Where We Make: Jordan Rosenfeld
[Funny how, in the writing and arts online community, we can have such warm feelings towards people we've never met in person! Jordan Rosenfeld wrote the loveliest piece about Mary Modern for Writer's Digest back in the summer of 2007, and I have considered her a friend ever since. Here's a peek inside her awesomely colorful workspace.]
“Wow, it’s bright!”
This is the most common opening gambit of the people that step foot into my office. And it is bright: upon renovation, my intent was to take it out of its masculine dark “Mad Men study” feel and shift it into a feminine, creative pale turquoise (my favorite color)—something that conjured the underwater realm of mermaids of my childhood fantasies. As paint colors go, it’s really more aquamarine—a color that bounds up and licks you in the face like an overeager puppy. Compared to the sedate rest of my house in understated beige, crimson and ochre, it’s a room of one’s own for damn sure. Mine.
I am drawn to bright colors like bees to the bright flowers in my garden. Somewhere I read that blues inspire creativity more than any color, and all it takes is a few minutes sitting in its cheery marine tones and I feel ready to produce. Once the second layer of paint had dried, however, I will admit to a slight pang of regret. What had I done? It was almost childishly bright—a room fit for a child, not a functional adult. But once I added colored panels to the built in doors, it changed from “Wow, bright” to cheerful—a room I can’t ever have a bad mood in. Sleek white shelves and floral carpet that felt almost divinely conjured to match my color scheme have since brought together a room that is now my favorite place to be in the house (convenient that it’s my workplace). More so, there was something about taking the step to let my external world match the wild, messy creativity that takes up so much of my internal landscape. My six year old thinks it’s cool, too.
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Jordan Rosenfeld is the author of Forged in Grace, Make a Scene, and Write Free, and she is the Managing Editor of Sweatpants & Coffee. Connect with her on Facebook and on Twitter at @jordanrosenfeld.
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[Where We Make origin story and submission guidelines; all entries here.]
Vegan Ireland: the Everywhere Else Edition
Here's my last post on dining out in Ireland, which makes me a bit sad—it was SUCH a lovely trip. (There are plenty more sightseeing photos though.)
My first dinner—a quality little Indian place in Boyle, County Roscommon. (According to the owner of my B&B, Chris O'Dowd and company ate there during filming of Moone Boy and said it was as good as any Indian they'd had in London. I concur.) 
Light lunch in Manorhamilton, County Leitrim: orange-carrot soup and tea sans milk. 
Roasted red pepper soup with almonds at a quaint little tearoom near Drumcliffe, County Sligo. (Paddy said, "If you take that picture, you are officially a hipster." To which I replied, "Then I have been a hipster for quite some time now." Also: the extreme cuteness of that espresso cup!!) 
Had a lovely light dinner with Kate M. in Galway (she was in town on scholarly business) and her colleague Sarah. We ended up at a Spanish tapas place—I had to pretend I didn't see the cured pig-legs suspended above the bar—but they did have great veg options. (When the greens came I said, "What is this stuff on top??" The waitress assured me it was shaved hazelnuts.)* * *After nearly a week in London and Edinburgh, I circled back to Dublin for my last couple days.
At the Hugh Lane Gallery I treated myself to not one but TWO soy lattes. (When you find good coffee over there you gotta take advantage!) Simple yummy avocado-and-salad bagel for breakfast. That salad dressing looked fairly sketchy, but the chef assured me it was vegan. And needless to say, I did not eat the chips. 
Diarmuid told me to go to Govinda's just before closing time for a one-euro dinner. VERY GOOD IDEA. Lastly but bestly—a gorgeous dinner at Cornucopia with Deirdre:
(Butternut squash yumminess with a refreshing beet salad on the side.)And I couldn't skip dessert on my last night in Ireland!: 
Next week: more farmshare love!
How going vegan can make you more creative
I'm very excited to report that I have a guest post on my friend and mentor Victoria Moran's blog today!
When I went vegan in April 2011, I began the most joyfully creative phase of my life so far. I’m a novelist, and I used to have frustrating “trough periods” in between books—but since that spring I’ve written three novels in three years and the ideas (great ideas!) keep on coming. So if a fellow artist talks about feeling blocked, I share my “vegan conversion” story and ask if they’ve ever considered a connection between diet and creative output.
