I’ve said it before, and hopefully I’ll never say it again: Murder on Sex Island is in stores now. I realize this book launch might’ve been helped by a strong online presence, but listen, I’m 38 and I have little chin hairs I only see months after they’ve matured to eye brow color and I don’t see myself becoming an influencer, so hopefully the people who enjoy my work tell their friends. Okay, okay, tell your friends!
This week’s passions include: Love Island, popcorn + m&ms, rotating fans.
I am completely up to date on Love Island. Watching this show makes me feel like a sex criminal. Mike describes it as “less like a dating show, more like a human experiment.” Every episode they make out and then they sob. But I’ve learned so many Gen-Z phrases, including adding “bro” to the end of your sentence when you’re mad and also “what the helly”.
My good friend Dylan Marron (who writes this great substack) taught me a trick. When you go to the movies, you get peanut M&Ms and popcorn, and then you pour the M&Ms into the popcorn. You think it’s gonna be messy, but you’re forgetting the main fact about M&Ms, which is they melt in your mouth not in your popcorn. In the dark movie theater, it’s always a surprise what you grab in your handful.
It’s been stupid hot here in New York, and while air conditioning is king, rotating fan is high powered wizard. You’re sitting there, and for a moment, you forget about the wind, and woop, surprise, here’s a little wind, annnnnd then it’s gone. Feels almost spiritual.
*ANNOUNCEMENTS*
In terms of creative projects, I’m really throwing spaghetti at the wall. You’re welcome to come out for all of these events, they should be fun, maybe chaotic, and one of them will have a lot of pie.
Murder on Sex Island Book Release Show (LA): It’s at Dynasty Typewriter on Sunday, July 13th at 3pm. Tickets Here! Dylan Marron, Aparna Nancherla, Marlena Rodriguez, and Ashley Brooke Roberts are joining for a thematically-relevant panel show to celebrate Murder on Sex Island. We’ll be playing a game called “Suck it or Fuck it”! This is to promote literature.
Creativity Hour with Jo Firestone (NY): Sat, July 26 at 5pm, and Sun, Aug 24 at 5pm, all at Union Hall. So far, I think this show is going to be about inspiring creativity in the audience and with special guests. I’m aiming for it to be a positive communal experience. Tickets Here!
First Annual Pie Tasting Festival (NY): Sunday, August 10 from 2-5pm at Littlefield. Tickets Here! This is not comedy at all, it’s just tasting pies and voting on your favorite. I’m so paranoid this event sounds sexual. If you want to bring a pie for tasting, you can do that by filling out this google form by August 9th! How high tech is that?!
Anyway that was a long one, but if you have a passion you’d like to share, reply to this email with 1-2 sentences about it!
your pal,
Jo