Witches' bottles, Honeys Hot Tips, & all things that sparkle
Finding light in the darkness
Andy KehoeRecently, I found out that our ancestors used to be nocturnal. Then a friend told me humans used to hibernate. I have never been as envious of my indoor plumbing-deprived ancestors as now, in this season of black rain, also known as December in Southeast Alaska.
While as much as I crave heat and sun energy, there is nothing like darkness to inspire a spark of imagination. Roxane Gay said she writes in the middle of the night. I'm also most visited by the muse in the middle of the night while lying in bed in the dark. Some writers prefer to write when they wake up as it's closest to dream time. Writer friend Emily Wall said she writes at four in the morning. My Venezuelan friends say this is the time when spirits roam the earth.
If it's true our ancestors spent their most awakened hours at night, I wonder if we can tap into our ancestral wisdom in the dark. Maybe the veil to the spirit world is thinner then. Does the creative muse visit you at night? When do you find yourself most inspired?
There has been a lot of darkness lately. A lot of heaviness. So in today's newsletter, I'm sharing all the things that have brought me light and sparkle. Music, books, upcoming events, activities, podcasts, gifts, a fascinating story, a writing win, and last but not least, an Off the Hook Honeys Hot Tip.
Real-life witches bottles!
Thanks to my sister Roz for sharing this gem! Bottles from the Caribbean and/or South America are washing up on Texan shores. “Created to thwart evil spells,” these bottles include things like iron nails, rusty pins, hair, and urine. "They are counter magical devices whose purpose is to draw in and trap harmful intentions directed at their owners," Jace Tunnell of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. So if you find one, don't open it and pass it off to a museum instead!
What's really sparkling me up!
Tomorrow is our annual Gold Town Theater's Xmas Bazaar Extravaganza! This year's theme is a throw-back to cable TV (remember that?) and it just might be our best Xmas show yet! Come see me and the rest of the Off the Hook Honeys try to remember our choreography after a few Mezcals!
Writing win! Thank you to Alaska Writers Guild for awarding me with the Lin Halterman Grant so I can hire sensitivity readers to read and workshop my book!
Fave books I'm reading:
These thrilling, un-put-downable novels by my Alaskan friends Andromeda Romano Lax and Kevin Myers!
ABOUT THE DEEPEST LAKE:
In this atmospheric thriller set at a luxury memoir-writing workshop on the shores of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, a grieving mother goes undercover to investigate her daughter’s mysterious death. Read about it and pre-order here!
ABOUT NEED BLIND AMBITION:
Gary Gulman called it “intelligent, heartbreaking, and often sharply funny. It's a deftly observed, thrilling I'm-going-to-be-late-but-gotta-finish-this-chapter kind of book.” Read more and order it here!
If dreams and books had a baby…
Speaking of dreams and writing craft, thank you to Tzivia Gover for gifting me this book, Dreaming on the Page, for writers who want to “turn their dreams into poems and stories, supercharge their poetry and prose, blast through writer's block, use brain science to help harness their creative powers, and have an endless supply of rich writing prompts.” I haven't had a chance to read it since it arrived, but I'm looking forward to hopefully having the time to do so!
New artist obsession: Colombian Grammy award-winning singer Karol G
What I'm listening to: my new favorite writer podcast is Writing Excuses. It's funny, light, quick, and irreverent, and doesn't feel like homework.
New music: this cool jazzy version of Oye Como Va by The Harlem Barber Swing.
Favorite thing for my mental health: Auke Bay Yoga, Juneau's newest yoga studio, was founded by my long-time mama friend Lindsey Bloom. It always makes me feel sparkly, grounded, and strong, inside and out.
Favorite new company: Salty Threads AK makes handcrafted unique goods that “infuse joy and vibrancy into your home. Every piece is stitched with love by your very own salty seamstress,” my neighbor mama friend Jojo Cox!
Latest Off the Hook Honeys Hot Tip, courtesy of the incomparable Donnie Gott:
“I said have a great day, and then I just said have a day, because face it, look at the odds. And also, no one likes to be told what to do. But then I said have a great day AGAIN because I am awkward and can’t stop saying things like Have a great day and how are you, even though I am acutely aware that no one is fine and a great day is rare.”
And, last but not least, this Halloween-inspired meme that made me laugh:
That's all I got today. Drop a line! Love you!
Summer
How interesting that as I read this, I come across you mentioning Jace Tunnell. I worked for Jace’s father, Wes Tunnell from 1990 until he passed away, much too early, in 2018. In fact, I saw Jace grow up. I am forbidden to tell any of those stories though :).
He’s doing very good work at the Harte Research Institute, following in his dad’s footsteps in many ways while blazing his own trail. Wes was always proud of his children and would be extremely proud of the man Jace has become. It is a small world Summer and interconnected. Be safe and sound and stay warm.
Congrats on the grant! So exciting!
Also, I'm now going to be doing a deep dive into witch's bottles. So thank you for that (I mean that both sarcastically and very sincerely).