ICYMI: #30DayBookBinge round 2
I THINK I have them all listed, but if I missed one, lemme know!
And yes, I did forget at least one book in this video... I'll save it for next time.
Friday, September 29, 2017
Misty and the Gigantic, Humongous, Really Good, Never Bad Book Haul: a memoir
Grab a snack, this might take awhile...
ICYMI: #30DayBookBinge round 2
I THINK I have them all listed, but if I missed one, lemme know!
And yes, I did forget at least one book in this video... I'll save it for next time.
Click through for the full list and links!
ICYMI: #30DayBookBinge round 2
I THINK I have them all listed, but if I missed one, lemme know!
And yes, I did forget at least one book in this video... I'll save it for next time.
Thursday, September 28, 2017
#30DayBookBinge: OCTOBER 2017!
It's that time again! I may be even more excited for our book binge this time around, because October means Fall means cozy and creepy! Is there a creepy version of hygge? Because, THAT. That's what I'm looking forward to!
LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE!
(Also, once again, I nearly forgot to cross-post this to this here ol' blog, so... if you don't want to miss things, I'd suggest following my youtube channel! I've gotten so forgetful about sharing things lately...)
LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE!
Sometimes I give too many f*cks, and sometimes I just. . . | Audible Ambassadors #ad
When The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck first came to my attention, I assumed it was related to a TED Talk I'd seen once (Sarah Knight also does not give a f*ck). I was wrong, but it didn't make me any less intrigued.
I mean, just the title alone. I come from a long line of women who swear like sailors — we used to joke that my mom needed to name her bird F-bomb because she swore so much, he was bound to start repeating it; my grandmother's parakeet beat her to it, and could routinely be heard squawking "son of a bitch! dammit! son of a bitch!" — so it was pretty much a guarantee that this book was going to end up on my radar.
So:
About The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
I gotta say, I was a little hesitant when I started reading the synopsis. It reads a little but like that meme your grouchy uncle keeps posting on Facebook about the "entitlement generation" and "millenials" (without having a clue of what a millennial actually is), and while I'm all for letting go of the bullsh and not sweating the small stuff, I just frankly am sick of hearing about participation trophies and coddled "snowflakes" MY GOD WITH THE "SNOWFLAKES" ALREADY and, combined with the snippet of the narration I listened to, I just wasn't sure. . . .
But then it pulls it back around with this:
I could certainly do with some more of that. And also, just. . . no effs given, ya know?
MY POINT IS, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is being downloaded like hotcakes on Audible right now (did you know hotcakes can be downloaded now? Only on Audible, and also I'm being told they're called books ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ), and I figured maybe some of you might want to know how to give fewer f*cks.
If that's the case, you can get The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck FOR THE FREE as part of a FREE 30-day trial to Audible. (Or, if you're finding you're not ready to let go of your f*cks just yet, you can totally pick up something else. Your call.)
Just thought that you should know. ;)
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Audible. The opinions and text are all mine.
I mean, just the title alone. I come from a long line of women who swear like sailors — we used to joke that my mom needed to name her bird F-bomb because she swore so much, he was bound to start repeating it; my grandmother's parakeet beat her to it, and could routinely be heard squawking "son of a bitch! dammit! son of a bitch!" — so it was pretty much a guarantee that this book was going to end up on my radar.
So:
In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be positive all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.
For decades we've been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. "F*ck positivity," Mark Manson says. "Let's be honest, shit is f*cked, and we have to live with it." In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn't sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is - a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is his antidote to the coddling, let's-all-feel-good mind-set that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.
Manson makes the argument, backed by both academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited - "not everybody can be extraordinary; there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault". Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.
There are only so many things we can give a f*ck about, so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.
©2016 Mark Manson (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers
Written by: Mark Manson | Narrated by: Roger Wayne | Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins | Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:09-13-16 | Publisher: HarperAudio
For decades we've been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. "F*ck positivity," Mark Manson says. "Let's be honest, shit is f*cked, and we have to live with it." In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn't sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is - a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is his antidote to the coddling, let's-all-feel-good mind-set that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.
