Welcome to February, the truncated month nobody likes, not even those unfortunates who have a birthday in its 28-29-day lifespan. It’s also the one I find difficult to say in German. FebRUar. Each year for the past three years I’ve escaped Berlin to exotic climes in search of inspiration for writing. Last year was Oman, the year before Laos and Cambodia, the year before that China and Vietnam. Exotic. But now that I’m restricting myself to one long-haul flight per year, I’m staying right here to enjoy these cold-but-not-really-as-cold-as-they-should-be days in front of my computer, type type typing in the desperate hope that the literary stars will align and I’ll churn out something worthwhile.
Speaking of which, I finished Mekong Lights. Done. Digitally dusted. Nothing more to dot or cross or delete with a raised eyebrow like “how did you ever think that was even a little bit appropriate?”. You know what the very worst aspect of writing is? That’s right, the query letter. No? You try condensing 134,000 words down to 90 and hoping those 90 are magical enough to attract the attention of an overworked literary agent. It’s the most miserable of pots at the end of the rainbow, let me tell you. No way around it though (except yes there is: I submitted By the Feet of Men directly to a publisher. Still, not especially keen on going through that process again). Fingers crossed that third time’s the charm. If I do somehow manage to crawl my way out of the slush pile with my QL, I’ll write an article with a title like “7 ways to write the most baller query letter ever! (number 5 will surprise you)”.
And now to music, for it cures what ails thee:
Hot Sugar - 10 Racks Under the Mattress
Bernard Fevre - That Is to Be
Kaytranada - 10%
Hew Time - Bell Window
Dan Deacon - Arp II: Float Away
Recondite - Mirror Games
Seefeel - Industrious
Girl with a Life Aquatic Tattoo, Johannes Vermeer (1665)