There is significant scientific research to indicate that a diet heavy in animal protein contributes to plaque buildup in the brain—read The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, if you haven’t already—but the psychological changes that occur after switching to a plant-based diet are much more immediate and recognizable. Here are some thoughts on how and why going vegan can make you more creative... (read more)
The most useful work there is
I just put this note up on Facebook, and I thought it might be worth reposting here. I have many more thoughts on this subject—Eric's situation has me thinking a lot lately about "rich white privilege" and to what extent we in the "first world" take our resources and opportunities for granted—but I think I'll leave all that for another post.
Thanks in advance for reading!
Scrapes with Scapes, and a recipe for Beet and Carrot Salad
"I shouldn't say there was a great deal" was Marilla's encouraging answer. "I'm sure Mrs. Allan was never such a silly, forgetful little girl as you are."
"No; but she wasn't always so good as she is now either," said Anne seriously. "She told me so herself—that is, she said she was a dreadful mischief when she was a girl and was always getting into scrapes. I felt so encouraged when I heard that. Is it very wicked of me, Marilla, to feel encouraged when I hear that other people have been bad and mischievous?"
—L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Week two of my Enterprise farmshare included beets, tomatoes, various greens, and a dozen scapes. I'd heard of scapes before, but for me (like most people) they fell into the "what the heck do I DO with them?" category. Sure, you can always just chop ’em up and saute, but that's boring. I decided on a pesto recipe from Oh She Glows, which incorporates an extremely tasty recipe for vegan "parmesan." 
The pesto did not turn out according to plan, however. That's because the recipe calls for three scapes, and I used all twelve. (What was I thinking, you ask? I suppose I wasn't.) So it came out more like a pâté. 
No big deal though, I incorporated half of this pesto-pâté into a perfectly tasty pasta primavera sauce later (didn't take a photo, was at a friend's and forgot my camera) and used the rest of it as a spread or for some added texture on top of a romaine and avocado salad.As for the beets—I was much more sure of myself there: 
Here's a quick recipe for this yummy salad, heavily inspired by the culinary genius of Aussie Kate at Sadhana Forest:
3 beets (setting aside the greens for stew, juicing, or what have you)4 large carrots1 cup peanutsjuice of one lemon (or more, to taste)fistful of mint, finely choppedsalt and pepper to taste
Peel and grate the beets and carrots, process the peanuts (or crush by hand with a mortar and pestle), and mix everything in. Ta da—a light refreshing salad for a day when it's much too hot to cook! Using this many beets and carrots will yield a nice big bowl, ten good side servings at least. 
I tried another new recipe this week for the kale (not dehydrated—baked at 300 degrees for 25 minutes per Oh She Glows), and it turned out great: 
I baked these for a party we were throwing Saturday night, but I ought to have made them later in the day, because they were fairly wilty by the time 8 o'clock rolled around. I just didn't want to be racing around the kitchen as guests were arriving! So I've decided that while kale chips (especially deluxe kale chips) are amazingly delicious, they are probably better suited to movie night on the couch. Next week: another Vegan Ireland round up!
Einstein is Your Fairy Godfather
I'm gonna be honest with you lovely people: it's been sort of a rough few weeks (though I feel silly even saying it because, come on, I have never in my life had capital-P problems.) I came down with one of those sucks-all-your-energy colds the last evening of Squam, and I realized that usually being so healthy and energetic means I no longer know how to be sick. That might sound strange, but you know what I mean: taking it easy and gracefully accepting your temporary limitations instead of beating yourself up for not getting anything done. I went back and forth on that, but admittedly I was frustrated with myself for at least 60% of the time—which was, of course, a waste of what little energy I had!Underneath the cold-induced inertia there has been another sort of malaise, one that wouldn't dissipate with the triumph of my white blood cell platoon. I'm feeling better now, it's still there, and I have to face it (and I might as well do so publicly, because I can't be the only one in this position!) 
A week or so ago I sent a letter to a very dear friend saying, in effect, "I see you not living up to your potential and I want you to stop being afraid and GO FOR IT." Last night it finally hit me that I could have written myself a version of that very thought. (Isn't that always the way?) I have grown in leaps and bounds as a writer since Petty Magic tanked at the end of 2010, but that's just it—there's nothing about being a storyteller that frightens me anymore. I'm looking toward my most ambitious writing project to date and I just think, I got this. While I recognize that drawing and painting and putting what I draw out there is the next big scary thing in my evolution, I've only made the most tentative steps so far. I've spent the past three weeks intending to put pen to paper, to follow through on the epiphany I had in the incomparable Kerry Lemon's drawing class (which I will blog about soon), but until last night I kept excusing my procrastination with "when I'm feeling better." (I know I was just talking about going easy on myself. This is different.) I was feeling better, physically anyway, but my mood had taken a nosedive. There were all these serendipitous things (seriously, a note in a library book!) nudging me to forget everything and just pick up that Micron pen. Elizabeth is always the best person to talk to when I'm in a spot like this; she said, "You are being too precious about this. Just set a timer for eight minutes and DRAW ANYTHING."So that's what I did. 
