Food Photography Sessions with Lady Krispie

One of the best parts of 2019 was the monthly boxes of amazing treats that arrived courtesy of Lady Krispie. Each box featured one to two different flavors of krispie treats, made by Lady Krispie. Tailored to each of the flavors, I created styled photography for the website (www.ladykrispie.com) and instagram. Lady Krispie is an awesome custom dessert company based in Brooklyn, New York. If you’re ever looking for custom krispies, she makes them in all kinds of flavor combinations, and she ships too! Here are some of my favorite photos from the last few photo sessions.

All photographs by me, Becca Grady

A Hike to Cape Split, Nova Scotia

It’s the middle of winter and I haven’t been doing a whole lot of hiking lately. I have been dreaming about it, especially the beautiful Summer hike I did out to Cape Split in Nova Scotia.

This hike is a Grant family tradition. Silas and family love this trail. It’s a relatively short hike. Looking back, I doubt I’d have said that prior to moving to New Mexico. About an hour and a half drive from Halifax, Cape Split is on the Bay of Fundy. The trail winds up through the trees, and most of the way you only quick views of the water nearby. We went shortly after a big hurricane, and there were tons of trees down everywhere along the trail. Crews were still clearing the trail in many places.

I love the smell of the woods and salt air, mixed together. I especially love the moment when the trail opens up, to a clearing, almost at the end of the world. There are tall grasses, lots of gulls in the air, huge drops and cliffsides, a visible tide line in the Bay of Fundy, lots of lichen on the rock face (thanks to all those gulls), wildflowers, and lots of great spots for a picnic.

It’s windy up there. If you go, pack a windbreaker for the top!

2019 in Books, Part Four

Part Four of my 2019 Year In Books

Last round up of my 2019 year in books. (Find Part One here., Part Two, + Part Three) For 2019, I set a goal for myself to make the time to read more, and I did!

I’ve compiled a list of the books I read and liked, which I’ve broken up into four parts, because, well, there are a lot of them. Included below are most of the books I read this year in October, November and December. And at the very end I’m including a round up of my favorite ten from the whole year, from all four parts. I love getting book recommendations, so I’m sharing mine here, and I’d love to hear some of yours. If you’ve got any great books you want to share, leave them in the comments below.

*a note, I’m only including books here that I recommend, which is most of the books that I read. I tend to not finish books that I don’t like. Also, I get most books from the library, libraries are amazing! I also enjoy listening to audio books when I’m working in the studio, which definitely helps me get through more books.

The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott - A fun spy mystery, bouncing between the US and Russia in the fifties, as US agents try to get their hands on a copy of Boris Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago.

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland - Beautifully written, and at times intense, each chapter begins with a new flower that ties into the storyline.

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams - Loved this book! Sonia and I listened to this on a road trip, and we also loved the narrator’s voice, which goes a long way.

Plant Love by Alys Fowler - I read Alys Fowler’s memior Hidden Nature earlier this year and decided to check out some of her gardening books, as I can definitely use some help in that department.

Treacherous Strand / The Well of Ice / Murder at Greysbridge by Andrea Carter - Obviously I’ve been enjoying this Irish mystery series.

Paddling My Own Canoe by Audrey Sutherland - This woman is amazing. Originally published in 1978, this adventure story chronicles Sutherland’s solo trips to the coast of Moloka’i in Hawaii. I was also really fascinated with her gear as it was like going into a time warp before there was water proof everything. Did you know that there was canned wine in the 60s? But then it went out of fashion and nobody wanted it but Sutherland? (Perfect for backpackers as she writes…)

She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey - Everyone should read this book! Detailing Kantor and Twohey’s investigation into Harvey Weinstein for the New York Times, it was a fascinating story about both journalism today and the #metoo movement. Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey are my heros.

Depression in a Digital Age by Fiona Thomas - This book sounds just like it’s title. About how amazing and awful the digital world can be. After listening to it, I started to give myself permission to not be on social media as much, and deleted email from my phone. I’m still on Instagram a lot, but it’s more enjoyable and less stressful.

The Way of the Woodshop by Aleksandra Zee - While I have worked my way around a woodshop before, it’s been a while. This book has some fun ideas along with step by step instructions for how to build them. I have a few ideas, but have yet to make them come to life.

The Weil Conjectures by Karen Olsson - I really enjoyed this math memoir - is that a term? If not, here it is anyway. In addition to chronicling the author’s previous math studies, it also tells the story of the brilliant Weil siblings - Simone and André. Simone was a philosopher and activist and André was a mathematian.

A Tree In the House by Annabelle Thomas - Sometimes you just need a beautiful and inspiring flower book. Here is one that I loved. Also I now would like to live on a farm in the country.

Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow - This book also focusses on the Weinstein investigation, but from a different angle, at NBC with Ronan Farrow. I listened to it right after finishing She Said, which was a bit too much Weinstein all at once, but the stories are quite different and both are worth reading. Especially now, as his New York trial is underway.

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves - I loved Cleeves’ Shetland books, so was happy to read this new book in a new series. This is also set on the coast and keeps that windswept and moody feel that the other books have.

The Ruin and The Scholar by Dervla McTiernen - Can you tell I like Irish mysteries? Or just mysteries in general? Here are two more that I enjoyed reading this year.

The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh - This was on my to read list forever, so I was happy to finally sit down with it. It’s a disturbing, weird and dystopian tale of an isolated family, and what happens when visitors show up.

