When public media disappears, so do the stories that bring us together. With federal funding eliminated, millions may lose their last trusted source of news and connection. If that matters to you, now’s the time to act. Donate: n.pr/458sOhq

Latest installment of Summer of Men. “Threesomes and Jealousy” I remember the way his eyes lingered on her boobs, the way they overflowed out of her magenta bikini top, the full moon lighting the night. I wanted the moon to go away, for it to be dark… open.substack.com/pub/summerof...

Thank you Andrea for what you gave. Thank you for what you continue to give. “Dying is the opposite of leaving. When I left my body, I did not go away. That portal of light was not a portal to elsewhere, but a portal to here. I am more here than I ever was before.” ~ Andrea Gibson

Inhumane. My god.

All of a sudden I have 16 paid subscribers. I can’t believe it. So incredibly generous. Thank you to all who involuntarily chose to do so! Paying it forward by choosing a few Substacks to sign up for a paid subscription. Big gratitude. open.substack.com/pub/summerof...

Three years today, the greatest of gifts to be by my fathers side as he took his last breath. And so it was I began this day just as he would have wanted me to. Writing to him. Always with you dear dad and always, I with you. An excerpt from one of my favorites of my fathers poems.

I can’t believe it. I’m at Skylight Books to sign a couple copies of Strip and they sold out again. Having gone to Skylight for the past 25 years, this is a dream.

One of the things I’ve struggled with as a writer is the question of what is success? How much am I looking to publication for validation? From the external to the internal journey, I loved this conversation with Lisa Cooper Ellison. To listen go to: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...

What an honor to talk with @lisacooperellison.bsky.social on her Writing Your Resilience podcast about my memoir, Strip. If you’ve ever struggled w/ what to reveal, how to structure your story, or how to make peace with your past through writing, this episode is for you. Listen here: buff.ly/3XcKJz

What an honor to interview Hannah Sward (@summerjar.bsky.social) about her powerful memoir Strip! We covered so much territory from transcription practices and the somatic exercises she used to build powerful sex scenes to how she turned deep trauma into art. Listen here: https://buff.ly/3XcKJzx

How good it feels to get a few solid hours of writing in today. I put the phone in another room. Some days I put it in the trunk of my car so I don’t get distracted. The economy of time.

On my desk where I write… ‘Never lose hope, dear heart. Miracles swell in the invisible.’ - Rumi

Free hotel rooms from Hilton for those impacted by wildfires in LA 🙏🏻💙❤️💙🙏🏻 #wildfires #CA #LA #LAFIRES #LosAngeles #LosAngelesFires #wildfire #fires #pets #petrescue #rescue #emergency #wildlife #PalisadesFire #EatonFire #FireAid #LAStrong #SoCal #Pasadena#Altadena #SoCalFires

Received my forth royalty check today. A modest amount but enough to pay a few bills. Published over two years ago, I like thinking of Strip as the little engine that could. No big bang out of the gate but it continues down the tracks.

PRESSED SENT to my editor! I think Salt N’ Straw double scoop is in order📖🍦

Grateful to my publisher for marking my memoir down to .99 until Friday! For those interested in checking it out I never want to have the price be an issue! Subject matter: -childhood trauma -addiction -stripping -sex trade -the road to recovery & back to the written word a.co/d/6t8yRB2

20+ years ago I began writing a short story collection. After having taken a side step to go back to college, do meth, drink, get sober and write a memoir, this week I am sending my collection in to my new editor. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.

My publisher is hopping on the holiday sale train marking Strip down to .99 cents on Kindle! Dec.7-12 One of the early blurbs to entice you, drum roll please…one of my favorite authors, Nobel Prize Winner, J.M. Coetzee. a.co/d/6t8yRB2

Making “reduce, reuse, recycle” cool again.👏👏👇🏼

Every Thanksgiving I look back on my last Thanksgiving before sobriety. May I never forget what it was like. And if I ever do, may Strip (my memoir) be there to remind me. An excerpt from the day itself back in 2009.

My ranking of 1000+ literary magazines www.brechtdepoortere.com/rankings

We ran a map of where to find independent bookstores in Southern California. Take a look and be heartened at all the little oasis of good…

OMG that is so true. Copying @carolineleavitt.bsky.social here too. I think we should do an anthology called THE LIFE OF A BOOK with everyone writing a different kind of personal essay -- i.e. "the plague of getting reviews;" "WTF is a proper venue for my book?" "Gimmicks to sell your books." Etc

If it’s not a ‘hello dear’ DM then it’s something along the lines of this from unknown men…

2/2 My publisher let me know Strip is back. Now I need to contact the bookstores that tried to order it to let them know. All the behind the scenes of the life of a book and what it takes to keep it alive. It takes a village!

1/2 Not sure why this post warranted so many views. But I wanted to thank every single person who so graciously responded & who took it upon yourselves to help look into for me. Without you I would not have known Strip was out of print.

I never get over how small these numbers are. Look how easy it is to help out your favorite authors! (And your local bookstores!)

One of the great gifts since my debut came out has been community. The fellow writers, readers, literary minded people who I have connected with has been extraordinary. Every single podcast, interview, reading, panel has come through all of you. Continued gratitde🙏🫶🏿

i either read for 8 hours straight or don’t touch a book for 8 months there is no in between

I look forward to joining conversations about women trusting themselves. Also excited to begin Blue Sky by mentioning my memoir “Craving Spring: A mother’s quest, a daughter’s depression, and the Greek myth that brought them together,” published last year. Find reviews and more at annbatchelder.com

I highly recommend the memoir STRIP by @summerjar.bsky.social 🫶

I shared this on threads and I’ll share it here cause, well, it’s @carolineleavitt.bsky.social!

The thing about pre-orders: If you pre-order thru an indie bookstore (which generally doesn't cost you up-front!) it is HUGE for the lifeblood of the book, it is a boost to authors, the publisher, and the booksellers who steward this life. It's a little thing but it's meaningful should this inspire!

Just went to B&N and they are down to three copies of my memoir. Of course I turned one copy facing out.

I went to Skylight a local indie bookstore I’ve been going to since 1996. My memoir was sold out. “I’m not sure we can order more copies,” an employee said. My heart dropped. I often share about the wonder of seeing Strip in bookstores. I think it’s important to also share the other side.

This is your daily reminder that there is a light in you that can never be extinguished. The universe craves the art & goodness & love that only you can cultivate and nurture. Your dreams matter. Your life matters. We are all rooting for you. Your win is our win too. We love you! Keep going 💜

Checking this out after seeing a whole crew of literary minded people flocking on over here.

Checking out a book sale at the library, I was inspired to ask about volunteering opportunities to facilitate a writing workshop. I choose to stay in action, to ask myself what I can contribute as opposed to falling into despair.