#2. The Monthly Decanter. April 2024.
Shaking off the rust and living life deliberately
The other day I had a phone call with a woman about the novel I’m working on. A published author herself, she asked me a question: how did you start writing?
I described my answer as a cliché. “It’s the usual story,” I said, “I’ve been writing since I was a really small and just never really stopped.”
But that’s not true. I did stop for a while.
It’s only with The Book Cellar that I feel like I’m shaking off the last of the rust.
Like many others, I grew up loving stories, reading, playing pretend. Anything that gave me an excuse to make stuff up. Then, when I was eight years old I had one of those miracle teachers who gives you the exact right nudge at the exact right time. That teacher was Mrs B - she scribbled ‘you should write a book’ on my alliteration homework, stuck a shiny little bee sticker underneath, and awarded it a star on the class chart. I was thrilled. I took her advice to heart. That year I filled two and half school notebooks with my first ‘novel’ and presented these to her with pride. I was in a different form by then but she offered the same warm enthusiasm and encouragement - I’ll never forget it.
Writing became an essential part of who I am and how I process the world.
It shaped how I saw myself too.
For years, I wrote fiction on websites like writing.com - independently and in collaborative ‘campfires’ where a group would take turns to add to the same story. As blogs became a thing, I started one of those as well: The Scribblebug. I kept this up through university into the first few years of working life. The musings of a twenty-something, it was excited, earnest, nerdy and a bit muddled. I covered dating, mental health, tech innovations, PR case studies, travel, book reviews, issues like cat-calling and financial feminism.
All of this kept me sane(ish). It helped me get some interesting jobs and even more exciting freelance opportunities. It meant I had at least one ex joke about how one day I’d write about him the way Taylor Swift wrote about Harry Styles (reader, he was not so special).
The problem was when I was writing the blog, I wasn’t writing fiction. And when I was writing fiction, I couldn’t keep up with the blog. I felt like I had to make a choice. I couldn’t juggle writing, work, dating, freelancing, friends, blogging, gyming, travel, plus my fig-tree-style yearning. I was hungry for everything but I had to give up something.
At first, it was fiction writing - I put my drafts in a drawer and said it was ‘to let them percolate’. Then it was blogging - I was tired of the confessional. And then I wasn’t really writing at all. Just bits here or there when the muse struck me - usually with outrage.
Thankfully, one of my long-term creative partners stepped in. She wanted to revisit something we’d plotted as 17-year-olds - a dystopian sci-fi idea that probably now needs editing to include the threat of pandemics. But we did it. Week after week we outlined, drafted, replotted, wrote. By the start of 2019, we had a tombstone for a first draft. And yes, to make it happen, I gave up dating for a whole year (which is a different story for a different newsletter) - but the point is that it felt amazing. I felt amazing. I felt like myself. And so I kept writing. In fact, once again, like a child, I couldn’t stop. Imperfect and drafty as they are, I now have a stack of stories that need my attention.
It took a bit longer to come back to non-fiction writing. The world has turned since the Wordpress days and I no longer have the surefootedness of a graduate with opinions. Plus, when the idea for The Book Cellar first arrived in my head, I was in the middle of a particularly challenging work environment. I initially told myself it wasn’t the right time. There was too much going on. My singular WSET Level wasn’t enough wine expertise. Who needs another bookish voice anyway?
But there’s something to going through the pandemic, through burnout, through the shift from twenty to thirty-something that inevitably changes a perspective. I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to compromise on the things I love anymore. I don’t want to miss out on doing what makes me happy. I want to make space and live well and share what brings me joy.
Books and wine are things that I love. I see them as a natural pairing. And I’m so excited to bring them to you in this funny little format. I might still be shaking off the rust, muddling about with structure and timings, but I’m having so much fun.
I hope you are too.
On Books and Wine.
“I opened the store wanting to bring great writing and wine to my town, and believing I was the person to do so. And I had been right. I trusted my gut and my taste. Our book selection leaned literary, with a diversity of voices, yet peppered with titles I knew would sell — small numbers of BookTok-approved beach reads allowing for whole shelves of translated literature and small-press poetry. Handwritten tasting notes hung from every bottle. But I also opened it because I felt I had nothing left to lose. Because of that futility mind-set, I gained everything.” - Mickie Meinhardt, ‘My Mother’s Death Blew Up My Life. To Fix It, I Opened a Business.’ The Cut.
- Weathering by
- Once more for the people at the back. I am in awe of this book and am so glad that the Gentle Book Club recommended it for our first read. I don’t want to say too much but I do want to say a huge: GO GET YOUR COPY. 5 ⭐.- Dark Matter by Blake Crouch - I got so excited recently, finding out that this 2016 novel will soon be coming to Prime. It’s absolutely bonkers, incredibly nerdy and also a thriller with so much heart. 5 ⭐.
- The Sunshine Court by Nora Sakavic - As a long-time fan of the All For The Game books, I could not resist the fourth instalment in the series. This is a story about healing, recovery, finding your team (on and off the court) and becoming the master of your own fate. For fans of New Adult fiction - who love CS Pacat, Maggie Stiefvater, or AL Graziedei - this is absolutely a series you should check out. 4.5 ⭐.
