What’s up, swimmers?! Today’s episode has it all—frank insights into the publishing process, the swift dispelling of myths around taking time off and shaking things up, learning astral projection from your mom’s Wiccan friend, odd jobs one would only want to work for one day (CW: brief mention of animal death at 40:25), theories about Sally Rooney’s career desires, and more!
But before we get into today’s gorgeous conversation, a few gentle reminders:
My new mini-course, NUMEROLOGY FOR WITCHES ✨ is now available! In addition to a 1-hr video on the intersection of numerology and witchcraft, and how numbers can enhance rituals, spells and other magical practices, you’ll also receive a books of spells for each building block number, and a reading list! The whole package is $44, and Spells for the Spiral is pay-what-you-can (suggested $11) on its own!
You can now book a 15-minute recorded tarot reading with me on Moonlight for just $25! I’m psyched to be able to offer this super affordable option that’s not time-specific, and so far, they’ve been a hit with clients!
Call Your Coven has been new all month long! Now that it’s mid-month, check back in with the October forecast, then listen to me break down the numerology of Samhain, and Jeanna digs into eclipses and the Diddy scandal. On Friday, Meg will talk about building a personal tarot practice, and then next week, we’ll wrap things up with a look at the upcoming US Election.
OKAY BUT ENOUGH ABOUT THAT—
I can’t wait for you to listen to the chat I had with the incredible, prolific, tells-it-to-you-straight, writer and artist Jennifer Banash. Her eighth traditionally published novel, The Essential Elizabeth Stone, is out now and the first page alone had me wanting to be a better writer. But she’s had such a varied career—she even ghostwrote a couple Gossip Girl novels!
What I’ve found to be so amazing about Jennifer is that after decades in the industry, she’s so incredibly grounded in the work. The craft of writing. The evolution of the artist. The generosity that makers must show one another. And the importance of art-making in a world that doesn’t value or center it.
So, if you’re looking for some solid advice, inspiration, a much-needed reality check or two, and some hot takes on Taylor Swift, look no further!
Jennifer Banash is a former professor of English and creative writing, and author of eight traditionally published novels, including The Rise and Fall of Ava Arcana; Silent Alarm, a finalist for the American Library Association's Best Fiction for Young Adults; White Lines; Simply Irresistible; In Too Deep; and The Elite. Jennifer is also the former cofounder and editor of Impetus Press, a small, independent publishing house that championed works of literary fiction with a pop edge.
A native New Yorker, her first apartment was an illegal sublet located next door to the Hells Angels' former headquarters on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Jennifer’s latest book, The Essential Elizabeth Stone, is “an emotional and empowering multigenerational family saga about a mother and daughter, and the secrets they keep from each other—and from themselves.”
Jennifer is a creative force, and she offers some really potent, practical, deep, compassionate, loving advice for authors and artists making a career out of the arts. I hope you fall in love with her just like I have, and then go fall in love with all of her books too!
Some of my favorite bits include:
On today’s relentless creative pacing: “I feel that like when you're constantly in creator mode, it makes it really, really difficult to produce something that… I don't want to say is good, but that has an incredibly strong message. That message just sort of gets diluted because there's so much stuff, you know? It's like trying to like make sense of a really cluttery living room, you know? Like you have to take some stuff out in order to streamline everything and really get your design across.”
On bolstering yourself through the edit process: “You got to have your your community, your people to help you when you get to that terrible editing moment, you know, or at least to tell you: Breathe. It's going to be OK. You've done this 80 million times. You didn't wreck any of the other books and you're probably not going to wreck them now. But we all feel that way.”
On evolving as an artist: “If you're if you're a good writer, right, you're always growing and changing and hopefully surpassing what you did in the previous book. You never want to I never want to stay at the same level. Right? I need to be challenged from book to book and grow from book to book. Or otherwise, what's the point?”
You can connect further with Jennifer by following her on Instagram and threads @jbanash.
I’d also like to thank
, whose recent essay the Johnny Cash school of obsession, inspired my to ask Jennifer what three things her work is always exploring or touching on!If you feel so inclined, try it out for yourself and leave me (or Raechel!) a comment!
Until next time, just keep swimming!
xx, bee
There Is No Finish Line with Jennifer Banash