You know that new(ish) internet challenge, 100 Happy Days? I hereby promise myself that I will draw for eight minutes per day for the next 100 days. This is how real and lasting change happens—one simple action at a time, modest and brave. A sweet little paradox, no?I have a lot more to say on this subject, but I'll leave it here for now. It's your turn, lovely people! What are you afraid of? Who is it you want to become, and what do you need to do to let go of the person you are? (You don't necessarily have to share below, it'll just be good to know you are thinking about it too.)
@cometparty @squamlove I'm so happy for you! Such a great challenge, I'm really excited to see all your drawings! Xx— Kerry Lemon (@kerryannelemon) July 1, 2014
Farmshare Love
Now that I have a proper home and kitchen, I've signed up for a small farmshare box from Enterprise Farm. Last Wednesday I picked up my first box from a local bakery, and while I suppose I'm generally jazzed about vegetables, this time I was extra-SPECIALLY excited. 
This summer I'm going to post photos of my CSA boxes along with pictures of what I made with the produce. A CSA box can feel like a big commitment—this small share costs $400 for a 35-week growing season (though I got a coupon because my roommate has signed up in past years). If you break that down by week, however, it turns out I'm spending only $17 for vegetables. Sure, I'll buy a few more things from the grocery store, but $17 for the bulk of my weekly produce feels like a good deal. Best of all, when you sign up for a farmshare you're supporting local business and sustainable agriculture! 
I also like that Enterprise Farm sends you an email the day before with a list of what's in the box so you can start the meal planning. Given the radishes, field greens, tomatoes, and red leaf lettuce in the first box (not to mention that I hadn't had a proper big salad since the dining hall at Squam), keeping it simple with those items seemed like a no brainer. Elizabeth clued me in that radishes are also great to dip in hummus—she washes and cuts them and keeps them bobbing in a bowl of water in the fridge to keep them fresh. Not that they last long!I'd intended to be really diligent about documenting my meals this week (ha), but I only managed to take two pictures: 
When I'm hungry (and lazy), I whip up a lettuce and tomato sandwich with vegan mayo. 
A simple stirfry using both heads of bok choy, tomato, and TVP (textured vegetable protein). I also made a really yummy kale, tomato and mushroom dish with yellow split peas, and juiced most of the other green stuff (including the radish greens). I do still have some cilantro and red leaf lettuce left over, and it's week #2 pick-up today already. If I hadn't gone away this weekend, it would have been the perfect amount of produce. I'm particularly excited for the garlic scapes, beets, and rainbow chard in this week's box—YAY!
A Very Happy Decade
At the Petty Magic launch party at Glucksman Ireland House, October 2010.
Two thousand four was a big year. I quit my first (and only) "real" job at HarperCollins, went on my first proper road trip (with Kelly B. all around the southwest), and moved to Ireland to get my M.A. in Writing. And ten years ago this month (!!!) I signed with my agent, Kate Garrick, who believed in my potential well before I came up with a saleable manuscript.
Ten years later, I feel luckier than ever to have her. I'm always thinking of Kate when I give other writers advice on finding an agent:
"It's almost like a marriage—you have to find someone you're compatible with taste-wise, someone who is enthusiastic enough about your work to want to represent you for a long time to come, who will advocate for you in every situation but won't make pie-in-the-sky promises."
Even better if that person is also incredibly warm and kind and cares about you personally. I know that if I were ever stranded at the Port Authority at four o'clock in the morning, I could totally rely on Kate to let me crash on her couch. Kate is always professional, yet there is an easygoingness to our relationship that makes the business stuff go that much more smoothly. We've accomplished a good bit over the past ten years, but when I think about how much we'll do over the NEXT ten years, I pretty much dissolve into a puddle of gratitude.
What the Heart Knows To-day
What the heart knows to-day the head will understand to-morrow.
—James Stephens, The Crock of Gold
I've been on a James Stephens kick lately, because my favorite panel in Harry Clarke's Geneva Window illustrates the opening scene from his novel The Demi-Gods. (You will find a description of the panel in Immaculate Heart, my new-new novel; I recently read The Demi-Gods, and honestly, the panel is so glorious that the text inspiring it actually comes up short in comparison. See above!)Anyway, I wanted to share this passage from The Crock of Gold with you.
