First Cup of Coffee – May 27, 2025

Why I think this minor celebrity cis het white guy getting a Romantasy book deal is actually a good thing - certainly not a new thing. Also successful furniture shopping and a good long weekend for me!

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Transcript

00:01.47
Jeffe Kennedy
Good morning, everyone. This is Jeffe Kennedy. Also writing is Jennifer K. Lambert, author of epic fantasy romance. I'm here with my first cup of coffee.

00:16.63
Jeffe Kennedy
So good. Today is Tuesday, uh, May 27th, 2025. I almost didn't get it right. Uh, because I am a day later than usual. It was a long weekend here in the U S and I took yesterday off. I gave myself the holiday.

00:35.42
Jeffe Kennedy
What is this run of mine? Who even am I? Um, but I was so glad I did. It was everything I thought it could be. And I am, I got so much done, which probably isn't the intent of taking holiday, but um the casita is really coming along.

00:58.58
Jeffe Kennedy
I've gotten that patio furniture assembled, so many things taken off of the list.

01:06.39
Jeffe Kennedy
And yeah, it's, it's just been amazing. um I guess I should go back. Let's go back in time. bo loop ah Thank you Wayne's world.

01:18.67
Jeffe Kennedy
ah Because I think where we last left our heroin, I was complaining bitterly about furniture natural shopping and I, I finally cracked the seal.

01:31.88
Jeffe Kennedy
So What I did was on Saturday, i just went out... That sounds so dumb, but I went, just went out shopping without anything else that I had to do.

01:48.83
Jeffe Kennedy
So before this, I was like going before I had a hair appointment or, you know, before was supposed to meet somebody or something like that. So, and I think it was creating a sense of pressure to like having to be making decisions on a timeline.

02:05.85
Jeffe Kennedy
that whole search image thing, which I complained about. Uh, so on Saturday I went to cost plus world market, which is a great place anyway.

02:16.54
Jeffe Kennedy
And I ended up buying so much stuff there and was, I kind of went in no particular order, but they had a whole bunch of patio furniture.

02:27.22
Jeffe Kennedy
They were having a 20% off sale. So the prices hit me better and i was actually able to joyfully, joyfully purchase fun things.

02:38.84
Jeffe Kennedy
And it was great. It turned out that, um, I don't know if I talked about this, but I had bought a car couple of bar stools. What I thought were bar stools.

02:50.90
Jeffe Kennedy
oh This is a thing about furniture shopping too is clearly I don't do much of it, but there's like this whole lingo associated with it. Um, so I bought these bar stools at a consignment store and I was not a hundred percent happy with them.

03:08.46
Jeffe Kennedy
They didn't fit exactly right. They were a little scratch cause consignment and they were, um, not cheap. I mean, they were still expensive,

03:21.53
Jeffe Kennedy
And so I, I've gotten them on approval, which was nice because they do this all sales or final thing, but they had me give them a credit card and then I brought them home and I had 24 hours to decide. I, and if I didn't bring them back, they ran the car, they'd run the car.

03:38.65
Jeffe Kennedy
So that seemed like a decent system, but I, I took them back on a Friday, I think because I thought, well, this is dumb if I'm not a hundred or percent happy. So at cost plus I found two chairs that I love that fit perfectly. I remember this time to get the dimensions of like where they needed to fit side by side under the breakfast counter and um they're pretty and they were barely any more the consignment chairs and they're new.

04:10.34
Jeffe Kennedy
And but it turns out they are not bar stools. They are counter stools, which I guess kind of makes sense because a bar, a bar is higher. A bar stool is higher these are counter stools.

04:23.27
Jeffe Kennedy
Anyway, they're perfect.

04:27.26
Jeffe Kennedy
I love them. The other jargon thing that was kind of funny, this is sort of leaping in time. Okay, so let's, let's stick with chronological order for now. I bought a whole bunch of stuff at cost plus world market.

04:40.47
Jeffe Kennedy
Um, The counter stools, I got patio furniture. i got a secretary for people to write out and an office chair um and a whole bunch of glassware, pretty plates and glasses.

04:59.44
Jeffe Kennedy
ah In fact, if you're on video, you will see that I have this sort of glass latte bowl mug now that is iridescent. I don't know if you could see how it's a little bit iridescent.

