Monthly Archives: January 2025

Cafe Crowd Diaspora

We’ve been wandering for nine weeks now

The old place closed without notice

The weekday usuals scattered

by twos and fours

to several sites

around the area

but the weekend regulars

have all landed

at the sister café

three miles

down the road

some staff

from the old place

are here

smiles, hugs, laughter

trying to make

it feel

like it did before

wanting home

in a new place

Contests: Pitching for Profile

Looking at my Instagram feed before settling in to write this morning, I saw a post from someone’s “Auntie.” She posts videos of herself using household items to sing to 1970’s rock songs. Today, it’s Joe Walsh, “Life in the Fast Lane.” In less than three months she’s acquired 2+ million followers.

I’ve been sending queries for my novel for about three months. Agents want to know how many followers I have on social media. They don’t ask directly, but they ask for my sites.

So, this morning I’m “pitching for an increased profile” by submitting to contests for writers. I’ll still use social media and I’ll still write everyday.

I joke that “writing is the easy part. Publishing not so much.”

Onward.