Plot Points #81 💌
Em dashes, beef tallow, boring marriages, and nostalgia
Plot Points is a weekly newsletter where I share my favorite books, links, words, and more. If you enjoy what you find here, please consider subscribing or buying me a coffee.
Hi friends. Happy Friday and welcome here!
I’m sitting in my office, listening to the most enthusiastic gray catbird trill right outside the window. The clear, blue skies, warm, soft sun, and symphony of bird songs in the morning are my absolute favorite things about this season. They make me feel so alive. It’s nice to get to know these cheerful little neighbors! Without fail, the Merlin app becomes my best friend in the warmer months.
Graduation is upon us, and, with it, the (relative) freedom of summer. I hope that you’re able to enjoy some rest and relaxation in the coming weeks—even if just for the afternoon.
Thanks for being here today. Have a wonderful weekend!
Wendi
Word of the Week ✍🏻
Ataraxia: (n.) a serene state of calmness; freedom from worry.
Point #1: #EmDashForever
As ChatGPT and its ilk become more and more common, and more and more “writers” begin to use it in their work, it becomes imperative that we be able to sort out the real from the fake. You have my word that I will never use AI in my writing (🤮) but, as Lore Wilbert said, the em dash is staying put.
Point #2: “You don’t miss childhood. You miss presence.”
Time felt so much slower as children, and this fascinating piece explains the neuroscience behind why. As the world speeds up, and our lives with it, I appreciated the peek into how we can reclaim some of our time for the here and now.
Point #3: A boring marriage is anything but.
Our postmodern culture is all about self-actualization and discovery, which is all well and good until it transforms a marriage into little more than a vehicle for personal satisfaction. This piece from explores the richness and depth of “finding joy not in constant newness, but in the deep, sacred familiarity of a shared life.” Such a good word!
Point #4: No beef tallow for me, thanks.
I love a good wellness tip. I have rosacea, eczema, and sometimes—when I’m feeling flirty—a little shingles, too. So over the years I’ve learned a lot about what it takes for me to feel my best and care for my skin, and it has taken a painful amount of trial and error. This list of which wellness trends are worth the hype and which aren’t should go on your bookmarked page STAT.
Reading in The Nook 📚
Am I still neck-deep in Bonhoeffer? Yes. Have I finished Red Rising yet? No. But I do have a pre-order on my list from one of my favorite Substackers,
, whose latest middle-grade novel Each and Every Spark combines some of my favorite literary things: a dual timeline, resistance fighters in Nazi-ruled France, a mysterious work of art, and two brave, young girls. I’ve loved Claire’s other middle-grade novels because she writes about difficult subjects with honesty, tenderness, and grace, but I’m exceptionally excited about this one! You can pre-order a copy for yourself here. (P.S. Each and Every Spark has a cover, but Claire just shared it this week, so instead of posting it here I invite you to head to her page for a look. It’s lovely!)What are you reading this week? 👇🏻
“Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.”
—Albert Camus—
Follow along as we read my latest novel, The Bluestockings!
Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14
