fake meat and final(-ish) edits
Welcome to the second-ever issue 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.
So, February was a cute lil’ month. Let’s discuss!
(I couldn’t think of a good banner image so please enjoy the above picture of my smushy son Tank.)
books I’ve been reading
I spent most of my book-time this month working on my own edits, but I did manage to read three books by other people—two of which I absolutely loved. The third one I can’t talk about, because a) I want this newsletter to be a space of positivity!!! and b) it was a new release and publishing is a small world and I’m deathly afraid of making enemies. Anyway, the two books I loved were Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn and The Object of My Affection by Stephen McCauley.
After last month’s Gone Girl moment, I knew I was gonna enjoy my second Flynn read, and Sharp Objects did not disappoint. The subject matter of this one was so dark and twisted (like… several preteens are murdered) but her writing was infused with a kind of eerie calm energy that kept me reading and low-key hypnotized. And perhaps most importantly, I truly did not see the final twist coming! Which is the greatest thrill (hehe) one can have when reading a thriller.
*Sighs in gay* What can I even say about The Object of My Affection? This book has been around for longer than I’ve been alive (it came out in 1987!) and it’s been on my TBR ever since I first saw the 1998 Paul Rudd/Jennifer Aniston film adaptation several years ago. I finally decided to read the book this month after rewatching (and re-falling-in-love-with) the movie on HBO sometime around Valentine’s Day.
The pacing of this novel was slower than the rom-com novels of today, but that was part of why I enjoyed it so much. McCauley’s narrator George was so relatable and engaging; I just loved spending time with him as he wrestled with his low self-worth and fear of intimacy. And there’s something so special about his relationship with his roommate Nina, which I think really captured the unique beauty of the best-friendships that straight women and gay men often have. (Honestly? The Object of My Affection walked so Will & Grace could run.) Mostly I just found it fascinating to read McCauley’s account of a young gay man navigating life and love in the late eighties. A lot has changed in 30+ years, but also a lot kind of hasn’t!
here’s a quick little ranking of plant-based meat substitutes
So I realized in January that I had a meat problem. I think because meat has this reputation as being so essential for protein, and also it’s carbless so I’ve always viewed it as a free food of sorts. But I recently saw a thing on OWN about the current plant-based trend and realized that eating 21 servings of meat per week probably isn’t ideal for one’s health. Especially since my doctor already told me after my last blood test that I should cut down on it for cholesterol reasons. (Do you love how I ignored her medical advice until Oprah got involved? Same.)
So! I decided to cut back on meat significantly, which means I’ve tried basically a zillion plant-based meat substitutes over the past month. Okay. I actually just counted and it turns out “a zillion” is really just four (lol). Here are my thoughts on them!
Beyond Burger — my fave!!! This bitch grills like a real burger and tastes great, particularly when prepared with some worcestershire sauce and garlic pepper.
Beyond Sausage — I like it! Very light and pairs nicely with sautéed broccoli rabe. But I should warn that if you’re looking for something that tastes like actual sausage: this ain’t it, sis.
Quorn meatless strips — cute chicken-y taste but TBH I feel like this shit may have almost killed me? I had it in a salad last week and then my throat and chest felt TIGHT for two full days!!! I’m not saying it was definitely an allergic reaction—I guess it could have been a totally unrelated sore throat as opposed to straight up anaphylaxis—but the timing was suspicious.
LightLife deli turkey — you know what? I really liked these soy-based slices at first, but then I looked into soy as a concept and learned that it promotes estrogen, so I discontinued use immediately. I’m trying to lose my moobs, not enhance them, y’know?
i’m almost done with edits!
I don’t have much news to share about the status of Burn It the F*** Down, other than: GAHHH I’m in the home-stretch of developmental edits. (Like, my deadline is Monday.) Thankfully this round has been much lighter than the first (in which I basically rewrote the entire thing for a different market than it was originally pitched for), but it’s still been a lot of work. The closer we get to a final edit, the more I find myself obsessing over every little sentence, knowing that soon this thing will be set in stone and I’ll never be able to change anything again. But also I’m extremely ready for that moment, because I’m eager to start work on my next project. Basically I’m a mixed bag of emotions! But what else is new?
as always, TY for reading!
If you enjoyed this, please feel free to recommend it to a friend. If you hated it, I can only assume you work for Quorn and I’m sorry but YOU’RE the one who poisoned ME, bitch.
Nic