Tag: Funny

My return to Amalfi…the launch of 24 Hours in Italy…Fan Expo…and more!

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It would be oh-so-easy to drown my keyboard in the pumpkin-spice-flavoured tears that gather in my upper face-holes when I think about how summer is truly over, but instead I’ll look back on the summer that was, the summer that included: a dreamy escape to Amalfi, the launch of 24 Hours in Italy (my follow up to 24 Hours in Paris—both of which are in bookstores now)—and so much more!

La dolce vita

What better way to celebrate the launch of my second traditionally-published book, than on the Amalfi Coast where it takes place? she said, via Whatsapp, to her Paris besties back in Feb, hoping their schedules would allow it.

The scheduling all worked out (with some glorious time in Paris too), and how did it feel to be back in Amalfi after almost six years? I mean, my god! I got to trace the steps of Mira and Jake’s adventures—inspired by coastal memories imprinted in my mind, eat that amazing lemon pesto pasta again (free recipe included in the book!)…it was a dream that exceeded every expectation, even faster than the pizza and pasta that would’ve exceeded the boundaries of my vacation wardrobe, had the wardrobe items not been billowy and/or elasticized.

Here are some snaps that illustrate just how grateful I felt about it all (though my occasional resting-bitch-face may suggest otherwise).

24 Hours in Italy made its way into bookstores!

When it comes to achieving dreams and creative milestones, I am the worst at sitting in it, enjoying it, and appreciating it. I am that type-A Aries monster who always wants to do more and achieve more and evaluate more and judge more and course-correct more.

Somewhere within that mania of this latest book launch, I was proud of what I’d achieved, things like the back-to-back starred reviews I mentioned in my last post, things like finally getting on a list this time, things like getting readers to actually try the lemon pesto recipe for themselves…what a journey. I was also proud that I’d written the series that I myself would want to read, with the armchair travel energy so representative of my passion, and the tropes that never felt like selling out, because they represented scenes and dialogue that always felt authentic to me.

Seeing a second book in bookstores and signing copies and having it on featured walls and end caps would’ve seemed unimaginable to the old me, from those times when I was rejected by over a hundred literary agents, and later when I embarked on that wild and aggressive self-publishing journey, and later still, when I lived through extended periods of being unsure of my goals.

Now that these milestone moments are here (for a fortunate second time), I often struggle to fully step inside this unlikely magical turn of events™. It’s here, and yet it’s out of my grasp in a way, and sometimes (often), I don’t know how to truly feel it. Just thought I’d be honest about that. I hope later, in quieter moments, I’ll be able to feel it more.

Fan Expo and being in my extroverted wheelhouse

At the end of August, I had the chance to do a panel and a book signing at Fan Expo Canada. I love doing panels. Truly, put me on every panel and let me talk my face off (if you know me in real life, you know I relish any chance to talk my face off).

Our romance panel was packed, and over ONE HUNDRED people had to be turned away—a stunning stat I won’t soon forget. I also won’t forget how it felt to be there, because unlike what I mentioned above, about my struggle to feel the author-y things, I don’t ever struggle to be in the moment at panels and book signings. Maybe that’s the good part about being a type-A Aries (and probably a 7 on the extrovert scale).

I mean…these photos say it all. Me, in my wheelhouse, wanting to chat with all of you about my books.

The best book club meetup ever!

Right before my book launched (while I was still in Amalfi and existing on a bloodstream made of limoncello spritz), The Book Wardrobe, a charming indie bookshop in Streetsville, reached out to me to ask if I’d be able to attend their next book club meetup—as 24 Hours in Italy was their book club pick for August.

I jumped at the chance to have an in-person book club meetup at an independent bookstore, but I never imagined how magical it would be. From how quickly it sold out, to the cannoli and espresso drinks made-to-order, it was the perfect way to spend a Saturday morning.

When the actual book club meeting began, and the enthusiastic readers shared their fascinating and thought-provoking feelings about the book, it went from a perfect morning to a deeply meaningful one—and I definitely got emotional when Carmela—who runs the shop—gave a passionate speech about why she chose my book, and why my words matter.

