A Winter Reading Practice + Writing Invitation

Three books, a quiet winter reset, and a live class to join...

Settle in, grab your favourite drink, and tell me—what are you reading?

I finished, I finished, I finished!

For those of you who’ve been reading Confessions & Coffee for a while, you’ll know I’ve been working on a novel for a thousand years ;-))) I sent the latest draft to my agent on Thursday. We then packed up the children and drove nine hours to the mountains where we had a Valentine’s ski day to start the break.

And then, when the house went quiet? I turned back to reading and to you.

Phew!

(Thank you, by the way, for all the comments on Creative Spaces, which I’ll come back to in our next newsletter xoxo)

Our Seasonal Reading Practice

We’re halfway through our seasonal reading practice. This is our slow, shared reading where every three months, we choose a memoir, a mystery, and a third ‘mixed-bag’. This means we can live with one (or all) the books over time. The books aren’t assignments—they’re companions, shaping the thinking here in subtle, lasting ways. Some are suggested by you, some I’ve chosen because I think we’ll love them together.

My idea is that you can choose to read one of these, or all of them, and share what you think about the books as we move through the year. Please also suggest books for the next season and help me find great reads for us.

As a reminder, these are the three books:

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

“New York Times bestselling author Yangsze Choo brilliantly explores a world of mortals and spirits, humans and beasts, and their dazzling intersection. Epic in scope and full of singular, unforgettable characters, The Fox Wife is a stunning novel about old loves and second chances, the depths of maternal love, and ancient folktales that may very well be true.”

H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

“A bestseller throughout the English-speaking world and a multiple award winner, H Is for Hawk is the exquisitely written story of one woman’s journey to the limits of grief and love.”

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

A woman receives an unexpected gift from the man she loved and lost—a year of books, one for every month—launching a reading-inspired journey to live, dream, and love again in this glimmering and heart-stopping novel.

Twelve books. Twelve months. One chance to heal her heart…

So how’s the reading going? As I shared two weeks ago, I had trouble getting my eReader to download/function/participate, so I was slowed in beginning The Fox Wife. But when I got that all sorted and I started I was immediately in love. As a writer, I’ve always enjoyed that liminal space between what’s real and imagined. I’ve written short stories about women birthing fish or being gathered by a pelican, popped in its mouth, and flown from domestic tedium. Books that straddle the magical and the true feel, to me, more true.

I noticed how clear and simple the language was, too, and how quickly the author pulls us into believing the woman is a fox. The dead woman in the second (third?) chapter is swiftly and cleanly described, too, making me want to turn the pages.

I’ve also finished This Book Made Me Think of You and will devote an entire newsletter to it because it’s ALL about books that change your life.

Thank you as ever for being here with me. Your support, comments and connection are invaluable. I’m excited to share this invite with you as a thank you!

An invite for you

I’m doing an event at The Novelry this upcoming Saturday that’s free and I’d love for you to come along. Here’s what we say about it:

If there’s someone in your life who loves writing, has a book idea they can’t shake, or keeps saying “I’ll write a novel one day”—this is for them (and for you).

Writing With Friends: How to Supercharge Your Book Idea

Saturday, February 21 at 9 p.m. UK | 4 p.m. NYC | 1 p.m. LA

Hosted by Alice Kuipers, with New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Dhonielle Clayton, Heather Webb, and Gina Sorell.

Bring your book idea—and a friend who loves writing—and join us for a special one-off live class at The Novelry, designed to help you turn your idea into a story readers will obsess over.

You’ll be guided through practical prompts and powerful story upgrades to help you:

• Clarify what your novel is really about

• Make the premise bigger, sharper, and more original

• Increase stakes and tension in a way that feels natural

• Create characters with wants, flaws, and difficult choices

Expect thoughtful conversation, a supportive atmosphere, and plenty of “ohhh, that’s it” moments. You’ll leave feeling clearer, braver, and ready to write.

This is a private, invitation-only session, led by our team of bestselling authors, created exclusively for members of The Novelry and a writing friend of your choice.

If you’d like to come along, please let me know in the comments and I’ll send you the link privately.

xoxo

Alice

If you’re new here, my name is Alice Kuipers and I’m a writer, mother and dog & cat-owner transplanted twenty years ago to the Canadian prairies from England.

I’ve published fifteen books in 36 countries and my writing has been described as:

For storytellers and story lovers—Kirkus Reviews

Gorgeous, heart-ripping, important—VOYA

Intense and wonderful—Bif Naked.

Join me for coffee breaks, book conversations, and to share a writing life together.

Xoxo