Weekly Roundup: June 22, 2025

It’s officially summer! We kicked things off with a wonderful trip to Maui. I’ve been going to the island since I was a kid, it’s like a second home. It never disappoints. We are now adjusting to a new summer routine with my daughter in camp and me starting a new work situation next week. There’s a lot going on with my book coming out too! It’s very strange to have the aforementioned priorities while so many horrible things are happening in our country and around the world. I’m so worried about the escalation of conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing ICE raids. These are tough times and I think holding onto the moments of joy in our lives is the only way to cope.

Quote of the week:
“Because of the routines we follow, we often forget that life is an ongoing adventure…and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art: to bring all our energies to each encounter, to remain flexible enough to admit when what we expected to happen did not happen. We need to remember that we are created creative and we can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed.” — Maya Angelou

What I’m reading:
I came home from vacation to the best book mail from my So Cal writing friend, Michelle Gable. Her latest release, Darling Beasts is so fun! Recommend for fans of Annie Hartnett and Kevin Wilson.

What I’m listening to:
I’m Glad My Mom Died, a memoir by actress Jennette McCurdy. Wow. I remember when this came out and there was so much buzz about it. I didn’t read it because I didn’t know the actress and thought it wouldn’t interest me because of that. Then my daughter got really into the show “Sam & Cat” and I realized the actress is on that show (she’s Sam). Having now listened to the memoir, I can say you don’t need any background knowledge of Jennette McCurdy to appreciate her story. It’s raw and powerful. The writing is great.

What I’m watching:
Season 4 of Vikings on Netflix. I’m very late to the party on this show, but it’s so good. My boyfriend and I saw 28 Years Later in the theater yesterday and it was way more emotional than I thought it would be. I may have cried.

Writing news:
Just a reminder that Woman on the Verge is an Amazon First Reads pick for June. You can download it for $1.99 or get it free if you have Prime. Official release date is July 1! Local friends, I have a launch at Beach Town Books in San Clemente this Thursday evening. Come out if you can!

Next up: My 2026 novel, which will release in February. I’ll have a title and cover to share soon!

Interesting things I learned this week:

Our hands and feet get pruney when wet for an evolutionary reason—to help us grip under water, like treads on a tire. Our ancestors had to hunt and trudge through lots of streamsMIT did a study of how ChatGPT impacts our brains and found that ChatGPT users had the lowest brain engagement and “consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels.” Not surprisingIn most parts of the world, mammal populations are losing 70% of their members because of habitat loss, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesIn 2019, Iceland launched one of the world’s most ambitious trials of the 4-day work week and, six years later, the results are undeniable: productivity remained the same or IMPROVED, while worker well-being skyrocketedHouseholds with 2+ kids are sick 56% of the year (but Americans only get 5 total sick days, if they’re lucky). For comparison, households with no children are sick about 7% of the yearMen tend to sleep better when sharing a bed with a partner, while women’s sleep quality gets worse, according to researchers from the Journal of Social and Personal RelationshipsOne in ten people is undocumented in LA. Related: 72% of Californians believe that immigrants are a net benefit to society, contributing to the economy and our shared growthA poll showed the widest ever gender gap between Americans’ views on abortion: 61% of women identified as pro-choice compared to only 41% of men

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“hot fingertip.” This past week, the tip of my index finger on my right hand keeps getting hot at random times. Being the mild hypochondriac that I am, I had to google this and I have yet to find a sufficient explanation. Is this similar to the concept of your ears burning when someone is talking about you?

What I’m grateful for:

An amazing trip to Maui with my crew. We do a family trip once a year and this one was so special. A few photos below…So many messages from readers of Woman on the Verge, reminding me that many of us share the same struggles when it comes to motherhood and just being a woman in this world. I love how books can connect usFinishing book edits for my 2026 novel. I feel so good about them. My editor is so wonderful

The post Weekly Roundup: June 22, 2025 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.