rebeccakuder

Get creative & get things done (ACLU fundraiser)

OFFER EXTENDED!!

Now through February 28, 2025, save money AND support the American Civil Liberties Union when you buy a 3-book bundle of Dear Inner Critic directly from me—here’s how:

1. Buy a 3-book bundle of Dear Inner Critic (a $45 value) for just $40 (see purchase info below);
2. Write “ACLU bundle” with your address (or local pickup) in the notes;
3. I will donate half of all proceeds to the ACLU.

To purchase directly from me: 

ACLU 3-book bundle: $40 (3 copies)
Or for single copies: $15 (1 copy)

PayPal:  rebeccakuder (at) gmail.com
Venmo: @rkuderys (last 4 digits=4484)

(Price includes shipping—please include mailing address, or specify local pickup if you’re near Yellow Springs, Ohio)
rebeccakuder

What will 2025 bring?

Who knows. Who knows? I sure don’t.

But here’s what I do know:

You can Join me at the Yellow Springs Library for a Dear Inner Critic workshop!
WHEN: Thursday, January 9, 5:30-7:00pm
WHERE: 415 Xenia Ave, Yellow Springs, OH 45387
MORE INFO & REGISTRATION

And if you want to meet, greet, and maybe even befriend your inner critic, check out Dear Inner Critic: a self-doubt activity book.

WHERE TO BUY:
Yellow Springs, OH Epic Book Shop or Dark Star Books
& Highland Park, IL at Secret World Books
& Easthampton, MA at Book Moon Books
& online from Literary Kitchen

(If you’ve read the book & found it helpful, please share your thoughts on Goodreads.)

rebeccakuder

A handful of things that help me feel better

When I take a bird’s eye view of things, it seems that the challenge right now (and maybe, too, the point) is to keep going.

Despite Everything.

To keep going despite Everything, despite the bloodshed and disappointment and pain and suffering and fear, and despite the uncertainty—which simmers somewhere, always, whether we feel it or not. Maybe some of us are feeling all that more keenly and clearly now.

There are a handful of items that help me keep body & soul going. They are accessible and mighty, and best of all, are made by real people doing their thing in this world with great love.

Radical Self-Love Body Butter is one of those items. Created by musician Anne Harris, this ambrosial body butter is thoughtfully sourced to honor Mother Earth. RSL Body Butter smells like a dream, so delicious that I have to stop myself spreading it on toast. (For real. Every day I’m tempted.) Instead I treat my skin to its soothing, illuminating wonders. My favorite is the Frankinsence-Geranium blend. I put it on my face before bed, and my skin is much happier.

Next is tea from CommuniTEA Love. The nourishing blends are made by mother-daughter team Amy and Modjeska Chavez. Sometimes tea is more than just tea. With each cup, you can inhale the love and care that goes into blending these healing plants. I took a bag of this blend to a writing retreat last spring. It happened that the teapot in the house was glass, which allowed us to watch the beautiful color emerge. Purple tea!

And our family’s food would be nothing without spices from Pepper Forrest Spice Company. When we order the paprika, I pause before discarding the packing envelope: I must first inhale its sunshine, and dream of the delicious soups, stews, and salads that will soon emerge in the kitchen.

Words from Ross Gay. Right now I’m reading The Catalogue Of Unabashed Gratitude. And I love, love, love (and often revisit) the Delights books. My daughter and I saw Ross Gay speak at Joseph Beth in Cincinnati last February. And then last summer, I was walking past a sidewalk cafe in my hometown and—could it be? yes!—there was the poet, sitting at a table, working. When I told him how much we appreciate his work, he was kind and gracious. (Total delight.)

Speaking of books (and their import when the world feels like it’s falling apart) this year’s chapbooks from the Literary Kitchen help me focus on how our impulse to share words, narrative, humor, and truth-telling matters. When I feel like writing isn’t enough, I can turn to these voices and stories. (My latest book is among them. Dear Inner Critic: a self-doubt activity book just had its second printing. So grateful for the Literary Kitchen & Wayward Writers.)

And here’s a little something to tuck into a pocket for moments when you are waiting at a medical appointment and want to be that one person who’s not staring at their phone. The East Village Inky by Ayun Halliday is the perfect antidote to digital inertia. Funny, wild, erudite, and hand-lettered by a human being. Imagine!

These tangibles help make life a little better.

When I can access even a shred of gratitude or optimism, it’s possible to imagine that we will make it through the challenges of these times. I have to trust that it’s possible.

Love,
Rebecca

p.s. Maybe you’re thinking about holiday gift-giving. Good! Now you have some ideas.

rebeccakuder

Open letter to Governor Dewine

November 7, 2024

Dear Governor Dewine,

I am writing about your forthcoming appointment of a person to fill the seat that will soon be vacated by Ohio Senator JD Vance.

I urge you to consider appointing Senator Sherrod Brown.

Nationally, our system of checks and balances is now unbalanced, and heavily weighted toward Republican priorities. It would be very meaningful—and a step toward fairness—to institute more balance between the parties in Ohio.

You are in a position to make this happen.

Over and over, Sherrod Brown has proven that he is all of Ohio’s senator—working for and with citizens and representatives from all over the political spectrum. He is dedicated, and has worked hard for us. His upset was a loss to everyone in Ohio.

Please think about this relatively small action that you can make in order to support a robust democracy for all the people. Sherrod Brown brings years of service and experience, which, in addition to balancing the party priorities, would balance Bernie Moreno’s inexperience in public service.

Please consider appointing Senator Sherrod Brown.

Thank you for your time and service.

Respectfully,

Rebecca Kuder

rebeccakuder

“Take our lives seriously,” said Michelle Obama

Dear friends,
I’m writing with an urgent plea about the 2024 presidential election.

For those who are unsure about which candidate to vote for…

or who don’t ‘like’ either of the two major candidates, and may be tempted to sit out…

or planning to vote for a 3rd party candidate because they want our system to offer more options…

or are hesitant to vote for Kamala Harris because they don’t 100% agree with her policies…

Please, I beg you: take time to watch Michelle Obama’s speech in Michigan at the Kamala Harris rally.

Michelle Obama spoke with such precision and passion about why this election matters, specifically for the lives of women (aka half of the electorate).

She made a beautifully compelling and airtight case for why we need to do everything in our power to prevent Trump from getting back into office, and vote for Kamala Harris.

“Take our lives seriously,” she said.

I echo that plea: TAKE OUR LIVES SERIOUSLY.

Watch the video. If you’re short on time, go to 21:45, when she speaks about womens’ health.

Here are some highlights of Michelle Obama’s speech: https://tinyurl.com/22yh3fbx

Thanks for reading and sharing.

Love,

Rebecca

rebeccakuder

The Hidden Messages in Water by Masaru Emoto

I recently read The Hidden Messages in Water by Masaru Emoto. This book is amazing. I know its premise may be wobbly, or pseudo-science, but when I don’t ask it to prove itself and when I allow imagination and read it like a novel (or at least as a non-skeptic), I find the narrative extremely compelling and hypnotic. Like, what if?

From p.151:

“We all have an important mission: To make water clean again, and to create a world that is easy and healthy to live in. In order to accomplish our mission, we must make sure that our hearts are clear and unpolluted.

Over the centuries, humankind has constantly robbed from the earth, and left it ever more polluted—the history of which is recorded by water. Now, water is beginning to speak to us. Through water crystals, it is telling us what we need to know.

Starting today, we must begin to carve out a new history. Water is carefully and quietly watching the direction we take—the direction that you take at this very moment—and watching over us all.

I only ask that you listen to and absorb what water has to say—to all of humankind, and to you.”