Happy Friday the 13th! It’s been a hectic week. Between that crazy presidential debate and wildfires all around, I’ve been in a weird headspace. Thinking of everyone affected by the fires and hoping they’re out soon. On to the roundup!
Quote of the week:
“Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.” —David Bowie
What I’m reading:
Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker. I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of this book for months. It has some similar themes to my next two books. I’m really enjoying it.
What I’m listening to:
Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver. I love her writing but hadn’t heard of this book. It came to my attention from a book club I attend sometimes. I’ll be attending the discussion for this one. I’m liking it. I love that Kingsolver does the audio herself.
What I’m watching:
I have one episode left of Presumed Innocent on Apple TV. I’m always sort of holding my breath watching this show. Intense. I just watched episode 4 of Chimp Crazy yesterday and I think that’s the last in the docuseries. I need more!
Writing news:
I’m working away on my 2026 novel. It looks like the tentative release date for my 2025 novel is June 17 so mark your calendars!
Interesting things I learned this week:
- There will be two Friday the 13ths this year—today and in December
- In Italy, Friday the 17th is associated with bad luck
- Alfred Hitchcock was born on Friday the 13th (in 1899)
- The word sonder refers to “the feeling one has on realizing that every other individual one sees has a life as full and real as one’s own”
- The US has just 4% of the world’s population, but contributes 14% of carbon emissions
- Nearly half a million people went to vote.gov after Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris
- 85% of men experience hair loss by age 50
- Hong Kong extended maternity leave by four weeks and postpartum depression cases dropped by 22%
- Steph Curry, the NBA’s highest-paid player, earns $55.8M per year. Jackie Young, the top earner in the WNBA, makes $252,450 a year. The LOWEST paid player in the NBA makes about $1.1M, nearly 4X the WNBA’s highest salary
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“silencer for Steyr Aug rifle.” Book research, what can I say?
What I’m grateful for:
- Kidz Bop concert with my daughter and friends last weekend. She is SO INTO this right now. The joy is contagious
- Back to school night! My daughter’s 1st grade teacher is great. I can tell this is going to be a good year
- Phone date with one of my best friends. It’s amazing how a half-hour of chatting can change your whole mood
- The end of the heat wave. This one was brutal. We are back to mild temps here in So Cal
Snapshots:
From top to bottom: My daughter insisted on taking this photo of me. We are in our Kidz Bop era and I’m loving it; artwork seen at back to school night that made me smile; cuddles with the most loving cat ever.