To Shake the Sleeping Self by Jedidiah Jenkins - A fun (though not always for Jenkins) adventure book, Jenkins writes of his two year bicycle trip from Oregon to Patagonia.

HausMagick by Erica Feldmann - I follow the Salem Massachusettes store HausWitch on instagram, and really want to visit some day. Feldmann’s book HausMagick talks about the store and how it came about, and is a magical primer for your home.

My Year of Less by Cait Flanders - Flanders’ book details her two year shopping ban. I’ve been thinking of doing my own version so it was helpful to read this.

Jog On by Bella Mackie - I picked this up after hearing Mackie on a few podcasts. After running the marathon and having a minor injury that kept me from running for a few weeks, I needed some motivation to start running again. Part running memoir, part running and mental health book, I found that it echoed a lot of things that I’d been feeling about running.

H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald - I started this book a few years ago, but didn’t finish it till now. It’s a beatifully written story of training a new hawk and struggling with the death of her father.

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo - A powerful book about three different women, their lives and desires. Told with exquisite and nerve wracking detail, almost like a novel, the stories are all true, though some of the names were changed.

The Foraged Home by Joanna and Oliver Maclennan - Because I also like home books and beauitful photography, and this one encourages finding and foraging treasures from everywhere.

The Undying by Anne Boyer - Technically I finished this book in 2020, but I started it over the holidays, and it’s one of the best books I’ve read this past year, so I’m including it here. Beautifully written, this book is first off a book about cancer, and surviving it, but it’s written by a poet and it’s also about art, culture, pain, social constructs, the medical capitalist machine, exhaustion, loneliness and so much more.

I thought I’d also include my top ten from the year - the books that I am still thinking about. Here they are in no particular order:

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

All at Sea by Decca Aitkinson

The Undying by Anne Boyer

My Sister The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Educated by Tara Westover

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh

Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe

Tuesday Nights in 1980 by Molly Prentiss

She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey

If you have any book recommendations for 2020, send them my way! Leave a comment below.

Read 2019 In Books Part One , 2019 In Books Part Two , 2019 In Books, Part Three

2019 in Books, Part Three

Time for Part Three of my 2019 year in books series (Part One, Part Two , Part Four). This batch has a bit more non-fiction in it, some writing about writing, as well as some very good and experimental fiction. This year, I made a goal for myself to read more, and have. This happened, in part by always having books around that I was excited about reading, and if I wasn't into a book, I put it away for another day or returned it to the library. I find there are times that I’m just in the mood for a particular kind of book. I also listened to audio books for some longer non fiction pieces as it was harder to carve out time to read them, and I can listen while I’m working in the studio or running.

A few notes: I’m breaking up the list into four parts because I have been reading a lot more books this year, and I want to keep a record of them here. Included below are most of the books I read this year in July, August and September. I love getting book recommendations, so I’m sharing mine here, and I’d love to hear some of yours. If you’ve got any great books you want to share, leave them in the comments below. I’m only including books here that I recommend, which is most of the books that I read. I tend to not finish books that I don’t like. Also, I get A LOT of books from the library, libraries are amazing!

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - I tried to read this at the beginning of the year, but couldn’t get into it. I wasn’t in the right mood. But I’ve heard very good things about it, so when Sonia suggested it as a book to listen to on a long car trip, I was on board. I’m glad I finally got to read it, I liked the story, and the connection to water, and the natural world. The foreshadowing and the back and forth in time felt a bit heavy handed at times, but I really liked the ending.

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn - Hands down I recommend this book to everyone. I still think about this book all the time! The author and her husband lose their farm just as her husband gets a devestating diagnosis. Finding themselves homeless, they decide to walk the South West Coast Path. An if not now, then when, kind of decision. I was so impressed with their story and the writing.

Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe - A fun read of a memoir told in letters between sisters, as Nina works as a nanny in London in the 90s.

Aug 9th, Fog by Kathryn Scanlyn - A fictional re-working/re-telling of a found diary, this slim volume has a curiosity about it that feels very much in line with some of Anne Carson’s artist books.

The Governesses by Anne Serre - A bit of a creepy, dark and fantastical story of governesses on a rural estate in France. I’d never read anything by Anne Serre and really enjoyed this one.

Tuesday Nights in 1980 by Molly Prentiss - I met Molly briefly at a residency in Oaxaca, where she was (if I remember correctly) finishing up this book. So I was excited to finally get a chance to read it. It’s set in 1980s New York, in the art world, which I especially enjoyed. All those hours of studying art history coming alive in the pages. But what was most interesting was her use of color and the body throughout.

Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe - I read Patrick Radden Keefe’s book the Snakehead earlier this year and loved it, so I was excited to read his new book on the troubles in Northern Ireland in the 70s and onwards. Growing up (with an Irish family) in the 90s near Boston, there was a lot of talk about the IRA in my household and region. I’ve also been obsessed with the show Derry Girls on Netflix, so reading this was really interesting to get a more detailed history. It focused on the murder of Jean McConville in 1972, and some of the players in the IRA during that time and onwards, as the author tries to figure out who killed her, and understand all the dynamics at play. Her story was just one of many that are told in this book.

Hashtag Authentic by Sara Tasker - A fun and inspirational book about instagram and storytelling. I took Sara Tasker’s online instagram course a while back and this is a nice supplement to it.

