erin

flax-golden tales: enjoy your stay

enjoy your stay

The Hotel is a place that is stumbled upon, often unexpectedly, by anyone who is in need of a stay.

There is already a reservation in their name at the desk.

A suite awaits with wrapped chocolates poised precariously on perfectly fluffed pillows.

Room service brings anything a guest might desire, completely free of charge.

(And they do mean anything.)

The light in the hallways is soft and pleasing to the eye, no harsh fluorescents casting twitching shadows.

The entire Hotel, from the lobby to the penthouse, is glowing and serene.

It is an oasis from the outside world. A respite in which anything can be accomplished.

And still, guests spend most of their time in the bar.

About flax-golden tales. Photo by Carey Farrell. Text by Erin Morgenstern.

By erin, ago

post-revisionland

And revisions are done. Beta-ed, adjusted again, re-beta-ed & polished to a high shine.

It is almost disgusting how much better it is than the last draft. Seriously.

I’m not leaving the Revisionland Hotel because I have too many friends here and I like the bar. But I’m done. Done done done.

Sending the New & Improved version back to agents first thing tomorrow. Kind of baffled that I’ve finally reached this point.

Anyway, while I was unplugged last week I did mostly nothing but rewrite and rework and make good sentences great and listen to so much Pandora radio (Arcade Fire station) that I blew my 40 free hours for the month. Might have to invest in fancypants Pandora.

Y’all were also spared a rant about last week’s LOST. Um, I still love it like candy but that episode made me mad. Like, livid, throwing things mad. And not just because I love Frank. Sigh. Am nervous about the rest of the season. I didn’t think they’d be able to lose me at this point, but now I’m kind of concerned.

I also started knitting a new scarf, because nothing says spring like new scarves.

Not sure what I’m going to do with myself once this thing is out of my hands again. Reading & yoga, most likely. For now I have champagne sorbet.

By erin, ago

flax-golden tales: this is not twue wuv

this is not twue wuv

You send me all these roses.

Every time I think the last bouquet has arrived, finally, another turns up.

I’m running out of vases.

I didn’t know roses came in so many colors.

You say they’re the perfect symbols of love because they have thorns and love is pain.

I say life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.

And you don’t get it.

You say you love me, but you don’t speak my language.

You don’t even realize I’m an orchid girl.

About flax-golden tales. Photo by Carey Farrell. Text by Erin Morgenstern.

By erin, ago

unplugging again

I am sequestering myself in the Revisionland Hotel this week.

I am very close to done with my additional, post-beta reader revisions. I am extremely pleased with all the changes so far, and what’s left is all sorts of thoughtful detail stuff. I’ve rebuilt the entire room and now I have to finalize the window treatments and upholstery and possibly move that one chair into the other corner where it will get better light.

Excuse me whilst I make interior decorating analogies about writing.

Anyway, in order to focus on revisions I am taking the week off from the internet.

I will be checking my e-mail if you need me for anything.

I will be back on Friday with this week’s flax-golden tale.

I hope y’all have lovely weeks!

<3

e.

By erin, ago

cookies

So y’all know I have a thing for Etsy vintage. Remind me to post pictures of the boy’s new fedora.

Months ago, I stumbled upon vintage cookie cutters & couldn’t think of any good reason not to get them, so I did.

But I had no rolling pin, so I couldn’t really do anything with them.

They’re fun. There are five of them, in playing card suits (heart, diamond, spade, club) and there’s an extra bonus star.

I ended up getting a rolling pin about a week ago, you can see it in the background of the photo. It’s black! A nice gothic touch to baking time.

So today I finally baked sugar cookies.

I need to work on my rolling skills because they ended up rather uneven, but they taste good and they don’t look half bad, so I’m calling that a win. Especially considering it was my very first sugar cookie attempt.

Will eventually make a batch with black & red icing. Not feeling daring enough for that just yet.

By erin, ago

flax-golden tales: backyard uprising

backyard uprising

I help the guy next door with his garden sometimes. He gives me a few dollars a week to keep the flowers watered and stuff like that. I offered to trim the hedge but he says he likes to keep it like that to camouflage his workshop.

He builds these, I don’t know, robot-looking things like the Tin Man from OZ in there. Some of them turn their heads or wave their arms, and when they move they make this really horrible squeaking sound.

The first time I saw the inside of the workshop I was surprised I hadn’t heard the noise before, but he plays really loud classical music and that mostly drowns it out.

The music stopped this morning.

And then the robot things started walking.

Luckily, they’re kind of slow.

I locked the door, but the squeaking is getting closer.

About flax-golden tales. Photo by Carey Farrell. Text by Erin Morgenstern.

By erin, ago