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Do you consume podcasts? If you do, do you consume book- and author-related podcasts? Has a podcast nudged you to read a book or move a book up your TBR? Recommend a favorite if you have one or one-to-avoid, as applicable.

Who knew, btw?





Book Riot's list:

The Mary Sue's list:

Audible: Best Podcasts by Black Creators (so more broad than books)

I am devoted to David Naimon's podcast, Between the Covers, produced by Tin House. Each episode is an interview with an author. The most recent episode, featuring Christina Sharpe, is particularly excellent. David is one of the best - and most prepared - interviewers. Episodes usually run about 2 hours. Highly recommended.

Interested to see other recommendations!

David wrote: "I am devoted to David Naimon's podcast, Between the Covers, produced by Tin House. Each episode is an interview with an author. The most recent episode, featuring Christina Sharpe, is particularly ..."

His special series talking with authors about Ursula LeGuin was fantastic! I don't remember all the authors, but some of them were Becky Chambers, Kim Stanley Robinson, Lydia Yuknavitch and Maria Dahvana Headley.

David wrote: "I am devoted to David Naimon's podcast, Between the Covers, produced by Tin House. Each episode is an interview with an author. The most recent episode, featuring Christina Sharpe, is particularly ..."

Sounds like David Naimon's podcost is worth checking out.

It you're interested in podcasts that interview authors I would recommend CBC Podcasts. It's Canadian based but deals with authors from around the world. I think it can be easily streamed in the U.S. and likely elsewhere.

The following are links to all their podcasts


Just click on any particular podcast you're interest in to find out more.

I regularly listen to Writers and Company with Eleanor Wachtel live but all are saved for future listening. Unfortunately Eleanor just announced her retirement but there are many past great interviews available. She interviews authors from around the world. Her recent interview with Carol Shields, since deceased - a Canadian author and Pulitzer Prize winner focuses on why she chose deliberately to write about female issues would likely appeal to Read Women Members.


Sheila Rogers, host of The Next Chapter is another great show to listen too. Sheila is highly respected in Canada, not just for interviewing authors with respect to their books (she's so prepared and asks such great questions) but also respected for her work within Canada's Indigenous Community. She was a driving force behind many of the initiatives for reconciliation etc. She too does not limit herself to Canadian authors (although we do have a strong contingent of writers to be proud of.)


There are a number of other podcosts I enjoy Quirks and Qwarks (science base) and a number of Indigenous programs. CBC'S FM radio can be easily streamed as well.

Hope you enjoy and thanks for the David Naimon tip.

Carol wrote: "Jassmine, Anita and I kick this topic around from time to time and I think where we are is, yes, our members should feel free to discuss any authors of marginalized gender identities in our threads..."

Okay, great, keeping that in mind for future! 😁

Has anyone read American marriage? What are your thoughts?
I am almost half way through and really struggling to keep on reading.

Hello Crazytourists, I have read it and enjoyed it very much. It is true that the second half of the book loses its momentum as we understand the relationship won’t last but I found the author’s style very strong. The ending is particularly poignant. But it is true that it may be more striking for people living in the US who know more about this type of situation. If I remember well, we read it in the group and what people were mostly uncomfortable with was the character of Celestial and her lack of concern. Maybe it is the reason why this book has put you off?

Mj wrote: "David wrote: "I am devoted to David Naimon's podcast, Between the Covers, produced by Tin House. Each episode is an interview with an author. The most recent episode, featuring Christina Sharpe, is..."

This is a fab list for me to challenge myself with. Thanks for sharing it.

Debuts: do they excite you, per se (I may identify a fab new author in their first outing!), are you neutral about reading debuts vs subsequent works (it's a fact that's a non-factor for you), or do you read them despite their debut status?

I used to be a fan of debuts, or at least I perused the Millions Most Anticipated list avidly chasing titles that appealed and I noticed the ones that were debuts, but didn't have an opinion on whether that was a good or bad fact (for my reading experience). In the last 24 months or so, I'm aware that I'm more often a little disappointed in debut novels even if reading them keeps me a part of the award conversation and related exchanges about the newest LitFic with many GR friends. They are rarely my 5-star reads of any year. My 5-star reads often come from authors I've enjoyed previously or new-to-me authors on their 2nd to 4th novels. OTOH, I'm surrounded virtually by respected and trusted book friends who gain a lot of energy from reading and discussing debut authors, and it's almost addictive.

