Dear Reader,

The Practice of Attention comes out one week from tomorrow. This is my sixth book, three of which have been self-published and three of which have been put out by what the industry calls the Big Five publishing houses.

I’ve had a few comments from friends and peers exclaiming “Wow, it’s so brave of you to put a book out in a time like this” or “It must be hard to release something into the world when so much is happening”.

While these are always well meaning statements, especially when followed with how much we need a book about paying attention in these times, I feel a bit perplexed by comments on timing. In the country where I live, there is almost always a lot happening. It was built on distraction, horror, genocide, and violence. The systems at play have always been at play and I might argue that in this moment while it feels heightened it is not out of the oridnary. The last time a book of mine was published it was a week before the presidential election in 2020, another time not exactly primed for a book release.

While my psychic attunement does get stronger the older I get, this does not prepare me for knowing what is to come in terms of new cycles or current events. When we picked this publishing date over a year ago I wasn’t able to collaborate with multiple leaders of multiple countries to get the book to land in a way that was sensitive to the times.

It is my hope of course, that any book I write is sensitive to any time, because I am always in collaboration with and in response to the living world. I have a lot of acceptance that the only good time for a book to come out is the day it comes out. The rest is alchemy, hope, luck, and putting in the work.

All that being said, I am trying to float in a state of both being informed and solid in my values, and standing strong in promoting a non essential object. You don’t need this book to survive, but it might help you live in better service to those who would most benefit.

The next wave of writing a book is marketing and publicity, specifically without social media for a book about leaving social media. I collaborated with longtime pal Kristen Drozdowski of Worthwhile Paper to send some beautiful gifts to my friends. These packages are making their way to the people and we did a sweet little round up of what we choose.

Last week I shared just how much I spent on publicity for this book and if I felt like it worked or not.

So far my best marketing efforts have been those that have emerged organically, from decades-long relationships that have been nurtured over time and space.

The original outline and proposal for The Practice of Attention was created in 2021, almost exactly five years to the day of its release. It has been a journey of patience, early morning writing sessions, celebration, defeat, and ultimately joy.

If you’ve ever been touched by my work and have wanted to go deeper into my mind, this is the book for you. You have one week left to get the two pre order bonuses : The Attention Audit Workbook and a seven day email course called No Signal about taking a digital detox. You’ll also get an excerpt of the book to read before it arrives.

In this final week of pushing pre orders, I’ll be working on my thesis for grad school, finding moments to relax, luxuriating in the melting snow, and keeping my nervous system regulated.

I’d love to tell you about TWO VERY EXCITING EVENTS I WANT YOU TO COME TO IN PERSON!

The first is in my grad school home of Boulder, CO where I’ll be celebrating alongside my Naropa family and chosen queer family and strangers and hopefully YOU! Grab a ticket here.

Can you even believe? ITS TRUE!!!! Me and Amelia Hruby (Patron Saint of No Social Media) in real life together in Traverse City, MI on March 28! I went out on a whim and invited her to come to the rural north and she said yes. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime event. You can RSVP here.

If you’ve already bought the book, thank you. It means more than I can say. You can ask your local bookstore or neighborhood library to order a copy, get it on your e-reader, or listen to it as an audiobook narrated by me (A Bookseller Pick on Libro!)

I promise to keep having fun as the book rolls out, amidst the horrors of the world. It is not in spite of them, but because of them that I dedicate my life to paying attention.

May this book bring you into a sharpened perception of what is happening around and within you.

Exciting news! You can now buy a $1 sticker to put on your old copies of How to Not Always be Working and Getting to Center. Don’t have a copy of the books yet? They are for sale for $10 in my online shop. Thank you to jess herrera for the sticker designing assist.

Coming up : Click below to join the waitlists and hear more 

Cody's Clubhouse : A writing co-working group beta testing in the month of May 

Systems For Artists : March 28 + 29 with co-working on April 1

The Practice of Attention : Eight Week Study Group Sundays 5-6EST April 12 - May 31 

Can’t find handmade, inclusive clip art for your Canva projects? I got you, boo! Click here to get your FREE literacy clip art directly in your inbox.

Invitation to shift into our bodies, our heart’s longing, & our dreams for the future through movement, yoga, writing, nature, and travel in community: Dreamer’s Yoga & Writing Retreat in Spain 🌻

Sitting on an idea? Join Begin: an 8-week virtual group program to help you make moves on your creative dreams. Early bird ends Mar 13.

May 24–30. A small, founder-led Spanish Language & Culture Retreat in Barcelona. Final spots open ♡

36 Portals to Aliveness: a planner/workbook that begins at the Spring Equinox—a field guide YOU create—with tarot, playlists, moon transits + more. 

Want to book a classified ad for next week? Read all about it here.

Not only do I love classifieds so much, I see them ripple out into this community. I see my readers hiring each other, being guests on each others podcasts, and entering new ecoysystems. What a delight.

→ info@codycookparrott.com
→ www.codycookparrott.com
→ Follow Along on Are.na

Consider becoming a paid subscriber of this newsletter if you love it and want access to Cody’s World, Behind the Scenes of Business, and deeper personal essays