More of my thoughts are in this IG caption, but in short: a magical day I was able to feel to the fullest. Thank you

(Also, check out The Book Wardrobe in-person or shop from their website—we need indie bookstores to thrive!)

Coming very soon: Meet me at the Toronto International Festival of Authors!

Yes, it’s September, which means that #TIFA is coming soon. And what is that, you ask? Only a huge author festival I’d long wished to be a part of! And now, it’s almost here.

On September 23rd, I’ll be taking part in TWO free events that I hope you’ll check out—and 24 Hours in Italy will be for sale on site at the Indigo pop-up shop, how convenient!

You can find more event details on my Festival of Authors author page—hope to see you there!

So much is next, and it’s fairly uncertain and risky!

How did we go from magical and exciting to uncertain and risky?

Well here’s the thing: I am outlining my next book, and I have no idea what the hell is going to happen with it.

My future would’ve been a lot more clear if I’d written a third in the 24 Hours series, a.k.a. if I’d…you know, branded myself in the way that authors are encouraged to do.

Instead, I made a decision to say goodbye to Mira and Jake, and embark on something totally new. That decision made me sad in some ways, because I love Mira and Jake. I’ve also been missing them a lot, and will definitely have to re-read my book when I have time—and will of course keep manifesting to see them on screen some day, partially for me, and partially because more than a few readers have let me know they are waiting (im)patiently for that. I feel you on that. Me too!

Without Mira and Jake or any concrete plans for my next move, I started from square one and developed a brand new idea, and…I am so fucking excited about it.

I’ll come back here later to share more about my journey with this whole new story, but first, I have to tackle the metric ton of work that is ahead…(the outline, the draft, the editing, the full-time copywriting job that takes up most of the hours when I’d like to do be doing those things, oh my!)

Whatever happens, I know I won’t look back and say “you should’ve just done that third 24 Hours book, dummy, it would’ve been easier,” because…if I’m going to be a career author (which is my goal), I want to keep progressing and evolving as an artist, otherwise what’s the point of any of this?

So yeah, stay tuned for my chronicles of choosing chaos by making life more difficult for myself—which, I have to say, is very on-brand for an Aries who needs to calm down.

Toodles!

24 Hours in Italy will be out soon (!) + other thoughts

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Despite being notoriously bad at keeping up with my blog in recent years (to the tune of one post per year, eeek), this time it’s only been three months between posts, which is sure to delight *checks notes* all seven of my readers! Yes, this is all for you.

While this update won’t be as long as my other recaps, I simply had to pop in on this rainy Sunday in June, a gloomy day that seemed so fit for blogging—and for looking ahead as well, with my second book release less than six weeks away!

Another book, another freakin’ starred review!

Is this author thing all a dream? It seems like it, and it seemed like it even more when the second book in my 24 Hours series received a Publishers Weekly starred review, just like the first book:

Last year, when 24 Hours in Paris received a starred review from a trade publication it was extra special, after having begun my career as a self-published author who wouldn’t have been eligible for opportunities like that. It also meant a lot as an author with a South Asian background, since the industry still has some ways to go when it comes to representation.

But that was last year.

This year? Those feelings only deepened, when 24 Hours in Italy received a starred review as well. My editor and I always believed this book was special, we just knew it in our bones, but it didn’t seem likely that a follow-up book would get a starred review like the first. So we put it out of our minds. And then it happened, a moment that validated the difficult journey of writing another adventure for Mira and Jake, one that could live up to the first—and one that would be the ending they deserve, because there won’t be a third book in this series, at least not with my name on it, no sir. Why? Because I want to go out on a high note, so this series doesn’t become like one of those shows that doesn’t know when to end.

Speaking of the difficult journey, in my last post I touched on the challenge of writing 24 Hours in Italy, and I’ll sum it up now by saying that the only way I was able to create the intensity needed in 24 Hours in Italy was by opening up the Pandora’s box of my own nostalgia, and pouring some of those emotions into the fictional events of this book. I guess that’s what writers mean when they describe the act of opening a vein and bleeding the words into life. It’s quite the metaphorical sacrifice, and frankly I would rather sacrifice a goat than open up the wounds of old pain.

