Last night was the 27th Annual Lambda Literary Awards Ceremony, and if you’re looking for your next good read, may I suggest one of these stunning titles? Below are links to their review (when available), as well as links to buy them from small presses or WORD in Brooklyn (for those outside of NYC, mediaContinue reading “All the 2015 Lammy Winners And How To Buy Them From An Indie Bookstore”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
What I Did On My Summer (Internet) Vacation
August was a month of biking and cheating. Biking became what I did most afternoons, after the slow crawl of a morning spent writing (sometimes with success, sometimes mired in self-doubt). And cheating was the necessary evil of the summer. I had to check my e-mail more than once a week to keep up withContinue reading “What I Did On My Summer (Internet) Vacation”
Goodbye, Internet! Hello, August!
For the fifth summer now, I’m taking the month of August off from the internet. What began as a simple week without internet has morphed into a full calendar month without any social media, nor endless links to endless articles, nor obsessive e-mail checking and general time suck. I’ve been looking forward to it allContinue reading “Goodbye, Internet! Hello, August!”
On the Lammys, writing, and faith
[NB: Scroll down for a list of this year’s winners, and links to purchase those books from an indie bookstore!] A while ago, I threw my hat into the ring for a grant that I didn’t get. Later, one of the judges for that grant had kind things to say, notably that there were so manyContinue reading “On the Lammys, writing, and faith”
pep talk
Dear Courtney of November 2013, Hi. This is Future Courtney. I can’t quote exactly when/where I’m writing from, but I wanted to drop you a line. You’re five days into this month and have received rejection notes from three literary magazines, one residency, and one grant. Rough. You’re a really good cheerleader. I watch youContinue reading “pep talk”
back to the internet
Hello September and hello internet! I’m back from my one month hiatus and feel partially overwhelmed (Facebook! So busy! So much to look at!) and partially wonderful (a long-read essay on why the movie Clue is so awesome? YES PLEASE!). Here’s what my internet-free month looked like by the numbers: Books I Read: 11 (plus 5Continue reading “back to the internet”
get off the internet: one month without
From August 6th through September 3rd, I’m giving up the internet. This has become my summer tradition: a detox from Facebook and Buzzfeed lists, compulsive e-mail checking and scrolling Instagram before I get outta bed. I did my first internet detox in 2010, taking one week off, and last August went for the full month.Continue reading “get off the internet: one month without”
postmasters
When the Postmasters Podcast introduced me as “Brooklyn essayist Courtney Gillette,” I straight up swooned. Postmasters is a new podcast put together by the fabulous writers Audrey Camp and Lacy Mayberry. We crossed paths at Lesley, and they gave me the honor of being their first interview for their podcast about life after the MFA.Continue reading “postmasters”
libraries changed my life
At the Lambda Literary Awards in May, I met the badass children’s librarian and activist Ingrid Abrams, who is one half of the brilliant creation of Libraries Changed My Life. She asked me to contribute to their Tumblr and I was only too happy to oblige. You can read it here and also below. From LibrariesContinue reading “libraries changed my life”
lucky
On June 29th I had the honor and delight of addressing my graduating class at Lesley University’s MFA graduation ceremony. Writing a speech was one of the hardest writing tasks I’ve ever faced. For months I scribbled notes, e-mailed myself little tidbits, agonized over how my speech would compare to the beauty that’s come beforeContinue reading “lucky”
Courtney Gillette 