12 - A Bowl of Blessings
Fiction Writer, Nancy SM Waldman’s Archived Newsletters
Hi! Welcome to Nancy's Subtle Shadings Newsletter Archives.
This is from August 2025.
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Summer 2025
A BOWL OF BLESSINGS
Greetings!
It's been slightly more than a year that I've been writing this newsletter. Happy Anniversary, Subtle Shadings!
Last summer, I was facing the first of two hip replacement surgeries (done August 16th). The recovery took much longer and was harder than I expected. My second surgery on February 12th was easier in every way, though the recovery dragged on and on. The disability and pain improved but were present every day for most of the year. I began to fear that I wouldn't get the results from the surgeries that I had hoped for.
I got a surge in April and could—I want to say "suddenly" because that's how it felt, but after all the months, it was not!—walk without the cane. I still had a bit of a limp, though, and had a couple of minor setbacks. By the middle of July, I finally crossed over and was able to confidently walk longer distances.
Now? I have two working legs.
It's amazing. Not only can I get up and walk across the room without a cane, or pain, or feeling unstable—which was my fondest wish for a long time—I can walk our half-a-kilometer driveway plus the hill across the street and back without pain.
I do things that had fallen by the wayside years ago, like planting something in the ground, going shopping for fun, or cooking a special meal that requires being on my feet for a long time. One morning (mornings were the worst for so long!), I found myself polishing the tarnish off some of my silver earrings. Osteoarthritis didn't keep me from doing that, but chronic pain makes one's life smaller, so that unnecessary things don't get done. After rationing my daily energy for years, I treasure that I have enough to do what's necessary, like take a walk, get groceries, and cook dinner all in the same evening if I want or need to.
Miracles.
Despite the physical challenges, I published Every Rule Undone on time to (mostly) lovely reviews! It continues to feel satisfying.
Now? I'm publishing my second book! The Liminalis is on Amazon! For now, it's available only as an ebook pre-order. October 1st is my publishing date when the ebook and print book will be available for sale.
Here again, my power to estimate how long something will take seems to be negligible because I thought this novel was pretty close to publishable when I sent it to my editor, Diana, late last year. She, as usual, did a bang-up job and got it back to me right on schedule in late March. I tucked into editing with her corrections and suggestions as my guide, doing quite a bit of revising as I went. I ran it through ProWritingAid as a Word file looking for grammar and consistency issues, typos and misspellings. I formatted it, uploaded it to KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) and ordered a proof copy. When it came, I did a careful re-read of the entire book—again, and found a disturbing number of minor fixes and more typos.
This could go on forever.
The inside of the book wasn't the only thing on my to-do list. I had to finish the cover art, which I also thought was "almost done." Nope. There's finishing, and then there's obsessiveness. I would not recommend my "process" to anyone.
Then the blurb. OMG. I hate writing blurbs.
But it's all done now, so I am a happy, grateful person. The story is tight and compelling. The cover is shiny and gorgeous! The inside of the book looks both beautiful and engaging! I like the blurb. I even came up with a couple of comparables, even though using them makes me feel major imposter syndrome.
You be the judge:
Humans have been on this planet for 78 years.
THE LIMINALIS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE.
Libet’s trip to Colony Arroyo to visit a mother she’s never known, becomes a transformative adventure of personal growth, societal upheaval and awe-inspiring scientific discovery.
She is challenged with a brain injury that causes seizures and memory loss; must learn to travel through the giant javali trees in order to hide from the authorities; and immediately falls under the spell of the floating invertebrates her father called the “liminalis.” In defiance of her powerful mother who considers the liminalis to be dangerous, Libet sides with and rallies a group of outcasts to change the status quo and protect these unique, fascinating creatures from the threat of extinction by the dictatorial government.
In the process of laying bare secrets and lies about the native species, Libet gradually, and somewhat mysteriously, recovers her health while uncovering the reasons her father left the colony with her 25 years earlier and—extraordinarily—why he was never forgotten by the highly intelligent and empathic liminalis.
If you love animals, you will love this story. The Liminalis falls on the spectrum of "extremely satisfying stories featuring charming aliens" somewhere between Remarkably Bright Creatures and Project Hail Mary.
Get to know the liminalis!
By the way, liminalis is pronounced lim-in-AH-lis
:: SMORGASBOWLS::
Poke bowls are one of my favorite meals. Poke is a Hawaiian word meaning to slice or cut crosswise into pieces. Traditional bowls would have pieces of salted fish with seaweed and other local ingredients. They have caught on big time and now include many Asian variations, often with tuna as the protein. To me, they are like a smorgasbord, but in a bowl! Hello, Hawaiian/Swedish fusion.
