Friday Reads 5.3.24

It’s Friday, and you know what that means. Grab a cuppa, and let’s talk about what we’re reading!

Hello from…elsewhere! I’m at 25,000 feet as you read this, jetting off for a writing retreat. I’m at a critical juncture on the new book, and, for a while now, have been planning to slip away to get some serious work done in a totally focused environment. I want to be thinking about the book—and only about the book. I have five other projects in various stages of completion, and they’re distracting me. I happened to catch a ticket sale, so I booked it, and off I went.

I’m combining this getaway with a two-week digital detox so I can stay really deep. I’ve deleted all social media from my phone and iPad, loaded up instead on good books in all formats, and plan to have a very quiet, writing-centric time. It helps that the wifi/cellular where I’m headed isn’t the best. I thought it important to alleviate all distractions so I could be very present. For the first 10 days, it will be work like mad. Then I’m joined by family, so it will be work like mad at half speed. I hope to come back having turned a corner. Super excited to see what this break brings.

But that means no Friday Reads for a couple of weeks. I’ll be back May 24, with hopefully tons of words done, gearing up for the trip to NYC and Thrillerfest madness.

These deep work times are absolutely vital to my process. I’ve normally already had one solid break by this time of the year, but my social media sabbatical wasn’t as…complete as I wanted. This time, I know you will all give me total leave to disappear entirely. I debated whether to post an entire blog today or not since I won’t be in the comments to cheer you on, but I love the community we’ve formed, and I love it when you chat amongst yourselves.

In the meantime…

I (finally) finished SLOW PRODUCTIVITY this weekend, and what perfect timing to take all of the thoughtful discourse right into a retreat. It’s a great book, and if you’ve never read any of Cal’s work before, a great place to start. It’s a boon companion to DEEP WORK, for sure. Why did it take me so long? Heh. I’m distracted, and I wanted to pay attention. (Really, the universe gives you what you want — but also what you need, if you’re paying attention. See above regarding ✈️ 🎟️.) I was reading* in three formats — print, ebook, and audio, depending on what my attention span could take, but mostly audio — so it really did take me a while. But one of the big takeaways is something I’ve always tried to follow: Do your deep creative work somewhere other than where you do your business work. Even if that means taking your laptop into a different room (or a different state), tricking your brain into knowing this is deep time really helps.

(*Hot Take: Reading is reading no matter your chosen format. Yes, this was a huge controversy this past weekend. No, I am not going to link out. It’s ridiculous.)

I also read THE SUCCESS MYTH which bolstered many of the thoughts I’ve been having about my career and life of late. I had a long chat with my BFF/therapist this weekend about how to go about this sabbatical, and she encouraged me to lean in and do the full disappear-for-a-few-weeks break. Emma’s book had the exact same message in a slightly different format. Really great stuff if you find yourself suddenly questioning what success looks and feels like. (Remember, my definition of success is FINISHING, and I haven’t finished anything yet this year despite having written 50k of fiction, so…)

I pulled the trigger on SOCIOPATH from the library this morning. It’s perfectly timed for where I am in the book, and I hope it brings me a lot of great insights. It’s one thing to read about a serious personality disorder in the DSM-5. It’s a completely different approach to hear from a person who identifies with the term.

The divine Kerry Lonsdale’s FIND ME IN CALIFORNIA didn’t disappoint. I gobbled it up, completely hooked from page one. She’s such a great storyteller. You’ll love Matt and Julia as much as I did, guaranteed. (Head’s up, it does involve elderly memory care, in case that’s something you’re not interested in reading right now, though it’s handled with grace.)

My preordered, first edition, signed copy (SQUEE!) of Erik Larsen’s THE DEMON OF UNREST came just before I left, too. Thanks to the Poisoned Pen for securing me a copy. Larsen’s THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE was one of my favorites a couple of years ago, and I have high hopes for this new tome. Erik's books find that sweet spot of history that you don’t know the details of, and it’s fascinating.

Nichole Severn’s THE GIRL WHO SURVIVED is coming out Tuesday, and I hope you’ll jump on it. This is her first full-blown suspense, and I’ve heard great things!

I’m also packing up a slew of books to take with, including Kate White’s THE LAST TIME SHE SAW HIM. I love Kate’s books and if you haven’t read her, this is a great place to jump in. Superb standalone suspense.

And DEAR WRITER, YOU NEED TO QUIT by Becca Syme, which arrived on my birthday, a surprise from our dear I was touched and can’t wait to dive in!

(Yes, this week I’m officially another year older, and hopefully, another year wiser, too. Go, team Taurus!)

won the $25 indie bookstore gift card last week! Loved seeing all your indie faves.

That’s it from me. How about you? Good week? I'd love to hear what you're reading this weekend! Any recommendations?

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