Coffee Grinds 11: I'm on final edits for my book!! Ahhh!

plus, Normal People, favorite book recs, a fall candle that you'll love, and something spooky 👻

This week I’m obsessed with: cool mornings, fireside marshmallows, pumpkin vanilla candles, pop-punk playlists, trying to find the perfect homemade PSL.

📚 Reading:

I’ll be honest, I’ve read exactly zero days this week. 🫣 I DID make a significant dent in my audiobook (see below) and I also have a very good reason for not picking up my book (also see below) BUT as such, I’m bringing you a few more comps.

Thriller/Psychological Suspense

(and one of my all-time favs)

I Have Some Questions For You by

Rebecca Makkai

Who has an amazing Substack by the way. Do you like insane Zillow listings? Writing advice? Laughing? Then you’ll love her Substack.

Coming of Age

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky— I know this is a YA read, but since we’re talking about favorites and it has such a special place in my heart as one of my all time favorites. I haven’t re-read it since I was in my early twenties but I just adore it. Movie too.

Non-Fiction

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell —An oldie but a goodie. The first “business” book I read, and if that sounds boring to you don’t knock it yet! It’s filled with lots of stories that make it a really compelling read, even if business isn’t your thing.

substacks I read this week:

Making the Most of Small Spaces by

This Debut Life

as the trees lose their leaves by

Madeline Paige

Notes On: How to Romanticise September by

Hannah Connolly

weird sex stuff by

lindsey peters berg

🫶Love

This Pumpkin Vanilla scented candle from Target ($10!!)

Spontaneous picnics on a Friday afternoon (featuring this adorable picnic basket we got as a wedding gift) Perfect for these last couple weeks of Summer.

These ghost candles on Etsy I know it’s not October yet, but let me have this!

🍿Watched:

The Traitors S1 (Peacock)— I love Alan Cumming. I like that this show is both serious and silly at the same time. I love that by the second half, it had really picked up, and there were lots of fun twists and surprises.

Normal People (Hulu)—I’ve accepted I may never get through this book despite really wanting to love Sally Rooney. Anyway, I’ve been watching the show instead. It’s a pretty slow burn but I’m sticking it out. I love Marianne’s bangs. (which incidentally, are a lot like my bangs)

Fair Play (Netflix)—Abandoned this one 20 minutes in to go make marshmallows by the fire. It was a good decision.

🎧Listened:

Audiobook: Dial A for Aunties (81% complete)

Podcast: The Shit No One Tells You About Writing—Make Something Unexpected Happen In Your Opening Pages (+ query critiques on an upmarket Women’s Fiction + one on a Dark Romance)

Playlist: Punk Mix featuring Mayday Parade, Brand New, and Blink-182

✍️Wrote:

• To All The Friends I've Loved Before: 08 Drake and Josh, Blink-182, habits I'll never let go

• REVIEW: 'Dear Emmie Blue' by Lia Louis is the sweetest book I've ever read and I insist you read it too

• The most recent final revision of my book!!! ahhh!!! It’s not quite done yet, but this will hopefully be my last round of edits before querying, and I decided to print out the book and edit the old-fashioned way to celebrate. Highly recommend!! It has been SO cool to hold my book in my hands this way.

• This has taken top priority which means I haven’t made time to read or do really anything else that isn’t work but who cares I’M IN THE FINAL STAGES OF MY BOOK!!!!

🔭 Looking ahead:

• Now that my manuscript is done, I’ll take a couple weeks off before starting the editing process. This part is SO HARD! I just want to get into it! But I know it’s an important part of the process.

• In the meantime, I’m working on my query letter and hoping to write a bit more for Substack :)

• Work continues to be kind of insane BUT the good news is with my manuscript on hold for a few weeks, I can get ahead with client work so that when it’s time to start editing, I have that ability.

Hope you have a happy Sunday!!