It’s Friday! 

How was your literate life this week? As always, I’m here in your Inbox to celebrate our literate lives with a sneak peek into my own. Here’s what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving this week:


What I’m Reading:

How was it possible that I’ve read every other book Kate DiCamillo has written EXCEPT The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane? This was recently gifted to me in a book exchange and I eagerly dove in, finishing it in a single sitting while my laundry and dishes patiently waited for me. I know it is a book written specially for children, but it spoke directly to my adult heart. Edward, a child’s beloved toy rabbit, learns the hard way how important it is to love and be loved and how life can come full circle…if we simply open our heart to new possibilities. A MUST read for all.

I snuck in some extra early-morning reading this week. Illuminated by the Christmas tree lights. With our new puppy. I read Silver Meadows Summer by Emma Otheguy. I knew I’d love the book, since Ruth Behar, author of Lucky Broken Girl, wrote a beautiful review of it. And she was right. It was an absolute joy to read, a story of families making fresh starts, connecting together and finding their place in the world…..together. 


What I’m Writing:

I’ve started a new section in my journal: a 20 for 20 list. I’ve listed 20 people who have made my little corner of the world a better place and jotted quick notes of appreciation. Next? To send those notes of gratitude to the well-deserved recipients so they know how much they matter. And a few might get a digital Starbucks card, too. =)


I’ve also stumbled upon a new podcast to inspire my future writing, too: Write About Now. Each week, Jonathan Small gives listeners a glimpse into the lives and stories of successful writers: how they got there, what they’ve learned, and what you need to succeed, too. It’s worth a listen! 


What I’m Learning:

I’ve spent some time this week expanding and sprucing up the bookshelves in my living room. As I migrated the stacks of books begging to be moved from the stacks in my closet (I know, I know, but I was running out of room!) to a more deserving space, I was shocked to find so many books that I have not read yet. Surprise! I was feeling a bit guilty about that until I read this article about the power of an anti-library. I love thinking about these books as reminders of what we don’t know and invitations to learn more, rather than guilt-inducing objects.  And it fits perfectly with last week’s revelation that there’s such a thing as a personal book curator whose job it is to broaden our collections!


What I’m Loving:

Did you notice the title change? This used to be called ‘What I’m Exploring’, but this seems to be a better fit, which means I can share ANYTHING I’ve loved throughout the week with you. And this is what I’m loving right now: clearing clutter. I always get in a cleaning mode right before the holidays, cleaning for family gatherings and making room for the gifts headed our way. So this list had my name written all over it. This week, I tackled #1, #3, #15 and #18. Next week? I’m coming after #33 and #43. Let me know which tasks are ending up on your to-do list!


There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?