My new podcast logo! And my wedding dress!
A mishmash of updates this week :)
Weekly Q&A:
Q: How do you know if something is a worthy book idea?
I suppose the truest answer to this question is that I never really “know” if an idea is worthy or not. However, if I find myself totally obsessed with it and other people whose taste I trust seem to think so too, then that’s a promising clue. Otherwise, when I embark upon a creative project, whether it’s a short freelance piece or a podcast episode or a full-length book, I tend to ask myself three questions:
Why me? (Why am I the right person to tell this story in this way?)
Why this medium? (Does this project have the breadth and staying power to be a book? Or would it be better as a substack post, op-ed, or podcast?)
Why now? (What makes this story important to tell at this particular time in history? What’s the sense of urgency for a reader?)
If I can come up with clear answers to all three of these questions, I tend to trust that as a sign to keep going!
Starting today, I’m on a mini second leg of book tour!
Popping over to Atlanta for an event on May 1 with Sarah Edmondson from A Little Bit Culty podcast, back to Portland for a panel at the Live Wire Radio festival on May 9, and then over to Columbia, Maryland for a speaking gig at the Books In Bloom fest on May 11. I’ll also be in the Bay Area for an event at the Mill Valley Public Library on June 11. If you’re near any of those places, please come!! Tickets and info below.
Should we do a meetup in Asheville?
Any Asheville, NC residents here? I’m popping over to your delightful town after my Atlanta visit and was wondering if anyone would be down for a little meetup at Malaprop’s maybe sometime on Saturday May 4? Let me know!
How I love this Everygirl review:
The Age of Magical Overthinking was such a meaningful book for me that everyone on earth could hate it and I’d still be glad I got the chance to write it. Still, when people decidedly don’t hate it, that makes me very happy indeed. This lovely review from Emma Ginsberg at The Everygirl makes me feel like there are readers out there who connect with the book in the exact way I hoped they would, which is extremely uplifting!
The Magical Overthinkers podcast officially launches Wednesday, May 15!!!
I am chuffed to share the official podcast art :) We’re setting up the RSS feed now, meaning you’ll be able to subscribe next week. Stay tuned for the trailer, as well!
Making this show has been joyful and honestly effortless (shoutout to my editor Jordan and studio S71, who are beyond wonderful to work with!!!). I’ve loved the interviews I’ve gotten to do so far with brilliant scholars, from philosophers, like Dr. Ellie Anderson, to astrophysicists, like Dr. Moiya McTier. I’ve already learned so much making this show, which explores the subjects we can’t stop overthinking about, from narcissism to nostalgia to monogamy. Can’t wait to share it with y’all! P.S. Sounds Like A Cult is on hiatus until May 21, as I focus on this show and continue book tour.
I went wedding dress shopping 🎀
And in a bit of personal news. I went to a couple wedding dress appointments over the weekend—just for shits and giggles because I’ve always known I’d wanna wear something weird. We’re not thinking of our day as a “wedding” so much as an “enchanted carnivale” (how’s that for delulu 🤡). In the end, I’m likely going to end up building something custom (and pink!) but here are a couple pics of my ~traditional bride~ persona. I didn’t feel right in these looks. This dress below inspired an alter-ego named Augustina, a Republican country club bridezilla who’s marrying for money because her family is secretly drowning in debt. Here’s a picture of her firing her valet! Lol. We had fun.
THEATER: Just For Us
I might be the last Jew I know to have watched this beautifully crafted and paced, poignant and hilarious, odd and endearing one-man-show by Alex Edelman (which is now viewable as a special on Max). It’s basically a great big storytelling event, where Jewish comedian Alex regales us with a tale of the time he found out about a white nationalists meetup on Twitter and decided to attend. For the plot! For the hijinx! Going along for the ride of this story is such a gleeful and moving experience. Which you might already know because, again, I am very late to this soirée!
MUSIC: If I Didn’t Love You
This Ben Abraham song is so romantic, Casey and I have now embraced it as an all-time fave. I am such a sucker for earnest love anthems full of pretty melodies, intimate piano parts, and big strings. It’s been stuck in my head for a good two weeks straight.
UNECESSARY PURCHASE: Gldn Fingers Crossed Necklace
I got this dainty gold chain for my birthday back in February as a sort of good luck talisman for my book launch process. My proportionality bias would say it definitely worked!
UNECESSARY PURCHASE: Praying Main Character Zipper Sweater
I have worn and posted this thing nonstop because I was so proud to have found it secondhand. But you can also buy it new!! A great conversation piece for my girlies who can’t help but narrativize their lives.
