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Renie's avatar

Lovely to see you back Claire.m 💕 You’ve chosen beautiful quotes to reflect the transition between seasons, and I think the Summer Book quote is especially pertinent for you right now. The stars are always there; you just can’t see them yet in the darkness. But the night air will soon cool, everything will come into sharp focus and then there will be stars galore. You are a brilliant North Star for your girl xx

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Claire Holden's avatar

Thank you so much, Renie (and so lovely to see your name pop up!) ❤️ A little tearful reading that. I absolutely LOVE your starry night analogy––it's perfect! Looking forward to seeing all those stars soon, but in the meantime we'll trust they're still there waiting beyond the dark xx

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Jude Clay's avatar

I read The Offing for the first time this summer and I can’t stop thinking about it. Such a very old-feeling, resonant story.

I am also in the discomfort of transition stage in my life at the moment so I’m with you in that the change itself is probably good and needed, but the transition is awful 😅

Having said that, I love the change between seasons. ♥️ Perhaps because it’s cyclical so I know it won’t last forever?

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Claire Holden's avatar

Jude, I love that you've recently read The Offing too. Definitely a book to be enjoyed in the summer. The first time I read it, I was reading it under the weight of high expectations as so many bookstagrammers raved about it when it came out. I felt slightly underwhelmed. But I'm so glad to have come back to it in my own time. I love reading about how writers become writers.

I hope your transition passes quickly and you start to feel more oriented again soon. It is a really hard place to be. Yes, I think you're right, we know and trust the finite nature of the seasonal transitions more! I don't mind the others so much, but always rail against the sunshine and slowness being taken away from me! 😂

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Claire M's avatar

I am very interested in The Offing and very happy to see you back!! Best of luck for you both for the big change!! Exciting ❤️❤️

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Claire Holden's avatar

Claire!!! ❤️ So lovely to see your name pop up! Thank you, it feels good to be back here, despite stripping back on everything, I know that writing regularly here is something I want to keep doing. And thank you––trepidation levels quite high for us both right now, but give us a week or so and I'm sure it will all feel much easier! Hope you've had a lovely summer. Sending a big hug your way x

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Silvia Põldaru's avatar

I resonate with the reorientation. I love change but there's comfort in knowing how things will be and actually arriving to that place of comforting rhythm of things. Sending you love and grace for your transition. ❤️❤️❤️

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Claire Holden's avatar

Thank you Silvia, love and grace gratefully received. In a few weeks everything will seem both exciting and easier, I'm sure, but yes reorientation (excellent way to describe it) is intense! ❤️ By the way, loved your last newsletter, really resonated with the back to basics creativity mission I've been on this summer.

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Silvia Põldaru's avatar

Sounds liberating Claire.

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Claire Holden's avatar

Absolutely that! 💫

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Kate Jones's avatar

Thank you so much for the mention, Claire! I enjoyed reading your perspective on transitions, as well as the book recs :)

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Claire Holden's avatar

You are very welcome, Kate! I always enjoy your newsletters and lit up to see you delving deep into The Summer Book 💙

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Kate Jones's avatar

Ah, thank you Claire, that's nice to hear, I'm glad you enjoy them 😊

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Helen Redfern's avatar

Welcome back!

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Claire Holden's avatar

Thank you! It feels good to be back! ❤️

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Changing-pages's avatar

Lovely to find you in my inbox again - I know you have been there a while, but hey, I'm like you reluctant to get back in to routines and that means keeping up with emails!! You describe exactly how I feel about the passing of summer. Funnily enough I am typing this sitting in my garden with the sun as warm and glorious as any day in August. I too read The Summer Book a few weeks ago, my first reading and I loved it. I also bought the Picnics poetry pamphlet which I have been dipping into in recent weeks!

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