How does debut status impact your reading choices, if it does?

Carol wrote: "Debuts: do they excite you, per se (I may identify a fab new author in their first outing!), are you neutral about reading debuts vs subsequent works (it's a fact that's a non-factor for you), or d..."

I usually don't really notice... so I would say it's not a factor for me.
Even though sometimes when I'm reviewing a book I tend to excuse some of the unpolished aspects by the book being a debut. So I guess I'm a little skeptical, but also kinder toward debuts.
But it's mostly not a factor for me...

I am generally story driven when I am choosing novels. So, I wouldn't be put off by the fact that this might be the debut work by an author. When it comes to reading unfamiliar authors, I also think the source of the recommendation/ review might impact my choices.

It doesn't put me off either but do find the number of debut novels appearing on sites like Netgalley a bit overwhelming at times, makes it hard to decide what to sample. But a few recent debuts count as favourite reads: Our Hideous Progeny; Cold Enough for Snow and others I can't instantly recall.

You remind me that I began to pay attention to my success rate with debuts in the context of reading ARCs, when suddenly I was committed to finishing every one (you can see how well that went) and recognized that there's truly a crapshoot aspect of committing to a debut, moreso than a third or fourth novel where either the market or an editor have spoken and someone simply is better at their craft than they were. Trying an experienced author I haven't read is a lower risk endeavour, although certainly one likes what one likes regardless. But the volume of promotion of newly released debuts is so intense that they are top of mind always.

My most recent fave which is a debut is The Bandit Queens. I have to go back to September 2021 for the last debut I 5-starred - the luminously wonderful Assembly. I've kissed many a frog between those books that didn't transform into a good book : )

I'm glad I'm in the minority here!

Since 2019 I've read 46 debuts, 9 so far this year. I don't go looking for them (but I do go looking for authors that I have not read). I don't read them because of the hype. I often pick them up because the book sounds very interesting and then later find out it's a debut. I've only come across 2 with which I was not happy.

Some of my very favorite of that same time period: There There by Tommy Orange; Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney; Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi; Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt, just to name a few.

Are you a fan of memoirs? What are some of your recent faves? (You define recent, for you)

Mine are Finding Me (Viola Davis) and The Year of Magical Thinking: A Play by Joan Didion. In both instances, I consumed them via audio. Davis narrated her own book, and Vanessa Redgrave narrated the play adaptation of Didion's longer memoir. Mesmerizing, indeed.

Carol wrote: "Are you a fan of memoirs? What are some of your recent faves? (You define recent, for you)"

I like memoirs, I don't read them a ton, but I usually enjoy them when I do.
Recently I read Ten Steps to Nanette and Gender Queer: A Memoir both of which I liked, the second one against my expectations, even though they are quite different from one another.
I listened to Ten Steps to Nanette on audio which was narrated by the author and I really loved that. Books being narrated by their authors is a feature I enjoy very much and Hannah Gadsby is an amazing narrator, so that just moved it up another notch.

Whenever I read a memoir I always come away surprised with how much I enjoy them. I’m not the type of person to read celebrity gossip magazines so I am not up on the popular names out there. I like Jenny Lawson, David Sedaris, and Amber Ruffin who tell their stories with wit and humor.
I was amazed with how moved I was by Jeanette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died (despite the title).
Loved Michelle Obama’s Becoming . And I followed Carol’s suggestion and listened to Viola Davis read Finding Me which was wonderful.

Big memoir fan here! Love them. Some of my most recommended:
Love You Hard: A Memoir of Marriage, Brain Injury, and Reinventing Love by Abby Maslin
Little Matches: A Memoir of Finding Light in the Dark by Maryanne O'Hara
Wife Daughter Self: A Memoir in Essays by Beth Kephart
Loved and Wanted: A Memoir of Choice, Children, and Womanhood by Christa Parravani
Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig
Untamed
The Book of Rosy: A Mother's Story of Separation at the Border by Rosayra Pablo Cruz
Sounds Like Titanic: A Memoir by Jessica Chiccehitto
Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country by Pam Houston
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love or anything by Dani Shapiro
anything by Kelly Corrigan
I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O'Farrell
Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After by Heather Harpham
Dear Mr. You by Mary Louise Parker
For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World by Sasha Sagan
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Eiziabeth Tova Bailey

And some recent favorites:
You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir by Maggie Smith
Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative by Melissa Febos
What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo
In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss by Amy Bloom
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

Melissa - you've given me a list to work through, and I'm unfamiliar with most of them. Can't thank you enough for the inspiration.