Agnes Martin by Francis Morris and Briony Fer - I finally got to go see the Agnes Martin room in Taos at the Harwood Museum of Art. It’s so good! If you’re ever in the area, go visit. I got this book shortly afterwards so that I could revisit some of her paintings.

Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney - So good! I’m totally in the Sally Rooney camp now.

Meander, Spiral, Explode by Jane Allison - A book all about different narrative styles of writing. I really enjoyed reading this. It challenges all the things you’re so often told about how to structure a novel. Also all of the examples made my to-read list way longer.

How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell - I got this for myself as a birthday present, as a reminder to take some time away from the constant online world. Written by an artist, I related to this book on so many levels. Definitely recommend!

Supper Club by Lara Williams - This novel was a bit of a wild ride, a supper club take on fight club. Finished it in one sitting which is always satisfying (on a long airplane ride).

The Sisters by Dervla McTiernan - This one is a novella prequel to Dervla McTiernan’s books The Ruin and The Scholar, a detective series set in Galway, Ireland. Spoiler - I’ve since read her other two books and really enjoy this series.

The Missing Hours by Emma Kavanagh - I think that I found this one by randomly browsing at the library, which I hardly do anymore. It being a British detective novel, which is obviously a favorite genre of mine, it was a safe bet. A standalone novel about the kidnap and ransom industry, I found the whole world fascinating and terrifying.

All at Sea by Decca Aitkenhead - Another book that I recommend to everyone, I still think about this one a lot as well. Written by journalist Decca Aitkenhead, it tells the story of her unlikely romance with her husband, and dealing with the grief after he dies trying to rescue their son on vacation. So beautifully written, I was haunted by this story (in the best way).

Hidden Nature by Alys Fowler - I loved this book! I’m going to say that more than once here. But it’s true. I really enjoyed reading Alys Fowler’s descriptions of exploring the canals of Birmingham. During her journey she also falls in love with a woman, and begins the process of ending her relationship with her husband. As a queer writer and reader and lover of nature writing, I was really happy to find this book. Her other books on gardening are also great!

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer - Ok I just said this, but I also really love this book! I cried at the end. I’ve told everyone I know to read this book. I wanted to read it for ages, but somehow didn’t get around it until now. Go read this book! I love how Meg Wolitzer writes about creativity and the longevity of friendships in this book, it really struck a chord with me.

To be continued…

Read 2019 In Books Part One , 2019 In Books Part Two , 2019 In Books Part Four

Rockscapes at Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia

Peggy’s Cove is about a 50 minute drive from Halifax, where Soni’s family lives. We went on a grey, almost rainy weekday, which worked in our favor as it’s a very touristed + photographed spot. There were a few tour buses in the parking lot when we arrived. I can’t imagine what this place is like on summer weekends! As ever, I love seeing places in the slightly off season, when the weather it a touch moodier and the tourists are scarce. Can you tell I grew up in a tourist town?

The rocks are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Large expanses of rock with shallow and deep cracks make up the shoreline here. Looking at it from a distance, the rocks take on a sea-like quality, with the soft undulations of the granite, echoing the Atlantic just beyond. My favorite thing as a kid, much to my parents chagrin, was running as fast as I could on the rocks, on the jetty out to the water, and around tide pools at the beach. This would have been heaven for me as a kid.

Signs posted around the lighthouse warn to stay off of the black (wet) rocks, as it’s easy to get caught unawares and swept away by a wave if you’re not careful. Indeed, when I looked up Peggy’s Cove later, the word that gets attached to it in many articles is “deadly” and “black rocks”. We didn’t go onto the black rocks, and weren’t tempted. We opted instead for a hot tea in the gift shop.

Photo Session: Catharine in Halifax Nova Scotia

Loved doing this golden hour photo shoot with Catharine. The sun disappeared right when we needed it, but I still love how these turned out. There’s a softness to the light from the cloud cover that night.

2019 in Books, Part Two

Okay, time for Part Two of my 2019 year in books. (Part One , Part Three , Part Four ) This year, I set a goal for myself to make the time to read more. It’s been really great. I’ve been able to read, and finish, a lot of books that have been sitting on my to-read list for far too long. I’m breaking up the list into four parts because I have been reading a lot more books this year, and I want to keep a record of them here. Included below are most of the books I read this year in April, May and June. I love getting book recommendations, so I’m sharing mine here, and I’d love to hear some of yours. If you’ve got any great books you want to share, leave them in the comments below.

*a note, I’m only including books here that I recommend, which is most of the books that I read. I tend to not finish books that I don’t like. Also, I get most books from the library, libraries are amazing! I also enjoy listening to audio books when I’m working in the studio, which definitely helps me get through more books.

Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny - A few years back, I started listening to Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache mystery series as audio books from the library. I love getting transported into the woods of Québec. I’ve read most of the books in this series and they are fun, I even got Sonia into them on a few road trips!

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths - I’ve read several of Griffiths’ books in the Ruth Galloway mystery series, so I was intrigued to pick up her new standalone mystery, about a letter writer spooking a small town and school. A fun read, stayed up late reading this one and had a few scary dreams as a result…

The Lost Man by Jane Harper - I loved Jane Harper’s first two books, The Dry and Force of Nature, and while this one is a standalone mystery, I enjoyed it just as much. She writes about rural life in Australia with beauty and detail. Definitely recommend reading any of her books.

