oh look a newsletter
also I'm reading at Noir at the Bar TONIGHT ✨
The problem with writing a newsletter is that you have to actually write it. I’ve had so many other projects competing for my writing attention lately (revisions on Both Things Are True, feverish drafting of another project that I am dying to talk about but can’t just yet, a couple of other weird little ideas that keep pulling my attention like the red shirt girl in the distracted boyfriend meme) that sitting down to draft a newsletter just felt beyond my capacity.
Anyway. If you saw my Instagram post last week, you know I just had my birthday! I celebrated by treating myself to a facial, taking my kid to soccer practice, going out for happy hour-priced sushi with my family (my tiny daughter claimed the entire edamame appetizer as her own), and then enjoying a delightful key lime pie my husband made for me. It perhaps wasn’t the most thrilling birthday I’ve ever experienced (maybe someday I’ll tell you about the land border crossing birthdays, but you can read about my birthday in an Ethiopian castle here) but it was nice. ❤️
And, as promised, I’m spreading the birthday joy! I used a random number generator to select one subscriber and I’ll be sending a book their way. Hooray! 🥳
Speaking of birthdays, fellow DMV-area author E.A. Aymar is celebrating his birthday today! Today would be a good day to pick up one of his Anthony-nominated books, and if you’re a member of our Sisters in Crime chapter, make sure to come to our meeting on Saturday! Ed will be interviewing Magen Mintchev of @bonechillingbooks about all things bookstagram.
Also, also, speaking of area events (look at all my segues!), there’s a can’t-miss Noir at the Bar tonight at Elaine’s in Alexandria. Why “can’t-miss”? Because I’m reading, of course! (lol. But seriously, there’s a lot of great talent on the ticket, and Noir is fun!) N@tB is free (with food and drinks available for purchase at Elaine’s) but snag a free ticket here so the organizers know how many people to expect.
And that’s all my news … for now. [insert dramatic music here] I really hate to keep with the vagueposting but, my friends, I truly have ✨ EXCITING NEWS ✨ that I hope I’ll be able to share soon. I’ll pop into your inbox when the time comes (just try and stop me haha) to let you know!
Until then …
📕 Reading: The Wedding People by Alison Espach — I feel like the cover copy should let you know that the reason Phoebe is at the wedding inn is because she’s going to kill herself? I guess it’s there between the lines, but I didn’t understand until I started reading and then I was like 👀. The tone was different than what I expected, you know? But! I got past that rather quickly and am really enjoying it. The characters are so fun.
📘 Up Next: Hollow Bones by Erica Wright — Erica is a poet, and that really comes through in her novels. I’ve been dying to read this one—inspired by Shakespeare with snake handlers!—ever since she first mentioned it to me.
📺 Watching: Only Murders in the Building — Sazz’s death is hitting me harder than the other murders in the building. 😢 We’re also going to start the new season of Slow Horses, but they’ve been teasing a main character death and I’m still not over who we lost in Season 2 so really just not sure that I’m ready for that.
Anyway! Let me know if there’s something good I should be reading or watching or if you have some mystical way to create more time in a day. xo
Header image credit: Matheus Frade on Unsplash (*** Not the meme one lol, I clicked something wrong the first time — the confetti one ***)