Things I've Enjoyed Recently

It's always tough to figure out what to say when it comes to updating this site. Yep, I'm still working on writing. Nope, I haven't done as much with my stories as I want to. I feel confident of about maybe five percent of what I write. The rest of it requires me to go back, edit madly, start new stories, and hope to get better.

My Saturday nights are quite exciting. The stuff of legend, you can be sure.

Anyway, in addition to scribbling my own stuff, I also read and listen to the stuff that other people create. Here's some stuff I've enjoyed in recent weeks:

1) Trubbled Youth by Felipe Echevarria

Because it feels like an old-school zine, and because I love how expressive his figures are. This was one of my favorite finds of C2E2 2015.

2) "21 Steps to Enlightenment (Minus One)" by LaShawn M. Wanak, read for PodCastle by Khaalidah Muhammed-Ali

PodCastle often makes for excellent listening for a long work commute, and this story caught me right from the start with its premise. I wouldn't have guessed that the story developed the way it did, which was part of why I loved it so.

3) The Sculptor by Scott McCloud

The major plot points seemed familiar (Pregnancy! Death! A manic pixie dream girl!), but there were so many of the small notes that were just right, from the way that David's first attempts with his artistic gift don't meet with success to the conversations he has with Uncle Harry (actually, throw in all of the conversations about art--they felt painfully real). And Scott McCloud's artwork is solid and subtle, but I thought it made the most of the medium. And I cried at the end.

Hope you've been enjoying some good stuff on your end, whoever and wherever you are!

Little Free Library

Sometimes, at the end of a bleh week, you take a walk on a day like yesterday and see something like a Little Free Library on the lawn outside of someone's house. And it's wonderful.

For more information on the Little Free Library project, check out the official website! Seriously, don't you want a little home for books on your front lawn, too?

While Browsing the Books

Why do I have a feeling that this section of the store might not be entirely accurately labeled?

Amazing Fantasy

Amazing Fantasy Books and Comics in Tinley Park​ was the first dedicated comic shop I ever visited, so I went out yesterday to see it one more time before the big move to its new location. Only when I got home and looked at this photo did I notice the little yellow plush sitting inside the security mirror up right. Somehow, its presence there seems entirely fitting.

Cover Girl

This is one time I'm glad that I judge books by their covers, darn it.

I know nothing else about this book, but I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to it.

The Last Unicorn

It was my favorite movie when I was a kid. When I got older, it became one of my favorite books.

Little '80s Me is rather fascinated by this recent synth-tastic cover of the movie's theme song. She's also still ready to cry every time the song gets to the "I'm alive!" part.

Go ahead. Play the video above. BE VULNERABLE WITH ME.

Snark Notes

My supervisor at work runs an entertaining and informative book review blog called Snark Notes. Today the blog featured an excerpt from a conversation we had about the state of YA literature:

Sums it up pretty well, I'd say.