Independent Bookstore Day marches on here in the Seattle area!  I've been spreading out the joy across my week.  On Monday evening, I went with a friend & fellow bibliophile to visit a couple eastside gems.  First, we hit up the BookTree in Kirkland--a lovely, cozy, jumbled shop run by a retired couple & their charming canine companion.  I asked for some ghost stories as comps for my own project, & Christopher (one of the owners) enthusiastically let me to the horror section to perused with me, offering a great scope of knowledge.  He also read us one of his own poems, a fabulous treat!  In the end, I took home two of his suggestions.

Usually I save my spooky stories for October, but this year I'll be starting early!

    Next we moseyed over to Brick & Mortar bookstore in Redmond.  This has been one of my staples throughout the pandemic, as they've been more than happy to order anything they didn't carry in the store.  The staff are knowledgable, nerdy, & the shop has the feel of a sprightly library (if you can imagine such a thing).  At that point, I needed to get a little somethin'-somethin' for my spouse, so I picked up a book from his list & brought it home as a surprise.

If he likes it, I'll add it to my own list...which is about 70 titles long at this point.

    That brought me halfway to my goal.  On Wednesday, I persuaded my fabulous critique group to meet up in person (we're all vaccinated!!!) at Island Books in Mercer Island.  For people who live on Mercer Island, this bookstore is a beloved institution.  It's light on the sci-fi & fantasy, but extensive in the children's section & in their graphic novels.  Hence why I picked up this great piece:

Yes, THAT George Takei!

    For some reason, I really like getting my biographies & social equity literature in graphic novel format.  I think the art pulls my brain in deeper when usually, the painful topics would make me want to retreat, so I focus & empathize on a deeper level.  Anyway, once read this will sit next to "Good Talk" by Mira Jacob, "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi, & the "March" trilogy by the late Senator John Lewis, author Andrew Aydin & the artist Nate Powell.  I love that this section of my personal library is growing.

     The purpose of Independent Bookstore Day isn't just to remind people that Jeff Bezos is evil to support their local businesses, it also shows just how many stores are still out there!  I confess I was surprised when I looked at the list of shops participating just in the greater Seattle area.  So often we hear about a bookstore closing; if you'd asked me to guess how many remained, I would have estimated around five.  Happily, I would have been waaaaay off--a discovery that inspires me to explore in the name of retail & literary expansion!

     Yesterday I ventured out to Edmonds to visit two bookstores with which I was previously unacquainted.  The town is located a couple cities north of Seattle, easily accessible by freeway.  Most Seattlites discover it when they need to take a ferry across Puget Sound into Kingston.  Then when they realize downtown is full of cute shops & one of the awesomest seasonal farmer's markets, they come back.

If its sounds charming, that's because it is.

    So my first stop was the Edmonds Bookshop, nestled right downtown.  Small, tidy, & consistently reminding people to please use the complimentary hand sanitizer before browsing, it had that "we know how to crowd our shelves without being disorganized" feel.  I found one book on my list, & one book that I used to own, purged in a move, & then regretted no longer owning.  Double success.

"Persuasion" has long been on my want-to-read list, as one of Jane Austen's lesser-known works.  And "The Checklist Manifest" is a great book for anyone wanting to cut down on mistakes in their professional life &/or business.

    Next, I left downtown for the tiny neighborhood of Perrinville.  In a quirky little nest of shops I found the Neverending Bookshop--but first I found a bakery called Mel & Mia's, where I fueled up on tea & chocolate pecan pastry.*  THEN into the bookstore!  As anticipated from the name, it focuses on fiction with an emphasis on the speculative genres.  The layout was airy, but felt dense with treasures.  My friend & I were the only visitors when we first arrived, so I chatted with the owner for quite a spell.  Her name is Annie & I do believe we are kindred spirits.  So rather than dig out my list of potential purchases, I described by current writing project & asked her to recommend a comp book.  

"Cemetery Boys" is a YA novel, & mine is definitely a book for adults, but from what Annie told me they definitely share core themes so I'm excited to read this!  I also bought a bunch of home-made stickers--here's one of them.

