Hi Book buds:
I hope you had a fun Halloween weekend! Did you wear a cool costume? Send pics please. 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!
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.
Merch
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 Paul have the floor then. Pages are due November 7!
Noon Crew Thursdays 12pm - 1:30: The next meeting is November 5. Karen and Allie will have the floor for that meeting. Pages are already in. We’ll meet again on November 19 and Bill and Ezra have the floor then.
Weirdlings Wednesdays 12pm - 1:30: Sumana will have the floor for our November 11 meeting. Pages are due November 7.
Kool Kids Thursdays at 7pm - 8:30: Our next meeting is November 5. Susan has the floor with pages due in. We’ll meet again on November 19 and Rebecca has the floor.
OG Crew Thursdays at 7:30pm - 9: The next meeting is November 12 and Malavika and Maia have the floor. Pages due November 7.
Saturday besties 12:30pm - 2: The next meeting is November 7. Georgia has the floor with pages due by November 4, and Helen might snag a slot too! TBD!
Gen Writing Prompt for this Week
November 3 and 7, 2026
Turning on a Dime
Last week got me thinking a lot about what I think is scary. Basically anything that causes a jumpscare will get me. I sometimes startle at the noise that comes when the Netflix logo appears: DUNDUN! What’s interesting me this week is a more subtle, psychological sort of fear — a kind of fear that is great for literary stuffs, which I’m sure is very surprising to you.
One of the scariest things I can think of is this: all it takes is a split second for a person’s entire life to change. One micro-decision, one flukey action, one email or phone call or text message can really bring to light that fact that we actually are not in control of what happens at all.
Pretty great opportunity for tension, right?!
Let’s mess with this.
Write a story, poem, essay or any piece of writing you like that is launched by a life changing moment. Here are some to choose from:
A person driving turns quickly to look at a beloved in the back seat causing a devastating accident
A person receives an email, phone call or text message that:
Announces a death
Announces a marriage
Announces a birth
Is from a long lost family member
Offers them a surprise job
Bequeaths a large sum of money
A person suffers from an accident doing what usually is a daily task — loses a finger, or is otherwise permanently altered
A person is abducted by aliens then returned home only to not be believed
A person witnesses a crime and the criminal then witnesses them witnessing it and suddenly they are involved
A person alters their routine on a whim and meets the love of their life
You all are the best. Thanks so much for being a Book Buddy. Don’t forget, that if you refer someone to me and they join Book Buddies you get a free 1 hour 1:1 meeting with me!
Your writing bestie for life -
Kate
