Here we are halfway through 2020 already. I don’t need to comment on what a year it’s been so far, because well, you know. I did want to write a blog post, though, about what I’ve been up to this year so far (which could easily be summed up as: lots of baking, long walks with Tater, and gearing up for my book’s upcoming pub day). It’s been awhile since I’ve written on here and I miss it, so here’s what I’ve been thinking and doing:
READING
Being at home more often, I have been reading a lot more. Here are some of the books I just recently read or are on my nightstand to be read soon:
Clockwise from top left: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, How to be an Antiracist, Big Summer, Kid Gloves, Rich People Problems, Wow, No Thank You
I recently finished Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan, the last in the Crazy Rich Asians series, and loved it. I thought the series was so funny, snarky, and full of lush, shiny details about the lives of some (fictional) super wealthy Singaporeans. It’s a light read, but I tend to really like light books you can escape into, so if that’s also your thing, you’ll probably like this series too. Also, as I recently traveled to Singapore last year to visit one of my best friends in the whole wide world, it was fun seeing certain landmarks referenced in the book and knowing exactly what it looked like or where it was located in real life.
Last week I finished Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner for a virtual book club I joined, recommend to me by my dear friend from The Memorable Image. I know Jennifer Weiner has authored a ton of books already, but this one was the first one I read of hers. I didn’t really know what to expect going in, but I was pleasantly surprised. I would consider it another light summer read but there are some heavy topics explored in it, such as fat-shaming, body positivity, and the dangers of social media. After reading this one, I’m really interested in checking out some of her other books.
I’m currently reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins. I’ve just started it, so I don’t have much to comment on yet, but I’m sure I’m going to like it. I’m a big fan of the Hunger Games series and I can’t wait to read more about that universe. A few months ago Joby and I re-watched the series and I forgot how good it is, though I also forgot how the last one can leave me feeling a bit melancholic.
How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi is next on my list to read. There have been some great antiracist reading lists floating around for people who are interested in learning more about racism and white privilege, such as this one or this one. I have been learning so much over the last few months. Until recently, I naively believed that racism was a thing of the past or something that was reserved to only the most hateful people wearing white hoods. I never understood until now how it has permeated every part of our culture, much of it so subtle we barely notice it, and that the reason I didn’t notice it is because I’m a white person and I live in a country that was built for white people. I am learning about my white privilege and how I’ve unknowingly contributed to the oppression of Black people. If, by the way, the term white privilege makes you feel a little defensive, I urge you to take a look at this post—it’s a great explanation of what it actually means. And while we’re at it, if the phrase “Black Lives Matter” makes you want to reply with “All Lives Matter,” this is a quick explanation of why that’s hurtful and problematic. The artist compares it to this example:
“If you were at an event supporting people with breast cancer, no one would run in and scream ‘All Cancer Matters.’ That’s a given. No one is saying it doesn’t.”
That’s all I want to share about this because it’s more important right now that we listen to Black voices, activists, authors, and thought leaders on these subjects. They know what it’s like because this has been their reality all along. I do not believe as a white person you should be getting all your information about this from another white person, and especially any of it from the selfish, ignorant, hateful, stupid, garbage piece of a president we have now. Anyway, I have a ton more to learn (and unlearn), so if you have any great resources that you’ve found I’d love for you to share them with me.
Now back to books, Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby is also on my nightstand to be read soon. A few years ago I read her other book, We are Never Meeting in Real Life, and it was brilliant I thought. I actually laughed out loud when reading it and I’m counting on doing the same with this one.
Lucy Knisley is a super talented comic artist and graphic novelist. I came across her work when my friend sent me the book Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride during the summer before my wedding. The book was traveling around from bride to bride, kind of like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but with a book, so after I read it, I forwarded it along to another bride. Lucy’s work is so honest, funny, realistic, and smart. She recently had a baby and documented that experience in this book called Kid Gloves. Honestly still on the fence about having kids here, so I’m excited to hear her take on the experience.