05:11.60
Jeffe Kennedy
I got that at Cost Plus um for me as a reward for doing all of this. ah So, yeah, I got my my new latte mug.

05:23.23
Jeffe Kennedy
And I'm very happy with it. So yeah, it was nice to get pretty things for the casita. My friend Kelly Robson, I don't know if I told you all, is going to come and stay for three weeks in July.

05:35.43
Jeffe Kennedy
She's going to come and stay in the casita and have a writing retreat. And she's going to be here to keep David company and keep an eye on him in case he needs help ah while I go on book tour.

05:47.00
Jeffe Kennedy
This is what an amazing friend she is that she offered to do this. She said she wanted to Courtney, this big book where he said, no, I'm getting very clumped, but it was,

06:01.21
Jeffe Kennedy
really lovely of her to offer to do this. And we're going to get to do some fun things on either side, because she'll be here for um almost a week before I leave. And then for a few days after i come back.

06:15.14
Jeffe Kennedy
um So we get to, so she'll be here over her birthday and we're going go do the Georgia O'Keeffe studio, home and studio tour, which I've been wanting to take her on forever. And so I'll be able to spoil her for her birthday.

06:29.19
Jeffe Kennedy
And we're going to go see an opera at Santa Fe Opera. Yesterday i got an email offering. It was a good weekend for sales, the Memorial Day sales. ah I got an offer from Santa Fe Opera for 30% off tickets ah to certain operas. And so Kelly and I are going to go see, which one did she pick?

06:51.61
Jeffe Kennedy
I offered her a choice of a couple. We are going to go see La Boheme. And then i have another friend that I get to go see, um, Die Walkure in August.

07:07.01
Jeffe Kennedy
So I've been to the Santa Fe opera in a long time. And so I'm very excited to have people to get to go do that with my good friends. Um, So let's see. So I was talking about buying pretty things.

07:20.10
Jeffe Kennedy
It just helped ah to be, i you know, I think they were kind of amused at Cost Plus that I was like, and I want this and I want to buy that. And I kind of looked at their couches, but they don't deliver.

07:35.84
Jeffe Kennedy
And a lot of it's self-assemble. I'm pointing out the window to the stuff that I self-assembled. um And yeah, it was a little bit,

07:47.63
Jeffe Kennedy
I mean, with couches, what are you supposed to do? And they're like, oh, you can hire these guys to come pick it up. And was like, oh, it started to feel like a little much. So after that, I went next door with my, ah well, I had my stuff to the Gill's car where we've got almost everything in there.

08:05.91
Jeffe Kennedy
And one thing didn't get on the list. That was the almost. And I went back the next day and got it. I was on like, and I want that. And they just missed it.

08:16.81
Jeffe Kennedy
It was not a big deal. So um, then I went to Dillard's and I was able to buy more things. I thought, well, I go look for bedding for the bed and I got all of my bedding at Dillard's and plus a bunch of kitchen equipment. I forgot that they would have kitchen stuff there.

08:37.41
Jeffe Kennedy
So I got tons of things there and I had a very helpful sales lady, uh, And so that it was just a good time to be in there. And, you I'd say, okay, now I need two pillows and I need a mattress pad and, you know, I need a dust ruffle. I need all these things.

08:55.48
Jeffe Kennedy
But the bed looks fantastic now. I'm super pleased with how it turned out. And so then flush with my success, and it was starting to get, I mean, this took hours, but at least I felt like I had the time and, you know, go around, poke at everything.

09:12.75
Jeffe Kennedy
So then I went to Ashley Home Furnishings and this lovely gal met me at the door, you know, like with her little headset and her tablet. And I'm sure, you know, like a lot of people just go in there to browse. And she's like, let me know if I can help you find anything. And I said, well, yeah, actually, this is what I'm looking for.

09:32.09
Jeffe Kennedy
you and that And she was laughing at me because I finally had my, well, I threw them away, but I had my little, ah actually, it's Jennifer L. Armentrout, Feeling Stabby Productions, my little, ah oh what is it, like a sticky notepad in a tiny little notebook.

09:49.58
Jeffe Kennedy
And I'd written down dimensions and I had my tape measure. with me and uh anyway i I bought a couch and a reading chair I decided to give up on the idea of a sleeper sofa um they take up too much room and yeah I just thought so yeah maybe we can get an air mattress I don't know if it matters if it matters for the casita anyway Yeah. So I got a great cushy reading chair that pivots so you can look out at the view. You could look at the TV. You can turn and look at the fireplace and can read your book.

