What’s Pulling Your Attention?

Settle in, grab your favourite drink, and please tell me what’s holding your attention at the moment…

Philosopher Simone Weil says:

“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.”

Over the last couple of weeks, my attention (like yours I’m sure) has been pulled in various directions. Taking time together here for a deep breath (with coffee) is one of my favourite places to be.

What’s Pulling Your Attention?

As I share with you what I’ve been up to as a writer, please take a moment to share with me what you’ve been reading/thinking about/taking time with, too.

My writing life has been all about edits. I’ve also been reading The Life Impossible with great joy. If you want to read it with me, join our Life-Changing Book Club here:

Over at The Novelry, where some of you know I work as a writing coach, my focus has very much been on helping writers find their stories. I love the quiet conversations where we figure out together how to best get those words onto the page. Also, I taught a workshop with Tara Conklin, bestselling author and writing coach, about autofiction, and I have a blog upcoming on the same topic this weekend. This meant I read All Fours and Heartburn (over). Those quiet hours when the kids are asleep! You can sign up for the Novelry’s blog for free and read a previous blog I wrote about how to overcome self sabotage here.

Phew!

Coming around to kids, one was home sick for two days, so between edits (I’m at page 61 of the LAST major draft of my murder mystery before it goes back to my agent….) I was bringing snacks, water, cuddles every time I was summoned (every three minutes?!)

A Writing Life

My edits are going well, helped by a pretty dusting of snow outside the window. The book is set in winter, so it’s useful I’m doing this pass (writer-term for edit) in this season.

I’ve also handed in a ghost proposal and a chapter for a separate ghost book. A couple of years ago I wrote about my secret life as a ghost:

Yann and I have been doing the crossword, taking walks, and getting excited about his new book: Son of Nobody, which is coming out in 2026. Preorder now!

This weekend will be sports for kids, spending time on here to catch up on what you’ve been up to, and a live session at The Novelry. In all that, I’ve organized a couple of hours with some of my friends to make a vision board (If you have any advice or suggestions for how to do it, please let me know! My job is to buy the boards to stick the pictures onto!) None of us have ever made one, and the aim is for fun and to hang out (away from our kids!). The last time we all got together (with kids) we did a massive game of outdoor laser tag. Even when life is FULL, I’m a big believer in having fun and being silly. Fortunately, this group of moms/mums feel the same!

Wrapping up, I want to thank ALL of you for being here with me, and I want to welcome all of my new subscribers, too. It’s wonderful to feel your support for my writing life and it’s important to me that this is place that brings you what you’re looking for. Next Friday, I’m going to send out a few questions for you all on what you love here, what you want more of, and how I can best fill your cup.

For now, please tell me, how is November for you? What are you reading?

Until soon.

Love,

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 fourteen 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