Sorry to bother you so late in the day! I hope your holiday weekend has been lovely—filled with family, friends, good food, and time for relaxation. Mine has been, and as a result, today’s newsletter will be brief.
I’ll leave you with just two things here at the top. First is a reminder, for those who’ve been around a while, and an announcement for those who are new: Coffee Chats Wrapped will be returning this year! The format of the next and final newsletter of 2024 will change slightly as I share my top recommendations and writing accomplishments. Look for it in your inboxes on December 15th!
Second is a call for you to do something kind for yourself. I’ve been running on fumes, recently, busy with work and writing and personal projects and all the tiny fires of life; it’s put me in not the greatest headspace. Taking time to slow down and enjoy quality time with loved ones this weekend—and to spend some time in nature—really helped to pull me out of that spiral. It’s good to do that every now and again. So, if you’re looking for a sign to show yourself a little kindness in the coming days, this is it. Take a nice stroll! Have a treat! Take a nap! Cozy up and read or watch something you love! You deserve it.
Okay—sending love and peace your way. Talk soon!
📸 Story Updates
A huge thank you to everyone who reached out and helped to review “Fine, thanks”! I was able to complete a final, workshopped draft of the new story by my deadline, and I couldn’t be happier with the result. (That’s a bit of a fib, actually—I realized through workshopping that I’d like to expand the story to maybe five or ten times its current size, because I just really enjoyed the concept. But that will have to wait!).
Anyway—I have a few loose ends to tie up with my ongoing side projects, and then I’ll be returning to Project Curses. Writing something new ended up being a bit of a palate cleanser—I feel refreshed and, somehow, much more prepared to return to the novel. It’s all working out nicely!
📚 Reading
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan // This novel (which, at around 130 pages is really more of a novella) won the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction back in 2022 and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It was also adapted into a film starring Cillian Murphy earlier this year, which I plan to watch soon. Accolades aside—the story is a brief, poignant journey into the ordinary and a brilliant example of the beauty and magic of words. It’s also, conveniently, set at this time of year, and engenders that sort of fellow feeling people yearn for when the days grow short and the year long; I highly recommend giving it a read this month. Thank you to Zack N. for the recommendation!
🎧 Listening
We Fell in Turn by Kalia Vandever // I was so busy gushing about Haley Henderickx in the last newsletter that I completely forgot to mention her opener! Vandever came on just before Heynderickx and, with only her trombone and a few effects pedals, cast a spell over the entire venue. Her music is intimate, emotional, sweeping, and powerful in turn—wonderful to enjoy during a quiet moment or while reading or writing.
Songbook Vol. 2 by The Westerlies // Speaking of incredible brass acts that have opened for Heynderickx (what a fun, specific sentence), have I shared the Westerlies here before? I should probably know that. If not—well. Give them a listen. And if you’re feeling festive, they have a beautifully brassy holiday album to boot!
In the frame: Sunrise at Folly Beach, SC.
Things I Learned This Thanksgiving:
Roasting sweet potatoes makes them so much easier to peel and cut. Why did I not know this??
Breaking green beans, instead of cutting them, keeps the beans themselves intact. Also, blanching them before baking preserves a nice crunch!
I will do basically anything to make a baby laugh, and no matter how ridiculous that gets, it’s always worth it.
I’m a bit neurotic about my writing, which is good in some ways and bad in others. Regardless, I should listen to people when they say nice things about my stories.
Letting wine breathe is definitely, actually a thing. I already knew this, but I need the reminder that delayed gratification is good.
I have so, so much to be grateful for; it’s easy lose sight of that when bogged down by the minutiae. I ought to get back into the habit of gratitude listing and make Thanksgiving a year-round holiday.
And with that—I’m grateful for you. Thank you for being a part of my life!
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