Summertime and the living’s—well, easy? No. But delightful. I was full of anxiety about having all three of my littles home every stinking day but man, I really underestimated how great it was to not have to pack lunches. Who knew making a sandwich every single morning could be so soul-sucking? “Snack plates”1 for everyone!
Wisconsin is a hellscape for 8 months but a calendar for 4, and I intend on wrenching every ounce of sunshine out of our state that I can. That means lots of mornings spent at the beach, shaking sand out of hair and reminding littles not to go deeper than the buoys. I also have a 7-year-old sailor so we spent quite a few afternoons at the cedar-planked yacht club while he and his friends hilariously operate opti boats. Sailing season is one of my favorites and I don’t want to let it go by under a mound of emails.
I’m in a lucky slightly-restful phrase with writing. My adult novel, The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County, is completely finished and edited but we haven’t tiptoed into promo season yet. I’m waiting on edits for my next middle grade while casually drafting the one after that. I have no heavy deadlines and nothing bananas on the schedule.
Summer also translates to reading like a maniac instead of folding my laundry. What is it about summer reading that seems extra sweet? I think it reminds me of trying to win Pizza Hut gift cards at the library and the joy of getting all the way through that purple slip of paper they handed out. I have such clear visions of stacks of Ramona Quimby books on my back porch, a popsicle dripping down my forearms. Switch the popsicle for a margarita and Ramona for—no, I still read Ramona. But I’ve also been reading The Bookseller’s Secret by Michelle Gable, The Paris Deception by Bryn Turnball, and Upstream by Mary Oliver. Furthermore, I’ve dubbed it the Summer of YA. I’ve burned my way through seven (yes! seven!!!) Sarah Dessen novels and am now indulging myself in a little Katie Cotugno (Rules for Being a Girl is *chef’s kiss*). The word that comes to mind when I think of my reading list lately is serendipity: unexpected and glorious.
In the midst of zipping lifejackets and lugging library totes, however, I did get some Not Good News this week. All authors (and writers, and creatives, and I guess humans in general, right?) are familiar with Not Good News. It pops into your inbox and you excitedly click on it only to see a bad review, or an event rejection, or a harsh note from an editor. This was particularly Not Good News that really stung. Like, one of the worst Not Good News incidents of my career.
I almost wrote about it, and then thought that seemed whiny. Then I almost wrote about how much it bugs me when authors whine, and thought that seemed judgmental. Then I laughed at myself for overthinking this goofy little newsletter and ate some blackberries instead.
A podcast host once asked me how I “kept my chill” (cackle, cackle, call my mom) about the ups and downs of publishing. I think I spat out a treatise on gratitude but what I really wanted to say was: I have actual problems. That sounds trite and cruel but I don’t mean it that way. I mean that publishing, book-writing, the sales numbers—these are small parts of myself. What matters to me much, much more is being a storyteller. I can do that with a day job, or with no book contracts, or with someone asking me to turn Daniel Tiger up. Storytelling has seen me through some very, very hard days. Come at me, Not Good News. It’s going to take a little more than that to bring me down.
“I am not alone. Whatever else there was or is, writing is with me.” - Lidia Yuknavitch
Publishing is frusterating and foggy; I have a terrific advocate in my agent and this was disappointing. But it is not going to sink me. I still have stories to tell.
“It’s the job,” I insisted as I told a friend about the news, trying to play it cool2. And it is. The job is playing pretend; the job is stacks of Anne Lamont books; the job is reheated coffee. The job is trips to the splash pad and coffee shops with rickety internet and pouring your heart into something for other people to stomp on. The job is naming a draft FinalFINALACTUALFINAL.docx and then going back to tweak it because wouldn’t “shimmered” sound better than “glittered”? The job is waking up at 4:57 AM to do it all over again, and again, and again.
Have I ever told you the story of the time my brother dressed up as the Hamm’s bear for a bar’s float in a (very, very, very) small town’s Fourth of July parade? In 90 degree weather? No? That’s it. That’s the story.
Speaking of beer and the Northwoods, my first novel for adults, The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County, is available for preorder.
😍.
And I can finally share the fancy-pants marketing description:
“Esther Larson has been cooking for funerals in the Northwoods of Wisconsin for seventy years. Known locally as the ‘funeral ladies,’ she and her cohort have worked hard to keep the mourners of Ellerie County fed—it is her firm belief that there is very little a warm casserole and a piece of cherry pie can’t fix. But, after falling for an internet scam that puts her home at risk, the proud Larson family matriarch is the one in need of help these days.
Iris, Esther’s whip-smart Gen Z granddaughter, would do anything for her family and her community. As she watches her friends and family move out of their lakeside town onto bigger and better things, Iris wonders why she feels so left behind in the place she is desperate to make her home. But when Cooper Welsh shows up, she finally starts to feel like she’s found the missing piece of her puzzle.
Cooper is dealing with becoming a legal guardian to his younger half-sister after his beloved stepmother dies. While their celebrity-chef father is focused on his booming career and top-ranked television show, Cooper is still hurting from a public tragedy he witnessed last year as a paramedic and finding it hard to cope. With Iris in the gorgeous Ellerie County, though, he hopes he might finally find the home he’s been looking for.
It doesn’t seem like a community cookbook could possibly solve their problems, especially one where casseroles have their own section and cream of chicken soup mix is the most frequently used ingredient. But when you mix the can-do spirit of Midwestern grandmothers with the stubborn hope of a boy raised by food plus a dash of long-awaited forgiveness—things might just turn out okay.”
There’s something so special about the Midwest and the food our grandmothers have made for us. I tried to explain snickers salad to Haley and Tsh and Sarah and I think I scared them. But I’m honored to have written this story, and I hope you’ll give it a chance.
I know you know this, but one of the best ways to support an author is to buy their book in advance. Thank you so much for considering a purchase of The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County. Esther, Cooper, and Iris will be on your doorstep on 3/12/24.
In What Happened to Rachel Riley land, the book was named one of Amazon’s Best Books of 2023 So Far! Thanks, Jeff.
And lastly, a book I’ve loved lately for…
Kids: The kids + I are doing Mary Poppins as a read aloud this summer and loving it. I find my littles (ages 5 + 7) need British humor read aloud to understand it, and the Mary of the book is so different than the one from the movie, but they (and I) find it hilarious.
Middle graders: Julia and the Shark by Kiran Hargrave knocked it out of the park. And the illustrations? Stunning. It’s the story of a girl whose mom is searching for a rare shark while her dad fixes a lighthouse, and the lyrical writing + dreamy setting descriptions just got me.
Adults: Every single person is talking about how wonderful You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith is, and they’re right to. The unique format + heart-wrenching stories about the collapse of her marriage will keep you up at night.
Thanks for reading along!
-Claire-
My most frequent summer-lunch for the kids. It consists of throwing a bunch of stuff in the pantry and fridge on a plate. Bon appetit.
Just to keep things honest, I did first call my mom and bawl. And then talked to my agent on the phone blinking back tears to be a ~professional~. And then complained to my mastermind for a solid ten minutes. And then Voxed my friend all of my troubles. I’m not exactly a silent sufferer, ha.
So excited for your new book!
Can’t wait to read it! Congrats on all your hard work!