Yay, it’s October! I think of this month as one of change, where the seasons shift. The leaves turn colours and drift slowly to the ground as the trees prepare for the upcoming dormancy of winter. It’s a transition toward quiet. And reflection. This is a time to gear down.
Walking in nature is so beautiful in October. (Other than the spiders. I really don’t like spider season, and this year they seem more enormous and menacing than usual in the centre of their intricate webs). The beauty is so showy this month. It lifts my spirits to wear sweaters again, and pull my fuzzy socks and pjs out of the drawer.
How would you describe October? What’s going on for you at this moment in time?
One-Word Feeling Check-In
How are you feeling right now, in one word? I’m feeling energised. Something about the changing of the seasons gives me a jolt of enthusiasm and inspiration. I’m writing a new book, I’m getting Post Civ out into the hands of readers, I’m preparing to do my first hybrid online/in-person workshop sessions for myPITA teachers in Victoria, and I’m dreaming into the future and feeling all sorts of hope and possibility.
How are you feeling right now? If you take 3 deep breaths, and look inward for a moment, what emotion do you feel the most?
Write Your Novel or Memoir Online Classes
My first full 20-week online writing class begins October 20th and I’m really looking forward to a chance to build a community of supportive writers through the Canvas learning platform. Each section is 5 weeks long (Plan, Start, Continue, Finish), with an active participation window of Sunday noon through Tuesday noon, where writers learn about craft, process, creative practices and more by reading and commenting on discussion forums. It’s meant to be flexible and fun, and students work on their own full-length project from October to May.
If you’ve always longed to write a novel or memoir, and you want some inspiration, instruction, and encouragement, please join us! I’d love to get the class full and we are starting in only 2 weeks. It’s going to be a really fun time! Please email me at julianne@rubyfinchbooks.com and reserve your space before the class is full!
2025 Creative Nurture Retreat for Women!
How would you like a two-day restorative retreat focused solely on nurture and creativity? One where you can indulge in spa treatments like massage and facials while eating nourishing yummy meals that you haven’t had to prepare? How about walking around the lake or sleeping in and reading in a beautiful, quiet spot? And talking with other women about self-care and nurture and the importance of rest to fill your creative well?
If your soul is crying out, “Yes please!” to any of these questions, please send me an email at julianne@rubyfinchbooks.com and register for my first creative nurture retreat at beautiful Loon Lake Retreat Centre in Maple Ridge, BC from May 20-22, 2025! More info and FAQs at my website. There are only 8 spaces available! I’ll be paying the deposit soon to hold the date and would love some registrations. Please come join us. Prioritise yourself this May. You are worth it.
Book Corner
I love Liane Moriarty, so I could hardly wait to dive into her novel Here One Moment about a woman on a plane handing out death predictions to passengers.
My friend Toby got me reading Katherine Center, and her newest The Rom-Commers is about screenwriters who hate each other and then fall in love (tailor made material for me).
And The Thursday Murder Club series (soon to be a movie) turned me into a fan of Richard Osman’s for life, so I’ve been eagerly anticipating his new series called We Solve Murders about a father/daughter-in-law duo who travel the world and fight crime. They are all lovely reads.
Intuitive Courage Podcast!
Episode 5 is about the importance of living with intention. I’ve been focused on this word for all of 2024, and I’ve enjoyed the experience of reflecting back on it now that we are getting close to 2025.
Do you pick words to focus on every year? If not, why not make the new upcoming year the time to start? And if you do pick a word or words, please share them with me!
Process Notes
I began writing a new novel in September, a murder mystery set in a small town called A Body at the Fair. In my writing classes, I encourage writers to find the best time of day to write. Some prefer first thing in the morning or late at night. Some only write on the weekends or on their lunch break. For me, I like to let the creative process build throughout the day, like hunger or thirst, and then set aside time in the late afternoon before I start dinner prep in order to get a chapter or two written.
It’s early days, with only 5,000 words on the page, but the story is flowing and the characters are making themselves known to me (and surprising me!) which is very fun. I’m really practicing holding loosely when I write. I’m not allowing myself to wonder if it’s good, or if anyone will read it or care about the book like I will. I’m learning to love the process of writing itself—of sitting down and having fun while I discover what happens next in this fictional world without judgement or criticism.
Upcoming Online Class Schedule – 2024
I’m continuing the monthly zoom author nurture sessions through Alexandra Writers’ Centre which are incredible and growing every month - please come join us! The next one is about disappointing others (an important topic for every single person, not just writers!).
For the schedule of nurture sessions through the end of December, please see my website.
Post Civ Give-away Contest Winner and Events!
The winner of a signed copy of Post Civ for requesting the book through the library is Tatiana T! Thank you so much for helping me get the word out to libraries. It would be deeply appreciated if more readers suggest the book for purchase to their library or place it on hold if you find it already in the catalogue. I was very excited to search for it in Surrey Libraries and find it there! The book should be in the Fraser Valley Library system any day now!
You are all invited to my upcoming Post Civ library book discussions this fall to help launch the book. I’ll be at the Port Moody Library on Friday, November 8 from 2-3 pm and at the Clearbrook Library on Saturday, November 9 from 12-1 pm (followed by the Local Author Fest from 1-4 pm). Please come and share your ideas for a better, kinder, fairer world for all of us to live in. Dates and info are on my Events page.
TV Recs
My friend Marc told me to watch The Gentlemen ages ago, but I didn’t think I’d like it. He assured me I would, so we gave it a whirl, and he was right. It’s fun, stylish, and smart.
Jason and I loved Scott & Bailey, so when I saw Suranne Jones was in Doctor Foster, a BBC show about an unraveling marriage, I grabbed both seasons from the library, and it’s been a great watch.
We just started A Very Royal Scandal, with Michael Sheen as Prince Andrew. It’s week by week on Prime, and I’ve loved the whole series (A Very English Scandal and A Very British Scandal). This one moves at a lightning pace and certainly doesn’t help to raise my low regard for the royal family.
The Best Cat in the World: Teddy (+ a New Kitten Update!!!)
When our 10-year-old female cat Little Rose died in September 2020, within two months it was clear her brother Flower was lonely and sad without another cat. So I reached out to my pal Terri, who always knows where the farm kittens are, and she connected us with Teddy who has made our lives so much better and brighter.
But now Flower has been gone for more than six months, and we’re starting to wonder if Ted needs another feline friend. He’s more of a people cat than a cat cat, but Ava has been telling us for months that ALL cats get lonely without another furry friend. So I sent another text to the woman who gave us Ted, and she had a friend whose cat JUST had kittens. It was meant to be.
Hopefully by the end of November we’ll have two cats once again. Ted is the alpha around here, so this will be very interesting indeed, but I’m excited for the challenge. Soon there will be kitten pictures!!!
Libraries forever,
Julianne and Ruby Finch Books