Well, that was a nice surprise. I published my first little hello in more than two years, and was greeted with the loveliest responses. When I say that was a surprise, I truly mean it. I’ve thought about writing here many times throughout the pandemic, but one of the stories I was telling myself was that “people don’t read blogs anymore.” While that might be true for some, it is obviously not true for others. How wonderful to be proven wrong. :)
A number of you mentioned my new book in your comments, and so I thought I would give you a mini update on that today. ADVENTURES IN OPTING OUT was released 53 days ago in Canada and the US, and just 23 days ago in the UK. And it will finally be available in Australia on December 1! Your response to it has been more meaningful than I could have imagined. The messages we’ve shared via Instagram, in particular, have felt like little exchanges of being seen and held. Reminders that we are not alone on our individual journeys.
It’s also safe to say that releasing a book in 2020 has been… different. The world has changed in countless ways, of course. Within the book world, though, it has meant no events in bookshops, no public speaking, no major events at all. There has also been less media attention (there are so many more important things to be addressing, and smaller media teams/fewer publications doing that work). So it has been a very different launch, compared to my first book, and that has felt okay in some ways (namely: my mental health is in good shape). But the biggest surprise to me personally, as someone who is not very comfortable on stage, is that I have genuinely missed the in-person aspects of a launch. Which essentially boils down to saying that I have missed connecting with you. And while I can’t control much else, I can do something about that. :)
Let’s Call It: Somewhat of a Book Club
Not a serious book club. You don’t need to prepare anything. You don’t even need to have finished reading the book. Imagine something similar in feeling when we used to show up to bookshop events, buy a copy + listen to our favourite authors talk for a little while. Yes, more like that! Then imagine being able to do that in your favourite spot in your home. Where you can wear your comfiest clothes (you won’t be on camera), and sit or curl up wherever you like. That’s what I want. And I want to do it 5 times!
Sundays from November 15—December 13 (5 sessions)
Time: 11am PT / 2pm ET / 7pm GMT (1 hour per session)
Every week, I’ll start by sharing a bit about 1 of the 5 sections of the book. (I’ll plan to go in order, but am always open to seeing where it goes.) And then I would love to spend the second half of our hour together answering your questions. (Actually, that might be one thing you could prepare: a question!)
If you’d like to join us, all you have to do is register here.
While we’ve all gotten more comfortable with Zoom this year, I have always appreciated how simple Crowdcast is—especially as an attendee of a virtual event. You will receive a confirmation email, and then another email reminder 10 minutes before each session. Then all you have to do is relax + watch!
(Note: If for some reason you don’t get any emails, you can simply bookmark + visit that Crowdcast link every Sunday at the start time!)
Our little book club is free for everyone to attend! Of course, anything you can do to support an author is helpful, especially this year. Aside from buying a copy of the book, one of the easiest ways to support any author you love is to review their book(s) on sites like Goodreads or Amazon. If you don’t know what to say, my personal practice is to simply share my favourite quote.
Ok, that’s all for now, friend! If you decide to join us, you will see my face online on November 15th! And before then, perhaps more words here soon. xx
While you’re waiting, you might enjoy reading/listening to some of the press I’ve done recently:
Articles
- Happiful (UK) – Why It’s OK for a Life Change, Even When You’re Happy
- Therapy Directory (UK) – 4 Steps for Living an Intentional Life
Podcasts/Radio
- BBC Radio – Afternoons on BBC Radio Kent (at 1h 9m)
- Becoming Better – To Lead a More Intentional Life, Try Opting Out
- Beyond the Dollar – Financial Risks (and Beyond) When Breaking the Cycle
- Everyday Courage – Opting Out with Cait Flanders
- Friends on FIRE – Adventures in Opting Out
- Grow With Soul (UK) – Aligned Self-Employment and Opting Out
- Informed Choice Radio (UK) – Adventures in Opting Out
- Martinis and Your Money – Adventures in Opting Out
- Optimal Living Daily – An Excerpt from Adventures in Opting Out
- The Simple Self Care Podcast – The Joys of Opting Out
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