What Happens at the End (of the semester)

Plus: April Glimmers

**If you’re new to Mourning Pages, welcome! I am Penny Zang, an author, English professor, mom, and bookworm who is reading and writing my way through grief (and lots of joy, too). My debut novel, Doll Parts, will be published in 2025. You can add it on Goodreads. Thanks for being here.**

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Last time: What No one Tells You About Editing a Novel

Photo by Hannah Pemberton on Unsplash

“You don’t need it to be summer, and you don’t need to be in a cottage in the woods. You can be anywhere and write those words. You just have to want it.” —Jami Attenberg, “On Writing a Book 1,000 Words at a Time”

Here I am, a heating pad on my lower back, full of heartburn and a bone-deep exhaustion, but I’m finished…with the semester and with my first round of developmental edits.

I’ll celebrate with cake and maybe a little white wine later, but mostly I’ll celebrate by not waking up at 4:45 tomorrow morning. I have big plans for the month of May, the sweet window of time between my spring semester and when my son gets out of school. Yes, I’m still working but less. And its mostly generative work, work that energizes me rather than depletes my creative well.

After April kicked my ass, I very much need this May.

Giphy.com

So, what happens at the end of the semester? We start another semester. There are a few weeks of “work days” to plan for the summer term, in this case. Year-end evaluations, professional development, a whole lot of meetings usually.

For me, I have big plans that include reading again (since I couldn’t read much while editing) and exercising and listening to all the podcasts I downloaded over the last two months. I am going to make friendship bracelets and try Ina Garten’s recipe for roasted carrots.

And I’m going to write another book.

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Here is a short list of the things I loved in April, the glimmers that brought delight and joy:

1. A Podcast

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis Dreyfus

After a number of trusted friends told me to check out Wiser Than Me, the new-ish podcast (Season 2 just started) by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, I had to check it out. It has brought me more joy than I can express. And it’s exactly what I needed over the last month.

2. Book Mail

Just because I haven’t read many books doesn’t mean I haven’t been buying them. Can’t wait to dig into Truth is the Arrow, Mercy is the Bow by Steve Almond, which I hope to use for creative writing class in the fall, and 1000 Words by Jami Attenberg.

3. Sidewalk art and bird sounds

Art everywhere, really. Nothing is more delightful. Except for maybe this bird sound app that lets me identify all the birds outside my office window (Merlin). I’ve got robins, cardinals, grackles, geese, and hawks—what birds can you hear from where you are?

If you see me, thanks in advance for not pointing out how tired I look. I’ll be back in a few weeks with book recommendations again and some other good news that I can’t wait to share.

Happy May! —Penny