Sorry for the impromptu hiatus on the blog. The good news is, I've been doing a lot of reading and writing (for my book), just not on here! (And, of course, prepping for the wedding which is somehow < 2 weeks away. Eeeek!)

But I just read a book I couldn't help but gush about here. It's been near the top of the nonfiction NYT Bestseller list for a while now, so maybe you've already heard about the poignant story of Paul Kalanithi, the author of When Breath Becomes Air.

In short, Kalanithi was about to finish his intense residency as a neurosurgeon, when he was suddenly facing his own diagnosis: stage four lung cancer. (He had never smoked.) It is after this world-shattering diagnosis that Paul began his work on this book, that chronicles his winding path to become a doctor (he got a Masters in Literature first before med school!), his life's search to find meaning, and his ultimate transition from doctor to patient.

His experiences as a brain surgeon inform a lot of deep philosophical questions he poses throughout the book. Is the purpose to life really happiness? (He doesn't think so.) What does it mean to really be alive? (Is an intubated person in a coma alive?) How can you lead a meaningful life? The whole text is interspersed with literary quotes and poems, which (as an English major), I, of course, adored.

I will say I was surprised by some of the technical medical jargon in the book, but really my only other "critique" is that I could have easily read 100 more pages. The ending felt a bit rushed, and this is because, as his wife explains in the Epilogue, Paul sadly passed away before he could fully finish it. Oh, this book made me cry, but that's not surprising.

Still! Paul accomplished so much in his much too-short life, and now is inspiring thousands post-death. It's impossible to read this book and not feel inspired to take advantage of your time one earth.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who is mortal—that is to say, everyone.

p.s. Quick fact For blog readers: Paul is Joanna Goddard's (of Cup of Jo fame) twin sister's late husband, so I'd been following his story before the book was published. He wrote some moving pieces for the New York Times, including this piece called How Long Have I Got Left?

Read This: My New Author Girl Crush, Liane Moriarty

So every once in a while after I read a book I think, "I need to read every book by this author." It happened right away with Emily Giffin from the moment I finished Something Borrowed and I've loved reading all of her books and staying up to date as her new titles come out ever since (I look forward to her new book First Comes Love, out in June).

Well, I'm excited to report I have another official author girl crush: Liane Moriarty. This Australian writer was highly recommended to me, and as luck would have it my sister Becky bought me "The Husband's Secret" for Christmas, even though I hadn't mentioned the recommendations to her. Becky is an awesome gift giver!

Well, after flying through the Husband's Secret I knew I had to read them all :) My mom found The Hypnotist's Love Story for me half-priced, and I bought Big Little Lies used and read that in under a week, too! So I've read one Liane Moriarty book a month in 2016--not bad! She has 6 novels so these are the ones I've read:

And these are the ones I need to read:

She also writes children's books which I'm totally tempted to read as well.

But what are her books like?, you ask. Glad you asked! To keep the Emily Giffin comparison alive, I'd say she's a darker Emily Giffin. Similarly, her books center around women, but whereas most of Emily's center around, say the 25-30 year-old woman who's struggling to find love (speaking in generalities, of course), most of Moriarty's protagonists are slightly older than that, and most are moms. Or, should I say, since Moriarty is an Australian author, "mums." (Aside: I love the Australian elements thrown into these books. It's fun reading about people on the other side of the world! Who, of course, have a lot in common with us.)

I enjoy love stories, and there are certainly romantic elements weaved in throughout Moriarty's books, but it's not all love. In fact, two of the three books I've read of hers involve a murder--but don't think it's a murder mystery in the traditional sense of a crime-story genre. It's not!

In regards to the writing itself: All of her books (that I've read) are written in third person tight with alternating points of view. I do think a challenge here is, in each book, I did start to care about one point of view more than all of the rest. (I'd love to know, if you read them, which protagonists you preferred.) Regardless of POV, she's great at incorporating humor as she writes, and adept at drilling down to little insights about life that ring so true.

Overall, I find her writing incredible relatable, fun, and full of great tension. The girl will make you want to turn the page! I'd say The Hypnotist's Love Story was my least favorite of the three (not as complex/layered, felt a bit too simple), so I'd recommend starting with The Husband's Secret or Big Little Lies. If you check out the books (or have read them already) I'd love to know what you think! Next up on my Moriarty book list for April: What Alice Forgot which is apparently a tear-jerker. Happy Monday, friends! xx

(First two images of books from the author's website.)

