a quarantine hair journey
Welcome to the May (how???) edition of my author newsletter! For more info on what this newsletter is, see the about page. For more info on who I am, check out my website.
what I’ve been reading
I have three book recommendations this month! I’ll just quickly go down the list:
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. This is a popular book about writing that I finally picked up after several years’ worth of recommendations from friends. It’s less of a “how to” guide and more of a memoir-y collection of essays on Lamott’s journey as an author and teacher — but she does share lots of practical insights about her process. And I found her voice to be really comforting! Especially since I’m an anxious bitch in the throes of outlining a new project right now.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. The May pick for one of my virtual book clubs. I love a good twisty psychological thriller with short chapters, and that’s exactly what this was! I can see why it’s been on the New York Times bestseller list for the past 49 weeks. (I know, right?)
Insignificant Others by Stephen McCauley. My second McCauley read this year! He’s quickly becoming a fave author of mine. This contemporary novel was about a fifty-something gay man in Boston with a very messy personal and professional life (e.g. he’s boning a closeted married man and his workplace is a toxic gossip mill) — but I loved and rooted for him the whole time. His observations (both of himself and humans in general) were razor sharp. Highly recommend for anyone who’s interested in a smart, nuanced comedy of manners.
the past few months have been a real journey for my hair
Back in February, I got a high fade and went completely bald on the sides and back of my head. Then I posted some pics on Instagram Stories in which the top part of my head was covered, so that I appeared to be truly bald. This dirty trick fooled several people! It was a fun little prank. Simpler times.
Then the pandemic happened. By April, my hair had gotten long enough that I had to start wearing it back. But to my surprise, I loved the look! I even paired it with a slight mustache and vowed to carry my new pizzeria-owner-chic style with me into the future.
Things went off the rails in May, though. Seemingly overnight, my hair went from “Christopher Moltisanti in Season One of the Sopranos” to “75-year-old woman named Enid who just got a lively perm.” Seriously, Graig (my boyfriend) tells me this every morning. He wakes up and he’s like, “Hi Enid, nice perm.” It’s rude and I should probably divorce his ass. But anyway! I suppose this is the portion of the newsletter where a more shameless person would share a photograph of the hair in question, but alas: no.
So now I’m actively considering doing a full G.I. Jane and self-shaving my entire head bald in June — which would really make that little prank I pulled in February quite poetic. Should I do it? Will I do it? Stay tuned!
RIP Larry Kramer
We lost an iconic trailblazer this month with the passing of Larry Kramer. I’ll never forget the first time I read his 1978 novel Faggots, sometime back in 2012-ish. His main character was a hopeless romantic who struggled with body image issues and extreme loneliness despite (and kinda due to) his endless supply of hookups in New York City. It was all very Grindr — thirty years before Grindr was a thing — and it was one of the first times a novel spoke to me so directly that I felt deeply uncomfortable but also inspired to tell my own stories. Kramer went on to write much more famous material and was the definitive AIDS activist, but that first book will always hold a special place in my heart. This obituary from NPR and this tribute from Andrew Sullivan are great resources to learn more about his legacy.
praying for the healing of the world
On a final note, I wanted to take a moment to share the below song from Rachelle Ferrell. It has a simple yet poignant message about the importance of healing the very deep wounds of this country we call home.
Although she wrote it many years ago, I feel like it’s more relevant now than ever — and her words are far more powerful than any bullshit I could possibly come up with at this time. This song has always brought me comfort during periods of unrest and injustice, so I hope it can do the same for anyone out there who needs it.
thank you for reading
If you enjoyed this, please feel free to recommend it to a friend. If you hated it, please feel free to mock my perm and refer to me as “Enid” moving forward.
Nic