10:29.32
Jeffe Kennedy
I got a super cute little reading stance so that people for the breakfast counter so people can prop their book open and have their coffee or whatever. So anyway, i spent yesterday assembling all of this.

10:44.29
Jeffe Kennedy
I didn't get as much yard work done. over the weekend as I planned. I did buy all of my hanging plants, which I had been wanting to do. ah Boy, the price range on hanging plants. I realize I'm not talking about publishing or writing. I'm sorry.

11:00.51
Jeffe Kennedy
um This is the ah the random part of the first cup of coffee podcast.

11:08.51
Jeffe Kennedy
So my usual nursery that I buy hanging plants from ah Newman's here in Santa Fe, who I love, um I called them to see if their hanging plants had come in yet because they're a little bit random. And I hadn't seen it on their website or newsletter. And they said, oh, they'd all sold out by May 1st.

11:27.08
Jeffe Kennedy
they They were all sold out. And I'm like, I missed it. And they said, yeah, you really have to be here by May 1st to get them. but Well, it wasn't warm enough by May 1st. I don't know what people do, but you know, like I don't have a place I can put hanging baskets when we're still freezing and getting snow.

11:43.58
Jeffe Kennedy
So, um, so I went to another nursery, which I'll named. I stopped in there and looked and their hanging baskets were all just categorically $50.

11:57.31
Jeffe Kennedy
fifty dollars each and I'm pretty sure Newman's I've paid like 25 or 35 and I thought, and they weren't that great. I mean, they were kind of minimal, you know, and the plants hadn't grown out much yet.

12:11.43
Jeffe Kennedy
So I thought, well, okay, well I know they're there and I can come back, but I wanted to buy a bunch because I wanted some for the casino portal too. So I was like, Oh God. So yeah And then there's another, there's a new nursery that's opened up the way from us, just up the way from us.

12:29.83
Jeffe Kennedy
And David wanted to check it out. So on Sunday we went, no, I guess it was Saturday morning. We went over to the flea market here because he wanted to look at that. And then we went and looked at that nursery and he was asking me why I wasn't going there. And I said, well, their previous incarnation was super expensive and I still have that association.

12:48.72
Jeffe Kennedy
And neither of us are sure if it's the same people or new people, but And I said, but yeah, let's go check it out. Okay, friend, their hanging baskets were a hundred dollars, 100 to 125 dollars and not that fantastic either.

13:06.91
Jeffe Kennedy
So it's like, wow, wow. So they are expensive. Um, sorry, fiddling with my wind chimes. I noticed that the little clapper thing was crooked.

13:19.89
Jeffe Kennedy
Um, But you know, like even their, their potted plants, like a gallon plant was $28 and just a lot. So, you know, I think you all know that I've been trying to shop local, but that's difficult when the prices are so high.

13:39.62
Jeffe Kennedy
So what did I end up doing? Well, on Sunday I went to Lowe's and i had to go to Lowe's to get some other just like general hardware type things and that sort of a hose. had to buy a hose.

13:55.28
Jeffe Kennedy
Um, we have a cat in the way here. Excuse me. Excuse me.

14:05.13
Jeffe Kennedy
There you got the tail across the camera for those of you on video. Uh, Lowe's. So I went to Lowe's, which, you know, like I won't shop at home Depot or now we can't shop at target. That's part of the problem is it's like, there's all these places that I don't want to shop. If I'm not shopping local, um, I'm well aware that like cost plus and Dillard's are, are chains as is Ashley, but at least they feel more local itch.

14:36.13
Jeffe Kennedy
Anyway, I bought hanging baskets at Lowe's. ah that were from $13 to $35. they're gorgeous. They are huge and have more plants, several different kinds of flowers. They're so much prettier than the other ones.

14:53.31
Jeffe Kennedy
And so I'm just, I'm giving myself a buy and just enjoying those, those baskets. um Yeah.

15:05.00
Jeffe Kennedy
So I had a good writing day on Friday. ah I was going to talk about some things that have been going on. Okay. So like one of the big brouhaha's, I guess yesterday was in Australia. There is this guy and you know, it's a triumph for the cishet white guys, I guess, but he was offered a book deal, two book deal ah to write a fantasy romance ah with a very vague,

15:39.02
Jeffe Kennedy
It's like an epic tale of war and love and redemption or something like that. I mean, it's like the most vague premise possible.

