Hi there!
It’s Monday. The longest month of the year (or so every meme would dare us believe) is officially behind us. The first draft of my manuscript is officially turned in. And I, for one, am officially feeling like a long winter’s nap is in order.1
Until hibernation can happen, I have not an essay for you but seven short coffee shop conversational points.
57,666 is my new lucky number. I am only slightly repeating myself here when I again say that the first draft of my manuscript is officially turned in. Which means that 57,6662 —the number of words in the draft— is my new lucky number. Although a fair amount of reworking and editing will inevitably happen in the next couple of months, getting the book in on time means that it will officially release at the beginning of 2025!
Church Camp: Bad Skits, Cry Night, and How White Evangelicals Betrayed a Generation is the official title of my next book! I am delighted that we stayed with the working title, “Church Camp,” because what else can you call a book about church camp? (Answer: Jacob Sorenson’s Sacred Playgrounds is a fine choice). But I also love that we’re holding both the funny and the serious with the subtitle. Bad skits are a part of camp life, as is Cry Night (and the many different names it goes by). But the white evangelicalism betrayal kicker at the end also tells you that this is more than a few memories of a girl who spent a whole lot of years at camp.
A book I hope you’ll read. Regardless of whether or not you knew how much of a deep-dive we were taking into white evangelical subculture, it’s been imperative that I understand this world as much as I can. But didn’t you spend years in this world, Cara? But isn’t your next book slightly a memoir? Yes and yes. And sometimes, we need the words of an outside voice to help us understand those things that are so intrinsic to inside understandings. Reading Evangelicals by
1000% fits the bill. Please, pick it up if you haven’t already.“Fast Car” still has me reeling. Is it because Tracy Chapman finally appeared on stage again? Is it because that song marks the story of an entire generation (Gen X), or if Luke Combs has anything to say about it, of every generation? Is it because the song, which is a song of remembering, is also a song about belonging and hope and something bigger than ourselves? GUTTED, still.
Rest in seasons of rest. A wise mentor once told gave me the advice to rest in seasons of rest. In truth, January was not only a lot because I was working ‘round the clock to finish and tidy up the manuscript, but it was a lot because I was finishing up one job and starting another job. Even though I’d love to Do All the Things, when my body tells me she is tired, I best heed her voice and listen.3 Do you need permission to do the same? Rest in seasons of rest, my friend.
Guess who’s five years old? It’s hard to believe that my first book baby, The Color of Life, turned five years old today. But she did! If you’re interested in reading a spiritual memoir about a white lady who wakes up to issues of justice, race, and privilege when the power of love helps her see color, well, this book might just be for you. Order an autographed copy through my website and I’ll pop it in the mail to you.
Get yo’ plant on. We’re lucky to live in an area where we can grow and eat vegetables from the garden year-round. Just today, I picked a head of lettuce and several carrots from the backyard for an Asian-inspired chopped salad for lunch. Doesn’t get much better than that! As it goes, we’ve got seedlings coming out of our ears for the spring garden — and the windowsill, the downstairs card table, and the upstairs game chest never looked so good.4
So, there you have it. Seven short coffee shop conversational points from me to you. But please, don’t let this be a one-sided conversation: now tell me seven things about you!
With love,
c.
PS: You’re welcome to weigh in on
All adverb overuse completely, totally, officially warranted.
If this becomes your next lucky number for a winning lotto ticket, I’m taking 15%.
Okay, fine. I’ll give you one more book recommendation: Rest is Resistance was a powerful, necessary read.
Know of any good gardening accounts here on Substack? I’d love to hear!