This Week In My Library 11.8.23

protein, 200th drafts and holy spoken word

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 thats me!!

Tein Tein: Also known as Protein. This week I binged an audiobook by Dr. Gabrielle Lyon called Forever Strong: A New Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well. As someone who was a former college athlete and still lifts 3x a week, I've long been reverent to our muscular skeletal system, especially as we age. This book has been revelatory, especially when it comes to the importance of dietary protein. If you're working on any nutrition or fitness health goals, this is an insightful read.

Next up: A book of poetry, Sensations by St. Dill. I met the phenomenal Ms. Dill six years ago when she was a film student at Cal Berkeley, and we collaborated to produce my first ever show. Its amazing to watch creatives find their voice. Really looking forward to reading this collection of poems about finding triumph through perseverance.

What I'm writing: T-minus two weeks until That Novel goes back to my agents! I can't believe this 7-month revision is nearing the finish line. It has tested me, for sure. But it's such a reminder that most things I'm proud of are the product of SO much editing. There's really no such thing as a brilliant first draft. Only a brilliant 200th.

Women’s Studies

What gets passed down becomes our history. A few for the canon: Holy spoken word. If you want to be moved, play ACCENTS by Denice Frohman. I played it for my class of young writers last week, and by the end they were all clapping and cheering, and I was in tears. This celebration of voices and this ode to a mother was a breathtaking piece of art. Enjoy.

Pass it on

Stories are heirlooms. Here's one of mine: Last week I went to a Stevie Nicks concert with my bestie in town and all I can say is...I want to be Stevie when I grow up! She's 74-years old and still absolutely rocking it. If she's stopping in your city, it's definitely worth the show. Personally, I felt like I had time traveled back to Fleetwood Mac during their prime. This is probably a good time to tell you that Daisy Jones and the Six on Prime (based on Stevie + Fleetwoods life) is a delight of a series. Highly recommend watching if you missed it (it's also a book, which sadly I didn't get to first).

xx