Hey. I'm Sending You Good Vibes
A newsletter about writing, art and living more creatively
So I had a very different newsletter scheduled for today but in light of the news and anxiety lately, it didn't feel right to send. It was all about tracking freelance income and if you want to see it still, you can access it here. But it felt wrong since so many people's livelihoods have been threatened in light of coronavirus. It's pretty wild how much things have changed in just a couple of weeks.
So instead I thought I'd share this gem from Yumi Sakugawa's book "There Is No Right Way to Meditate and Other Lessons." I think it's useful because these times cause so much anxiety — whether you're worried about what will happen or afraid you're not using your time to be "productive" enough. Sometimes we need to take a second (or more, please) to just be:
I also wrote about virtual experiences (from live otter cams to virtual museum tours) that can be helpful right now and a few tips for feeling less lonely at home.
And here are a few resources I bookmarked from Insta in case they're helpful to you:
More info here
No matter where you are right now, I'm sending you good vibes.✨
xoxo
Your favorite small but feisty writer
Eva
PS If you missed the downloadable wallpapers available so far, click here.
Banner design by Ludi Leiva ✨
Recent Work
This artwork changed my life
For Artsy's column, I talk about the work of Graciela Iturbide.
Quilts of Gee's Bend
A quick intro to the quilts of Gee's Bend, aka Boykin. image: Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Wikimedia Commons
Art deco vs. art nouveau
A fun look at these two styles and what sets them apart. image: Henry Townsend/Wikimedia Commons
What I'm Reading
Articles:
Boy, You're a Runner Now
Destination Crenshaw's Groundbreaking
TV Has a New Kind of Heroine: The Latina Genius
Art As a Salve in the Age of Anxiety
Books:
The Best American Science Fiction Fantasy 2019 // trying to broaden my genre horizons, and foreword is also by Carmen Maria Machado whom I love
Too Much: How Victorian Constraints Still Bind Women Today (non-fiction) // Such a great mix of history/literature and personal narrative. Great if you loved Bad Feminist or Dead Girls.
Conversations with Friends (fiction) // Super late to the game with this one obvi. Great if you want a weekend read, I hated the ending oops.
When My Brother Was an Aztec (poetry) // Poetry about cultural identity, addiction, family dynamics. For fans of poets like Javier Zamora and Sara Borjas.
*I receive a small affiliate commission if you buy through these links via Bookshop, which donates 10% of sales to participating indie bookstores. It's raised more than $12K for local bookstores. 📚
What I'm Listening To:
Making Beyoncé Bonus episode // on her transition from Destiny's Child to solo artist stardom. I want more episodes!
Opportunities of the Month
a shorter list this time b/c in-person meetings are so in flux
Witness (Black Mountain Institute)
Special Issue: Queer Writers
Submissions due March 22
More info here.
Define American Immigrant Artist Fellowship
Application due March 31
More info here.
Lauscaux Prize in Poetry
Application due March 31
More info here.
Quote of the Month
"The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now. Something more will arise for later, something better."
— Annie Dillard