    I could have stayed longer, but the shop was soon to close & newcomers waited outside (Annie is wisely limiting the number of shoppers as COVID persists), so I left to allow other people the pleasure of visiting.  That was my Sunday, & it was a day well-spent.  I've already got my next outing planned for the 10-10-10 Bookstore Challenge, & I'm already looking forward to going back to Neverending Bookshop!  So I'd say Independent Bookstore Day is definitely serving its purpose.

*They have a full breakfast & lunch menu, & also serve afternoon tea.  Guess where I'm taking my Mum for Mother's Day?

     Had to visit a bookstore ON Independent Bookstore Day, so I went to one of my favorites: Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park.  I was there for the midnight release of Harry Potter books 4 & 5.  That was also where I met my friend Michael Munz, doing a book signing for his hilarious Zeus Is Dead.  I've got a lot of fond memories of that place.  So even though I had to wait in line & had to limit my visit to under 30 minutes, I went with my Significant Other &...well...let's just say I bought more than the minimum single purchase.

Today's haul.

    Nine days and nine more stores to go!

     I like to celebrate nontraditional holidays.  Natural events like the first day of spring are favorites, & it brings me joy to observe events promoting equity, like the International Day of Transgender Visibility & Juneteenth.  Random food holidays are a great excuse to cook.  National Enchilada Day falls on Cinco de Mayo.  National Surf & Turf Day only happens once every four years, on February 29th.  This year I even bought a National Holidays Calendar to broaden my options.

Here's May 1st, just to give you an example.

    But there's a biggie coming up this weekend that I've been really looking forward to: Independent Bookstore Day!  It always falls on the last Saturday of April.  Participating bookstores mark the occasion by throwing parties, or sales, or other kinds of events to raise awareness & draw in new customers.  In the past there have been challenges for book lovers, such as visiting every participating bookstore within so many miles.  Given the challenges of COVID-19, however, this year they're doing things a little differently in my neck of the woods.

    The challenge: ten bookstores in ten days, & a purchase at each store.*  Go alone.  Take your friends. Go on Tuesday, which is usually the slowest day for any business.  Or go virtually.  And blog & tag & read & chat & read & tweet & read & read & READ!

    If you live in the U.S., here's a hand-dandy map to help you find participating bookstores near you.  I already know where I'll be starting, I have a couple favorites I've been missing for awhile.**  But I'm also looking forward to discovering new stores--places I've wanted to visit, but somehow never found the time.  Kind of like making chicken cordon bleu...so delicious, yet I never make the time...unless it's National Chicken Cordon Bleu Day, which happened on April 4th.  Guess I'll have something else to look forward to next year.

*Yeah, that last part is going to be dangerously easy!  Don't tell my wallet!

**Ahh, Third Place Books...surely you didn't think I'd forgotten you?  And Brick & Mortar, we've only hung out online since the pandemic started, but you know I've just been waiting for an opportunity to get together!  And BookTree, it was so nice to run into you that one time!  I'm quite looking forward to getting to know you better.  

     I really should be writing (with only five days left to my deadline, I REALLY should be writing), but I had to take pause & compose a brief tribute to the late, great Beverly Cleary, one of my favorite childhood authors.  She passed away today, at the age of 104.  A living legend gone to rest.

I should have known she was a cat person.

    Beverly Cleary books were staples on my bookshelf until I went to college & had to clean out my old room.  Cleary captured such perfect, universally relatable childhood experiences in her stories.  Of course Ramona was my favorite character.  I still remember relating to how Ramona cherished her new school supplies, her creative approach to book reports, & the balance of love & annoyance she felt towards her older sister. 

    Spinning such ordinary events into such memorable tales is nothing short of art, and Beverly Cleary made it look easy!

    I watched TV as a child, & I played video games.  But there's a feeling that I got (& still get) from connecting to a character in a book that can't be replicated in any other media.  So far as I can tell, Beverly Cleary spent a lifetime steeped in books, both as a writer & a librarian.  In my mind, that is a quiet, simple, & truly beautiful way to make the world a better place.

    Thanks, Beverly!  Rest in peace.

    I just finished reading an advanced copy of "Moonlight Becomes You," a supernatural thriller that takes place in the deep south a few years after the conclusion of the Civil War.  I was lucky enough to get an advance copy because I used to be in a critique group with the author, Robert Herald.  As life got complicated, I had the leave the group a few years ago, before he'd finished the manuscript, & I always wondered what happened to the characters.  So it was a real treat for me to read the finished novel and sate my curiosity.  You are welcome to read my reviews on BookBub or Goodreads, but in short I do recommend the book as an easy, entertaining read.  If gothic horror is your go-to, "Moonlight Becomes You" is very suitable for a lazy weekend or vacation--especially if it's a vacation to the deep south!  

