Community is the Answer

Is anyone else starting to feel the weight of the entire world weighing in on you lately? Well I’m here to tell you that I’ve felt it too. And I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone and we should chat about it. Because if fiction has taught me one thing it’s how important it is to know you aren’t alone. We can build community when we tell our stories, so I want to be vulnerable with you. How are you hanging in there?

You know, it’s been a while since I’ve sent you all a newsletter and if I’m being honest it’s because I’ve felt pretty burnt out in the past couple months. I love it here, and I love all of you who have chosen to come on this journey with me. I haven’t felt burnt out from Bookish Brews, but rather from literally everything else in the world and it’s affecting my community with you.

But knowing you’re here with me? Knowing I have this community of people who are working to diversify their bookshelves and people who want to grow as people with the help of fiction? That truly makes the biggest difference in the world. So I'm making a chance and being open with you because I believe community and honesty is always the answer.

I’m telling you this because sometimes the world feels way too big and when the world feels big our lives can so easily feel lonely. At least that’s what it’s like for me. And during this time where I’ve felt too overwhelmed from the world I realized something important. That those of you who are here with me, especially here, in my newsletter, are the people who support me and Bookish Brews the most. My biggest desire is that we are a community of people growing together and community starts with honesty.

How are you feeling lately? I know there’s a lot going on in the world right now and I hope that you know you aren’t alone. And if you don’t have anyone there with you right now, remember how important stories can be for our healing.

Did you know that our brains have a difficult time discerning the difference between fiction and fact? (If you’re like me that’s one big cause of stress from the world right now) But what that means to me is that reading and listening to other peoples stories can help us feel not alone. Because someone is sharing with you. So I hope knowing you aren't alone is at least a really small step to feeling less lonely here. I adore all of you and I know you're doing your best. And that is enough.

This newsletter is a bit of a ramble but I hope you at least feel like you’re not alone if you’re feeling like I am lately. 🤍

Thank you!

As always, I'm sending you all a big thank you for coming with me on this journey. I can't wait to see what you're reading and I hope that you lean into the work that you're doing for yourself. I'm proud of you!

What have I been reading?

I know a lot of you are here to see what I'm reading lately, so come visit my Bookshop list to see all the books that I read this summer! I've tried to add little notes to a handful of them. Treat yourself to a book!

Posts You May Have Missed

For my dedicated blog readers, here's a few recent posts you may have missed! Come and read some and of course, feel free to reply to this email if you want to chat. 🤍

• ​Dark Academia: The Truth About the Genre & Subculture​
• ​Zombie Books Reimagined: Sunflowers, Grief, and the Undead Truth of Us​
• ​What Olaudah Equiano Teaches 21st Century BIPOC Authors About Self-Representation with Andrew K. Hoe​
• ​The Power of Restoring History in Fiction with Zoe Sivak​

Follow Me Elsewhere

In case you want aren't following me around the internet yet, I'd love to have you join me on whatever platform you use most! Here are all my links:

(The last one with no icon is Goodreads! Follow me on Goodreads!)

Chat with me!

Reply to this email and tell me something that has brought you joy recently. Or something that is helping you not feel so overwhelmed. I’d love to hear really anything positive happening in your lives. Thank you so much for being with me, I’d love to celebrate your joy with you!

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