End of August

Hiya, Hart Beat. Long time no talk. How are you? I can’t believe it’s the end of summer already. It seems like this year the season went by especially fast and I’m already missing the sunny beach days up in Maine. About two weeks ago I came back to the Berkshires and have decided to hold off on any immediate moving plans for a bit. I had originally thought to head straight out west but the more I work on my writing project the more tunnel vision I get. I just want to finish this god damned book.

So I’m staying here in the Berkshires in a studio space that has not one but five desks spread out in a U-shape and a wood stove to keep me warm this fall. It’s heaven and I can’t wait to get the bulk of this draft done. I’m sorry I don’t have more regular posts for you, Hart Beat. It’s too much for me to do two things at once. I’ll try to keep coming at you every few weeks with lists like this here below. Like I’ve said before, each one of these deserves its own post.

Books I’ve read:

• Gratitude, by Oliver Sacks
• milk and honey, by Rupi Kaur
• On Writing, by Stephen King
• Blue Horses, by Mary Oliver

Books I’ve bought and can’t wait to read:

• Eat Only When Hungry: A Novel, by Lindsay Hunter
• Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward
• The History of Love, by Nicole Krauss
• A Visit from the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan

Articles and interviews I’ve read:

• Mary Karr, The Art of Memoir No. 1, from The Paris Review
• Writing from a Place of Absence: Lindsay Hunter and Roxane Gay In Conversation, from Work in Progress
• The New Authority in Great Books to Read: Who You Follow on Instagram, from The New York Times
• Oysters: A Love Story, from The New York Times Magazine, by Tejal Rao

Things I’ve bought and loved:

• A new PopSocket to replace mine thrown away on the Camino.
• My dream loafers from Everlane.
• This bucket bag / my new go to purse for everything from Baggu. (After reading this article in The Strategist I’ve been wanting to buy it. That was written one year ago. 🙄 )

Hmm, let’s see other news. You heard in the last post that I have a new BFF. Update, he’s still adorable. If you’re out there writing too, or just need some good working music, here’s a playlist I’ve been listening to on repeat every day. I’ve also picked up a shift or two at the local café so I’m learning how to make a mean latte. Wish me luck. Oh! And I’m really excited because in early October I’m going to be going to this workshop with my idol Dani Shapiro at Kripalu. I. Can. Not. Wait. This woman better sprout some good wisdom (rather than when I saw David Sedaris last week and he told me casually “just write every day.” Okay David. I hadn’t thought of that one before, thanks a million.)

Talk soon, Hart Beat.