On the other hand, if opening up old wounds can make me some money, cut me open and let’s cash those checks!

You’ll have to judge for yourself how serious I was in making either of the preceding two statements, but what I can confirm is that no goats were harmed in the making of this book. I can also confirm that this special book is incredibly near and dear to my heart, and I can’t wait to hear what readers think.

Speaking of readers…

Some avid book bloggers and bookstagrammers have already read advance copies of 24 Hours in Italy, and hearing some of those first reactions has been uplifting, to say the least. Here’s one of my favourite reactions so far, and I can’t wait to hear what other readers think when the book comes out on July 18th. Seriously, you’re the reason I get to do this, and for that, I’m truly grateful.

And then The Word on the Street Festival happened!

Once the final proofs of 24 Hours in Italy left my hands and I had a chance to revel in the starred review, I found myself drowning in the combination of personal life demands and ad copywriting day job demands. I finally emerged on May 27th for a grand and auspicious day: getting to speak on a panel and do a book signing at Toronto’s The Word on the Street Festival!

I probably sound like a broken record by now, but this was another of those things that I’d always dreamed of doing, but it had never been possible when I was a self-published author (maybe it’s possible these days for self-published authors—I hope so!). It was truly amazing to get so many positive reactions at the romance panel, to meet so many readers and book bloggers, and to sell so many copies of 24 Hours in Paris! What a great day.

What’s next

I told you I’d be keeping this short (also, I love how my version of short is still like 700+ words), but I’ll probably be back in another few months (or maybe sooner!), to tell you all about the experience of launching 24 Hours in Italy (July 18th)! Until then, here are a few handy points, whether you know a little, a lot, or nothing about my journey and this book series:

–24 Hours in Paris is available in e-book and paperback format online or in bookstores, so if you haven’t read about Mira and Jake—the very opposite co-workers who fall for each other during a whirlwind 24 hours in Paris—now’s your chance (I’ll share a catch-all link below). This book is also like a virtual tour of Paris with real locations, so it kind of doubles as a travel guide if you’ve ever thought about taking a trip.

–24 Hours in Italy will be out on July 18th! This second-chance romance on the Amalfi Coast brings back Mira and Jake, but if you haven’t read the first book and are eager to escape to Amalfi, fear not, as the book begins with a quick recap to catch you up! Until July 18th, you can preorder the book from pretty much any bookstore, and preorders are immensely helpful to authors, as they indicate demand to retailers which encourages them to order more books.

-Whether you’re interested in the first book right now or preordering the second, all of the handy “buy” links are here, along with links to reviews, Spotify soundtracks for each book, and more.

Okay, ciao for now (already getting in Italy mode), and if you want more day-to-day updates, follow me on Instagram (username: romimoondi)!

Time flies—and the next book comes out July 18th!

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It is well known that I neglect my blog, but in a world where people make money off of showing their feet on OnlyFans, blog posts aren’t exactly integral to the cultural discourse. A.k.a. I assume you all have been doing just fine without my long-form presence.

But what about me? Have I been doing fine with so many pent up meandering rambles running circles in my over-active mind? Hardly. And so here, in rambling long-form mode, is a summary of what’s been going on since my first traditionally-published book, 24 Hours in Paris, released last May!

I went to Italy to get inspired for my next book, 24 Hours in Italy

Most of 24 Hours in Italy takes place on the Amalfi Coast, but there are also some chapters that transpire in Rome and Tuscany, so going back there this past July for the first time since the pandemic was A: inspiring, and B: hopefully a tax write-off?

I did my first Indigo bookstore signing in my home town!

