Hi Book buds!
It’s that time again: Kill Your Darlings Reading Series is this upcoming Saturday, 11/14. 4:30-6 at Darlings Bar +Cafe in Easthampton. Jen Acker, Ben Lasman, Sarah Levine, and Shelby Kinney-Lang are our readers. I hope you can make it! It’s gonna be awesome.
As I mentioned last week, I signed up to do my first 5k in a few years, a fundraiser for Safe Passage, a local organization that supports survivors of domestic violence. I’m trying to raise money for them! Here’s the link if you wanna donate. Thanks in advance if you do and deep thanks to those of you that have already donated! I’m close to my $600 goal!
Book Club Updates
Book Club last week was a dream. Thanks to all of you who came!
We’re reading Vigil by George Saunders for December 7th’s book club. As always, we will gather at 7pm ET until 8:30pm. Here’s a slew of articles to read and interviews to watch with our BB bestie, George.
Paris Review Art of Fiction Interview
The Book Club after that will be on February 8, and we’ll read ::::drum roll:::: A JANE AUSTEN NOVEL!
Confession: I’ve never read a single one. I KNOW. I AM SORRY. That made me think it would be fun to do together, but I need you to help. We will read either Pride and Prejudice, Emma, or Persuasion. Do you have an opinion about which? PLEASE TELL ME. Whichever gets the most endorsement I’ll put on the schedule. So far votes are leaning P&P.
Merch Deadline is Saturday!
Reminder that November 14 is the deadline if you’d like to get some Book Buddy swag. I’ve got zip up and pullover hoodies or a long sleeve and short sleeve T-shirt. You can see images and pricing via this google doc I made. Sorry to be annoying to those who already emailed me to order something, but I created a spreadsheet to better keep track and am humbly asking you to re-enter your order here. THANK YOU.
Upcoming Schedule Changes
Some of you know this about me, but I’m not that good at taking time off; and I do need it sometimes! I hope someday that this amazing community grows big enough where we might have another awesome writer facilitating some groups, but for now since it’s just me, I’m carving out two two week blocks a year where Book Buddies goes asynchronous. I won’t be doing editing or coaching work during these windows either.
Here’s what that means:
Each year, I’ll suspend regular Book Buddy meet-ups in exchange for materials and activities that will support your writing which you can use anytime for two two-week blocks. One break will take place over the last two weeks of the year and the other over the first two weeks of July.
This year’s dates are: Monday December 21, 2026 to Monday January 4, 2027
Monday July 5, 2027 to Monday July 19, 2027
There will be no feedback groups during that time or gen writing! I’ll take them off the calendar later today. Here’s what will happen instead:
Remember Process Pals, where you got matched up with another Book Buddy to schedule regular check-ins, co-writing times, exchange an agreed upon number of pages with each other, set goals with each other, brainstorm ideas with each other, support submission goals, or just get to know each other? It was pretty awesome, but I stopped running that aspect of BBs because it wasn’t sustainable/too much of a time suck for you all. However, I thought it would be the perfect thing to bring it back over breaks. Here’s a description of how the program originally worked. Here’s how it will work in this new iteration:
Closer to the time when break starts, I’ll ask you all if you want to have a process pal over break and compile a list of folks who say yes.
Then I will randomly match you with another book buddy
One week before break I will email you to connect you with your match, and then the two of you can set up things to do together while we’re not actively meeting.
Daily prompts! I’ll send you a writing prompt every morning at 8am over break.
Challenges: I’ll also send you a checklist/Writing BINGO card for you to tackle daily while we’re on break
I will create a WhatsApp chat for all Book Buddies who are interested in being connected in that way, and you all can coordinate zoom meet-ups to write together, send out submissions together, or even hold your regular feedback groups without me if you all decide you still want to meet!
Book Buddy Accolades!
Has something awesome happened in your writing life? I wanna hype you up here!
Rebecca Tiger has a flash piece in Mr. Bull! Read it here: https://mrbullbull.com/newbull/flash-nonfiction/laviscious/
Feedback Group Submission Schedules
IRL Group Wednesdays @ beautyland 6:30-8:30: The next meeting is November 11 and Audrey and Rich have the floor then. Pages are in. We meet again on Wednesday December 2. Chris and Margo will have pages due by Sunday November 29.
Noon Crew Thursdays 12pm - 1:30: The next meeting is November 19 and Bill and Ezra have the floor then. Pages are due Sunday November 15.
Weirdlings Wednesdays 12pm - 1:30: Sumana will have the floor for our November 11 meeting. Pages are in. We’ll set the schedule again when we’re together.
Kool Kids Thursdays at 7pm - 8:30: Our next meeting is November 19 and Rebecca has the floor, pages due Sunday November 15.
OG Crew Thursdays at 7:30pm - 9: The next meeting is November 12 and Malavika and Maia have the floor. Pages are in. Let’s work Ali into the schedule during our next meeting.
Saturday besties 12:30pm - 2: The next meeting is November 21. Nora has the floor with pages due by November 19.
Gen Writing Prompt for this Week
November 10 and 14, 2026
One liners
Some of you might remember how much I loved Marie Helene Bertino’s novel, Beautyland. She recently posted some one sentence prompts on her socials, so let’s see what traction we can get with those this week.
A decades-long friendship in one page
There’s something odd about the birthday boy
Write the history of a garden
Write a surprising grandmother
Opening line: “We’re back! But not everyone’s pleased”
Describe the sky
Begin or end a piece with “I miss my friend”
Write an impossible person
Write a typical day in an atypical life
Describe a significant building from your childhood
A magical group of friends
Compose a character based solely on what they remember
Compose a character based solely on what they do not/refuse to remember
Thanks for being the best book besties a bestie could ask for.
More soon!
