Did Gailie disappear after six months of savoring her first published novel’s debut? Well, kinda.
In November, I moved back home with the whole family, to the state of our roots: Indiana. There were lots of reasons, but one being that in comparison to 200 miles, being only “50 miles of good road” away from our parents and in-laws with our two young children is so much more joyful for us all. The pandemic taught us how much we missed them.
The homebuying process that fall of 2021 was insane and inspired lots of tears, but we managed to get a decent deal after much wrangling, and my hubby started his new job in the new (old) state very soon after–just before the moving truck came for me and the kids. It was rush and chaos, but also extreme kindness from neighbors and friends helping us get packed that got us through.
So that was November; December was getting unpacked and doing all the Christmas things and learning two new church congregations for hubby & me to serve in, all at once. That’s right: I also started a new “day job” in church administation and got my eldest enrolled in the local district school that winter. And found childcare for my youngest, also a huge adjustment.
But here’s the other big news: I accepted another challenge from my publisher (the ones who published my novel, Fearful Symmetry): “Hey, Gailie, send us a short story!”
I hadn’t written a short story since college. My brain sees short stories as episodic things, less coherent and sweeping in scope and reader investment than the long-game that novels present. So I’ve been nervous to dive in, every time I hit the keyboard, like a nearsighted diver on the bank of a murky swimming hole out in the countryside with no one nearby to play lifeguard.
Yes, it’s a Pride & Prejudice-world based tale, so that’s familiar. But the processing and computing behind plotting and executing it has been entirely new for me!
Wish me luck. It’ll be going into an anthology from Quills & Quartos Publishing during the holiday season of this year (2022). I’ll post more details once they release more!
Also, I’ve missed you guys! Thanks for your patience.
-Gailie Ruth
Gailie Ruth Writes 