HOW IS JANUARY NOT OVER?

I legit don't understand.

AM I LOSING MY MIND!

Dear Readers,

I mean where to even start? What to say in any sort of cohesive fashion about the nightmare January 2025 has felt like AND ALSO I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES WHO HAS BEEN BASICALLY SPARED BY THINGS LIKE MY CITY BEING ON FIRE?

The less to say about the new administration feels better but also there is no way to get around the low-to-high level dread that’s back after four years off. Not that things were good then, they were often not, but with this man back in charge I’m remembering just how terrible I felt every single day at least way deep down. How much attention to give the awful news v. ignoring his frantic baby please for more more more attention, it’s exhausting trying to make the right choices for oneself and also not wanting to silo too hard and neglect community but of course also not to neglect one’s own personal needs and and and

I did go on my annual writing retreat. You may remember that last year I headed into the desert with plans of working on Preposition Her Noun #4 (and it went both as I hoped it would and very differently). This year, on my final day of the retreat, I found out from my editor that she’d accepted the final draft and was sending it to copy edits. What beautiful symmetry. To say that I’m proud of this book and my work on it over the last year would be quite an understatement. But more of that to come. ON HER TERMS isn’t even out yet!

(No, OK, sorry, just one thing… I saw my post from last year and I said, “When this book comes out in (no-jinxing) 2026 (woof) I just feel like you’re all gonna be like, wait, this is the book with this much research? It’s still just mostly shenanigans?” ummm I don’t think this is true at all. I don’t know how much you’ll notice the research but it is far from ‘just mostly shenanigans’ and it was startling to read this now! That said, the book became a very different book than I expected to write, and I am eager in the future to tell you more about it! BUT, AGAIN, NOT NOW!)

It was not the typical writing retreat for me. My dayjob is in film marketing, and due to the fires, the Academy season was pushed back. The new dates meant that I spent most of the weekend working. I would work EVERY weekend instead of having to suffer worse fire-related losses, of course, but it still was more work/less writing than I hoped for. I wanted to really have those hours to ideate my next book and start plotting it out, and ultimately I only got a little of that. That said, working on the campaigns for movies that might win a handful of Oscars is… not nothing. I mean, I love it. I love how it feels for the industry to celebrate moviemaking even during shitty times. I am glad to be part of it. The book work will still be there after voting ends the morning of 2/18! (I feel more hopeful about this group of voters than I did in early November, that much is for sure.)

A reminder that I am going on tour and it would truly mean the world to me if you came out to see me!

2/24 Los Angeles | Skylight Books with Kate Stayman-London

2/25 New York | The Ripped Bodice with Heather Hogan - note that this is a ticketed event so PLEASE BUY A TICKET which gets you a copy of the book and gets you in! (If you want to come and cannot afford it, please email me and let me know, I will be able to get some people in!)

2/27 DC | Loyalty Bookstore (pop-up location) with Susie Dumond

2/28 Minneapolis | Tropes & Trifles with Jenna Miller

3/1 St. Louis (HOMETOWN REPRESENT) | The Novel Neighbor with Gabe Montesanti

I cannot wait to see all of your faces in person! I MEAN THIS!

If for some reason you cannot make it to any of my events (sad face), you can preorder the book basically anywhere books are sold, BUT!, if you want a signed copy and an exclusive sticker sheet (I will have the sticker sheets on tour, yes!), be sure to preorder from Skylight Books! IT IS JUST THAT EASY! A sticker sheet AND supporting a local bookstore!!!!