...The lower animals, as they are foolishly called, have abilities at which we can only wonder. The mind of an ant is one to which I would readily go to school. Birds have atmospheric and levitational information which millions of years will not render accessible to us; who that has seen a spider weaving his labyrinth, or a bee voyaging safely in the trackless air, can refuse to credit that a vivid, trained intelligence animates these small enigmas? and the commonest earthworm is the heir to a culture before which I bow with the profoundest veneration...
Not to take it out of context: the author is satirizing men who spend all their lives reading and pondering what they've read, never exercising their common sense (his protagonist is only known as The Philosopher). That said, it's still a beautiful reminder that there are many types of intelligence, most of which aren't human.
New author photo!
Like I said, my dear friend Anne took my new author photo at Squam—and a big happy shout-out to Jenn, who let us borrow her camera. But before I show you the new pics, I thought I'd post some silly outtakes from the last go-around in June 2010 (thanks, Mumsy!)
I know I'm not the only author who feels as if it's a Big Deal to have my photo taken. This picture is going on the back flap of thousands of copies of your book (not to mention the press materials), so you want to look as good in the picture as you do on your best days in real life.
Something else I should probably mention here: I know a lot of authors get their photos professionally taken, but my agent believes it's better to have a friend or relative take it because you'll end up looking much more relaxed and natural. Anne is a superb photographer—she really is a professional, since she's blogging/writing on a professional basis and her photography is an integral part of that—so I got the best of both! (That said, I love the photos my sister and mother took for Mary Modern and Petty Magic. Those are photographs some great-great-grandniece will pull out of a dusty drawer and say, "Is this the one who wrote books?")
@novaren@noirbettie@flaxandtwine I hear you. I feel like we have to take 100 pictures to get one I'm happy with.— Camille DeAngelis (@cometparty) May 6, 2014
So here are the new pictures! These three are my favorites, but #1 is my fave of the faves, and my editor agrees. So that's the one going on the jacket, although I will probably use the other ones for social media. I'm totally harnessing the Squam mojo. Thanks again, Anne and Jenn!
This is the book you came here to buy
Saturday night I came home and checked my email and Twitter (I think most of you know this, but I don't have/want a smartphone) and read this awesome tweet:
HOLY SH*T @cometparty wrote a book about a teenage girl who eats people AND ON MY GOD I NEED IT NOW!!!— Anna Pett (@peachandblue) June 14, 2014
Which grew into this conversation:
@peachandblue@novaren@cometparty it is TOTAL GENIUS— sarah mccarry (@therejectionist) June 15, 2014
@novaren I have, and totally loved it @cometparty@peachandblue— sarah mccarry (@therejectionist) June 15, 2014
@therejectionist !!!! I'm fiendishly jealous. @cometparty@peachandblue— Nova Ren Suma (@novaren) June 15, 2014
@novaren@therejectionist@cometparty ME TOO!!!!!! I WANNA READ THE THING!!!!!— Anna Pett (@peachandblue) June 15, 2014
@heatherbrewer@cometparty yeah, it's called BONES & ALL anf comes out in March 2015!— Anna Pett (@peachandblue) June 15, 2014
@peachandblue@novaren@cometparty I am so excited for it to be out in the world so I can make ALL THE PEOPLE read it— sarah mccarry (@therejectionist) June 15, 2014
@peachandblue SOLD! But... March 2015? *sobs* @novaren@cometparty— E.C. Myers (@ecmyers) June 15, 2014
@heatherbrewer@cometparty yeah, it's called BONES & ALL anf comes out in March 2015!— Anna Pett (@peachandblue) June 15, 2014
@cometparty do you know when ARCs/eARCs will start going out for bloggers and the like?— Anna Pett (@peachandblue) June 15, 2014
@ecmyers@novaren@cometparty story of my life. You always have to wait for good books! D:— Anna Pett (@peachandblue) June 15, 2014
@cometparty I appear to have spawned a need for others to read your book too!— Anna Pett (@peachandblue) June 15, 2014
@cometparty uhh, YES PLEASE! When do we get to see a cover?— Anna Pett (@peachandblue) June 15, 2014
@cometparty Now there are TWO manuscripts of yours I want to read!!— Nova Ren Suma (@novaren) June 15, 2014
@cometparty let me know when it comes in and I'll make you a magnet and/or pendant with the image on it!— Anna Pett (@peachandblue) June 15, 2014
@novaren@cometparty@therejectionist@peachandblue guys guys I want to read this one too….IS MARCH YETTTTTT.— rachel SIMON VS HSA (@rachelwrites007) June 15, 2014
I can't tell you how psyched I am that people are already so enthusiastic about Bones & All. I know what I said last week about writing first and foremost for myself, and that's definitely true, but hearing (well, seeing) someone say "I read your book, and it is genius" gives me a feeling beyond the pleasure of smoothing out a snarl in the plot or a thousand very good words. It is deeply humbling and deeply satisfying, and I want all of you who've read my novels to know how much I appreciate every good thing you've said about them.
