It’s like I’ve been galloping breathlessly from manuscript deadline to edit to promotion to more deadlines and repeat. And of course in the midst of that are the usual family and personal things that we all go through. Something that calms me and helps with creativity is creating pysanky — Ukrainian Easter Eggs. But for the last dozen years I’ve been writing more than one book a year. Much as I longed for the creative solitude of making pysanky, the time simply has not been there. And then there were the sore hands. Writing takes creativity of course, but it also requires great physical effort to sit in front of a screen for hours on end, then go do research, take notes, go back to the keyboard. But I have a few weeks right now while I’m between school visits and tours. I’ve finished two novels and am waiting for edits. And my hands are not all that sore! So it’s pysanka time! I dug out my old equipment and bought new dyes. My goal is to make maybe 10. It all depends on when the next edits arrive.
Here’s the first egg finished, plus the second egg out of the orange dye.