Manson makes the argument, backed by both academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited - "not everybody can be extraordinary; there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault". Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.
There are only so many things we can give a f*ck about, so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.
©2016 Mark Manson (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers
Written by: Mark Manson | Narrated by: Roger Wayne | Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins | Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:09-13-16 | Publisher: HarperAudio
I gotta say, I was a little hesitant when I started reading the synopsis. It reads a little but like that meme your grouchy uncle keeps posting on Facebook about the "entitlement generation" and "millenials" (without having a clue of what a millennial actually is), and while I'm all for letting go of the bullsh and not sweating the small stuff, I just frankly am sick of hearing about participation trophies and coddled "snowflakes" MY GOD WITH THE "SNOWFLAKES" ALREADY and, combined with the snippet of the narration I listened to, I just wasn't sure. . . .
But then it pulls it back around with this:
While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. . .
I could certainly do with some more of that. And also, just. . . no effs given, ya know?
MY POINT IS, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is being downloaded like hotcakes on Audible right now (did you know hotcakes can be downloaded now? Only on Audible, and also I'm being told they're called books ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ), and I figured maybe some of you might want to know how to give fewer f*cks.
If that's the case, you can get The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck FOR THE FREE as part of a FREE 30-day trial to Audible. (Or, if you're finding you're not ready to let go of your f*cks just yet, you can totally pick up something else. Your call.)
Just thought that you should know. ;)
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Audible. The opinions and text are all mine.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Interview with Tillie Walden, author of Spinning!
Today I'm hopping on the blog tour for Tillie Walden's Spinning! For this tour, Tillie let us pick her brain a bit, so below you'll find some of the things I wanted to know (and if you want to see what else Tillie had to say, make sure to check out the rest of the tour!).
Have a read-through and let me know your thoughts in the comments — is Spinning on your radar? — and then make sure to stop back by this weekend for my thoughts on the book!
Spinning is your first graphic memoir, but I'd imagine there's always some of YOU that spills over into any creative endeavor. Did Spinning feel very different to what you'd done before?
Spinning felt very different. I had done fiction before this, and like you said, some of my own story always spilled into my fiction. But it turns out that that is nothing in comparison to doing a straight up memoir. I found working on a fully autobiographical work to be very challenging, and pretty draining. But that payoff was totally worth it. The sense of accomplishment I felt was nothing like what I felt when I finished a work of fiction.
Were there times that it felt too personal, too much to share, when you wanted to back out or give up? How did you convince yourself to open up, or decide what to share?
There were times where I wanted to just stop. Not because it felt too personal necessarily, but just because it all became too much. I felt worn out by my own narrative, and I felt a little trapped by it. But in a way, by pushing through those moments in the process, I found a real strength in myself that I didn’t know existed.
If you could push only 3 comics or comic creators on people who aren't into comic or are just getting into them, what/who would they be? (or 5, I'll give you 5, if you need. I'm not a good limiter myself, I'm always wiggling in more recommendations...)
I’ll stick to three. I would recommend Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, This One Summer by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, and American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.
What are 3 (or 5!) things on your bucket list?
I don’t even think I have a bucket list. Is a bucket list all the things you like, really want to do? I think so.. Well.. I would love to jump out of an airplane or off a mountain ledge at some point (in a safe way, not interested in dying.) And I really want to meet all the actors and actresses on Brooklyn 99, which is a show I’m obsessed with... Damn, maybe I need to actually make a bucket list. I’ve never thought about this before!
And finally, your book in a tweet: Give us Spinning in 140 characters or less.
