The Update: October 2024

All the links, recs, and good things from the month.

Happy Halloween! Hope everyone is enjoying their children’s candy today!

Happy Halloween! I hope you enjoy this vampire pic because it took 45 minutes plus crying and drooling to get those fangs molded. Was it supposed to take that long? No! I kept messing them up, but I persevered. I appreciate your comments that I look cool.

I’ve decided to keep the streamlined version of The Update so you just get the best links, recs, and upcoming events that you’re here for. I’m a wordy lady, but sometimes you need just the facts, ma’am…so here they are!

ICYMI

• This piece I wrote, Do Men Really Not See the Mess?, came out in Good Housekeeping for their September/October issue, and is available online as well.

  • (Trick for reading magazines you don’t have a subscription to? Get them through the Libby Library App!)
    

• October Book Club with Soraya Chemaly on her book The Resilience Myth: New Thinking on Grit, Strength, and Growth After Trauma
  

• I was interviewed for this USA TODAY piece on how childcare became a core issue in this year’s election. (P.S. if you haven’t already, make a plan to vote!)

Upcoming Events

• I’ll be at Author Fest at the Reno Downtown Library next weekend: Saturday, November 9th from 10am - 4pm. I’ll be reading on the main stage in the auditorium at 12:20pm. If you’re local, come say hello. The event is free but don’t forget to register in advance!
  

• I’ve been cooking up something new for you! I’ll soon have a FREE e-book version of last year’s How To Find Time To Write course to help you kickstart your writing routine in 2025. Stay tuned for more details!
  

• Book Club is coming up Tuesday, November 19th with Kate Hamilton author of the new memoir Mad Wife, which I absolutely cannot stop talking to people about.

  

  I went with Medusa for handing out candy. Teen girls and moms loved it.

Links & Recs

• I’m currently reading Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture by

  Virginia Sole-Smith
  . There is maybe no better time to read this than when heading into the diet-culture heavy holiday talk and New Year’s bullshit.

  • If you aren’t already, subscribe to

    Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith

  • I also love

    Oona Hanson
    ’s Substack
    Parenting Without Diet Culture
    on this topic as well.

• I’m almost done with serious nonfiction reads for the year, and will spend my holidays reading the following:

  • Persuasion by Jane Austen (comfort read)

  • Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (another comfort read)

  • Nightbitch by

    Rachel Yoder
    (it’s been on my list FOREVER)

  • maybe some Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver

  • maybe something fantasy/slutty…send your recs below:

• Cranberries are in the store now, and I must urge you to make these Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls. Yes, they take entirely too much time, and the recipe is from one of those early aughts blogs that is covered in pop up ads and has a novel-length intro, but they are so goddamn good.
  

• More tea things! Last year I got this wonderful tea advent calendar for myself and absolutely loved it. This year I’m trying out a new one!
  

• I love the Modern Mrs. Darcy holiday gift guide. It arrived this month, praise be.