87 Comments

The Venn diagram of grouchy men telling women to make their own movies/tv/etc if they don’t like what’s on and the men complaining about it when something does center women characters is a nearly perfect circle.

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I love my manhattans with dry vermouth! Also, I have both a library hold and an order in at my local bookstore for your book! I wanted to make sure my local library in a very conservative area had a copy and that it immediately had hold and circ stats. Congratulations on the release and once again this newsletter made my whole week!

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Thank you for helping your library meet your community's needs. That kind of guidance is always welcome and, right about now, very necessary.

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You are welcome! I’m a librarian at an academic library but I have worked in public libraries before so I’m always looking for ways to support those beautiful bad ass public librarians!

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The power of holds and checkouts! No joke!

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None of the three library systems I'm in have the book, how do I request it? Goes to research...

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Ask for it via inter-library loan. Lots of smaller systems rely on ILL for their patrons as very few libraries can have everything.

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Most public libraries have a forward-facing solicitation for patrons to make book recommendations. It might be that your particular biblio-providers need you to do that in person. I suggest doing so in your boldest "outside" voice when approaching the service desk.

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and say it even louder for the people in the back :)

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Ooh good idea. I requested my library get a copy and they did but I just went and put myself in the hold line for it as I wait with barely contained anticipation for my pre-ordered copy to FINALLY arrive

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When your hold comes in, make sure to check it out even if you have your own copy!

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I like a perfect manhattan, with sweet and dry vermouth, especially if it's made with bourbon.

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THANK YOU for this because I have been irrationally angry over his reaction and ongoing public disdain. Like keep it in the text thread or go talk to your therapist about it. Maybe everything’s not about you, dude.

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I can't express how much I loved the newest season of True Detective. It was like Lost meets The Thing meets Prey, wrapped up in a True Detective-branded parka. *chef's kiss*

Which is why Nic Pizzolatto as the choice for Dingus of the Week was a feast for mine eyes when it popped up in my inbox today. Thank you.

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Here to join you in ❤️ for this latest season.

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It’s such a good season!!!

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I loved this season! I was on the edge of my seat with my heart racing for almost every episode. I listened to a couple of the podcasts after the show on YouTube. The first few comments I read were from butt-hurt men saying things like, "Here we go. Let's blame white men for everything". Well colonizers, if the shoe fits...

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To resurrect a compliment from 1905: today's rant was the shot of piss and vinegar this old broad needed to rejoin the fray.

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welcome back piss & vineger. shots all around (it's friday)

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Ok, just cackled out loud at "If ChatGPT keeps this up it’s gonna wake up with an MFA from Iowa and I don’t mean that as a compliment." Now to read the rest of the Dingus report.

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Agree! That line made me LOL in my office.

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I'm excited to hear about the Stripper's Bill of Rights. Sex workers have been organizing for their rights in Washington State for decades. In Seattle in the 90s it was through an incredible organization called Blackstockings. I did a safety planning workshop for them once, so dancers could understand what steps to take, what resources were available, and what their legal rights were around stalking. If memory serves, they gave me a stripper name in payment. Sadly, I've forgotten it.

It's absurd that it's taken this long to get to where they are now, but kudos to all the women who've been building towards this.

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"...so dancers could understand what steps to take..."

Ba-Dum-Bump

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“I do love my drinks like I love my women, bitter and alcoholic.” ….Tears streaming down my face, laughing out loud. Thank you.

I loved the 4th season. Wish it had been longer. I thought the 1st was too long. Go figure.

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I need a tee shirt with this:

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that women can’t do anything well without a man throwing a fit about it.

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I know this to be true because my email inbox is full of men throwing a fit

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Fun story: my last night out at a bar before pandemic closures was in May 2019 for a 40th birthday (I know, that's really early! I took a pregnancy test 36 hours later, rendering my participation in nights at the bar less fun). A friend mentioned this was the first time they didn't have to get a sitter and every parent at the table in unison asked HOW OLD ARE YOUR CHILDREN? But not in a judgmental way--it was in a When Can I Too Do This, I'm Now Taking Notes sort of way. The non-parents were a little shocked at the intensity, lol.

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The question all parents ask themselves at some point!

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Ha! When I read that line I said, out loud, "I can't wait to get to that stage!"

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No wonder I feel so connected to your work. I'm an alcoholic and somewhat bitter! lol. I'm lucky to the be a sober alcoholic, and the world is a better place, but the fact remains...

I loved Night Country. I was so scared in that last episode but I loved the ending. Kali Reis was just amazing. Jodie Foster playing a stepmom at sea in grief was so powerful. So much to love. I so related to her character, especially when she is trying to turn off the loud music in the lab.

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I'm so glad you had a surprise party in your honor for your book launch! I'm betting many of your newsletter followers would have loved to have been there with boas and wedding veils. We are grateful to your local friends for celebrating you and your accomplishment as we wish we could!

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So I just started True Detective 4 last night, having never watched the rest of the series. (I'm not swayed by McConaughey or Harrelson, and then the hype meant I didn't want to be a joiner. But this one with women? Set in the cold dark? I wanted to watch!)

2 eps in and I'm trying not to do my usual of reading the synopses on wikipedia and just roll with the suspense. I'm thinking surreal horror? Indigenous magic? But I'm liking it and Nik Pizzapants can go pound sand.

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I actually got happy teary to hear about your surprise party!! How awesome!!!

Season 4 of True Detective was AMAZING!!!

Don’t even get me started on ChatGTP as a college instructor. I am seriously so close to giving up the profession.

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Me too! So good to hear about people (women, assumedly) celebrating other women for a life achievement that isn’t the normal engagement/marriage/babies etc. And on a weeknight!

Off to watch TDS4, liked S1 but it was a bit same old, same old. Tortured male detectives, yawn!

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Great Dingus. Or rather, Great Dingus post. The first iteration sounded like an exclamation or the start of an insult. I too was taken aback by Pizzolatto's out of control jealousy and misogynistic response to Night Country. I really enjoyed season 1, written by Pizzolatto. I wondered about the lack of true female representation, though. All the women in season 1 were either saints (a wife with kids), "fallen saints" (a cheated on wife with kids), prostitutes, "fallen women", or victims. But I reluctantly accepted the premise for the sake of the narrative and enjoyed the series. Now, after Pizzolatto's meltdown over a story about women, including elder, tribal women, solving a mystery in Alaska, which was written and directed by a women, and in which the men in the story are inept or abusive criminals and duffuses (duffi?), I realize Pizzolatto has deeper issues with women. So sad for him and his caveman vision. Anyway, congrats on your book. It's calling to me from its place on my next read shelf. It may just jump to the front of the line.

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"Great Dingus!" - a good exclamation

"Great, dingus." - what you say to Nic Pizzolatto

Don't forget that season 4 is filmed in Iceland, where great strides have been made in women's rights, and the government is actively closing the gender gap. Another hidden FU to Pizzolatto!

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I think it's very important to know that most TV critics believe the good parts of the first season are good because of Woody Harrelson, matthew mcconaughey and director Cary Joji Fukunaga - and in spite of Pizzolatto, who remained at the helm for the rough and semi-incoherent second and third seasons.

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Nic Pizzolatto seems perpetually angry at women who just don't show the proper respect for his work. He insisted his name be taken off Mélanie Laurent's adaption of his novel Galveston. The movie was excellent and received positive critical acclaim. But apparently it too was disrespectful. Clearly it's hard being a man whose words are chiseled on stone tablets.

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