Suddenly, we are now in April! I have been running around, barely home in Mexico City, but now here for at least this month. AWP in Baltimore was a whirlwind, but the offsites alone were worth it. I ended up needing to check a second bag when I finally flew home last week mostly because I bought so many books at AWP and then at some favorite shops around New York.
So what’s up next? I’ll be back in New York in about a month to start workshopping a one-act play I am developing for a small theater festival this fall. I’m turning one of my short stories into an intimate, conversational piece, sort of a My Dinner with Andre meets Black Mirror vibe. After we workshop the texts this spring, I’ll be back in the city for most of September and October to cast, direct, and stage the play. A big challenge, but I’m looking forward to it! There’s an immediacy and urgency with theater that feels like an exciting acceleration compared to how slowly publishing can move.
By mid May, I’m hoping to pass the latest version of my novel to beta readers. If you’d like to take a pass, let me know! It’s currently longlisted for the Exeter Novel Prize, with the shortlist coming later this month. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
In June I’ll be in Oaxaca for POCOAPOCO’s Sur o No Sur summer residency. I’ll also be, hopefully, wiggling in some more days before and after the residency in order to visit friends in the area and maybe get some time at the beach.
From there, there are still some questions up in the air (I’ve been applying to opportunities like crazy and still waiting to hear on some for the summer), but I’m aiming to be back in Europe in July and August, potentially! Stay tuned! I’m on the hunt for apartment swap/sublet opportunities for both Berlin for July/August and NYC for September/October, so keep me in mind if anything comes your way. And if you’re interested in a Mexico City getaway, I know a very well-located one-bedroom that will be very available in the coming months….
This week I have a new story out in the latest issue of The Muleskinner Journal, a weird little bit of autofiction called “Marco’s Father.” I have a few more stories slated for publication online this spring and summer, and will share the links when they go live. I’ll also be writing horror book and film reviews for The Sinister Scoop in the coming weeks. And stay tuned for some other projects in the works that will be launching later this year!
Hope you are well, let me know what you’re up to!
Martha