So get excited for March! Galleys will be probably be ready in November, so if you are a book blogger, drop me a line and I'll put you on the list. YAY!!!
But wait. This post isn't over yet.
My friends! They are the best—THE BEST!!!
June Squam 2014, part 2
(June Squam 2014, part 1.)
Retreats like Squam Art Workshops are becoming more popular as people (okay, mostly women) realize how important it is for their emotional and spiritual well being to reconnect with their creativity, not to mention nature: the pines! The stars! The loons calling across the lake at night! You drink it all in and you are replenished.That said, I've noticed some people seem puzzled when I try to explain just how profoundly Squam has changed my life. I almost feel like they want me to justify spending that $1300—there's this implication hanging in the air between us, as if that money were better spent elsewhere. On something, you know, practical.Let me tell you something. The older I get, the more I understand that I can do very little good for anyone else if I am tired and depleted. You want to be with me when I am EXCITED ABOUT LIFE, right? You want some of that joyful energy to rub off on you.Sure, I draw inspiration from lots of places. But when I go to Squam, I "fill up" in the most mindful way—it changes me every time. I want each new experience to change me. That's something I first learned at Harmony Homestead Farm, and it allows me to find meaning in even the most seemingly random encounters.I may overuse the word "random" in casual conversation, but I know nothing truly is. I'll never forget the moment Anne sat down beside me in the playhouse back in June 2011 while the Yarn Harlot was giving one of her typically hilarious talks. Obviously we couldn't introduce ourselves until the talk was over, but we were absolutely communicating without words. I knew her. I knew we were going to be friends—no, that we were already friends, and had been for a very long time.So this year it was mind-blowingly delightful to be able to fall asleep in the same room after reminding each other just how far we've come over the past three years. Anne's blog is more popular than ever, and she is now under deadline with Potter Craft (Random House, NBD!) for Knitting Without Needles, coming out August 2015. I have a new home and a two-book deal under my belt. (Anne moved too, way farther than I did!)Anne's is one of the most satisfying friendships of my life, and you can't put a price tag on that. Squam has given me a wealth of satisfying friendships—Elizabeth and Amy Lou and Kath and Amiee and Jen, plus many more wise and beautiful women. I can't tell you how many times I heard someone call my name, embrace me, compliment my sweater, and how it made me feel to be recognized and appreciated for my creativity. It sounds so simple, but love and joy and unconditional acceptance aren't complex concepts. 
I need to write about Terri's woodworking class and Kerry's drawing class—a BIG breakthrough in Kerry's class especially—but I think I've written enough for one entry. I'll tell you more next week, including more about Sarah Sousa's poetry. (And Anne took my new author photo!! I'm so thrilled! I'll post those pics separately.)
Getting delightfully messy in @kerryannelemon's art class this past weekend at @squamlove: pic.twitter.com/CsvnX27MOF— Camille DeAngelis (@cometparty) June 9, 2014
It was a parade of smiles last night! Love seeing all my students in their new frocks. #squamartfair… http://t.co/hvXLiwWuyv— cal patch (@hodgepodgefarm) June 8, 2014
@cometparty @flaxandtwine I LOVED spending time with you on this hike. So glad we kept going! It was worth every single mosquito bite :)— Jeanne Lewis (@foundermom) June 9, 2014
Laughter and thoughtful conversation on a sunny lakefront porch with a favorite friend @cometparty… http://t.co/cRXXQPLfQY— Anne Weil (@flaxandtwine) June 7, 2014
The Art of Forbearance
Here is a short dialogue between me and my niece and nephew. Olivia is 7 and Quinn is 4. We were on our way home from the amusement park on Long Beach Island, talking about dinner plans. I was sitting between them in the backseat.
"Aunt Mealey doesn't eat that," Olivia said. "She doesn't eat anything that came from animals."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to hurt them."
"A hamburger isn't an animal!"
"Yes, they are, Quinn," Olivia replied earnestly. "They used to be animals."
These kids are smart. They are well aware of how their actions affect the feelings and well being of the people around them, and I have every confidence that they will someday include animals in that circle of compassion too.
