Greetings!
I’m slowwwwwly inching my way back into work after spending a week down the Cape. (Cod, that is.) I had a fantastic time. My family and I visited seven bookstores (and I walked away with a few new books). We beached. We relaxed. We made glass. We saw art. We ate way too much ice cream. All in all it was a lovely time, despite the overwhelming heat.
But now, I’m back to it. The grind. The hustle. Well…kind of. I’m mostly just going through old emails that I’ve ignored forever and trying to clean my overly cluttered desk. The hustle can wait a bit.
I did get some good work news last week. First, PBS shared my Next Avenue interview with Wendell Pierce on its social media pages. And—in what may be the most random news ever—I learned that this here Substack was mentioned in The Week, a national print publication!
My husband’s cousin reached out when she saw my name in an issue. I had no idea what she was talking about, so I used my library’s Libby app to find the publication and came across my name in a little blurb on Hannah Pittard, who was their Author of the Week. The piece pulled a few quotes from interviews Hannah has done, including one she did with Alexandra Alter of The New York Times and one she did with…me. Not bad company, I have to admit.
Anyway, it didn’t lead to an increase in subscribers or a book deal or anything we writers hope we’ll get when our work is acknowledged, but it did feel really good to see my Little Engine That Could mentioned in a major publication. It’s validating. Like, the work I’m doing here isn’t for nothing. (Gotta take the wins however they come, amiright?)
Also, last week Next Avenue published my interview with Karin Slaughter about her 25th novel (in 25 years), We Are All Guilty Here. If you enjoy mysteries and thrillers, I highly recommend this book. It’s SO good!
Speaking of great books, I hope you had the chance to read my chat with author Diane McKinney-Whetstone. I really loved her latest, Family Spirit.
Later this week, you’ll get my recent interview with award-winning children’s book author and illustrator Jon Agee.
That’s it for now. Wishing you a wonderful, art-filled week!