a new gentle book club - join me?
seasonal reads: celebrating female authors on Substack
the idea
When a spark of inspiration lands in my already cluttered brain, I can’t help but bow down to it. These nuggets, delivered wrapped like a gift, like a decadent silver-foiled chocolate, should never be ignored. (I hope you trust your own intuition enough to do the same).
I have the stirrings of an idea. A rehashing of sorts, as I already guided a similar project in 2019 via a Facebook (“who?”) group. It was received well then, it was good work, necessary work, essential work perhaps. It prepared us, in ways, for the chaos that was to ensue in 2020. And now, for better reasons, it’s back.
I am happy to announce our very own ‘Writing Around The Edges’ gentle book club community. A book club that will run seasonally, throughout the next year, and one which will be paced very slowly, to accommodate our overly busy yet beautiful lives.
As the wheel turns, we will each read the chosen book in our own time and space. As the wheel turns again, we will change titles once more and our reading focus will shift. But a gossamer thread will weave throughout; my dream is that we can lift female authors, who also write here on Substack. I long to encourage those represented by smaller publishing houses, or those who are independently published, those who come from under-represented backgrounds, or those who are newer to the world as a published author. Quietly life-changing books that encourage us to think widely, write eloquently and live creatively.
Criteria for our book choices:
written by female authors who also write on Substack (particularly newer authors, those not yet with huge platforms, those from under-represented backgrounds, or independently published/smaller publishers)
fiction, memoir, poetry, short stories and nonfiction - let’s enjoy them all
slowly, gently, seasonally paced
all eight choices mapped out for the next twelve months, now, making it beautifully set-out for you to plan your reading
exquisitely written, inspiring for our own creative practice, food for our own creativity and writing
each choice to be read independently by us throughout each six week season. No Zooms, nowhere to be, read when and where you like
stay in touch throughout the year on Substack Notes (feel free to tag me @
so that I can restack your thoughts and photos, as well as tagging the author you’re reading)
…and that’s it. Simple.
This project has to be gentle, and I have to take this slow. My capacity is such that any speed throws me into turmoil. You may know that about me already. It will also have to be financially free, because monetary attachments offer me nothing but paralysis. But I’m ready to take to this tiny stage. I’m primed to step out, to clear my throat and throw my arms wide, welcoming you all in. I’ve learned and grown and weathered this winter in the deepest, most nourishing way possible. I’ve come full circle, the end of one cycle of growth and development now bleeding effortlessly into the next. This tender accountability will give me the sweet-tempered structure I need to continue showing up. For you. And for me.
our first gentle read: 28th March (spring/autumn equinox) to 1st May (cross quarter) 2024
I’ve already chosen our first seasonal read. I hope you don’t mind.
‘Weathering’ by
. You can read all about it here.Ruth has helped me through this winter more than she will ever know, Ruth of earth and bone and storm. Ruth who caught my wandering attention with the very word ‘weathering’. A word which has adorned my own many Substack posts for the past two years (now all burned, deleted, sadly, in my great creative fire), when I have countlessly referenced myself and others as ‘the weathered women’. Of course, I don't yet know Ruth’s take on this word, but my own ‘weathered women’ are those of us broken and bruised by life but still rising, brushing the dirt off our knees and washing our grazed hands. Smearing our tears with blood and turning our faces to the sun to take in the beauty and the bliss and the battle of it all. Wounded, but stronger for our fractures. This word, this book ‘Weathering’, with its subtle ties to my own weathering, my own healing, was surely destined to be our first group read. Can you believe too the magic that it is released on 28th March 2024, just after the equinox? Just as we begin this journey, together?
If you would like to join in with this new gentle seasonal book club, simply make sure you're subscribed here, pop a comment below, diarise to grab yourself a copy of our first choice ‘Weathering’ once released (or pre-order now); audio, digital, library loan, borrow from a friend, buy in hardback, it’s of course entirely up to you, and enjoy. No doubt we’ll have some conversations on Substack Notes, as we read. Don’t forget to tag me (@luisaskinner) and the author too, so we can see and share your thoughts.
UPDATE 22nd March 2024: the books have now been chosen! Our female authors (who also write on Substack) are:
🖤
🖤Here is the full reading list for our gentle book club for 2024/25. Everything you need to know is in the post linked here:
So. Would you like to gather with me for this female focused, gentle book club, as we follow the wheel of the year through our reading?
Let me know in a comment, with a “heart”, and/or a restack.
x Luisa
P.S for friends and readers outside of the UK, try Waterstones, or Blackwell's, for international shipping :) ♡
Yes, yes, yes, a millions times yes, I would like to gather with you for this gentle reading.
I am looking forward to reading these books and getting to know about some writers here... I just started writing on substack in the past couple of weeks and this is the perfect way to become a part of something - I love the slow pace idea. Thank you so much :)