Having a book signing for 24 Hours in Paris at Canada’s biggest bookstore chain in my home town of Kitchener, Ontario was definitely one of those “you’re not just self-published anymore, Dorothy” moments. It was also so nice to meet enthusiastic readers (one of whom drove up from half an hour away), as well as catch up with a few pals from high school. Overall, as someone who was a sarcastic nerd—weird combo, I know—in high school and spent lunch hours hanging out in the library, this was one of those moments of feeling, well…equally uncool and awkward, but an author version of that! Livin’ the dream.

I capped off the summer by having my first virtual book club, with an amazing group of enthusiastic readers—a couple of whom dressed up and had Zoom backgrounds of Paris! I look forward to doing more of those in the future—hit me up if you ever want me to join!

I had to write a sequel draft that wasn’t garbage

Even though 24 Hours in Italy can be read as a standalone if you so choose—as the book will kick off with a handy one-page recap of 24 Hours in Paris (think of it as a streaming series style trailer ala “here’s what you missed”)—the book is technically a follow up, bringing back our love interests Mira and Jake, for a second-chance romance that takes place two years after 24 Hours in Paris. In other words, this is their dramatic part II, and so, as I started drafting it, the sequel boogeyman’s voice loomed large with every turn of the page:

-Are you writing trash, Romi? This is probably trash. Ohhh, you got a starred review from Publishers Weekly on the first book? Cool, get ready for a stank-ass poop review on this one.

As if the sequel boogeyman wasn’t enough, I was trying to write it all on late nights and weekends, with my full-time ad copywriting day job rudely in the way of my ambitions. Soon after, I got Covid, which set me back even further. It was the best of times, and the best of times, is that how the saying goes? (To give context to that sentence, I was voted “most sarcastic” in high school…)

In the end, I completed what I felt was a decent draft with a lean word count, which was how I did it with the first book too (as I usually add 8K to 12K words in rewrites). And so, at long last, I could breathe—luckily just in time for an adventure in New York City…

I did a panel and book signing at NYC Comic Con!

My love for New York is well documented on this blog, and for the first time since 2018, I was able to return for a whirlwind 28 hours, to do a panel and book signing at Comic Con (Thanks, Wattpad)! Not only was this another one of those self-pub-to-trad-pub crossover milestones, but I also got to travel with another Toronto author from my publisher. It took mere hours for us to become author BFFs, and in the five months since, that bond has only strengthened. So cheers to that!

I had to finish the structural rewrite/got to go to LA for my publisher’s annual conference!

After New York, I had a brief period of time with a normal human schedule, and then, soon after, the editorial letter for 24 Hours in Italy landed in my inbox.

I unfortunately thrive on the pressure of procrastination, so I hadn’t gotten very far into the rewrite, before it was already time to pack fun outfits and jet off to LA for my publisher’s annual conference!

I’ve attended Wattpad’s WattCon before, but this was the biggest one yet, and I had a blast. Not only did I get to speak on a panel that went spectacularly well (attendees were coming up to us with kind words all day), but my book 24 Hours in Paris (which was on sale at the conference) sold out in three hours. And then of course, there was so much bonding with fellow authors during the mixers and events. Yay!

I stayed in LA for a few extra days to catch up with friends and be that basic bitch who goes to Tower Bar to see celebrities. I saw Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne while I was there, so…mission accomplished, I guess, but next time, I wouldn’t mind accidentally bumping into Jacob Elordi, knocking his drink over (again, accidentally), and then kindly helping him dry off. Ahem.

At the airport and on the flight home, I finally worked on more rewrites for 24 Hours in Italy, and then fully dug in and finished by the deadline—just in time to put up the tree and catch up with friends! On that note: December is always the month with the most fancy hangouts and the most glasses of bubbly, which also means the most hangovers, but I handled them like a champ, and even made it out at 10am the next day for an excursion after one of them (readiness for the day at 10am pictured here. Yes. I was proud).

I had to do obsessive line edits to make the book truly sing

Line edits landed in my inbox just before the holidays, but I was kind of relieved, because while most people unplug between Christmas and New Years, for me it was a chance to finally focus my energy on diving into Microsoft Word and making those sentences sing.

