Doing My Due Diligence

Jumping back in the writer's seat after a hiatus

Friends, I’m out of practice. I’m writing to you in a fairly vulnerable state today, somewhat in the mindset of someone in a game of Truth or Dare, only I have to both “Truth” and “Dare” at the same time, and the “Dare” is something like streaking across Times Square singing the Marines Hymn.

Though that wouldn’t get much notice in NYC, so writing this is a bit scarier than that.

Why scary? If you’ve been following my work for a while, you know that I don’t mince words, I say what I think, and I’m fairly immune to the pressure to hedge. So don’t think it’s that.

Well, look, partly it’s because I’ve just been blessedly busy for a long time now. After I released my last novel, Berliners, in fall of 2022, I got a slew of picture book illustration work, which has been awesome, but time consuming. And, thank God, the post-plague speaking schedule is really picking up, so there are other things I need to write. AND, y’all, I’ve started a new novel. More about that to come.

But, I’ll be honest, a lot of the reason for my absence has been the events post-October 7.