Dispatches from the warmth dome

Guys, it’s too scorching. The ‘maintain my beer’ vitality of August after July was declared the most well liked month within the historical past of the planet is admirable, however horrible. It’s too scorching to drive to TJ Maxx and purchase a pumpkin scented candle. And even when I did, it’s too scorching to have a candle burning in my home. Please, a dwell fireplace? In a home the place I have already got to shut all of the curtains and run a fan in each room? Completely not. And what about my seasonal re-watch of The Gilmore Ladies? That’s to be completed in cozy pjs beneath a blanket, not wiping away boob sweat in a rayon caftan while fanning myself with a Dell Applied sciences hand fan somebody gave me at Pleasure.

Wherever these hyperlinks discover out at present, I hope you’re staying cool.

Xo,

Kim

• Silver lining: it’s nonetheless heat sufficient to go tenting, ideally by a physique of water you may dunk in a number of instances a day. For those who’re venturing out, clearly you’re taking Camp Pleasure with you, since you’re sensible AND it’s on sale for 15% off. Use code JOYSCOUT15 and dwell your finest life (with loads of bug spray). Personally, I believe we’d like iron-on “Pleasure Scout” badges, however that’s simply me. (Camp Pleasure)

• Sam Sanders is certainly one of my favourite podcasters and Tressie McMillan Cottom is certainly one of my favourite – nicely, every part. Sam had Tressie on his Vulture podcast Into It to speak nation music and race. It’s an amazing dialog. (Apple Podcasts)

• When you’re downloading episodes of Into It, go forward and hearken to the one on Lizzo, too. ICYMI: return and browse what Abby stated concerning the lawsuit in opposition to Lizzo. After which watch this TikTok. (Apple Podcasts, Pleasure the Baker)

• Talking of Abby, she lovingly linked to my Beyoncé review in her submit. Since then, a younger dancer and choreographer named O’Shae Sibley was stabbed to demise in Brooklyn whereas he was listening to Renaissance and vogueing at a fuel station. Zach Stafford wrote about it for MSNBC. (Nashville Scene)

• I’m obsessive about this quote from The New York Occasions Journal story on female rappers:  “We’re making the folks transfer. Males neglect that girls like them. You recognize? Everyone wanna speak about gang, gang, gang. Girls such as you, hey? Take a second to be attractive! Good day? Take your shirt off! The boys is forgetting to take their shirts off, however the girlies always remember.” (NYT Reward Hyperlink)

• I met Jenn Shapland at Parnassus when she was on tour for her first ebook, My Autobiography of Carson McCullers, which is certainly one of my favourite memoirs. Jenn has a brand new ebook out now referred to as, Thin Skin, and I’m dying to learn it. To get a style of Jenn’s writing, right here’s a latest story she wrote for the NY Occasions on water aerobics. (Bookshop.org, NYT Reward Hyperlink)

• For those who have been on Twitter whereas it was nonetheless considerably enjoyable and practical, then chances are you’ll bear in mind R. Eric Thomas, who went viral for his hilarious “Eric Reads the Information” every day column for Elle. He was in Nashville lately to have fun his new ebook, Congratulations, the Best Is Over!, and I used to be in a position to meet him. Spoiler alert: he’s a delight. (Bookshop.org)

• WaPo has a collection the place they ask writers to replicate on what it’s prefer to be again exterior — if they’re — and the way the pandemic modified them. Danté Stewart wrote the newest column about his native espresso store. Stewart writes, “I believe how I occupied this identical spot earlier than the pandemic cleared us out, how from this sofa I’d learn the phrases: “Coronavirus may also trigger a loneliness epidemic.” How through the pandemic, world occasions and devastating loneliness certainly broke so many people, however how, to our shock, a few of us bent again within the different route to face upright once more.” Learn the entire thing here. (Bookshop.org)

• I’m educating my social media for writers class once more. It’s in-person, so that is solely of use to you if you will get to Nashville, however in case you’re native, I’d like to see you there. (The Porch)

• Talking of issues you may solely do in Nashville, I’ll be in coversation with Lindsay Lynch on Aug. 31 concerning the means of publishing her debut novel, Do Inform. That is a part of the Birthing the Book collection for The Porch. It’s free!

• An argument for downward facing cowboy. (TikTok)