By the time I finished, I knew in my heart that even though I love 24 Hours in Paris, 24 Hours in Italy is even better. When I had this realization, I cried. And had champagne. PS: here’s another look at the book cover. Doesn’t it feel like you’re right in Amalfi? Shout out to the cover artist Elliot Caroll.

I got to go to Canada’s biggest librarian conference!

Most recently (in February), I was invited to do a book signing at my first librarian conference—and Canada’s biggest one, OLASC! Shout out to my publisher (and the magician who runs our PR) who was able to get me a spot, and shout out to librarians, who I’d already suspected and now know, are some of the nicest people on earth.

24 Hours in Italy is complete

A few weeks ago, I added all my comments to the copy edits, and made a lot of final obsessive changes—as my type A self couldn’t help but do. Last week, it was all approved. A.k.a. aside from a final proofread pass, 24 Hours in Italy is now finished, and just 4.5 months away from hitting bookstores (July 18th)!

It’s difficult to summarize how all of that feels. For two books, I have been deeply attached to Mira and Jake, and I already feel a big hole in my heart at the thought of letting them go. I could’ve given them a third book, but I knew that their story would have the most impact if it concluded after book two—I hope you will feel the same.

The book will be going up on NetGalley next week, a chance for book bloggers, bookstagrammers, and booktokers to request an advance copy for review. I hope many of you love it as much as I do (I said “many” and not “all”, because of course art is subjective, and some of you will think it’s trash! And that’s okay! Such is the artist’s journey. I wouldn’t trade it for anything).

What’s next?

In the next 4.5 months, I’ll be fairly busy with the combination of my full-time job + the part-time job of doing social media marketing for my book. I don’t have to do as much marketing as I’ll be doing, but because I started off as self-published and am used to doing tons of my own marketing, and because I’m an author with a South Asian background in a world where there are not enough of them, I’ll be doing everything I can possibly think of to give the book more exposure—in a hopefully fun, authentic, and non-annoying way. TBD if I end up being insufferable!

I’ll also start thinking about what I’d like to write next, and hopefully write the draft for my next book. The possibilities are endless, but I don’t mind taking a bit of time to figure out what’s next. So far, I have a Word document where I’m slowly adding new ideas as I think of them. Many of them will wind up being trash.

In the meantime…

If you’re new to my work and are looking for a travel romance escape, you can pick up a copy of 24 Hours in Paris here. If you don’t trust me and think the reading experience will be trash, you can read the Publishers Weekly starred review of the book here. If you read the starred review and then read the book and still think it’s trash, that’s all part of the risk you take when consuming subjective art. I didn’t invent the rules, I’m just playing the game (but I really do believe the book is enjoyable)!

If you’ve already read 24 Hours in Paris and enjoyed it, A: thank you, and B: a quick review on Amazon Canada or Amazon US would be most helpful, as it gives the book great exposure, and will help generate interest for 24 Hours in Italy.

If you’re excited about 24 Hours in Italy, you can read the first four chapters for free here, and you can also preorder a copy here—which is rather convenient, because then, on release day (or sometimes a day or two before), the book will arrive on your doorstep for your reading pleasure. Preorders also go a long way in showing retailers that there’s interest for the book, which encourages them to support the book and order more copies, which then helps more customers find it, and then maybe more of them will buy it and review it…and thus completes the book launch success loop.

Okay, it’s Friday night, there’s a blizzard raging outside, and I was/am buzzed on red wine while writing the final half of this post. I hope you enjoyed it!

PS: if you’d like to stay on top of all my book and life updates, the best place to do it is by following me on Instagram here.

Too-da-loo!

It’s Been Busy + A Book Deal!

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The last time I wrote in this seemingly archaic format (I’m just a blog girl living in a TikTok world), I was reflecting back on a humanity-changing year, whilst sharing a list of ways to give back.

But now, the giving back is over. That’s right, ME before EVERYONE, thank you very much.

