Today’s update will be super short because I am flying to Costa Rica tomorrow to spend the holidays with my family, and I’m busy preparing for our trip.
This past month has been a good one. I was able to get some writing done and have finished seven chapters of my magical realism rewrite. If you are an early reader, you have access to four of those chapters on my website.
I also started working on one of the new historical fiction scenes. Although I like the way the first draft turned out, it is clear that I will have to do a lot more research to bring the events depicted to life.
Besides that, I have been getting ready for my writer’s retreat in Mexico, which starts in three short weeks!
Finally, today is special because it marks 27 years since my family and I were reunited. It’s incredible how quickly time passes, and I wanted to share a few photos from the reunion.
I recently finished The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates, which resonated with me in many ways. It is about writing, finding our shared humanity, and learning about one’s origins. At a few points, I had to take a break to reflect on what I had just read. Ta-Nehisi Coates writes about how books can haunt you, and his book did just that for me.
It’s a great read; however, it might not be for you if you have strong opinions about Israel and Palestine. I personally didn’t find anything controversial about Ta-Nehisi Coates’s writing, but I recognize this can be a sensitive subject.
After months of waiting, the Under The Volcano writing retreat is finally here. I will wait to send out my next update until I’m back from Tepoztlán and have time to reflect on the experience, so it may not go out at the end of January or early February. Until then, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Sincerely,
Nelson/Roberto
Over the past month, I have been working on upgrading the technical infrastructure that powers my website and several other websites that I manage. While on the surface, this may seem like a distraction from my work on the book, it is an important step toward getting back to my writing.
While the spring coaching season is often very busy, I’ve also had some distractions to contend with that have made it harder to write. Since I don’t have a lot of news on the writing front, I thought I’d share some links to some of my work and a video that was sent to me.
Throughout most of January, I participated in the Under the Volcano writing residency in Tepoztlán, Mexico, which was an unforgettable experience that I will reflect on for some time. The remarkable people I met there inspired me to continue developing my craft.