But talking to kids about veganism is tricky, because you don't want to criticize the choices their parents have made. (Diet aside, my stepsis and bro-in-law are amazing parents—they exercise affection and discipline in ideal proportions, which frankly isn't something I see too often when I observe other people interacting with their kids.) I definitely felt that I was treading carefully in the car that day, though, because I love my family and I don't want to offend or alienate them. I'm not helping "the cause" any by playing the vegan evangelist under those circumstances.
I'm able to have an extended conversation about animal foods with my Little Sister, since she's older—she'll be 14 this fall—and we aren't in the company of her guardian (who, again, is a wonderful person who has raised my LS to be kind and considerate.) When we go out to lunch, she invariably orders a grilled cheese. Sometimes she asks me a few tentative questions about veganism, and her curiosity has given me opportunities to practice articulating the facts as clearly as possible—not to mention the art of forbearance.
Recently she asked why I didn't want to eat cheese. "Cows aren't killed to make milk or cheese, right?"
I decided to begin at the beginning. "You know why we have boobs?"
She nodded.
"Well, cows are like us, or any other mammal—they only produce milk when they've just had a baby. So we have to keep making them pregnant so they'll make the milk, and in the meantime their babies are taken away from them."
"But they aren't killed, right?"
"They are," I replied. (I don't think I clarified that male calves are killed pretty much right away for veal or kid leather; but I'm sure this will come up again at some point.) "Once they stop producing enough milk, the cows are killed for meat."
She looked down at the sandwich in her hands with a queasy look on her face.
"But we can talk about this some other time," I added. "Just enjoy the rest of your grilled cheese."
Continuing the thought from my Veganversary post, I've realized that when I have conversations like this, I have to take into account where people are coming from. My niece and nephew and my Little Sister all eat the Standard American Diet at home, chicken and hamburgers and the rest, so the fact that they are even asking me these questions is cause for optimism.
The Book of My Heart
I have a guest post on Nova's blog this week! It's for her "book of your heart" series. I wrote about my yet-to-be-published children's novel, The Boy from Tomorrow. Check it out.
I really love this post by Camille DeAngelis (@cometparty) about the book of her heart - & why it was worth writing: http://t.co/McuiedUdMG
— Stephanie Burgis (@stephanieburgis) June 9, 2014
Blossoms unspooled from her mouth
(A line from poet Sarah Sousa, who gave readings on Friday and Saturday nights at June Squam.)
Proper recap coming soon!
Vegan Britain, part 3
(Vegan Britain, part 2.)It was lunchtime when I got off the train at Waverley, so my first stop in Edinburgh had to be the Baked Potato Shop on Cockburn Street. I got quinoa and beet salad on a small spud, and (as expected) it was HUGE. Still the best-value meal in town. 
This is the only vegan boxed sandwich I found in ALL OF GREAT BRITAIN. (Don't you like how I made it sound as if I've traipsed all over, looking high and low?) But I bet hummus sandwiches-to-go will become much more popular in the future. Good on the National Library of Scotland for offering them—and their soups are usually vegan-friendly too; they're always vegetarian at least. 
Kate M. and I had seen each other for dinner in Galway a couple weeks before, but we caught up again over a lovely lunch at Henderson's. I got the veggie haggis (superb!) with the most amazing side salad (arugula, butternut squash, marinated tofu, pumpkin seeds, and I forget what else). 
Apart from Henderson's, David Bann is probably the best known vegetarian restaurant in Edinburgh; I've only been there once (with Seanan when he came up for a few days after Hawthornden), and I don't remember either of us being very wowed. It was good, not great—though I do remember the big juicy green olives we ordered for an appetizer. Those were perfect. At any rate, I'll probably just keep returning to Henderson's on future trips to my favorite city. 
One rainy evening I walked down to the Forest Café and ordered a hummus plate, with a slab of rich and simple chocolate cake for dessert. 
Lunch at Meadowlark Number 39. The menu wasn't as extensive as I was hoping, but the tomato-rice soup was simple and hearty and the green (er, brown?) smoothie struck the perfect balance—healthy, definitely, but still sweet enough to taste good. 
Nice to see healthier snack options at the Edinburgh airport—I bought dried pineapple and a vegan energy bar with my leftover pound coins. Next time: all the meals in Ireland I haven't yet blogged about!
A DIY Writing Retreat
How to create your own weeklong writing retreat:1. Decide where you want to be. If you are anything like me, you'll find that nature is essential. Fresh air, birdsong, and meandering country lanes are all very conducive to creativity, because you'll have given yourself some extra space to think. 
