Friday Reads 8.15.25
Hullo, Friday friends. Goodness, what a week. I’m flying south right now to celebrate my dad’s 91st birthday! Can you imagine the amazing things he’s seen? He and my mom (88) are blessed with longevity, mostly good health, and the ability to live at home because of the kind ministrations of my wonderful middle brother. It’s a blessing on all levels. And trust me, when we tee off Monday morning. I will get schooled. Even at 91, the dude’s shooting in the 80s. We’ve had a lifelong bet that if I bet him at 18 holes, he’ll buy me a brand new set of clubs. Guess what’s never happened. 🤷♀️
Age is a funny thing, isn’t it? I had an interesting conversation earlier today with my better half about the various turns in a woman’s life. The male gaze on these stereotypical landmarks was hysterical. According to Mr. E, I’ve hit that strange stage where I can identify bird species with no apparent effort. That means I’ve graduated out of the crystals era. (Though I brought home a beautiful pillar of citrine from Sedona. I doubt I’ll ever really move past the crystals stage LOL.)
I have theories about all of this, naturally. These silly designations align with very real phases in our lives. Generalizing, naturally, but the 20s and 30s are job and family-oriented. When you’re suddenly bereft of children needing your every attention and you’ve risen to greater heights in your chosen profession, you go to yoga or pilates and learn how to breathe. And since you haven’t had time to breathe for twenty years, those first truly deep, diaphragmatic breaths are beyond illuminating. Your brain, starved of oxygen for decades, is suddenly flush. With that comes an awareness of the non-negotiable need for healthy food, exercise, and sleep. That becomes the job of your 40s, get healthy, because the beast known as menopause is lurking in the shadows of the cave. Then you get those fantastic few years of “the Change” which is…challenging, and then you coast into your 50s.
This, friends, is the birdwatching era.
Yes, we might be watching birds more, but I posit this is because we’ve simply slowed down. We’ve finally, finally, given ourselves permission to look up. To look outward. We aren’t striving. We aren’t pushing as hard. We’re in our prime, we’ve built our career capital, we know what we want from our life, our partners, and our friends, and we understand the importance of rest, health, and attention to the little things. We know moisturizer and lipstick are more than enough. We like the coastal grandma style in both our clothes and homes. Details we’ve missed for decades instead become our focus. Our joy. Our greatest loves.
Earlier today, I read a complaint that there aren’t enough books about women in this era. And I realized that by jove, I have a mid-fifties detective in YOU KNOW WHY. She’s bright. She’s tough as nails. She’s determined. She’s in love with a long-distance flame, and wants to do something about it. And she’s been stealing my book. So I’m going to let her. Let’s get a good dose of a woman in her prime who takes no prisoners and suffers no fools. You’re welcome. : )
On to the books…
I did a bit of shopping at the indie bookstores I visited on tour for LAST SEEN. I haven’t gotten to read them yet. I’m very far behind on my TBR because I’m cruising hard on the new book. But look at what’s awaiting me this fall! (and this is before the amazing books for A WORD ON WORDS Season 11!)
Sarah Pinborough - WE LIVE HERE NOW
Jeneva Rose - THE PERFECT DIVORCE
Maggie Steifvater - THE LISTENERS
Christina Dodd - THUS WITH A KISS I DIE
Sarah MacLean - THESE SUMMER STORMS
Suleika Jaouad - THE BOOK OF ALCHEMY
I absolutely can’t wait to get this book drafted and be able to let other authors’ voices into my head again.
OH! In absolutely mind-boggling news… I finished the 22 Steps Series with, yes, you guessed it… Step 22 - Publication Day. I will post one last entry in this series on Tuesday, just a wrap-up and final thoughts. But wow. 75k of writing advice from yours truly. This is going to be a fun project—I’m going to make the series into a craft book.
BTW, the last two posts of the series are not paywalled. So feel free to take a peek!
Over to you, friends. I’d love to hear what’s tickled your fancy this week! What are you reading this weekend? Any recommendations for us? And how about books with middle-aged heroines? I’ll go first… THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon….
And happy early birthday to my Daddy!!!
