What I’m Reading:  The Couple Next Door,  by Shari Lapena, a book I picked up on a whim from the “Lucky Day” shelf at the library. I started reading is Saturday evening after teaching all day, read after two small boys I babysat that night went to sleep, read with breakfast Sunday morning, and finished after church that afternoon. It is a page turner!

I’ve also been working a bit with Story Genius: How To Use Brain Science To Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel. The author, Lisa Cron, had me at brain science. I love that stuff. But in truth, there’s not a whole lot if in there. I have mixed feelings about this book.  I love the first part of it, in which she has you dig deep into your protagonist’s inner journey.  But I get a little nervous when people tell me exactly how to structure scenes and plot.  I always welcome guidance on this, but I don’t want to follow any one system slavishly. There’s a lot of great stuff in this book, though, and it is well worth reading, if you complete her exercises or not.

What I’m Watching: Same stupid sitcoms from last week. However, I’m happy to report that many of you also watch them. I feel vindicated. And, in the Department of Confessing How Pedestrian My Tastes Are, next week my favorite show starts up again. That’s right, its time for The Voice.  One of the reasons I love this show is that it demonstrates what it takes to make it.

What I’m Loving: The Writer’s Almanac, which is a daily newsletter you can sign up to have delivered to your inbox. For the love of all that is good and holy, why haven’t I known about this before? It features a poem, and a quote about writing, and then a couple longish almanacky-type  articles about something of interest–a person born on that particular day, etc. Bonus: you can listen to Garrison Keillor read the whole thing. One newsletter this week featured the poem Recuerdo, by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Again: why don’t I know about this kick-ass poet and the amazing life she led? (Okay, don’t answer that, it’s because I tend to ignore poets and poetry. To my detriment.)

Another Thing I’m Loving: This line, from the poem Sweater, by Jane Hirshfield:

Lucky the one who writes in a book of spiral-bound mornings

a future in ink, who writes hand unshaking, warmed by thick wool.

Yes, the Writer’s Almanac has done the impossible–gotten me reading poetry again. (And yeah, I go from the sublime (poetry) to the ridiculous (The Voice) not just here, but everywhere in my life.)

What I’m Happy About: Wonderful new clients on my roster who are doing good work. I love working with them! (If you are interested, book a connection call!)

What’s going on with you this week?

Photo from Wikipedia.