This Week In My Library 11.28.23

Dolly, money and writing what's next

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!!

Last to read: I have been recommended The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel by so many women I know and love. I'd skimmed content online, read overviews, and listened to Morgan's appearances on some of my favorite podcasts, but I'm finally reading it cover to cover. The stories are interesting, almost as interesting as the reflections it's stirring up about my own beliefs around money. It seems like everyone has already read this, thoughts? Am I the last to this party?

What I'm writing: Nada! I think this is the first week in many many many months that I can say that. Because That Novel is currently in the hands of my agents as they read. But! I'm ordering some books to research my next novel idea because one of the characters that I added during this revision of That Novel deserves her own book. Can't stop, won't stop!

Women’s Studies

What gets passed down becomes our history. A few for the canon: Let's stay on the money train with The Purse, a newsletter I look forward to every week by Lindsey Stanberry. Lindsey and I had books that came out on the same day in 2018, and I'll never forget a Blue Bottle Coffee date at the Ferry Building with her in the midst of our book tour whirlwinds. It was the first conversation I'd had where I felt I could be completely honest with how hard many parts of the book launch had been...and that was because Lindsey was honest first. That's why I love her newsletter so much...she goes to places in her writing and reporting that center transparency around numbers, around emotions, around missteps. Give The Purse a read and definitely subscribe if it fills you up.

Pass It On

Stories are heirlooms. Here's one of mine: Last week for Thanksgiving I was in Texas at the Cowboys game, where my family always spends the holiday. Seeing Dolly Parton giving the MOST in a Cowboys Cheerleader outfit during her halftime performance was such a lift. I don't care if you're pro-plastic surgery or majorly against it...I don't care if you look like a cheerleader at 77 or not...But I am inspired by the confidence to do whatever/sing whatever/wear whatever...that feels good to you. At any age. Dolly did that, and what a reminder to own our desires and creative power, no matter what people say.

It's no wonder why I Will Always Love You, which Dolly wrote, never made it into the hands of Elvis Presley. He wanted to record it. Everything was ready to make that happen, but the night before they were set to record, Elvis' manager called up and demanded half of the publishing rights in order for Elvis to record the song.

She didn't give up the rights. And he didn't record the song. It gives me chills to think of how hard that must have been. And what a gift that we'd eventually get the Whitney Houston recorded masterpiece.

May we all stay so true to ourselves!

xx