I love the changing seasons and I love Fall. This week, I celebrated the arrival of Autumn with a pumpkin coffee (my favorite!), a trip to the bookstore and a late afternoon reading session with a book I COULD NOT PUT DOWN. All in all, a good week!
What I'm Reading:
Back in August, I put out a call on social media for readers interested in a book exchange to end our summer #reading strong. It was such fun to learn about each reader and pair them together. I paired myself with Susan, a literacy educator in Maine, because we both loved reading diverse young adult literature. She sent me the most amazing book and I wish I started reading it THAT SECOND. It’s that good.
It’s been a long while since I’ve been so heavily invested in a book in so many different ways. But Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley brought me deep into the reading experience. The strong characters, the twisting powerful plot and the immersion in a culture unlike my own invited me into the pages like no other young adult novel has. Boulley introduces us to Daunis Fontaine, a young woman caught between worlds and families as she strives to find her way. I became fascinated with her spirit, her heart, her devotion to her culture and community and her fearlessness. Faced with tragedy, personal battles and the weight of a community on her secretive shoulders, Daunis and her family taught me about togetherness, about honoring where we’ve been and choosing our way with quiet confidence. I’m still breathless.
What I'm Writing:
I’m trying to be a better positive memory-keeper and recently watched Heidi Swapp’s Stop the Blur class, an introduction on using our planners to collect memories, rather than only plan for them. It was so beautifully creative and inspiring and I’ve been bringing my colorful markers and stickers to my calendar all week long. It really does make a difference. You should watch and join me!
What I'm Learning:
I am ALWAYS cold. I mean always, especially my hands. So I ignored the cryotherapy buzz when I first heard about it a while back. But I kept hearing about it. Everywhere. So I looked into the potential benefits a bit more (numbs nerves, reduces migraines, boosts mood, reduces arthritis pain, prevents dementia and even treats various skin conditions), I couldn’t help but be curious. I did a bit of research and found a cryotherapy spa fairly close to me and may actually give it a try. So, readers, have any of you tried this trend and would you recommend it?
What I'm Loving:
Are you ready for these links? I’ve got a literacy hidden surprise, fascinating reading research and a treasure-trove of ebooks heading your way today:
- I WANT ONE OF THESE. Enough said.
- You know I love bibliotherapy. There’s so much research on the physical benefits of just 6-minutes of continuous reading, like lower stress and a slower heart rate. But did you know that those heartbeats can synchronize with others when listening to the same story? Fascinating.
- Do you love ebooks? Modern Mrs. Darcy sends a DAILY email of the newest ebooks to go on sale you might want to add to your stack. I rarely read ebooks, but want to give it a try and this service is sure helping me do that.
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?
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