May 2023

deadline brain is a real thing. plus book recommendations and a GIVEAWAY

What have I been up since my last newsletter? Honestly, not much, because my first edit letter for A MODERN GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER arrived mid-April. I would like to note, for the record, that I did not cry. I have been working with my head down for the last few weeks, and I am so pleased with how the book is taking shape. It’s wild to think that in roughly a year, Edie and Gil will be in a real book, in your hands! I still haven’t quite come to terms with it yet, but it’s nice to know that you all will be here with me every step of the way.

What I’ve Been Up To:

Reading:

This month most of my reading happened via audiobook on my commute. I read Beach Read and Killers of A Certain Age and loved them both! I use Libro.FM for my audiobooks – it’s a great way to support indie bookstores. I also read an advanced copy of A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatalities, the sequel to A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons. Both of which are SO delightful – whip-smart mysteries set in 1920s London starring an academic heroine, aka Exactly My Thing.1

I also am SO EXCITED about a new YA gothic that releases May 16: ALL THE DEAD LIE DOWN by Kyrie McCauley. I love ALL of Kyrie’s books, but this latest is a twisty and creepy story about grief and falling in love and finding yourself is my favorite so far. Pre-order it here! I love it so much, I’m giving away a copy of it below – keep scrolling for details!

As a reminder, you can view all of my monthly book picks on my Bookshop page.

Watching:

I discovered I had a free trial of AppleTV, so my husband and I FINALLY started watching Ted Lasso! We’re almost caught up, and it’s as delightful as everyone said it was (though I understand the grumblings about the current season).

Everything Else:

Like I said, my deadline kind of quashed any fun things that could have happened over the last few weeks, but I’m not complaining. I’m happy to do the work! It’s also May at school, which means both students and teachers alike are approaching their human limits. I’ve also busy planning my daughter’s 5th birthday party (how is that possible!) and going to soccer games and playdates and all of the other wonderful mundane bits of life with a kid. Yesterday she told me that she couldn’t wait to buy my book, because it was going to be “the best book ever” and that she was going to give me a sticker for writing it, which is pretty cool. I love that she gets to watch me do this!