The Snakehead by Patrick Radden Keefe - This book was super fascinating. Starting with the shipwreck of the Golden Venture in NYC in 1993, it explores the dense networks of human smuggling in Chinatown and the woman who ran most of it. It took me a while to finish this one, but I really loved reading it, and learned so much about how immigration policies shift over time.

Maid by Stephanie Land - I read this book in two nights, and stayed up so late to finish it. I could not put it down. Everyone should read this book. This powerful memoir by Stephanie Land details her struggle to earn a living and keep her young daughter safe in the Pacific Northwest.

Educated by Tara Westover - This was an intense book to read right after Maid, but I loved it just as much, and as I did with Maid, I stayed up almost all night to finish it. I was so impressed with Westover’s story, struggle and writing.

Huntress by Kate Quinn - An interesting novel about the hunt for a war criminal in post WWII Europe and America. I liked how the book mixed up the narrators to tell all the different stories.

Emotional Currency by Kate Levinson - I really needed this book this year. With some shuffling and reprioritizing of things in my business and life, I’ve really struggled with how I think - and how my family thinks, - about money: not having enough, what is enough, etc. Emotional Currency is an interesting book with lots of women’s stories about their own journey with money. Women should be talking about money more, not less, and this book helps.

Abode by Serena Mitnik-Miller and Mason St. Peter - This beautiful book by the owners of General Store in California features lots of home renovation tips, with some DIY projects thrown in. For those who are not afraid of painting walls white. Reading this makes me want to fix up a house so much!

Normal People by Sally Rooney - I saw this on almost everyone’s list of favorite books this year, so I was excited to finally read it. It’s now on my favorites list too! And I promply added her first book Conversations With Friends to my hold list at the Library.

Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton - Loved this book, as I knew I would. You should probably read this, and listen to Dolly Alderton’s podcast with Pandora Sykes called the High Low. They also always have good book recommendations!

Cruel Acts by Jane Casey - I’ve been reading (and loving) Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan mystery series for a few years now. I eagerly look forward to the next year’s installment.

The Dark Angel + The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths - After reading Elly Griffiths’ newest book (above), I realized that she had released two new books in her Ruth Galloway mystery series that I hadn’t read yet. If you can call a mystery light, I’d say that these are. They are atmospheric, and always incorporate some interesting historical and archaelogical references. I enjoy reading them and they don’t give me too many nightmares.

Wild Fire by Ann Cleeves - The last book in Ann Cleeves Shetland series, I liked the mystery and how she wrapped up the series. I’m also a huge fan of the tv show made out of this series, called Shetland. I’ve been nagging Sonia to go with me to the Shetland Islands ever since I started reading these books. Hopefully soon!

My Sister The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite - So good! I loved this book, told in the first person by a young nurse in Nigeria, whose life is constantly being derailed by her sister’s murderous ways.

West Cork by Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde - Technically this is a podcast, available on Audible, but I really enjoyed it, so I’m including it here. The authors investigate a cold case in West Cork, Ireland, and struggle to find new answers in the murder of a French woman many years earlier.

Death At Whitewater Church by Andrea Carter - Set in a small coastal town in Ireland, this mystery features a moody solicitor called Ben, who can’t stop herself from solving local crimes. There are three more books in this series, which I’m looking forward to reading.

To be continued…

Read 2019 In Books Part One , 2019 In Books, Part Three , 2019 in Books, Part Four

A Morning on Campobello Island

From the town of Lubec, Maine you can see across the border to Canada. At West Quoddy Head Light, you can see the back of Grand Manan Island. In town, in Lubec, you can see the shores and lighthouse on Campobello Island. There is a bridge to Campobello Island, with a small border crossing station set up on either side. We had a little bit of extra time before driving to New Brunswick and then onto Nova Scotia, and decided to visit. It was my first time visiting Canada twice in one day!

Not really knowing where we were going, we decided to just drive across the island. We reached the other side and found a lighthouse - the Head Harbor Light Station. It’s only accessible at low tide. We arrived well past low tide, and the staircases on either side led down into the water. The tides here are quite strong and dramatic, as you can see in some of the photographs below. If I ever make it back to Lubec and Campobello, I’d love to take a boat out in the harbor. It was so beautiful!

We drove back across the island to the second lighthouse, Mulholland Lighthouse. This one is visible from the town of Lubec, and you can see Lubec across the water in the background. We were hoping to catch sight of a whale, as some folks we met in town told us they were often seen, but sadly they didn’t visit us that day. We did get a few seal visitors though, before heading back across the bridge as we set off for New Brunswick, and our second visit to Canada.

Studio Visit: the books and paintings of Jacinta Bunnell

Anne Elizabeth Moore connected me with Jacinta Bunnell earlier this year, and I’m so glad she did! She makes awesome feminist and queer coloring books for kids and adults of all ages. I truly wish that they had been around when I was a kid. Since this Summer, I’ve been helping her out with some website and social media projects and getting to know her work really well. Last month, she released a new coloring book in Spanish, and I wanted to share it here.

We recently did a long distance studio visit, (I’m in New Mexico and Jacinta is in Hudson Valley, New York). You can read my interview with Jacinta about her books and practice below. Included are some photos that I took of her coloring books, and some photos Jacinta sent me of her artwork and studio. You can find the rest of her work at jacintabunnell.com and all of her books at queerbookcommittee.com.

Rebecca Mir Grady: You mentioned that you have a residency this fall that's at a library or a collection of kids books?

