Becoming an indie publishing house is effing amazing, and not as hard as it looks
Did you work on your novel this NaNoWriMo? Wondering what to do with your masterpiece now? I teamed up with my author-husband as his editor and publisher on his first novel and I’m ready to share everything we learned along the way with my fellow Offbeat Homies. Whether you’ve just finished your opus or just got a really good start, here’s how to take the next steps and publish your own novel.
How do you Adult?
I was thinking about this all last night because I’d just signed up for dental and life insurance through my work, and that sort of thing feels really grown-up. Responsibility! Future planning! Insurance! But it also cast into sharp relief the fact that I really don’t know what I’m doing and I’m scared as hell. How do Other People do it?
Has anyone gone back to their maiden name after marriage?
I got married a year ago and changed my name. Now, after a year of honest reflection, I can say that I don’t like it. I’m currently putting out feelers on resuming the use of my maiden name and in the process, I am running into tons of negativity. Have any of you out there stayed married but went back to your maiden name? How did you handle any criticism or negative feedback? Did you feel better once it was done?
The joys of sourdough starter ownership
Early December, the gods brought us Audry II — our sourdough starter from King Arthur Flour of Norwich, Vermont. We now take it out once a week, remove a cup for baking or passing along, feed it a bit more and give it some downtime in the back of the fridge.
Changing my underwear: how merino undies got me to change teams after 20 years of wearing Jockeys
A random piece of TMI you should know about me: I have been wearing the same underwear since 1991. No, not the same pairs, but the same style — a very basic black cotton string bikini from Jockey. They’re practical but a little flirty, functional and easy to order in bulk. They have been on my butt since I was in high school, and mostly I just don’t really think about them at all. But after two decades, I’ve finally changed teams. I’ve got new underwear, inspired by literature and mildew. Lemme explain…
Stacey and Joel: six years, three international moves and a baby
We took a month off for a honeymoon trip across Europe and sailed back on an ocean liner. A week after arriving home we moved from Vancouver, BC to Marin County just north of San Francisco, CA. We had two and a half years in that area just soaking up the organic good life. Joel got into competitive cycling and I went to art school in San Francisco and just immersed myself in art.
The perils and glories of being a stay-at-home-dad
Being a stay-at-home-dad can be an isolating experience sometimes. We don’t quite fit in with the stay-at-home-moms and we don’t quite fit in with the bread-winning dads. For me, isolation is the worst of homemaking’s perils. I know many moms feel isolated, too, but my guess is that the dads among us experience it more often…
Why you should garden. Yes, even in hurricane-threatened New Jersey.
If I ever gave anyone one tip of advice it would be this: At some point in your life grow your own food.