Spring Awakening

But in a literary way?

I’ve been dormant (on Substack) since winter. But now it’s spring, and I’m waking up. Last week I graduated from an MFA program in Creative Writing. This achievement is one I’ve dreamed of since my teenage years. During that time I’ve been obsessing over a creative project and am walking out with a manuscript in progress.

I’m still puttering away at what I hope will be my first book. The project is one I arrived at graduate school hoping to complete during my two years there. We didn’t quite hit that goal, but I’ve covered some serious ground. I’m not quite sure how to categorize it. A collection of poetry? A novel in verse? Maybe it’s something that should be a sci-fi novel, but I’m afraid to write in prose, so this is what we have?

You can find little glimpses of it in Analog: Science Fiction & Fact, The Greensboro Review (forthcoming Fall 2026, and The Indianapolis Review (forthcoming Summer 2026). Every time a literary magazine snatches up one of these poems, it makes my heart glow. With each poem released, something I treasure is being shared. I can’t wait for the day when I can share the whole project with you all. In the meantime, a sixty-some page draft sits scattered across my studio floor with scrawl across most pages.

With a bit more capacity to write in new directions, I’m excited to return to Substack, to each of you! As I reach into the rich sediment of summer, I also look forward to opening the various books stacked throughout my apartment.

Currently I’m wading through a few different books: Cloud Atlas, a sci-fi novel I’m long overdue to read; Queer Conception, an incredibly informative text as I return to my parent research project; and Rewilding, a devastating and gorgeous poetry collection that reminds me to take deep breaths.

I have intentions of visiting the following texts: Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard, and the last two books in Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach series. A mystery novel is also on the list; I’ve read little in the genre and am open to suggestions. And those are just a few of my aspirations. Nothing sounds more like summer than an overly ambitious TBR list.

Speaking of ambitions, I also intend to start a new project this summer. I’ll give you a first glimpse.

Big dog Fitz sitting on “his” bed in “his” bedroom.

If you look closely Fitz is sitting next to a copy of Mary Oliver’s Dog Songs. This summer I’ll be posting weekly videos of Fitz and I having some poetry read-alouds together. You can expect a little something in your inbox tomorrow. (;

Also, paid subscriptions are returning. If you’re in a financially different situation and want to cancel your subscription, you won’t hurt my feelings! Do what is best for you. And if you’re in a financially different situation and want to subscribe, you can get your first month free.

Peace and love,

Shanley