Sage Hill

I can't believe it's just over two weeks until I go out to Sage Hill. It's a bit of a paradox because while I'll be out of town spending time in a monastery, which gives the impression of distance or meditation, I'm also going to be meeting and interacting with some amazing writers I've read, in a really focused environment. For instance, while I'm not in her fiction workshop, I'm a fan of Helen Humphreys who wrote a book called Wild Dogs, a fragmented novel told from the perspectives of numerous characters who have all lost their dogs to the a wild dog pack. It will be so great to get the chance to see her read! BTW, all of Sage Hill's summer readings are open to the public, and you can view the poster for the readings here.

In the mean time, I'm keeping busy working on revisions for my chapbook with JackPine press and some new poems. I also handed in my master's thesis a few days ago. I've had such a positive experience working on this project. From the very beginning, my supervisor and committee offered so much help commenting on my poems and showing me directions I could follow. One professor even took the time to teach me Old English: he patiently listened to me stumble my way through Old English works like Deor and The Life of St. Æthelthryth for a few hours each week last summer. I think learning the small bit of OE that I did was crucial for getting a feel of the language.

I am so grateful for the enthusiasm that so many writers and teachers have shown in my work. Some of this interest has led to publications in journals like The Fiddlehead (which will be out this summer!), while others has led to discovering riddlers I'm certain I would not have found on my own. Even professors not on my committee have taken the time to lend me books or offer ideas.

Lately, I've been very aware that this is one of the only environments where people will show this kind of interest in my writing. Now that I am taking a year to write and travel, I'm curious how I will fare outside of school. I've noticed that now that when people ask me about job prospects, futures, and what I'm going to do with my degree in creative writing, I've stopped mumbling something about teaching or communications.

Maybe this is how things will be-- a distancing and focusing.