I’m safe. We’re safe. We’re among the lucky ones.

For those who don’t know the elephants behind Elephant’s Bookshelf Press, we live in New Jersey. I’ve lived here most of my life. On one of my Twitter profiles, I refer to it as “God’s Country.” It’s green and pleasant and generally a wonderful (albeit expensive) place to live.

Lately, however, I’ve been calling it suburban Epicenter.

New York City, roughly a marathon run away from my home, has become the epicenter. Over a thousand people dead. Over ten thousand known to have contracted the virus.

And the numbers aren’t a lot better in New Jersey.

I lived through 9/11, and a phrase I said often back then was “Everybody knows someone.” I had a friend who perished in one of the Twin Towers when it collapsed on him.

I knew others who died that day. And family members were lucky to have gotten away with only their mental health affected — not that such wounds are easier to handle.

The coronavirus pandemic has a lot of similarities.

One thing I’ve noticed is how we talk to one another. While we sometimes end a conversation with the typical “See you later,” more often I hear people saying through their N95 mask, “Stay safe.”

Safety is key.

So I ask you, faithful readers, how are you doing? Are you safe?

How are you staying safe?

And for those who live in areas where, perhaps, the virus hasn’t been too devastating so far, any questions you have that some of us in and around the Epicenter might be able to answer?

Rest assured, we’re also working on books and developing new things that’ll interest our readers and our authors. I’ve been in touch with authors who may become new EBP novelists. Frankly, it’s pretty exciting to me. And I’m developing new revenue opportunities that are also pretty cool to see.

But right now, the thing that has been most on my mind is you.

Stay safe.

Matt