It’s Book Club Week , March 15 Virtual Retreat, and More…
Darling Book Buddies: hello, hello.
Big week in BB land because we have Book Club on Tuesday. We’re discussing Rick Rubin’s book The Creative Act: A Way of Being from 6:30-8:30pm EST. I will send you the zoom link in the morning. All Book Buddies are welcome. We’ll be talking about the creative process, so if you haven’t finished or even read the book at all, come anyway! Below are a few interviews with Rick Rubin that should get you up to speed, or come with your own hot takes about what it feels like to be a creative person and how to make the most out of those endeavors.
Rick Rubin Extras:
The Rick Rubin Interview (this sucker is 2 hours long so buckle up)
Lessons on Creativity with Rick Rubin
Interview between George Saunders (our honorary bb bestie) and Rick Rubin (also 2 hours long, these dudes really like to talk)
Jay-Z and Rick Rubin recording 99 problems
Rick Rubin’s Tips for Creative Growth
Have fun! The next book club is April 14th and we’re reading God of the Woods by Liz Moore:
Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.
As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.
Feedback Group Submission Schedules!
IRL Group Wednesdays @ beautyland 6:30-8:30: Next meeting is February 18 Johanna and Aimee have the floor. Pages are due asap, Johanna’s are in already. After that it’ll be Genna and maybe Chris for the March 4 meeting, but we’ll discuss.
Noon Crew Thursdays 12pm - 1:30: The next meeting is set for February 19th and Sara will have floor time with pages due ASAP. The following meeting is March 5 and Ezra will have the floor then with pages due on February 26th.
Weirdlings Wednesdays 12pm - 1:30: We meet again on February 18 and Erika will have the floor. Pages are in already! Elizabeth will be up for our March 4 meeting with pages due on February 25.
Kool Kids Thursdays at 7pm - 8:30: Our next meeting is February 26 and Rebecca will have the floor with pages due on February 19. We will also welcome a new Book Buddy to Kool Kids that day, Elli! Email intros coming at you soon!
OG Crew Thursdays at 7:30pm - 9: The next meeting is February 19 and Maia’s pages are due already in. Garth and Kristina will have the floor on March 5, pages due February 26.
Saturday besties 12:30pm - 2: The next meeting is February 28 (Valentines day!) and Ali and Georgia have the floor. Pages due February 21.
Book Buddies Being a Big Deal
You all are doing so many cool things lately.
Rachel TRC recently had accepted into Awatum Press’s upcoming compilation, Resistance: an Anthology of Overcoming. You can read more about the anthology here.
Rebecca Tiger has a story that made the Blue Frog Finalists list. More details coming soon on that one. Her story, “Lovesick,” was just published in Ghost Parachute’s 175 Flash Fiction Stories collection. The first swath of print journals will be available for sale at AWP Baltimore which is very soon, March 4 -7.
Elizabeth Bayou-Grace Seiler is reading at Writers Read & Bellevue Literary Review Present Body Language: True Stories of Illness, Recovery, and Discovery on February 22 at 1pm at The Loft at City Winery NYC. Get tickets here.
What did I miss?? Send you your cool announcements!
March 15 Virtual Retreat Coming For You
Most of you know that I am on the hunt for a new space to do in person retreats. In the interim, I’m offering a short 5 hour virtual retreat on Sunday March 15 from 12-5pmEST (on zoom). It’s just $60 with the option to add on a 30 minute coaching sesh if you want. Here’s the schedule:
We’ll meet on zoom at noon and share our work plans for the day with each other. (12-12:30ish)
Write, write, write. Camera off. If you sign up for an additional 30 minute coaching session we’ll do that during the window. (12:30ish - 4:15/4:30 depending on size of group!)
We’ll report out on how it went, then make a plan for the next leg of work on your project. (4:30 -5)
No sharing and feedback like we do in gen writing/in person retreats. This is a get it done and process talk sort of scene, ideal for folks who have been itching to get a full day of uninterrupted writing in but also want to spend a day in cozy clothes.
More soon. Keep it going, Book Buddies. You’re all doing great and I love you and am so grateful and happy that you are doing this thing with me.
Your Bestie —
Kate
