It is no secret that Nora Goes Off Script was my favorite new book of 2022. I read it in basically one sitting. And then again six weeks later in two sittings. And a third time before the year was over.

So when I looked to see what else Annabel Monaghan has written I pre-ordered her novel coming out next year and got a copy of Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big. I haven’t ordered the YA novels yet but I’m close.

Volvo is a collection of essays about modern motherhood and I laughed, I cried and I texted excerpts to my friends.

I’m seriously fan-girling out. Annabel’s voice is so fun and honest, inspiring and insightful and silly. It is the voice I try to capture in my writing. Especially in my newsletters. Reading Volvo made me feel seen and understood. I hope my email newsletters, blog posts and social media posts do the same for you. 

The essays in Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big reminded me of some of my past newsletters and have inspired me to go back and take a look. Maybe a published collection of essays is in my future? Maybe not? I shared how entertaining I found the essays and that they reminded me of things I’ve written with Dan. I also said something along the lines of “I bet I could publish mine.”

When he started to ask “So what is…” [the next step to do that] I promptly cut him off and said “nope, I don’t know so don’t ask.” 

He wisely pivoted and said “so what is the first essay about?”

Smart man.