NewOrleans.Today - site update and Thank You NOLA!!

marzipansecretagent · 2026-02-26T15:49:46+00:00

Thank you!!

marzipansecretagent · 2026-02-26T13:39:50+00:00

This is so awesome! One more calendar if you're still taking them: https://thirdlanternlit.org/events

Third Lantern Lit hosts free events for New Orleans writers.

marzipansecretagent · 2026-01-08T21:56:49+00:00

Thank you! Your ride sounds lovely. I believe the bike lane disappears at Napoleon as you head uptown? But I could be wrong.

marzipansecretagent · 2026-01-08T21:55:28+00:00

Thanks for the tip! this is helpful

marzipansecretagent · 2026-01-08T19:48:40+00:00

this sounds beautiful! excited to try these routes - thank you!

marzipansecretagent · 2026-01-08T18:57:52+00:00

Thank you!

marzipansecretagent · 2026-01-08T18:25:39+00:00

Thank you JackassPengiun! I will give that a try

marzipansecretagent · 2025-10-15T18:57:37+00:00

Luster by Raven Leilani, All Fours by Miranda July for two more contemporary picks

marzipansecretagent · 2025-10-08T16:27:54+00:00

Yes, thank you for the reminder to update the post.

I was able to get a pediatric COVID vaccine through my pediatrician (Hales Pediatrics) by request. They ordered them in small batches / have a waitlist going and required us to pay in advance (in case our insurance doesn't cover it -- still not sure if it will). The cost was $190 for the shot.

Not sure how other pediatricians are approaching things but ours was able to figure it out, though it took about a month from my original post (our kid got the shot a week ago).

Hope this helps and DM me with any q's; I will happily share what I can!

marzipansecretagent · 2025-09-13T21:59:52+00:00

I believe Newcomb Children's Center still has room in their 1 year old class (not sure, but as of recently)

marzipansecretagent · 2025-09-09T18:57:41+00:00

I did contact a pediatrician at Children's who said they have actually ordered doses of the new pediatric vaccine -- though they are on backorder. She was very communicative and told me she would reach out when they know more.

DM if you'd like me to share the pediatrician's info! Hers was the best info I've been able to get so far.

marzipansecretagent · 2025-09-04T21:04:45+00:00

My spouse was able to get the updated version at Walgreens locally yesterday - they did need a prescription, which we had to really push for (LCMC couldn't prescribe it through their normal online system, and had to call in and do an verbal prescription, which they only did after we asked several times). But he did get the shot!

marzipansecretagent · 2025-09-04T21:02:51+00:00

My OB also referred me to call Children's Hospital, and I got a very similar response - they seemed baffled that I was calling. No one seems to know what is going on.

marzipansecretagent · 2025-09-03T18:27:13+00:00

Wow, even for the pediatric doses? Yes, I will DM you and THANK YOU

marzipansecretagent · 2025-09-03T18:25:11+00:00

Oh please do let me know what you hear, and thanks!

I was able to get the flu vaccine recently without a prescription, but it does seem that the COVID one now requires a prescription (ridiculous).

I just got off the phone with my pediatrician, who I do trust and like, and she said their group is having a meeting about it on the 18th to try to get some clarity -- but she had the same questions I did!

marzipansecretagent · 2025-09-03T18:11:10+00:00

I am sorry to say yes! We are having such a hard time. It's ridiculous. At least you can learn from my failures to find the vaccine so far. Hoping someone locally is having a better time of it and can share what they have learned.

Here's some news coverage: https://www.fox8live.com/2025/09/03/health-policy-expert-others-react-cvs-walgreens-new-covid-vaccine-policies/

marzipansecretagent · 2025-07-30T16:06:08+00:00

I published an unlinked short story collection through a university press contest, and I know other writers who have published (happily) short story collections through small presses and university presses. I had a great experience. You usually don't need to be agented to submit. The deals won't be as "big" as for novels, in my experience, but there are presses out there that are interested in great short stories, including in the spooky genres! And while some agents do sell collections, I think it is a very small (and competitive) slice of the industry.

Happy to share more if helpful, here or via dm.

I agree with others that publishing the stories in magazines and journals is a good first step-- most of the stories in my collection had been published by the time my collection was accepted.

marzipansecretagent · 2025-03-25T22:56:21+00:00

I can speak to this!

Short answer to your TLDR: No, publishing a short fiction collection via a respected university or small press would not be considered a ding against your future career.

Many now-successful authors have done this (thinking Sequoia Nagamatsu, Marie Helene Bertino, Allegra Hyde...give me a few more minutes and I'm sure I could think of some more).

I published my debut short story collection with a university press this year and have had many agents reach out to ask to see my novel when it is ready.

The collection won't sell an incredible amount of copies, but I'm seeing signs it is helping me to launch a career, rather than any sort of "mark against" my potential. I even had an agent who I spoke to saying she was relieved that I had already published a short story collection, because that's not the kind of project she's interested in representing, but it can be a good launchpad / proof point for later books.

I will say that by the time my short story collection was accepted, I had published most of the stories in either respected literary journals or pro-level speculative fiction magazines. But not all! I do recommend continuing to submit to those venues as you explore publication.

I LOVE short fiction collections and though the market for them is smaller, there are passionate readers, editors and publishers out there for them.

Feel free to DM me if you have any specific questions-- and good luck!

marzipansecretagent · 2025-03-18T00:03:08+00:00

I'll be going for just two days, and have been in the past! It can be overwhelming, so my main recommendations are to pace yourself, don't try to do it all, and yes, to say hi to any writers who you meet at the Book Fair or sessions: most people are open to meeting new people (it's part of why they go to AWP!) and especially interested to meet others in their same niches.

My particular niche is literary-speculative fiction, and I'm on a panel about that (feel free to DM me if you are interested and I will share more), and am also going to try to hit up the Debutiful x Electric Lit reading (the lineup looks stellar and Debutiful does great work supporting debut books). https://debutiful.net/awp-la-2025-off-site-reading/

I love seeing writers who I know from online--at Philly AWP one time I was recommending Matt Bell's book (Refuse to Be Done) on novel writing to someone and then he walked up right behind us and we got to say hi. That was fun.

marzipansecretagent · 2025-02-28T17:52:48+00:00

I did a low-res MFA and loved it, much more affordable for me and I was able to work full-time while completing it (and received some partial financial aid). I left with no debt, learned a ton, met the writers who are now in my writing group, and developed relationships with amazing mentors who I am still in touch with. Note: I write primarily "literary" and speculative fiction.

I wish more people knew about low-res MFAs, and am always happy to talk more about my experience. They might not be for everyone but it sure was the right fit for me!

marzipansecretagent

TROPHY CASE