💌 May '25: Monthly Wrap-Up
Plus: 10+ laughable things, my first book interview and "3 DAYS TO LAUNCH!" 🥳
Dear Friend,
Here is this month’s list of things that made me smile from the inside out.
Seattle’s food-safety rating emojis. (Reader, we ate here, LOL.)
This very Odd mail-order computer ad series from the 1980s & 90s
FINALLY, progress!
Fan of a weighted blanket? Here’s an (I assume) #ASMR version of that.
How have I been to Tokyo three times and NEVER known about these? (I’ve even been to this neighborhood, and remember the giant chef head nearby—maybe I just got distracted by him!) #dibs #futureauthorphoto #iSAIDdibs #dontyoudaregetonefirst
The woman who lived the tired lady’s dream
Sometimes our teens are a bit dramatic, but this video reminded me of how far we’ve all come. Ha ha ha! #memories
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Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browserScarf this down: someone else who thinks “pest” animals are sui generis 😍
As a commenter said, “This song brings back memories of that day I spent parked by a lake 80 miles from Santa Fe.” #forsomereason
BONUS: Has anyone else watched British quiz-show staple (and Mitchell and Webb alum) David Webb’s BBC detective series, Ludwig? It’s a delight!
Sad note: I don’t earn any commission on what I highlight in this newsletter.
Join me at my first REAL LIVE AUTHOR EVENTS—next (gulp!) week!
Friday, June 6 at 6 p.m.
PJ Party Book Launch
Queen Anne Book Company
1811 Queen Anne Ave. N, #103, Seattle WA 98109
Sunday, June 8 at 11 a.m.
Storytime Book Launch
Third Place Lake Forest Park
17171 Bothell Way NE, #A101, Lake Forest Park WA 98155
I’d love to see you there! Bring your shorties!
OR… join me technologically! Check out my other virtual (as well as some already-booked July in-persons) events on my Author Events page1.
» INCLUDING: this ‘already live’ interview about There’s Something Odd About the Babysitter, with Jena Benton of Simply Seven!
IF you are tired of hearing about the book and want to hear about making pop-up cards, instead…
then this…
is the “flicker paper engineering overview” video for you. (I’m trying to get into what I dub “immediate and messy” video from time to time, so forgive where the camera wanders and I keep talking—I do eventually figure it out and refocus.)
My Substack posts from this month were:
📕 Finally—Subscriber Benefits! 😂 - Launch Eve Read Aloud invite, plus a 27-page PDF activity guide!
📌 On “Inviting” Readers - And why I always think about that word while creating for the youngest
📌 Who Is Your #1 Fan? - Why not you?
📕 An Odd Update: Book Swag! - Did you pre-order yet? There’s still time for bookswag bonuses!
📌 An Ode— - (to the em dash).
And two posts I’m calling tarnish “patina” on:
📌 Crafting an Author Signature! - In which, as usual, I overthink everything--but have a lot of fun doing it
📌 Why You’ll Surely See Me at ALA 2025 (update: tickets = bought!) - I've been enamored with ALA conferences since a particular 2007 YouTube video
GETTING READY—80s style.
Here is a quick glimpse of the many picture books I was jealous of this month. You can read why (plus my reviews of many others) on my Goodreads reviews.
Your “Gene Wilder as Wonka, ride or die (sorry, Chalamet)” friend,
The page includes a rare photo of me at the one childhood birthday party I had. (Boo, Christmas birthdays!)
Your pop up card is soooo cool! Loved this post