Favorites, the Sequel

An end-of-year literary grab bag

Greetings fellow literary travelers,

Today’s post, the last of the year, is a new “Favorites.” I was thinking of writing about new year’s resolutions, but that’s about as fresh a topic this time of year as last Easter’s marshwmallow Peeps. Next week’s post will be January’s agent list. A preview of December’s is available here.

What do you call a bunch of chess players bragging about their games in a hotel lobby? Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer.

- I’m currently reading a funny, weird, and highly enjoyable forthcoming novel, Alex Higley’s True Failure (Coffee House Press, pub date 2.25.25). Another novel I’m looking forward to is

Allison Epstein

’s Fagin the Thief, also out on 2.25.25. (Alex and Allison share more than pub dates—they’re both graduates of the MFA program in Northwestern’s School of Professional Studies.)

- Associated Writers and Writing Program’s annual book contests open January 1 for submissions. Each year, a novel, a short story collection, a poetry collection, and a work of nonfiction (an essay collection, long-form researched nonfiction, braided narratives—as long as it is nonfiction) are selected by a judge in each category. Publication and a cash prize are awarded in each category. Guidelines and submission page are accessible here.

- A month or so ago I started watching Ozark. Holy MOLY. I’m on season 3 and somehow have not chewed off all my fingernails. I like it almost as much as Narcos, which is one of the best (and viewer beware: most violent) shows I’ve seen.

- Two of the best podcast episodes I listened to this year:

1. Alain de Botton on Dr. Rangan Chatterjee’s Feel Better Live More - episode #495, November 19 - I *loved* this erudite, surprising, and engrossing conversation.

2. Hugh Grant on Will Arnett/Sean Hayes/Jason Bateman’s Smartless, November 18 - hilarious and charming.

- New Year’s resolution time:

1. Stop falling into the same negative thought-loops. (It’s like I’m a drunk being ejected from the same bar over and over.)

2. Write in journal more than once every three months (Apologies to anyone who’s ever given me a blank book.)

3. Eat more oranges

4. Stop revising same chapters over and over and over and over

- Mr. Bookish and I were in Joshua Tree this past week, and one afternoon we drove to the lunar-landscape outskirts of town and got an eyeful of Daniel Popper’s Transmission installation.

“Transmission” - talk to the hand(s)!

Thank you for being here and best wishes to you and yours for the new year ☀️

🌲

Postscript/Final Miscellany:

If Santa and Mrs. Claus had a baby, what would he be? A subordinate Claus.

How much did Santa pay for his sleigh? Nothing! It was on the house.

* A couple of spaces remain for the May 18-24, 2025 writing retreat I’m leading in Bordeaux, France, hosted by Foreword Retreats. All genres and levels of experience are welcome. Registration deadline is Jan. 10, 2025.

* Winter writing course, Stanford Continuing Studies: 10-week online novel workshop, “Breaking Ground,” begins Thursday, Jan. 16, 6-8:30 PM PT. More information and registration details here.

“A very important thing is not to make up your mind that you are any one thing.” —Gertrude Stein