Happy Friday, everyone, at the end of a holiday week during which I couldn’t remember the day of the week (the curse of Monday holidays), which followed a week when I returned from an overseas trip on Monday, which meant not only being mixed up about the day of the week but being jet-lagged. I’m still writing 2024 on my checks, too. Ok, enough: Thank you for listening to me whine.
Now, on to business, which today is just a list of little tidbits and observations to tickle you before the weekend:
Remember when I said I was getting a shipment of clothes by the Korean brand OPEN YY? It arrived, and I dig it very much. The chopped up sweatshirt I got is the most heavenly shade of blue—not quite Tiffany blue, much richer and a little deeper but equally luminous. I’m embarrassed to say it, but it’s kind of the blue of the Zoom icon on your desktop. Someone was using their Pantone sheet! Anyway, except for one blazer that didn’t work, I kept a cardigan, the sweatshirt, and some floral lace leggings that I may never wear but I love.
Very very VERY excited to report that my new book Joyride got a *starred* review in Kirkus Reviews, which is famously picky. I’m just thrilled! Here’s a snippet: “A celebration of a supremely accomplished writing life… the great value of this book is the MFA in nonfiction writing that Orleans packs into it, full of some of the most useful advice on craft that any budding (or long-practicing, for that matter) writer could ask for … A spry, entertaining memoir/writing workshop by a nonfiction artist at the top of her game.” The book is out October 14 but you can preorder! And I would be grateful if you did. The link above gives you several options for preordering. FWIW, preorders have a big impact on whether books land on the bestseller list, since all of the preorders count toward the first week’s sales (if I’m not mistaken). So they matter. I’ll be doing some giveaways here and bookplate signings for paid subscribers when finished books are ready, so if you haven’t forked over for a paid subscription, please consider doing it! I’ll be your best friend!
Do you follow Atlas Obscura? It calls itself “a definitive guide to the world’s wonders,” which is roughly accurate, but it’s far-ranging, including quirks of history, amazing natural wonders, and so on. I get their newsletter and it’s always interesting. Check out this story about dog sled patrols in WWII and you’ll get a taste.
As the foreman of my own little writing factory, I pay a lot of attention to things that make the office-y part of my life less onerous. My favorite discovery is Pirate Ship, which makes it incredibly easy to create labels and send stuff. Combined with a little postal scale it’s unstoppable. As a result, I haven’t been in a post office in… ummm… years, which is cause of celebration. Also, the website has all these goofy pirate references that are dumb but funny, which you wouldn’t really expect when you’re printing a mailing label.
I have a story about the Chincoteague Pony Swim in the latest issue of Garden&Gun. As far as I can tell, though, it’s only in the print issue (if one of you finds it online, can you send the link?). Going to the pony swim was a fulfillment of my tween dream of owning a Misty of Chincoteague pony. I didn’t leave the event with a pony but I got close and that’s what matters.
More soon and happy weekend! xSusan
Susan, your new book sounds SO FAB!! Huge congrats on the starred review—I’ve pre-ordered my copy! 🔥🔥
It's online: https://gardenandgun.com/feature/a-century-on-the-chincoteague-pony-swim-still-sparks-unbridled-joy/