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Writer's pictureLogan Rose

Wild Strawberries and Summer Updates

As you may remember, I spent the summer Working with My Head Down... Well, here are the results:


Back in July, I took a much-needed break from my blog and social media, but now I'm back and (hopefully) better than ever!


July in Summary -- and an Announcement Regarding Ink in Thirds

July was a busy month in which I was able to get myself rooted and start reaching out to new friends and experiences. It was also the one-year anniversary of quitting my day job, becoming a "full"-time freelancer, and trying to make it as an ~artist~


I've gone through so much growth and change in the last year (arguably more than any one person has the right to!) but I'm still alive one year later, so I guess I'm ~doing the thing~


In July, joined the Creative Writing Group of Heidelberg University, and I finally feel like I have found my people in this lovely little city. The first 10 pages of my novel are also tighter than ever, so I am feeling cautiously optimistic about my next round of queries (which I may or may not be procrastinating right now). At the very least, I have found a warm, welcoming group of people who I can talk to about writing and turn to for support.

Also in July, my partner, Sam, and I finished furnishing our apartment, got some lovely art on the walls, and added plants to our space. It finally feels like home, and it's a relief to be done ordering and building furniture for a while. (We're still looking for a couch and a bar cart if you have any recommendations).


Throughout the month, I spent plenty of time wrapping up my script coverage projects, teaching English, and submitting my short stories to journals and literary magazines. During the last few days of July, I found out that my short story, "Maman," would be published in Ink in Thirds magazine, so please stay tuned for that.


"Maman" is set to debut in Ink in Thirds on September 3, 2023!

"Maman" by Louise Bourgeois © FMGB Guggenheim Bilbao Museoa, 2023

August Summary: A New Round of Culture Shock

In August, I planned to keep working, but life had other plans. We entered the slow, slow summer coverage season at Coverage Ink, and the kids I teach went on their school break. Even the German lessons I was taking were postponed until September, and I basically learned the hard way that Germany shuts down in August.


Of course, instead of resting, writing, or planning vacations myself, I slipped into an anxiety spiral for about two weeks. The work culture in the United States is pretty pervasive, so I felt really panicky that I wasn't working or bringing in money -- even though entire businesses in Heidelberg were closed for the entire month of August.


When I finally calmed down, I was able to get a lot of writing on the page and work on my short story submissions. Naturally, I undervalued this work because it did not immediately pay off with $$$ -- see what I did to myself there? Habits like this are proving hard to break...


Anyways, I also had a lot of fun attending Heidelberg pride, exploring the village of Weinheim with Sam, joining a book club, painting, crocheting a shark, and hanging out with other members of the international community.


By the time I learned to relax and enjoy my summer, it came to a quick end. We drove a moving van (through the chunnel!!!) to and from London to pick up some family heirlooms gifted to us by Sam's family, then we hosted a sweet housewarming party, then I flew away to Smallholding Farm in North Carolina to celebrate my sweet friend, Ellie, on her wedding day!


I met Ellie during the artist residency I attended in February, and it was marvelous to see her and help out on the farm. I also got to spend a couple of days with another former resident, the Charlotte-based artist, Bree Stallings. Seeing my art sisters reminded me of all the love, magic, and support I experienced at Château d'Orquevaux, and it was such a relief to learn it all still existed out in the real world.


On August 31, my short story, "Wild Strawberries" was published in Issue 03 of Creation Magazine. You can read the issue online and find my story on page 14.


What's Next?

Well, I got back to Heidelberg yesterday, and I am already back at it with my blog.


Next week, I'm going to hang up some fliers, embarking a quest to find new English learners and put my TEFL certificate to good use! I'm also considering an advanced degree at Heidelberg University, so I have a preliminary meeting about that. For the last couple of years, one of my dream jobs has been to lead official book clubs for private groups or large organizations, so advancing my expertise in storytelling should help with that ;)


I've also got a haircut on the calendar, as well as my second month of book club, and some other good socializing.


In writing land, I will continue the long, painstaking process of getting my work out there. As I mentioned earlier, my next round of queries is due, and I will continue searching for homes for my short fiction and poetry.


To be honest, I've never had so much unstructured time in my life, and it's terrifying! BUT Bree recently said she admired my ability to be scared as hell and just do the thing anyway, so I'm trying to be the person my lovely, loving friends believe I am (as opposed to the lazy sack of potatoes my cat thinks I am).

As fall comes around and everyone gets back to work, I plan to lace up my boots and get back to work, as well. By that, I mean adding some structure to my days and maybe even bringing a little bit of money into the home (because let's face it, I'm a writer and therefore a terrible housewife).


That's all I have for now. Thank you so much for reading and following along. If you subscribe (form on the home page), I promise to post updates as they come -- or you can always chat to me on Instagram or at loganrosereadsandwrites at gmail dot com.


Your messages and support mean so very much to me. Xoxo.

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