Yerrrr…I launched a newsletter and then went under a rock for a bit. But I’m back because people said they liked what I had to say, so I’ma talk my talk this month again!
Welcome Back to Black Girl Dreaming.
A newsletter where I share notes on life, lessons learned, my big ole Black girl dreams, and my quest to conquer all of the things. I am excited to have you all here with me on this journey. If there’s anything you’d like me to discuss, feel free to drop me a line, or hit me up in the comments section.
PROCRASTINATION vs ANXIETY
I don’t know about you but I’m a doer. I like to get sh*t done. But also, I’m the penultimate procrastinator. Sometimes, when a task is circling the drain in my brain, I’ll do anything and everything to keep pushing it off. Lately, working remotely for over a year and a half, I find myself struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. And with my procrastination, I’ve suddenly found myself sick with anxiety. Everything seems to be anchored in stress. Working with authors? Stressful. Fighting white supremacy and trying to survive the war on Black people? Stressful. Being a young, Black entrepreneur? Stressful. My anxiety is out of this world and so I’ve decided to practice self-care. That means logging off work on time. Setting boundaries, because me time is me time. Family time is family time. That stress isn’t going anywhere, but I can decide how to manage it. I encourage you to do the same for you. There will always be endless to-do lists and deadlines. But good health won’t always be there, take care of yourself because nobody got you, like how you got you.
IT’S OFFICIAL I’M CHANGING MY LAST NAME
I planned a wedding during COVID and while the planning was challenging because everything was always in flux, the actual day was beyond amazing and everything I could’ve ever hoped for. I got married in a historic library at the Andrew Freedman Home in the Bronx surrounded by old books, friends and family. It was an intimate ceremony filled with so much good energy, and most importantly, love. We’ll be celebrating our union all year and beyond.
4TH ANNUAL BRONX BOOK FESTIVAL, JUNE 11TH-13TH
Wow, I still can’t believe we’re celebrating our 4th festival this June! The TBIR crew has been working their book fairy wings to the max this year and yo, believe me when I tell you it’s going to be fire, and trust me you are going to want to be there to hang with us virtually. Check out the speaker line-up and RSVP today to receive updates and more, let’s go!
I’M ON A BILLBOARD…
Well, sorta lol. I’m one of MOME’s Virtual Curators this year! My face has been all over NYC’s MTA trains. And this week it will be at bus depots so be sure to snap a pic if you see one and tag me on social @sj_fennell! It’s really cool to be part of this campaign, shout out to the office of Media & Entertainment for selecting me to be part of it.
HOW DOES ONE WRITE AGAIN?
I went on a writers retreat in April to work on some essays. It was fantastic, and I drafted my little heart out. But then I came home, and feel like I don’t know how to write. But that’s not true, it’s more like I don’t feel like I have time to write. Sigh, so I’m just here hanging in the winds slowly revising until I can get it together and send it to my agent. My writing process has changed so much, what I am finding is I can no longer really write in my home. Not when it’s also the place where I work remotely. So I’m sure solo retreats and new random spots in Pelham Bay Park are soon to become the best place for me to get stuff done. Here’s hoping :)
WILD TONGUES CAN’T BE TAMED
This month I received advance reader copies (ARCs) of my forthcoming anthology, Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed! I’m so hype and exited to have these beauties. Stay tuned for a future giveaway via this newsletter and check out my unboxing on TikTok and Instagram.
In the meantime, you can always pre-order a copy below.
WHAT I’M UP TO THESE DAYS
Reading The Rock Eaters: Stories by Brenda Peynado
Learning from amazing talent on MasterClass. I still working my way through Shonda Rhimes’ classes. Like everyone else, this pandemic continues to challenge my attention span.
Binging Ted Lasso
That’s all for now folks, follow me on social media for updates, even though I’m kinda on hiatus, I pop online every now and again.