Dear readers and listeners,
December didn’t exactly go as planned. I’m currently on sick leave, taking a step back to rest and re calibrate after an unexpected twist in the work chapter. While it's not how I imagined closing out the year, I'm trying to lean into the stillness, let myself slow down, and trust that rest is a kind of progress too.
That said, the season still sparkles in its own quirky way:
We're in the middle of our annual Christmas movie marathon (absolutely no Hallmark allowed),
Christopher will once again don the red suit for my aunt’s association holiday dinner,
My adopted cousin will be coming up for Christmas this year and eating meat fondue at my aunt’s.
And of course, I’m still jumping through those lovely French administrative hoops as I work toward securing my artiste-auteur status. (It’s slow, it’s confusing, and yes, I’ve raged countless times during the process.)
In short, it’s a quieter December than usual, but full of little warmths and weird traditions that make it ours.
Ongoing Projects
I am 6 poems away from finishing my 2nd moon chapbook!!
The Portuguese translation of my novella Between the Living and the Dead is out in digital format through Babelcube. My husband designed the cover!
My jazz track “What Happened” is currently on Bandcamp. The hard launch along with the music video will be in January. But I am pasting the video directly here, and give you guys an early look at it before anyone else!
The Floor is Yours!
Last month, Gothmas flopped. This month, I’m lowering the bar: just reply with a letter. That’s it. Come on, make my inbox weird!
What’s your vibe this season?
🎁 Option A: Wrapped in a blanket, pretending you’re in a Victorian ghost story
🧀 Option B: Waiting to Christmas shop until the very last minute
💻 Option C: Baking cookies and gift wrapping was all done in November
🌙 Option D: Bah! humbug you can’t wait for the season to end
👉 Hit reply with your letter (A–D) and I’ll share the results in January!
Final Thoughts
As the year winds down and the nights stretch long, I’m leaning into slower rhythms, soft lights, and stories that simmer gently in the background. Even if things didn’t go quite as planned this December, I’m finding unexpected gifts in the stillness and maybe, you are too.
💌 This month’s interactive moment is easy: just scroll up and pick your holiday mood in the faux poll.
🎧 Or hit reply and tell me what you’re watching, creating, or craving this season.
Thank you, as always, for being part of my strange, musical, poetic little world.
Here’s to a gentler end of the year, and to whatever weird wonder awaits in the next.
With gratitude,
Sophie
“Write what should not be forgotten.” ― Isabel Allende