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Char Wilkins's avatar

“The truth being this: We become the authors we are. We can only write our books.” This is the gift you give all of us because you live it and you believe it of us. If my goal was to be a commercially successful writer I wouldn’t be studying with you. I can only write my book and you honor that.💜

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Beth Kephart's avatar

And what a pleasure it is to watch your writing and your story making soar and soar and soar, Charlotte. You're the kind of writer who makes a teacher proud.

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Cindy Ruscitti's avatar

I completely agree, Beth. ❤️

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Beth Kephart's avatar

I am so glad — xo

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Martha Chabinsky's avatar

Requested at my library, and anticipated with curiosity and fields of time in order to indulge.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

I love the idea of fields of time, Martha. And curiosity.

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Laura Pashby's avatar

Oh I LOVED Why Fish Don’t Exist! My American sister-in-law, who is an English professor, gave it to me and it made me think about non-fiction writing in a whole new way.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Isn’t it brilliant? I. Just. Loved. It.

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Eimear Long's avatar

I reserved the book in the library after this post and have now just finished it. Wow! I’m so grateful for the recommendation - I don’t think I would have found it otherwise. A really amazing book that draws you in to all parts of the story/stories and at the same time pulls you right out to ask the big questions about everything.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Eimear, I wonder and worry about each post so much—is it relevant, is it timely, is it rising above the noise, is it clearly also not ignoring the noise?—and here you are saying, Yes. I went to read the book and I loved it. And so you have made my day. You have restored my faith. I will keep going, keep sharing these books I love, and these words I hope inspire words of your own.

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Lea Page's avatar

One of my favorites--and one of the books I most often give to others. I'm not good at describing why a book grabs me. I just know when they do-- and this one still hasn't let go. I might just reread it to find out why.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

INFINITELY re-readable. Just such PURE pleasure, start to finish and who wants to finish? No wonder we are friends!

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Susan J Tweit's avatar

Now I have to add Why Fish Don't Exist to my reading list. Thank you, Beth. And then that sentence that Char Wilkins quoted in her comment: "The truth being this: We become the authors we are. We can only write our books." Yes. I needed to hear that today, as I work on the book rising out of my Practicing Terraphilia Substack. It's my voice, my perspective, my best book. And that is a gift. Beth, you are a gift!

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Beth Kephart's avatar

I feel super lucky, Susan, to know the author YOU are. xoxo

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Sara Beth West's avatar

Amazing to me how many different minds feel such a deep connection to the work Miller is doing in that book. I, too, felt like it was a perfect fit for me but for different reasons!

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Sara Beth, it is just a perfect book, and I can't wait to hear your why. Meanwhile, I read the new Charlotte M and can't wait to talk about that one with you too.

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Rona Maynard's avatar

Lulu Miller’s book transported me. I remember the feeling more than the book itself, and read in search of that power to dissolve everything beyond the page. Your term “obsession vessel” is a keeper. If the writer did not have a consuming need to write this book, why should I need to read it? P.S. Congratulations on all your good news.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Rona, Lulu's book is transporting. That is the word for it. I kept thinking—look what is possible, look what is possible—sentence by sentence, swirl by swirl. And exactly: If we don't feel a writer HAS to write a book, why should we read it? People ask if I am at work on a new book. I am not. The only thing I feel compelled to write is these Substack posts. And so I follow my pulse.

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Rona Maynard's avatar

We’re in the same familiar place. Keeping going.

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Marisol Muñoz-Kiehne's avatar

Our writings, our selves.

Our obsessions, our mis-takes.

True to truth be them.

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