E.B.'s Notes & News: October 2023 🎃👻🐢
Notes & News: October 2023
And just like that it's October!
I feel like September particularly flew by this year because Richie and I spent two weeks of it in Japan, visiting our friends Lee and Runei and their daughter who live in Kobe. This is a trip that has been 6+ years in the making and was originally supposed to happen in fall 2020 and (obviously) did not. So it was pretty incredible to get to finally go! Highlights include attending a sumo tournament in Tokyo, visiting "Hell Valley" in Hokkaido, seeing Hachiko's taxidermied body at the National Museum of Nature and Science, and teaching a writing workshop for Lee's business Learning Lab Kobe.
We packed a lot into two weeks, so that, coupled with jet lag, means that I am very tired, so apologies if this newsletter is not as robust as usual. But still! As always, below you can find what I've been writing, reading, a cause I care about, my upcoming events, and the many amazing things my friends and pets have been doing since I last emailed.
xoxo,
E.B.
People & Places to Support:
All She Wrote Books in Somerville needs your help with their next chapter! I love All She Wrote Books (I'm even doing an event with them at the end of October! See below) and I hope you can help.
Owner of All She Wrote Books, Christina Pascucci Ciampa, writes:
After 3 years in Assembly Row, Boston's only queer, inclusive bookstore is being displaced. In the past two years, All She Wrote Books's rent has increased by 130%, and in the last four months alone, we have spent about $8,000 on HVAC issues, flooding repair, and more (and that doesn't include rent!). It's clear to us that staying in Assembly is untenable for our small business—one of two local-owned shops on the Row. It's time for us to grow in a new space, one that aligns with our values and will allow us to flourish without fear of displacement.
So, the good news is that we're not going anywhere. We love this community and are committed to serving it with the passion and warmth you've come to expect from us. That's not changing just because our address is.
Our new home in East Somerville is mighty but small, so we'll have to reimagine how we do things. We need new bookshelves, a checkout counter, and other fixtures. And we need to be able to pay our staff fairly during this transition period. In addition to reimagining the bookstore space, we also want to deepen our impact on the community by offering foods from local, mission-driven vendors and by making free resources like food, drinks, and toiletries available to anyone who needs them. With these expenses in mind, we've set a goal of $60,000 and we'd be so grateful for your help in getting there.
Safe, inclusive queer spaces are essential, especially now with the violent resurgence of anti-LGBTQ+ hatred. We need a space to learn, to gather, to love and be loved, and it's always been our goal to create that for our community. With your help today, we can continue to live our mission and keep the spirit of All She Wrote Books alive and strong.
So please consider donating any amount! Christina and All She Wrote Books are so close to their goal -- only $15,000 to go! Chip in what you can to help make sure this important independent bookstore and queer space continues to thrive.
You can read more about All She Wrote Books and their move on WGBH.
Writing Notes & News:
Nothing really Good Grief-related to report, but I was quoted in this piece on Narratively's blog, written by my friend and Columbia MFA classmate Jesse Sposato, about the best writing advice I've ever received. Subscribe to Narratively to read the whole thing! Lots of good writing advice in there.
Plus, I have another Non-Fiction about Non-Humans interview on Fiction Advocate! This interview was published while I was in Japan, which seems appropriate because for September I spoke with Karen Pinchin, author of the amazing book Kings of Their Own Ocean: Tuna, Obsession, and the Future of Our Seas, in which she writes extensively about the Japanese tuna fishing industry. You can find all the past Non-Fiction about Non-Human interviews at this link here.
And for Wellesley, I did an interview with Wellesley's new director of LGBTQ+ Programs and Services Todd Nordgren, I wrote a profile of legendary longtime director of accessibility and disability resources Jim Wice, I co-authored a piece about the Whitin Observatory on campus, and I did a recap of Wellesley's new Civic Action Lab program for rising sophomores.
Events Notes & News:
My upcoming events are below, but be sure to check the events page on my website for the most up-to-date information, plus links to recordings of some of my previous events.
UPCOMING 2023 EVENTS:
NOTE: all events are in person unless labeled ***VIRTUAL***
Thursday 10/19/23, 7:30pm EDT: ***VIRTUAL*** I am over the moon to get to be part of the Cary Library Literary Cafe Series, an author series that happens through the library in my hometown of Lexington, Massachusetts! The very library I grew up going to! And even more exciting, I will be in conversation for this with Neema Avashia. Click here to register for the virtual event.
Saturday 10/28/23, 4:30pm EDT: Acclaimed dog photographer Traer Scott and I will be doing a special animal-themed story time (sponsored by All She Wrote Books) as part of the Somerville Halloween Block Party and Pet Parade, which runs from 3:00pm-6:00pm at Chuckie Harris Park in East Somerville. Stay tuned for more info!
Sunday 10/29/23, 4:30pm EDT: Rain date for the Somerville Halloween Block Party and Pet Parade!
Wednesday 11/15/23, 8pm EDT: I will be participating in Literary Death Match at The Brattle Theatre! More info soon.
Sunday 11/19/23, 11:30am EDT: The Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester is hosting an three-week-long author series, featuring your truly on 11/19, Liz Kinchen, author of Light in Bandaged Places, on 11/26, and Julie Carrick Dalton, author of The Last Beekeeper, on 12/3.
Reading Notes & News:
Here is a list of things I read / finished reading / listened to since I last emailed you! I feel like I am out of my summer reading slump, which is exciting. Also two very long flights to Japan and back (14 hours to get there, 12 hours to return home) certainly help carve out some reading time:
Emptying the Nest by Morgan Baker
California Against the Sea by Rosanna Xia
Owney the Postal Dog by Avah W. Hughes & Leonard Warren
Vacationland by John Hodgman
My Life at the Bottom by Linda Bondestam
A Bend in the Stars by Rachel Barenbaum
Sky Watch by Emma Hudelson
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Friend Notes & News:
Look at all these amazing things my friends have been doing!!!!!
Amy Kurzweil has a new book coming out on Tuesday 10/17! It's called Artifical: A Love Story, and I'm super excited for her event at Newtonville Books on Wednesday 11/8!
Matt Alston wrote about the trap of productivity software for Wired!
Elisabeth Sherman wrote about "The Women Taking Anne Boleyn Fascination To Lavish New Heights" for Bustle!
Jaime Green wrote about aliens for Aeon!
Sarah Dickenson Snyder had a poem featured on Writing in a Woman's Voice on Monday 9/11!
Tove Danovich wrote about her experience with concussions for The Atlantic!
You can now preorder Tatiana Johnson-Boria's new book coming out in spring 2024, Nocturne in Joy.
Nicole Graev Lipson had an essay in Virginia Quarterly Review!
Menagerie Notes & News:
Just kidding! We have four pigeons again!
No, alas, Lieutenant Dan did not come back, but before Richie and I left for Japan, George had laid a couple eggs though she and Lucille weren’t really sitting on them and it had been a few weeks already by the time we left and we guessed they weren’t viable. Richie and I decided to remove them once we were home again. But surprise! The eggs hatched while we were away and we now have this little dude! And so we are back up to four pigeons.
She/he is very curious and chirps loudly and seems to be doing well. We are still waiting a little longer to name the chick but with George and Lucille as parents we are leaning towards Michael, Lindsey, or GOB…. open to any and all Arrested Development-related suggestions.