Fangirl Friday
Happy Friday, voiders! Oof, that little pet name is creepy and weird. Big no. I’ll think of something else.
Anyway, you’ve found your way here on an exciting day: I’m starting a new mid-month tradition. But why, you may ask? (with burning curiosity) Because middles do not get enough hype. No one says they’re excited for the middle of the work week. No one wants the middle seat of anything; change my mind. Middle of the road-ers are inconsistent. Middle is just mid.
But not anymore. I am here to introduce to you…Fangirl Friday (cue jazz hands/streamers)
This monthly-mid-monthly post will be an update on what I’m currently fangirling in the literature, film, or music spheres. And (hopefully) how it is influencing and inspiring my own work. Because Lord knows we all need inspiration. Creating things is grueling work. And the more I write, the more I have come to esteem the quote from ye old Ecclesiastes: “there is nothing new under the sun”.
So while I wobble on the shoulders of giants, allow me to share with you 2 things that I’m fangirling this week:
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
I cannot get enough of Ann - she’s so talented. I’ve read several of her other novels: Bel Canto, The Dutch House, State of Wonder. But this one is just next level.
If you’ve never read it, I’ll give you a quick summary. The story begins with the arrival of a stranger at a christening party and follows the dissolution of two marriages and the joining of both families. It spans five decades and follows the lives of the four parents and six children involved, their disillusionment with their parents and affection for each other, and the consequences when the private story of their lives becomes the subject of an award-winning novel by a famous author.
The characters are raw and believable with nuances that make them feel like real people sitting right beside me as I’m reading. I also love how she traces the storyline through decades. She uses third-person omniscient (much like our adored Jane Austen), so you can see into the mind of each of the characters. I could go on for much longer, but I will just say this: read it!!!
The Japanese House
Amber Bain is my GIRL. She’s a lyrical and musical genius. Heartfelt, catchy, disconcertingly real - her music is just it. She understands heartache, falling in love, questioning your identity, struggling to be an adult in your twenties when you still feel like you’re mourning your childhood. I recently saw her at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, TN, and let me tell you that I could watch her perform every single week and not be over it. Don’t sleep on her latest album, “In the End It Always Does”.
Until next time,
R
