Erika Dreifus

Three quick notes from my desk.

1. I’ve been invited to a new podcast to talk about one of the biblical passages behind one of the poems in Birthright. We’re slated to record on Friday, so I’m busy returning to the materials that I studied when I began drafting the poem for a refresher mini-course. I’m always a little nervous (okay—maybe more than a little!) before interviews and discussions/readings. But I guess we all need to face these kinds of fears. I’ll keep you posted about how it goes/when the episode becomes available.

2. Also happening Friday: The August issue of The Practicing Writer will go out. If you’re not yet a subscriber, sign up now! And give the July issue one last look for the opportunities listed there that remain open for submissions.

3. Late last week I chatted with one of my friends-who-is-also-a-writer, and among other things, she convinced me that I need to make more of an effort to get outside every day. So I’m trying to go for short walks, early enough to avoid both the oppressive heat and the crowds. (Not everyone is masked, although I know that compliance rates are higher here than in many other places.) I’m hoping that this practice may also improve my writerly productivity—I know that fresh air and exercise have made a difference to my work in the past.