You smell that? That’s the scent of a new year, fresh out of the dryer. Crisp and clean, almost like new. So what are you going to do with 2024? Fold it, put it away, and forget about it? Or put it on immediately and get it covered in dirt and sweat before it’s even lunchtime?
I think I’ll choose the latter.
I’ve got a lot going on this year and I couldn’t be more excited. This is the year I’m throwing myself headfirst into the new company Jessica and I just formed, Unbound Writer. I teased it a bit in my last newsletter, but we’ve been working over the past month to get everything in place.
The mission of Unbound Writer is to bring confidence, joy, and success to the lives of writers at all levels, and to examine and break down those mental barriers stopping so many writers from advancing toward their dreams. Through Unbound Writer we’ll be offering in-person writing seminars and retreats, one-on-one coaching and mentoring services with me, and online classes featuring some of the best writers out there. We still have a lot of work to do (website coming soon!), but I’m happy to say we are ready to accept bookings for our 2024 retreat dates, which are:
May 2-4, 2024
October 17-19, 2024
The retreats will both be hosted in a luxury home in Boulder, Colorado with a limited amount space available for accommodations. I’ll be hosting a maximum of 10 writers per retreat, and each retreat will offer 2.5 days of instruction and coaching, dedicated writing time, guest speakers, one-on-one time with me, and plenty of group bonding.
As a newsletter subscriber, you’ll receive the details of all the offerings as they come available in my monthly newsletter, but I also don’t want to inundate you with information. I get it—many of you just want to hear about my dog and cat (and who can blame you?). To that end, if you’d like to be the first to know about all or just one of our offerings (and to be part of a chance to win freebies), just fill out this interest form. I promise I won’t email you too often.
Wishing you all the very best in 2024, and thanks as always for being a part of my community.
New episodes of Making It Up are out! This month I chatted with critically acclaimed poet Erin Hoover (No Spare People), debut novelist Elise Hart Kipness (Lights Out), and literary giant Martin Clark, who’s been lauded by the New York Times as “the thinking man’s John Grisham.”
All episodes are available on my website, my YouTube channel, and wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
What’s Entertaining Me
Podcast
Smartless “Santa”
I’ve written up this podcast before so I won’t go into too much detail, but it’s an interview-style show hosted by friends Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes. The hosts takes turns bringing on guests, and the other two never know the identity of the guest until they start recording. I recommend this light-and-breezy show as a whole, but if you’re going to listen to one episode you have to check out “Santa.” Santa’s played by Will Ferrell and the improv he does with the interviewers’ questions is the funniest thing I’ve heard in awhile.
TV Show
Jury Dury (Amazon Freevee, 2023)
Aren’t you always so excited when you find something to watch that’s original? It’s harder and harder these days, and in the case of reality TV, impossible. Or so I thought until I watched the clever, captivating, and hilarious Jury Duty.
I should say this is scripted reality, because this is a written and acted series about a jury sitting through a trial that has one major twist: one juror has no clue it’s a show. That’s right, all the other jurors, the prosecutors, the defense attorney, the plaintiff and defendant, and even the judge are all actors. It’s a great setup that could still end up as mindless TV, but this show, aside from being unbelievably witty, has substantial heart to it. The payoff at the end is great, but what’s even better is the entire final episode granting the viewer the behind-the-scenes of the entire project. Funny, feelgood, and not to be missed.
Photo of the Month
I was driving the other afternoon with the kids and the light hitting Long’s Peak was just sublime.
Update from my Kids
Both kids home from college for winter break, and guess who they were most excited to see?
Update from my Pets
The greatest gift of all…a cranky old cat.
Humor of the Month sent to me by a friend
For all you Shining fans…
That’s it for now! Just a reminder to subscribe to my newsletter for more content and access to contests and giveaways. Oh, and if you follow me on social media you’ll see a lot more pictures of my goddamn pets. Until next month…