Jacinta Bunnell: I will be in residency for a week at the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center. They have the largest collection of children’s books with LGBTQ content I have ever personally seen. I have a long professional relationship with Adrian Shanker, the Founder and Executive Director, who I met at a youth organizers conference in the early 2000s when he was a student activist. When the new girls will be boys will be girls will be… was released, he invited me to show the images from the book in the art gallery at the Center. While there for the opening, I was amazed by their vast children’s library and proposed a residency so I could study the books. The Center was able to secure funding and I am looking forward to teaching some workshops while there, spending my days reading children’s books, and working on my second kid’s book.

RMG: Can you tell me a bit about how you got started making art?

JB: I was always a crafty kid. My favorite thing to do was create new bubble letter fonts and make sings for my bedroom door with my name. My dad and my Aunt Bobbi were self-taught artists who nurtured a certain artistic side of me, but I didn't have any formal training or even consider that I could take an art class in high school. 

I took one drawing class in college because I tried to take a class with every known queer teacher at Bucknell, where I got a degree in Philosophy and religion. I spent a lot of time thinking about and working on social change while in college and knew that I wanted to do some sort of community organizing work when I graduated. Art was never on the table. 

When I graduated, I was a volunteer coordinator at a soup kitchen for a year and then got a job at Planned Parenthood, working as a health educator and case manager. While there in the 90s, I started an LGBTQ teen discussion group and one of the activities I led was making zines about our personal stories. In some ways, those zines were the predecessor to what I am doing now. 

Jacinta Bunnell’s collage art, courtesy of the artist.

RMG: Have you always made collage style paintings? Has there been an evolution in your style over the years? What are you working on right now?

JB: The first real painting I ever made was in the early 2000s and began as a collage that I painted an image over. I was living with my partner Michael, who is a trained visual artist and illustrator. I was intrigued by what he and so many artists living in the Hudson Valley were doing. I asked them for art lessons. Out of necessity after a head trauma, which left me with blinding headaches when I read or wrote for a year and a half, I began painting because it didn’t give me a headache, and gave me something to do so I didn’t go mad not being able to read and write. I discovered that I loved it. My first works were so simple, but everyone around me was so supportive. I had some shows at local cafes and I sold the work. I kept going because it gave me such peace to make art. It is one of the only times when the swirl of worries and to-do lists in my head stop. Currently, I just finished designing two album covers for children’s musicians and am hand-painting a pair of pants for one of them to wear on tour. Working for oneself can be so uncertain some days because you don’t always know where the next job is coming from, but it is such a fun adventure.

RMG: You also make books, coloring books. How long have you been making those? Some of them are collaborations, can you tell me about how you started making those?

JB: I have been creating coloring books since 2001. When I was a childcare provider and health educator, so much of the children’s media I came across was heteronormative and sexist, so I combined forces with another creative friend, Irit Reinheimer (also a childcare provider at the time) to write the first book, girls will be boys will be girls wll be.... We initially made it for our friends and community, but found that it had a wider appeal than we had originally envisioned. I loved the process of creating the first book so much, that I just kept going. I had the idea for the second one, Girls Are Not Chicks, but I didn’t have great graphic design skills, so I invited my friend Julie Novak to collaborate with me on that one. When I had the idea for the third book, Sometimes the Spoon Runs Away With Another Spoon, I had the whole concept laid out and written but wanted some illustrations that really popped. I met Nat Kusinitz at a craft fair at Bard College where he was tabling some of his original drawings. I absolutely fell in love with his style and asked if he would collaborate on this book with me. ForThe Big Gay Alphabet, I enlisted Leela Corman, who I had met at a writing workshop with Lynda Barry. 

RMG: Do you make any other kinds of books? I.e. zines, artist books, etc.

JB: I was first introduced to zines in 1995 by my friend Rodica Weitzman who showed me some Riot Grrrl and radical self-care zines. I had agreed to facilitate a zine-making workshop for young people with her, so I had to figure out very quickly what they were all about! I immediately felt connected to this form of expression, having spent many hours making my own hand-drawn books as a child. It seems like such an obvious next step to me now, to photocopy your art and/or writing and pass it out to your friends, but it was such a revolutionary concept to me when I first heard about it! Now, when I teach zine-making workshops in schools or youth shelters, or just mention the idea of using a photocopier to a young artist/writer in order to replicate their work, I see the same light bulb go off above their head. I love introducing people to their neighborhood photocopier. It brings instant joy. It’s one of my favorite “tools”. I find great value in the process of creating something handmade. It activates an important part of our brains and hearts.

Zines prove to me time and time again that our work does not need to be validated by publishers in order to make a difference in people’s lives or be wildly loved. Zines give people belief in their own ideas; when you see someone else, maybe someone who isn’t scholarly, who has put things down on paper for others to read, you can possibly imagine yourself doing the same thing. You can still get my zines at Quimby’s in Chicago and Brooklyn, a place that has been a stronghold in the zine community forever.

RMG: You just released the Spanish version of one of your first books Las niñas pueden ser reyes - congrats, that's so exciting! How did the translation project come about? Do you think any of your other coloring books will also get translations?

JB: In 2009, I received an email from an educator in Nicaragua named Fernanda Siles who offered to translate Girls Are Not Chicks into Spanish after buying it at a conference. I could not have been more thrilled! But the translated document sat on my computer for nine years before my publisher was ready to turn it into a book. I would love if any of my other books got translated into ANY language. I currently have a translation of girls will be boys will be girls will be… in Russian sitting on my computer that a Vassar student did for me after I taught a workshop there.

