Caroline Langerman

📍Charlotte, NC | Writer

📝 Editor’s Note

I have a terrible sleep habit: I love to watch psychological thrillers before bed. I grew up on Law & Order SVU. The theme music was my first ringtone.

Based on my extensive viewing history, I think there are five primary characteristics of a serial killer. (Nice and light topic today!)

These characteristics are:

1. Owning a pet snake

2. Working out in a gym without music

3. Eating a banana without peeling it first

4. Wearing gloves indoors

5. Drinking decaf coffee

I have entered into a decaf coffee era. Don't get me wrong, I still have at least one large cup of caffeinated coffee, but I'm mixing in a decaf now. Why? Because I fell for the marketing of a decaf brand online and its alleged benefits…all those antioxidants without the edgy side effects.

This is not an ad, but instead a warning: if I start working out without music or buy a pet snake, please call the cops.

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Without further ado….

Why Caroline?

Caroline came recommended by Caylor Mark. Caylor shared that she is “a fantastic writer, friend and person.” I personally appreciate when profiles have a theme and I think you will notice Caroline’s quickly. Caroline also has a Substack that I encourage you to check out in the plug section.

Self-Description

Mother of three, trying to fit in some creativity or a tennis match when school is not cancelled.

Caroline’s 6 Recommendations

Written in her own words…

1. Charlotte Center for Literary Arts | "Charlotte Lit”

When I first arrived at UNC Chapel Hill as an out-of-state student from Massachusetts, I felt a bit lost until my mom urged me to "find the creative writing department." When, years later, I moved from New York City to the banking town of Charlotte, I needed to once again find the writers.

Charlotte Center for Literary Arts ("Charlotte Lit") is the metaphorical creative writing department in Charlotte. Now located at the Ascend Nonprofit Center on the edge of Uptown, it offers outstanding classes in every genre, runs a literary journal, and brings prize-winning authors to speak and lead retreats. Their spring schedule of classes is now live. Thanks to co-founders Paul Reali and Kathie Collins for bringing this concept to life!

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2. Poem | “Advice to Myself” by Louise Erdich

There is a poem by Louise Erdich called "Advice to Myself" which doesn't let me wiggle out of getting my writing done. I return to this poem when I feel I don't have "time" to be creative. It reminds me that I can get to the store and answer all those texts and deal with my life AFTER I finish writing.

Advice to Myself

by Louise Erdrich

Leave the dishes.

Let the celery rot in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator

and an earthen scum harden on the kitchen floor.

Leave the black crumbs in the bottom of the toaster.

Throw the cracked bowl out and don’t patch the cup.

Don’t patch anything. Don’t mend. Buy safety pins.

Don’t even sew on a button.

Let the wind have its way, then the earth

that invades as dust and then the dead

foaming up in gray rolls underneath the couch.

Talk to them. Tell them they are welcome.

Don’t keep all the pieces of the puzzles

or the doll’s tiny shoes in pairs, don’t worry

who uses whose toothbrush or if anything

matches, at all.

Except one word to another. Or a thought.

Pursue the authentic-decide first

what is authentic,

then go after it with all your heart.

Your heart, that place

you don’t even think of cleaning out.

That closet stuffed with savage mementos.

Don’t sort the paper clips from screws from saved baby teeth

or worry if we’re all eating cereal for dinner

again. Don’t answer the telephone, ever,

or weep over anything at all that breaks.

Pink molds will grow within those sealed cartons

in the refrigerator. Accept new forms of life

and talk to the dead

who drift in though the screened windows, who collect

patiently on the tops of food jars and books.

Recycle the mail, don’t read it, don’t read anything

except what destroys

the insulation between yourself and your experience

or what pulls down or what strikes at or what shatters

this ruse you call necessity.

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3. Margaret Desk from Ballard Designs

For my birthday a couple years ago, my husband got me this beautiful writing desk. Our house doesn't have a lot of extra space, but this slate blue desk in the corner of my bedroom makes me feel like I'm lucky to be at work.

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4. Claremont Hotel | Southwest Harbor, Maine

Because we live in Charlotte's tropical and humid paradise, we like to take cold-weather vacations, like skiing in Colorado or hiking in Vermont. For our 10-year anniversary trip, we splurged on a weekend at the Claremont Hotel in Southwest Harbor, Maine. Each morning, we hiked in Acadia National Park, and each afternoon we ate lobster and drank rum at The Claremont's Batson Fishcamp. Highly recommend going north!

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5. Sleeping Basket Kittens

I've been buying these little fake kittens in baskets for my daughter's second-grade friends. They look real, and they meow, and I have about thirty of them sleeping in my pantry. Now I can stop thinking about the trampoline birthday party circuit and get back to writing.

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6. “The Best American Essays”

If you like first-person narratives and memoirs, do yourself a favor and buy yourself "The Best American Essays" anthology. The range of voices and experiences is staggering. You'll feel better nourished after reading these, as opposed to when you get stuck scrolling through HuffPost clickbait stories.

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Plug | Forty Love

Once a month, I'm sharing a new personal essay on my Substack newsletter, "Forty Love." You can view my published writing on my website: www.carolinehamiltonwriter.com

Want to get in touch with Caroline? “I love to connect with other word lovers. You can email me at caroline.h.langerman@gmail.com”

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P.S. from Rambull — I’m embarrassed to admit that I watched Tombstone for the first time last week with friends. The cast (Val Kilmer RIP) is incredible, which is undoubtedly part of why it is a cult classic. Watching Tombstone was timely as I recently devoured the book The Devil’s Highway. For my “Non-Fiction that Reads Like Fiction” book club members, you must add this one to your list.