Hi Reader,

Let's catch up!

Thank You For Your Support

It's been a busy month over here. It feels like Christmas in July with all of the sales going on, from Target Circle Week to Amazon Prime Day and the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I also have a few email sponsorships scheduled for later this July.

I want to thank you for your support in these business endeavors.

The past year, especially, has been a "perfect storm" of sorts in my industry, between the rise of AI pushing out the written work of real people and an array of global issues causing both consumers and advertisers to spend less.

What the pandemic was like for restaurants is similar to what my industry is experiencing now —unpredictable, unprecedented events that require massive pivoting as quickly as possible, or quite simply, you'll sink.

So, your support, in any and every capacity, from simply reading any of my free content that has ads I earn from to personally buying something I recommend through one of my affiliate links, truly makes a big difference in my small business. I appreciate you helping me "stay alive" in business during a difficult time in the world and enabling me to continue to promote books and reading on my platforms.

Behind the Rebrand

As you're now aware, I'm working on a rebrand, pivoting my work from The Literary Lifestyle blog and The Rory Gilmore Book Club to one niche community, called Friday Night Readers, focused on Gilmore Girls-inspired books and bookish topics, such as seasonal reading.

Publicly, I've been a bit quiet, but behind the scenes, a great deal has been happening.

One exciting bit of news to share: I've set up the "bones" of the new Friday Night Reader website. There's still more to come -- I haven't transferred any blog posts yet, for example, but feel free to take an early look at what I've got so far.

I'm also starting to set up Substack as my new email provider, which has a learning curve that's taking time. It's a platform that makes it easy for creators to send content to you via email AND grow our communities via their app. (But don't worry, you don't have to use the app unless you want to, and you'll still get my emails.)

By the way, I've created a new freebies page for email subscribers, featuring the ever-popular Gilmore Girls book list and more. I want to ensure that everyone who signed up recently received it, as I'm still in the process of setting up Substack.

I also hired a new accountant to assist me with my business pivots, as the bookkeeping and sales tax aspects are more complex than I'm accustomed to. We're currently in the process of setting that up together, and I'm so grateful to have help in a field that's not my specialty.

Additionally, I plan to incorporate some podcast features once I'm fully set up on Substack. In an AI-driven world, I want to connect more human-to-human with you. Substack offers both podcasts and voiceovers, allowing me to record my emails to you, and you can listen to them if you prefer it to reading!

My secret goal, which is no longer a secret, is also to incorporate a literary Gilmore Girls rewatch podcast, and I hope to start it in early fall. I've barely started working on it, so I have a lot to do before then! I truly can't believe that summer is half over.

Yesterday, I spoke with Meg's Reading Room for a podcast episode to air in August, and I think you're going to love it. Meg is JUST LIKE ME, and we could barely stop chatting.

We talked about a lot of things that matter right now on the very noisy internet, including authenticity, finding "your people," and bringing intention to your work. I think that, when you listen to it (and I hope you do), the "whys" behind everything I'm doing behind the scenes right now will feel clear.

By the way, these "behind-the-scenes" scoops are something I'm hoping to do more of on Substack in the future. I think it's both interesting to readers and helpful to other creators.

What I'm Reading

I simply couldn't check in with you without sharing books, so here's what I'm currently working on:

• Audio: On the Read With Jenna podcast, Ann Patchett called The Color of Water by James McBride a "universal book recommendation" that everyone loves, so I immediately borrowed it from the library. I love both his and Ann Patchett's books, so it was a no-brainer!
• Paperback: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway is my pick for our Gilmore Girls book club this month, and I am LOVING it. It's a collection of short, easy essays about life in Paris that reminds me of the movie, Midnight in Paris. Halfway through, it's one of my favorites I've ever read for our club.
• Kindle: I got an advanced copy of Heart the Lover by an author I've loved, Lily King. I've heard very rave early reviews for this October release, so I had to request it from the publisher. I'm just starting it now. Keep your eye on it!

That's what's happening here. What's new with you and your reading life?

Remember, it's a good day to read a book.

-Jules

Disclosure: This email contains affiliate links through which I may earn a commission on purchases made through clicks on my links, at no extra cost to you. This helps contribute to my costs and keeps this content free to the public. Thank you for your support.