December is traditionally a hard month for me, especially right around the holidays. This one was pretty great … right up until Christmas. I got sick on the 23rd and ended up delaying my trip home for Christmas by a day. Then, at my parents’ house, I had an allergic reaction to their sweet puppy and woke up on Christmas Day with my right eye comically swollen. I spent Christmas in bed.
But let’s talk about the other parts of December!
I met up with some amazing fellow writers to discuss our novels, which was so fun and encouraging. We laughed a lot, and everyone left eager to write!
Speaking of, I wrote a LOT. I try to write 1000+ words a day, with the exception of Mondays. I feel creative and limber and excited and terrified– though sometimes the terror abates and I just get to revel in the art of creation. Mmm.
Hunger Mountain posted an Prizewinner Issue of their literary magazine online. You can read my story “Covered Up Our Names” on their site. It’s about teenagers living and dying in hospice care, and I’m really proud of how it turned out. It was one of those stories that I sat down to write and just … wrote it. It was nearly all there in the first draft, which almost never happens for me.
I’m going to teach a class on the art of querying at the Loft’s Children’s and Young Adult Writing Conference this upcoming spring! I’m so excited and I’ll be sure to share more information when the event details go online.
How was your December? What are you looking forward to in January? Do you create new years resolutions, and if so, care to share?
JACKIE LEA SOMMERS 
Ah! You’re teaching a class! I thought that would be neat for you! How awesome.
Ok, I have a few goals for 2015: to continue to work on my poetry (a continuation of 2014) and get further with the critiques.
Work on my tbr list (oh boy)
And try and make it to my library’s writers group
oh no, i thought you just had pink eye?? i seriously hope you are not allergic to Casey, as she is like a granddaughter to mom and dad!!! LOL! anyway… new years resoultions for me- get a boyfriend and go to the dentist!!!
I read “Covered Up Our Names.” Impressive and moving. It reminded me why I don’t read much fiction: I don’t have the emotional strength for it. I am amazed you could wring inspiration out of the most depressing setting I can imagine short of a concentration camp. I’d like to write more details on my reaction, but I don’t think it would be appropriate in this forum. I did have a few questions, only one of which I think is appropriate here.
When is this story set? The Perseids usually peak on the night of Aug. 12, and Mack specifies that the best night for observation (presumably the peak) is a Tuesday. The most recent years in which Aug. 12 fell on a Tuesday (according to the Wikipedia article “Dominical letter”) were 1969, 1980, 1986, 1997, 2003, 2008, and 2014. Given the absence of any mention of using the Internet to find Abby, I have to eliminate all of the years in this century. The slang and language seem to make 1997 the most likely year. So my conclusion is that the story is mostly set in Aug of 1997.
I realize the preceding paragraph may be totally ridiculous on multiple levels, but I hope it is still worth something.
I’m afraid I no longer remember the details. In my head, it’s a modern story, but I don’t think the year is terribly important. I preferred to focus on the emotional truths! The Perseids details in the story came from a quick Google search, though I don’t remember any details anymore!
I’m sorry. You’re right, the year is not important, so please feel free to disregard that paragraph and keep the first, which contains (I now realize) all I said of any real importance.
Not at all! I love to see how your brain works!! 🙂
Thank you. That is very gracious. If you are interested, I have more thoughts. What would be the best way to send them directly to you rather than posting them publicly here?
Send me an email or Facebook message!