A Quick Update

The Paperback of Cover Story, What I've Been Up To, Los Angeles, etc...

Hello all!

It has been almost a year since I was active on here, and I realize it must seem as though I disappeared into the void, so I thought I’d send out a quick update.

Cover Story

First of all, my debut novel Cover Story came out last April and was a big hit on Bookstagram, and I spent like 99% of my time in the months that followed just reading everyone’s posts and reviews and replying to all the amazing DMs from readers. I loved seeing everyone’s reactions and all the “mind blown” emojis when they got to the end and figured out the twist (note: if you haven’t read it yet, DO NOT GOOGLE THE TWIST!).

The paperback version of Cover Story just came out a few weeks ago, so if you haven’t read it yet, now is the time to get a copy! You can get it on sale from the publisher here (I think it’s like fifteen bucks right now if you order it directly from them): https://www.harpercollins.com/products/cover-story-susan-rigetti?variant=40826271137826

Writing Projects

I’ve been head-down, eyes-glued-to-computer, fingers-frantically-typing writing for the last year, working on features, television pilots, novels, a nonfiction book proposal (yes, finally a physics book, for all of you who have been waiting!), pitches, treatments, and a short story (that I’m *fingers crossed* finishing today and sending out next week). The WGA is on strike, so there are no meetings or pitches or anything along those lines; I’m focusing on finishing up these novels and writing a new feature spec and television pilot so I’ll have something new ready to take out after the strike.

Acting and Directing

I want to start directing my own films and also *fingers crossed* directing some episodes of television, so for the past few years I’ve been studying as much as I can and have learned quite a bit about directing. I reached a point last year where I realized that someone could drop me on a set and I would be able to do every part of the job except one critical part: I didn’t know how to work with actors.

On the advice of many directors (who encouraged me to go take a few acting classes), I started taking acting classes. But, as you all know, I don’t like to half-ass anything, and love to go all-in and learn everything, so instead of just taking a couple acting classes or an acting workshop or a “learn to direct actors” workshop (which I did!), I enrolled in a two-year acting program last year and have been studying pretty intensely.

It has been a really wonderful and challenging experience (in the good kind of way), and I've already reached my goal, but am going to keep going and keep learning, and write a play or two for myself and my classmates. (Also: there have been a lot of unexpected, wonderful side effects from studying acting that have deeply changed me as a person — I’ll have to write about them.)

Goals and Dreams

I had a pretty big and intense health issue around two years ago that I’m still recovering from. One of the silver linings was that it was a pretty big wake-up call for me that I could permanently lose my physical mobility at any time (I lost it temporarily), and yet I have all of these goals and dreams that would be more difficult to accomplish if I lost it again. So, one-by-one, I’m going through my list of goals and dreams and trying to do them now, while I can — no more putting things off that bring me joy and a sense of meaning and fulfillment today.

For example, I recently started leasing a horse, and so, for the first time in my life, I (somewhat) have a horse of my own, and I get to ride almost every day. And every single time I ride, I feel so much thankfulness and appreciation that I am able to do it, and it fills me with so much overwhelming joy. I still have some difficulty and still have some (extremely expensive) physical therapy I’m supposed to do, but I’m having the time of my life and am getting stronger and better with every ride.

Oh, and…

I moved to LA!

It’s pretty amazing. My favorite place I’ve ever lived, without a doubt.

---

That’s all for now. More soon!

Until next time,

Susan (and Willy the Horse)

(Btw, I paused subscription payments a very long while ago. I’ll restart them at some point in the near future, but will give you all a heads-up before I do.)