Susie here, with the satire, self-care, and hopefully reckoning insight that seems to have escaped most of the talking heads. Let’s do it!
UPDATE:
I recorded this podcast a few hours before I learned of Dorothy Allison’s passing. It’s really tough, and echoes, hard, with this entire week.
I’ll tell you, I wish a place like Substack existed earlier, so we could have seen Dorothy flourish here, and support her.
She and I, all authors, who supported our families for decades through royalties and writing for magazines and newspapers — all that vanished.
And like musicians, we could only “earn” if we were healthy enough to tour, and tour like a maniac. By the time you’re on the road for any length of time, your health is shot. How many artists have adequate healthcare? I’m sure you can connect the dots.
And yes, I’m talking about artists whose fans and readers adore them, iconic change-makers we feel we owe the world to.
It’s topsy-turvy that writers have to “busk” for a living now, but that’s the hard truth. Support them! Unless they’re in the Forbes 500, I can guarantee you, they’re vulnerable.
If you’re someone who’s been a reader all your life:
Make a list of your 5 favorite living writers.
See if they have a Substack or Patreon or someplace you can directly “subscribe” to the author themselves. (Yes, we have our books, but we largely don’t make money that way anymore).
As for the budget, pretend you’re taking us out for a sandwich once a month!
If you’re counting pennies too, solidarity. Let’s share our favorite writer’s postings with our friends, and it will reach someone who has a little extra!
Thank you for seeing . . . the poets are the ones who get us through these days.
Welcome home to our podcast: “Back to Bed with Susie Bright.”
This is the week of November 8, 2024.
If you could consider subscribing— the show will go on!
Dear Listeners/Readers:
Hey, it was incredible to be here with YOU ALL, post-election. We aren’t alone. Thanks for your friendship, truly.
And thank you to Celia for my inspiring t-shirt that came in the mail today. It shows a figure in a leg cast and crutches — you can’t see because of my darn breasts— and the phrase, “I do my own stunts.”
Hopefully, I get this cast off next week, and I will start some new tricks!
Clits Up, Susie
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