2. Find a self-catering establishment within your budget. (I recommend Green Lodge, where I stayed in West Cork. And I saved 10% by booking ahead!)3. Get your basic needs taken care of right away (i.e., do your food shopping for the whole week) so you can focus on the work. 
4. Don't be hard on yourself when "the work" turns out to be something other than what you planned. Just go with it. Trust the process. (I had planned to work my way through a substantial revision of my new novel, but I wound up working on short pieces instead. I finished that revision a week after I got home, still nearly a month and a half in advance of my deadline!) 
5. Stop and notice the world around you. Fill up. Enjoy. 
Vegan Britain, part 2
After lunch with Hana, I met Seanan at Kings Cross and we took the train to Brighton for a five o'clock dip in the ocean (brrrrrrrrrr!) 
Then we met up with Sam for coffee followed by dinner and drinks at the Prince George, which has an all-vegetarian pub menu. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Really good food, too. Sam says the standard is very high in Brighton; you won't find half-hearted pub grub anywhere, because a pub has to keep up with its competitors or it can't stay open. 
I'm looking forward to spending more time in Brighton on my next visit to the U.K.—it seems like a really fun and funky place (with, um, lots of pretty dress shops—which, again, were mercifully not open.) 
Let me tell you what an awesome friend Seanan is. While we were planning my visit, he said he had a few surprises and wanted to make a whole day out of them—“surprises" as in, I had absolutely no idea where we were going or what we were doing. Proper secrets!So we were walking in the Mayfair neighborhood, and when Seanan turned into the lobby of a posh hotel I thought he was joking. Turns out he'd made a reservation for high tea, with a vegan version for me! Apparently there is such a thing, though he'd had to ring several places before Flemings said they could accommodate us. Hooray for Flemings! 
Those of you who've had the experience of a proper English tea might be wondering if it measured up. Having had a "real" high tea at a cute country pub in Winchcombe during our Cotswolds trip, I can say that it did. I didn't miss the clotted cream one bit. The sandwiches had sunflower spread, the scones were of "I can't believe it's vegan" quality (you know how I champion vegan bakery, but it is hard to do things like scones well!), and the desserts were scrummy—a chocolate brownie, mocha cake, and a ginger cookie. Oh, and you should have seen the tea menu! It took me ages to make up my mind. (I settled on assam.) 
Next time: two days in Edinburgh!
The Rental Heart giveaway!
One night, sitting cross-legged on cushions with the lamps painting the traveller's skin in licks of honey, the empress hears a sound like a heavy curtain pulled back, and knows it is the sound of fate. She has been a beast for so long, and she is tired of trickery and glamour. She wants only this: to rest, to breathe, to live as if it were a choice.
—from "Tiger Palace"
One of many awesome things about my Hawthornden residency last year was getting to know Glasgow-based writer and literary editor Kirsty Logan. During our time at the castle Kirsty wrote hard and read voraciously, and I could always count on her for great book recs. (Gossip from the Forest is still patiently waiting its turn.) During our last week at Hawthornden we each read from our works in progress, and I was enthralled by the first chapter of Kirsty's novel, The Gracekeepers, the story of a floating circus in a world where land is scarce and acrobats have to perform for their food. You know I'm not a huge fan of straight-up literary fiction—as I always say, I get enough real life in real life—so dipping into Kirsty's imagination is a dark and clever treat.Twenty-fourteen has been a fantastic year for Kirsty—not only has she published her first story collection, The Rental Heart and Other Fairytales, but she also found out that The Gracekeepers will be published by Random House on both sides of the Atlantic! The novel is coming out in the spring of 2015, and I'm crossing my fingers Kirsty and I will be able to coordinate an event or two.
The Rental Heart launch, last night, @Lookingglassbks. pic.twitter.com/WWcgtheQ69— Kirsty Logan (@kirstylogan) April 25, 2014
And in the meantime we have The Rental Heart, which subverts classic fairy tale tropes to delightfully disturbing effect. Here's an excerpt from "The Gracekeeper," the jumping-off point for the novel of nearly the same name, in which people mourn their dead for only as long as it takes a caged bird to die:
Weeks have slipped by on my chunk of land and today is the Resting I have been sickening over for months, for always. I choose the biggest grace I can find and rub at its cage until it gleams like fresh pennies, but tears are salted and I must repolish three times before it is ready. I did not visit and now I cannot look at what is in the box, to see her eyes misted over and her jaw sunken back. Instead I say the words over and over in my head until they lose all meaning.
I wonder now why other Resting parties let me say the words. They let me recite them like poems learned at school, knowing that I do not apply them to the scrap of person in the wooden box or to the burning star of their loved one's memory.
