Journeys

When thinking about what to blog about this week, I had a revelation. This is a year of great change, good and bad. I think it’s true for many people, but, of course, I can only speak for myself.

It’s true for me because this is a year of personal journeys for me. It started in January, when I did something that I had never done before: took part in a protest march. I went to Washington, D.C., to for the Women’s March. Historically, politically, and culturally, it was an unbelievable event that spanned across the U.S. and around the world, and it was amazing to be a part of it. (I blogged about my experience here.)

Then, in February, my father’s long-term illness took a turn for the worse and he entered the hospital for what would be the last time. We didn’t know it at the time, but he would spend his very last birthday in that hospital. More than a month later, he died. I am still in mourning, and I’m discovering that it’s a process, and a journey of a different sort. You hear people say that all the time, but until it’s your turn to go through it, you don’t really understand it. Now I do.

March saw the launch of Dirt Road Books, the publishing company that I co-founded with fellow writers/editors Andi Marquette, Jove Belle, Gill McKnight, Michelle Teichman, and Blythe Rippon. We are all very excited about our new venture and are ready to hit the road on our journey. And we’re starting this journey at the very beginning. We’re going back to the basics of publishing, with a focus on quality, serious editing, and a microscope on every single thing we do to ensure that we put out the very best books we can.

Here we are in April and nothing noteworthy has occurred…yet. The month isn’t over. But even if April closes out on a quiet note, it won’t be quiet for long. Come July, a few of us from DRB will be at GCLS in Chicago to represent our baby, and we’re looking forward to seeing you.

So, all kinds of new things are happening for me this year, and it’s only fitting that the company that I’m a part of is called Dirt Road. I’m looking toward the horizon, and I expect to see some good things there.

Photo credit: Jessie Eastland