I know it’s only been a week of official summer, but I already feel DEEP into the season. My kids all got out of school on June 10th, and they’re in the midst of two weeks of sleepaway camp and/or hanging out at my parents’ house (which means I am furiously working on THE ONLY writing I am going to get done until school is back in session). So here is your update on all the things that happened in June and that are coming up throughout the summer!
Personal Stuff
June feels like it has been a whole ass year in and of itself. During the first 10 days of the month we had a birthday kid birthday party, piano competition, piano recital, science fair, dog medical emergency, kid medical emergency, another dog medical emergency (because he tore out all his stiches WITH the cone of shame on), a funeral, a 5k race, a dress-up Jane Austen book club, a friend birthday party, an entire week of theme days at school, and graduation. Seriously? Get the fuck outta here with all that.
I also spent this month celebrating my 15 year wedding anniversary (a true mindfuck), going camping for Father’s Day weekend, and taking the kids to every water-based activity imaginable (public pool, friend’s pool, waterpark, Lake Tahoe, the drainage creek near our local park - all of ‘em).
Honestly, it’s been a relief to have the kids out of school because the early month madness burnt me all the way out. I’m looking forward to a summer of reading serious feminist literature near water sources and relieving myself of all fucks. I actually really love summer, I mostly stop working and I actually like hanging out with my kids (though these couple kid free weeks are a dream for my writing life). How about you? What does your summer look like and do you like it?
I hope you didn’t miss out on the chance to check out Creative Commitment, my new ongoing writer’s group while it was free for the month of June. From here on out, I am keeping the live group calls to paid members only, but if you want a free week of access to the accountability threads, essays, writing prompts and more, you can check it out here.
This group is designed to bring writers together in community so that we can support one another in sustained creative endeavors.
CREATIVE COMMITMENT is for you if you’re:
Wanting more community in your writing life
Looking for feedback on your work
Need accountability for your goals
Struggle with continued motivation on projects
What you’ll get:
Monthly group goal calls, first Wednesdays at 10:00am PT
Group workshop calls, last Wednesdays at 5:30pm PT
A monthly craft essay for inspiration
Generative writing and reflection prompts
Bi-monthly check-in discussions to track progress
Discounted group coaching programs and workshops
Bring your questions, writing goals, and an openness to connect with other writers. We would love to have you in our community.
NO ONE LOVES AN ANGRY WOMAN (another little reading list)
I’m spending these two child-free weeks to get really deep into the writing for No One Loves An Angry Woman. I’m hoping to hit a halfway mark of sorts on the first draft of the book this summer, which is exciting and also incredibly daunting.
The essay I’m currently writing is all about purity culture and beauty standards, and perhaps unsurprisingly has me confronting whiteness in deep rooted ways. As I’ve been sharing some of my reading lists, here are some the works that are informing and challenging me as I work through this section of No One Loves An Angry Woman:
Thick by
Unshrinking by
Momfluenced by
Hunger by
ANGRY WOMAN BOOK CLUB PICK
JULY: STASH BY LAURA CATHCART ROBBINS
All subscribers (no paid subscription necessary) can join in on this monthly virtual book club, which includes a live meeting with the author where you can interact and ask questions. Curious about what’s coming next? Check out this post for a sneak peek of our upcoming summer authors.
This month’s book club is with Laura Cathcart Robbins on her intimate best-selling memoir Stash: My Life in Hiding. We’ll get into conversation about the intersections of addiction and race, shame and pride, and the art of memoir.
Laura is the host of the popular podcast, The Only One In The Room. She is the SDWF’s 2024 Memoirist Of The Year, a TEDx Speaker, and an LA Moth StorySlam winner. Find out more about her on her website, lauracathcartrobbins.com, and be sure to join us live for The Angry Woman Book Club on Thursday, July 25th at 1:45pm PT/4:45pm ET.
You can add it to your calendar with the zoom link included below:
If you have questions for either of us, you can ask them during the live Q&A or ask them in the comments here. A recording will be made available for paid subscribers who can’t attend live.
Links & Recommendations
I love summer and feel like I’m the sort of person who would do really well living the sort of life where I could “summer” as a verb. As such, I have many a good summer rec for you. Read on to learn my secrets…
THE LIST:
My reading actually slows down considerably during the summer. I am all in on hanging out with my kids, which means lots of interruptions. But when I do get into summer reading, I always go for something off the Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide.
Obviously I recommend you dive into Stash by Laura Cathcart Robbins for July’s book club, but I am also in love with
’s Modern Friendship which will be our August book club pick!If you, too, are a water goblin all summer long, I must strongly recommend you get yourself a great pool bag. This one from Target is my new favorite summer thing. It’s mesh so you can easily see everything, it dries quickly after having wet swimsuits and towels in it, and it works as a tote or backpack. Oh, and it’s $12. Just buy it already.
As we start to settle into summer as a season, I’d really encourage you to think about the way you want the rest of the summer to feel. I decided early on that I wanted my priorities to be a sense of ease and presence with my kids. Everything else has to align with those priorities right now, which means a lot of saying “later” to hustle and new opportunities. My hope is that when I return to my work in the fall, this rest period will fill me with the creative energy I need to move forward.
My favorite summer thing to eat (aside from fresh fruit) is a wonderfully simply avocado, cucumber, and feta salad. I chop up the veggies, toss with cheese, drizzle with lemon juice, and finish with salt, pepper, and dill. Try it. It’s delicious.
I can’t believe we are still facing ongoing genocide in Gaza, but we are. One of the best things I’ve done for feeling like I’m showing up daily is to set these automatic daily ceasefire emails. One click on my phone and multiple personalized emails are sent to my representatives. If you need help getting set up, feel free to reach out to me. It shouldn’t take more than two minutes.
Speaking of activism, I strongly encourage you to follow these accounts leading the way for gun legislation, paid leave, and solving the childcare crisis:
and their newsletter
It can feel overwhelming to figure out activism on your own, and the calls to action these groups provide are always quick and impactful. We need them now more than ever. (Also, if you recommend others, let me know in the comments)
It makes me deeply happy that Alanis Morissette is on tour right now, and if anyone wants to send me to one of her west coast tour stops, I will humbly accept.
If you happen to be in the same motherhood stage as me and have a kid entering or graduating 4th grade, don’t sleep on getting that free National Parks Pass. We’re using ours to visit Great Basin, Yosemite, Lassen, and Redwood this year.
Now it’s your turn to tell me your things, because I actually really, desperately want to know - especially if those things include ideas for surviving summer with a sense of ease and enjoyment. DROP THEM HERE PLEASE AND THANK YOU:
Oh man I feel this to my core! That last month of school is like the holiday season in terms of craziness but without the time off or the presents…or the cool movies or the baking…I mean, basically it just blows. It takes me until, like, mid-July to recover from the end-of-year school madness and I get a few weeks off and then the build up to the start-of-school madness happens! 😂😂😂😵💫🫠