When you read a book in translation, do you prefer largely word-for-word translations or would you rather a translator take a more creative/spirit-of-the-language approach? I'm sure there's a better way to contrast the two perspectives, but you know what I mean.

There's a fab NYT essay on Constance Garnett in today's Book Review from which I learned a lot about her that I never knew. It also reminded me that many readers despise her translations with a passion because she allegedly took so many liberties with the texts that her works substantially differ from their sources. On the other hand, in my experience, readers who enjoy translated works tend to reject the idea of holding translators accountable for word-for-word "accuracy" in favor of translations that convey meaning and cultural understanding.



I don't think I care which approach a translator takes, but I'd like to know vs. remaining ignorant of their approach.

you?

Interesting question, Carol. I prefer translations that are closer to word-to-word, but I know it's not always possible, and in those cases, I don't mind the translator taking some more liberties. What I don't like is when the translators add their own mark and produce a work that has little to do with the original. Translation is about making someone else's work accessible to a different audience, and it has to be true to the creator :)

Carol wrote: "Melissa - you've given me a list to work through, and I'm unfamiliar with most of them. Can't thank you enough for the inspiration."
You are quite welcome!

Crazytourists_books wrote: "Interesting question, Carol. I prefer translations that are closer to word-to-word, but I know it's not always possible, and in those cases, I don't mind the translator taking some more liberties. ..."

I'm going to +1 this comment because it is exactly how I feel. The translator has been hired to convert the work into another language so that a greater quantity of people have the opportunity to experience the words and story of the author. Being a novelist is more than just the sum of your words. There are often many stylist decisions that the author has made due to the additonal artistic impact they have upon the story. I believe the translator not only has to try to come as close as possible to the words/meaning chosen by the original author but they also need to respect the stylistic choices as well.

If the translator wants to be creative, perhaps they should write a novel themselves. It just seems as if they are saying that they could have written this better when really, they are taking advantage of the creativity of another person.

Liesl wrote: "Crazytourists_books wrote: "Interesting question, Carol. I prefer translations that are closer to word-to-word, but I know it's not always possible, and in those cases, I don't mind the translator ..."

It's a trust issue, too. Many readers avoid translations or discount them or blame them for poor reading experiences. The more readers see sunlight between the original and the translated version, the more readers become justified in thinking that what they're reading isn't the work of the designated author, but a hybrid for which the author isn't responsible. Hence, comments in reviews here on GR like, "I don't know if it was the translation, but I didn't connect with this book .... " and the like.

The NYTimes had a series of articles maybe 14 days ago that focused on various prominent, busy translators' perspectives. I found it enlightening, but also disturbing, because the primary theme was around capturing the spirit or essence of a work. I so respect how difficult a job it is, but I'd like more accuracy and less essence.

While I'm at it, when I read a British author, I'd like to see British spellings and word usage and am displeased when publishers make changes for an American audience. Please just stop. Changing the titles and the covers is already annoying but I can live with it. I'd truly like to read the same words, though. Isn't this how readers learn that there are British and American spellings?

Carol wrote: "Liesl wrote: "Crazytourists_books wrote: "Interesting question, Carol. I prefer translations that are closer to word-to-word, but I know it's not always possible, and in those cases, I don't mind t..."

I think translation always has to involve a certain amount of creativity and artistic licence, some of the worst I've read have been very literal. Cultural concepts and languages just don't map, the prevalence of portmanteau words in German and in Japanese for example. The Korean language is quite elliptical and terse compared to English, as well as including a lot of terms that relate to social hierarchies - use of sunbae, -nim etc which can be quite annoying in an English version of a text, but are also difficult to convey if the cultural context is not understood.

