Good morning, and happy Sunday! I’m Grace Reynolds and this is my newsletter where I share updates as a writer, philosophical musings, interior decor and more. Today I’m keeping it short and sweet by sharing this fantastic review of The Lies We Weave by Jessica Drake-Thomas over on Erin Al-Mehairi’s website, Hook of a Book.
This was such a pleasant surprise for me to read, as I had the privilege of blurbing Jessica’s collection Bad Omens earlier this year. Moreover, seeing it posted on Erin’s website was an extra treat because Erin was my editor for THE LIES WE WEAVE.
(Erin does add a nice note about working with both of us in the past at the end of this review.)
Some personal highlights for me that I read:
“In true Gothic mode that is reminiscent of the work of Shirley Jackson, Reynolds explores fraught mother-daughter relationships.”
“This collection is a phenomenal addition to gothic poetry, which explores common tropes of the genre, but makes them new. It explores difficult relationships, dark women, mental illness, and motherhood in ways that take new paths and offer alternate solutions. Overall, the book’s main message is that it’s possible to break cycles of toxicity and silence and to find one’s own road, strength, and voice.”
If you’d like to read the poetry review in its entirety, please click here.
Can you believe Lady of the House turns two years old on December 15? Time flies! Keep your eyes out for a special birthday discount from
.Other than editing my comedy horror novella, I’ve been editing the first draft of my poetry chapbook. Chronic illness, mental health, the beauty of Texas, and the horror community here are all themes I speak on in this little collection. I’ve challenged myself to grow in my craft, and hope my readers will feel the sense of love I have for this place and the people here within its pages.
I also recently got a Texas wildflowers tattoo with my good friend, Shelley, at Companion Tattoo to commemorate my time in this state.
made a great comment last week on her socials that there are a lot of cartoonish ideas of what Texas is. In reality, it’s hard not to fall in love with the place. There’s no way to understand that statement unless you are here.Thank you Ashley Gonzalez (@zigzag_tattoo on Instagram) for our amazing tattoos! I will forever treasure it.
Besides that, here’s what I’m up to lately:
Listening to: “All I Need” and “Wherever I Go” by Jacob Collier
Watching: The Gilded Age (HBO)
Reading: The Curse of The Reaper by Brian McAuley, Solita by Vivien Rainn, Things Left Behind by Brian Keene and Mary Sangiovanni, Vasko Popa: Collected Poems by Vasko Popa, and The Vile Thing We Created by Robert P. Ottone. (I am terrible at reading one book at a time.)
I also have a short story acceptance I can’t wait to announce so very soon! It is a Christmas ghost story with an international publication run by editors I admire so very much. More on that soon.
Have a great weekend! Stay safe, stay spooky.
-G