moms.

First and foremost, happy mother's day to my own mom and to all mothers - including mothers-to-be like my friend T.  She's a mom, right?  Just because T's baby girl hasn't been born yet, little baby D is growing within the safe confines of her mommy's womb.  T is already sheltering and nurturing her little girl, never mind the kick-ass job she's doing in putting together the nursery.  I'll have to ask her (I'm asking you, T, now, cause I know you'll read this), when it's complete, if she'll allow me to post pics.  It would be a crime not to do so.

I would be remiss not to reflect on my own thoughts concerning motherhood.  It's inevitable, right?  Well, it just so happens that I'm working on some writing that involves said venture.  I've just about finished what I'm calling the "prologue," and have sent it out to some trusted friends for review.  So far the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.  I'm trusting my friends will point out snags and inconsistencies in my writing if they find them.  A few have pointed out parts they thought needed a little more work or revision - which is great. A writer always needs feedback.  And I'm grateful for my friend's comments.  The next step is the dreaded query letter.  The query letter is essentially the written version of a sales pitch.  I am under no delusions that editors, once they receive my letter, will jump at the chance to print my words.  While I do feel like I've really got something, make no mistake that there are THOUSANDS of writers, like me, having the same conversation with themselves.

All I can do is write. I've had success with poetry and it has been wonderful.  "Letters from Havana" appeared in the February 2010 issue of Poets & Artists and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.  A kind of big deal in the writing world. While I keep writing poetry, I am now branching into the genre of creative nonfiction.  I keep my heroes, Elizabeth Gilbert and Joan Didion close at hand, reading and rereading their work. A good writer reads a lot, no? Beyond writing and reading, all I can do is send my work out there.  Someday, hopefully sooner rather than later, someone will decide my work is worth printing.  I'll let you know what happens with the query letters...

As for babies for Big Red and I, they are definitely on the radar - the blip getting louder and louder.  I don't want to give it all away in hopes that someone picks up my story...  Regardless, yes, yes, yes - I want babies. Sweet smelling, chubby thighed babies.  I always have and am looking forward to writing that chapter in my life. Until then, I will celebrate the mothers I know and learn from them as I learn from my beloved writers.

If I was damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o' mine, O mother o'mine.
~Rudyard Kipling