15:50.35
Jeffe Kennedy
And people are very upset about it because they got offered this book deal. And he says he's always wanted to write a fantasy since he was a kid. And...

16:01.60
Jeffe Kennedy
So I get the frustration. I totally do. The book hasn't been written yet. ah He got this book deal because he's on BookTok and he started an account, a TikTok account where he talks about books.

16:16.78
Jeffe Kennedy
He's handsome. He's got the a Australian accent. ah But the other thing is, is he was like an Australian sports singing guy. I don't know, rugby, something like that. Anyway, he's...

16:30.31
Jeffe Kennedy
I don't know the Travis Kelsey in Australia, maybe not that big, but, um, that kind of thing where he was an adorable athlete. He was on a season of the Australian version of the bachelor.

16:45.45
Jeffe Kennedy
I mean, he's a, a minor celebrity and he's clearly got good people working for him because, you know, like they're spinning his next careers. What's he going to do now? And so he,

16:58.92
Jeffe Kennedy
you know, went on tech talk and start talking about books and now he's gotten this book deal, which probably i doubt that the editor at Australian atria just out of the blue happened to stumble across his tick talk and said, Hey, let's offer him a book deal.

17:15.64
Jeffe Kennedy
I'm sure that this agent and manager who these people who are hustling for him made the contact and said, Hey, look at how many followers this guy has.

17:26.15
Jeffe Kennedy
Um, You know, you could sell the heck out of this book.

17:31.55
Jeffe Kennedy
So people are very upset that this guy who's never written a book got a book deal and you know, says that white guy and the thing is, um my best beloved.

17:45.19
Jeffe Kennedy
This is not new. This is This has been going on since the beginning of publishing, and I'm going to put out there that it's not necessarily a bad thing.

17:57.78
Jeffe Kennedy
um I get that it's frustrating. I get that there's a feeling of fundamental wrongness to this. but also these kinds of deals are what keep publishing going, right?

18:11.20
Jeffe Kennedy
Because this book will bring in a whole bunch of money from people who just want to buy his book. And it's not really going to take away from anybody else's book sales because while there might be some reader overlap, there won't be a lot, but it will bring in money. It will bring in money to allow them to buy other people's books.

18:32.79
Jeffe Kennedy
And also it doesn't matter if this guy can write a book because i can 90 95 percent that they will hire a ghostwriter. They may already have a ghostwriter in their pocket to do this.

18:47.94
Jeffe Kennedy
And he will tell them like what he thinks the story should be. And you know, they will work with him to a greater or lesser extent. And this ghostwriter will get paid very nicely to write this book. And, and this is absolutely how it works. I have friends.

19:04.70
Jeffe Kennedy
Nope. He wants out. Hold on. My life being a door person to cats. which is actually a pretty good life. i So anyway, ah I have friends who have done ghostwriting gigs like this and they pay the mortgage.

19:23.78
Jeffe Kennedy
You know, if if you're a writer and your own books aren't necessarily selling that well and you get ghostwriting gig like that, which can pay very handsomely, then, and and you're not going to know it because they sign these ironclad NDAs you know, like they have to pay back all the money if they tell people.

19:42.66
Jeffe Kennedy
ah And so like my friends who have ghostwritten books, I know that they've done it and I've helped them talk through projects in vague ways, the way writer friends do.

19:54.19
Jeffe Kennedy
um But I don't actually know who they were writing for. I don't know what the eventual story was ah because they cannot reveal it, but it does happen. So I understand the frustration,

20:07.72
Jeffe Kennedy
i I truly do but also it doesn't matter. It's not that big of a deal and just think of it this way is you know, he's he's helping fund what what everybody else is doing right that those are books that they can now buy from you that from his his money.

20:29.22
Jeffe Kennedy
Ah, you know celebrity is a weird thing and it's frustrating but also and

20:37.93
Jeffe Kennedy
It's how the world turns, right? So I'm going to get to work on secret project. No edit letter yet, but now that the long weekend is over, I might get it soon.

20:49.69
Jeffe Kennedy
So I hope you all have a wonderful week. Now it's a short week for me and I will talk to you all on Friday. You all take care. Okay. Bye bye.