My Sunday Best 09

On reading.

As a writer and lover of fiction, I thought I would share some of the books I have enjoyed these last few months. There is a longer piece in the writing, but I am not ready to share, so let’s dive into some excellent novels in the meantime.

The Queen of Dirt Island

Reading this book was like settling into the company of interesting women; I did not want to leave. It is a beautifully rendered story that I forced myself to read slowly because the prose is flawless. I loved it.

I am currently running the publication gauntlet of rejection and self-doubt. It is even more incredible to me, therefore, that Ryan wrote The Queen of Dirt Island after a two-year wrestle with another boot that was never published. He details the process here and really, I can’t get to the end of the article without shedding a tear.

Olive Kitteridge

I am a little late to the Elizabeth Strout party. I also need to confess that I began my journey with her characters by watching the wonderful Frances McDormand play Olive in a televised mini-series (which I highly recommend). When it ended, I began reading my way through her fiction, all set in the quiet coastal town of Maine.

I can get lost for hours in the unremarkable detail of her characters’ lives. There is something reassuring about the way Strout moves the story forward inch by inch so I can fall in step with grouchy Olive, or disappear down the rabbit holes of secondary characters. It’s the kind of reading I like to write.

The Bees

I have just started this novel, and it is unlike anything I have ever read. It is set inside a beehive and the main character is Flora 717, a worker bee. As a beekeeper, it is fascinating to consider the lives of my bees in this way. Paull’s descriptions are gorgeous, but I sense a darker undercurrent drawing me deeper into the story.

Keep it Short

I am finding a lot of joy in the words of people I follow on this platform. Here are a few I’d recommend, if you’re in the mood for something shorter.

Gorse

Ciara is a friend, baker, committed North Coaster and a beautiful writer. Her prose takes me on a gentle journey with lots of delicious photos of food to whet my appetite.

Fig & Ishka

Lynn’s illustrations are profound and I love the way she shares her work, with photos of the process included in every post. If you knew her, you’d see how these drawings are the most natural extension of her heart.

Days Like This with Deborah Sloan

I told Deborah that her pieces make me laugh. Not because they are comedic, but because she so precisely captures experiences to which I relate. They read like an inner monologue and I get swept away in her train of thought every time.

To be a Writer

I told my husband this week that I was throwing the towel in on this writing business. It’s awful. I love the creative stage where I get lost in fictional universes, but the submission part is soul crushing. Why would anyone be a writer? I yelled.

I don’t know, but I’ll keep reading in the meantime.

“Read, read, read. Read everything — trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.”
― William Faulkner

Happy Sunday, and if you enjoy these posts, hit reply and let me know, writers need cheerleaders!