It's five a.m. up here in Maine--I say “up here” because, let's be honest, I'm more northerly than most of you--and I'm buzzed on a light roast, high-elevation Guatemalan coffee and still basking in the sweet memory of our ten-year-old cooking Mikella and me dinner last night. That was a first, and I'm not sure what's better in the entire world. 

 

Riggs made a creamy and delightful Annie's mac and cheese (from the box), accompanied with chopped veggie hot dogs sauteed in a fine Sicilian single-orchard olive oil and finished with pink sea salt and freshly ground pepper. First of all, he nailed the cooking time of the macaroni. I'd expect nothing less from the son of an Italian chef mom, who considers overcooking pasta to be the eighth deadly sin. He even took our plates to the sink afterward. Seems so along ago that I was airplaning apple sauce into his mouth, which he would promptly drool onto his bib. And now he's taking care of us. Treasures like last night remind me what matters.

 

I really should be working on my next story. A first look is due to my agent in eight days. Eight days!!! What in the world have I gotten myself into? But I'm having fun, truly. Remember I shared a picture of Peggy, the woman whose book I'm finishing? The picture is taped to my white board, and when I'm super present, I can feel her there with me. In fact, she's looking at me now going, “This novel isn't going to finish itself!” So I better get back to it.

 

First, can I share with you what hit my nightstand lately? 

 

I'm finally reading a Jonathan Franzen novel. I saw him speak in Seattle years ago and was just blown away, but for whatever reason, I hadn't jumped into his words yet. I've been missing out. If you're looking for a page-turner, this is not it, but if you have the patience to slowly digest a lovely story that's riddled with sentence-level brilliance, give it a shot. He's unquestionably a national treasure. To give you an idea, this one stopped me cold: His honesty with her was like an eighty-proof version of Tanner's gentler brew. Folks, give me a few lines like that, and I'll read an entire book just to hunt them down.

 

I've mentioned Dr. Nicole LePera before. Her book, How to Do the Work, is one of my fave self-development books in years. Combine some soulful spirituality with the science of the heart, mind, and body, and you're barking up my tree. Her new one is just as good so far. It makes me really want to chat with her one day. She's cracked the code of life, and her openness and humble attitude makes her book all the more enjoyable. I listen via Audible to most non-fiction I read (focusing on fiction audio books is a challenge for my distracted mind sometimes), and I can confirm her narrator is great.

 

Since I'm writing an old school mystery, I've been taking down some classics, including two masters of the craft. John D. McDonald has a piece of my heart, and he's so much of why I write. I think he influenced just about everyone writing today. I re-read the first in his Travis McGee series, and it was as good as I remember it. I'm such a disciple that I once tracked down the marina in Ft. Lauderdale where McGee kept his boat, The Busted Flush. I know, I know, it's fiction. 

 

I finally read my first Spenser novel. Robert B. Parker definitely comes from the John D. McDonald school, and his humor is top-notch. If I had one criticism, it's that he could use a modern-day editor to delete some of the sexist commentary that I suppose was allowed way back when. Looking past that, he's a ball to read, and I'm sure I'll take down another in the series before too long.

 

While we're on recommendations, watch Beef on Netflix. It's a home run.

One more thing… you guys broke my email with your kind responses last time, and I've had to switch host services. In the transfer, I lost your correspondence. Know that I read them, but I didn't get a chance to respond to as many I'd like. Please forgive me. I deeply appreciate our exchanges.

 

You likely won't hear from me again till 2024. Take care of yourselves and have a magical holiday season.

Catch up on old newsletters here.