The cover tells you everything you need to know.

    As is my wont, when I review a book I like to pair it with food: the only thing better than a good book is a good book and a tasty snack.  In this case, reading about humid August nights in old Virginia made me crave those classic comfort foods of the region.  I recommend "Moonlight Becomes You" with a plate of cornbread an molasses, washed down with a tall glass of iced sweet tea.*  And if you don't already have a good cornbread recipe on hand, allow me to suggest this simple alternative: Cornmeal Spoon Biscuits.  This is my own recipe, adapted from Dori Greenspan's Maple Cornmeal Drop Biscuits (which are sooooo good), but tweaked to emphasize the cornbread flavor & better compliment a drizzling of molasses.  Enjoy!

These are small & light, so I'd never serve less than three per person.  Plus, more opportunities to play around with toppings & spreads!

Cornmeal Spoon Biscuits

Ingredients:

1 Cup AP Flour

2/3 Cup Yellow Corn Flour (super-find cornmeal)

1/3 Cup White Cornmeal (masa works fine)

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 Tablespoons golden brown sugar

3/4 stick (6 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces about the size of a nickel

2/3 Cup cold whole milk

molasses (for serving)

Directions:

    - Preheat oven to 400 degrees & line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

    - In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.  Drop in the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the consistency of damp sand.  (Unlike with buttermilk biscuits or pie dough, you do not want to leave larger bits of butter in your dough--the cornmeal means these biscuits will be tender rather than flakey.)

     - Pour the cold milk over.  Using a fork, toss & stir until the dough comes together.  Use a tablespoon to scoop rounded balls of dough & space them about 2 inches apart on your baking sheet.  Bake 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on top.  Serve with molasses.

Drizzled with molasses, these are part of a very satisfying breakfast.  Also good for an afternoon snack.  Or a bowl of chili for dinner.  Ok I'm going to go eat another one.

*Yes, I realize it's still February, but between the book & the food it'll start to feel like summer in no time.  

      These days, delight has become a precious commodity.  The struggle between monotony & health risks can be exhausting.  When my instincts debate my logic, I prefer the debate to be internal, & I prefer the stakes to be no higher than whether or not to eat second brownie or maybe staying up past my bedtime.*  The constant slog of self-denial in the name of public health has to be the most boring way to take a stand every...but it is taking a stand!  A stand...

      For me, one of the best coping strategies has been actively seeking & embracing delight.  I got the idea from an episode of This American Life at the beginning of the year & I swear it has been a sanity saver.  More than that, it has opened me to little experiences I would normally say I don't have time for, including the best, most wonderful story time I have had since elementary school: Taika Waititi doing a celebrity reading of James & the Giant Peach.
      Full confession: I've never actually read the book.  I saw a children's play based on the book when I was a little kid & I remember thinking it was great.  But I only had a passing acquaintance with Roald Dahl's children's books through movies, I rather preferred his Unexpected Tales.  But Taika Waititi is, in himself, charming.  I don't care if he's playing a vampire, a pile of rocks, or a Hilter as an imaginary friend, the man is just lovely.  So when I saw that he had rounded up some celebrities to read James & the Giant Peach as a fundraiser, I was in! 

So far my favorite is the second episode, which does have Meryl Streep & Benedict Cumberbatch reading as Aunt Sponge & Aunt Spiker!

      The story is being read in six parts, the two final videos being released today.  It's a long weekend here in the U.S.  Some people will be flouting the social distancing restraints of the last couple months & going out to enjoy the spring.  Others (such as myself) will be staying in & trying to get as much fun & relaxation out of a restricted holiday as possible.**  And some people will be working, possibly for the first time in weeks.  Whatever your Memorial Day holiday is looking like, treat yourself to something whimsical.  Listen as Taika & friends bring this piece of children's fiction to life.  Your heart will glow, & you, too, may feel compelled to donate to Partners in Health.
      Stay safe, everyone!





*Do I live dangerously or what!

