rebeccakuder

Healing writing practice at YS Library (Jan. 15)

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I’m thrilled to again offer a healing writing practice as part of the Winter Wellness series at the Greene County Library. This event is free and open to the public (21 years and older), but the librarians are asking people to register. (And we need to honor the librarians, for they are part of saving the world.) Last year, we had a great turnout—25 people or so!

Join me as we practice writing together using helpful prompts to discover and know ourselves. We’ll unmask and disarm the inner critic, and I might sneak in some drawing, too. It’s great way to start the new year!

When: Sunday, January 15, 2-4pm

Where: Greene County Public Library, 415 Xenia Ave, Yellow Springs, OH 45387

To registration, go here, or call the library at 937-352-4003.

 

rebeccakuder

Turning off the hose

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(Because all water ain’t bad.)

Last night as I was awake with hot flash, I thought of a metaphor for FB, and it is likely to keep me off it, more often. Good!

Not just Facebook, but the internet: my use of it* is like holding a gushing firehose on full blast, pointed at my face. That’s how I imagined it last night in the middle of the night. (But instead of just my face, the gushing hose is actually pointed at my psyche, my brain, and my time and creativity, too.) The flow of information is like the force of the water. It hurts, it’s overwhelming, but if I can be mindful and awake, vs. just clicking and scrolling, I can slow it down, turn it off…

…choose, and be aware of when I choose to point the gushing firehose at all those fragile and precious things (psyche, brain, time, creativity).

*I’m being careful in how I write this. People will say the internet, or social media, is just a tool. Rather than debate the nuances of who is the actor and who is acted upon when we use the internet & social media, I am taking responsibility for how I use it.

rebeccakuder

Letter to a young friend

I wrote a note today to a 6th grade friend who made calls for the Hillary Clinton campaign, and thought I’d post it here.

Dear E.,

Thank you for the brave work you did in calling strangers and encouraging them to vote for Hillary Clinton. Even though she didn’t win the election, I hope you know that your work matters and it was not in vain! I keep learning in different ways that every time we stand up, we give permission to others to stand up, too. It is a burden to be an every day leader (as you are) but it is so incredibly important to harness our voices and our courage, and to stand up and speak. You never know who you reached the other day with your calls, whose ready heart you have inspired to action. We have so much work to do. But with sisterhood, we can do it.

You are an inspiration!

Love, Rebecca

 

rebeccakuder

Follow the leader

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Today, when U.S. voters have the chance to choose a president who has had to “follow” backwards in high heels for her entire career (or maybe her entire life), I consider how it will be if the follower becomes the leader…

rebeccakuder

Short story accepted!

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Art by Yaroslav Gerzhedovich. Design by Vince Haig. For more about this cover, go here!

I’m thrilled to announce that my short story “Curb Day” was accepted for Shadows and Tall Trees 7, forthcoming from Undertow Publications. It’s particularly exciting to me because, as I blogged here, in writing this piece, I adapted a process from Lynda Barry‘s process…and it was such fun to dig through compost from last spring’s embryonic essay about junk week and turn it into a story. I’m grateful to Michael Kelly at Undertow for accepting the results. Shadows and Tall Trees 7 will be available in March 2017.

rebeccakuder

Weird day (official)

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(When I woke up, I knew today felt weird…now I recall why.)
It’s the official release day for Year’s Best Weird Fiction, vol. 3. Thanks again to Michael Kelly and Simon Strantzas for including my story in this shimmering anthology! Check it out here.