RMG: Do you have any book projects in the works? Do you think you'll ever make a kid's story book, after all the coloring books?

JB: I just signed a contract on my first children’s story book! I wrote it in 2009 and kept revising it over and over for the last decade. I would show it to folks to get feedback, shorten it, etc. I found the work of Crystal Vielula at Bluestockings Bookstore. She self-publishes these fantastic coloring books featuring animals in fashionable outfits. I was obsessed! I asked her to collaborate on this book and I am really happy with how it is turning out.

RMG: What does a normal day in the studio look like for you? Do you have favorite tools or even music or podcasts that you like to have in the studio with you?

JB: There is no normal. Many days I don’t even make it into the studio because I have side hustles that pay the bills, such as doing home organizing for people. When I am in the studio, I listen to a lot of podcasts: The Daily, 1619, The Anthropocene Reviewed, Two Dope Queens, 99% Invisible, Code Switch, and StoryCorps are some of my favorites. I have a large antique bookshelf that my mom bought at an auction for me when I was a teenager. It is filled with books I cut up for collage. I usually feel the need to tidy up my space before beginning a project for the day.

RMG: Are there places/things that you look to for inspiration for your work?

JB: My guilty pleasure is design and home decor magazines. I love the colors, fabrics, and design ideas.

Jacinta Bunnell in her studio, image courtesy of the artist.

Jacinta Bunnell’s studio, image courtesy of the artist.

Thanks so much Jacinta! Check out the rest of her work at jacintabunnell.com and all of her books at queerbookcommittee.com.

At the Edge of the US in Lubec Maine

My mom took a road trip by herself a few years ago, driving all the way up the coast of Maine. She stayed in Lubec for a few days, driving over the bridge onto Campobello Island and into Canada. Lubec is the northeastern most point of the US, and its lighthouse is iconic. She told us all about the trip, and I’ve been dreaming about going ever since. In May, when Soni and I were planning a trip to Maine and Nova Scotia to visit both of our families, we decided to fly to Portland, stay with my family for a week, then take the ferry from Bar Harbor, Maine to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. This was another dream of mine, to take the ferry again to Nova Scotia. When I was a kid, we took a family vacation to Nova Scotia and rode the ferry. I loved it! I especially remember my dad sneaking me into the casino where I used a slot machine for the first and only time in my life.

All Summer long we got updates from the ferry, they were building a new terminal, and everything was delay, delay, delay. Then they refunded our tickets without letting us know that they’d canceled. The thought of another multiple connection flight to get to Halifax from Portland was exhausting. We mapped the route and decided to rent a car for one way. This way, we could stop in New Brunswick on the way to visit Sonia’s grandmother. I told my mom of our updated plan, and she said no way, don’t rent a car, I’ll drive you. Can you get Soni’s parents to meet you in New Brunswick?

The drive from Kennebunk, Maine to Moncton, New Brunswick is an all-day trip. My mom has been dealing with lyme disease and it’s kind of an exhausting trip for her, so I suggested that we make it into a road trip, doing two shorter days of driving, and stopping in Lubec. I booked us rooms at the Eastland Motel, and we were set. This way, I get at least one of my Maine dreams on this trip!

September is a funny time in Maine. Fall is beginning, but there are a few wisps of Summer left. The first day I was in Maine, I got a warm day, warm enough for a beach day. The rest of the nights were cool, and the trees were beginning to change colors. October is prime leaf season in Maine, but in September there are tiny pops of red along the roads and here and there in the forest. The drive to Lubec was beautiful. We got there in the early afternoon and caught some beautiful light at West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. From the lighthouse and the beach, you can see Grand Manan Island in Canada. On the beach, our phones all switched over to Canadian service, unclear of where the US/Canada border is. Grand Manan Island looked like one long cliff, a giant island with nothing on it. Sonia told us that her mom lived there for a while when she was younger. In the parking lot, we found a map of the islands, and it appeared that the other side of the island was more accessible by boat, and that was where the majority of the inhabitants lived. After visiting the lighthouse, we went out to dinner in downtown Lubec, at the Lubec Brewing Company, a cute farm-to-table restaurant on Water St. (the main street in town).

I’ll always love Summer in Maine, when you can stay in the water for hours. But growing up in a tourist town in Maine, there’s something so magical about the off season, when most of the tourists go home and the beaches empty out. Even when I am the tourist, I love the quieter time of year. I don’t mind the weather, it’s just lovely to be there.

2019 in Books, Part One

Today was the first sign of snow here in Santa Fe. All day I was dreaming about getting cozy and warm and curling up with book. I love books. This year, I set a goal for myself to make the time to read more. It’s been really great. I’ve been able to read, and finish, a lot of books that have been sitting on my to-read list for far too long.

Whenever I hear of an interesting book, I get on the waitlist for it at the library. It’s great to have a line up of interesting books waiting for me to pick up. I really appreciate receiving book recommendations, so I thought I’d share some of mine here. Here is part one (Jan. - Mar.) of my year in books.

*a note, I’m only including books here that I recommend, which is most of the books that I read. I tend to not finish books that I don’t like. Also, I get most books from the library, libraries are amazing! I also enjoy listening to audio books when I’m working in the studio, which definitely helps me get through more books.

