This Week In My Library 1.23.24

not reading, somatic therapy and birthday wishes

Life of a Bookman

Bookman: 1. a person who has a love of books and especially of reading. 2. a person who is involved in the writing, publishing, or selling of books. Oh, hi that's me!!

Books I didn't read: I just returned from two weeks in Brazil, where I had high hopes for reading. Everything. Stacked on my little reading heart were Gilead by Marilynne Robinson and The Fraud by Zadie Smith. Not only did I not read these, I didn't so much as open them. But stay tuned, because I will. And if there's a bunch of books you didn't read or didn't finish last year, this is my gentle reminder to not give a single f*ck. So what. You're living your life. The books will still be there when you're ready for them.

What I'm writing: I got partial feedback on That Novel, and team it's looking positive!! I was in a tiny, Brazilian thong bikini on a remote beach in Caraiva when my agent's email came through. And believe me when I tell you That Novel up until that moment was so very very far from my mind. It was such a relief to know the manuscript is on the right track, with one (hopefully last) quick revision to go.

BTW do you have a manuscript you've been working on and need some valuable critique? My writing coach Julie Artz believes this should be top of the list for every writer before reaching out to an agent, editor, or even a coach (one of my besties Jillian who is a talented writer, comedian and creator has always served as my first eyes, even for the partial manuscripts that never made it anywhere!) If you need help finding a critique partner in 2024, consider attending Julie's complimentary CP Meet Cute (think speed-dating but for critique partners). Register here!

Women’s Studies

What gets passed down becomes our history. A few for the canon: For two weeks in Brazil, my galpals and I did not stop talking about Céline – a power and sex coach skilled in somatic therapy that 3 of the five of us have worked with. I do not say this next sentence lightly: the most transformative self-work I've done in my adult life (and I'll be honest, not easy) has come as a result of working with her the last 5 months. She's finally helped me see why understanding things cognitively wasn't helping me feel any better (which was why I lost any desire to pursue talk therapy). I've sent a few somatic therapy starter resources to some of my galpals, and I'll send them here to you:

“If you don't set boundaries, your body will do it for you” – Céline's Instagram is full of incredible info, including about her work.

A great overview of our nervous system and how to find regulation, a podcast conversation with Sarah Baldwin.

How somatic work (meaning working with our nervous system) can impact our relationships, a conversation between Mark Groves and Sarah Baldwin.

Obvi, this is not medical or mental health advice. This is just some resources from a friend!

Pass it on

Stories are heirlooms. Here's one of mine: Last week I celebrated my birthday. In Rio. With my closest girlfriends. (What a GIFT). And at my birthday dinner, I asked them all to toast me with a wish, a prayer, or a piece of wisdom that I could take with me into the new year. I won't get into the details, but I will say that they gave me such a heartfelt reminder that anything is possible when we choose it. Not everyone has the privilege. And not everyone has that choice. But for those of us that do – run at it. The love, the abundance, the dreams, the connection, the freedom. Don't take a second of it for granted, and flow the abundance forward to those with less than what you've been given, every chance you get.

xx