I read a Simenon recently - translated into English - and French words without a comparable English were left in French - guingette - for example - which is a word I recognise anyway. I think that's a sensible way to proceed - other translated books have offered key words - specific to a culture in an agenda plus explanation - that also worked - although sometimes - you think grief - to the back again! I read the Makioka Sisters fairly recently by Tanizaki - but realised quickly that the translation was not very good - there's only one English version by Edward Seidensticker - I knew because I had read several other Tanizakis' - different translators - so much better.
In fact good translators I would say are artists in their own right especially if they are attempting poetry translation - again I've seen poetry turned from verse into prose by functional translators and the same original work rendered into verse lines - where the length, rhythm and play of words, particular end words evoked layers of meaning - obliterated by clumsy translation.
Yes - getting the right translator can make or break a work of fiction.

Laura wrote: "I read a Simenon recently - translated into English - and French words without a comparable English were left in French - guingette - for example - which is a word I recognise anyway. I think that'..."

I’m surprised you didn’t enjoy the Makioka Sisters, although it’s a tad long for my taste. Seidensticker is well-regarded, so just goes to show that differences we will always have with us and we’re the more rich for them.

These comments cover the tension well, I think. And tension no doubt there is.

I did enjoy the Makioka Sisters - I said the translation was not very good... especially in comparison to other novels of Tanizaki using other translators.

No pressure, just an invitation to join either or both of our group reads this month if they appeal and you have time, each of which qualify for a variety of our challenges and perhaps your personal goals.

#WiT: All Your Children, Scattered, translated from French
African Authors and RatW (Rwanda and South Africa): Both
Black Women Authors: All Your Children, Scattered
Nobel prize winners: Nadine Gordimer
Debut Novels: All Your Children, Scattered

Bonus: AYCS is 192 pages and July's People is 190 pages; neither is likely to blow a hole in a plan-oriented reader's plan.

What are you looking forward to, in the short term? Do you have a holiday coming up? Are you a pumpkin spice fan or excited to plan your Halloween costume? College football or women's soccer? A trip home to see family you enjoy? Getting in to see a new therapist or PT? A new job or new role?

I've got a beach vacay coming up and a spouse dealing with severe back pain, so I'm lighting candles that he recovers by next Friday for many reasons - one of which is that he hurt is back lifting up our senior dog (she has a harness because her hip dysplasia impairs her ability to get up on her own steam), and we'll be staying in a house that requires us to get 2 dogs up and down a flight of 12 - 15 stairs 5 times per day. I wouldn't relish being the sole dog servant, but certainly lots of folks are dealing with bigger things than a beach holiday inconvenience.

Other than that, I'm dismayed at the speed with which this summer has flown and want to enjoy every single day August has to offer before ... what comes next.

you?

I am attending the Mississippi Book Festival on Aug 19. It’s free and I look forward to it every summer. It tends to skew toward Southern authors but this year there seems to be a bit more variety. It’s about a 3-hour drive from where I live, so it also serves as a weekend getaway and I visit the wonderful indie bookstore in town and eat at restaurants that have become favorites over the years.

This year the fest has decided to invite Mike Pence, which many are upset about. I will admit that this has put a bit of a damper on things, and I wonder if the Secret Service required will complicate things for attendees, but I know I will have fun nonetheless.

Carol wrote: "What are you looking forward to, in the short term? Do you have a holiday coming up? Are you a pumpkin spice fan or excited to plan your Halloween costume? College football or women's soccer? A tri..."

Back on 1 August, I would have said that I am looking forward to a trip back to see my kids and celebrate family birthdays. My husband and I relocated to Dubai earlier this year and I am now a long way from my children. We had a lovely week and now I am back in Dubai and looking forward to the next time I will go visit them. Funny that you should mention pumpkin spice. I saw a funny meme this morning where someone told the pumpkin spicers to wait their turn while they just enjoy their margaritas for the rest of summer.

I hope that your holiday is going well Carol, and that the dog situation has resolved itself.

Susan wrote: "I am attending the Mississippi Book Festival on Aug 19. It’s free and I look forward to it every summer. It tends to skew toward Southern authors but this year there seems to be a bit more variety...."

A book festival sounds wonderful. I hope the added security doesn't complicate things too much.

Carol wrote: "What are you looking forward to, in the short term? Do you have a holiday coming up? Are you a pumpkin spice fan or excited to plan your Halloween costume? College football or women's soccer? A tri..."

