple), but I feel blessed to find an abundance of work in my field--reporting, copywriting, teaching and soon tutoring.

For six weeks I've been a Towns correspondent for Sonoma County's largest newspaper, the Press Democrat. Each week I post to an events calendar and several short posts to two WordPress sites, as well as write a centerpiece featured in print in the Sunday Towns section. Here's my latest profile on Homecoming at Rancho Cotate High. One of the students asked, "Is your job fun--just going up and talking to random people?" Like, totally. (Especially ironic as this week is my 25th high school reunion!)

I've just begun reading my 60-page style guide (is that one word or two?) for my new copywriting position with Viator, a worldwide travel company based in San Francisco. I'm on a freelance contract, working from home, so I set my own schedule writing online tours and activities for Central/South America, Scandinavia and the African continent. Great job for my skills set!

I absolutely love my little 4th grade munchkins at two local schools where I teach creative writing through the Bay Area organization "Take My Word For It!" One of our writing ground rules is never to preface your work with an apology ("This isn't really any good, but..."), which I'm realizing isn't so necessary for little ones who haven't yet internalized the critical voice. They write thoughtfully and furiously, always with eager hands to read their writing aloud and proud. I'm not sure when I'll find the time, but soon I should be tutoring in town with Grade A.

And today I received the great news that my 150-page creative thesis passed with flying colors ("a refreshingly candid collection of essays... crisp, clear-headed, and measured prose... every page a pleasure to read")! I know it's a long shot, but I've already entered the opening essay to the Wabash Prize for non-fiction contest, judged by poet and Liar's Club memoirist, Mary Karr.