How It's Going [gestures vaguely at...everything]

My “slowly, then all at once” exit from social media has been going swimmingly (thanks for asking). Throughout the day, I find myself picking up my phone out of habit, only to realize it doesn’t have anything for me; my iPhone has reverted to its primary purpose as a communication device, with the added perk of feeding me a steady diet of audiobooks.

Yet there’s another part of me that misses our daily interactions—yours and mine. Remember when you were all delighted by the egg-tapping trick I shared? Or when hundreds of thousands of you devoted 17 million views to that dumb hornet’s nest I crocheted? Less absurdly, you’ve been receptive to and encouraging about the rare original poem, and of course there are the cats.

The solution, I think, is to share the occasional retrospective issue of RAWWR. Every now and again, I’d like you to know what I’ve been reading and cooking and doing. And if you’d rather not know, that’s okay too. Please don’t tell me, though, because my parasocial feelings will be hurt.

What I’ve Been Reading

The Favorites by Layne Fargo. Daisy Jones and the Six, but make it ice dancing. I liked it a lot.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. A quaint, Japanese coffee house with a lot of rules about time travel. Incredibly charming and beautifully narrated by Ariana Ii, I shall be savoring the other books in this series when life gets too loud.

Across the Green Grass Fields by Seanan McGuire. I wanted to get a feel for McGuire’s writing before diving into Every Heart a Doorway, the first in his Wayward Children series. I liked it, especially this description of a forest hemmed in by suburban developments: “It remembered what it was to have been wild. It contained the seeds of its own restoration. […] If the boundary were ever removed, the wood would be ready to spring back to its old wildness.” This idea—that the seeds of our own restoration might be buried within us—has been rolling around in my brain since I first read the line.

Playworld by Adam Ross. A dark, unsettling Bildungsroman. The World According to Garp meets My Dark Vanessa meets Catcher in the Rye. How’s that for a set of comp titles?

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight. Started this on audio, got 10% of the way in, and stopped listening. Will probably try to get back to it before my library loan expires in 6 days, but no promises. In 2025, I advise we all lean in to mood reading; if Life Cycle doesn’t call to me now, I’ll try again later.

The Heart of Enquiry series by Grace Callaway. One of my favorite historical romance series, and that’s in spite of Callaway’s unforgivable sex euphemisms. “Meaty pole” is a not-uncommon refrain. And yet! The mysteries, social hijinks, and family ties threading the whole series together make it a perfect comfort read in these dark times.

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti. I was an instant Vasti stan after reading her Halifax Hellions novellas, and nothing about this brilliant woman’s writing has ever disappointed. If your soul withered in your body waiting for Tessa Dare’s The Bride Bet, please meet your salvation in Vasti’s entire body of work.

Relative Fiction by Alaina Rose. This is my just-before-bed, nervous-system-regulation read. It’s well-written, funny, and compelling. I want to say it gives Emily Henry vibes? But with a question mark? Because I’m not sure yet??

My Funny Demon Valentine by Aurora Ascher. It took a small leap of faith to give Ascher another chance, after I couldn’t make it even 50 pages into Sanctuary of the Shadow. But a Brynne Weaver comp will get me every time, and this was no exception. The writing leaves a lot to be desired, and I’m still determining if that’s a deal-breaker.

Miscellany

Top Left: Accidental pita bread. I set out to make two loaves of sandwich bread, carelessly scalded my yeast, and pivoted so as not to waste an inordinate amount of my favorite flour (Sunrise Mill, yes I’m an affiliate, yes it’s expensive, yes it’s worth it).

Top Middle: PB&G cookies (peanut butter + ginger). Recipe from Epicurious. Honestly, why aren’t we eating PB-and-G-flavored confections all the time? These are wonderful.

Top Right: Was delighted to recall these microfleece leg warmers I made myself last year, since they bridge the literal gap between my yoga crops and the tops of my boots.

Bottom Left: Kale and Cheddar Gözleme—a stuffed, unleavened Turkish flatbread. The dough was wonderful to work with, and while the particular recipe I used (from Bon Apetit) called for way too much lemon zest, the concept is one I will absolutely return to in the future. When summer farm stands offer big, irresistible bunches of leafy greens, this is how I’ll serve them.

Bottom Middle: It turns out, I bought cursed yarn over the summer. I know! Rookie mistake. But all FIVE PROJECTS I started with the hand-dyed merino wool I purchased in the Berkshires this past August went woefully, irretrievably haywire. As a result, I found myself yearning to complete LITERALLY ANYTHING last week. I snagged a few skeins of acrylic yarn and worked up The Athena Cowl by Serena Castellanos. My hook was a size small and my stitches were too tight, but guess what? I DON’T CARE. The finished product is warm, pretty, and not cursed. I call it a win.

Bottom Right: The cats. Before you contact the authorities, please know their new tree should arrive today. It has two generous baskets, so no one (i.e., Finn) will not be forced to perch LIKE AN ANIMAL. Heaven forefend.

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My friends over at Reedsy are holding a 1/2-day online conference this Sunday, February 2, called How to Plan Your Novel. The line-up looks amazing, and I’m especially honored to be part of the 2pm Q&A alongside Jonathan Oliver (former Editor-in-Chief of Solaris and Abaddon Books) and Amy Ewing (NYT bestselling author and editor). You can sign-up for the whole event using my link: How to Plan Your Novel. Please be sure to say hello during the Q&A!

Talk to me.

Book a 30-minute consultation with me, and we’ll use our time to talk about whatever you want (but probably your book). I’m happy to look at a few pages of your writing in advance, review your query letter, or read a synopsis. Use Calendly to choose the date and time, and I’ll email you to confirm.

Work with me.

If you have a completed manuscript and would like to discuss an editorial collaboration, contact me on Reedsy or via email {beccaheyman@gmail.com}.

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