An Ode to Coffee Table Books

Even posing the question: What's on your coffee table? seems like a weirdly in-authentic thing for me to do. As the honest answer (for years) would probably be: I don't know, mail I got 3 months ago I can't bring myself to open?

However, I am trying to turn over this new leaf in life where I stop random papers from conquering my apartment. I know! What a novel idea! Between this post and color-coding my bookshelf I'm on pace to turn this blog into a full-blown interior design resource. Move over, Emily Henderson.

Hahaha. Haha. Ha.

Anyway, I've been thinking lately that I do appreciate my current stack of coffee table books, for a multitude of previously unrealized reasons:

a.) They are fun to open when you have a few quick minutes to read, but don't have the time to get absorbed in a novel, and are sick of looking at screens.

b.) They are perfect to flip through during commercials or particularly boring sporting events. (I know, I can be such a bad former athlete. The truth is after playing sports competitively for years they lose some of their luster. Like how I once heard Lauren Graham never watches herself on T.V. she acts, and that's that. (I like this incredibly flawed analogy because I'm Lauren Graham in it.))

c.) The perfect stack makes me feel organized. (This is a lie, but I can ignore the heap of unfolded laundry on the couch, and focus on the perfectly constructed book stack.)

Here's my current stack! As you can see, I go for more word-driven versus picture-driven books, though obviously picture-focused coffee table books are pretty too.

1. WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. A TED talk in a book form? Sign me up! This insightful essay inspired by her TEDx talk is worth reading all the way through, but makes for a pretty coffee table book due it's lovely cover and small size. The perfect stack-topper!

2. BRAVE ENOUGH by Cheryl Strayed. This (signed!) book is full of quotes from Tiny, Beautiful Things. I really do love it (and it's gorgeous green cover), but it's hard for me to tell if I'd appreciate it as much if I hadn't read Tiny Beautiful Things. Either way, I do think books of quotes make for great coffee table books!

3. THE LIFE CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP by Marie Kondo. So I've read this book cover to cover (and recommend it!) but the fun part about the format of this book to make it a good coffee table number is the way she bolds/italicizes key phrases.

4. OLD POSSUM'S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS by T.S. Eliot. Much like #2, this is representative of a successful type of book that excel on the any given coffee table: poetry! I've been reading these fun, whimsical cat poems (on which the CATS musical was based) since childhood, and they never get old. Obviously, you might not want to put a thick tome of poems on your coffee table, but shorter, quick reads with mixed in illustrations are perfect, like this one by Amber Tamblyn or this one by Brian Andreas.

At the risk of sounding like Jennifer Garner in a Capitol One commercial: What's on your coffee table? :)

5 Favorite Books I Read in 2015

It's a new year! A perfect time to reflect on all the ups and downs and trials and tribulations of the past year, and reset my focus for the forthcoming year. But that sounds simultaneously exhausting and boring—let's talk about books instead. ;)

2015 was a good reading year for me, so I thought it'd be fun to share some of my favorites. And to keep things quick and easy (it is Wednesday and nearly February, after all) I'm doing three-sentence reviews.

1. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

You don't have to like baseball to love this emotional journey of a star shortstop and his friends. Just be forewarned: if you're like me, you might cry in a coffee shop while reading it. As a bonus, it takes place in Wisconsin, a truly wonderful place.

2. Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill

I flew through this book, full of very quick scenes and intriguing facts. Ultimately, it painted a beautiful, poignant picture of a family at their near-breaking point. When I finished the last page, I wanted to experience it all over again.

3. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

An autobiographical graphic novel that's as surprising as it is powerful. I am now dying to see the Tony-award winning musical! If you've never read a graphic novel before, start with this one!

4. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

This one is a must-read for aspiring authors, but her metaphors are inspirational for anyone. I felt significantly better about my writing--and my life--by reading this. My only regret is I didn't read it sooner.

5.Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

One of my favorite memoirs of all time (and I am a serial memoir-reader). Cheryl Strayed's powerful personal journey feels not only incredible, but also incredibly relatable. I now also obsessively listen to her podcast, Dear Sugar Radio.


Hope you enjoyed my recommendations!! Would love to hear your fave 2015 reads! xx

Read This: Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

Have you ever read a graphic novel? If not, now is a good time to start with Alison Bechdel's Fun Home. It's an autobiography called a "tragicomic" and it left me completely awestruck.

