Briefly | I spent most of this weekend on campus for the Prairie Gate Literary Festival, a small event I’ve helped plan for the last couple of years. Our authors this year were Emma Bull (science fiction/fantasy), John Hildebrand (creative nonfiction), Vandana Khanna (poetry), Eric Smith (young adult) and Ebba Segerberg (translator). I got to serve as the moderator of a panel yesterday — a new and exciting experience for me!
Reading | I finally finished Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho! I’m not sure what took me so long with that one, since it was totally great — smart, diverse, feminist fantasy that should have a sequel or two. I’m still digging fiction ahead of Nonfiction November, so I picked up Mermaids in Paradise by Lydia Millet from the library. After that, it’s all nonfiction all the time.
Watching | It’s all Elementary all the time around here — for those who mentioned it last week yes, Natalie Dormer was SO GREAT! I hope she comes back.
Making | I got another request for a “Katniss Cowl” (first one pictured with the recipient, my friend Carrie, above), so I’m going to start in on that as soon as the yarn arrives in the mail. I may have a few others in my queue, which is exciting!
Cooking | I got this Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup from Iowa Girl Eats in the slow cooker this morning, so that’ll be good later today. I’m hoping we’ll eat out less this week.
Blogging | I could not get in the mood to blog this week, but spending the weekend with authors and other bookish folks in real life helped me feel inspired again. Between that and Nonfiction November, I’m hoping the blog will pick back up.
Promoting | I found a few great posts/articles this week: 23 Ways To Treat Yo’ Self Without Buying Or Eating Anything from Yes and Yes, How Doctors Take Women’s Pain Less Seriously from The Atlantic, and Genre Kryptonite: Political Campaign Novels from Book Riot.
Hating/Loving | I have so many great books I want to be reading right now. It’s amazing and intimidating and means I should be spending less time in front of screens.
Anticipating | I finally got all of the pieces for my Halloween costume! Our office dresses up for Halloween and we decided the theme this year was going to be superheros. I went pretty simple, but I’m excited.
Happy Sunday, everyone! What are you reading today?
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Today? I’m reading The Death Cure by James Dashner. I’m about halfway through and while I’ll finish it, I’ll be honest that I just want it to end. “Okay, okay, I got it…let’s cut to the final scene. Thank you.” It’s not that it’s that bad, it’s just not great either.
How cool about the literary festival. Off to check out the site.
I felt that way about Insurgent… it was ok, but definitely ready to be done before the last page.
I’m trying to come up with a Halloween costume to wear but I’m not all that creative. I may have to go to Party City or someplace like that.
I’ll be interested to hear what you think of Mermaids in Paradise…I tried it last year and loved some of the writing, but ultimately had trouble getting into the story and ended up putting it down.
The narrator is getting a little bit hard for me. I love and hate how sarcastic and sort of unpleasant she is. I’m not totally sure on it.
Look at you being a moderator! How cool!
I luckily am not being asked to do a Halloween costume this year — I have to work on Halloween night, and not in a Halloween capacity (yay). But I have a plan for if I ever have to: I shall be Kate Bishop. I have a Hawkeye-colors dress and a long purple coat and some ass-kicking boots, so all I’d need would be some purple shades and a bow-and-arrow set. Easy-peasy. 😀
Kate Bishop sounds so awesome!!
No costume for me this year. Phew! I hate coming up with ideas. And looking forward to nonfiction November!
No Halloween costume for me this year. I just don’t have the energy, and my kids are not that into the holiday that much anymore. Besides, how boring are we that we have no plans and no party invites for the big event, even with it falling on a Saturday?
We don’t really have plans either, but maybe something will present itself before Saturday night. It’d be ok with a quiet evening though, it’s been a long few weeks.
Yikes! That Atlantic article is horrifying and infuriating.
On the flip side, the Treat Yo’Self article had some good ideas. Thanks for sharing these.
I just have to say – I love that Katniss cowl!! I’ve been meaning to make one too but I don’t know if I will wear it. You made it so well!