Hello Mythketeers,
I first want to take a moment and thank everyone who sent prayers and good thoughts for a speedy recovery. I am still struggling through this, with good days and bad days, but I am getting better. I appreciate all the well wishes. Thank you all so much.
This year so far has been a struggle for me on many fronts. As I am sure it has been for many of you. I can see it in the stories that you are writing. The words you are using and the way you are telling a tale. The midwinter melancholy has us tight in its grip. I could give you many clinical methods to shake the winter blues, but I'm not a therapist. What I can do is let you know I am here for support, and a shoulder or an ear, whatever you need. It doesn't matter where you live, be it a place buried in snow or somewhere that is sunny all the time, the blues come for us all at some point. I could tell you to channel it into your writing, but I feel that would make me a hypocrite since I haven't written anything new myself for a long time. I struggle every winter, but this year seems harder than most, and I don't know why. My creative flame is a flicker, and I need fuel to bring it back to a roaring flame. If I only knew what that fuel was. Each of us has a flame, a spark of inspiration, and when we feed it well, we create the most amazing worlds, tell the most incredible stories, and introduce the world to some interesting people, but when it is flickering, when we have run out of fuel, or run low, how do we get it back? I create in other ways. I work on my book nooks, my miniatures. I create more hair bling and jewelry. I turn to physical creativity to try to spark my mental creativity. This week, I have busted out the wood, the glue, and set about lighting that fire again. I had a flicker of an idea. I know I have to create something new, completely new, now I need to find out what it is. What are your 'go-to' methods when you are struggling? How do you get through it?
We all have them.
I want to congratulate Kathy Sherban for winning Member of the Month for her piece The Life of L.
I want to congratulate Marinda Kotze for her art piece, which is our first cover of 2026.
Two different avenues of creativity, but both are just as important and influential as the other. Well done, ladies!
I like to think that if a year starts off hard, if you are having struggles in the first month, that it is preparing you to face whatever the rest of the year is going to throw at you. It could also mean the rest of the year will be easier, smoother. However, my year or your year shapes up, let's make one thing certain: we will support each other, raise each other up, and encourage each other. There is room for all the stories, all the poetry, and all the artwork. This is an entertaining environment, not a competition. Unless we are discussing The Open Contract Challenge. Which is very much a competition. Get ready for it. It's coming.
Until next month,
Stephanie J. Bardy
Editor of back massagers, migraines, and coughs that never stop.