So I look down at the box, and I say the words, and for the first time I understand them. My last link to the world has gone. I know what it means to be a stranger.
I'm excited to be giving away a copy of The Rental Heart, which Kirsty signed for me at her launch event last month at Looking Glass Books in Edinburgh. Playing "this or that" with McCormick Templeman was terrific good fun, so we thought we'd do another round. (For straight-up interviews and advice for aspiring writers, check out the links on Kirsty's press page.)
Typing or longhand? Typing, because I am lazy. I do keep a longhand journal though.
Dragons or unicorns? Unicorns, because SHINY.
Faeries or mermaids? Mermaids, because they're sexy but will destroy you.
Cyborgs or astronauts? Cyborgs, because I'm too claustrophobic for spaceships.
Mojito or margarita? Mojito, because sugar plus alcohol is always good.
Wise Children or Nights at the Circus? [since Kirsty has been compared to the great Angela Carter!] Oh, tricky! Let's say a Carter omnibus containing both (cheating, I know…)
Mountains or sea? Sea, because it calms me and brings me back to myself like nothing else can.
Perrault or Andersen? Andersen, because he was a very curious man and his stories are darker than most people realise.
Invisibility or immortality? Invisibility, because I am nosy and want to know everyone's secrets.
Halloween or Christmas? Halloween, because nothing beats a truly scary story.
Castle or spaceship? Castle, because claustrophobia.
Raspberry trifle or double chocolate cake? Trifle, because all the layers mean every mouthful is different.
Time travel: backward or forward? Backward, because I don't think you could go forward and then come back home again.
(...And I'll ask this again since it elicits emphatic reactions...)
Gaiman or Pullman? Pullman, because I want to be friends with Lyra.
To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment answering one of the above "this-or-thats." As always, tweets, RTs, and Facebook shares garner extra entries. Contest closes Friday, May 30th at 5pm ET.Please note that because The Rental Heart is not yet published in the U.S., I'd prefer a reader outside the U.K. to have the chance to read and enjoy this lovely book. If you are in the U.K., please feel free to enter on behalf of a friend. Thanks so much!
...And the winner is @deianara_crush! Thank you to everyone who entered THE RENTAL HEART giveaway (& to @kirstylogan for being so awesome!)— Camille DeAngelis (@cometparty) May 31, 2014
Thanks so much to everyone who entered—"this-or-that" inspired some really beautiful responses!
Where We Make: Di Mackey
[This Friday I'm very pleased to host jet-setting photographer Di Mackey, who recently discovered this website through the wonderful rabbit hole that is the world-wide web. Di's is the first 100% random submission to Where We Make, which makes me even more delighted to have her!]
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I'm a professional photographer, a writer, and a blogger too. I'm a New Zealander living in Belgium and honestly ... I never know which thing about me should come first.
I'm also someone who runs off to the sea and mountains in Genoa, Italy, as often as possible.
And the space where I make is important … whereever I am.
So, of course, my laptop is central to that space and from there I build up with what is possible. Here in Antwerp, at my house, I have a cocoon-like space. I'm tucked away in the corner of our L-shaped bedroom. I hang beautiful things on that desk-dividing red wall, there in front of me, things that I love.
I also love books, so my husband built me a series of red bookshelves and there my very best books live.
In this space I have an external keyboard that is English (my laptop is not) and a much bigger external screen. These are luxuries for when I'm working at home. Oh, and a fast internet connection too.
Quite often, over these years living in Europe, I have worked in places not my own. My second place where I make is in Genoa, Italy. It has been the same since 2008—a round kitchen table in a friend's apartment on a tiny street called Via Ravecca.
My place where I make is pared down. There's my laptop, a USB modem, and a plastic water bottle cut-down to act as vase for the flowers I always find on my first day back in the city.
My camera gear, all 6kgs+ of it, and every single cable and piece of equipment that I need to pack for the road has its place in that other space where I make. Sometimes I feel like a sherpa on Everest, as I move between worlds but honestly, it's worth it to have that second, much quieter space.
I've worked in Cairo, Berlin, Madrid, Istanbul, London and out on Flanders Fields here in Belgium. In Brussels, in Paris, in Amsterdam. Sometimes on a photo-shoot for others, sometimes just working for me and my website.
And so I realised, while writing this for Camille, that my laptop is key to the space where I make. Flowers help but I guess I can make anyplace … and I like it like that.
***
I love the idea of using flowers to brighten a temporary workspace, and that illustration on the wall above her desk at home! You can find Di on Twitter at @DiMackeycom and at DiMackey.com.