That sounds challenging, hope your husband's okay, a friend's partner developed a hernia carrying around their arthritic dog, so know it's quite an undertaking. My lower back still spasms from moving Izzie despite using one of those special support slings plus harness and that was a while ago now.

I'm planning to visit a friend who lives close to Brighton, and then housesit when she goes away. She has a menagerie of semi-resident gulls and foxes circling her garden, so lots of egg boiling and seed scattering involved! But also a chance to walk on the Downs and visit the sea, plus lots of interesting cafes and shops in the town.

Susan wrote: "I am attending the Mississippi Book Festival on Aug 19. It’s free and I look forward to it every summer. It tends to skew toward Southern authors but this year there seems to be a bit more variety...."

I have always wanted to go to this and am psyched on your behalf. What an awesome schedule of topics and authors. I like that MP is one of 8 competing options at the time he speaks, and I expect that Richard Russo and Mississippi Football, if not Cookbooks and Culture, will draw more attendees.

Liesl wrote: "Carol wrote: "What are you looking forward to, in the short term? Do you have a holiday coming up? Are you a pumpkin spice fan or excited to plan your Halloween costume? College football or women's..."

What a great trip - I'm glad you enjoyed it. Are you liking Dubai? Is this a 3 - 5 year gig or permanent (as permanent as anything in life is)?

re the margaritas - exactly ! wait your turn, autumn lovers.

Alwynne wrote: "Carol wrote: "What are you looking forward to, in the short term? Do you have a holiday coming up? Are you a pumpkin spice fan or excited to plan your Halloween costume? College football or women's..."

I think I would totally love this house-sitting gig. Yeah - he's still pretty miserable. I'm exploring cryotherapy places now on his behalf, at the recommendation of my Pilates instructor. Not feeling a lot of hope even if I line their pockets with gold : )

My summer reading has come to a halt. I’m spending a couple months being nanny to my baby great granddaughter in the company of 2 horses, three big dogs, some chickens and a couple barn cats while her mom goes back to work. I’m a quiet beach person so this is quite an experience. I’ll be back to my books in a couple of weeks.

Carol wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Carol wrote: "What are you looking forward to, in the short term? Do you have a holiday coming up? Are you a pumpkin spice fan or excited to plan your Halloween costume? College foo..."

Have you tried a sports physio? Mine comes to the house, she's also a qualified acupuncturist. Sports physios are more centred on getting people functioning so I find them more useful than other kinds of practitioners, and the acupuncture relaxes the muscles without any nasty side effects. Not sure how acupuncture is regarded in the US, it's fairly mainstream here, used in the health service for arthritis etc I'm not into alternative therapies like cupping etc but find acupuncture very effective. I also have exercises to follow that the physio recommended after sorting out the acute issues and they are helping a lot. She fixed a shoulder issue for me a while ago which has been fine ever since.

I should probably have asked her for tips on how to lift safely before I started carting around a wriggly 20kg dog!

Carol wrote: "Liesl wrote: "Carol wrote: "What are you looking forward to, in the short term? Do you have a holiday coming up? Are you a pumpkin spice fan or excited to plan your Halloween costume? College footb..."

It is supposed to be a permanent move. I had spent the past 21 years living in Madrid and had thought that was going to be my forever home. So you never know what lies ahead.

So far we are enjoying life here. Just missing the kids.

Alwynne wrote: "Carol wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Carol wrote: "What are you looking forward to, in the short term? Do you have a holiday coming up? Are you a pumpkin spice fan or excited to plan your Halloween costum..."

his PCP is a sports medicine doctor, so advice is - as with your physio - focused on practical advice and that the solution here is a physical one not a med-treatment-pill one. So far - muscle relaxers, prednisone, Pilates, acupuncture (he's a long time customer of his acupuncturist - so we're believers, but in this instance, it offers short-term pain relief, not a "cure"), an injection (last Friday), cryogenics (3 minutes for $39, but you're really, really ready to get out after 3 minutes)... and he does pulmonary rehab twice a week and the person running that group class also offered good advice. I have much sympathy, and think this is bigger than a pulled muscle 2 weeks ago, and no one has figured it out yet; however, also some patients are a bit more open to following advice than others. : )

I hear you on the safe-dog lifting advice. i think you're young enough not to have thought of that upfront, but can't blame yourself.