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

An incredible part of this book is it's full of surprises, so I am not willing to give away any plot details (unless you've read it, then call me and let's talk forever!) but I'll discuss other elements I loved.

Fun Home is an autobiography about a small-town Pennsylvania family, yes, but it's full of literary allusions—an English major's dream come true. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Camus, James Joyce, Proust, some Greek mythology...to just name a few. I felt smarter as I read each page. 

The emotional journey of the protagonist is so relatable, and really causes you to reflect on your own upbringing, however different it may have been from Bechdel's. She uses a lot of her childhood journals to piece things together, and, as I was a "journaling child" that made me smile.

Another thing I've never appreciated about graphic novels until reading this book is how very few words they get to tell a story. Her word choice is on-point, with almost a poetic quality.

Do you want to buy a copy yet? Well, I feel like a should mention a couple things regarding content. I think this book would be an amazing read, both for males and females, as it explores issues both sexes face, but it does not restrain itself on the female side. If you are a grown, mature man who literally can't look at a box of tampons without squirming....maybe get over it, first, then read this book. If you can't get over it, I hope with every fiber of my being that you are blessed with five beautiful daughters.

Also, if you are a grown, mature adult who has no problem in the world with heterosexual sex scenes, but just can't handle homosexual sex scenes, you should reconsider the "grown" and "mature" adjectives, read some James Baldwin, and then this book. ;)

Disclaimers aside: Everyone should read this, for their own sake. But also, because I want to talk about it with everyone.

And now, I need to know: Any other graphic novels I've been missing out on? I feel like Fun Home is my gateway into graphic novels, and I couldn't be more excited to explore a new genre.

p.s. Does Alison Bechdel's name sound familiar to you? You're probably thinking of the famous Bechdel test and, yep, same person.

p.p.s. Although I struggle to imagine how this story could translate into a Broadway musical—others did not. It won a Tony in 2015. So now, given my love for Broadway, I must see it.

Read This: Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett

It's hard for me to recommend Truth & Beauty because I can think of two words to succinctly describe it, and one of them is sad. The other word, of course, is powerful. I suppose I am advocating that you read it for the second word, if you can handle the burden of the inherent sadness. However, if you're in a state where you don't want to read a "downer" book, maybe this isn't for you. At the same time, I think we are in a culture addicted to being happy—and maybe fully recognizing and exposing ourselves to a wider range of emotions can help us, as a society, develop a sense of empathy that seems to have gone missing from the world.

In short, I recommend this book. But if you find it moderately depressing, don't say I didn't warn you.

Truth & Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett

Ann Patchett wrote Truth & Beauty shortly after her dear friend and fellow writer, Lucy Grealy, died at 39. Lucy had cancer as a child that left her face and jaw disfigured, and had over 30 surgeries in her lifetime. In Truth & Beauty, Ann chronicles their friendship, which blossomed while rooming together at the Iowa Writer's Workshop in Iowa City, continued long distance (predominately pen-pal style) while Lucy was in Scotland for surgery, and persisted while Ann settled in Nashville and Lucy "settled" in New York.

I must put settled in quotations for Lucy, as she never seems settled—she seems boundless. Through reading Truth & Beauty, I feel like I got to know Lucy on an almost intimate level. Ann includes letters from Lucy that capture her spirit, her struggles with self-worth and depression, and her desperate desire to find true love.

There's definitely some darker adult content in this book—sex, drugs, abortion, suicide attempts. Yet still, to me, the book feels sweet. I think that's due to the current of deep friendship underlying it all.

Ann also shares their collective struggles of to break into the writing world, something they both successfully did during their friendship, which I enjoyed from an aspiring writer's perspective.

Not only did this book make me want to read Ann Patchett's other works, but I also put myself on the library wait list for Lucy Grealy's memoir, Autobiography of a Face. Have you read any Patchett or Grealy? Would love to know your thoughts!

Read This: Shotgun Lovesongs

I rarely (never?) read books that take place in Wisconsin, so when I heard that local author and Eau Claire native Nickolas Butler's first book was not only a national best seller, but also set in small town Wisconsin, I had to grab a copy.

Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler

I was incentivized to read this book, fast, because BRAVA magazine was hosting a book signing/Q&A with Nick. So I set down Steinbeck for a bit and gobbled this up. It was a very emotional character-driven book, and I really enjoyed my binge read.