Competitive figure skating - lesbian - coming of age - graphic memoir by a 21 year old Texan. Bam.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Spinning by Tillie Walden
Graphic Novel / Memoir, 402 pages
Published September 12th 2017 by First Second Books
Have a read-through and let me know your thoughts in the comments — is Spinning on your radar? — and then make sure to stop back by this weekend for my thoughts on the book!
Spinning is your first graphic memoir, but I'd imagine there's always some of YOU that spills over into any creative endeavor. Did Spinning feel very different to what you'd done before?
Spinning felt very different. I had done fiction before this, and like you said, some of my own story always spilled into my fiction. But it turns out that that is nothing in comparison to doing a straight up memoir. I found working on a fully autobiographical work to be very challenging, and pretty draining. But that payoff was totally worth it. The sense of accomplishment I felt was nothing like what I felt when I finished a work of fiction. Were there times that it felt too personal, too much to share, when you wanted to back out or give up? How did you convince yourself to open up, or decide what to share?
There were times where I wanted to just stop. Not because it felt too personal necessarily, but just because it all became too much. I felt worn out by my own narrative, and I felt a little trapped by it. But in a way, by pushing through those moments in the process, I found a real strength in myself that I didn’t know existed.
If you could push only 3 comics or comic creators on people who aren't into comic or are just getting into them, what/who would they be? (or 5, I'll give you 5, if you need. I'm not a good limiter myself, I'm always wiggling in more recommendations...)
I’ll stick to three. I would recommend Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, This One Summer by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, and American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.
What are 3 (or 5!) things on your bucket list?
I don’t even think I have a bucket list. Is a bucket list all the things you like, really want to do? I think so.. Well.. I would love to jump out of an airplane or off a mountain ledge at some point (in a safe way, not interested in dying.) And I really want to meet all the actors and actresses on Brooklyn 99, which is a show I’m obsessed with... Damn, maybe I need to actually make a bucket list. I’ve never thought about this before!
And finally, your book in a tweet: Give us Spinning in 140 characters or less. Competitive figure skating - lesbian - coming of age - graphic memoir by a 21 year old Texan. Bam.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Spinning by Tillie Walden
Graphic Novel / Memoir, 402 pages
Published September 12th 2017 by First Second Books
Figure skating was Tillie Walden’s life. She woke before dawn for morning lessons, went straight to group practice after school, and spent weekends competing in glitter and tights. It was a central piece of her identity, her safe haven from the stress of school, bullies, and family. But as Tillie's interests evolve, from her growing passion for art to a first love realized with a new girlfriend, she begins to question how the close-minded world of figure skating fits in.
Poignant and captivating, this powerful graphic memoir captures what it's like to come of age, come out, and come to terms with leaving behind everything you used to know.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tillie Walden is a two-time Ignatz Award–winning cartoonist from Austin, Texas. Born in 1996, she is a recent graduate from the Center for Cartoon Studies, a comics school in Vermont. Her comics include The End of Summer and I Love This Part, an Eisner Award nominee. tilliewalden.com
Poignant and captivating, this powerful graphic memoir captures what it's like to come of age, come out, and come to terms with leaving behind everything you used to know.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tillie Walden is a two-time Ignatz Award–winning cartoonist from Austin, Texas. Born in 1996, she is a recent graduate from the Center for Cartoon Studies, a comics school in Vermont. Her comics include The End of Summer and I Love This Part, an Eisner Award nominee. tilliewalden.com
Monday, September 11, 2017
Austen in August Winners & Thank Yous!!
Before I get into the meat of today's post, I just want to take a moment to apologize for the way Austen in August ended this year. It may have come in with a bang (maybe. I don't know your rubric for 'bang'), but it definitely went out with a whimper, and that was entirely my fault. I was mostly away from home that final weekend (hey! Turns out I'm going to be an aunt!), and thought had all of the posts finalized and scheduled. . . I did not.
When I realized on about Tuesday that no one had commented on any of the final posts, I discovered my error, and figured most AIAers had probably drifted out, and I might as well keep those final posts for next year, when everyone trickles back in.