**We're setting up a tent in the living room, right in front of the fireplace.  We intend to roast marshmallows & "camp" all weekend long!

     I'm not sure why I can't write a story that doesn't have food in it.  It's like food is a recurring character across all my manuscripts, regardless of setting, plot, or genre.  I'm starting to think my personal paradise would be the Hobbiton Public Library, if such a place existed--nothing like a good novel over second breakfast, after all!

Today, second breakfast will be doughnuts, apparently.

     Sometimes I use food as a way to add depth to a character.  Sometimes I use it as a means of setting a mood for the scene.  But in my current project, it actually plays a pivotal role in uncovering the main character's lost history, & in putting ghosts to rest.  Literally.
     This means cooking will be a part of my literary research!  If I'm going to have my character preparing plot-critical dishes, I'd darn well better know how to make them myself!  It's not enough to go out & find them at a restaurant or bakery (which is a little challenging at the moment, regardless).  I need to know about the ingredients.  I need to hear the sound of my knife against the cutting board.  I need to feel the texture of the dough.  I need to experience the changes in aroma as the recipe progresses, and the satisfaction of eating things freshly made from scratch.
     Have I made you hungry yet?  No?  Well, here's the growing list of what I need to learn to cook for this novel:

   - Kimchi
   - Golabki
   - Pierogi
   - Conchas
   - Pan de Muertos
   - Cookies

     Yes, it's a motley list.  It's a complicated plot.
     "Cookies" I intentionally left vague, because these have to be mind-blowingly delicious cookies, so I anticipate baking several.  They will probably be some variation of chocolate-chip, because chocolate.  If you have an outstanding recipe for chocolate chip cookies you would like to share with me I would be very grateful.
     As I try my hand at these dishes I will document my efforts here, & let you see my glorious mistakes and tasty triumphs as they occur.  In the meantime, I have writing to do...& doughnuts to find.

      Ok, I know I said my next post was going to be all geeking-out over nerd stuff, but then...well...when you're not really plugged into social media, you find out about stuff in the most interesting ways.  For example: I found out that today is the last day of National Banned Book Week by going to a farmers market.

Check out these bad-ass rebels!  Library board VOLUNTEERS!  Spreading dangerous notions in a public space like a farmers market, in plain sight of children!*

      I also bought Pearwood scented olive oil soap & a bunch of the most beautiful kale I've ever seen, but that's not the point of this story.  The point of this story is banned books.  The very words have an interesting double effect on me.  On the one hand, it brings to mind scenes of movies where books are burned in village squares, which always make me cry.  No, really--scenes in movies where books are thrown on a bonfire make tears run down my cheeks.  My heart hurts to see it.  I have yet to watch a screen adaptation of Farenheit 451, but if I do, I'm sure I'll through an entire box of tissue.
      On the other hand, thinking of banned books raises this delightfully devilish feeling in me.  It makes me want to be all rebellious and go read!  Naughty books, shocking books, historically accurate books, I want to fling myself through the library doors & shout, "Come, you collections of the printed word, hit me with your best shot!  Corrupt my fragile mind!  Plant dangerous notions in my mind!  Make me question the status quo, and doubt the morals of my ancestors!"
      I realize that sounds pretty damn dramatic, but you have to consider how many books I've read that have been banned in one place or another:

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Harry Potter & fill in the blank by J.K. Rowling
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

      Those are just the ones I could think of off the top of my head without looking at a list online.  Oh, wait, I'm sure Animal Farm and Catcher In The Rye were banned.  And probably The Diary of Anne Frank.  And Lady Chatterley's Lover, right?  I can keep going but it would take me all day.

I feel like if I ever wrote a book that was thought-provoking enough to get banned, I would feel tremendous pride.  Next best thing to winning a Pulitzer, honestly.

      The point is...I'm still waiting to turn into a danger to society.  When are these books going to deliver on their promises & make me an extremist rebel of some kind?!  I mean, at some point, I'm supposed to put down the mug of tea, get up out of my reading chair, & go explode something, or start an underground group of some sort, right?  So far all I've done is go to peaceful protest marches & do my research before I vote.  Oh yeah, & then I vote.  That's not radical, is it?
      I keep wanting to read more.  I suppose that's pretty radical in & of itself.  What's your favorite banned book?  I need some recommendations for after I go read The Handmaid's Tale.
      I think I'm going to make a point of buying a banned book for everyone in my family for their birthday next year.  Ok, now I'm feeling rebellious.