Farmer Hank, his wife Beth, super star musician Lee, former rodeo stud Ronny, and big-time commodities trader Kip don't seem to have much in common, but they're all childhood friends who grew up together in the fictitious Little Wing, Wisconsin. But the realities of adulthood—marriages, divorces, kids, money, and a particularly incriminating secret from their pasts—threaten to get in the way of their childhood bonds.

Butler beautifully flows between five different perspectives—four male, one female—on an emotional ride through Little Wing. I was really impressed by his five distinct voices!

There's also one (minor) character named Joyce, but I was so excited about it so I thanked him for including a Joyce character when he signed my book, and he wrote this nice note:

If you're looking for a sincere story of friendship and forgiveness with Wisconsin flair (mentions of Packers and cheese curds and Leinenkugels always got me excited!), I recommend this book. Have you read it? I'd love to know what you think!

Advice on Writing, Vol. 5: Grammar Girl Podcast

As Stephen King emphasized in his amazing book, if you want to be a writer, you need to read a lot and write a lot. But, sometimes, one must do other things. Take laundry, for example. Or dishes. It's nearly impossible to read or write while washing dishes! That's where listening comes in. And, although my go-to is audio books I've recently been exploring the world of podcasts, and found one I'm really excited about and wanted to share with fellow writers: Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing!

I highly recommend this podcast. Her episodes vary in length, but are relatively short—usually between 10 and 15 minutes, which I really enjoy. Even in such a short time, I always feel like I learn a lot!

She generally begins her episodes with "Quick and Dirty tips" where she answers sent-in grammar questions. For example, is it band together or ban together? When you're using and/or as a subject, should the verb be singular or plural? And so on. I enjoy this part because I feel it helps me improve both my writing and speaking. Sure, if you're writing a book an editor will likely catch grammatical errors—but isn't it nice to feel you know as much as an editor? And to feel more confident when speaking?

Often, episodes continue with "meaty middles" which generally delve into ways to improve your writing, like understanding parallelism or story structure. I particularly liked Episode 473 from July 9, "How Understanding Toy Story Can Help You Get Into College" which went into how most Disney/Pixar movies follow the same story structure. She used great examples!

Then, she generally ends with a fun language tidbit, usually about the origin of an idiom. For example, did you know the term "following suit" stems from card games?

Her podcasts are incredibly well-researched—she'll often read excerpts from books or speeches, and gather advice from linguists if she needs to. Overall, I love this podcast because it makes me feel smarter. If you are one of those lucky people who avoids doing laundry and dishes at all costs, it would be a fun thing to listen to while driving :) Check it out on iTunes or on the Podcast app on your iPhone!

Any other podcasts I should check out?

p.s. Advice on Writing Volumes one, two, three, and four.

Read This: On Writing by Stephen King

The joys of reading an author writing about writing were revealed to me when I read Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and loved it. So, I was itching to get my hand on a copy of Stephen King's book, which so many other authors had recommended reading in the FAQ section of their websites. I've never read any King, because I am SUCH a scaredy cat when it comes to all things horror. (Embarrassing, yes. But I'll have nightmares for weeks that are no joke!) So, I was a tad hesitant to even read this book but I thought...how scary can writing be? :)

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

Stephen King approached this book in a completely different way than Lamott approached hers. Whereas Lamott's mixed writing advice and life advice all at once (and contained beautiful metaphors), King split things up. The first chunk of the book (labeled C.V.) reads like a memoir (which I loved! See here, here, and here for proof of my memoir obsession).

King had a fascinating childhood and is (duh) a very good storyteller so his childhood/early writer and recovering alcoholic stories flew by. The origin story of Carrie, his first successful book, is incredible. (Hint: his wife is a pivotal player in getting him to write the book that ultimately launched his career.)

Then comes a section entitled "Toolbox" where he talks about assembling your writer's tool box filled with things like vocabulary ("the bread of all writing") and grammar, and elements of style (for which he highly recommends this book by Strunk and White).

Grammar tips from King range from relatively basic "avoid the passive tense" to hilarious "I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs" (especially adverbs that attribute dialogue.)

Once he's covered the necessary tools, King moves onto the most lengthy part of his book: On Writing. He delves into things from dialogue to plot to character to theme to writing method. One of my favorite parts of the book is King pulls examples from all different kinds of books, so you can dissect different writer's choices.

A few favorite parts:

"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut."

King says he writes 2000 words a day, and recommends new writers start with at least 1000 words a day, and can take one day off a week. 