SO. Misty fail.
Moving on. . .
I'm sure you all wanna know who won what, and hopefully, maybe it's you. BIG THANK YOU to everyone who offered up a prize for this year's Austen in August!! Even if you missed out on winning something, I'd highly recommend looking into these awesome books from their equally awesome authors.
But onto the good stuff.
Our 2017 Austen in August winners are:
All winners HAVE been emailed (or messaged, as the case warranted), so if you see yourself on the list, check your email!
Congrats to all winners, and I hope to see you all again soon for the next Austen in August!
And if you're in need of a reading boost, or want to put your new Janeite winning to good use, the next #30DayBookBinge starts October 1st, and I invite you all to join me!
When I realized on about Tuesday that no one had commented on any of the final posts, I discovered my error, and figured most AIAers had probably drifted out, and I might as well keep those final posts for next year, when everyone trickles back in.
SO. Misty fail.
Moving on. . .
I'm sure you all wanna know who won what, and hopefully, maybe it's you. BIG THANK YOU to everyone who offered up a prize for this year's Austen in August!! Even if you missed out on winning something, I'd highly recommend looking into these awesome books from their equally awesome authors.
But onto the good stuff.
Our 2017 Austen in August winners are:
CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT by Laurie Viera Rigler
Luthien!
A LESS AGREEABLE MAN by Maria Grace
Sophia Rose!
PEMBERLEY: MR. DARCY'S DRAGON by Maria Grace
Shaeron!
COMING HOME by Marilyn Brant
Becky C.!
MISS DARCY'S BEAUX by Eliza Shearer
Colleen!
KAREN M. COX BOOK OF CHOICE by Karen M. Cox, obvs
DarcyBennett
AUSTEN WATERCOLOR/HAND-LETTERED PIECE OF SOME SORT (by me!)
Here on the blog:
Summer!
John!
John!
Debbie!
Laura!
Gabriela!
And second giveaway on Twitter:
@itsbrujabitch
@itsbrujabitch
@DitzzieDyslexic
@torncashmere
@Tundra_Blue
@DNWilliams2
@jbruno1187
@cherrypie367
All winners HAVE been emailed (or messaged, as the case warranted), so if you see yourself on the list, check your email!
Congrats to all winners, and I hope to see you all again soon for the next Austen in August!
And if you're in need of a reading boost, or want to put your new Janeite winning to good use, the next #30DayBookBinge starts October 1st, and I invite you all to join me!
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| Click here to return to the Austen in August main page! |
Friday, September 1, 2017
First Impressions: Darcy in Wonderland by Alexa Adams
Hey! It's almost the end of AIA, but I've got one (maaaaybe 2*) more vid(s) in me!
*I have another, just gotta get it edited!
Anyway, today we're looking at my initial thoughts on Alexa Adams' DARCY IN WONDERLAND.
Read the excerpt & guest post from Alexa here! And you can find Katy's amazing illustration & art here and here.
about the book:
Darcy in Wonderland by Alexa Adams
254 pages, Published July 15th 2017 by Presumptuous Press
*I have another, just gotta get it edited!
Anyway, today we're looking at my initial thoughts on Alexa Adams' DARCY IN WONDERLAND.
Read the excerpt & guest post from Alexa here! And you can find Katy's amazing illustration & art here and here.
254 pages, Published July 15th 2017 by Presumptuous Press
Twinkle, twinkle, amber cross!
For a chain, it’s at a loss.
Heavy links or simple loop,
Do not dunk it in your soup.
The worlds of beloved authors collide as Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Austen’s immortal hero, finds himself thrust into the topsy-turvey world of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland.
