First Day of School Energy
And August Glimmers
Oh hey. It’s still August, it turns out. School starts early in the south and with the first day of middle school, plus the start of the fall semester for me, PLUS the beginning of a new adventure with WriteShare, that’s a lot of first day of school energy all in one month.
And…did I mention that I turned in my edits for Doll Parts? Well, I probably mentioned it when I finished the last two rounds of revisions, but I’m now finished with my third round (a much shorter timeframe than the last two). What does this mean? Well, I think that means we’re going to copyedits. Which is a very big, good milestone.
It means that I have a lot of celebratory cake in my near future.
So, even with all of this new semester energy (and stress), there are exciting times ahead. More milestones to come!
I’ve come to love compiling the highlights at the end of each month, part photo dump and part reminder of everything I’ve been drawn to lately. I also love asking students during the week of classes for their recommendations. I get everything from novels to video games to TV shows I should watch—all before they even know me. It’s kinda wonderful.
Here are a few highlights from August, the glimmering kind:
1. This thing I want, but will probably never buy for myself.
As soon as I saw this Poe head planter online, I knew I’d covet it, tell everyone else I know about it, and then never buy it. That’s my way. I might eventually look online to see if it’s still available and then find it sold out. Something like that.
It’s fine. I just like knowing that it exists. No surprise that I love Poe, but my next writing project may have a lot of Poe vibes and references.
Okay, maybe I’ll buy it.
2. This book with the best title and cover and audiobook narrator
Kittentits by Holly Wilson is a wild ride. If you like foul-mouthed, politically incorrect ten-year old narrators, and off-the-wall magical realism, please check out this book. I’m not finished yet, but it has made me laugh so many times already. Blurbs from Gillian Flynn and Kevin Wilson. Insert flame emoji.
*Note that I’m a Bookshop.org affiliate and may earn a small commission if you purchase through my links.
3. This work of fiction that I’m telling everyone about
“We Wanted More” by Justin Torres caught me by surprise this month. How have I never read this piece or his work before? I learned about Torres when he won the National Book Award in 2023 and added his books to my TBR. Now I know I need to read more.
It’s a short piece and so worth checking it out. Expect to hear me talk about it again and again.
What else?
I’m slowly sharing songs from my Doll Parts playlist over on Instagram. The latest is a tough one because I’m remembering my dear friend on her birthday. Doll Parts is centered around a fierce friendship. The book, the friendship, and now the music, are all very much linked.
You can add Doll Parts on Goodreads. Please do!
I’m going to Jupiter again next month. Read about my experience at the Journey to Jupiter Writing Retreat from last year:
Please tell me what you loved this month? Book recs, movies you loved, articles that made you think. I’m feasting on your recommendations this month. Please and thank you.
See you in September, my friends!
—Penny
First, buy the Poe Planter :-) My favorite read this summer was Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams
Buying that Poe planter now thanks 🥀