Saturday greetings.

Here's what we've been up to this week:

Our book review featured regular reviewer Emily Hall returning to write about Restitution by Tamar Shapiro, published by Regal House.

And this week's story, chosen by guest editor Nicholas Claro, was "Yellow Gifts" by Claudia Monpere, who we're glad to have in our pages for the first time.

We also have a special call for submissions open for a few days, to be published in the days around the winter solstice. The guidelines for that call are here.

Finally, thanks to Rohan Maitzen for sharing a link to Shawna Lemay's post about "making art anyway," when you doubt anyone else is going to read it or want it:

And THEN, usually, right after that, comes a feeling of freedom — if no one wants it, you might as well make whatever is in your heart, whatever most obsesses and compels you, entirely for yourself then.

It seems like a lot of artists and writers I know (myself among them) could use that reminder these days.

Thanks for reading,

Steve Himmer

PS This, I have just noticed while getting ready to send it, is my 100th installment of this newsletter. Which is maybe the sort of anniversary I should have done something to mark, but on the other hand I like not making a big deal so almost missing the occasion seems fitting. I'm reminded of New Year's Eve 2000, when I stood in a crowd of people waiting for the turn of the millennium but the town's countdown display malfunctioned just before midnight and we all missed the moment but not, after all, the occasion. Anyway, thanks for reading this and welcoming me into your inbox each week.