King compares writing fiction to extracting a fossil from the earth. The story is there you just need to patiently find it. He very much prefers character-driven not plot-driven stories. He says using plot to get your story is like using a jackhammer to get your fossil. Sure, you'll get it, but it won't be pretty. Personally, I love this analogy. He is very anti-outline, thinking you should listen to your characters above all else, and I am finding this to be true for me in my writing as well. (And consistent with what Anne Lamott said in Bird by Bird.)

Overall, I felt like I learned SO much from reading this book, and this review (obviously) just grazed the surface. If you are an aspiring writer: read this book! And let me know what you think :)

p.s. Some more Advice on Writing, if you're interested.

Read This: A Separate Peace

There are quite a few classics which I a.) own and b.) have always meant to read but somehow c.) haven't gotten around to. I mentioned quite a few in my summer reading list (made entirely of books I already have), and I'm happy to report I just finished one. Checking off one of these books always feels gratifying, and, as is the case with most classics, my only wish is that I read it sooner:

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Most people I've chatted with read A Separate Peace in high school, but somehow my school skipped right over it. It's the story of two boys at a New Hampshire boarding school called Devon. Devon is fictitious but is based on the author's high school alma mater, Phillips Exeter Academy.

(Many boys at Bucknell went to similar schools; I frequently parked beside a car at Bucknell with a "Phillips Exeter" bumper sticker, which further made me want to read this book!)

Though Knowles accurately paints the place of the story, the time seems to be an even more powerful force of the setting: during World War II.

The two Devon boys, introverted, academically-driven Gene and sporty, extroverted Phineas (or Finny), are attending school at an intriguing time in history—when the march to high school graduation is nearly synonymous with the march to the battlegrounds.

The progressing war courses throughout the background of the story—but the tumultuous relationship between Gene and Phineas takes the forefront. They are best friends and roommates with polar opposite personalities, but still, each seems to see the other as an extension of himself.

At the beginning of the book, it seems that Gene (the narrator), rather envies Phineas and looks up to him in kind of a hero-worshipping way, he says:

"He could also shine at many other things, with people for instance, the others in our dormitory, the faculty; in fact, if you stopped to think about it, Finny could shine with everyone, he attracted everyone he met. I was glad of that too. Naturally. He was my roommate and my best friend." 

However, when a terrible accident occurs and both Phineas and Gene are involved, it prompts Gene to deeply and darkly explore their friendship, and learn about himself.

I really enjoyed reading a book that focused on a complex, but deep, platonic friendship. So many books are saturated with romantic love, but friendship can be just as big of a force in someone's life, especially someone in high school.

As a warning, I wouldn't call this an uplifting book by any means, but, for me, it was thought-provoking, beautifully written (I loved his metaphors and how they often related to nature), and definitely worth reading.

Read This: Rosie by Anne Lamott

Sometimes, I read a book that makes me want to read the author's complete work. I've done this with Emily Giffin, I want to do that with John Steinbeck, and now, because of this book, I want to do that with Anne Lamott.

Rosie by Anne Lamott

I had read Bird by Bird, Lamott's book full of enriching writing (and life) advice (review here), so I wanted to give her fiction a try. I was not disappointed.

I found the lead character of Rosie—Elizabeth Ferguson—so unlike me on the surface (extremely introverted, struggling alcoholic, hates trying new things), but so captivating and relatable. Lamott beautifully develops Elizabeth...starting with the bold opening line, "There were many things about Elizabeth Ferguson that the people of Bayview disliked."

In the world of writing, it's enticing to create an incredibly likable lead. Certainly, your protagonist needs to be relatable/sympathetic, but it's tempting (for me) to create a character who's everyone's BFF. A happy, easy, friendly lead who everyone wants to hang out with. This is fine, but not all too realistic. In real life, people are flawed. Lamott manages to tell a compelling story through the eyes of a character full of vices and struggle, but still one you enjoy rooting for.

Elizabeth is an orphan, ever fearful of turning into her alcoholic mother. Through being a single parent of her daughter, Rosie, she confronts her fears. Rosie is a passionate, independent little girl, who really adds life to the story.

A warning: there is some disturbing content in this book. If it was made into a movie, it'd be rated R, and not just for the liberal use of the f-bomb.

Still, though a couple scenes were haunting, I enjoyed the realness and the grittiness of this book. All of its characters (even the minor ones) were complex. And how wonderful is that?

