I’m back after skipping last week because sometimes I just don’t feel like dragging myself down the hall to record. This is a chill catch-up episode covering what I’ve been reading, what I’m watching, and the candle mishap that nearly got the fire department called to my house.

Reading Update

I’m at 145 books for the year and one book ahead of schedule. I’ve read six books in November so far. I’ve wound down writing for the year, which means I’m reading a lot. This is the first Nonfiction November I’m actually enjoying because I leaned into what I find interesting: mess and murder. If it’s a scandal, I’m all up in it. If somebody died, I want to know about it. Cults are my jam.

Read:

• A Devil Went Down to Georgia: Race, Power, Privilege, and the Murder of Lita McClinton (creative nonfiction that read like a mystery novel - riveting, really well done, 10-hour audiobook)
• Black, White, Colored: Hidden Story of an Insurrection, A Family, A Southern Town and Identity in America (interesting but very dry)
• A Better Ending: A Brother’s 30-Year Quest to Uncover the Truth About His Sister’s Death by Thomas James Whitfield (pretty good, very personal story about his sister’s supposed suicide and her police officer husband)
• Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou (about Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes - explained it like I’m five, very soapy and gossipy, would read again)
• Systemic: How Racism Is Making Us Sick (just finished yesterday - good and interesting but a lot of “water is wet” facts, hard to read, made me angry)

Reading:

• The Ruination of Michael Sterling by Tasha L. Harrison-- part of her Bone Marrow Creek series - a journalist investigating disappearances in Marrowbone Creek including his sister, involves the Fellowship of the Everlasting Lights Strawberry Moon Gathering, 100% my catnip.
• Photograph by Brian Freeman

What I’ve Been Watching

Landman Season 2 is up! I got way too excited about it earlier and decided to use it as a wind down/reward.

• Tracker
• Watson (better this season, Morris Chestnut has his shirt off in like half of every episode)
• Sheriff Country (new show I’m enjoying)
• Living Single podcast: Queen Latifah was on this week’s episode - I’ve watched it three times, I love Dana Owens)

Writing and Publishing Updates

I’m done writing for the year, but not done editing.

New:

• Decorative Gourd Season released November 3rd - a holiday short about pickleball team captains from opposing teams, rivalry turns sexy in 15,000 words

Coming Soon:

• Layover: an Only One Bed holiday novella, releasing early December.  

Full show notes at Booksbydlwhite.com/bookcast/131

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