New York! ❤️New York!
Plus - Support a new Indie Press, and a #bookgiveaway
Newsflash!! Barnes & Noble is having a 25% off all book pre-orders, which includes IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS! Use code PREORDER25 before the sale ends 4/19! Pre-sales are SUPER helpful for authors, so help a gal out?
Ok, now onward to New York! In my last post, I mentioned that I would be taking the Italian language test for citizenship, but I didn’t mention that it would be in NYC. Boston used to offer it, but the Dante Alighieri Center here apparently can’t manage to get coordinated enough to do so this year, much less offer any prep classes, so I had to truck it down south to stake my claim with the Italian language. I won’t know if I passed for another 40-45 days. I have no clue how I did. I know I rocked parts of it, but I’m unsure about the listening and writing. Keep your fingers crossed for me. If I don’t pass those sections, I’ll be heading back to NYC at some point later in the year.
We spent an extra couple of days in the Big Apple, and I always love spending time there. There is a great Dorothy Parker quote that very accurately explains how I feel about the city:
“London is satisfied, Paris is resigned, but New York is always hopeful. Always it believes that something good is about to come off, and it must hurry to meet it.”
I love going to New York. I wish I had an assload of money to live in the heart of it (because you need at least that much for the attempt). I find the people to be warm and friendly. Art is everywhere, embedded even into the sidewalks and the architecture. The people-watching is exquisite—you can see individuals from every walk of life just by traversing a few blocks. Fashion is either really on point or a freaking disaster. There is always something to do, something to see.
And the food! I have the idea that if I did live in NYC I might have to embark on the crazy project of attempting to never eat in the same place twice, at least for a year. Because you could. Not even just for a year, but you could literally eat in a different place every single meal for your entire life, without even having to venture to the outer boroughs—there are that many opportunities. On this trip, there were two standouts—the brand new outpost of the famous Roman restaurant, Roscioli, which we only managed to get into by virtue of the fact that we’ve been a member of their wine club for the last few years (and the spring shipment just arrived, yay!). The food was just as exquisite as it is in their flagship restaurant 3,000 miles away.
I took Michael Ruhlman’s suggestion of Little Owl and ate a really lovely meal while tourists took pictures of the building (it’s the facade of the building in Friends). It’s an adorable, cozy spot; eating there was a great way to end the trip.
I also met with Dina Davis, my editor at MIRA, and Amaryah Orenstein, my agent at GO Literary. It was so nice to chat with both of them about books, Italy, publishing, and life in general. I have so much gratitude for them both, and it was nice to see them in person and not just on a Zoom call.
Some images: Saint Patrick's Cathedral, art in Brooklyn, the Chrysler building, Brooklyn Bridge, art by Salvador Dali and Meret Oppenheim, the arch in Washington Square Park, the catacomb below Old Saint Patrick’s Cathedral (was a fascinating tour!), and Cannupa Hanska Luger's inverted teepee, Uŋziwoslal Wašičuta at the Whitney Biennale.
Support A New Independent Press
My writing partners, Anjali M Duva and Henriette Lazaridis are launching a new publishing company! Galiot Press publishes writing that emerges from the confluence of currents and cultures. We publish books of fiction and non-fiction essential to our changing world–books that defy categories or take artistic risks. We re-envision every step in the publishing process, drawing on our core values of transparency, respect, equity, and sustainability. You can learn more about the venture through their site or on the Galiot Press Substack . But launching a new business isn’t easy, and it definitely ain’t free. They have a Kickstarter running to help them get off the ground so they can launch the first of four books in 2025. Give them a boost here.
Congrats to Last Week’s Winner!
Congrats to Michael Wood for winning by Bunyan and Henry; Or, the Beautiful Destiny by Mark Cecil!
And look…
It’s Time for Another Book Giveaway!
I told you about Henriette Lazaridis’ publishing venture, but she also has a new book out too! I had the great pleasure of interviewing her about Last Days in Plaka last night at Beacon Hill Books, and while I already knew a lot about the story as I had the chance to give feedback on some of her earliest drafts, I was really delighted with how it all came together in the form of this beautiful book. It’s a love letter to Greece, an ode to youth and age, and a tribute to the power of forgiving—or deciding not to.
An immersive and multifaceted novel—The Talented Mr. Ripley by way of Elena Ferrante—that explores the lies at the heart of an old woman’s identity and the desperation of a young woman’s struggle to belong.
To sign up for the giveaway, fill out this form. Your name will be entered into the hat for a shot at a copy. This giveaway closes at midnight ET on 04/28/24. Winners will be notified within 48 hours of the giveaway closing and announced in my next newsletter/post.
Important to Note: you must be 18+ and a United States resident (pesky international laws make it tricky to do giveaways worldwide). If you are someone who loves rules, you can find the obligatory info here.
What’s Bringing Me Joy This Week
Dalí and Brigitte Bardot with a very large champagne goblet. 1967
Van Gogh come to life:
If you love food and love Italy, and haven’t read THE CHEF’S SECRET or FEAST OF SORROW, click the links to learn where to buy your copy! 🍒🍗🍷 And now you can pre-order IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS!
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Thank you for the Galiot Press mention! When I'm not biting my nails about our Kickstarter, I'm crossing my fingers for your Italian certificate results.
Thanks for both shoutouts, Crystal! And it was super fun to do the Beacon Hill Books event with you!