I’ve been coloring while re-reading A Little Life. It keeps me going, even when the pages keep getting darker. I’ve missed coloring, it’s been something to help keep my hands busy. (I know I’ve been writing waay too much about my reading experience with A Little Life, but I seriously can’t stop obsessing over it.)
The imagery and the bright colors help me focus: bright red, light blue, a light shade of brown, a golden splotch here and there–
I’ve been able to distance myself from the pain. Coloring animals is my way of staying focused as these characters go about their lives.
With each color picked from the palate, I feel a little like a painter, naming my creatures afterwards. I.E. “Horse of the Forest.”
Coloring helps me entertain myself as I listen, throws some light on the shade of the pages. I’ve been down this road one before, but in my head, I change the story. (I actually have a happier version that I’m writing, just for myself. Working on this fan fiction, sticking to the bones of the real story, helps me heal from the tragedy of the real novel.)
For me, coloring and reading is the new knitting. Just a different task.
The Nerdy Nook 