"Tea and a Book" was great fun, but it will go on hiatus for a bit. In its place I'll share a brief list of interesting reads for each month. Obviously I am playing catch-up with a two month report, but it's still rather short. (which distresses me!)
August Folly, by Angela Thirkell. I've been devouring every Thirkell novel I can get my hands on, and this one seemed quite promising with its "village puts on a Greek play" premise. Though it had a slow start with characters behaving in tedious ways, soon enough the humor broke through and interesting things began to happen. Not my favorite Thirkell, but still quite good.
Impossible, by Nancy Werlin. I'm not usually one for fairy stories, but this clever tale inspired by Scarborough Fair makes an outlandish situation very gripping with its deft characterization. Highly recommended!
The Mirk and Midnight Hour, by Jane Nickerson. A unique and atmospheric Southern Gothic inspired by the Ballad of Tam Lin. I've never read anything quite like this book, and I look forward to more from Nickerson.
These were my favorites from the last couple of months -- I sincerely hope to ramp up my reading in May. Any recommendations?
A couple of days ago I returned from a seven night Kindling Words West retreat in Marble Falls, TX. The Retreat at Balcones Springs offered cozy cabins and beautiful scenery, and our workshop leaders Nancy Werlin and Karen Romano Young provided guidance on how to find "unseen visuals" in our stories that could help transform our writing.
The goal for our morning workshops was to work on visual poems and other graphic representations of our stories, but Nancy and Karen encouraged us to follow our own path as much as we liked. As it turned out, I got caught up in this (not great) watercolor painting. I started with a random tree, added to it each day, and ended up understanding so much more about my protagonist and her relationship with nature. (Also, I got to live inside her brain in a new way, for she is an artist who works with pencil and watercolor.)
The bulk of each day was spent in silent retreat, and this was my main work station from 10am-5pm. Working on a bed is a little unorthodox, I know, but it turned out to be a good shift for my brain and body. (And strangely enough, I never napped!)
We didn't spend all our time working. Each morning we had the option of yoga, and during the day there were always opportunities for long walks. We encountered bluebonnets and other wildflowers, live oak and mesquite trees, insects, snakes, lizards, and for one group, a herd of wild boars! I really, really need to remember that when I'm blocked, a good walk can shake things up nicely. (I'll steer clear of the boars, however.)
I so appreciated all the time for writing (without the usual distractions), and I treasured the opportunities for communion with other writers. You artistic types out there -- give yourself the gift of a retreat! It doesn't have to be Kindling Words (though I strongly recommend it). You could take a day alone, or gather with friends for a weekend or longer. No matter how or with whom you arrange it, I really urge you to set aside silent work time.
For those who make a regular habit of retreating, what sort of activities, formats, locations, etc., inspired you?
For today's blog post I offer you a grab bag of happy-making things:
TEA AND A GARDEN WALK
This past Tuesday I picked up my dear friend Michelle in Dallas and we had quite the tea adventure in Fort Worth. I'd read glowing reviews of Antique Outlet and Mitra's Tearoom on Teamap. When we arrived, we were afraid the GPS had failed us -- all we found was an old and mostly dead strip mall. Upon closer inspection, we noticed the "Antiques and Tea Room" sign. We ventured inside to find a fairly ordinary-looking antique shop. At the back, however, was a little Victorian oasis of dainty, chintz-bedecked tables surrounded by teacup and teapot displays. Mitra's Tearoom doesn't actually offer an afternoon tea, but we enjoyed a "combo" lunch that included soup, tea sandwiches, salad, and dessert. It was DELICIOUS. Our tastebuds rejoiced and our tummies groaned.
We poked around the antiques afterwards, but soon realized a brisk walk was in order. Hence we made our way to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.
See Michelle above with our tea and muffin appetizers (or would you say amuse-bouches?). On the right is a lovely wooden path through the Botanic Garden. We certainly met our goal of walking off the meal--the garden encompasses 110 acres--and the fact that it was 90 degrees outside made it even more challenging. But what a gorgeous place! I can't wait to visit when the trees are in full leaf.
