Book Enthusiast by Becca Freeman

Hi pals, It’s been a second since we checked in on apartment decorating progress. (If you’re new here, I moved to a new apartment in Brooklyn in February.) The other day, I texted my designer Emma a photo of a freshly hung mirror and she wrote back: It looks like the grown-up version of your last apartment! And you know what? It does! It feels like “me.” And I’m so, so happy here.

Welcome to Sunday Sundries, the antidote to—or at least a distraction from—your Sunday Scaries. Hi pals, I’m writing this on Friday afternoon, so I have no idea what the long weekend holds. Will we get pics of Taylor & Travis’ MSG wedding? Will Merritt Beck and I be able to walk into Torrisi on Saturday night? (I love a long weekend for gambling on an impossible reservation.) Will it cool off enough to make an outdoor fireworks watch bearable?

Hi Book Pals, I’m at the point in my reading and writing year where I have two toppling TBRs—one for personal reading; another for books I plan to read for my WIP novel. I regularly fantasize about taking a full week off to read by a body of water. So, I had big reading plans for my vacation earlier in June. And then… I read half a book on the trip because I was too busy yapping. My leaning towers of books persist! But I did manage to read 5.5 books not on vacation. Let’s get into them.

Welcome to Sunday Sundries, the antidote to—or at least a distraction from—your Sunday Scaries.

This letter is brought to you by Bookshop.org. From June 23 - June 26, they’re offering FREE standard shipping on all orders. Hi Book Pals, One of my favorite experiences is being on vacation and wandering into a charming indie bookstore. What do they have on the front tables? Which local authors are they featuring? Do they have merch? For me, this immediately conjures Lupine Books in Kennebunkport, Maine.

Welcome to Sunday Sundries, the antidote to—or at least a distraction from—your Sunday Scaries. Hi pals, To be honest, post-vacation re-entry to real life has felt somewhat brutal. Like, a weeklong case of Sunday scaries, as I flailed under the weight of an endless to-do list. I spent most of this weekend working, reading, or work-reading (AKA prepping for an upcoming author interview for the podcast) and am hopefully coming into this next week with more of a handle on things.

ICYMI: I’m attempting to document the entire process of writing my third novel, from blank page to (fingers crossed!) eventual publication. That means every breakthrough, confidence wobble, and craft tool I test out along the way. You can catch up on month 1 and 2’s posts here. Whether you’re a writer desperate to know how the process works for other authors or just a curious reader, I’m giving you a peek into the messy backstage of how a book gets made.

Welcome to Sunday Sundries, the antidote to—or at least a distraction from—your Sunday Scaries. Hi pals, I’m just back from vacation in Italy’s Aeolian Islands and have a major case of the post-trip blues. They’re particularly acute, as this trip—a collective 40th birthday celebration with college friends—might be my favorite trip I’ve ever been on. 1. My friend Elizabeth and I (How cute is her fish purse). 2. The amount of prosciutto and melon consumed was astronomical 3. Birthday dinner 4.

Hi Book Pals, Last month, New York City was on a terrible weekend weather bender. A gorgeous 80-degree day on Thursday, then 57 and spitting rain on Saturday like clockwork. One silver lining was a few Saturdays stuck inside devouring books. And after somewhat of an “off” start to my reading year (moving apartments; watching more TV), in May I felt back to my old self.

Plus, links. Lots of them. Welcome to Sunday Sundries, the antidote to—or at least a distraction from—your Sunday Scaries. Hi pals, This week was weird. Though not bad weird, necessarily. Started the week matching my office in this Varley set. (Sweatshirt & shorts) Notably, I found my way into and out of being stuck on my WIP book. The latter, thanks to a re-read of Story Genius.