June in Review

and some important news

Forget January, everyone with an attachment to the academic calendar knows that the year really begins in September. The leaves turn amber, the air is crisp, and all of a sudden you get a violent urge to buy a selection pack of stationery complete with a compass you’ll never use. In nature everything is fading, but for you there’s the option to reach your potential, to learn better, teach better, work faster and so on. If we take August 31^st as New Year’s Eve, then the summer holidays serve as a time for reconsideration, a phase for closing down the old year and revving up for the next one.

I began my own process of self-reflection in June, just as my teaching load started to lessen. High on my mind was the question of when to take the Substack sabbatical I had planned for the end of the year. At first, I had intended to pause in September (new stationery clenched in my fist!) but I’m now realising I need a little more time. Consequently, as of this month I’ll be pausing subscriber payments until January 2027. I’m hoping this will give me the freedom to make some serious headway on my literary gardens book and that (with luck!) I’ll be back here with even more to share than before.

This doesn’t mean that the account will be inactive, just simply that I’ll stop charging for subscriber access. I don’t want to make people pay a monthly fee when I can’t guarantee my output. Instead I’ll have a ‘buy me a coffee link’ at the end of every post (there’s a link on this one!) and if you ever end up clicking it, then know you’re making this freewheeling freelancer incredibly happy.

I will still publish posts, and the podcast will keep going as often as I’m able to do it. There are some great upcoming episodes already in preparation, including with Alexandra Harris on Woolf’s reading habits, Polly Carter on Talland House, and Anne Fernald on her new book on women writers. There’s even an episode where Maggie Humm interviews me about my research on Woolf and gardens, and I gain a new-found appreciation for what it’s like having to answer the questions.

Now I think of it, my version of a sabbatical looks rather busy, but trust me when I say I’m trying to cut back a little!

The work I did in June is a little more representative of what you’ll get (for free) going forward. A Woolf on This Day post, a podcast post, and a podcast. Again, I’m not promising anything, just giving you an indication of what to expect. I might not always be publishing, but I’ll still be on here enjoying the sense of community that comes from being connected with you lovely people.

If you haven’t already, do check out my post (and/or podcast) on Night and Day which features a dynamic interview with the film’s lovely director, Tina Gharavi. It’s so heartening to see Woolf being readily and enthusiastically adapted by creatives, and I feel lucky that so many of my podcast episodes have been focused on the great work those people do. Adapting Woolf is never easy, and I’m always impressed when artists and audiences want to connect with her through new mediums. Indeed, I’m grateful to all of you for connecting with Woolf through this medium – long may it continue!