Calling all Bibliophiles, Savants, and Casual Readers: We’ve all made it! If you’re reading this right now: you is beautiful, you is kind, and you have survived. Congratulate yourself on completing the first month of 2018, not an easy fete. How many of us have stuck to those pesky New Year’s resolutions? How many of us have gone to the gym more than twice? How many of us really stopped swearing? How many of us have added a million and one new books to our to-read list when you haven’t even finished the list from last year?
Just me? Okay I’m projecting.
The truth is January was tough for me and probably tough for you too. January is heralded as a month of renewal and new beginnings. It’s the perfect time of year to get your shit together. Create that business you wanted, start that project you’ve wanted, watch those movies you wanted, read that book you’ve wanted. Learn to adult.
However, throughout the month I felt plagued with a borage of terrible news stories coupled with terrible weather and a terrible government. It took a lot for me to turn down the noise and get focused. But eventually I did it. My motivating factor was simple: there is a beautiful bubbling of change and progress in the air despite all of real problems we have. I want to be a part of it. I have been so inspired by all of women speaking out about the sexual abuse they have experienced which previously silenced them #metoo. This sentiment came to a head at the 2nd annual Women’s March. Hearing all of those brave people speak about the strife women have faced and are currently facing while seeing an array of people calling for change really inspired me. It propelled me push forward in my goals.
But it isn’t enough. Black Women’s stories need to be told. Trans Women’s stories need to be told. So many people’s stories are left without shine on them or not told at all. What happens after the marching, after the pussy hats, after the #metoo pins? What happens? We need to do real work.
One of the many reasons, I started Thriced was to celebrate the diversity of stories especially those in women and POC. I want to read stories that bring new perspectives into the fold and are celebrated for it. Let’s face it: The publishing industry can be one-note despite the big world we live in. Someone needs to showcase stories that bring agency to different types of lives. All genres are important, but particularly diversity in fiction is much more important than some of us realize. Allowing disenfranchised communities to creativity express their truths saves lives. It saved mine.
And thus, this real new-new resolution has stuck. The only truth resolution I made: read and review three books a month. Some tumbles were made and will continue to be made, but we’ve found some footing haven’t we?
So here’s to 2018: the year we dedicate ourselves to reading lots of amazing books while helping to do our part in creating a better future.
New Year, Same feels.
-Thriced
January Report: We’ve read 3 books. Almost 1000 pages. 33 more to go!
Thriced 