three small bites 🌱✍🏻 👑
my favorite springtime tart, how i got started writing, fictional royals drama (+ newsletter news!)
1. 🌱 My favorite springtime tart
Yesterday was the first day of spring, and already I’m in a more sunshine-y mindset with the longer, brighter days, and the anticipation of outdoor activities and upcoming travel. And the food! I’m ready for some new produce to be in season, and to incorporate more tarts into my life. And oh, how I love this Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Tarragon Tart.
This one’s got goat cheese, crème fraîche, and an all-butter puff pastry, along with asparagus so you still get your greens in. I’ve made this a few times now and honestly wonder why I don’t make it like, every week. Or at least every other week! It’s surprisingly doable to whip up during a busy evening, while still making the meal feel elevated and fancy. I mean, how often do you get puffed edges and a pretty asparagus design like that? Also, tarragon?! It’s an herb that doesn’t get used often enough, in my opinion. I highly recommend eating this when it’s out of the oven long enough to not burn every tastebud off but still be melty and warm.
2. ✍🏻 How I got started writing
I opened up an AMA (Ask Me Anything) box on Instagram a couple of weeks ago and got a bunch of questions in! I’ll start with the beginning: how I got started writing.
Q: How did you get started writing? Have you always been a writer?
A: My love for writing started young. As a kid, I read all the time and wrote stories on my beloved typewriter, making up fairytales and drawings to go along with them. I learned how to write by doing it, though I started off primarily writing nonfiction. It’s more sporadic now, but I have a food and film blog (A Dash of Cinema) that I ran more consistently for a very long time (the latest version doesn’t capture how far back it goes 😆), and I wrote various articles for media outlets and organizations. I also ran an online publication focused on youth empowerment for a bit.
When I started working in tech, I went into it as a writer working on microcopy and crafting the words you see when you use a website or app. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I wanted a creative outlet away from the more technical writing that consumed my days, and I gravitated toward fiction. I missed creating my own worlds and characters, and felt hungry for stories that featured people who looked like me (and whose worlds aren’t often shown in the media). When I came up with the idea for what Lunar Love would ultimately become, I dove into writing fiction head-first and absolutely love it. I love writing of all kinds, really. Books, articles, blog posts, button copy…they all have their own thrills and challenges.
3. 👑 If you’re looking for fictional royals drama instead…
I’ve been loosely (hardly) following this royals-where’s-Kate-drama, but it is admittedly intriguing. I have yet to read a royals romance and figured with all the current hype, might as well see what’s out there. I put out a call on Instagram for your recs (thank you!) and these were the most frequent of all the books that came my way:
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean
American Royals by Katherine McGee
The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
💌 One last bite! I’m launching a paid tier for this newsletter.
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Free subscribers receive 1-2 past, present, future newsletters a month, plus all book updates. This includes:
three small bites, where I answer Ask Me Anything questions and share anything from a recipe I’m loving lately to a themed book round-up to something I’ve bought and loved. It’s a mixed bag of topics!
For paid subscribers:
Paid subscribers receive more in-depth pieces, interviews, and round-ups. For $5/month or $50/year ($4.16/month), you can get it all:
writing, craft, and publishing posts go out in the beginning of each month
romanticizing writing with…is a monthly interview series that gives us a sneak peek into the dream scenario and the reality of an author’s writing life. In this column, we’re indulging, challenging, and shedding light on the ways we look at writing through a romantic lens. Read the first one here!
keeping time goes out on the last day of the month and includes a list of what I’ve read, watched, ate, listened to, bought, and found inspiration from in that month. There will also be one timely rec from special guests! View February’s round-up here.
Bonus posts which may include travel recs, food guides, recipes, and more
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The first post is coming next week!
Thank you, as always, for your support! So happy you’re here.
From me to you, in the present,
Lauren
About me: I’m Lauren Kung Jessen, author of Lunar Love and Red String Theory. Connect with me on Instagram for more on books and food.
Keep following the thread on Instagram.