FOOD
With quarantine and all, there has been a lot more time for something I deeply love—cooking and baking. My daily life actually hasn’t changed very much, because I’ve been working from home for awhile and also I am a homebody, but at least now I guess I haven’t had to worry about coming up with excuses for wanting to stay at home. :) Honestly, taking time to cook up something delicious, sitting down to eat it in the living room with an audio book playing in the background, Tater hanging out by my side, that feels like pure contentedness to me.
The best recipes I tried over the last few months are:
Rainbow Bean Salad (so fresh, so filling!)
White Sandwich Bread (recipe is pretty easy, and the bread is so soft and delicious)
Sunshine Lentil Bowl (so many flavors, so satisfying and nutritious)
Easy Dutch Oven Bread (I don’t know why I took so long to get a dutch oven!)
Butterbeer (very close to the delicious butterbeer served at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter)
Swedish Cardamom Buns (these make your kitchen smell amazing)
My Life in Plants: Flowers I've Loved, Herbs I've Grown, and Houseplants I've Killed on the Way to Finding Myself
Now on to my book! I finished my new book last fall, after intensely working on it for the last couple of years with my literary agent. We worked back and forth on the manuscript the longest, and then the majority of the artwork was completed between August to October last year after I signed the book deal with Andrews McMeel. This book is really different from anything else I’ve created in that it’s an illustrated memoir with a lot more writing in it. It was such an exciting adventure working on the manuscript because it was so different from what I was used to. At times, it was also exhausting, heartbreaking, comforting, and a form of therapy. There are some things in my life that I didn’t realize I still needed to work through, but working on this book really helped me move on.
MY LIFE IN PLANTS tells the story of my life through thirty-nine plants from my childhood to my wedding day. Featuring everything from stumpy potted succulents to delicate flower arrangements, it imparts the simplicity of home, the sharpness of loss, the lesson of learning to be present, and the journey of finding your way. Plants have been such a constant in my life, a nostalgic reminder of home, forever tied to both the amazing and ordinary moments and memories. Life, growth, and loss are messy, but there are some meaningful lessons I’ve learned from the plants that have lived and died beside me in this journey.
Some of the plant stories included are:
• How a potted basil plant helped bring me back to life after grief
• What caring for—and killing— an air plant taught me about worrying too much
• The rhododendrons that guided me back to my roots
It’ll be hitting stores September 1, 2020 and I’m so excited to be celebrating its book birthday on my actual birthday! I will be sharing a lot more about it over the coming months.
One other fun piece of news I want to share is that this is also being turned into an audiobook! Working on this aspect of it has been so exciting. It’s going to be narrated by a professional voice over artist and I cannot wait to share some clips with you soon. A few weeks ago I got to listen to some narrator auditions, which was both so fun and so surreal to hear strangers reading my words. It made me feel a little naked, like someone was reading my diary out loud haha. But actually in general, sharing this book with the world makes me feel super vulnerable. I share a lot about my personal life and that does leave open a wide window for judgment. I’m a little nervous, but mostly okay with that. I feel like I’ve spent my whole life feeling like I’m experiencing everything wrong, or whatever I’m doing or feeling is just not quite how it “should” be, and it’s made me doubt things a whole heck of a lot. I’m working on making peace with this part of myself, but I just wanted to create something that maybe makes someone feel less alone if they’ve ever felt the same way. Anyway, I’m really excited about who we’ve picked to narrate the book. She has captured it so perfectly and it’s exactly how I envisioned it sounding in my head. I’ll make sure to share some clips with you once I have them.
Well, if you’ve made it this far, thanks for hanging in there with me. I know this was kind of a bunch of unrelated things, but that’s what I’ve been up to. If you have any tasty recipes you’ve tried, any great books you’ve read, or discovered any helpful resources on antiracism, I’d love for you to share them with me. Feel free to send them on over to katie@katievaz.com! :)