"Life is nothing more than an elaborate house. It starts out small, a simple shelter. Then we build upon it, room by room, believing in the necessity of every expansion, every renovation. By the time we realize it is no longer shelter but a tomb, it’s too late."

The passage above may not be the most uplifting from my upcoming novel, After Elias (side note: the rest of the book isn't quite this grim!), but it seems fitting for the time we're living through. As most of the world remains in varying degrees of isolation while lives and livelihoods are under threat, it's only natural to reevaluate what truly matters. For me, life is suddenly simpler. What worried me three months ago is revealed as trivial. The distractions and complications that used to demand energy have vanished. What's important is my health and that of the people I love. It's beautifully simple.

Releasing a book amid a pandemic isn't easy. Even though my release is months away, I'm already seeing an impact on promotional plans. My first big industry event in New York this spring has been cancelled, like everything else. I'm often anxious about the health of the literary community and independent booksellers, which survive on the spirit of gathering. I allow myself to feel what I feel — frustration, disappointment, concern — while maintaining perspective shaped by compassion and gratitude. I remind myself of what's important.

I also remind myself to laugh.

To escape.

To continue creating, because art will always survive, and it's made stronger by friction than comfort.

To keep calm and carry on, like the novelty mugs and T-shirts have been telling us to do for years.

To exist deeply in the present, so that I'll never forget what it felt like to be alive in this extraordinary moment.

To not get carried away by mourning the past and predicting the future.

To focus on the things I can control.

To be kind, to myself and to others.

After the hero of my book, Coen, muses about how life can be either shelter or a tomb, he goes on to learn that life is more a series of stories. Some are happy, some are sad, but ultimately we decide how the story goes.

Much love,

Eddy

P. S. - Add After Elias to your Want To Read list for the story of a pilot's last words and an interrupted celebration.