As Stephen King says, in his book On Writing:

"It's also important to remember that no one is "the bad guy" or "the best friend" or "the whore with a heart of gold" in real life; in real life we each of us regard ourselves as the main character, the protagonist, the big cheese...If you can bring this attitude into your fiction, you may not find it easier to create brilliant characters, but it will be harder for you to create the sort of one-dimensional dopes that populate so much pop fiction."

All throughout Rosie, there isn't a single one-dimensional dope. And many of Lamott's characters are downright brilliant.

Have you read any Anne Lamott books? Any authors you swear by? I'd love to hear!

Read This: The Royal We

If you're looking for a fun summer romance to read on a beach (or on the balcony of your two bedroom apartment...close enough), look no further than The Royal We. I originally heard of this book while listening to the episode on the Lively Show where host Jess Lively interviews both authors. That's right, this book is co-written, which intrigued me, so I downloaded it on my iPad and basically binge read it over the weekend. It was a diverting escape:

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

My six word description of this book: fast-paced, page-turner, plot-driven. Personally, I prefer character-driven to plot-driven books, but I enjoyed the story nonetheless. The authors are masters at cliffhanger chapter endings, which make you want to keep reading. (Warning: could read this book really fast so only pick it up if you have some time to read!)

The premise is simple, but fun: College student Rebecca (Bex) Porter takes a semester at Oxford...and everything changes when the Prince, and heir to the throne, Nick is on her hallway. In the podcast, the authors described it as: "It's like the story of Kate Middleton and Prince Will...if Kate Middleton was an American." So, if you have any type of royal fascination, I definitely think you should check it out!

The book chronicles the ups and downs of their relationship in a lighthearted way. My main critique would be, although there were a few nice surprises, I found it a tad predictable. Also (and this is just perhaps pretentious of me) I found some of the metaphors a little off. I'm all for metaphors and similes, but I prefer when they're smooth and subtle--and don't take you out of the story.

Overall, a fun book if you're in the mood for a quick plot-driven romance!

p.s. The last book I read was also set in London...now I want to take a trip across the pond!

Decorating a (Rainbow) Bookshelf (for someone with a lot of books)

As I've been (slowly) unpacking our belongings in our new space, I've been challenging myself to up my decorating game. (This is quite the challenge for me as I'm kind of a "leave my shoes wherever I feel like it" kind of person.)

I've always been inspired by perfectly decorated bookshelves, but some of the prettiest ones seem to hold more art pieces or framed prints than actual books. But then I swung by Tomissa's apartment and was so inspired by her rainbow bookshelf I had to give it a try!

Here are a few (basic) tips for decorating a bookshelf. (Keep in mind I'm no design expert, just a girl trying to make her apartment look slightly more put together!)

First, I've said it before, but purge your book collection, this is a necessary step and just makes things easier. Follow Marie Kondo's advice, and only keep books that belong in your "Hall of Fame"! (Easier said than done, of course, but worth an effort.)

Next, I recommend arranging the spines of your books by color. It creates a cohesive look making your shelf look more intentional and less like storage space. I had the most black and white spines, so did the top shelf in white and the bottom in black, with colorful books on the two middle shelves.

Even if you're not down for a rainbow display, you can use this next tip: edge your books. This, perhaps, is the most commonly known thing ever...but I just learned about it! Edging is simply arranging all books the same distance from the edge of your shelf. (I prefer about an inch from your shelf's edge.) This creates a uniform look regardless of book size, so if you have teeny tiny book like Catcher in the Rye next to the huge massive Steve Jobs book, it doesn't matter!

Finally, book ends are fun and beautiful and awesome....but they take up space. So, I simply use stacks of books as book ends. Start with a heavy, bigger book on the bottom, and get smaller as you work your way up the stack! Plus, horizontal stacks of books add some nice diversity to your shelves. 

What do you think? Would you try a rainbow bookshelf? Also, if you have any other bookshelf decorating tips...let me know! This is really my first attempt :)

Read This: The Cuckoo's Calling

Although I've read quite a bit this summer so far (including finally finishing this classic!), I haven't done a book review since June. Sorry, guys! I blame the travel (Chicago, Florida, and Pennsylvania), the move, and the beautiful weather beckoning me outside and away from my computer. But! I recently finished a book that was so good I had to share it with you all:

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

I'm not going to lie, the sole reason I wanted to read this book is because Robert Galbraith is J.K. Rowling. Who doesn't love J.K.?? I didn't read it sooner because I'd heard mixed reviews about her non-wizarding-school books, but I'm glad I finally cracked it open.

