Celebrating Wins When They Happen
In my case, it's a new novel and exciting new venture!
Hi! It’s been a minute. (Also, welcome new subscribers!) The last time I updated this newsletter was in early June, and now it’s Meg Ryan Fall.
I’ve been busy with a few projects that have given me joy, which is why I thought I’d share one of the most purely joyful movie scenes of all time: the first time The Wonders hear “That Thing You Do” on the radio.
(Yes, you will have this song stuck in your head all day. And no, you probably won’t mind.)
There are moments in our lives when good news arrives unexpectedly, and this scene captures that feeling so well, how the shock turns into giddiness and delight. In particular I love Liv Tyler’s reaction. Her happiness just radiates off the screen, and you can’t help feeling it too.
Even if The Wonders ended up becoming the biggest band in the world, selling millions of albums and winning tons of Grammys, they likely would never equal this level of delirious happiness ever again. It’s their first big win, and it is an experience that can never be replicated. I love that this film captures that feeling so well.
So, I can’t say I’ve had that kind of happiness recently. But this clip from That Thing You Do! reminds me that when you experience wins, whether big or small, it is important to take the time to celebrate them.
I’ve had several moments this year where I have felt happy and grateful, and much of it has to do with some projects I’ve been working on this year. First and foremost: a new novel, The Other Lata, publishing April 1, 2025.
The novel is a cat-and-mouse caper with a bit of romance too, as you can tell from the Publishers Weekly announcement. More on The Other Lata, including how to preorder it, can be found here.
And in a lovely coincidence, my third novel is publishing exactly five years to the day when I received news of an offer on my debut novel. (Which was when I experienced my That Thing You Do! moment of joy, as I wrote about in the post below.)
I also recently launched a new culture site with some of my author friends called Ministry of Pop Culture.
I’m having so much fun collaborating on this site with my friends, who are such smart and talented writers. We are all obsessed with pop culture and are enjoying channeling our mutual passion into a site where we can write about what is important to us, ranging from the impact of Gen Z meme culture on Kamala Harris’ campaign, the parallels between Tim Walz and Ted Lasso, writing lessons from Taylor Swift, plus interviews with a Pulitzer Prize-winning TV critic and the screenwriter of The Devil Wears Prada.
We also have a pretty unique origin story, which I shared with Attention Economy.
And finally, in June I wrote here about how I realized that music by the band Guster is my version of “instant happiness.”
After I published that post, a generous friend put me in touch with the lead singer of Guster, allowing me the opportunity to interview him for Ministry of Pop Culture. I could have never dreamed when I was sitting poolside on vacation listening to “Diane,” that a few weeks later I’d have a chance to chat with the person who wrote it.
Like I said, it was an eventful summer! And a creatively fulfilling one too.
I also read some great books during the summer, so if you’re looking for book recommendations, these are all worth checking out!
Holding Pattern, by Jenny Xie and My Mother Cursed My Name, by Anamely Salgado Reyes (both novels wonderfully explore mother/daughter dynamics)
The Ministry of Time, by Kailane Bradley (a time-travel saga unlike anything you’ve ever read before)
This Bird Has Flown, by Susanna Hoffs (a page-turning romance with an endearing pop star heroine)
The Hitchcock Hotel, by Stephanie Wrobel (perfect for thriller loves, especially those who can’t wait for the start of spooky season. It comes out 9/23!)
Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful week filled with big and small wins alike.
I'm tired just reading about your productivity. :-P P.S. THANK YOU for recommending HH!!
So excited for the new book!