So then, here we are, smack in the middle of "the holidays." Such a bizarre state of affairs to approach this season for the second year in a row with the pandemic trending upwards, and every day, more and more and more and more... everything else seems to be trending downwards. You know things like … Continue reading The Holidays
encouragement
798
I have a friend who says, (and I'm paraphrasing, probably incorrectly), "You can only call yourself a writer if you write." In other words, on the days you don't write you're not a writer. On a technical level this seems pretty obvious, and I often wonder: what is a plumber on the days she doesn't … Continue reading 798
Life is So Weird
Has it occurred to you lately how freaking weird this world is? All the insane stuff going on each day brings you to a point where ultimately you just have to shake your head. It seems there are just no words. I find myself writing that frequently of late. "No words." This is a very … Continue reading Life is So Weird
At Last…
Etta James, people, had one of the most soulful voices in the history of modern music. I remember hearing her song "At Last" used in a commercial several years ago, which brought it back onto my radar after first having heard it in my teens. Now "At Last" is, of course, a love song, and … Continue reading At Last…
Finis
There are many variations. Some authors harken back to the Latin, which you've got to admit - if you're looking for the most unnecessarily pretentious way to end a book you can't do much better than the Latin, Finis. The Sumerian equivalent maybe, in cuneiform. That might be slightly more pretentious, but only slightly. I'm … Continue reading Finis
Sensational
This pic gave me elementary school flashbacks. It's not particularly late. I think it has just turned midnight as I began typing this sentence. I used to stay up much later than this to write, sometimes until the sun started to insinuate itself around the edges of my window coverings which, though I measured twice, … Continue reading Sensational
When it Feels Like Work
On September 25 of this year I began the twenty-third chapter of my work in progress. I had a feeling then that there was a chance it might be a tough one. It was not the first such chapter in recent history. In the second book of my Cleanup Crew series, The Count of Carolina, … Continue reading When it Feels Like Work
A Plesant Day in B’ville
I haven't written much about the town in which I live. I suppose that's not fair. We've lived here since 2015, and while I've found something to love about everyplace I've lived from New York City, NY to Potsdam, NY, there's something about Baldwinsville. Now let me quickly clear up the slogan on our sign. … Continue reading A Plesant Day in B’ville
Reminders
Writing is, by nature, a fairly solitary gig. Hours upon hours spent alone, as far as anyone could see. Of course, we never feel alone, because our heads are filled with the voices of countless characters, our mind's eye filled with distant, imaginary vistas. But to anyone who might walk by and accidentally see the … Continue reading Reminders
Meet Bjorn
This is Bjorn. He's happy to meet you. Bjorn sits on the corner of my laptop while I work and he sticks his yellow tongue out at me. Before I tell you his story I should warn you that if hearing about people's struggles with mental illness are upsetting or distasteful to you, then this … Continue reading Meet Bjorn
S.J. Varengo - Author 