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss - I can’t remember where I found this recommendation, but I stayed up way past my bedtime reading this one cover to cover. Un-put-down-able. So of course as soon as I finished it, I moved onto another Sarah Moss book!

Cold Earth by Sarah Moss - A spooky read, set in Greenland with a team of researchers looking into an old settlement during the Arctic Summer. I like the mystery in her books, as well as how she shows the complicated sides of archaelogy, and digging up the past.

The Witch Elm by Tana French - I loved all of Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad mysteries for their dark complexity. This one is a standalone mystery that is dense and confusing, and very vivid. I will read anything Tana French writes, always.

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng - I listened to this as an audio book, and when I think back to the story, I remember walking around listening to this on headphones, feeling as if I was walking around with all of the characters in 1970s Ohio. I really enjoyed this, and look forward to reading Ng’s second book, Little Fires Everywhere.

Melmoth by Sarah Perry - This was a lovely literary horror story. I was going to write that it was delicious, but I’m not quite sure that’s the right word, or that I’m confident enough to say that about a book. It’s scary and lonely and spooky and full of beautiful details.

An Edited Life by Anna Newton - A bit of a twist on Marie Kondo, this one tackles editing closets, dealing with too many emails, and more. I actually found the chapter on money the most helpful. Most things that I read about budgeting have been discouraging and shaming. This book had a way more thoughtful and inclusive approach that I found useful.

Salt Lane by William Shaw - I’m always looking for a good mystery to read before bed, and this was a good one. A rural police procedural with a strong female detective lead, it was throroughly engaging. (If the library had a searchable category for “strong female leads” like Netflix does, I would be all over it!).

Upstream by Mary Oliver - I love Mary Oliver. She has such a way with words. I’m not usually a huge fan of poetry - I find a lot of it difficult to access - but Mary Oliver is like no other for me. I love all of her writing!

There There by Tommy Orange - This one was recommended by everyone, and it didn’t disappoint. I often find multiple narrators challenging to read, but I was engaged the whole way through, and loved the narrative structure. This was a powerful book, and so beautifully crafted.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh - I heard about Otessa Moshfegh on the High Low podcast (my favorite!). They often talk about the books they’re reading, so it’s a great one for recommendations. I really enjoyed this book. Set in the early 2000s, it’s about an aimless protagonist who doesn’t want to do much in NYC. The early 2000s pop culture references and art world critiques were especially awesome.

When All Is Said by Anne Griffin - A tale of a whole life, told in five toasts in one night at a bar. And also a story about how Ireland has changed through the generations. An impressive first novel.

After You by Jojo Moyes and Still Me by Jojo Moyes - I watched Me Before You one night when Sonia was out of town, and definitely cried at the end. The next day, when I was aimlessly scrolling through the Santa Fe Public Library’s audio book selection, the sequel popped up. I never read the first book, but I enjoyed reading both follow up books.

How to Not Always Be Working by Marlee Grace - I’ve been following Marlee Grace on instagram for years, since back in the day when she used to run a art/bookstore and I sent some of my SHE IS RESTLESS zines there. This tiny book focuses on maintaining hobbies, nourishing creativity, and taking time outs. A good reminder. I should probably read this one again soon.

Read 2019 in Books, Part Two, 2019 In Books, Part Three , 2019 In Books, Part Four

On Writing and Painting, a Photo Session + Interview with Emma Grady in Cape Porpoise, Maine

Emma Grady is a writer and painter based in Brooklyn, NY. As Emma’s older sister, it’s safe to say that I’ve known her for a long time. I have always been immensely proud of her. We traveled home to Maine together in September, and took advantage of our time together to do a portrait session and a little Q&A which you can find below. I recently helped Emma redo her websites, so we wanted to get some fresh portraits to use. You can find her writing at emmagrady.com and her painting at emmagradystudio.com. Her writing has recently been featured on Man Repeller and Glamour.com.

Becca Grady: You do a lot of things, how do you describe them, what’s your elevator pitch?

Emma Grady: I’m a freelance writer for magazines focused on personal essays about (what I hope are deeply relatable topics), from romance to fashion. I’m also a copywriter for brands and a painter. 

BG: You've been writing and painting for a long time now. Can you talk a bit about how you got started? Have you always done both? 

EG: Yes, I studied literature, art history and painting in college. I’ve always been interested in fashion and when I graduated, I merged that with writing and became a fashion writer fresh out of school. I moved to New York City and was mainly focusing on getting my writing career off the ground and recently picked up painting again about 4 years ago.

BG: When did you first start painting? 

EG: I studied various mediums throughout school and loved drawing portraits. I was later drawn to abstract painting because I never quite knew how a piece would come out. I never paint with a particular goal in mind, I’m very much inspired by colors and the brush strokes and how it all interacts on the canvas. That’s what keeps me hooked, that element of surprise. 

BG: How has your style evolved over the years? 

EG: I’ve always been drawn to a classic style which is why I love vintage fashion so much. In my twenties, I almost never bought any new clothes and primarily shopped secondhand and vintage. Now that I’ve reflected a bit on my style, I see that I sometimes bought things because they were a great deal and not my style, so I tend to think more about bringing anything into my wardrobe. I’m still drawn to timeless pieces, but my day-to-day wardrobe is comprised of new investment pieces rather than vintage items. 

BG: How did you get started writing? I know that your writing practice has changed a lot, from writing about ethical fashion to more personal essays. Can you talk about that shift?

