I don’t do well with clutter but I’m a week away from moving out of my Hyde Park apartment and so there’s stuff EVERYWHERE. And I’m trying to be okay with that! I dreaded putting my things on Facebook Marketplace but I’m giving it a try and it’s low stakes because I’ve arranged for the Honest Junk Company to come and collect my belongings next weekend. They charge for the removal but everything goes to charitable organizations, including the Chicago Furniture Bank. So I’m no longer worried about all the antiques my grandparents gave me over 30 years ago. My friend and neighbor bought my three stained-glass lamps and sent me this photo earlier today—I’m so glad it has found the perfect home! I met another author at an event last Monday and we met up today to talk all things publishing. Then I saw on IG that she loves tea parties so I asked if she’d want all my tea party accessories and she said YES! So all those beloved teacups and teapots and my 3-tier tray are now with another person who truly appreciates them.

We close on the 10th and my visa appointment is on the 12th. Then I wait in my Airbnb in the South Loop for the French Consulate to approve my application. I’ve printed out everything I can think of to prove that I am a “legitimate” artist. And I’ve been busy this month—3 school visits in Columbus, which were amazing, and then a bookstore event last Monday and another school visit in Bronzeville on Wednesday. Now I have just two online events for November and that means time to write in December—in France! There are plenty of things I’ll need to worry about but for now, I’m focusing on the move. We had a meeting with an editor on Friday and I knew in my gut that it wasn’t going to work out but I agreed to consider her suggestion that I merge two very different stories. I looked at the manuscripts over this weekend, talked to some friends, and will let the editor know that that path to publication isn’t right for me. The sale of my condo means I’m not desperate to sell my stories right now. I’ve already written one story set in France and hope my language skills improve so that I can soon write in French…