The Weekly Rundown

 

What I’ve Been Up To:

Lots of things I CAN talk about and lots of things I CAN’T. But mostly I’ve been working, momming, and trying to survive marching band season (oldest kid), baseball season (the other three kids), and having four kids in four different schools across two school districts. This is the one year that we have a high schooler, a middle schooler, an intermediate schooler (it’s a thing), and an elementary schooler. I’d like to say I’m juggling everything like a boss but the truth is that it’s kicking me in the teeth and mostly I don’t even know where I am or what’s going on.

What I’m Reading:

ONCE UPON A RIVER by Diane Setterfield. I loved it so much I can hardly talk about it. Pre-order now. Also, I can’t believe I’m saying this but I think I loved it even more than THE THIRTEENTH TALE. There is a character in this book named Robert Armstrong and he has become one of my top three literary men of all time. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH.

ENCHANTÉE by Gita Trelease. A really fun YA fantasy set during the French Revolution. I haven’t finished but so far it’s delightful. Magic! Romance! Versailles! And it publishes in February.

THE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN by George MacDonald. Currently reading this one out loud to my kids (yes, even the teenagers) and it is as delightfully fun as I remember it being when my mom read it to me eleventy-billion years ago. MacDonald is a lifetime favorite author and all his kids books were written to be read aloud so you can never go wrong with them.

What I’m Eating:

Lots of salad, dried mango from Aldi, these spicy pickles, (I get them at the grocery store, fyi, not Amazon) these protein bars  (See above–lots of baseball and activities and running hither and yon. Thus a real struggle to eat actual meals at actual meal times. So I’ve resorted to grazing). But! This week I did cook Loaded Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole (really yummy but I’d leave out the peas next time), Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup (can you see the trend here?), and Sausage Potato Hash (sounds strange but is delicious–also Jo Cooks is probably my favorite food blogger–I cook probably 50% of her recipes).

What I’m Watching:

Mostly just the back of my eyelids. But we did binge watch The Office with our teens. (For which I kind of feel like I’m going to hell but it did provide countless opportunities to say, “Don’t be that guy!” Ah, Michael Scott). Which means we have a new catch phrase. Once the clock rounds 10:00 p.m. or so my husband will turn off the t.v. and announce, “I’m done.” To which myself or the boys will reply, “Dunder Mifflined.” And we all go to bed. The end.

What I’m Listening To:

Books:

CODENAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein (if you’ve not read this, please do, it’s AMAZING). With many thanks to Erika Robuck for the recommendation.

ON WRITING by Stephen King (just finished and it’s become my all-time favorite writing book). He narrates the book himself and it comes alive as a result.

Music: 

Damage by Rachel Wammack (I’ve pretty much been listening to it on repeat for weeks now). It’s just SO TRUE and SO PRETTY.

What I’m Learning:

A whole hell of a lot about World War II. (See below)

What I’m Loving Right Now:

My new jeans (I bought them at TJ Max on the cheap) with my old battered white Chucks. (Also–ahem–the jeans DO NOT look this good on me. But they are so comfortable. And they stretch and there’s a whole lot to be said for that when you’re forty and tired and maybe not in the best shape of your life. Ahem). My husband always and forever. Apothic red wine. My electric blanket. My office. Long morning walks. Crunchy leaves. Cooler temperatures. Coffee with maple syrup that’s been aged in bourbon barrels (you can get this at Costco for considerably less–also, by the way, if you age anything in a bourbon barrel I’m gonna buy it).

Favorite Instagrams:

This is my fancy way of saying please follow me on Instagram. I post over there far more often than I post here. Plus, my She Reads co-founder, Marybeth Whalen, and I are about to announce some big news on our She Reads Instagram page (you should follow that one too).

Oh! Also, take another look at the second picture from the left. This is a short story anthology that I contributed to. It’s called A THOUSAND DOORS and was edited by my genius friend J.T. Ellison. Seriously, it’s probably the most creative project I’ve ever been a part of. It releases next week but you can pre-order now. My story is called The Spy. I’ve always wanted to write about spies. (Again, see below).

