When will reading be fun again + two book giveaways!

or, Jessica feels very emo about books

Hello from ragweed castle. 

Thank you all for your kind messages after our baby announcement. 

As I’ve talked about here, I’ve been writing two adult books over the last 18 months — Dateable and Unfit Parent. And..….. THE FIRST DRAFTS ARE DONE. Can you believe it?! I cannot. I actually wrote two books, 20 minutes at a time. 

Over the next few months, I will be working on revisions with my editors (would you enjoy a post about that process?) but, we are in the home stretch. I can hardly believe it.

While writing those books, My experience of reading books changed. I am still reading a lot, but I just haven’t been _loving_ books the way I used to. I can’t turn off my writer's mind and find myself thinking about chapter length and structure (ohhh so that’s how they handled subheads..) and other practical considerations, and all that has taken me away from the magic of reading. It’s been, frankly, a little worrying because books have been a lifeline for me since childhood. 

I have, always, burrowed away with books. But, since writing these books, I have found it hard to totally escape. I worry I have seen too much about how the book sausage is made. 

(Also, chill out, Slice. Just give it some time.)

All of that said, I have read two books lately, both written by friends, that sucked me in. Thank goodness.  I read both in one day and found myself in awe of the people I know and so so grateful that they took the time and made the effort to produce this work. 

In the first, Hope Fights Back by Andrea Peet with Meredith Atwood, I expected to see parts of my story. We both experienced dramatic body changes around our thirtieth birthdays. We both went to Davidson. We are both married to Davids. I was tickled to find smaller similarities — we both procrastinate by playing sudoku (how very dorky) and threw out our backs for the first time right around turning 40. 

But what I recognized most in reading her story in this form was how disability has pushed her away from worshiping relentless achievement and toward finding her own deeper power and wisdom. Andrea’s story of being diagnosed with ALS and then completing one marathon in every state is compelling and beautiful and brave. To learn out how someone can both reject achievement at all costs _and_ complete over 50 marathons, you’ll have to read it. 

And fun news! Andrea has offered two copies to readers of this newsletter! Please comment below, mentioning the book, and I will draw two names! 

The other book, Feed the Baby, couldn’t have come at a better time since we will, before too long, be feeding a baby! It was written by Victoria Facelli, a brilliant lactation doula and disability advocate back in good old Durham, NC. It is an instructional guide for, well, feeding babies but manages to be heartfelt and funny and, frankly, moving. 

Victoria writes with precision and humor and care, and I am just so so grateful that this book exists. She has a gender and disability expansiveness that is a balm for those of us who don’t see ourselves in standard parenting texts. Thank you, Victoria.

And, get this! Victoria is also giving away two copies. So, if you want to be entered in the drawing, comment below! Even if you aren’t feeding any babies soon, consider it as a gift for someone who is. 

You can enter for either book or for both books, but you should make separate comments for each book entry. I hope that’s clear? It not, let me know. 

Also, not to give you too much homework, but if you have lost the spark for reading because of your job, what helped you get it back? I’d love to hear.