Correction: it is always a good idea to give back if one is able to, even if it’s out of annoyance, i.e. my Red Cross donation yesterday stemmed not from a desire to help out (just being honest), but as a way to get Red Cross Canada to stop calling me multiple times a week, which is what they’ve been doing since I last donated. Do they not realize that the biggest perk of donating online is to never have to speak to a human? I was so turned off by the frequent calls, sometimes during business hours, that I almost vowed to never donate to Red Cross again. Luckily, I realized that the people in need are not to be punished for the sins of the Red Cross employee—or volunteer—handbook, which apparently requires an overzealous frequency of calls. Anyway, I hope they’ll never call me again; just take my money and leave me alone.

Now that I sufficiently sound like the grumpy old man who sends handwritten complaint letters to companies that have wronged him, I HAVE SOME WONDERFUL NEWS TO SHARE!

(This news has been extensively shared on social media, so if you’re familiar with said news, feel free to skip ahead to the juicy teaser)

This year started off with a bang, in the form of being offered a book deal from Wattpad Books, specifically from their new imprint W by Wattpad Books, which will specialize in women’s fiction.

It was something I didn’t see coming, because after years of self-publishing and screenwriting and ad copywriting, I was, at the time, existing in that magical space of not really worrying about what came next, and simply writing fiction for the fun of it.

But isn’t that when the magic usually happens? When you’re focusing on the joy of it, instead of on the outcome?

I shared the news publicly in April, and had always intended to share it on this blog—where my writing dreams were born—but somehow the subsequent four months passed by in a flash. I think that had everything to do with the fact that the story in question, the one that got deal, needed a full re-outline and a page-one rewrite, all of which needed to occur within this four-month timeframe.

This is not the typical trajectory of a traditional book deal, but let me tell you: I couldn’t have been more thrilled by the prospect of a shit-load of work. Why, you ask? Well, the story in question, 24 Hours In Paris, was a story that was born on Wattpad, a rom-com story of college-aged students on a school trip. This new imprint, however, is focused on adult women’s fiction, and so, when I was asked if I’d be willing to age up the story…I WAS THRILLED!

If you know my writing, you know that 95% of my characters are a bit older than college students, especially in my most recent stories. They’ve lived through some shit, they’ve seen some shit, and even if they’re a little frayed at the edges, they still dare to dream and love. And so, to have the chance to take one of my favourite story concepts (it really takes place over 24 hours!), and age it up to my favourite demographic? It was the best news I ever could’ve heard.

But as I said, it meant a shit-load of work.

With full-time ad copywriting hours serving as my biggest obstacle, I squeezed in a full re-outline of the book over a 4-week period. Then, over the following 12 weeks, I squeezed in 28 chapters or 78,000 words, along with my own line edits and copy edits, for a brand new draft that—once it’s all polished and done—will be shared with the world in print and e-book form in May 2022.

I wrote the original 24 Hours In Paris nearly six years ago, and I’m so proud of how much my writing has changed in that time, based on personal growth, new sources of inspiration, and lived experiences. If you’ve read the original 24 Hours In Paris, consider this a whole new book, and one that I hope you’ll enjoy once it sees the light of day.

In the meantime, I figured I’d take some inspiration from Emily Henry, and share a little in-progress teaser from the book—and yes, we both have romantic comedy new releases coming out in May 2022. Will mine be as popular as the latest from the aforementioned international bestselling author, who has probably sold millions of copies? I mean…obviously?

(I didn’t make it this far without delusions of grandeur)

I’ll leave you with this teaser that introduces you to our two main characters, and without giving too much away, I’ll also say this about the book: this one’s for the ones who love Paris…for the ones who are excited to see a person of colour as the woman protagonist (!)…for the ones who love the urgency of a 24-hour running clock…and for the ones who like entire chapters written from the man’s prospective (yes, that will happen, and yes, that is a first for me!)

Read on below and enjoy. I’ll be back sometime soon with the book cover reveal—I saw some sketches today, and I love the direction it’s going in!