I don't read mysteries often and this book made me want to further explore the genre. Cormoran Strike is a Private Investigator in London who has fallen on some hard times—his relationship is tumultuous, his financial situation destitute, and his prosthetic leg (from an army injury) is causing him some trouble. Right when it seems his business is petering out, he gets a new temporary secretary, Robin, who's incredibly helpful, and a high-profile case.

Celebrity model Lula Landry fell to her death from her third-story balcony, and, although police ruled it a suicide, her brother isn't convinced. He hires Strike to get to the bottom of things.

This page-turner includes many a twist and the classic character development Rowling is known for. It was one of those "I can't put this down" books for me. (Which was a shame, because I should have been packing boxes instead of reading. Oh well!) I found myself contemplating getting absorbed in the details of the case, and thinking about it almost constantly.

I only had a couple of critiques, and I'm wondering if this is maybe just how all mysteries are, but, as I said, I'm not well-versed in the genre. One, I get that an Investigator has to interview everyone under the sun related to his case, but I found some of the interviews much more exciting than others. I might have even cut a couple? (Just my opinion!) Two, although the crime was, of course, solved at the end of the book, I didn't feel like there was resolution with all other non-crime related plot lines.

Still, I really enjoyed this story and I'm going to try to get a copy of the next book in the Strike series The Silkworm—and I'll let you know what I think. Have you read any good mysteries lately? Would love to hear your recommendations!

p.s. Apparently Rowling/Galbraith wants to write seven Cormoran Strike books, with the third one is set to release sometime this fall.

Advice on Writing, Volume 4

For me, trying to write every day is a bit like trying to run everyday.

Some days, when I lace up my shoes and go for a run I naturally have an energized stride. I zip along in cruise control, getting lost in the music and the scenery and my thoughts. Before I know it, one, then two, then three miles are behind me! I did it. And all at a respectable pace (for me).

(Photo from my instagram)

Most days are not like that.

Most days, running feels a bit more step by step. With every stride, I'm constantly reminding myself, "pick your knees up higher, keep breathing, keep going." With every ten steps, I'm wondering how far I've gone.....It's only been a half a mile?! Step. I've been running forever. Step, step. Will I ever be done running? Step. Can I actually survive three miles? Step, step. What's the point of running anyway? Step.

Writing is like this for me, as well.

Some days, it seems I'm a well of ideas, and the words flow out of me. The blank page beckons my thoughts, my sentences, my paragraphs, my entire chapters. I was born to get the words onto the page. The very words, surely, have been dormant inside of me for years, and are now eager to get out, to form insightful sentences and compelling stories. Nothing could be more natural.

Most days are not like that.

Most days, writing feels a bit more word by word, sentence by sentence. It is unduly difficult to extract each word from my brain and then transcribe it to the page. It's a bit like writing calligraphy with my left hand. In Arabic.

The path between my head and my typing hands seems impossibly long. And are the words any good, anyway? Sentence. Where am I going with this? Sentence. I'll probably just have to scrap this whole chapter. Sentence. Or maybe this whole book. Sentence. I'm hungry. Sentence. Maybe I should start job searching online. Sentence. But who would ever hire me anyway? Sentence.

So, I suppose my amateur unsolicited advice is this: Get through the bad days. Better yet, embrace them. Despite how painful they can be, they are the very days that will lead you to the good ones. Maybe you have to write eight terrible paragraphs to lead you to one beautiful sentence. Maybe you have to write an entire bad book to lead you to an okay one. Whatever you do, don't stop.

And, when you can't possibly write another word, when you are absolutely certain you will never again be able to form a coherent sentence on the page—go for a run. Seriously.

p.s. The book all aspiring writers should read.
p.p.s. Advice on writing, volumes one, two, and three.

Read This: Bird by Bird

If you are writing, or dream of writing, anything, ever—a book, a short story, a blog post, an article— I now have one resounding piece of advice for you: read this book.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

I cannot stress this enough. A friend recommended this book to me, and I didn't think much of it. Then, I saw a woman toting it around at a writing workshop in Milwaukee but had more important things to consider (like pitching!), of course. Then, I was re-reading Jennifer Weiner's advice to writers when I noticed that she, too, highly praises this book, calling it "utterly indispensable." Then, and only then, did I put myself on the wait list for it at the library.

If you have any writing goals—be ye not so thickheaded. I only wish I would have sprinted to the bookstore the second I quit my job in October and immediately purchased this book.

