Bibliographic 4.0: A new year

Plus a recipe from LIVING EXPENSES

Hello!

I woke up on January 1 so relieved that I didn’t have to promote a book in 2026. Okay, maybe it wasn’t exactly on January 1st– on January 1 I woke up in a hotel room downtown after getting 4-5 hours of sleep, not because of my own NYE partying but because Clara, who was born on January 1, insists on staying up for the fireworks. The best way to do this during a Canadian winter is to find a deal on a downtown hotel. So I woke up in that hotel, remembered it was Clara’s birthday, and was flooded with emotion about that. My baby! I also needed coffee. But then later, maybe a few days later, probably prompted by opening Instagram and seeing a “most anticipated books of 2026” post, THAT’s when I felt relief.

NYE fireworks + an aura photo for the new year

Book promotion is a binary state of being– you’re either in or you’re not, and last year I was 100% in. At the beginning of 2025, after not being included on “most anticipated” lists, I allowed myself to feel bad about it for a bit. Something I’ve learned, particularly with writing, is that you have to let yourself feel the feelings for a bit. You can’t just go into denial/move on/pretend you don’t care. So I did that. And then I told myself that as long as I tried, then I couldn’t regret anything. So I did that – I tried. It’s a very raw and vulnerable thing to know you are trying. But I promoted my book, got so much support from my publisher and friends, did a bunch of events, was on a few other lists, met some wonderful people, and visited great indie bookstores. I hope I get the privilege to go all in again, but I am admittedly glad it’s not this year, 2026. (For those of you who do have books coming out— I’m so proud of you! I will buy your books, share Instagram stories, and go to your readings when I can! You’ve got this! Also I wish I had this guide by Cassie Mannes Murray last year.)

My writing goals for 2026 are to write, write, write, read, read, read. So far I’m doing well on the reading. Writing, as always, proves elusive so I’ve been coming up with strategies to get it done (right now I’m going with “deadlines”.)

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Food Blog Interlude

In LIVING EXPENSES, the main character Laura was a food blogger for a while. There are no recipes in the book but last year I thought it would be cute to make little promo recipe cards for the book. Fun, right? I didn’t get the chance to actually do it, though, so instead I’m going to share some recipes in my newsletter over the next few issues.

From the beginning of the book:

It’s the middle of winter and a gingery hot toddy would be really nice on one of these frigid, blustery nights. Here’s a recipe for how to make one one from Serious Eats:

Ingredients

• 2 cups water

• 1 (1/2-inch) ginger root, thinly sliced

• 4 to 6 cloves

• 1 lemon, halved

• Honey, as needed (In LIVING EXPENSES, Laura ended up using maple syrup instead)

• Bourbon

• Lemon slices

Directions

In a medium saucepan, add water, ginger slices and cloves. Squeeze lemon juice into the saucepan, adding lemon halves into the liquid.

Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce to medium heat, so the liquid is bubbling.

Cook for 10 to 20 minutes, until the mixture has reduced and has enough of a gingery taste to your liking.

Strain, removing cloves, lemon halves and ginger from the liquid.

Pour into two mugs. Add enough honey and rum or bourbon to your tastes.

Garnish with lemon slices, and serve.

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Anyway, there is so much coldness in the world right now— the news is constantly heartbreaking, the latest from Minneapolis is not just infuriating but terrifying, and from my vantage point I have the privilege of it being just “news” (although that’s not entirely true either, and I appreciated this latest newsletter from Avery Francis). But I’m paying attention, and so is everyone else I know, and there’s some hope that collectively things might change.

In the meantime, stay warm, stay close to your loved ones, enjoy moments of light when you get them.

xoxo Teri