A Year in Review

It’s almost the end of the year, so I thought I’d do a roundup of the things I’ve worked on this year.

First and foremost, I finished my book! After four years of 1-2 hours a day—or zero a day, on more days than I would have liked—I was able to reach my writing goal. It made me realise that I can have a devastating mental illness but still accomplish things, as long as I work within my limitations. This means long timeframes (4 years…) and not overdoing it (I’ve been known to overdo it and the consequences aren’t pretty). My book has been through peer review with a university press, with one of the reviewers likening it to Rachel Carson and Aldo Leopold’s work (!!). Now it has to go through the Press Committee in the new year for final publishing approval. Fingers and toes crossed that all goes well.

Early this year I published an essay in Aeon magazine about journaling, drawing on my experience of using journals to write my book:

• Learn the Art of Journaling and Archive Your Life. Aeon+Psyche, 9 Jan 2023.

I reviewed a few books this year, mostly when I was on a bipolar high and felt like I was invincible and could do anything:

• Alissa Hattman’s ‘Sift’ Is a Post-Apocalyptic Prophecy. The Millions. 31 Oct 2023.
• The Lost Scientists. Science. 382(6669): 380. 26 Oct 2023.
• Coexistence at the crossroads. Science. 381(6661): 953. 31 Aug 2023.
• Adding fuel to the fires. Science. 380(6647): 802. 25 May 2023.
• For the Love of Trees. Earth Island Journal. Summer 2023.

I have two more reviews in the queue waiting to be published:

• Elizabeth Rush’s QUICKENING in Earth Island Journal
• Noah Whiteman’s MOST DELICIOUS POISON in the Times Literary Supplement

I also interviewed two authors, one of my favourite things to do and something I wish I could do more of. The Hippocampus interview with Melissa Sevigny is about the writing craft, while the Orion one is about the book itself.

• An Epic, Folkloric Year. A conversation with Irish author Kerri ní Dochartaigh. Orion Magazine, 27 Oct 2023.
• On the Grand Canyon Botanists that History Erased: A Conversation with Melissa Sevigny. Orion Magazine, 25 May 2023.
• INTERVIEW: Melissa L. Sevigny, Author of Brave the Wild River. Hippocampus Magazine, 15 May 2023.

August to December has been particularly difficult as I struggle to manage my mental health. We had a trip to the Rockies planned in October that we cancelled because I wasn’t up to it, but we rescheduled for December. We went last week and while it was good, I wish I hadn’t had to spend two days sleeping while we were there—I would have liked to do more. That’s the nature of the illness, though. I plan to spend a lot of the holiday season sleeping, reading, and going for walks. Not overdoing it (see above).

I wish you all the best for the holidays—still deciding if I’ll do a “best books of 2023” next week or go on a break until January 3^rd. Vote yes or no for a books post in the comments!