I blinked and January is nearly over. I know everyone is saying it was a slog, but I didn’t have that experience. For me, it’s always been a month brimming with potential that doesn’t pan out. I stopped making concrete resolutions years ago because I don’t think they’re for everyone and they certainly weren’t for me.
Here is how my month went:
I spent most of the month writing, rewriting and sending out query letters to literary agents… Grueling is an understatement, but more on that in a future post.
In the midst of that flurry, I got all my wisdom teeth pulled out. The procedure itself went pretty well, however, bedside manner did not report for duty in any of the interactions I had. Did you know they just leave holes there? Did you know you’re not supposed to use a straw for the first few weeks? Did you know you’re probably going to get a ton of canker sores? Well, I didn’t know any of this because nobody told me.
On a brighter note, I started writing my second book! Huge, weird, comfortable, hard, easy, are just some of the ways I’d describe the experience of getting back into the swing of things amidst pursuing publication of another novel.
The following list is some of the things I couldn’t get out of my head in January.
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Hype is always something I’m concerned about when going into a book. Specifically, I’m worried that if I’m too aware of it I won’t be able to look passed it. This can work in favour of or against a book.
In Chain-Gang All Stars’ case, it worked for me. At face value, this is not a book I’d normally pick up. Something described as Gladiator meets Hunger Games, but also an indictment of the prison system in the US? Not exactly my cup of Earl Grey. Still, I couldn’t ignore it’s chokehold on end of year book lists from publications and people whose opinions I trust.
What I got from this was a masterfully written, incisively crafted, and incredibly poignant story deserving of all the hype it accrued. This isn’t for the faint of heart—it’s bloody, sad and enraging, but earns all of those things. I cannot recommend it enough for anyone interesting in the prison system (or its dismantlement), parasocial relationships in the world of reality TV, and the commodification of human life for entertainment.
Interesting Facts About Space by Emily ‘No Skips’ Austin
Another book rec because it’s warranted!
Emily Austin’s writing is so unique. She dives so deep into the psyche of her narrators, leaves no stone unturned, and showcases humanity at it’s most banal (huge compliment!!!!). This new release is no different.
We follow a queer woman navigating being bad at dating, a fear of bald men, newfound relationships with her half-sisters, and so much more.
This book is for everyone who struggles with thinking they might actually be a terrible person (does anyone not feel this way?). It’s another stellar piece of writing from Emily ‘No Skips’ Austin.
“Men’s” Mary Janes
Click clack
Are you wearing the—
The Mary Jane loafers? Yeah, I am.
This is a scene I’ve been playing out in my head for months now. It’s going to be a day where I own a pair of these beautiful shoes, walk into a café and have a cool patron notice my footwear.
While I don’t own a pair yet, these are a fascination of mine. I’ve tried on a half dozen of styles, and still haven’t found the ones. There were the gum sole Mary Janes, which were only are an approximation of what I want. Then came the double strapped and too big pair that gave clown. BUT, I have faith that the Hereu ones pictured above are going to be mine in the foreseeable future (read: I have an appointment at the SSENSE store to try them on this week). I guess babygirlification is to blame for this!
Edit: I went to my SSENSE appointment and will be saving up my little pennies to purchase the shoes pictured below in the coming months.
The App Lapse
This app needs to cut me a cheque with the amount of times I’ve forced someone to download it.
Here’s the pitch: it’s an app that simulates taking photos with a disposable camera—you shoot and don’t obsess over the results because it takes a few hours to “develop”.
I don’t care for filters on pictures as a rule, but these photos really look like film. This app has made me a daily-photo-taker and I’m happy about it! And, yes, I like the analog idea that I can’t quite know whether a photo will turn out good… it’s vintage… it’s chic… SUE ME!
Reading Goals Update!
I am on track! Wee!!!
My non-fiction read for the month was Into Every Generation a Slayer Is Born: How Buffy Staked Our Hearts by Evan Ross Katz. Really propulsive non-fiction for something that’s an academic-level examination of a piece of media!
My poetry collection read this month was What We Lost in the Swamp by Grant Chemidlin. Gay poetry with a voice that was both contemporary and nostalgic. Some of my faves include: My Brother, I Feel Bad for All the Straight Men and To the Popular Kids Who Called Me Gay.
I am almost finished James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain. All I’ll say for now is the religious trauma is very potent!
That’s been my month!
Here’s a rapid fire of what’s on my radar currently (consider them potentials for a future Spilled Milk segment):
Mental gymnastics!! This is how I’m going to go about my days as if I’m not fully aware that several literary agents are currently reading my novel.
The Traitors and the continued global domination of newly out queer Parvati Shallow.
Swimming… My physiotherapist has recommended I get in the pool for what he describes as a “low impact exercise”. Low impact on my back maybe, but returning to a sport after a 12-year hiatus? Medium impact on my ego.
Saying the word “Diva”. Not kidding. I need to be stopped.
The triumphant return of Seek Treatment! One of my favourite podcasts, with two of the funniest people is back, has a video component, and is hitting just right.
I just got The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin and it has the potential to become my whole personality.
Until next time 🤠