Book Buddy Updates 6/15-21
YO!
Book Club IS TONIGHT!
I sent out the zoom link just a little while ago! Will you be there??! For this one we’re reading Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki. Here’s the publisher’s blurb:
Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six. When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka's ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She's found her final candidate.But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn't have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan's kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul's worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline. As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.
The following book club will be a special summer beach read on July 6 — Heart the Lover by Lily King. Watch out, it’s a big ol’ tear jerker! More on that soon.
Mark Your Calendars! Summer Book Buddy Weekend is BOOKED!
Last year in August we had a lovely weekend extravaganza here in Easthampton starting with a daylong retreat on a Saturday then we gathered at Nonotuck Park for a little party on Sunday. Good news! We’re doing it again! I’ve just booked our usual retreat space for Saturday August 8th! Remember, you get a discount using the BOOKBUDDY10 code upon check out (10%), and if you’re itching to register early you can do so using this link.
I’m in process planning a little party for us on August 9, but if all goes well, I’ll hold it this year at Darlings where we do the reading series in the afternoon. Still waiting to get that firmed up - the owner has been out of town. My hope is that we can hang together, and then at the end have a little open mic! Stay tuned. Will let you know when that’s all settled.
If you hope to come that weekend and are traveling from outside of western MA, let me know! I might be able to help you find lodging.
Gen Writing Scheduling Changes
You get Gen writing with me on Saturday 6/20, but you’re double lucky b/c Garth is going to sub for me on 6/16 so I can attend Heather Abel’s book launch at the Odyssey Bookshop. Are you interested in coming to see Heather with me? Let me know, and register using this link (it’s free!).
Also, I am going on vacation the week of my birthday! However, this means I am also looking for someone to run gen writing for me on Tuesday July 14. Is this you? Email me! Thank you!
Feedback Group Submission Schedules!
IRL Group Wednesdays @ beautyland 6:30-8:30: The next meeting is June 24. Paul and Margo will have floor time with pages due on Sunday June 22.
Noon Crew Thursdays 12pm - 1:30: The next meeting is June 25 and Ezra will have the floor then, pages due June 18.
Weirdlings Wednesdays 12pm - 1:30: We’ll meet again on June 24 and Elizabeth has the floor then with pages due June 17.
Kool Kids Thursdays at 7pm - 8:30: Our next meeting is June 11 with Rebecca and Hilary having floor time. Both have sent in their stuff, so check your inboxes!
OG Crew Thursdays at 7:30pm - 9: The next meeting is June 25 and Maia and Tom have floor time scheduled, pages due June 18.
Saturday besties 12:30pm - 2: The next meeting is June 20 and Ali and Helen have floor time, pages due ASAP. Ali we can use the pages you just sent.
Gen Writing Prompt 6/16 and 6/20
June 16 and 20, 2026
Music
Book club is this week, and Light from Uncommon Stars is all about the secret power of music, and really all creative human creations: art, food, etc. So, I thought it was a good time to bring back our music prompt. But this time, it’s up to you to choose the song or songs you’d like to work with. Ince you do that, here’s how you can work with music:
Generate something new:
Use a verse of the song or some other chunk of the lyrics as an opening line or otherwise integrate the text into your text
Begin a story or essay with someone hearing this song and let that inform the mood
Do some journaling of what emotions and/or experiences the song brings up for you and use that as a jumping off point .
Working with something you’re revising:
Put a character in relationship to the song somehow. Maybe they are at an event and it comes on and it changes their perspective, maybe they perform the song somewhere, maybe they listen to it in the car and that can start a scene...
Integrate the lyrics into a scene you’re having trouble working out
Think about what the song is getting at thematically and let that help you understand the story as a whole.
As ever, I think you all are the best around. Can’t wait to see you this week.
Your bestie -
Kate
