Ope! I had a blog drafted in April and I failed to upload it. That, in a nutshell, dear friends should tell you everything you need to know about what’s going on in my life.
Here’s what’s interesting in my universe:
I think if you go back and search “Tracy Clark” in my blog contents, you’re going to come up with a lot. I admire her immensely as a writer and I pinch myself to be able to call her friend. This blog post with Rogue Women Writers was a good one. (Rogue Women Writers blog)
I don’t even know where to begin with who I love more in this pairing—Andrew “Hot Priest” Scott or Olivia “The Queen” Colman. In this article, Colman interviews Scott in advance of his show “Ripley” coming out. (Ripley, of course, is the brainchild of Patricia Highsmith.) There’s a lot of love and humor in this piece. (Interview Magazine)
Speaking of absolute queens, Lake Minnetonka Magazine interviewed Minnesota author (and my FRIEND!) Christine Husom. The pictures taken of Christine are stunning and this is a neat look into the back story on how she turned to a life of crime … writing about it at least. (Lake Minnetonka Magazine)
I am ridiculously stoked to be part of this announcement from the Bouchercon National Board of Directors at the end of March. For the past year-plus, I’ve been part of a stellar group of authors, editors, and mystery community members who serve as the Bouchercon Advisory Committee.
Finally, I’ve been low-key obsessed lately with this soup. And bonus … it freezes well. (Smoky Lentil Soup from Pinch of Yum)
Monthly minutia:
March and April were a little … anemic … in terms of word count.
So, we’re just gonna leave it at that.
Books read:
I’ve been reading a lot lately. Nine books in March and seven books in April. (Needless to say, I will be crushing my Goodreads goal for 2024 after sucking wind in years 2022 and 2023.) Here are some highlights:
I read a pair of books by Lyz Lenz in March: This American Ex-Wife: How I Ended My Marriage and Started My Life and God Land: A Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America. I’ve been following Lenz for a few years and have particularly enjoyed her columns. Both of these books are incredible.
Jo: An Adaptation of Little Women by Kathleen Gros | I enjoyed this book. Full stop. I found it in the Children’s section of my local library while my kiddos were picking out their own books. This adaptation takes Louisa May Alcott’s story and modernizes it. This was just a sweet and enjoyable graphic novel.
Killer Secrets by Kathleen Donnelly | I will admit that I probably have too much bias to be neutral when it comes to Kathleen’s books. After all, I adore her and consider her to be one of my dearest writer friends. HOWEVER, Killer Secrets – the third book in her K-9 series – is just damn good. I texted her afterwards and told her that in this book, she just leveled up … I know that sounds like a weird compliment, but it’s amazing to watch a person’s trajectory and just see the leaps and bounds of talent that they’re refining over the course of their work.
Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar | Amina is probably one of my favorite people on social media and her books are just stunners. This is her latest and if you like all things spooky, this one is for you.
Ejaculate Responsibly by Gabrielle Blair—This was a three-hour audiobook. And very pertinent, especially as we see women’s rights being rewound by decades. (Also, this is the book that I’m recommending to all of my friends.)
Gennaro’s Cucina by Gennaro Contaldo—Gennaro was the crotchety old dude who was probably my FAVORITE part of watching Jamie Oliver when he was on Food Network. This was a fun read.
A Death in Malta: An Assassination and a Family’s Quest for Justice by Paul Caruana Galizia | I lived in Malta when I was a junior in college. (My 25th reunion of this group is later this summer – WTH.) I remember in 2014 when journalist Daphne Cauana Galizia was assassinated and the agonizing amount of time for the family to prove what so many thought was a conspiracy theory … Caruana Galizia’s murder was orchestrated by some of the highest echelons of Malta’s government. Paul Caruana Galizia is Daphne’s son and this is a bittersweet and moving read.
I’ll Just Be Five More Minutes: And Other Tales from My ADHD Brain by Emily Farris | This book starts out strong and the essays that I read prior to the book’s publication really showcased the author’s voice and propelled me to check it out from my library. This is a good book, but at a certain point, my Gen X sensibilities got really frustrated with the narrator.
In April I read:
Motherland: A Memoir of Love, Loathing, and Longing by Elissa Altman
Hurt for Me by Heather Levy (This was delightfully spicy.)
Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey
A pair of Omid Scobie books about the modern royals: Finding Freedom and Endgame. I really enjoyed Freedom, but Endgame was a little drier for my taste.
Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport (I lurve Newport.)
And probably one of my favorite books so far of this year – World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music by Jeff Tweedy. I listened to this one via audiobook and the author narrated it. So very good, even if you’re not overly familiar with Tweedy’s music (Uncle Tupelo and Wilco).
I don’t really see a throughline in the books that I read. I am a bit of a gadfly – hepped up on social media recommendations and then chasing rabbit holes in search of everything that someone like Jeff Tweedy has written and/or putting holds on recommendations that my friends are making. And apparently I’m really, really, really liking non-fiction these days.
Hmm.
I hope this missive finds you well. As always … onward and upward, friends.
– Shelley
***
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.