Hi there friends,
My goodness, how did summer fly by so fast?
I mean, I know my July was extremely busy with community theater, but I swear it was just the 4th of July yesterday! And yet, here I am, (not) counting down the days until school starts all too soon and I’m back in the classroom.
I’d like to tell you that I’m hoping to make the most of my last week of summer by writing all the things, but it’s been a very weird summer of writing so I don’t think that’s going to happen. However, I’m hoping to finish culling my book collection (see below,) read a couple more summery books—including Happy Place— and mostly just breathe deeply in my garden as it wanes.
Let’s take a look back, shall we?
Oof. July was a doozie, and in terms of writing…I’m not even sure I know how to do it anymore. Okay, so maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but I did just come out of a theater-filled summer. In all seriousness though, I don’t think I penned any fiction again this month, and the only writing I really did was a few pieces over at
.However, one of my posts about my beloved Daisy and our summer spent in the garden, was featured over at Signs + Seasons, a liturgical living guild. I wrote about how we’ve been embracing Ordinary Time this summer and what’s it teaching me, and they featured it in their newest volume.
Querying was a no-go this month as I just didn’t have the heart to send any out. I’m still patiently waiting to hear back about the full request, though I imagine it will be awhile. And one other agent has my query packet, though I’m not sure if she’s passed on it or is looking closer at it. That’s the conundrum of the query trenches. I did, however, find a few more agents I’d like to send my story to, so I’m prepping my heart for a few more submissions come August.
While I didn’t really write any fiction this month, the back of my brain has been doing a bit of work in the realm of middle grade. I have two separate stories I’ve started, the one from earlier this year and one I started in grad school a few years ago, that I finally made a little connection with. I think they could ultimately be companion novels, set in the same little time frame, and so it’s had me rethinking a bit of both stories and characters. Summer has been a weird time for writing, but I’m hopeful fall will give me more of a routine to settle in again. If so, I think I’d like to tackle these ideas. They involve a bit of simultaneous planning/dreaming, but then I’m hopeful I can head into drafting one and perhaps the other. We’ll see. It feels like a biggish idea to tackle, but perhaps after a much needed creative break this summer, my imagination will be ready for it.
What’s ahead?
Weekly-ish posts over at
. I’m got too many thoughts and not enough time to sit with them, but I keep writing anyway.Sending out three more queries for Ruby. I’ve narrowed down the agents, so now I’m determined to send them out.
Two essays for submission. I’m toying around with a poem and a devotional and while I have a few weeks until the deadline, I’m ready to start crafting them.
Prepping some spooky stories for a series I plan to release here in the fall!
While I finished 8 books this month, I’m finding I’m in a bit of a reading slump!
I finally fell down the rabbit hole of Marie Kondo this last month, reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and as you can see from the bare shelves behind my reads, I’ve gone all in. While I didn’t love the book—it was a bit redundant—I appreciate her view on tidying. It isn’t about minimalism but about the things that bring you joy. So I tried her method, and wouldn’t you know, it works? I tidied up all of my clothes, and have moved on to stage two—books—which involves emptying all your shelves into one places, then going through them one at a time. While we have different views the importance of books,1 her methods have really helped so far, and I’m excited to keep going.
This has also been my summer of nonfiction, and I finished the faith-based memoir Roots & Sky by Christie Purifoy which I had been savoring. It’s about the first year her family spends in their 100 year old farmhouse, Maplehurst, and I was enthralled with her lyrical writing. I think I underlined nearly every sentence in the book, and when I finished, immediately wanted to reread it again. It’s a book that’s been on my shelf for years, but one I needed exactly at this moment in time.2 This will definitly be a book I come back to again.
While I haven’t continued my Bridgerton binge, I did fall in love with Penelope the Pug in Deanna Kizis’ new chapter book, Puggleton Park. It was one of those read-in-one-day books, about a lost pug set in Regency England. Can you say adorable?? I’ve got the second book cued up for the afternoon and really hope there are more! It’s a great book to introduce young readers to the time period!
