Louise Miller's Blog: snapshots - Posts Tagged "readings"

Hello and welcome to my tiny blog Snapshot. Every Sunday I plan to share a little bit about my week as an (almost) debut author. I hope you enjoy it!

What I am reading: Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close

As soon as I found out that my publisher is using this novel as a comp for The City Baker's Guide to Country Living, I grabbed it at the bookstore. I'm only a chapter in, but I am already in love with the characters and the voice.

What I am listening to: I can't stop listening to Sufjan Stevens' Carrie and Lowell. the subject matter is intense, honest, real, and sometimes cuts deep, but it's always incredibly beautiful. In that way it reminds me of The Mountain Goats' Sunset Tree, which is one of my all-time favorite albums ever.

In the kitchen: It was a quiet week at work, and I filled the time trying to perfect a genoise recipe. So far, I have not reached perfection. I'll keep you posted.

Book news: I was invited to my first Library reading (In Bar Harbor Maine!) and my first literary reading (the Pointe Street reading series in Providence, RI!) I am very much looking forward to spending the summer traveling around New England. I will post dates on my events page as details come in.

Random cheer: Here is my favorite Gilmore Girls Vine:
https://vine.co/v/O5zZ2TLabV6

Have a wonderful week!

I spent a lot of time thinking about balance this week. It was an excellent week—it began with an amazing production of Sarah Ruhl’s The Oldest Boy, directed by a dear friend, and ended with seeing the raw and honest and inspiring Eve Ensler in her new piece In the Body of the World. This week I had the good fortune of meeting two writers—one who is also publishing her debut with my editor, the other someone I had only met on social media. I went to a wonderful reading where I got to see author-friends of mine shine. Meanwhile, work continued to be busy—it was the 3rd 6-day week in a row, and everyone in the kitchen seemed pretty tired, myself included, but there was still cakes to be baked and decorated, tapioca to be stirred, chocolate-walnut cookies to be scooped—so when I wasn’t doing something fun and social, I was busy baking. This level of busyness, even when i'm participating in all things I am committed to and love, I find super challenging. I need a certain amount of space-out time to myself, and time to be outside, not to mention time to write! But it can feel challenging to make that time, and to commit to it. How do we carve out and keep sacred the necessary time to just be—with ourselves and with our work? I am determined to find out.

What I am reading: I have just started reading a friend’s debut novel for a potential blurb. It is the first time anyone has asked me to blurb them! I am deeply honored!

On the Ipod: I’ve been back to The Clash. This week it has been the record London Calling. The Clash hold an exuberance that I turn to when I need to be lifted up, and a wide world-view when I’m feeling stuck. Plus they make me feel like I am 14 when I am feeling a bit creaky. Music really is a time machine.

In the kitchen: I had to check my instagram feed to see if I made anything I was excited about. Nope. Another work-horse week. Hopefully this week will leave more time for playing with new ideas in the kitchen.

Book news: I spent yesterday brainstorming questions for a reading guide for The City Baker's Guide to Country Living. It is challenging and fun to try and look at my novel from the point of view of a reader!

Random cheer: The best part of the week for me was digging up and weeding my community garden plot. If you like playing in the dirt as much as I do, here is a super cheery tour of The White House kitchen garden—
http://www.eater.com/2016/5/11/116568...

Cheery, productive, balanced week to all of you! May we all make the time in our days for spacing out, aimless rambles, digging in the dirt and dreaming up stories.