Our New Yap Zone & My Summer Vibes
Email community, I've missed you...here's the scoop on our next evolution and my summer favorites in books, film/TV, & lifestyle.
Thanks to the insight of the author community (both on Threads and Brigid Kemmerer’s incredible author Discord), and reading the posts of some cool gals here over the past year or so, I’m joining the many artists who are moving their traditional email lists over to the Substack party!
I really found it hard to find a flow with my email list over the years. I often worry that my multi-hyphenate career is either too broad, too inconsistent, or too unrelatable for many in my community and the idea of sending a life update straight to folks’ inbox every week or month never quite clicked for me.
This year, however, I have quite the assortment of projects I’ve been juggling and while I’ve been adoring hunkering down to work in isolation, I also feel a bit remiss not to invite my people in (because I do, in fact, have the sweetest, mightiest group of people in my corner who I’m so grateful for).
Unlike my previous emails, however, this new space is going to be a little more intimate, a little more experimental, and hopefully, a chance to share a little more of the nuance and context behind the “highlight reel” of this creative life I’ve been building.
Who the heck are you?
If you’re new here…hi! I’m Alison Haselden. I am a multi-hyphenate based in Atlanta, GA with my fiancé Michael and beloved hound, Moose.
Here’s the overview of my multi-hyphenate charm bracelet:
I am a film and television actor. I started working professionally at age 6 and have accumulated 20 years of experience (took some years off in there to attend university and try to be a normal person with a normal job - LOL). A few of my credits include Bride Hard, The Wonder Years, and Lick. In the next year, my first series regular role in the Tubi Original limited series Mo’ Waffles will be coming out! You can learn more here.
I am a writer! I write both novels and screenplays. My 10-episode audio drama Wicked Dames (that I also directed and performed in) is out everywhere you listen to podcasts now. I recently finished a YA fantasy book about mariner witches in Nantucket that I am in edits on and I am drafting a contemporary rom-com and and adult fantasy among a neverending queue of screenplay outlines I haven’t gotten around to writing yet.
I’m a director too! Wicked Dames was my narrative debut as a director, but I’ve directed commercial and branded shoots for my marketing clients for nearly a decade now. I was very honored to be recognized for my work in this area as a 2025 recipient of the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Emerging Artist Award. I’m really eager to continue to expand my work as a writer-director (and one day showrunner!) in the years to come. You can see my portfolio-of-sorts for this work in my Showrunner Notes series on YouTube.
I guess I should also mention that I’m a marketing consultant (all of us artists have to have something consistent to keep the lights on, y’know). I’ve worked in marketing agencies and in-house roles over the years, but now I’m lucky enough to work with clients at the executive level of their creative careers (Grammy award winning musicians, actors at the series regular level on TV shows, reality TV contestants, streamers, authors, podcasters, entrepreneurs, etc.) to help them with their marketing and branding strategies. You can learn more about that here.
Okay, but who are you REALLY?
See, I knew I liked you…I do a lot of different things. But as a human being, I guess I’d describe myself as…
I spend a lot of time on my personal growth & spirituality. I’m always striving to become the most healed and aligned version of myself so that I can live out my purpose to help others feel seen, known, and loved through the stories I’m here to tell.
The dumbest smart girl you know. I can skip my way through jig-saw puzzles but am clueless when it comes to some “basic” human-ing things like parallel parking and using a map.
My fiancé constantly refers to me as Fiona from Shrek, so read between the lines on that one.
I’m a friendly introvert. I see everything happening around me, I feel deeply, I like to engage in social settings in bite-sized pieces more often than not. I need to hibernate in silence for several days after big parties, events, etc. but love nothing more than spending quality time with my people.
I love vintage everything and feel most comfortable and cozy immersed in UK-culture.
Growing up in an airline family (dad, uncle, and brother are all professional pilots!) travel is second nature to me and I love exploring new places and cultures, especially in Asia and Oceania!
I have the biggest soft spots for animals, kids, and grandparents.
My dearest, closest friends and family all live in other states (and almost none of them are in artistic careers like me) and I’m so grateful for the grounding presence and support they show me on the regular.
Creativity really is woven into every part of my life. I need it like oxygen. From my career in acting, writing, and directing to filling my personal time with reading, cooking, home projects, candle painting, putting together outfits, and planning trips, it’s all about imagination and curiosity and beauty and heart over here!
What you can expect from me here on Substack:
Two to four posts per month (mix of free and subscriber-only), cycling through my multi-hyphenate charm bracelet of acting, writing, directing, and little side quests.
If you’ve been on my email list in the past, you’ll recognize a few familiar themes for my free posts. I will be continuing on with my list of favorite books, film/TV, products, and activities but rather than once per month, I’ll share those once per season along with updates on my creative queue. I’ll also be doing more vlog-esque play-by-plays of trips and events.
For our subscriber-only community, I’ll be going much deeper into the behind the scenes of specific experiences I have like writing / directing process insights, what I learn from a marketing campaign or client project or career milestone, or even sneak peeks of works in progress.
While you will see slivers of these topics on other platforms (I’m pretty active on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok too), this is the place I’ll be going deep into the behind the scenes, my thoughts and experience, and even the mechanics of how the sausage gets made every once and a while.
