THE LAST SESSION, Book Clubs, and 3 Current Obsessions

Get your copy, invite me to your book club, and let's chat about what's bringing us joy.

Hello, friend! I hope all is well with you! First: a quick note letting you know that my sophomore novel THE LAST SESSION is now out in the world! This book follows a social worker in a psychiatric unit who tracks down a missing patient to a mysterious wellness center in New Mexico. As you can probably guess, things go VERY off the rails. I deeply enjoyed writing another “unhinged” story, and I also got to explore some topics that I’ve been thinking about recently: religious trauma, the origins of our sexuality, and how we societally (mis)treat children. If you’d like a signed copy, Books Are Magic, Murder by the Book, and Diesel should all be able to send you one!

Also, if you’re part of a book club, or know anyone in a book club searching for their latest read, I would be thrilled to take part. I can stop in virtually via a personalized video where I say hi to everyone and answer a few of your questions. Just reach out to me at juliabartz@gmail.com and we’ll set it up!

Finally, I also wanted to share a few things that have been bringing me happiness in the midst of these crazy, dark, sliding-into-authoritarianism times. Author/activists like adrienne maree brown, Tricia Hersey, and Prentis Hemphill have made me realize that we must center presence and joy to sustain us through the long fight for freedom and equality. In that vein, here are 3 things that I’ve been unabashedly enjoying lately…

1. I loved Mona Awad’s previous books (BUNNY, ALLSWELL), but her most recent, ROUGE, really blew me away. In my own work I like to explore the blurry line between what’s real and what’s not, and Awad goes even further into fever-dream-but-grounded territory in a way that’s mesmerizing, funny, and often terrifying. ROUGE is about a woman unraveling the mystery of her mother’s death, which includes joining the somewhat culty spa she’d been a part of. The tag line is aptly “Snow White meets Eyes Wide Shut,” and the book brilliantly explores the more disturbing elements of the beauty industry, childhood trauma, and grief. I also like how Awad explores childhood fantasies around celebrities, something I too examined in THE LAST SESSION.

2. I recently decided to try to get off of Amazon as much as possible (see: unsafe working conditions, union busting, Bezos using the Washington Post as a propaganda machine). I was worried that it’d be completely overwhelming to start sourcing individually, but I’ve actually found it quite doable: buying items directly from the company site, using the Locavore guide by

   Caroline Weaver
   to shop locally, and—my favorite—using Farm to People. This NYC delivery service sources from a network of 150+ farms within 300 miles of the city. I’ve been getting the Paleo Cook’s Box every week or two, which includes 7-9 produce items and 2 proteins. (Psst, I promise this isn’t a paid ad, but if you want to try, my $25 off code is JULIAB60).

3. I got a new TV last year, after many years, and the upgrade made me decide to spring for the Criterion channel. (Hot tip: keep an eye out for sales. I got a 25% discount during Black Friday last fall, and a few months ago they offered a 20% off winter sale). They offer fabulous curated selections, often around filmmakers like Kathryn Bigelow, David Lynch, and Catherine Briellat. I am still thinking about a movie I saw months ago—The Beast—the conceit of which I wish I could’ve written my own novel about. It feels exciting and stimulating to have access to all of these weird and wondrous movies I might not have come across otherwise.

So tell me–how are you getting through these times? What’s bringing you joy? Please let me know in the comments below!

Creative Coaching

Interested in learning more about my creative coaching services? As a licensed therapist and NYT-bestselling novelist, I bring a unique set of skills to my creative coaching business. In our 60-minute sessions, we will explore and find solutions to your creative challenges in a way that feels enjoyable and sustainable. I support people who have specific questions ("Why can't I start/finish my project?" or "Why am I struggling to get an agent?") and those with more general issues ("How can I use social media to support my creative projects?" or "How can I integrate more joyful creativity into my life?"). My view is that our creative life should be exciting and fulfilling, instead of stressful and overwhelming. I offer different sized packages based on different needs. More on packages/pricing in the Work with Me section of my website. Reach out with any questions (juliabartz@gmail.com), and if you’d like to book with me, you can fill out a quick request form here.