In Bird by Bird Lamott offers tangible writing advice: encouraging you to write short assignments and sh*tty first drafts, find loyal test readers, join a writing group, start from the beginning of your childhood and write everything, write letters for inspiration, and on and on. I came away with so many concrete ways to motivate myself to write more! That, in and of itself, made it worth the read.

But she doesn't stop there. She uses countless analogies that really get to the core of what writing—and what life—feels like. Lamott writes with a beautiful balance of honesty and humor.

One of my favorite lines, from her chapter on jealousy:

"But if you continue to write, you are probably going to have to deal with it, because some wonderful, dazzling successes are going to happen for some of the most awful, angry, underserving writers you know—people who are, in other words, not you."

She also offers insights about writing that make you feel like she's secretly moved into your head. Her wisdom on listening to your characters hit home with me. She talks about writing towards a scene/moment and then getting to that very moment and realizing that the moment doesn't work. I had just written four chapters up to "the moment" in my newest book, and was struggling with how "the moment" didn't make sense anymore. To her, that's perfectly fine. Thank you, Anne, for chiming in at the right time to tell me that I'm not, in fact, crazy. Or, rather, that I may be crazy but in very good company. :)

She shares gems of wisdom that she shares with her writing classes, including this quote, which is now written in sharpie and hanging on a piece of paper glamorously taped to my closet:

"Writing a novel is like driving a car at night, you can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way." —E.L. Doctorow

Now isn't that a beautiful analogy about both writing and life? Obviously, I am unable to read this through a lens of someone who is not writing. So it's hard for me to say with 100% confidence that you'll enjoy it if you don't have any plans of writing anything ever, BUT I still think you will. (And, I think there's a good chance you'll want to write something, at some point.) Lamott's analogies about life really rang true for me, even in a non-writing context.

So, go read it and let me know what you think! I'm planning on purchasing a copy (after the dreaded end-of-July move) and reading it again—it was bursting with valuable insights, from writing dialogue to plot to set design to publication and on and on!

Have you read any of Anne Lamott's books? I already bought Rosie because I found it at a used bookstore, and can't wait to read it! 

Also, do you know of any more writers-on-writing books that you recommend? I'm now obsessed with this genre, because when I took a break from writing to read  Bird by Bird I felt no guilt at all since I was practically still working on my writing, after all.

Will Reading Cure What Ails You?

Obviously, I love reading. But before reading this article in the New Yorker entitled "Can Reading Make You Happier?" I never really thought about if it made me necessarily feel better. 

But! It turns out there is such thing as a bibliotherapist who—get this—prescribes books for you based on how your feeling.

And it's not just "Are you lonely? Read this book about friendship." or "Are you sad? Read this funny memoir." —it gets incredibly specific. Are you going through a divorce? Are you unsure what to do with your life? Are you expecting your first child? Are you grieving from a death in the family? There's a book for that. And this book can tell you which book that is:

The Novel Cure: From Abandonment to Zestlessness: 751 Books to Cure What Ails You

And, don't be misled, this is not a book of self-help books. Author Ella Berthoud talks about becoming a bibliotherapist in a time when the idea was new and says, "Bibliotherapy, if it existed at all, tended to be based within a more medical context, with an emphasis on self-help books. But we were dedicated to fiction as the ultimate cure because it gives readers a transformational experience."

Don't you just love that line? Fiction as the ultimate cure. Like music to my ears.

If you've found yourself in a reading slump, here's another inspiring excerpt to get back on the book wagon:

"Regular readers sleep better, have lower stress levels, higher self-esteem, and lower rates of depression than non-readers. "Fiction and poetry are doses, medicines," the author Jeanette Winterson has written. "What they heal is the rupture reality makes on imagination."

[Aside: One thing I love about reading is that book seem to focus on the character of the characters, rather than the accomplishments of the characters. For example, Jane Austen's women are always prattling on about "the dispositions" of their male suitors and I LOVE that. I mean, when do we talk about, or even consider, dispositions these days? The next time a friend gets a new boyfriend who I don't know rather than say, "What does he do?" I'm determined to say, "What's his disposition like?"]

Anyway, I'm eager to check out this book from the library and see what it recommends for the quarter-life crisis years! I will report back if I find it helpful. Well, I must go Google how to become a bibliotherapist. I think I just found my long-lost career path ;)

p.s. On a slightly related note: My new favorite quote on writing.