Leave Your Burdens
Read to the end for a very good soap recc
HELLO!
Greetings from the middle of a wind storm. Here in LA, the Santa Ana winds are in full force, rough enough to warrant canceling school in some places. It’s very windy outside, and my hammock keeps clanging around in the backyard, but hopefully, we come out of this unscathed.
I snapped this pic a few days ago in East Jesus, which is an incredible art installation out in the desert, near the Salton Sea. It was a lovely little reminder to see at the start of this new year.
I’m currently blasting A Tribe Called Quest in my headphones as a small form of parental rebellion. See, a few days ago I was en route to the mall with my daughter and her best friend, bopping along to “Can I Kick It.”
“Wow, this is fire music,” one of them commented, the teen sarcasm overflowing from every syllable.
To which I replied, “What the sigma?”
JK, I still don’t really understand what that means, though it is often said in my house. I genuinely love parenting teens, but nothing reminds you of your own irrelevancy more than talking to two eighth-graders for a few minutes. Unsurprisingly, my speech about how Tribe almost certainly influenced every current artist they love was met with a dry, “So?” They did not want to hear me ramble on about how Q-Tip and Phife changed my understanding of music in the early to mid-90s. I’ll spare you the speech (though do watch this video from their Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony), but if you’re so inclined, please join me:
I was so incredibly chuffed at your kind response to last month’s newsletter. Thank you so much for supporting these endeavors! It really meant a lot that so many of you took the time to answer my nerdy little survey questions; your feedback was so helpful. As a result, I’ll be keeping all correspondence in this one newsletter, and sending it out every two weeks. One will be more writing-focused. The other? Pure, train-of-thought chaos, I suspect. We’ll see! I’m excited to go deep on some topics of interest to me — if you follow me on Instagram you may have seen my recent Stories about how I think George Michael deserves more Pop Culture Icon status than he currently has. I’ll probably climb back onto that soapbox here at some point.
BOOK STUFF I MUST TELL YOU
All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball is in the final stages of production, which is surreal. I wrote this one quickly, so it’s been a bit of a whirlwind, and like every book I’ve written prior, I can’t believe I get to do THIS. Like, are people really going to be able to read a pickleball court sex scene I concocted, in a few short months? I guess so! I spend a lot of time panicking about work in my head, and with this book, I’m trying to let go and enjoy the ride.
Fifty (!!!) of you submitted your pre-order receipts in my first giveaway for this book, and I cannot thank you enough. I had set a sort of aspirational goal of hitting twenty entries in this giveaway, so doubling that made my month. I will be getting your zines and notes out by the end of January. Thank you again for taking a chance on my homemade giveaway! I’m truly honored.
There will be more pre-order goodies and incentives to come, so if you pre-order anytime between now and June 2nd, hold on to your receipt! I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but in addition to massaging an author’s ego (which we appreciate, seriously), pre-ordering a book is the best way to show booksellers and publishers that a book has momentum and buzz. This, in turn, helps said book get more attention and support. Additionally, every pre-order counts toward the first-week sales of a book, which is crucial to a book landing on a bestseller list. (This is a helpful breakdown of pre-ordering.) And look, I have no shame in admitting that I want to land on a bestseller list! Especially with a sexy pickleball book, lol. You can also request that your local library carry the book when it comes out — this is a great way to support a book or author at no cost.
If you live in LA, please join me in conversation with Emma Grey on Monday, January 27th at Zibby’s Bookshop. We’ll be discussing her new book, Pictures of You. This event is presented by Our House, a wonderful grief support center here in LA. It’s the kind of place I wish I had had access to after my mom died.
FOUR FAVORITES
In the wake of so many devastating, violent acts here in the US recently (an evergreen statement if there ever was one), I am reflecting on how living in America means living in a constant state of hypervigilance. I feel it every day at school drop-off, or sitting at the mall this past weekend. As an author, I truly believe my purpose is to offer people an escape into a place that feels safe and comforting, and I take that responsibility very seriously! Cozy Reads 4ever! I’m sharing this month’s Four Favorites as an extension of that mission; may these recommendations serve as a warm, virtual hug from me to you.
I get asked often about what I am reading, and my answer over the last couple of months has been Zoey Draven’s Horde Kings of Dakkar series. I have one more book left and I’m currently in that excited, anxious state of wanting to tear through it but also savor it because I don’t want the series to end. The world-building and pacing are excellent, the steam is top-notch. The guys are hunky, Khal Drogo types with tails! Even if you think romantasy is “not for you,” I encourage you to give it a try. It’s such fun escapism, with some truly epic storytelling. And again: hunks with tails.
A couple of months ago I finished watching every episode of Friends in chronological order, and needed to pivot to a new, soothing show. I landed on the Golden Girls, because of course. And I know what you’re thinking. Duh. We all love the Golden Girls! It’s a classic! Is this really your recommendation, Kate? The Golden Girls?!
Indeed, it is. Because even though I’d watched it, I’d never really watched it, you know what I mean? Episode after episode, as a full-grown adult who is not that much younger than Blanche. I’m almost done with Season Two, and the whole show is wild in the best way. Some of the jokes still hit, others are full-on cringe-red flags. In one episode, the Girls decide to raise minks in their basement so they can sell them to slaughter for fur coats?! WATCH THIS CLIP!
It’s a fascinating time capsule, but also an amazing portrayal of older women that still resonates. Streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
If TikTok goes down, I will mourn my daily videos of Cumulus the cockatoo most. I…love this bird? I obsessively watch every video, including lives. He’s just so happy! I love this one song he sings over and over in every video!
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The Body Buffer — I love this exfoliating bar of soap from Billie. It’s technically for “pre-shaving”, and I bought it in a moment of desperation trying to help my dry n’ flaky legs. Now I use it on my whole body about once a week. The bar is curved which somehow makes it magical and easy to use. This is the kind of shower product I never knew I needed/would have considered unnecessary until I bought one for myself, and now I am obsessed. (Friendly reminder that money earned here from affiliate links is donated to Miry’s List.)
A Bonus Fave!
One of my fave stand-ups, Cat Cohen, released an album a couple of months ago, and this song feels like the appropriate anthem for January.
Wishing you and your new journals all the best in 2025!
Love, Kate (and my new Leuchtturm1917)
I’ve been saying “sussy baka” just to annoy my teenagery 2nd grader who insists it’s cringe when moms speak Gen Z. Also it’s a fun word to say.
When you finish Golden Girls, please turn next to Designing Women! That baton monologue by Julia? EPISODE TWO! Talk about a show that had its voice from the jump!
I had a similar reaction from my carload of 8th graders when I made them listen to Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" because I was reminded of it by Olivia Rodrigo's "Get Him Back." I stand by this.