Dear reader,
A few weeks ago, I traveled down to Tampa Bay to visit my fiancée’s hometown for the first time. I’d been to Florida before, but Disney and Universal don’t really count, so this was my first time seeing what Florida has to offer in terms of flora and fauna, which is obviously a lot! It’s still kind of incomprehensible that alligators, manatees, and roseate spoonbills were backyard creatures for Lena growing up in the way that deer, groundhogs, and hawks were for me. During that week, I held a horseshoe crab, fed a stingray, identified a pandan tree (I had no idea what pandan fruit actually looked like!), saw hundreds of wild manatees converging in the shallow water, climbed through a banyan grove, and watched a bald eagle snatch a fish out of the gulf 20 feet away from our car. There is lots of incredible nature to marvel at around here, too, but I’m just desensitized to it—though the amazing conversation I had with Sabrina Imbler, Wei Tchou, and e.jin at my reading series in January reminded me just how much NYC has to offer. Did you know you can see seals on a wildlife boat tour just off Manhattan?? Now you do!!!
Another thing I did on my week-long vacation was a whole lot of nothing. I didn’t use my phone as much; I napped; I read four books that week. (I realize that reading books doesn’t count as doing nothing, but it was relaxing and recreational, so it’s a win in my book). It’s hard not to get sucked back into the rat-race pace of life here in New York upon returning, but I was so grateful for the opportunity to slow things down. I’m toying with longer format letters for snail-mail subscribers, which I personally like a lot, despite the fact that now as a fully remote worker I have to rely on the library copy machine rather than mooching off my office printer. I’m really stretching your subscription $ with color printing and longer format newsletters right now! But it’s more fun. I hope you think so, too.
If you’d like reflections on creative practice and goodies in your mailbox every month, consider becoming a paid subscriber. I currently donate 20% of proceeds to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.
Patchwork Literary Salon — February 12, 7:00pm, Sisters (900 Fulton St, BK)
This is happening in a mere few hours! If you’re local to New York, come hang out with us in Brooklyn for readings and conversation with three spectacular writers across genres. This month’s Patchwork event will feature Catherine LaSota, Kameel Mir, and Kate Tooley. As always, there will be drink specials of the cocktail and mocktail variety and audience Q&A. Free and open to all! RSVP is encouraged but not required.
Blind Date with a Book — February 15, 5:00pm, Yu & Me Books (44 Mulberry St, NY) I love this idea! Yu & Me Books is hosting a “blind date” book swap. Bring a wrapped book and find your next mystery read while you meet fellow book lovers and hang out in this very cute bookstore space.
Wine & Pine — February 17, 7:30pm, Ten Degrees (121 St. Marks Pl, NY)
Keep the love going after v-day weekend by coming to Wine & Pine on Monday and hearing from four romance writers! Rachel does a great job curating this monthly series (plus, there are always free homemade baked goods, and usually some very impressive gift baskets you can win in a raffle just by showing up).
At The Book Rescuers, a used bookstore not far from my fiancée’s hometown in Florida, I was delighted to find an enormous “ephemera” corner. I took many loose book pages, film photos, and magazine prints home with me and made a few collages, which I included in this month’s snail mail along with loose pieces of ephemera so you can mail your own collage, too.
First book to make me cry in 2025: Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino. I felt very late to the game on this one because all my friends were raving about it a year ago! It deserves the hype!
Very happy that my Instagram algorithm started serving me recipe videos by
, whose series of meal prep videos make meal prepping actually creative and exciting. She also has a newsletter called with full recipes and weekly meal plans! I love to cook, but finding ways to keep it in budget, not have produce rotting in my fridge, and mix it up on a weekly basis is a real challenge. Prepping ingredients/components vs meals changes the game!Advance review copies of The New Lesbian Pulp have arrived, which means I got to see my writing printed in a book for the very first time this week. I’ve seen my name printed in the acknowledgements of books a handful of times over the past few years, but seeing my name on the running header was something else! TNLP is out in August, and you can pre-order it now.
I’m watching Yellowjackets for the first time in preparation for Season 3, and very much loving it. Fans of Yellowjackets will also love The New Lesbian Pulp. We support women’s wrongs!
Please enjoy this infrared picture of my mom and dad’s cat, Sage.
That’s it for me this week. See you in the real world!
🌱 Nadine
