Bonus Day

Every four years Leap Day William bursts from the sea and gives good boys and girls candy from his magic bucket of treats. We all know the legends, and keep Leap Day William in our hearts as we spend our February 29th going for broke and doing the unthinkable.

Or so we hope, but it doesn’t always work out. I spent my bonus day working - I submitted some auditions, I responded to client emails, I took an ill-advised late afternoon nap, and then went to bed early so I could wake up on time for a client call in the morning.

It’s tempting to write off 2/29/24 as another day on the grind, and maybe it was. But I’d like to think a few months from now, I’ll look back and see that something I did, somehow, changed things in my life for the better.

At the very least, it was a pretty good nap.

Recent Gigs

Since my last update, I’ve provided additional voices for the following shows:

• Tales of Wedding Rings, Episode 6

• Bucchigiri?!, Episode 5

• Laid Back Camp, Season 2 Episode 7

Consume!

I am conscious of the fact that my parents read this newsletter, so I’m going to politely give them the chance to skip this section and move on to the blatherings at the end.

Wait for it. Wait for it.

Okay.

Guys this book is so frickin hot.

I’ve name-dropped Alexandra Rowland before, and this time she brought me a fantasy romance that is nothing short of delicious — a word I don’t throw around lightly. A slow-burn narrative that knows when to play into its tropes of power-imbalance and duty-bound fealty and when to skirt over potential danger spots, “A Taste of Gold and Iron” had me practically shouting for the protagonists to kiss long before they actually did. A queer love story about how doing something for yourself can be the hardest thing, and the most worthwhile. Go read it.

(And if you read it and don't think it’s hot don’t tell me or I will feel very vulnerable and embarrassed)

Performance of the Week

I listened to the audiobook of “A Taste of Gold and Iron”, and you should too. Casey Jones is tone-perfect from start to finish, able to slide from high-handed royalty to stone-solid soldier at the drop of a penny. They handle Rowland’s prose with delicate grace and wry humor when needed, without shying away from the raw vulnerability coursing through the spicier scenes. Chef’s kiss.

Put Down the Sword

This year I gave myself a challenge instead of the usual New Year’s resolution - to do something new every month. I’ve been stuck in a rut and I want to prioritize discovery and exploration this year.

Surprise surprise, I have already failed this challenge.

This is partly because I still haven’t learned how to say “no” to extra work or obligations, but also because I am overwhelmed by choice. I am a hothouse flower with a wild imagination, so my ideas come paired with anxious fantasies about how I could perish upon attempting each new venture.

So I’m sourcing! I want to hear from you, my readers - what are your favorite side quests? What activity gets you going just by putting it on your calendar? What hobby did you think you would hate until you were actually doing it for real? What’s worth spending $50 on? (Not going to pretend this isn’t a factor in my decision-making)

There are no wrong answers. And who knows? Maybe in the next newsletter I’ll be writing about one of your suggestions!