10.3.20

Inspiration & Perspiration:
Danielle Trussoni’s Newsletter

October 3rd, 2020

“Genius is 1 Percent Inspiration and 99 Percent Perspiration.”
– Thomas Edison

Good morning from the Hudson Valley!

It is a sunny Indian summer kind of day, one that makes me want to escape the writing cave and be outside in the colors of fall. There is a faint hint of chill in the air, and orange leaves falling on the lawn, reminding me that cool weather is coming.

On weekends, I have been heading over the The Flour Shop, a bakery that has fresh baguettes ready at 8AM and French pastries:

To walk off my morning feasts, I’ve been taking walks in the cemetery.

I have been taking pictures of the tombstones each day, and while it may be a touch morbid, I love to read the names of these people, and to consider how many generations were here before me.

Fall is my favorite season, and not only because my birthday is in November. I love the crisp air, the dimming light, and the sense that the natural world is preparing for transformation. One of my favorite myths is the story of Persephone who is abducted by Hades and taken to the Underworld. When she leaves, the world turns cold and barren. When she returns, spring arrives.

                                   A person wearing a costume

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Over on Instagram, the bookstagramers Patty (@pattyisbooked) and Mary Reagan Richardson (@mary_reagans_books) are reading The Ancestor as their October Buddy Read. You can join them (and me) for a live IG talk on October 20 at 7PM.

Email me directly if you have questions (by responding to this message).

I’ve been working on a new novel, which has kept me at my desk, as has my latest book column at The New York Times Book Review, which I finished up last weekend (it will be out at Halloween). Stay tuned for more about my favorite fall novels in my next newsletter.

I am taking part in the Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror’s 31 Days of Horror series this year, which you can read here. My post will go live on October 13th. I’ve been appearing on a lot of panels lately, as well, most notably a panel about reviewing horror novels and another called “Reading HP Lovecraft When Black Lives Matter”.

You can see that panel by going to the HP Lovecraft Film Festival here.

When I’m not barricaded in the Writing Cave, I’ve been spending time reading about books. Here are a few articles I’ve found in the past weeks that have kept my interest:

– Horror Short Story Collections: 9 Books to Maximize Your Chills and Thrills
– 9 Under-the-Radar Fairytale and Folktale Retellings
– 13 Historical Horror Books That Beckon You Into the Shadows of the Past
– The Power of the Reread
– 15 Spooky Titles for Middle Grade Readers

I will leave you with this picture of my daughter walking near the Hudson River.

With the world so tumultuous, I feel extremely lucky to have my family, my friends, and all of you out there to inspire me. Thank you for sharing your time with me. May you have a peaceful and productive October.

Yours,
Danielle