I have some choice words for that reader who was unexcited to read about a "skinny, blue-haired bisexual" because I just revisited With Love, from Cold World and it was an absolute delight to spend more time with Asa Williamson. They are missing out!
In the immortal words of Stephanie Tanner: how rude! People can be the worst. Thoughts like these can stay inside your head instead of being shared with others, and definitely not with the author!
Sorry to swear but fuck the people that think it’s okay to tag you in shit and seriously fuck that person who had the audacity to tell you they wouldn’t read Asa. He is a prince. Having art in the public sphere doesn’t give people a right to access you and doesn’t give them a right to be dicks. What do they think is going to come to that?
My god.
I know this wasn’t really the point of this newsletter but worth pointing out! Your books are brilliant and I love your voice in them and I genuinely think you are hilarious. If you need me to beat some people up on your behalf, just say the word. (I know violence is never the answer but geez Louise)
I don’t know the kind of author I’ll be when my books get a chance in the real world but I think it’s a lot like you. Not a bad thing at all, but I can already feel the negative tags and my overthinking about them
I’m curious now, how’d you handle that with your debut? Or a book that was super personal to you?
Flight of the Conchords was such genius. Slowly introducing my daughter to all of my 2000s and 2010s favs and I really hope she doesn't hurt my feelings by disliking it!
And ugh is everything you say here relatable. Since I started publishing (ie having a career I personally deeply identify with) my skin has gotten so much thinner. But thank you for acknowledging the reality and I hope no one tags you in a meh review for at LEAST a week.
it's like wow, did not know my skin was THIS thin!!!! but yes once we're ready to introduce Flight of the Conchords to the kids they better like it!!!!!!!!!!!
I forgot all about Flight of the Conchords, and now you’ve made my day!! This song would have been so perfect for my kids when they were little but is perfect for me now that they’re teens and hurt my feelings on a daily basis. 😂
Dang, is this so real. I constantly dread accidentally hurting someone's feelings, probably because mine are so delicate. It's almost a relief when it's something that I can be mad about instead of just sad. (Just the other day my grand boss at work said I didn't do a good job because one of my team did something *the way we had been told to do it* but apparently my grand boss didn't like it. Actually a relief to be mad at the injustice instead of sad that he'd imply I'm bad at my job.)
I knew I sensed a fellow middle child! As always, I find your words all too relatable, though younger me would have never admitted she even had feelings to hurt (I preferred to hide behind my jokes or anger). The last decade has been a slow process of allowing myself to feel all I’ve avoided feeling, and learning to let those things go, which is hard since I am blessed/cursed with a long memory. Also, like Jermaine, I get offended if nobody compliments the meal!
C'mon! Who knew so many of us were still thinking about Bret and Jemaine. I listen to Hurt Feelings more-than-weekly because (a) my children deeply feel hurt feelings and it's on their car playlist and (b) nothing else Flight of the Conchords did was so kid-friendly (sigh, I do wish they had more).
Really feeling this week's newsletter. Writers, we're vincible!
Me reading this like “damn I’m a middle child, child of divorce, my feelings hurt all the time” lmao
I appreciate so deeply the way you put experiences into words. I can’t imagine not taking anything personally! And a lot of times I’m glad to feel so much bc it does make my life so enriched!!! But at what cost??? (My feelings ofc)
AT WHAT COST exactly!!! when I put all the feelings into my work I'm like, see, this sensitivity has a purpose, look at what you're creating! and then when I put my work out into the world I'm like nooooooo not the feelings . . .
gah, this is all so relatable... I felt like we were the same person for a good part of this. Also, that person following up is completely insane. Thanks for being open about it. It helps to know it's not just a weird me thing.
extremely relatable! And I love the Flight of the Conchords, and that song, and now I want to go listen to all of their music all over again. Did you ever get into Garfunkel and Oates? Whenever I'm feeling bad about not reaching the heights of a goal specifically, I have to watch this song of their's specifically: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_JI5cqakIU
I have some choice words for that reader who was unexcited to read about a "skinny, blue-haired bisexual" because I just revisited With Love, from Cold World and it was an absolute delight to spend more time with Asa Williamson. They are missing out!
lol I also have some choice words because that is such a fucked up thing to say at all, much less TO me
In the immortal words of Stephanie Tanner: how rude! People can be the worst. Thoughts like these can stay inside your head instead of being shared with others, and definitely not with the author!
Fellow ♓️ here. I’m like the Hulk. My superpower is that my feelings stay hurt so I barely notice it anymore.
oh wow it must take a LOT of hurt feelings to get there?!?!? because I feel like I've been stocking up for a while?