I also LOVED Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson. I mentioned last month that I was finishing it up, and the ending was so satisfactory. The characters were lovable, and it’s story I’d love to see turned into a series just because I want more of them.
Summer is dwindling, but there’s still time to fit in a few good reads! If you haven’t downloaded my reading guide, give it a look and then let me know what your favorite read has been this summer!
What’s on my TBR?
While I’m so ready for fall reads (bring on the cozy mysteries and spooky middle grade) I’m not going to jump in just yet. I want linger in summer while I can, and books are some of the best ways to do that. I’m continuing my nonfiction summer with Placemaker by Christie Purifoy, a memoir/call to tend the beautiful places in our lives. So far the writing is lyrical and as beautiful as her first. I’m also currently reading Wives Like Us, a contemporary, satirical, women’s lit that I’m struggling with. It’s set in the Cotswolds and is full of the beautiful English setting, but it’s been slow to start. I’m more invested in the setting that I am in the characters so far, so I’m hoping for a turn around soon. I’m also missing middle grade as I haven’t read a lot this summer, so it’s time to jump back into my favorite age range. I have A Dog Friendly Town stacked up for a cozy-mystery-but-make-it-summer fix, Summerlost by Ally Condie to feed my theater bug, and Emily Ecton’s newest The Great Catnapping, a companion story to my favorite pet heist trilogy.
It’s too close to the start of the school year, so I’m reserving my teaching energy for next (actually, this!) month. I’ll be back with more craft talk at the end of August!
July was FULL of fun. Now I have a week to relax before it’s back to school season!
July faves
Top moment: Hands down it was performing in my community theater’s production of Midsummer Night’s Dream. I played a dream role of the mischievous Puck, and could not have had more fun than I did. While the schedule itself was exhausting, and I still feel like I’m recovering from it, we had a weekend of fabulous shows and great audiences. It awakened the theater bug in me, so we’ll have to see how next summer goes!
Thing: As a little gift to myself for surviving the play, I bought a new LEGO sweater! It’s a LEGO x LEVI collaboration from a few years ago, but I finally found one in my size on Ebay. I wore it out to a friend’s surprise birthday party this week (hence the big 5-0) but I can’t wait to sport it during the school year with fun holiday and school-themed builds! The school I work at sports the colors of red and green (I know…so Christmas-y!) so I’m determined to design fun things for our spirit wear Fridays!
Food: For the third year in a row, I baked a cake for Harry Potter’s birthday. It’s become a fun little tradition that gives me an excuse to bake cake. This year I tried Half Baked Harvest’s simple chocolate cake, the two layer version, and goodness was it delicious. It might be my new go-to chocolate cake recipe! I struggled with the piping this year because I don’t think I whipped the icing long enough, and just after I took this picture I dropped a book on the cake *face palm* but it still tasted delicious and I didn’t ruin my book. So here’s to more chocolate cake when days feel hard.
Show: The 2024 Paris Olympics. Need I say more?? But really, I LOVED the opening ceremony, and I can’t get enough of the competition. I’m a huge track & field fan though I love watching so many of the other sports. It’s such a fun time to watch the athletes shine.
Listening: I’m currently listening to the audio book of The Lonely Heart’s Book Club by Lucy Gilmore. It features one of my favorite types of characters, the curmudgeonly old man, and the audio version is heart warming, relaxing, and fun. Now, if I only had more time in the day to listen!
Movie: Am I redundant if I say Midsummer again?!? It’s been a long month of theater thus less screen time, and even though we walked through this show a countless number of times this month, it’s still one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. I laughed every single night because our cast was just so good. If you’ve never watched it, one of my favorite film versions is the 1999 one, and I highly recommend it!.
How was your July? As fast as mine? Any last minute summer plans scheduled or are you back into the swing of life? How about summer reads? What has been your favorite so far? Let me know in the comments!
She says not to keep books for rereads or someday reads. The minute you get the book is the moment you should read it. I highly disagree.
See above…my theory on books is that they find you when you need them the most. Hence, why I have so many shelves full…
I bought Puggleton Park for my niece for her birthday, but haven’t had a chance to read it myself. It looks so cute though!