CHEERLEADERS, CRUTCHES AND MEDIUM FRIENDS

LIFE OF A BOOKMAN

Bookman: 1. a person who has a love of books and especially of reading. 2. a person who is involved in the writing, publishing, or selling of books. Oh, hi that's me!!

Purchased but not opened: Well, my week did not go as planned – more on that at the end of this letter – and I read approximately zero books (but bought two new ones, reviews coming soon!). I've been in a very horizontal position the last week, and from this couch-POV, my eye keeps catching the Four Winds cover on my coffee table. If you haven't read this epic Dust Bowl drama by Kristin Hannah, it's worth a read. The main character suffers, so I can't say it's a light summer breeze. But if you're feeling moody like me, this Great Depression-era book will throw you into a story so good you forget about your own troubles.

What I'm writing: I'm back into the planning of a new story, and I've been struggling to figure out my character's misbelief (this is what will guide her arc of change throughout the story). It determines what I include in the plot, and what I don't. It determines what those events mean, and what they don't. IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET RIGHT. And it needs to be right. I did an entire blueprint of the book using what I thought her misbelief was (“If I make it, I'll matter”), but it wasn't clicking. It felt forced. So I returned again to my main fictional character's (not-fictional-at-all) 100-year-old autobiography, I think I finally figured out her misbelief. Stay tuned if this one can handle the load of blueprint planning and a key scene outline. Fingers crossed.

WOMEN’S STUDIES

What gets passed down becomes our history. A few for the canon:

I love friendship. I love the art of friendship. I love understanding friendship better. I love my friends. AND, this piece The Vexing Problem of the Medium Friend: "They're not our besties, but they're more than just acquaintances. How much of ourselves do we owe them?“ This was a very confronting read – and I still don't know how I feel about it. Part of me thinks that the natural ebb, flow, conflict and closeness of friendship should be more normal than it is. And the other part of me remembers about 5 years ago when I had to conduct my own ”State of Friendships“ and get clear on who I'd move heaven and earth to show up at their (fill in the blank) and who it was OK to not. Because showing up – with time, money, attention, and resources – for every friend I've ever been best friends with at one point but am not exactly besties with a this moment....just doesn't work.

Other stray but wildly interesting (to me) links: the vagina has a microbiome, fascinating article courtesy of the SEED probiotics that I swear by (use this link if you want $25 off). Life/gut comfort changing for me!!!

Oh, and I started watching America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on Netflix. As a girl who grew up going to Cowboys games and knows multiple women who are former DCC, I'm loving this show. It shows how hard-working and intensely talented, kind and community-loving these young women are. The filmmakers do a great job at getting to the heart of this team, and also the huge role they've played in the Cowboys global brand. But I've shouted at the TV multiple times: SO PAY THEM LIKE IT!!!!!

PASS IT ON

Stories are heirlooms. Here's one of mine:

Well, I broke my ankle (no surgery needed tho!!!) It's been a tough week – had to cancel a trip to NYC. Hobble around on crutches. And sort through how to do life and dog-momming on one foot. It's been a lesson in asking for and allowing help (which I currently give myself a D minus at) and not over-narrating why this happened when I was feeling the dancing-in-the-kitchen kind of great. Sometimes shit happens? Sometimes even off-the-chart dense bones break? Sometimes there is no “why” just a “what's next”? Anyways, send good shows, podcasts, and books because I'm on my booty a lot this month icing/elevating, and I could use the entertainment.

Woman (and boots) on xx