Welcome back to Out of Practice! Thanks for being here.
In case you missed the announcement over on instagram, my book has a cover! And it’s stunning! The art is from a painting by Ben McLaughlin, and the cover was designed by Erin Cahill. I am absolutely in love with everything about it and so thrilled to share it with you all.
Coming to a bookstore near you on June 30th!
And here’s the back cover copy:
A modern retelling of The Philadelphia Story, Wasp’s Nest is a witty, gripping love triangle unfolding over the course of seven chaotic days at a Cape Cod wedding
Tess wants nothing more than for her upcoming society wedding to overshadow the failure of her first marriage. Her fiancé Warren, a steady soon-to-be state senator, is nothing like her first husband. Tess’s relationship with working-class artist Peter was a passionate crash-and-burn, and a chapter of her life that she's ready to forget.
Peter hasn’t seen Tess in five years, so he’s shocked to receive an invitation to her wedding. But he’s moved on too, and it wouldn’t hurt to prove it by showing up with a handsome younger man as his plus-one. Mitch, an aspiring writer, is intrigued by Peter and jumps at the chance to pry into the lives of his Waspy ex-in-laws. What he’s not bargained for is developing serious feelings for both Peter and Peter’s ex—Tess, the bride. But Peter and Tess have complex desires of their own, and Mitch is dangerously close to uncovering them.
Wasp’s Nest is a fast-paced, humorous, and heartfelt exploration of the shape of our affections that proves real love triangles connect on all sides.
I’ve also been fortunate enough to receive two blurbs, which I will share here because I’m extremely grateful and proud.
From the moment I opened Wasp’s Nest it was impossible to put down, and I missed the characters as soon as I closed it. Alternating among three perspectives of an endearingly atypical love triangle, Stoddard has created an exquisitely layered masterpiece—not unlike an actual wasp’s nest. The novel pulses with anticipation and personality from start to end, with sharp, vivid prose, witty dialogue, and cutting insights on class, relationships, and the ways in which we hide from ourselves. The tension between these fully rendered and utterly human characters left me tearing through this gorgeous and tender portrait of young love. Rooney-esque and compulsively readable. I can’t wait for whatever Stoddard does next.
While it may take a nod from The Philadelphia Story, Wasp’s Nest stands on its own as a hugely engaging comedy of manners. The prose is crystalline and the dialogue is screen worthy, but what’s most impressive is Kat Stoddard’s gift for digging deep into her characters’ souls and dissecting their desires. The result is a keen examination of love in all its modern and messy complexities and a tremendously entertaining debut.
You can preorder Wasp’s Nest online here, but consider placing an order with your favorite local indie if you’re able. For folks in Baltimore, I always recommend Snug Books and Greedy Reads.
Life Lately
It’s getting genuinely cold in Maryland, so I’m breaking out the flannels, sweaters, and wool socks. The kittens are about 6 months old now and thriving. Sid and I are doing lots of crafting and spooky movie watching (Halloween is a state of mind in our house).
I spent last weekend in NYC with friends on the eve of a historic mayoral election (finally some good political news!), and saw some incredible theater—Jack Wolfe and Morgan Dudley delivered a life-changing performance in Hadestown, I am so serious.
It’s definitely a chaotic season, but it’s also one of my favorites. I’m not accomplishing a ton of drafting, but my WIP is top of mind most days, even if the only thing I write is a few lines in my notebook (more on that below).
Oscar supervising me at my desk from his wall cubby.
Emerald writing her manifesto.
Reading List
Here’s the best of what I’ve read this month:
Sandwich by Catherine Newman
I don’t often feel represented by motherhood in fiction, but I really appreciated the depth and nuance of the way midlife motherhood was depicted here. I quickly grew fond of Rocky and her family, who have a truly lived-in dynamic, and really enjoyed Newman’s warmth and wit. Thank you to Ce for the rec!
Heart the Lover by Lily King
This book! I adored Writers & Lovers, and I think I adore Heart the Lover even more. It’s funny, sexy, moving, and presents characters so fully formed I’d hardly be surprised if they stepped off the page. And the structure worked so well that it made me totally re-evaluate my plans for Campus WIP. Jk. Unless? Anyway, be prepared to have your heart broken open by this book, it is devastatingly beautiful.
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
I read Torrey Peters’ short story collection Stag Dance over the summer which made me move her debut novel up my TBR. I loved this book—Peters has such an engaging voice. It kind of feels like listening to a cool girl at a party tell a story from one group over. I’m locked in and afraid to lose my spot. This book is centered on an unexpected trio and explores the possibility of unconventional family structures, so from the start I was hooked.
Writing Progress/Writing Goals
I finished a draft of Campus WIP Part 1! It’s 16,000 words and about 40 pages (I printed it! Always a milestone). I have yet to do anything with it, but it’s on my desk!
I’ve also received and returned my Second Pass edits for WASP’S NEST. At the Second Pass stage, any changes were minor, the goal was to keep the text on the discrete page where it already falls. I know a lot of work went into the interior design of the book already, and honestly I feel very good about the book generally. I know I will freak out several hundred times between now and pub day, but I’m enjoying this momentary feeling of peace.
Practice Chats
Campus WIP is still my writing focus, and I’m starting to unlock some new connections. I don’t find thinking about themes useful during this earlier stage of the writing process. Instead, I tend to frame things as questions.
I have pages on pages of questions in my notebooks, some of which I will answer eventually. I generally know where I want to end the story in terms of the character arcs, so the fun of writing is figuring out how to get from Point A to Point Z. So I start with a question, let it inspire more questions, and write until I can answer them in a way that feels authentic.
If I’m not sure how to approach a scene, I will ask myself “how would my character handle a power outage?” or “how does my character feel about their upbringing?” and then I write until I know. There were definitely some scenes in WASP’S NEST that originated that way, maybe after the book comes out I’ll do a little behind-the-scenes, if anyone would enjoy that!
Before You Go
If anyone is going to be attending AWP in Baltimore this March, let me know! I’d love to meet up.
Stay warm, donate to your local food banks, and kiss your pets for me.
Until next time,
Kat