Sorry to swear but fuck the people that think it’s okay to tag you in shit and seriously fuck that person who had the audacity to tell you they wouldn’t read Asa. He is a prince. Having art in the public sphere doesn’t give people a right to access you and doesn’t give them a right to be dicks. What do they think is going to come to that?
My god.
I know this wasn’t really the point of this newsletter but worth pointing out! Your books are brilliant and I love your voice in them and I genuinely think you are hilarious. If you need me to beat some people up on your behalf, just say the word. (I know violence is never the answer but geez Louise)
lol jeez louise indeed (thank you for the kind words)
I don’t know the kind of author I’ll be when my books get a chance in the real world but I think it’s a lot like you. Not a bad thing at all, but I can already feel the negative tags and my overthinking about them
I’m curious now, how’d you handle that with your debut? Or a book that was super personal to you?
that could be a whole nother newsletter to be honest!
I’d be so interested to read it if you wanted to write it!
Flight of the Conchords was such genius. Slowly introducing my daughter to all of my 2000s and 2010s favs and I really hope she doesn't hurt my feelings by disliking it!
And ugh is everything you say here relatable. Since I started publishing (ie having a career I personally deeply identify with) my skin has gotten so much thinner. But thank you for acknowledging the reality and I hope no one tags you in a meh review for at LEAST a week.
it's like wow, did not know my skin was THIS thin!!!! but yes once we're ready to introduce Flight of the Conchords to the kids they better like it!!!!!!!!!!!
Twenty years later (damn i'm old) my Pisces heart is still trying to get the cheap dollar store mascara off after that damn Jewell album...
I mean, "Adrian"?!?!?! "Daddy"?!?! fuck me up!
I forgot all about Flight of the Conchords, and now you’ve made my day!! This song would have been so perfect for my kids when they were little but is perfect for me now that they’re teens and hurt my feelings on a daily basis. 😂
lol how the tables turn . . . (also I just sent you an email!)
Dang, is this so real. I constantly dread accidentally hurting someone's feelings, probably because mine are so delicate. It's almost a relief when it's something that I can be mad about instead of just sad. (Just the other day my grand boss at work said I didn't do a good job because one of my team did something *the way we had been told to do it* but apparently my grand boss didn't like it. Actually a relief to be mad at the injustice instead of sad that he'd imply I'm bad at my job.)
ooooh injustice gets under my skin in an entirely different way
I knew I sensed a fellow middle child! As always, I find your words all too relatable, though younger me would have never admitted she even had feelings to hurt (I preferred to hide behind my jokes or anger). The last decade has been a slow process of allowing myself to feel all I’ve avoided feeling, and learning to let those things go, which is hard since I am blessed/cursed with a long memory. Also, like Jermaine, I get offended if nobody compliments the meal!
hiding behind jokes??? I don't know her! and meals deserve to be complimented!
C'mon! Who knew so many of us were still thinking about Bret and Jemaine. I listen to Hurt Feelings more-than-weekly because (a) my children deeply feel hurt feelings and it's on their car playlist and (b) nothing else Flight of the Conchords did was so kid-friendly (sigh, I do wish they had more).
Really feeling this week's newsletter. Writers, we're vincible!
ha, my kids are teens and we've still had conversations about like . . . it's okay to show them this NOW, right?
Me reading this like “damn I’m a middle child, child of divorce, my feelings hurt all the time” lmao
I appreciate so deeply the way you put experiences into words. I can’t imagine not taking anything personally! And a lot of times I’m glad to feel so much bc it does make my life so enriched!!! But at what cost??? (My feelings ofc)
AT WHAT COST exactly!!! when I put all the feelings into my work I'm like, see, this sensitivity has a purpose, look at what you're creating! and then when I put my work out into the world I'm like nooooooo not the feelings . . .
“I feel like I hurt all the time now in places I didn’t even know could hurt.” …*sobs*…this.
light me up like a Christmas tree
God I love your fucking newsletter. Also, miss you friend, I have been remiss with the correspondence and I'm not mad <3
don't worry, I trust that YOU'RE not mad at me!!!
Ugh so relatable, so real, and I needed to read this today to feel less alone!
let's all have hurt feelings together lol
gah, this is all so relatable... I felt like we were the same person for a good part of this. Also, that person following up is completely insane. Thanks for being open about it. It helps to know it's not just a weird me thing.
definitely not just you!!!
extremely relatable! And I love the Flight of the Conchords, and that song, and now I want to go listen to all of their music all over again. Did you ever get into Garfunkel and Oates? Whenever I'm feeling bad about not reaching the heights of a goal specifically, I have to watch this song of their's specifically: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_JI5cqakIU
ohhhhh I love that song