Many years have passed since Elizabeth Bennet became mistress of Pemberley, and the Darcys’ six children are a testament to their enduring love. As the eldest prepare to enter the world, the youngest, Alice, makes sure that life at Pemberley never grows dull. She stands out as the most intrepid of the brood, and while beloved by all the family and staff, her curious mind and penchant for mischief often proves rather inconveniencing. Never is this truer than when her father follows her down a mysterious rabbit hole, disrupting his orderly world in ways never before imagined. A treat for the young and the old, Darcy in Wonderland is both an adventure and an homage to two of literatures greatest minds.
For a chain, it’s at a loss.
Heavy links or simple loop,
Do not dunk it in your soup.
The worlds of beloved authors collide as Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Austen’s immortal hero, finds himself thrust into the topsy-turvey world of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland.
Many years have passed since Elizabeth Bennet became mistress of Pemberley, and the Darcys’ six children are a testament to their enduring love. As the eldest prepare to enter the world, the youngest, Alice, makes sure that life at Pemberley never grows dull. She stands out as the most intrepid of the brood, and while beloved by all the family and staff, her curious mind and penchant for mischief often proves rather inconveniencing. Never is this truer than when her father follows her down a mysterious rabbit hole, disrupting his orderly world in ways never before imagined. A treat for the young and the old, Darcy in Wonderland is both an adventure and an homage to two of literatures greatest minds.
AUSTENESQUE BARGAINS!
As we near the end of Austen in August, I like to give you a post or two that will help you fill your time until the next AIA rolls around. One such post is a round up of JAFF bargains and must-gets.
Below you'll find some of my picks for Austenesque books that are currently on sale (or even free!). Let's be honest, there are a TON of super cheap Austen-inspired ebooks out there, so. . . these are just the ones whose covers or synopses caught my eye! You'll find retellings both modern and historical, complete boxed sets and short story anthologies, some personal favorites and even a pirate or two. Something for everybody!
And all are currently less than $5!
(And yes, I even included PPZ for you. It pained me.)
Click through to take a scroll through my picks, and find some new books & deals to feed your own Jane Austen collection, and then click on the covers to find out more about the book! And let me know in the comments of any good deals & must haves that you've come across!
As I said, there are SO. MANY. MORE. out there. Let me know if you've read and loved (or hated!) any of these, and if you've come across any others that I simply must look into.
Happy reading!
PLEASE NOTE: I have not read all of these books, so this post is not necessarily endorsing them unless otherwise specified. This is just a collection of books that either I am interested in, I thought you might be interested in, or the deals are just too good not to give them a chance!
As is the nature of sales, the "bargain" books may not remain bargains for very long (case in point: snatch up Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict while you can, 'cause that sale is ending soon!). And as is the nature of the internet, sale prices may not be reflected where you live (but the books are still worth looking into! And hey, the sale might be even better where you live!)
Below you'll find some of my picks for Austenesque books that are currently on sale (or even free!). Let's be honest, there are a TON of super cheap Austen-inspired ebooks out there, so. . . these are just the ones whose covers or synopses caught my eye! You'll find retellings both modern and historical, complete boxed sets and short story anthologies, some personal favorites and even a pirate or two. Something for everybody!
And all are currently less than $5!
(And yes, I even included PPZ for you. It pained me.)
Click through to take a scroll through my picks, and find some new books & deals to feed your own Jane Austen collection, and then click on the covers to find out more about the book! And let me know in the comments of any good deals & must haves that you've come across!
As I said, there are SO. MANY. MORE. out there. Let me know if you've read and loved (or hated!) any of these, and if you've come across any others that I simply must look into.
Happy reading!
PLEASE NOTE: I have not read all of these books, so this post is not necessarily endorsing them unless otherwise specified. This is just a collection of books that either I am interested in, I thought you might be interested in, or the deals are just too good not to give them a chance!
As is the nature of sales, the "bargain" books may not remain bargains for very long (case in point: snatch up Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict while you can, 'cause that sale is ending soon!). And as is the nature of the internet, sale prices may not be reflected where you live (but the books are still worth looking into! And hey, the sale might be even better where you live!)
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| Click here to return to the Austen in August main page! |