In October
Gorgeous new book covers & my October essentials
Er, where did September go? It appears to have vanished in a blur of seasonal viruses and missed birthday celebrations. Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness: pffft. Season of crumpled tissues and Vicks VapoRub, more like.
We all watched H with bated breath to see what the germs would do to his sole working lung, and it wasn’t too terrible, although he’s been knocked a little flat. He’s okay though. Our standards for ‘okay’ are slightly lower than they were before. Still. I’m going on retreat with some writer friends next week and I’m looking forward to having zero responsibilities for a few days.
Meanwhile, I’m delighted to say that it’s now jeans and boots weather, and so wearing clothes is easy again. My fluffy shins salute your fluffy shins. Bring on the leaf-fall!
New book covers!
I’m very excited to show you two new UK editions of my books, all ready for your cold-snap reading needs.
First up is a fresh paperback cover for Enchantment, scattered with gold and silver stars. It’s inspired by the etching that kicked off my research for the book - a depiction of the 1833 Leonid shower. Once I’d seen it, I had to know everything about this event, and it got me thinking about moments of awe that radically shift your view of yourself in the world.
Holly Ovenden’s gorgeous design really captures this feel, but with a delicious indigo sky which feels so evocative of winter to me. I think it would make a lovely gift, or maybe it will tempt some new readers to the book. Here’s hoping.
It is published on 9th October. Pre-order links are here but please consider your local indie bookshop first of all.
And if that’s not enough, I’ve been working all year on a new hardback edition of Wintering. For the past few years, we’ve released various limited editions, which have all sold out. But I wanted something permanently available for the (wonderful) people who buy it as a gift for friends in need, or who would like a really special copy to treasure for themselves. So from now on you can choose whether you’d like a hardback or a paperback, or, of course, both.
I’ve written an exclusive new Afterword for this edition, with a midwinter story and a reflection on what it was like to write the book. And the cover mirrors the original hardback design but with gorgeous gold highlights and sprayed edges. Best of all, you can undress it (as all good book perverts do), and the hard cover is exactly the same underneath. SO lovely. I’m very proud of it.
It is published on 16th October. Pre-order links are here but indie bookshops have a limited number of signed copies - please ask your friendly local bookseller.
We now have more than 1,000 members in our WhatsApp group! Do join us. It’s good fun.
Online events at The Clearing:
18th October: Rise and Shine sessions
We were due to have our autumn online Retreat, for Retreat Tier subscribers of The Clearing, on this date, but that will be happening a week later (see below). I’ve postponed it because some of you told me that there will be No Kings protests in the US, and would like to attend.
To show solidarity to those who will be taking part, I will be offering two hour-long Rise and Shine sessions (there’ll be one at 7am EDT and one at 7am PDT). This morning gathering is there to help you feel calm and centred before the day’s events begin. And any non-US readers who would like to join us are welcome too, of course!
This will be open to Paid Subscribers of The Clearing, and I will send out registration details soon. If you aren’t in a position to be a Paid Subscriber, but would like to attend, please get in touch.
25th October: Autumn Retreat
Our re-rescheduled Autumn Retreat will be taking place on Saturday 25th October, 4pm - 7pm UK time (check your local time here).
There will be a recording available to you all if you can’t make the event, or if you’d like to watch it again.
Appearances
29th October: I’ll be chairing Alice Vincent and Raymond Antrobus as they talk about hearing, sound and listening at the Canterbury Festival.
22nd & 23rd November: Excitingly, the Ryedale Festival has commissioned a Community Song Cycle based on Wintering! I’ll be discussing my book with Jeffry Boakye on 22nd November, and then I can’t wait to be there for the performance, led by Roderick Williams (baritone) and Ethan Loch (piano) on 23rd November.
My recent Substack posts (subscription required for some posts):
How I think about social media now
Book shelves, train journeys and trans-European germs
A wonderful journaling prompt form Kaitlin Curtice
October Essentials:
Quinces. I sometimes make membrillo, but mainly I just like the scent of them.
It’s soup season! This week, I’ve made watercress and potato, and red lentil, date and harissa. No recipes: just nice things simmered in stock. Delightful.
Sitting in the tiniest patch of sun, just to feel the last of the year’s heat.
Shout out to balm tissues. How did humanity survive this long without them?
Fantastic new memoirs from Miriam Toews and Arundhati Roy, both absolute queens.
The Roses. Who can resist the pairing of Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Coleman? Not I.
My beloved friend Margo Selby has started making these beautiful scarves, and gave me one for my birthday. I am a very lucky girl.
Christmas preppers/stationery nerds take note: there is an advent calendar that contains 24 little bottles of ink. Some of the colours are available separately, and I’ve been trying out the cherry-scented, deep red Forest Gateau. LOVE.
I’ve already got my Halloween costume ready. Bert has fully turned me.
