Friday Reads
Welcome to another Friday, friends.
Remember last time, that wall I was worried about us barreling into? Yeah. I think we hit it.
I haven’t slept much this week. Bouchercon was amazing, and my apologies for missing last week’s post in favor of practicing my favorite adage: Be where your feet are. New Orleans was full of so much laughter and camaraderie and great food, and of course, some late nights in the bar. I came home with the conference crud, which is a bummer but couldn’t be better timed, really, since I just turned in the book and had the week off anyway.
And then the complicated world we live in became even more complicated, if that’s possible. If our news cycle was in a book, the editor would flag 90% of the plot points and say “too many notes.”
I didn’t read a thing this week, my head was too icky to think, though I started Hank Phillipi Ryan’s ALL THIS CAN BE YOURS on the plane home and it’s great. I also bought LONESOME DOVE because it’s been ages since I read it and there was a cool meme of L’Amour’s weekly to do list floating around that turned my crank. But when my head got too fuzzy, I watched true crime documentaries and movies instead. Maybe that’s part of how hard this week has been—I’ve been much too immersed in the worst we can do to one another, past and present. I need something happier. Lighter. Easier.
I hope you know I send love to each and every one of you. Compassion, empathy, solace, peace. We don’t agree on everything, I’m sure, but that doesn’t—shouldn’t—matter. I extend grace regardless. We are here to talk about the books that mean so much to us, and that is never going to change. I want to hear your thoughts, and your successes, and your favorites. Always.
As I also mentioned last time, the past few months on deadline have really taken a toll. We have a short vacay planned, plus I’m expecting my edits, so I’m going to be off for a couple of weeks. I’ll be back mid-October, full of bookish recommendations.
In the meantime, suggestions are so welcome. What are your favorite comfort watches and reads? And did you read anything this week that you’d like to talk about?
Be safe out there, loves. We’re in it together, for better or worse.
JTx
