Write Queeners,

I am stubborn. I know people who are perfectly capable of designing logos, but being the do-it-myself type of gal, I had to make one myself. Which means a couple of years without a logo. I wanted something simple, yet funky. I have a million ideas and not enough time (or expert skill, I'll admit!) to play on Photoshop. But I finally found time today! After waking up at 6AM to find myself shivering, yet sweating after a night with a terrible headache, I had to call out of work. The extra few hours of sleep did help sort out things and I had at least enough brain power to go on Photoshop (if you knew my occupation, you would see why Photoshop is considered kids play).

Well after hours of frustrating myself with my own logo and a friend's logo, I finally finished my own with the help of my boyfriend (the best cure all after feeling under the weather). Now the final result is on top of my page, but I figured that a larger version was in order:

What do you think guys? Yay or Nay? I can always make (or have someone) make another. For now, after not having one, I think this is pretty dandy. But wait, there is more! I actually made another logo! Check this out:

Eh, that's nothing crazy, but I do think it's cute. What do you think? Hmm, maybe we should do a poll! Yes...we will do a poll. Check out the contenders side by side and tell me what you think.

If you want to skip the poll, you can always leave a comment on the posts!

This sickster must get to bed, but I hope that I might get to wake up to some poll results to make my day.

Good night ya'll!

There comes a point in a writer's career (do I really have a career? another post...) where the idea of a book haunts them day and night. You have tons of questions (Is my writing good enough? Will someone publish me? How do I go about editing? etc.) and you go through a roller coaster of emotions. I have been toying with the idea of a book for over a year. After almost 13 years of writing, I figured it was time. 

I will save this for another post, but I do have a lot of challenges with creating this book. From editing my work to who to trust with the product, I have been a mess. I've stalled several times. As a matter of fact, I'm stalling now even after taking a big step (you'll see in a moment). Each step is scary. 

I already have a title (Late Night Feelings) and a possible cover. All I need is to choose my content and go through the act of editing and formating the darn thing. I had someone who was beginning to help me, but he jumped ship (dunno where the hell he is, only Facebook lets me know that he is occasionally alive). so finding someone who I can trust with the project is also holding me back (I need feedback and another eye to help me edit and format).

For inspiration, I went to the Chapbook Festival at the CUNY Graduate Center last month. I saw books in so many formats. It gave me so many ideas on how I could distribute my poetry. But then with so many choices, I was stuck again. I thought to myself, "You need to jumpstart this idea somehow. It's the only way you'll start putting this book together."

My opportunity came at the end of a workshop I attended at the festival. One of the editors from Poets & Writers Magazine (my dream magazine to write for; you know I got her contact info!) demonstrated how to create a pocket-sized book with only one page of paper. Well how to fold it at least. The pages she had already had random prints on it. It was so easy! A lightbulb went on after that demonstration.

A couple of weeks later, I chose eight short poems. I went online to the P&W site and learned how to layout the page. I printed out a few copies at work and BAM! A pocket-sized sample of what's to come for Late Night Feelings.

The title of the sample is called Bitten in the Wake of Dusk: Anticipating Late Night Feelings. I recently have gotten into instagram when the Android verison came out this month. I took one of my instagram photo and made it the picture for my cover. Included two poems that have been published in online lit mags and the rest was material that I haven't shown anyone before (well maybe one person has seen these poems).

Take a look at the picture for the cover!

This is the year I choose to be lonely.

No more loose tongues on West 4th.
No more liquid courage to cure my ails.
No more late night texts buzzing in my ear.
No more pulling you into corners,
straining my eyes to find your light in the dark.

I cut off all ties from what ifs, if onlys, and semi-regrets.
I will not depend on you to fill the hours.
I won't look for your meaningless banter.
I will stand by myself on street corners and
wait for the sun to graze my cheek instead. 

I'll take long walks on Coney Island Avenue and
buy myself a bouquet of flowers for everyday you did not.
I'll pick up new habits, bury myself in new hobbies.

I'll take up knitting.

Search for every color you bruised my heart.
I'll stitch up bundles of soft yarn around
this discarded body you left a long time ago.
I'll warm up this plush heart, these yearning limbs
and point at myself in the mirror, whispering every day
"You need to sweat her."

I'll keep myself warm morning, noon, and night.

This is the year I choose to love me.

I used to start 5 A.M. shifts
in the shadows of their slumber.
Coffee black as night, soul sweet as sugar.
Now that my bones are a little weaker
and
my heart beats a little slower,
I rise with the sun
under the shuffling of 9 to 5ers.
Milk on my tongue, soul slouched,
I'll never have coffee in bed.
The sun is still shining.