EG: My start in writing is based in ethical fashion and that will always be a part of me. After publishing more than 1,000 articles about fashion designers and their latest collections, I wanted to write about something personal and more specific to my experience. For example, I wanted to write about being a freelance writer from a small town in Maine and moving to a big city and all the ups and downs of that. I wanted to write what I like to read, which is personal essays that make you feel connected to those around you. 

BG: What are you working on right now? 

EG: I’m working on new pitches for magazines as well as a personal essay that I’m going to pitch to Modern Love. Pitching for me is spontaneous and I never know when I’ll get a story idea as I’m very much inspired by my daily life. I do, however, set aside time to think about how I can frame certain stories as well as read what stories magazines are publishing. 

BG: I'm always interested in how creatives who work in different media balance their practice. Does writing and painting feel like separate practices to you, or do they overlap? Where do you find your inspiration? How do you think about them? 

EG: I view painting and writing as very separate though my process is similar. When I paint, I turn off my brain a bit. I don’t think about what I’m doing, it just happens. Similarly, to writing, when I have an idea, the story writes itself. That is creative inspiration to me, there is no struggle, it feels easy. 

BG: What is a typical day in the studio for you? Do you have any writing or painting routines? Do you have a favorite tool or music that you have to listen to? 

EG: I listen to the same music when I write as I do when I paint, which is electronic house music. There’s something about listening to my favorite DJs — like Lane 8, Amtrac, Rüfüs du Sol — which makes me feel energized and excited. It’s the same music I listen to when I run as well. I like to zone out any outside noise so I can focus. As any writer knows, being interrupted and losing your train of thought when you’re in the middle of a story is not so much fun. 

BG: Do you have any favorite writers or artists that you look to for inspiration?

EG: I’m one of those writers who is always afraid of being influenced by other writers but it’s unavoidable. I love The Cut’s Ask Polly column, that’s one thing I like forward to reading always.

BG: You live in New York - there are so many good museums there. I think my favorite museum trip we ever did together was when we went to the Met Cloisters. I'd never heard of it until you told me about it, and it's in such a beautiful museum in an amazing spot on the north side of the city. Do you have places in the city that you like to return to like that? 

EG: The Met still remains my favorite museum. It’s actually fun to go alone, to daydream and go at your own pace. I went to Florence and Paris last year and wandered around the museums there. I’m particularly drawn to landscapes and portraits. I always wonder about the people in them, which appeals to my background in art history. 

Emma’s painting, inspired by the colors of New Mexico, hanging in my home in Santa Fe.

Two of Emma’s smaller paintings, on display in my home in Santa Fe.

Thanks Emma! To see the rest of Emma’s paintings head to emmagradystudio.com, and find her writing at emmagrady.com .

Sunrise and Moonrise in Cape Porpoise Maine

In September, I went home to Maine for a week. Sonia and my sister Emma joined me, and we rented a small cottage in Cape Porpoise. It was on the harbor, and after so long in the desert, it was amazing to smell and hear the ocean so close.

The first night in the house, it was warm enough to keep the windows open at night, and I was surprised to be woken up way before sunrise by the sound of diesel engines starting up and chugging out of the harbor. Cape Porpoise is an active harbor, and you’ll often see fishing and lobster boats heading in and out past the pier.

Growing up, my dad often moored his small wooden sailboat in Stage Harbor, and we would often sleep there, jumping in the water during the day and playing cards at night with the musty old deck that lived on board. I still remember the smell of the kerosene lamps. At low tide, we could walk out to the islands.

There was a spectacular moon one night, and the next morning I got up early (though not as early as some of the local fisherfolk) to catch the sunrise. I will never tire of sunrises on the coast.

Mountain Time: Trampas Lake

I love the drive to the Trampas Lake trailhead. It’s about an hour and a half from Santa Fe, but the last half hour drive is on a long dirt road, heading into the forest, past a small town and a number of campsites. We did this hike last summer. I was still pretty new to hiking at that point, so it was a tough one for me. This year it seemed much easier.

The day was cloudy and threatened to rain. The morning mist hovered in the trees, shrouding the mountains, never quite burning off with the mid-day sun. It was beautiful, and a lovely way to see Trampas Lake. Last summer, it had been really hot and sunny, and the trail, lake, and mountains looked completely different. Amazing what a little cloud cover can do.

Summer In Valles Caldera

There is something about Valles Caldera. Everytime I go, from the first time almost two years ago, to two weeks ago, I just immediately relax. There is something about the landscape, the open valley around the remnants of a volcano that blew thousands of years ago. I could stare at it forever and not tire of the view.

We drove out there on a day when we didn’t quite have enough time for a big hike, but wanted to go for a walk all the same. The loop around the Caldera is a pretty one, and it’s short, so when pressed for time, we often will come for the view and the quiet.

Photo Session: A Summer Picnic with Lady Krispie

The days that I get a care package full of Lady Krispie cereal treats in the mail are the best! In the latest box from Lady Krispie, there were some new treats made with nutter butter cereal with nutter butter cookies, marshmallow and extra peanut butter. There were also rice krispie and peeps cereal mixed with marshmallows, popcorn, teddy grahams and white chocolate. I love getting to see and try all the different combinations that Lady Krispie makes with her cereal treats. To celebrate, we packed up the cooler and picnicked by a stream.

If you need custom cereal treats for your next picnic or party head on over to ladykrispie.com.