Hello, valued readers. How are things in your world? Good, I hope.
First, my website is back! https://melissamfrye.com/ It's basic and easy to navigate. There are links to my social media. I’m still trying to establish a routine with social media, but I doubt it will ever become a priority. Life is busy enough.
Getting Personal
It’s been an eventful two months here. My next-door neighbor passed away at the age of 54. During the twelve years we lived next to each other, our relationship grew, and we helped each other in times of need. I am very saddened by her departure.
Also, my step-nephew died unexpectedly. He was in the prime of his life: 36 years old with a wife and young children. It’s difficult to put my grief into words. I’d watched him grow from a child to an adult, and it’s wrong that he’s been taken so soon.
Grief has affected my depression to some degree. I’ve managed to remain rational, which is a testament to how far I've come.
On a happier note, my cousin, who is more like a brother, married a lovely woman. The ceremony was beautiful, and their happiness was palpable. It was an honor to witness.
the writing life
Work Submitted/Published
Progress is still slow, but I made final edits to the sensory details poem and felt confident enough to submit it to two journals: Poetry South and Cider Press Review. My friend offered me some great feedback, which led to epiphanies. Between her advice and my awakening creativity, I believe it’s a really good poem.
Work in Progress
I find inspiration everywhere, make copious notes, pull beautiful lines from thin air, and can’t seem to get past the initial stages of any one project. While the ideas are great, the details elude me. I told someone it’s like I can’t see the trees for the forest. It takes a lot of noble trees to make a grand forest, just as it takes interesting details to create a story or poem. I’m working to find the details.
A friend gifted me a month of free access to Writing in the Dark with Jeannine Ouellette. It’s a treasure trove of writing sustenance. I’ve found a few posts that might help me with my “detail” problem, and I’m anxious to get started with the curriculum.
Work by Friends
Taylor presents things in unique ways and still manages to convey universal women's themes that are easily understood. As someone who tried and failed to have a child, I was moved by this collection.
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Between My Spine & The River by Taylor Hamann Los is a deeply evocative poetry collection exploring themes of motherhood, loss, transformation, and the body’s connection to nature. With striking imagery and lyrical language, the collection navigates the physical and emotional landscapes of pregnancy, grief, and renewal, often drawing from elements of water, roots, and flight. The poems weave together personal and mythic narratives. This is a book of resilience and reckoning, where each line pulses with longing, memory, and an unwavering search for meaning.
More Info | Puchase
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Diversions
Reading
I finished the Silo series and while it was worth reading, the ending felt anticlimactic. The setting is unique, and the story is thought-provoking. I’ve lent it to one of my many cousins because he told me he’d watched the first season of the series. I also warned him that the series deviates from the books in many ways.
I just finished reading Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. One of the main characters is a giant Pacific octopus! I loved this book and endeavored to savor it as I read. It’s well-written. The characters are fully developed. The story is layered and unfolds beautifully. It has some suspense, a little drama, and a lot of emotion—none of it heavy-handed. Van Pelt has written a delightful read. More information here. (While looking for more info on Shelby Van Pelt, I discovered that a movie adaptation is in development for Netflix. I’m worried about the treatment of the material. It so often works out poorly.)
Watching
New seasons of The Chelsea Detective and The Brokenwood Mysteries were released. They did not disappoint. The latest season of Dark Winds is out, but I watched the first three seasons on a streaming channel other than AMC, so I don’t have access to the fourth yet. So frustrating! I highly recommend all three programs.
Sports
My favorite professional tennis player, Jannick Sinner, lost in the final of the French Open. Disappointing. American Coco Gauff took the women’s title. I’m quite happy about that.
The University of Arkansas baseball team is in the Men's College World Series! Go Hogs Go! They had an amazing season, and the postseason play has been outstanding so far. I’d love for them to win the big prize.
That’s all I have for now. I hope to have more writing progress to share next time. It’s more difficult to re-acclimate than expected, but I’m still facing forward.
Until next time, stay curious.
Melissa
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