- The Grief House by
. I came to this novel after hearing an interview with Thorne on The Writer’s Routine podcast. It’s genuinely chilling and incredibly compulsive. I found myself pausing throughout my day to sneak a few more pages. Such a good book. Full review to come. 4.5 ⭐.- Dark Earth by Rebecca Stott - My lovely colleagues gave me the best leaving present last year: a subscription to Willoughby Books. Each month I receive a new novel based on what I’ve told them about my tastes. And this novel could not be more perfect for me. I’m genuinely obsessed. A mix of history, folklore, fantasy and myth, it’s perfect for fans of Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, Stone Blind by Natalie Hayes or The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. 4 ⭐.
- Death of a Book Seller by Alice Slater - I’ve just started this one so you can expect a review in the next few weeks, but so far it’s funny, fun, a little dark and I can see why everyone’s been raving about it.
Here are my top three picks of the month, chosen for the fact that they’re interesting, tasty, and have a bit of a story.
- My partner was sent to Paris for work earlier this month and I gave him a very specific brief to bring back a bottle or two of Sancerre given the price tag in the UK can often be eye-watering. He hit the brief perfectly and came home with a very decent bottle of La Cave d’Augustin Florent, Sancerre. Good job wine boyfriend.
- Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Bacchus takes the second slot this month. We paired their Flint Dry with Weathering by Ruth Allen, but the Kit’s Coty is very interesting as well. Grown on a pure chalk terroir, it’s beautifully balanced and fresh, whilst the Bacchus grape (which is something of an English wine signature grape) gives us lychee, gooseberry, crisp acidity and a delicious, long finish. Find it here or here. We probably need a whole post on English wine at some point so I’ll have a think on that one.
- Finally, at number three we have my explorations in de-alcoholised and non-alcoholic wine options. So far the best of the dealcoholised offerings seems to be Noughty Sparkling Rosé. It’s not overly sweet. It doesn’t have that tell-tale vinegar aftertaste. Very drinkable and not one you’d be worried about serving your mates either. You can find it Waitrose for £9.95.
Articles
- I adored this article from
- ‘Hands-On-Thumbs-Off Theory’ explores the idea of granny hobbies and how these typically are hands-on but require separation from our screens - like cooking, board games, knitting, cold water swimming. It’s such a simple concept but it resonates so much and I definitely could benefit from more of them.- I think
’s Receipt from the Bookshop series is just the most delightful way to end the week. Also I now desperately want to visit St Annes. The latest came out on Friday and you can read it here.- I’m a huge fan of an untranslateable word, so when
wrote about hikikomogomo, I was immediately intrigued. It’s a beautiful piece of writing to go with a beautiful word - honest, heartfelt, and poignant.- Did you know that literary magazines in the 1800s pioneered a new kind of graphic design that still reverberates through the space today? If your answer is no, you should check out this article from Lithub.
- I obviously believe that wine and books are a natural pairing, and so does Mickie Meinhardt - the author of this beautiful, heartbreaking article about grief, community, and building a business. This is also where our quote for the month comes from. A must read from The Cut.
- Business Insider might be the host of the most fascinating long-read I’ve come across for a while. I don’t think I spared an iota of a thought for Chicken Soup for the Soul since the early noughts, and it turns out that’s probably a good thing. Featuring cult-like leaders, bizarre branding decisions, and some decidedly dark twists and turns, you’ll want to read this. It’s only minorly terrifying.
Podcasts
- Two of my recommendations this month are from the team at Tortoise. Firstly, Dangerous Games: Red Bull’s Killer PR. Base jumping is one of the most dangerous sports in the world and men are increasingly dying as they try to beat records and push boundaries - and an awful lot of them are doing it in the name of Red Bull’s marketing machine. It’s a harrowing, gut wrenching investigation and I think everyone should listen to it. Available here.
- The second from Tortoise is Anna Wintour: The Last Editor. Looking at her incredible career from start to finish, this is a podcast for all the magazine-o-philes that I know exist on here. Fun and insightful and very very well made. Listen now.
- Also Serial is back for Series Four, this time taking a look at a history of Gauntánamo. Told through the stories of former prisoners, guards, wardens, soldiers and of course the team at Serial. It’s fascinating and horrifying and definitely a departure from the Serial most of us remember. Find out more.
TV & Film
- BBC Interior Design Masters is one of my not-so-guilty pleasures. I adore this show and always come away thinking more about design, creativity, and what I might be capable of in my own home. Love it. Recommend it. Let’s chat about it.
- Baby Reindeer has just gone on my list and I cannot wait to get stuck into it - I also feel it’s one that’ll be really good to chat about, so if you’re watching, let me know.
- Dune: Part Two. I have no words. What a film. I know some people will pick it apart for accuracy to the books and such, but it’s one of those movies where I’m so glad I saw it in cinema. It’s big, it’s intense and the soundscape is next level.
Until next time.
H xx
PS. Tell me what you’ve been reading, writing, loving, obsessing over this month. Is there a podcast I should be checking out? A book I just have to read? If you have a wine recommendation, a novel to shout about, an article you’re desperate to share, then why not drop it in the comments below?