*Also, when the heck did A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein become banned?  Isn't there a poem in there about making a hippopotamus sandwich?

      I don't own a television.  That used to be more remarkable back before every film, TV show, & random home movie of a cat* was available online, but I also don't have Netflix, Xfinity, or an Amazon Prime membership.  In other words, I don't stream shows.  I live under a rock.

I would SO live under this rock if I could!

      Ok, obviously I don't live under a rock, my cat would never tolerate it.  Also obviously, I do watch movies & shows, because I am up to speed on "Game of Thrones," I'm addicted to "Last Week Tonight," & I never get tired of binge-watching old episodes of "Good Eats."  I also watch movies the old fashioned way, in theaters!  This is particularly great for awesome flicks like "Spiderman: Homecoming," when action just needs to be viewed on the big screen.  But most of my video consumption is thanks to the patience & support of friends & family.  And it seems like lately, I've been watching way more stuff than usual, so I figured it was time I voiced some opinions on my blog.  Starting with:

      You can thank my friend & fellow author Michael Munz for providing a weekly opportunity to hang out & watch each new installment of this...interesting season.  I had to binge watch seasons 1 & 2 before this one got started.  I was charmed by the character of Dale Cooper, thrilled with all the food references, & intrigued by the suspenseful supernatural elements.  I was very ready for season 3; I wanted to learn Cooper's fate, & see more of the charming small town that supposedly exists within an hour drive my home.  Plus I'd heard that Trent Reznor was going to make an appearance!
      Well...if you've been reading the reviews, or watching the show yourself, you know that it's...um...very David Lynch-ish.  Let's just say that we celebrate every time an episode actually has significant plot content.

Gotta hand it to the mayor of Portland, he's a flexible actor!

       I won't pretend to have a background in film or any training in how to assess what makes it good or bad, but it seems to me that director David Lynch has changed in the last 25 years; you can say "matured," or "evolved," but essentially he's done what all human beings do, & he's just changed.  Which is fine.  But in this case, I think that means a significant shift from the mentality that led to his original vision.  The first season of "Twin Peaks" was dark, & weird, & confusing in ways that "Lost" only wishes it could have mimicked.  But it was also charming, funny, & oddly relatable.  And unfortunately, that's what this season seems to have lost for me.
      I'm still watching it.  The plot has finally progressed enough that I'm decently curious to see what happens.  But I swear, if Cooper doesn't come back to his full state of mind by the end of the series...well, for Munz's sake, I'm going to try really hard not to throw a cherry pie at his television, but it's going to be an effort!

      When I first read Ernest Cline's "Ready Player One," I was utterly enchanted.  It was one of those books that scratched a specific itch in the most perfect way possible.  It was a love song to my generation: the first generation of the modern nerd.  Because back then, video games were weird, fantasy & sci-fi movies had hand-made special effects, & playing RPG's got you beat up.**  To have the nostalgia of 80's nerdom revitalized & revered in a near-future sci-fi story was nothing short of genius.  I have my concerns that this might have been a one-shot wonder for Ernest Cline, but who cares?  It was a freaking awesome book!!!
      So when I heard it was going to be made into a movie, I got really, really excited!
      Until I saw the trailer.
      Ok, first & foremost, The Stacks look perfect.  Second impression: that is NOT what Wade Watts is supposed to look like!  Any true nerd who read the original book can testify how much it meant that the main character was a rather over-weight teen with less than perfect hygiene--because so many of us WERE.  So to see a ruggedly handsome young man instead?  *sigh*  Way to miss the point.
     Then: there's a car race?  Where the hell did that come from?  And did I see a warrior riding a giant scorpion killing Freddy Kruger?!  Does canon mean NOTHING to you, Steven Spielberg?!!?  And finally I heard a vicious rumor that they took the Zork reference out of the movie....oh wait.  I'm sorry, do you not know what Zork is?  Darn, if only we lived in an age where you could access an essentially limitless database of both accurate & opinionated information on just about freaking everything so you could look that up!!!
      What I'm getting at is that it seems pretty obvious they went to a lot of pains to make the video game aspects of this movie more relatable to a younger generation.  Typical Hollywood move.  And what sucks is that in this case, it almost defeats the entire point.  I get it if you need to take Peeves out of the "Harry Potter" films to streamline the story.  In fact, I'm totally Ok if you modernize some of the language in Shakespeare so that more people can understand it--Will would have done the same.  But a central core of this book was the nostalgia factor, which catered to a specific audience...most of whom probably make bank in the tech industry now, so frankly, catering to them is a pretty safe bet.  And I suspect that a lot of them are feeling let down.

