What I'm Up To
​Volume 110

Hey friends,
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Here’s what I’ve been up to since Vol. 109.
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​1. August Happenings​
I kicked off the month in Nashville for the A4A ("Authors 4 Authors") mastermind at Don Miller's home. Almost everyone in the room has sold more than a million books. We heard great presentations on the state of book marketing and sales.

Charles Duhigg and Gretchen Rubin both shared their research and writing process. Gretchen stood out. She gets obsessed with an idea, then hunkers down for a long stretch of research. When I saw her at SXSW in March, she was interviewing people at a happy hour and jotting ideas in her Field Notes notebook.

I asked her how she knows when the research phase is over. She said she isn't looking for answers so much as getting clear enough to form her own opinion. I love that. And that's why I love her work. Each book gives us her uniquely informed view of the world. Keep an eye out for her next book, Project Empty Nest, in 2027.

Wendy flew in, and we spent the weekend in Murfreesboro with Tim and Candace at their new home. Tim runs StoryGrid and helps authors with book launches. We talked shop, explored "The Boro," and played with their adorable pugs.
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While we were there, Gus called. Kiki had hurt her foot badly in the backyard. He had to take her to an emergency vet in the middle of the night for sutures. She's doing okay. But she's been sentenced to a few weeks in a soft cast, a donut, and a cone of shame. Fingers crossed she's fully healed by next month's update.
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For Wendy’s birthday, we had brunch at Nomade with Sarah, Gus and Matt. And we enjoyed a fun meal with Jennie and Lonnie at Launderette. They make a gourmet ice cream sandwich at the latter that is worth the trip!

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We took a quick trip to Memphis to see my family. We hadn't seen them since Christmas, and my great niece and nephew – Mia and Charlie – are growing up fast.
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As always, we made a pilgrimage to Gibson's Donuts. My favorite is the "NOLA," a glazed buttermilk poundcake confection from a now-closed New Orleans bakery. It is now my favorite donut on the planet.
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We took my mom to the Memphis Botanican Gardens. We had an afternoon playdate with Mia at the Pink Palace, a local museum that's really showing its age. And my niece Katie hosted everyone for a belated birthday celebration for Wendy, her husband Thompson, and me.
On our last night, a crazy storm blew through while we were out to dinner. It knocked out everyone's power for over a week. A whirlwind of a trip, but long overdue.

Back home, we enjoyed a surprise visit from Kaelyn, a dear friend. Then I gathered in Port Aransas with my gang for our annual fantasy football draft. We cruised the beaches in golf carts, fished in the surf, and caught up.
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It's been over 30 days since I left KW. There's still a lot of transition work happening. But I've loved dressing for the weather instead of the office. I only wore long pants three times! And the occasional weekday nap has been glorious.
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​2. What I’m Reading​
I enjoyed Return to Real by Ryan Levesque. Ryan is in A4A and moved his family from Austin to a farm in Vermont during COVID. His book calls on us to reengage with people and nature, in business and in life. He's a smart dude, and it's a short, impactful read.
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I also read The Cafe on the Edge of the World by John Strelecky, another A4A member. I'd heard about the book but had no idea the business fable had sold over 6 million copies. At the risk of sounding redundant, it's also a short, impactful read.

For fiction, I loved Yōko Ogawa's magical realism novel, The Memory Police. What is this book even about? Grief? What it means to have things taken from you? To be denied the parts that make you whole? Simple and beautiful and kinda sad. I'll definitely read more of her work.
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Tim has been on me to read The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón for at least three years. I regret waiting so long. It's also magical realism, and also hard to describe. A story about books, love, revenge, and growing up. Well worth the read.
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​3. What I’m Watching​
We took the family to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It’s easily the best Marvel movie in years. A rock-solid summer popcorn movie. We also watched Olivia Wilde’s The Invite. It could easily be a play. Everything happens in a few rooms between the four actors. The dialogue is sublime. It will make you laugh and squirm with discomfort.
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Wendy and I made it through season 3 of House of Dragon (HBO). Many characters die, which honestly made the show much easier to follow. Also, many more dragon battles, which, if we’re honest, is why we’re really watching. After having it recommended many times, I watched Lioness (Paramount+) season 1. Taylor Sheridan knows how to spin a good story.

That’s it for this month. Please reply back and let me know what you’re up to!

Be well, do good deeds, and eat tacos!
Jay

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