Welcome to the Sunday Dish!

My kids started school a couple weeks ago–sixth and third grades–and things are going well so far. They like their teachers, are happy to see friends, and are trying new things. Our school has a mask requirement, and funny enough, I hear the parents (myself included) complaining about the masks *way* more than the kids! (Also, it’s very hot here. Mid-90s temperatures and face masks aren’t fun. But also, as I tell my kids all the time–we can do hard things!)

In my “spare time” since they’ve returned to school, I’ve been catching up on house things I put off for most of the summer, running errands, and continuing to promote THE ONE YOU’RE WITH. I’ve met with several book clubs and have more coming up–those are always such fun times to chat about books and answer questions. If you’re in a book club that’s reading one of my books, please reach out! I love zooming or skyping into book clubs, and I can even send you signed bookplates and bookmarks!

OH! And I also turned in my manuscript for book #6! No title or cover yet, but it’s going to be a good one… 😉

What I fell asleep reading last night…

Funny story about this book: I’ve picked this one up from the library many times over the last several years, but for one reason or another, I’ve always returned it without reading it. This time though, I started reading it and I didn’t stop. It’s about a young girl (age fifteen, I think) who literally runs into Sherlock Holmes while “walking the Sussex Downs” one day. They strike up a friendship, and according to the back of the book, she’ll help him solve a case. This is the first in I think three “Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes” books. So far, I really like the voice of Mary (Have you seen Enola Holmes on Netflix? I’m imagining that girl as Mary) and Sherlock is perplexing, sarcastic, witty, and possibly depressed–at least until he meets Mary.

Book I have my eye on…

I read and loved Heller’s The River and The Dog Stars, and I have Celine on my bedside table. The Guide came out this past Tuesday and I can’t wait to read it. His books are a great mix of intriguing plot, well-written prose, and commentary on nature. Here’s the nutshell summary: The best-selling author of The River returns with a heart-racing thriller about a young man who, escaping his own grief, is hired by an elite fishing lodge in Colorado, where amid the natural beauty of sun-drenched streams and forests he uncovers a plot of shocking menace.

A link or two…

•  This is an article I wrote a couple years ago about what I was reading at the time. These books are a few years old, but if your TBR is feeling stale, these three novels were big winners for me.
• Do you love the movie The Martian? Ever dreamed of living on another planet? NASA just may have the perfect opportunity for you.
• Is staying overnight in a bookstore or library your idea of a total dream? This article gives several book-related places you can stay the night instead of an unfamiliar hotel. (Read more about the Tumbleweeds program at Shakespeare and Company here. My 21 year old self would have tried so hard to come up with a way to make this a reality for me!)

That’s it from me. I hope you have a great week ahead! Stay safe and healthy, and happy reading!