I have complicated feelings about summer. I long to be one of those carefree, sand-in-your-toes, windswept people who take to hot weather and long days like a duck to water, but this has never been me. I like routine too much. And I hate to be hot.
But I am improving, as I age, at relaxing into a slower pace in the summer months. Some of this is due to implementing better rhythm all year long so I work and then I rest. This means I don’t feel so burnt out and exhausted by the time summer rolls around. I’ve learned that working hard in order to earn rest is a fool’s game, and I’m thrilled not to be playing that any longer.
So here we are, at the beginning of summer. How will you spend July and August? Do you find it easy to relax or challenging?
One-Word Feeling Check-In
How are you feeling right now, in one word? I’m feeling calm. It can be so easy to allow our to-do lists to pile up, until we panic we’ll never get it all done. I’m working on repeating this word to myself when I get stressed: “Enough.” It’s enough to do what’s in front of me, and to savour that experience, and try not to peer so far ahead down the road. I don’t need to panic about something due in two months’ time. It will get done. I’m working on changing that feeling of stress into belief in myself instead. If I calm down, and reassure my inner panicking child, I find a sense of calm that helps me increase my self-confidence.
How are you feeling right now? If you take 3 deep breaths, and look inward for a moment, what is the predominate emotion that rises to the surface?
2025 Creative Nurture Retreat for Women!
I’m excited to announce that I’m hosting a small creative nurture retreat for women at Loon Lake Retreat Centre in Maple Ridge, BC from May 20 - 22, 2025!
The date is booked and details will be coming soon as I build the retreat. There are only eight spaces available in this first one, so don’t delay in reserving your spot once registration opens! For many years now, I’ve longed to host a retreat for creative women focused on rest, nurture, good food, pampering, nature, and community. It’s going to be a fabulous and restorative time and I hope you’ll join me!
For now, please save the date of May 20 - 22, 2025, and check back here and on my website for more details in the coming months!
Book Corner
Summer is peak re-reading time for me. I find it comforting to go back to books I’ve read and loved. It feels like time travelling, back to a younger version of myself.
When Ava got home for the summer, she wanted to re-read the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. I haven’t re-read them for years, but it’s been fun to read them along with Ava so we can laugh about some of Becky Bloomwood’s adventures together.
I can’t remember who told me about Peter Swanson, but I’ve been checking a few of his mystery novels out of the library and enjoying his flipping POVs and introspective writing style. My favourite of the few I’ve read so far was All the Beautiful Lies.
And I’m always excited about a new Grisham release, and as soon as I learned that his newest is a sequel to Camino Island, I checked that out of the library for a refresher before Camino Ghosts ships to me. A summer story about writers and booksellers checks all of the boxes for me, and now I’m ready to read the newest in the series.
Intuitive Courage Podcast!!!
A big thanks to those of you who reached out to say you listened to my first podcast, Welcome to Intuitive Courage, and that you enjoyed it! Those messages and conversations really made my day.
It was definitely trippy to open Apple Podcasts when I was doing my daily stretches and see my podcast right next to Smartless and the RobCast in the app! I felt so official.
The July episode will be on rhythm and rest and it releases on the 21st. If you take the time to listen, it would really help me out if you’d leave a short review to help others find the podcast. Thank you!
Upcoming In-Person/Online Class Schedule – 2024
The Writing Well Author Nurture Series Determine Success for Yourself: Tuesday, July 9 from 11 am – 12:30 pm PST on Zoom
The Writing Well Author Nurture Series Build Your Confidence: Tuesday, August 13 from 11 am – 12:30 pm PST on Zoom
Avoid Burnout and Thrive / Writing to Heal Us – When Words Collide Festival, Calgary, AB: Aug. 16-18
Courageous Conversations Literary Salon: The Art of Intentional Conversations - Airdrie Public Library: Tuesday, August 20 from 3:30 - 5 pm
Writing to Heal Us – White Rock Library: Saturday, September 14 from 1 – 2 pm (please stay after for the first Post Civ book discussion with snacks!)
Post Civ Call for ARC Readers!
Who likes free books??! I’m building a team of advance readers for Post Civ who will read a free ebook in exchange for an honest review by the release date of September 14th. Please join me and some other fun readers as we celebrate the book’s release with some reviews to help others find the book.
All you have to do is fill out this Google form application and we’ll go from there. My ARC team is starting to grow and I’m EXCITED. Please feel free to share this ARC opportunity with your reader friends. Your support and interest in the book is deeply appreciated.
Creative Nurture + When Words Collide 2024
I am seriously loving the monthly zoom nurture sessions I’m doing with Alexandra Writers Centre in Calgary. And I’m happy to announce that they have booked me for my first-ever gig as a workshop presenter for a writing festival this August! I’m excited for some professional development by attending really cool sessions on indie publishing, marketing, subtext, mystery writing, structure, and more!
I’m also offering one-to-one Creative Nurture for writers, teachers, and creatives looking for some encouragement and care in their lives and careers. If you want to talk about your career goals, or build in some creative practices, or set up self-care strategies for your life and work, please reach out and let’s chat. I’d love to know what the term “Creative Nurture” means to you! For more info, please see my author site and Ruby Finch Books.
TV Recs
As I prepare to write my first murder mystery novel this fall, I’ve had an urge to re-watch some TV with tight, tense, brilliant writing. I wanted to study the mechanics of the pacing and the characterisations and the setting as the first time I watched these I was so absorbed by the storytelling that I didn’t really pay attention to how it was built.
I’ve seen Happy Valley twice but the third and final season I’ve only seen once. My kids have never watched it, and I wanted them to enjoy the brilliance of Catherine Cawood and Tommy Lee Royce. This show is pure genius. One day I’d love to write something as complex and nuanced and connected as these eighteen episodes of British crime television.
I really miss looking forward to Sunday night TV on HBO, especially when it was Succession and Barry back-to-back. Those were some glorious days. We’re rewatching both this summer and I’m as enthralled as I was the first time around. One day I’m going to build a TV series of my own and these three shows are master classes in this medium.
I’m hoping all of this is sinking into my brain and my subconscious so when I start writing A Body at the Fair in September I’ll be upping my game based on the tension in each one of these shows.
Write Your Novel or Memoir Online Classes
If you want to join us in October for the next 20-week class, please reach out to julianne@rubyfinchbooks.com and we’ll chat. The class is half full right now, so don’t wait too long! The full schedule is on my website. If you’ve always longed to write a novel or memoir, and you want some inspiration, instruction, and encouragement, you are warmly invited to join us!
The Best Cat in the World: Teddy
It’s the dog days of summer (well, for us, it’s the cat days) and Ted is making the most of the warm weather. He goes in and out of our screen door to our covered deck all day long, and occasionally climbing it just for entertainment. He can be found sticking his head between the metal railings and watching the goings-on in our townhouse complex, but any loud unexpected noise will send him back inside to safety.
I found Teddy a covered pet backpack on a swap and buy site and we’ve been enjoying taking him for walks around our neighbourhood. He meows a lot, and gets a little trembly and fearful when we pass a big dog, but we’re hoping he’ll warm up to the idea and enjoy these little jaunts in the sunshine.
Libraries forever,
Julianne and Ruby Finch Books