Hi friends,

First, a story about dirt.

Our home in Aotearoa sits on a small piece of land, steep and awkwardly shaped. Historically, my attempts at tending to any kind of domestic plant life has resulted in the kind of carnage my ex-husband politely called my “Franken-garden.” But I feel galvanized in this new home to grow roots, literally and metaphorically. When we moved in, I had dreams of citrus trees, an olive grove, bountiful harvests, blooming natives.

The soil, I quickly learned, is crap: the thinnest layer of topsoil over compacted dirt and clay. Even weeds struggle to grow. I felt despairing of fulfilling my garden fantasies until I started reading Kath Irvine’s wonderful book The Edible Backyard (thank you, Haidi!). She explains that any soil can be transformed with care and patience. Yes, it might take years, decades even. But what better legacy than leaving the soil better than you found it?

I’m taking this to heart, in both my garden and my creative practice. Transformation can be sudden, and it can take a lifetime. We don’t always get to choose. Let us choose nourishment over extraction anyway.

If you’re sick of AI slop, here are three new books by bonafide human writers who have inspired me over the last six years:

• Chelsea Sutton’s novella, Krackle’s Last Movie (Split/Lip Press), is out now--swoop it up quick! Chelsea writes about monsters and myths with wit and humor and deep humanity.

• T. K. Rex has a story collection, The Wildcraft Drones, coming out with Stelliform Press in May. These solarpunk stories are intelligent and optimistic; they’ll come at you sideways and leave delicious ripples in their wake.

• May is a good month! Andrew Dana Hudson’s debut novel, Absence (Soho Press) also comes out; Kirkus describes it as “A haunted story about unfinished lives, the persistence of hope, and the consequences of grief without end.” We can all use a bit more hope at the moment, I’d say.

Other stuff I’m reading: Neko Case’s lyrical and unsettling memoir, The Harder I Fight the More I Love You; Lauren Groff’s transcendent, immaculate The Vaster Wilds; Xenobe Purvis’s The Hounding, spooky and wonderful; and Matt Dinneman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl series, which is completely unhinged and wildly entertaining.

Finally, my beloved friend Emily Scott Robinson has an absolutely brilliant new album out now from John Prine’s record label, Oh Boy Records. She’s the real deal, folks. Her songs feel made for these exquisite, troubling times. And she’s on tour right now! The first time I saw her perform, I wept.

What are you reading and listening to, friends? How are your hearts?

With love,

Jenny