Summer Vibes:
My seasonal favorites: books, film, TV, and beyond…
You can expect a seasonal “Vibe Check” to swap ideas and inspiration for the season. Because I believe the media we consume, the food & drinks we eat, and the little details in the day-to-day can really help us enjoy life better. Please share your own favorites in this categories in the comments below!
(Friendly note: I prefer we talk about things we love rather than waste our precious time talking about things we hate in this space. Feel free to gush about what you love, and get curious about opinions differing from your own, but save any dragging or trash talk for somewhere else. Thank you!)
BOOKS:
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Posten
I finally was able to sink my teeth into this romantic drama after years of it being on my TBR list and it really lived up to the hype! The magical time-traveling apartment element dropped into the grounded modern backdrop of New York City to bring together a book publicist and a chef on this whirlwind romance was just the easiest romantic read. I loved that the characters felt so realistic despite the magical situation.
The Lost Letters From Martha’s Vineyard by Michael Callahan
A historical drama mystery with the intrigue of Hollywood’s Golden era combined with the quintessential charm of New England’s jewel of Martha’s Vineyard. Switches POVs between a woman in the 50s and her granddaughter uncovering her secrets in present day.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
I finally hopped on the bandwagon of this sci-fi / dystopian series and I’m so very glad I did. Red Rising is an exciting political adventure story that just screams summer blockbuster and made me nostalgic for the years gone by of midnight summer book and film releases like Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games (though this series is very much targeted for adults).
Summer in the City by Alex Aster
NYC in the summer? Enemies to lovers? Say less. A perfect beach read or poolside escape from the heat (while cranking up the heat just enough if you catch my drift). If you’re looking for a drama-fueled fantasy to escape into, this is the fun, fluffy read you’ve been looking for.
FILM & TV:
Sirens on Netflix
Adored the inspiration and modern take on mythology’s sirens and clever writing in the script to urge viewers to stay curious and examine more deeply the perspectives and narratives we choose to believe. The luxury porn of a summer on a bougie island off New York doesn’t hurt either.
Slow Horses on Apple TV
Thrilled to finally catch up on this fabulous show following the lives of “secret agent rejects” and their day-to-day. Incredibly clever, albeit acerbic writing and an interesting cast of characters makes me a very happy viewer as a fan of Gary Oldman and subtle acting work.
Deep Cover on Amazon
An improv comedy troupe is roped into an undercover police operation and results in highly entertaining and action packed film. From premise to execution, this film knew exactly what it was doing and I loved it.
Rewatch/Binge of The Hunger Games series (currently on HBO Max)
I am a Suzanne Collins superfan and this series is my cathartic rewatch whenever I’m burnt out. A terrifying fun fact about me, I know, but it’s true. Summer is a fitting time to rewatch as it aligns with “reaping day” on July 4th and got me excited for the upcoming film adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping.
BITS & BOBS:
Mindfully sipping my iced coffee. In June this looked like: enjoying my coffee from the shaded steps of my trailer on set, taking in the sights and sounds of the cast & crew and having a moment of gratitude. In July this is shaping up to look more like: enjoying coffee on my balcony with Moose where I’m surrounded by the trees and sounds of birds & squirrels waking up before it gets too hot.
Citrus & cucumber infused water. A low-effort way to increase hydration & feel a lil fancy when I’m sweating my butt off.
Minimal summer makeup routine (I love giving my skin a break in the summer with how gross it is outside. If I MUST wear makeup, it’ll be sunscreen + primer (I like ELF’s 2-in-1) + tinted moisturizer (Maybelline’s SPF tinted moisturizer) + blush (L’Oreal’s apricot kiss) + tinted lip balm (NIVEA’s blackberry shine) + MAYBE mascara)
Sunset walks to the park with Moose.
Wearing slutty little glasses a la Jonathan Bailey in Jurassic Park while reading by the pool.
Jello cake. This is one of the recipes from my childhood that has always stayed with me. A favorite from the Southern side of my family, it’s a perfectly summery concoction of vanilla cake moistened with strawberry jello mix (for flavor, no gelatinous texture), topped with whipped cream and berries. I like this recipe if you want to give it a try.
The Mamma Mia movie soundtracks blasting each morning to help me start the day on a positive foot.
Moving slowly. Letting myself BE more than DO. Somehow everything still gets done without clinging to control over rigid schedules or approaches and most importantly, my experience of life is far more enjoyable along the way.
Summer Trips: Nantucket, Los Angeles, Las Vegas.
MY CREATIVE QUEUE:
Slow and steadily progressing through round 3 edits on my YA fantasy book manuscript about witches in Nantucket in the 90s.
28,000 words into the first draft of my international travel centered enemies-to-lovers contemporary rom-com novel (and TV pilot!).
Spent most of June on set filming a new limited series TV show for Tubi! It was my first series regular role and it was such a wonderful experience - I can’t wait to tell you more soon!
New episodes of The Showrunner Notes series out now on YouTube featuring Red Rising, Sunrise on the Reaping, Throne of Glass, and the Magnolia Parks books.
Thank you for being here! I hope to connect with you all and swap favorites, inspiration, and stories as we chat in the comments.
xx,
Alison