Yesterday I received a letter from the editor of the Sewanee Review asking me to write an essay for the fall issue. It makes me very happy to hear that he likes what I have to say--whatever that will be. Lately I have been so snarled up in other people's work that I've almost forgotten how to write an essay, although I have had thoughts about a cooking piece. Whether or not that will be what I end up submitting to SR is an open question, but there's no doubt that producing an essay is easier when one knows that there is an audience ready to read it on the other side.

Today I plan to finish a copyediting project; and perhaps, once it is packaged and mailed, I will attempt to string together a few sentences. You blog readers possess all the prose I've been able to write for the past few months: which is not much, as you are well aware. I have managed to make a few poems, but mostly I have been all anthology all the time. This has been a massive undertaking, and, believe me, I won't be doing another one soon. Yet, like everything, it has taught me some big lessons, introduced me to new mysteries, forced me to re-regulate my thoughts. I've liked the project and of course I've liked the editorial control (so different from nursemaid copyediting), but I'll also be glad to clear it off my desk . . . which won't be happening any time soon.

In the meantime, if you have any essay topics to suggest, feel free. "Gosh, I have always wanted Dawn to write about [adjective] [noun] during [historical period]. Maybe she'll focus on the [plural noun] of [literary character]. And I hope she brings in [brutish household chore] and [typical behavior characteristic of teenage boy]. [Exclamation]!"