      So screens haven't been living up to my expectations lately.  Well, except for "Game of Thrones."  The only thing wrong with that is that somehow they've managed to make an hour feel like only lasts 20 minutes!  That, & the last episode did a great job of turning me off to chicken pot pie, one of my favorite comfort foods.  Maybe they'll do that with every episode, & this can be the new diet fad.



*This one is still my favorite, partially because of the adorable noises the kitten makes while eating, & partially because of the facial expression of the adult cat in the background.

**Maybe that's still true in certain parts of the country, but here in Seattle if you don't play a table-top RPG, you are only two degrees of separation from someone who does.  Two degrees max.

      Due to a variety of complex circumstances, I have been living without my books for over a year.  None of my reference books.  None of my classics.  None of my favorite reads.  None of my cookbooks!  It has been a painful separation, the only silver lining of which is that I have re-familiarized myself with my fabulous local library system.  But there were literally nights when I would lie in bed & fantasize about being reunited with my personal library.
      Two weeks ago the dream was realized.  As is often the case, however, the reality was significantly different from the vision.  Specifically: due to circumstances outside of my control, I regained my books, but not my bookcase.

Do NOT leave home without it!!!

      You wouldn't think that's a big deal until you realize you a) have very little free cash with which to purchase a new bookcase, & b) don't have a means transporting one, anyway.  My preference is always to buy a sturdy piece of used furniture from Craigslist or a thrift store--but that required renting a truck, and when you're strapped for cash...yeah.  So after a week of pulling my hair & gnashing my teeth, I resigned myself to purchasing a new bookcase & assembling it.*  The price was right.  It even matches my other furniture, at least in color.  But it is significantly smaller than my previous shelving unit.
      So then, it came down to Z.D.'s Choice: which books do I purge?
      Aaaaauuuuugh, the agony of it!  Have you ever had to do this?  It's HARD!  I'd already gotten rid of some clothes & some kitchen stuff** & several knick-knacks of fair emotional value.  But now I had to pass on several members of my beloved literary family.  I could feel my heart chipping away with every selection.

Confession: I cry a little at the book burning scene in "Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade."  Every time.

      My only consolation was the psychological insight of it.  What I chose to keep gave me a deeper understanding of self.  Obviously the first to go were books I'd gotten on a whim or been gifted & enjoyed, but knew I would never read again.  Next came the handful that were falling apart--I figured if I find myself missing them, I can put them on my birthday list when I have more space.  Then it got harder.  I purged all of my coffee table books on the rationale that I don't have a coffee table.  I distracted myself by purging essentially all of my DVD's.
      Then I had to get down to it.  I wound up getting rid of a lot of my popular fiction, even though they were books I deeply enjoyed, because I know other people who copies I can borrow if I really want to re-read them.  Similarly, I passed on a number of books I know I can always find at the library.
      What I found myself keeping were rare books & classical literature: a selection of Japanese ghost stories given to me by an exchange student; a translation of Gilgamesh; a book of poetry written in opposition to the Iraq war.  I also found myself keeping a number of nonfiction books that have profoundly changed my perspective on the world: The Coming Plague by Laurie Garrett; How Does it Feel to Be a Problem, by Moustafa Bayoumi.  And what I realized was that I was keeping the books that promote the best in myself.  Which is a nice thing, really, to have such physical evidence of how I want to grow.  It birthed a rosebud of peace amid the thorns of my grief.
      Of course...I still have two copies of the complete Harry Potter series: one of hardcover books I got at the midnight release parties, then the paperbacks that I actually read.  You can translate that piece of my personality however you want.

Judge not, lest ye be judged, nerd.

      So...if it came down to it, do you know what you'd keep?