KIDLIT CELEBRATION
On Friday I took Michelle to the airport (wah!) and immediately set out for Tulsa, as this past weekend was the "Ignite the Spark" conference for the Oklahoma region of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Our regional advisors put together a splendid panel of agents and editors, and, as always, I enjoyed meeting up with old friends and new. (Above you see me with Valerie Lawson and my roomie/critique partner Brandi Barnett.) I left inspired and recharged, which is a good thing as this week I REALLY MUST GET SOME WRITING WORK DONE.
BRAINY COSTUME DRAMA
Finally, I just wanted to point out that the BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall is finally coming to PBS! Above you see Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell, and I am delighted to learn that Damian Lewis plays Henry VIII. This six-part series actually covers both Wolf Hall and its sequel Bring Up the Bodies. The Guardian called it "sumptuous, intelligent, event television." Go here for more review blurbs that seem to indicate an overwhelmingly positive critical reception of the mini-series. Huzzah!
When I met with my editor earlier this month, she enthusiastically recommended this book by Marie Kondo (and was nice enough to send me a copy). As a lifelong clutter bug, I was intrigued by Kondo's technique of organizing your possessions by reducing to those that "spark joy."
The method is rather drastic, but just reading about her process felt like a gentle sweep of my mental cobwebs. I don't need so much stuff. I can let the joyless things go. I am NOT genetically fated to be a packrat! (In my family, hoarding was known as "Granny Green-ing," after my great grandmother Clemie Green.)
Kondo's thinking might seem a little "woo woo" to some. She strongly believes that inanimate objects want to be cared for, to be useful, and that they'd rather be donated than remain unwanted in your closet or on your shelves. Kondo has a very spiritual approach to tidying, a particularly Japanese approach, and I (being a wee bit "woo woo" myself) found it very appealing:
To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose. To get rid of what you no longer need is neither wasteful nor shameful. Can you truthfully say that you treasure something buried so deeply in a closet or drawer that you have forgotten its existence? If things had feelings, they would certainly not be happy. Free them from the prison to which you have relegated them. [...] Let them go, with gratitude. Not only you, but your things as well, will feel clear and refreshed when you are done tidying. (61)
Kondo insists that we tidy by category rather than room. She recommends starting with clothing, and then moving on to books, papers, miscellany, and finally, sentimental objects. However, since my books seemed more out of control than my clothing, I decided to start there. I thought it would take me half a day, but it actually took about three days because I did follow her process of taking everything off the shelf and touching each item. I confess to keeping a few "joyless" volumes for reference, but it was interesting to track my emotions as I touched each book. Not only did some of them not spark joy -- they actually sparked disgust. INTO THE DISCARD PILE! What a great feeling.
And soon I look forward to tidying up my closet and chest of drawers. According to Marie Kondo, we shouldn't hang so many of our clothes. Folding is better for most items, and she recommends storing items vertically. I vaguely understood what she meant when reading, but this video helps clarify the folding part:
And this is what a drawer with "vertically stored" clothes would look like:
Her method for socks intimidates me. Still, I'm eager to take the next step in this tidying process!
And now for tea . . .
I was terribly excited to use my Japanese teapot -- a gift from my (ex)stepmother, Rosemary -- for this "tea and a book" post. Prior to this I hadn't used it very much because I usually drink black tea. Also, my limited experience with Japanese tea had left me convinced that it all tasted like sour grass clippings. I know now that I was steeping the leaves too long in water that was too hot. I steeped Adagio's kukicha for two minutes in 175 degree water, and the result was delicately grassy/nutty with a sweet finish. I purchased the sesame almond tea cookies from Radiance Tea House when I was in NYC. If you'd like to make your own, here's a recipe from Just One Cookbook. These Almondina biscuits look rather nice, too!
Hi there! I'm the author of THE REVENANT (2011), THE DARK BETWEEN (2013), and GHOSTLIGHT (2015), all from Alfred A. Knopf. I blog a little about writing, but more often about reading, travel, TV and movies. Nothing too serious.