What I’m Working On:

A new book! Which I can finally tell you about! Even though it doesn’t have a title yet! Here’s the Publisher’s Marketplace announcement that ran recently:

Hi friends! It’s been a while but I’ve been busy writing and revising and editing a new novel (and then starting another but more on that later). I am delighted to say that I WAS ANASTASIA will release in a mere five weeks! But I want to get back in the swing of things on the blog so I’m borrowing an idea from my lovely, brilliant friend JT Ellison. A weekly rundown of sorts. Just a little something to stay in touch and, as I go into this season of book touring, a way to let you know where I’ll be and what’s going on. That said, here’s the scoop.

Where I’ve Been:

I recently went to Denver where I spoke to a bunch of fun-loving librarians at the ALA Midwinter conference about I WAS ANASTASIA. Ain’t no party like a library party and fun was had by all.

And I just go back from a trip to Ft. Myers, Florida where I discussed FLIGHT OF DREAMS with a group of really fun book lovers. They’re so fun, in fact, that there’s a waiting list to join. My kind of people.

What I’ve Been Up To:

Last week I recorded the Author’s Note for the audiobook version of I WAS ANASTASIA. It was a first for me and I realized what a hard job narrating is. I don’t think I’d ever really thought about it but man, speaking clearly with emotion into a microphone (that picks up every single little smack, lisp, and twang) is no joke. Even if you’re only reading five pages. Mad respect to those who do this for a living.

What I’m Reading:

A FATAL GRACE by Luise Penny. I’m late to the Penny Party but man, I’m glad I finally got here. She’s such a lovely writer. And I have an unapologetic literary crush on Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. 

What I’m Eating:

Okay, don’t laugh, but I can’t stop eating fresh radishes. As a matter of fact, I’ve eaten fresh radishes almost every day for the last year and a half. (I got turned on to them one afternoon in Cozumel) They’re fresh and crispy and have a tiny little kick. They’re great with humus (if, like me, you’re trying to cut down on carbs) and, BONUS, they’re packed with water, fiber, and they help fight bloating. Radishes for the win!

What I’m Watching:

The Olympics. Of course. And I have to say, all of those commercials and segments featuring lovely, supportive parents are tugging mercilessly on my heart strings. I’m a weepy mess almost every night.

What I’m Listening To:

The Greatest Showman soundtrack. On repeat, forever and ever amen. My husband and I finally saw the movie on our anniversary last month (SEVENTEEN years, people) and it was a pure delight from first moment to last. We loved every second of it and we both bought the soundtrack the moment we got home. It’s been on at our house ever since.

Another lovely song that I just discovered is Fear Is A Liar by Zach Williams. Go buy it on iTunes and thank me later.

And I’m kind of obsessed with Good Old Days by Kesha and Macklemore.

What I’m Learning:

I love baseball. This is not a sport I watched or played growing up. (Though I do remember one ill-fated afternoon in which I got hit in the head with a baseball bat during PE. I ended up with a goose egg in the middle of my forehead so big it had its own zip code.) But it’s amazing the things you learn to love when your kids take an interest in them. All of our boys play baseball and it’s fair to say that I have become obsessed with the sport. See my “Baseball Mom” ball cap for proof.

With very few exceptions I cannot re-read a novel. Sometimes I love a book so entirely that when I pick it up again I feel an overwhelming sense of dread that my first experience will be ruined by a re-read. So I put it back on the shelf, I pet it affectionately, and I walk away. I’ve had to do that three times this month. Weird, huh? 

Collagen powder works. I’ve been putting one little scoop in my coffee since Christmas and my hair and fingernails are growing like crazy.

1980’s PG movies are NOT THE SAME as current PG movies. As in WHOA. So much language. So much…ahem…anatomy. Lesson learned. We have to pre-screen all PG movies made prior to 1995-ish before letting our kids watch them.

What I’m Loving Right Now:

Red lipstick. Mac Ruby Woo and tinted Chapstick in House Red to be specific. I turn 40 this year so my goal is to wear red lipstick, in public, with a straight face.

My new boots! I try to celebrate the publication of each book by getting a new pair of boots (technically my husband gave them to me for Christmas). Then I wear those boots while on tour. I’m typically not good at celebrating my accomplishments but this is something I look forward to every two years.

What I’m Working On:

Two short stories, one for an upcoming anthology and one for myself. Because, at the end of the day, a girl always has to write for herself first.

A handful of essays to go along with the publication of I WAS ANASTASIA.

A new historical novel that I’m forbidden to talk about.

And a secret book.