Here's my take on "smorgasbowls." (see Nods and Nudges)
Basic Salad – greens, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes
Veggie and Fruit – Pickled things are great because they provide a brightness that the bowl definitely needs. Last week, I used my mandolin to slice a zucchini lengthwise and "quick pickled" it, letting it sit in a vinegar, water, sugar, salt, spice mix while I was preparing everything else. Onions and carrots are also easy to quick-pickle. Pickled beets are one of my favorite additions. As far as fruit: mangos are a great choice because of their taste. Haha. I mean. Right? Berries? For sure. Take your pick.
Protein – whatever you like and is good cold though you can include a heated ingredient—just add it last. Leftovers work great. Consider fish—tuna or salmon/fresh or canned; shellfish; tofu (I never have this, but it's because bowls for dinner are still iffy for my husband and I don't want to double down by serving him tofu at the same time); beans/chick peas.
Carb – leftover cooked rice is what I use, but also falafel (I found gluten-free frozen), corn (I take some from the freezer and sear it in a hot cast iron pan with some spices), quinoa, couscous, and potatoes, especially those little baby ones or seared sweet potato slices.
Cheese – This is protein, but it deserves its own category. Consider paneer (I put cubes in the same cast iron pan and coat them in turmeric and other spices). Feta is great. How about Gorgonzola or Parmesan?
Sauce – I love sauces. Do I tell you that in every newsletter? Probably. I like to mix up dressings for tacos and salads, so of course this works in a smorgasbowl. Last week, I used plain yogurt, tahini (go easy if it's bitter), lime juice, honey or maple syrup, spicy sauce, and fish sauce for saltiness. Then, I drizzled some beet juice in. Not sure the pink was that appetizing, but it tasted good.
Extras – Olives, capers, pomegranate (I never have this but it's so pretty), raisins (I like golden), nuts (I usually just throw on some chopped peanuts), fresh herbs
Put it artfully into a huge bowl and dig in. This, on a smaller scale, is perfect for lunch.
HAVE FUN!
::A BOWL OF MIXED BLESSINGS::
To hell with counting my blessings and being grateful. Publishing makes me grumpy.
I don't like that any rando out there can, without thought or consequence, dis my story that I created out of nothing but my imagination, hard work and countless hours. It's not fair. Or nice. I also don't like that I am publishing now when books are being written by AI as well as—it seems—everyone else. This makes it close-to-impossible to be found by anyone who doesn't have a link. I don't like that popular book covers are plain now instead of magnificently rich and layered; that romance—the spicier the better—seems to have become de rigueur; or that having your fiction being similar to something that's already been written is deemed a good thing. Grrr.
and yet...
One novel out in the world.
Another ready to be released.
A third hot on their heels.
These are accomplishments that younger me never believed would happen.
When my grumpiness takes over, I remind myself that some of the most irritating things—like A'zon's overreach—are what have made it possible for my books to be read by the public.
I do know that most people who have and will read my books are not trolls who want to hurt my feelings. They are readers. Ahhh! Holy readers, who just want a good story and who will have opinions about mine. It's what I want!
As with all mixed blessings, I have to consider the opposite of what I have.
Would I want to have never published these novels? Of course not.
I've mentioned my mantra before, but I need reminding, so maybe you do too.
This isn't the problem.
It's the solution.
—yours sincerely, Grumpy Bear
I was excited about MY new word: smorgasbowl! But of course, someone else not only thought of it before me but wrote a cookbook. Caryn Caruthers, Smorgasbowls. It looks fun.
Software I use for writing, formatting, and proofreading:
I have archived all past newsletters on Substack for your reviewing convenience. Here's the post about Betty Furness (who gave me my mantra when I was like ten years old).
Every Rule Undone is available at On the Same Page Books in Sydney, NS, The Other Cupboard Emporium in Indian Brook, NS, and Firestorm Books in Asheville, NC
I am hoping to have a vendor table at Sydney ComicCon the first weekend in October. All four of my books will be available, as well as my inconsequential needle-felted spiritSelves!
Our thriving Story Forge writing group in North Sydney, NS, that I've been a part of since 2002, is planning a first, maybe-annual Book Fair in November at the North Sydney Yacht Club. The Liminalis and at least two other books will be launched! Details next newsletter!
My new daily ritual: haiku. Stay tuned.