The harness is a life saver, and we're not bending over that far, but it definitely requires thoughtfulness and intentionality to make certain you're stable and doing it in a way that won't strain your back. He lifted her at 1 am and just wasn't mentally alert enough to be smart. I can't/don't fault him for that aspect. (I've got better material available haha)

Liesl wrote: "Carol wrote: "Liesl wrote: "Carol wrote: "What are you looking forward to, in the short term? Do you have a holiday coming up? Are you a pumpkin spice fan or excited to plan your Halloween costume?..."

That's very cool that you have a shared sense of courage and adventuresome spirits, as well. You're challenging my thoughts about living in Dubai by example, since I've got my list of Liesl character traits running down one column, and “traits of Westerners wanting to live in Dubai�� in another column, and they don't gel, which means my second column is uninformed nonsense.

Carol wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Carol wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Carol wrote: "What are you looking forward to, in the short term? Do you have a holiday coming up? Are you a pumpkin spice fan or excited to plan your ..."

That sounds very heavy duty Carol, has he been offered any kinds of scans? Does sound like it could be something more deep-seated, maybe he had an imbalance or some other issue for a while and the lifting simply exposed it. Hope he gets some answers/improves soon, I understand about the lifting, I'm usually quite careful about things but sometimes you just react or do things on auto-pilot.

Alwynne wrote: "Carol wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Carol wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Carol wrote: "What are you looking forward to, in the short term? Do you have a holiday coming up? Are you a pumpkin spice fan or excited..."

It's now been a month, but we [finally] have an MRI and CT Scan scheduled for 10 - 12 days from now. I admit, I'm a bit just burned out with this latest thing, but I'm working on firmly applying my game face.

Change of seasons - are you a lover of whatever season begins now (depending on your hemisphere) or do you feel anxiety or sadness that this whole year has gone so fast, and the [summer]'s over and work is intense, etc. or are you somewhere in between either because you've mastered gratefulness and coping skills or other?

I am a summer person who also has a super-intense work life from the day after (US) Labor Day through mid-December and am working through a bit of self-pity over the spousal back-injury-madness. My son, on the other hand, loves fall and looks askance at my sadness. What are your feelings this time of year as the seasons change and are you happy with them or do you try to manage them in some way?

Carol, I'm on your son's side. Cooler weather, spooky vibes for spooky season, so many good books take place in autumn - love it!

I turn into a turtle during summer and can hardly motivate myself to do anything, but autumn is fresh and invigorating. From around September on, I feel like I can get things done!

Sorry you get so busy this time of year. Make time for self care - IOW read books! ;-)

Ozsaur wrote: "Carol, I'm on your son's side. Cooler weather, spooky vibes for spooky season, so many good books take place in autumn - love it!

I turn into a turtle during summer and can hardly motivate myself ..."

Have you been getting things done, Ozsaur? September has flown by for me, partly because of spouse health stuff - the constant appointments that have shaped each week recently - and partly just me. Funny you mention reading as self-care. It IS 100% that most of the time. I don't have any idea how my friends who review every book they read, and who read a book every 1.33 days pull it off, but the reading itself gives me so much joy and - most of the time - allows my brain to stop spinning on with things I can't control.

Over a 5-day period in Sept, we have our son's birthday, my husband's birthday and our daughter's birthday, and today's the last one - our daughter's - which I want to revel in and not let it zoom past me. I sent her flowers this morning, something new. She's so danged appreciative, it's a joy to be kind and creative with kind, responsive recipients.

What's everyone up to? What's bringing you energy, joy or respite?

October is the big month for getting things done this year. My husband is taking some time off from work so we can prepare for his retirement in January! I'm so happy he's finally going to be able to do the stuff he's been wanting to do, but has been putting off.

Carol, your September sounds exhausting! But also fun! Your daughter sounds like a lovely person, and sending her unexpected flowers is a wonderful gift.

I write a review for every book I read. It's a personal project, and not meant to be anything like a professional review. Sometimes, it can be daunting when I'm feeling really down, and a couple of books have slipped by over the years. Still, it's a worthwhile thing to do.

Reading is still the thing that keeps me engaged, and moving forward. I hope October goes a lot smoother for you!