It is SEPTEMBER and I’ve already had my first pumpkin spice latte. It’s like I told my social media audience, my feeling for PSL reflects what I think for McDonalds’ Shamrock Shake. I need just once a year. So back to Americanos, I go, because I scratched the PSL itch.
I am sitting in a coffee shop with two of my dear friends while I’m writing this. Meg Hafdahl (and her co-author, Kelly Florence) has a book coming out on September 5th. I actually acquired a copy of THE SCIENCE OF AGATHA CHRISTIE at a local author’s event in my hometown and cannot WAIT to read it. J. Lynn Else is the other author I’m with – she is one hell of a good author and has her first children’s book coming out in the near future. To be in the company of these darlings made for a good writing session.
Talking with them reminded me what I wanted to share with you! I read this fantastic article about Annette Bening last month and was reminded why I think she’s a national treasure.
I also cannot believe that I forgot to tell you about the audiobook I’ve been listening to lately. Dave Grohl’s The Storyteller. It’s a collection of essays about his life and some of the adventures had while drumming for Nirvana and leading the Foo Fighters. The best part? Grohl is narrating his audiobook, so you’re getting the story straight from his mouth. There’s a part of me that I want to have my kids listen to this book, but there’s a lot of language in it. I may wait a year or two.
Finally, this recipe is one that’s been in frequent rotation in my house. Three out of my four family members eat it cheerfully, so the one who does not? He can make himself a peanut butter sandwich.
So here’s the news from me on my recent reads, what’s in my ears (other than Dave Grohl), and writing progress:
Recent Reads: So, the book I was talking about the last time I wrote is called “The Lazy Genius Way” by Kendra Adachi. I will say that this feels geared more towards the feminine gender and definitely has a Christian bent to it, but it was a good read for this agnostic.
Listening: I am still on my Monkees kick, but have been drifting back to my first love over the past few weeks as I’ve been working on a bunch of different projects. And I’ve been waking up at 4 in the morning with this song in my head. (And to be clear, it’s the Little Feat version, not the Ronstadt version. Ronstadt is absolutely golden and slays the song, but Lowell George’s voice sings to me when I wake in the early morning and his pragmatic voice becomes an ear worm that does not go away until I’ve had my first cup of coffee.)
Writing Life: I’m not gonna lie, I’m having some FOMO this week. Most of my mystery writing friends are in San Diego for the 2023 Bouchercon conference. I love the pictures I’m seeing of my friends boarding their flights for California, taking selfies after successful panel appearances. But, this is not the season for me to attend. I’ll be ready to join them next year in Nashville for the 2024 conference. I am working on a short story submission for next year’s anthology. Fingers crossed that it lands.
Happy almost fall!
– Shelley
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What is First Friday? This started originally as “Friday Fare” where I posted a hodgepodge of links and some of the things that were living rent-free in my noggin. This is a monthly version of that.
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