À bientôt,

‘Tis the Season (of Giving Back…)

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No parties, no big holiday dinners where the bubbly keeps flowin’, no fancy outfits you had to frantically buy at the last minute, no Secret Santa gifts you have to purchase for some rando co-worker you don’t even like (that’s just a ‘for instance,’ I love everyone! *cough*), and it goes on and on…

If that list sounds familiar, then maybe you’re like me, in that maybe even after an unfathomable year that changed the world, it turns out that your ‘airing of the grievances’ during this year’s Festivus isn’t actually all that bad (come on, you watch Seinfeld don’t you? A Festivus for the rest of us!).

That doesn’t mean there aren’t highs and lows, and that doesn’t mean that on certain days it’s more than enough to simply get out of bed. Like you can literally still complain and be petty even if you’re really grateful. I mean I think you can still complain. I’m still waiting to find that out as I make my way through the bestselling book ‘Think Like a Monk‘ by Jay Shetty. Tell me Jay, can I look forward to a chapter entitled “How to Develop a Meditation Practice That Allows You to Still be a Petty Bitch Sometimes“? I really fucking hope so, Jay.

Until Jay gets back to us, in the Romi School of Philosophy you can:

1. Be a nice person and also make fun of things

2. Be more accepting while still being very unimpressed

3. Give something back to communities in need while still buying so many kinds of exfoliating masks that it would only be justifiable if you were an alien with a minimum of three different faces and three different skin types (dry, oily, and combination)

It’s true, I like exfoliating scrubs, sue me (the Darphin Paris one has these DIVINE exfoliating pearls…). Sometimes that’s just what a girl really needs to get through a ‘pandemic day,’ but I also know how extremely lucky I am to still be earning a pre-pandemic income. And so, with it being the season of giving, and with many of the usual December expenses not happening this year, why not do a little more giving than normal?

[Side note: if the exfoliating indulgence didn’t resonate with you, insert the most relevant alternative, like for example…hmm…a PS5? Yeah, I’ve been hearing a lot about the PS5, and if you want to buy yourself a PS5 right now to get through the rest of the year, you go girl! Although to be honest my ‘gaming’ allegiance will forever lie with Mario and Luigi and Toad and etc (yesterday I heard that they’re opening a Super Nintendo World theme park in Japan next year. Interesting, very interesting…I’ve never been to Japan…)

Okay…on to the giving!

Below you’ll find a list of some giving back ideas. These links may be more tailored to Canada (and to myself so I have a handy list to go back to throughout the month—oh what, you didn’t know this blog was my personal iPhone notes list?), but think of them as thought-starters to get you inspired for choosing causes and organization you care about!

Before I get to the list, let’s be real: there are SO many charities out there. It’s really overwhelming, right? And how much of my money is actually going to the cause? Am I lining the pockets of some shady CEO so he can line his stomach with a pile of shaved truffles on his omelet every morning? Is this an actual charity, or something on the level of a Nigerian prince that’s gonna send me a million dollars if I just send him all my bank account info?

I demand answers!

No matter what country you’re in, you can usually find out a lot about a charity with a little online research. I find Charity Intelligence Canada to be very handy in rating charities for financial transparency and how much of your dollar actually goes to the cause. My rule of thumb is to aim for at least 60 cents on every dollar, with administrative costs of 5% or less.

Okay, now to my handy list that is conveniently tailored to myself:

