And they all live happily ever after

Or anyway, they have more ups than downs on balance.

All rise, ye who believe in fairy tales!

(She needs better shoes.)

I hope you’re all standing. Today’s my 29th wedding anniversary.

Yeah, you’re sitting down now, ain’tcha? Ha!

On our to do list: going to hear LadyTeen’s choir, going to see some live immersive theater & then going out to dinner. A nice quiet day for us.

This reminds me that the first serious research report I ever wrote for school was on traditions around the world, and I chose marriage. I was probably in third or fourth grade (College Hills Elementary School, oh the low, flat library with its endless Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke and, to shake things up, Christie. I went through most of the alphabet there.) It was not only my first research paper but also my first time to bother noticing the vast stacks of…what is this stuff…nonfiction?

I researched marriage around the world. My report held pages of eye-opening information like describing the community where unmarried women had no rights widowhood was okay, so women would marry flowers that would die the next day and then they could, as widows, own property. I still remember my delight that these women (sometimes as young as 12) were able to escape the horror of impending marriage in such a clever way.

Went looking for confirmation of this on the web and found this awesome tradition from China: “A month before their forthcoming nuptials, Tujia brides will cry for one hour each day. Ten days into the ritual, the bride is joined by her mother and ten days after that, the bride’s grandmother joins the weeping duo and eventually other female family members will join in the cacophony of crying.”

More wedding traditions here. Some will make you want to cry.

More about crocodile tears here. (spoiler: crocs cry when they eat!)

What I did this week:

The new Halloween anthology is out! My story is set in a NYC library. (I am a big fan of libraries.) Thanks to editor Silver Webb for including me. You can get the book through this link: All Hallow’s Eve: the thinning veil, a Halloween anthology of 13 wicked tales.

I love the cover—spooky Halloween, not jump-scare

I have been working a LOT on my debut novel. Mostly because just LOOK at this gorgeous writing space that I found:

my new favorite workspace.

Inside, there’s a great skylight. and oh! a little bonus surprise if you look up.

This is my new writing mascot. (28th street subway station art)

This is something else that happened - my publisher (hi Marina!) at Brooklyn Writers Press delivered the medal that came with winning first prize at the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. (it is not broken in half. I do not know what dark magic makes it appear broken)

PARTING THOUGHT:

On Facebook as an anniversary thing, I asked people to post their memories of my spouse & me as a couple - favorite moments and things - and a cousin said the cake that managed to be both traditional and outlandish at the same time. Here’s the cake:

& here’s a link all about the cake. Have a creative day.