We just celebrated our 24th anniversary last week. My husband never had a middle name, just an initial, because his parents wanted to give him his grandfather’s name but he was still alive, and in Jewish custom, you don’t name someone after a living person. I had a middle name, but it was boring. My last name began with the same letter as my husband’s middle initial. So when we married, both of us took my maiden name as our middle names. Had the added bonus of shutting up a lot of people with opinions about whether I kept my name or not!
Your writing/editing partnership is so special (another thing I'm envious of! hah!)
Loved this bit of advice from that piece on killing your darlings: "Instead of clinging ferociously to what you’ve written, enter the space of literary creation as a place of trying on, as you might with a magical wardrobe of clothes: Keep what works, put back what does not, knowing that there’s an infinite budget, and no need to hoard."
We just celebrated our 24th anniversary last week. My husband never had a middle name, just an initial, because his parents wanted to give him his grandfather’s name but he was still alive, and in Jewish custom, you don’t name someone after a living person. I had a middle name, but it was boring. My last name began with the same letter as my husband’s middle initial. So when we married, both of us took my maiden name as our middle names. Had the added bonus of shutting up a lot of people with opinions about whether I kept my name or not!
So lovely!
Love when two substackers I subscribe collab! ❤️ love Kelly Johnson!
Ha, it always feels like a fun cross-over ep to me :) We love Kelly, too!
Thanks Janet!!!! 🫶🏻
I love how joyful all your posts are!
This is the type of compliment that sticks with you — thank you!! 💙
I have “The Husbands” on my nightstand. Next in line of succession. This got me very excited to crack that cover.
Just submitted my responses for your questions. Such great topics to flesh out a bit more!
Let Kelly and I know what you think when you finish! And thank you, Kaitlyn ☺️ Going to email you!
Your writing/editing partnership is so special (another thing I'm envious of! hah!)
Loved this bit of advice from that piece on killing your darlings: "Instead of clinging ferociously to what you’ve written, enter the space of literary creation as a place of trying on, as you might with a magical wardrobe of clothes: Keep what works, put back what does not, knowing that there’s an infinite budget, and no need to hoard."
Yes! I thought that line was really good, too. (And let’s trade essays sometime soon!!)