Alison's Gift-Guide for Fave Newsletters

Because... who needs more Stuff?

Photo by Eli Pluma on Unsplash

I promised a post to share some of my favourite newsletters, thinking that you might want to share a subscription or two as a gift for a family member or friend. Those that I’m sharing are ones I’ve been reading and enjoying for some time.

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I’ve sent friends directly to Jolene Handy’s colourful Time Travel Kitchen. One particular friend of mine is not only a serious foodie, but has a partner who collects vintage kitchenware and toys. Both appreciate visuals and design. Time Travel Kitchen has ALL these elements, plus a sense of east coast urban history, what it is to be a young person, a child even, and grow one’s appreciation for taking time for daily joy! I could go on… but explore for yourself.

For those who love delicious fiction, I’m going to suggest Steve Fendt’s Tall & Tiny Tales. He writes from Australia, and has a deep connection with the place, evident throughout his stories. He’s been working on Medium, but Substack is now his home platform. His characters are vivid! I used the word “colourful” to describe Time Travel Kitchen, and the word can be used here, too; it’s a quality I seek in what I read.

For fiction as well as thoughtful essays with beautiful language, check out Andrew Jazprose Hill. I so appreciate seeing the world through his eyes; makes me see anew, and deeper. It’s assuring to read works and words by an artist who has been practicing over time.

Annette Laing’s Non-Boring History is a deep mine of all things historical. There are writers who are interested in history, and write about it… but Annette is no dabbler! She’s a living/breathing historian. Her photos are hers, and she shares her explorations of places. As an old history major myself, I truly appreciate her work.

Rachel Rose and Anne Marie Corrigan have put together a wonder called Desperate Writer, which is described as “an online magazine and podcast for writers and readers to talk about books, book groups and the realities of publishing.” That description doesn’t do it justice. Add to “colourful” the word “surprise.” So often the direction of a Desperate Writer post takes a perfect corner and feeds my writing spirit… in some way that I didn’t know I needed to be fed! Perfect.

As you know, I left the academic world over three years ago. Joshua Doležal’s The Recovering Academic explores the reality of the changing scape that is academia in the USA and Canada, even as he continues with living as an independent scholar and writer. We did a Q&A this past year, about the realities of the creative writing workshop as a “safe space.”

This Isle is Full of Noises is thought-provoking stuff of faith and philosophy, history and politics. I wish I could have read Matthew’s words when I was a young woman struggling with faith, and what I felt was a lack of awareness, discernment, and imagination. These elements are here!

All right—I have more—some I’ve mentioned throughout the year: Walter Rhein’s I’d Rather Be Writing, Linda Caroll’s Hello, Writer! Being a writer, illustrator, student, human is the focus of Nikki Tate’s Current Work… all solid writing-related newsletters!

Oh! And Arthur Meek’s Profit & Delight. I am so appreciating his slowing, working with hand-writing, living in the UK, and walking ancient (foot)paths. Very good…

All right—will leave you with this for now. May have to do another before the holidays! There is so much strong work here on the ’Stack!

Peace—

Alison