  1. Red Cross Canada. I’m starting with this one today because for ‘Giving Tuesday,’ your survival kit donation will be matched by SGI Canada! Why else? Well, Red Cross Canada is usually first on site to help out in emergencies both around the world and domestically, and that includes COVID-19 support where it’s most needed. And, 78 cents of every dollar you donate goes directly to the cause.
  2. The Daily Bread Food Bank Canada. What I like about this one is that it’s linked to over 130 local agencies across Canada, so if you’re struggling to narrow it down (it gets as specific as the neighbourhood sometimes), you can know that through Daily Bread, 77 cents of every dollar you donate will go directly to food supplies. With food banks being relied on a lot more during this pandemic, any food bank you can donate to would appreciate it!
  3. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. CAMH is Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world’s leading research centres. The centre is dedicated to suicide prevention, and I have to admit, I’ve been ignorant towards how essential it is to provide care and support upfront to prevent this tragic outcome (especially during a year as difficult as this one). I’ve been learning more through my best friend from high school who’s doing incredible work at the centre as a leading psychiatrist and researcher. From a donation standpoint, 84 cents of every dollar goes directly to the CAMH programs.
  4. Canada Helps. Over 23,000 charities in Canada are linked to Canada Helps, and donations make their way to organizations fast via weekly bank deposits. You can tailor your donation to a specific cause or charity, and by paying the admin fee yourself (between 3% and 5%), 100% of your donated amount will go directly to the charity!
  5. Restaurants, yo. There isn’t a website link for that (at least I don’t think so), but we’re 9 months into this pandemic now, and even with government subsidies, rent relief packages, and takeout and delivery service, your favourite restaurants could really use some help! If you’re like me and your takeout consumption isn’t as frequent as you’d like, because maybe home cooked food has been good for your soul or maybe you’re worried about backin’ that ass up into jogging pants that won’t fit anymore (because you’ve been eating too much takeout), fear not, there are other ways to help! First, check out some restaurant websites to see if they do gift cards directly. If so, buy a gift card and save it for later! Or better yet, don’t use it at all and consider it a donation to a restaurant you love! If your resto of choice doesn’t appear to sell gift cards, then maybe there’s a plucky startup in your city like The Neighbourgood, which is a completely non-profit platform that sets up a gift card option for local restaurants and small businesses. I noticed that Rosalinda Restaurant (amazing vegan Mexican food!) is on The Neighbourgood, so I will definitely be purchasing a gift card to help keep them going. And that’s what it’s all about, right? Like there is hope right now, we are turning a corner, so it’s more important than ever to lift up the restaurants we love (and the ones we hope to try some day), to help ensure that they’ll be around when we can frolic and dine once again!
  6. Entertainment, yo. Maybe you’re in New York and it’s Broadway, or maybe it’s your local improv or a ballet company or an independent movie theatre or a live music venue. Whatever you enjoy, the industry that brought you all those laughs, tears, and heart-clutching happiness needs your help! About a year ago I went to my first ever show at Second City Toronto. It was a comedy sketch show called “If I Could Throwback Time” and it was SO funny. We laughed and laughed and laughed and couldn’t stop raving about it after. I just noticed that the Second City Toronto website sells gift cards. Enough said.
  7. Other small businesses, yo. My usual routine of supporting small businesses used to revolve around strolling through a neighbourhood and making new discoveries one little shop at a time. That’s not as easy to do when it’s winter and various stages of lockdown are in place, but that doesn’t mean we can’t support the cause—we can support it even more, in fact! It only takes a little bit of Googling to discover small business options for products you may have normally bought at a chain store, or to find convenient services that curate a variety of products. One such small business curation service is Toronto Market Co. It’s a virtual market with almost a hundred local small business vendors; all you have to do is fill up your online cart and they’ll deliver your order right to your door! This website has made it easier than ever to get delectable cheese from a local creamery, or handmade soaps, or small batch ice cream, or that perfect tapenade for your Christmas charcuterie board, or cinnamon bun spread (I need that in my life), or handmade pop tarts (also need that in my life), or Ontario caramelized onion spread (what is that and I need it!), or margarita pizzas from your favourite Toronto pizzeria that are ready-to-bake at your convenience (OF COURSE I need that in my life!), or, or, or… Imagine supporting ten small businesses in a single order, well worth the flat delivery fee!

Well there you have it, some thought-starters (and hopefully some inspiration) on giving back this season (if you’re able to of course, no judgment!). It’s true that every individual contribution makes a difference, but imagine if we all gave a little bit more than we usually do in this all important season of giving. Imagine what a difference that would make! Maybe your heart won’t grow three sizes like the Grinch, but why does the Grinch get such positive PR anyway? He literally stole all the presents before he gave them back. And then he got invited to dinner? That’s bullshit. The Grinch is like a billionaire who doesn’t pay taxes but then every year, coughs up a paltry sum to the vague ‘environment’ or something.

But that’s a story for another day.

Merry Christmas!