Put On Your Tolkien-lenses

some updates and links for you!

“When Summer lies upon the world, and in a noon of gold 

Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves the dreams of trees unfold;

When woodland halls are green and cool, and wind is in the West, 

Come back to me! Come back to me, and say my land is best 

— Treebeard, The Two Towers, Chapter: Treebeard, J.R.R. Tolkien 

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It’s high summer where I live in the Northern Hemisphere. The trees are burdened with green. They shimmers gold on the edges. The fireflies are dancing as the sun sets. The clouds billow in alabaster towers on the horizon. It’s glorious. 

One thing I always tell people when they’re reading Tolkien for the first time is how his writing will forever change the way they experience nature. It’s as if you get a pair of ‘Tolkien-lenses’ to wear once you read his stories. Nature opens up to you in a whole new way. 

Where you once saw a patch of woods, now you wonder if there’s Ent who shepherds them there. Where you once saw a mountain range, you now imagine great Eagles soaring through their ridges and peaks. What you once thought was commonplace, you now see as sacredly alive. 

Right now, I’m looking ahead at the last half of the year and getting excited for the projects and series I have planned over the next few months. 

Let’s get into it. 

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We’re Reading The Lord of the Rings (again!)

For the past five years, I’ve hosted a read-through of LOTR every fall for my paid subscribers. Why do I call it a ‘read-through’ and not a ‘book club’? Because my aim is to make reading this book as enjoyable and accessible as I can.

All you need to participate is a paid subscription to this substack and a copy of The Lord of the Rings. On September 22nd (yes, Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday) we’ll all pick up the book and at our own pace. There is no official reading schedule or deadlines to keep up with, so there’s no falling behind. 

Once we start, if you’re a paid subscriber, you will get weekly check-ins in the form of my ‘Middle-earth Monday’ posts where we all come together to discuss and gather around these beloved stories from J.R.R. Tolkien. 

The Middle-earth Monday posts will also have overviews of the chapters (I aim to cover 5-7 chapters a week), deep-dives, bonus resources to help you get the most out of the text, and  curated links to make your reading experience as immersive as possible. 

And right now, I’m running my once-a-year summer promo where all paid subscriptions are 30% off. This means that when you sign up now you lock in your subscription for the fall read-through and won’t have to pay full subscription price. 

You’re welcome to join us anytime (and right now is a really good time).

CLICK HERE TO GET 30% ANY SUBSCRIPTION PLAN

Offer ends July 18th

I’m now an affiliate for Donovan Pottery! 

While I’ve happily purchased from this maker and promoted them on my platforms before because I truly believe in the ethos of the brand, I was thrilled when Will invited me to become an affiliate. This means when you purchase one of their handcrafted mugs using the link below, you’re also supporting the work I do here! You simply have to go check all their designs but especially their LOTR ones.

My affiliate link: https://donovanpottery.com?sca_ref=8908854.B0TEusDQIguTxL

pssst…you can also use the code, “BREANNE” to get 10% off your order. 

What will your Tolkien content look like for the rest of 2025?

While I’m gearing up to host the big read-through of The Lord of the Rings in just a few months, I’m also posting in all my regular places multiple times a week. 

TikTok is my personal favorite way to directly interact and ask questions because the platform gives me the best tools to respond to you. 

Instagram is where I get to show you more of the behind-the-scenes of my work while also giving you daily deep dives and sharing Tolkien quotes paired with vignettes of nature (you can also find me on Threads if that’s your thing). 

This substack continues to be the best place (for now) that you can support the work I do. I don’t share about it often, but I live with a debilitating chronic illness and this space allows me to bring in income without having to be traditionally employed. 

While I do have serious qualms with some aspects of the platform, and will migrate my audience to a better place if my research brings anything up, this is where my long-form content and Tolkien read-throughs will be hosted for now based on the current capacity my health allows me to have. 

Finally, I want to say THANK YOU for being here. Whether you’re a free subscriber, a paid subscriber or just tap the heart button when one of my posts comes across your feed, I’m deeply grateful for the support. You’re the reason we’re able to build this space into what it is. I can’t wait to see where we go from here. 

I hope wherever you are in the world, you’re able to open a window or take a slow walk under the trees today. I’m choosing to put on my ‘Tolkien-lenses’ and savor this summer as much as possible. 

I encourage you to do the same. 

Don’t forget to snag your spot for the fall read-through for $2.92 a month! Offer ends, July 18th.