What I’ve Been Up To:
Lots of things I CAN talk about and lots of things I CAN’T. But mostly I’ve been working, momming, and trying to survive marching band season (oldest kid), baseball season (the other three kids), and having four kids in four different schools across two school districts. This is the one year that we have a high schooler, a middle schooler, an intermediate schooler (it’s a thing), and an elementary schooler. I’d like to say I’m juggling everything like a boss but the truth is that it’s kicking me in the teeth and mostly I don’t even know where I am or what’s going on.
What I’m Reading:
ONCE UPON A RIVER by Diane Setterfield. I loved it so much I can hardly talk about it. Pre-order now. Also, I can’t believe I’m saying this but I think I loved it even more than THE THIRTEENTH TALE. There is a character in this book named Robert Armstrong and he has become one of my top three literary men of all time. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH.
ENCHANTÉE by Gita Trelease. A really fun YA fantasy set during the French Revolution. I haven’t finished but so far it’s delightful. Magic! Romance! Versailles! And it publishes in February.
THE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN by George MacDonald. Currently reading this one out loud to my kids (yes, even the teenagers) and it is as delightfully fun as I remember it being when my mom read it to me eleventy-billion years ago. MacDonald is a lifetime favorite author and all his kids books were written to be read aloud so you can never go wrong with them.
What I’m Eating:
Lots of salad, dried mango from Aldi, these spicy pickles, (I get them at the grocery store, fyi, not Amazon) these protein bars (See above–lots of baseball and activities and running hither and yon. Thus a real struggle to eat actual meals at actual meal times. So I’ve resorted to grazing). But! This week I did cook Loaded Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole (really yummy but I’d leave out the peas next time), Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup (can you see the trend here?), and Sausage Potato Hash (sounds strange but is delicious–also Jo Cooks is probably my favorite food blogger–I cook probably 50% of her recipes).
What I’m Watching:
Mostly just the back of my eyelids. But we did binge watch The Office with our teens. (For which I kind of feel like I’m going to hell but it did provide countless opportunities to say, “Don’t be that guy!” Ah, Michael Scott). Which means we have a new catch phrase. Once the clock rounds 10:00 p.m. or so my husband will turn off the t.v. and announce, “I’m done.” To which myself or the boys will reply, “Dunder Mifflined.” And we all go to bed. The end.
What I’m Listening To:
Books:
CODENAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein (if you’ve not read this, please do, it’s AMAZING). With many thanks to Erika Robuck for the recommendation.
ON WRITING by Stephen King (just finished and it’s become my all-time favorite writing book). He narrates the book himself and it comes alive as a result.
Music:
Damage by Rachel Wammack (I’ve pretty much been listening to it on repeat for weeks now). It’s just SO TRUE and SO PRETTY.
What I’m Learning:
A whole hell of a lot about World War II. (See below)
What I’m Loving Right Now:
My new jeans (I bought them at TJ Max on the cheap) with my old battered white Chucks. (Also–ahem–the jeans DO NOT look this good on me. But they are so comfortable. And they stretch and there’s a whole lot to be said for that when you’re forty and tired and maybe not in the best shape of your life. Ahem). My husband always and forever. Apothic red wine. My electric blanket. My office. Long morning walks. Crunchy leaves. Cooler temperatures. Coffee with maple syrup that’s been aged in bourbon barrels (you can get this at Costco for considerably less–also, by the way, if you age anything in a bourbon barrel I’m gonna buy it).
Favorite Instagrams:
This is my fancy way of saying please follow me on Instagram. I post over there far more often than I post here. Plus, my She Reads co-founder, Marybeth Whalen, and I are about to announce some big news on our She Reads Instagram page (you should follow that one too).
Oh! Also, take another look at the second picture from the left. This is a short story anthology that I contributed to. It’s called A THOUSAND DOORS and was edited by my genius friend J.T. Ellison. Seriously, it’s probably the most creative project I’ve ever been a part of. It releases next week but you can pre-order now. My story is called The Spy. I’ve always wanted to write about spies. (Again, see below).
What I’m Working On:
A new book! Which I can finally tell you about! Even though it doesn’t have a title yet! Here’s the Publisher’s Marketplace announcement that ran recently:
Fiction: General/Other
Author of Indie Next Pick I WAS ANASTASIA, FLIGHT OF DREAMS and THE WIFE, THE MAID, AND THE MISTRESS, Ariel Lawhon’s novel recounting the true life story of the glamorous and cunning Nancy Wake, an Australian journalist who became a spy for the British during WWII, wreaking havoc on the Nazis and evading capture for the entirety of the war, to Margo Shickmanter at Doubleday, in a significant deal, by Elisabeth Weed at The Book Group.