Just here to find out more about the gift subscription to Bellevue Literary Review?
No problem! Scroll down to the Bellevue Literary Review Gift Subscription section of this email for all the details.

Hello again ,

You may have noticed that I've been quieter than usual online these days. I have a good reason... 

I have been in the mind-boggling exhaustion that is the first trimester of pregnancy! Woohoo!

Wanting to honor and protect my body, energy, and sanity, I pulled WAY back on writing related activities and took every chance I could to rest (especially after that whirlwind of conference going at the end of April / start of May).

In a way, it was only fitting that I attended AWP this year with my book in hand and baby #2 in utero since the last time I attended the conference in 2016 I was expecting both book and baby #1:

Our family can't wait to welcome our second kiddo into the world this Fall, and though I'm finally getting my energy back, I've decided to take it easy and turn my attention towards getting our home and lives ready for the big changes ahead.

That means a few things for this community:

• NEWSLETTER: You'll still get monthly email updates throughout the summer.

• BLOG: I'll no longer post weekly blogs, but I do have an upcoming blog series of Book Recommendations for Mamas. Stay Tuned!

• COMING THIS SUMMER!You Need a Website: A Practical Guide to the What, Why, and How of Building Your First Author Website!  An online version of this workshop, which is chock full of actionable next steps, will be available for purchase this summer. Stay tuned! 

• AUTHOR WEBSITES COURSE (POSTPONED): I've decided to postpone my more in depth author websites course until further notice.

• WRITER MAMI MATERNITY LEAVE: I'm planning on taking another Writer Mami Maternity Leave after kiddo is born. You can read more about my last Writer Mami Maternity Leave here, and I'll be sure to share my plans for this time around with you and on the blog.

Finally, I'm excited to share that my poem "Family Physician" will be published in the upcoming issue of the Bellevue Literary Review. 

As a contributor, I get to gift one membership subscription, and wanted to give you first dibs at a chance to win that free subscription (including the issue in which my poem appears)! 

Scroll below to learn more about the Bellevue Literary Review and about how to enter for a chance to win the subscription!

I can't wait to continue sharing news and insights about reading, writing, educating, Mamihood, and all things Puerto Rico in the months to come!

P.S. Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a gift subscription to the Bellevue Literary Review!

P.P.S. Scroll all the way to the bottom for a bonus pic of the parents-to-be!

As I mentioned above, my poem "Family Physician" will be published in the upcoming issue of the Bellevue Literary Review. As a contributor, I get to gift one gift subscription. 

Follow the instructions below for your chance to win!

WHAT YOU GET:
A free one year subscription (2 issues) of the Bellevue Literary Review beginning with the current issue that includes my poem "Family Physician."

TO ENTER:
Hit Reply to this email by Wednesday May 22nd, and include the message: I'd like a Gift Subscription the The Bellevue Literary Review!


WHAT HAPPENS NEXT:

• Next Thursday, May 23rd: I'll draw a winning name.
• Friday, May 24th: I'll contact the winner to request they send their name and address to receive their gift subscription. They will have to claim their subscription by Sunday, May 19th.
• Monday, May 20th: If the first winner has not claimed their gift subscription, I will draw another name, and will continue drawing names until the subscription is claimed.
• Once I have a confirmed winner, I will let everyone who entered know whether or not they won.

ABOUT BELLEVUE LITERARY REVIEW:
The Bellevue Literary Review, founded in 2000, was created as a forum for creatively exploring a broad array of issues in medicine and society, using fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to better understand the nuanced tensions that define our lives both in illness and in health. We are devoted to publishing writing that brings together the perspectives of patients, caregivers, family members, students, healthcare professionals, and the general public, allowing for deeper understanding of others’ experiences.

Founded by physician-writers who had frequently incorporated literature into their clinical teaching, the BLR was also initially conceived as a way to improve communication skills and to foster a greater sense of empathy in doctors-in-training. This focus expanded to the general public, given the broad and expanding societal interest in topics of illness, health, and healing. The aging of the population, the greater presence of illness in everyday life, and the intense political and economic focus on healthcare have combined to drive health-related issues into the public discourse in an unprecedented manner. By bringing in the creative literary arts and a fresh set of voices, the BLR provides a unique contribution to this societal conversation.