*Now I've assembled my own furniture on multiple occasions with perfect success, but this time I had generous help from a fabulous friend.  You know who you are, & this is a mad shout-out to your awesomeness!

**ME!  Getting rid of kitchen stuff!!!!  I think I just saw a Pot Belly sow soar gracefully past the Space Needle.

      So, have I been true to my post from (over) a month ago, & been writing?  A bit.  Not as much as I would have liked, because June has been insane.  But it's been insane in a very good way.  Specifically, because I've been working towards...

...my first published work!

      Yeah, that's right, check out the authors on that thing!  See the first name?  Notice that it's MINE???  Four Fantastical Ways to Lose Your Fingers is a speculative short story collection compiled by some of the Seattle area's finest, & lucky me, I got in on that action.*
      Four Fantastical Ways to Lose Your Fingers is now available as a Kindle exclusive!  It weaves tales of Seattle superheroes, haunted bookstores, cats who are every bit as supernatural as you've always suspected, & Greek Gods with laser guns.  So guess what?  I recommend you buy the book!  :-D
      *ahem*  Yeah, I am neither versed in the ways of emojis, nor this whole self-promotion/advertising thing.  I'm new at this.  But authors Michael Munz, Tiffany Pitts, & Janine Southard are all pros, & not only are they talented story tellers, they are also really, really nice people who have been both patient & encouraging as I've stumbled through this whole process of turning a story into a published thing.  They came up with the brilliant of idea** of doing a blog tour, in which we answer questions on one another's blogs.  Of course the questions had finger-related themes, & of course mine had to be about food.  Because...you know...food.

It's me!   Or rather, as much of me as I care to show online!

My Answer:
      Tea & graham crackers.  Why?  Because a lot of my stories are set in the Victorian-era (not the one in FFWTLYF, though), & nothing sets the mood like sipping tea from a china cup & nibbling pastry.  But too much pastry is neither good for one's health nor one's budget.  So I compromise with graham crackers, which I can truss up by spreading with peanut butter, or Nutella, or mascarpone with a drizzle of raw honey or pinch of cinnamon.
      Of course, if I was really going all out (& had a significant amount of time to prepare), I might go for a full-on afternoon tea.  For me, this would include freshly baked scones with butter & preserves, some manner of savory, such as a finger sandwich (no, really), fresh fruit, & then a small dessert like a tartlet or brownie.  And don't tell me brownies aren't sophisticated enough for afternoon tea, because they're bloody delicious--especially mine!

Janine's Answer:
I do most of my drafting work in coffee shops. So my food relationship when it comes to writing it:one pasty and one (maybe two) mochas per writing day.

If I've gotten carried away with my work too many days running, I don't even get a real dinner later unless I eat out because I rarely bother to stock my kitchen when my mind is in a fictional world.

During the editing part of the process, though, I get to show off how awesome my spouse is. When I get to the final draft, I'll reach a point where I just want to be done and get through all the notes from the editor. I lie on my couch at home, stabbing the computer keys and vaguely listening to a Pandora station in the background as the sky gets darker and darker. Suddenly a bowl of soup will appear next to me. Homemade. (My SE usually goes for the Chinese Beef Soup with bok chow which you can try here!) You know your spouse loves you when healthy soup magically arrives whenever you're working at your computer. Much <3 to the one I marries.  **waves**

Janine A. Southard once once cut her hand on a mirror liek woah, though she didn't lose a finger that way.  (She did spend a year mostly unable to use her right hand for other medical reasons, thanks to which she now excels at opening doors left handed and taking notes on her phone.) She writes speculative fiction from coffee shops in Seattle, WA. Find Janine on Twitter, Goodreads, and JanineSouthard.com!

Now you just need to pick what to eat while you read!  -Z.D.

*How, you ask?  It's kind of a random story.  I was hanging out with Camela Thompson & one of her fellow authors sent her a text suggesting a collaborative short story project with some of their other writer buds, & Camela was all over that.  In fact, she suggested Ten Fabulous Ways to Lose Your Fingers.  From where I was eavesdropping with a cup of tea on the other side of the table, I said, "Huh, I was just starting a novel with a character missing two fingers."  The wheels started turning. So the next thing I knew, I'd written a short story--something that's usually very hard for me to do.  And wouldn't you know it, THESE OTHER PUBLISHED WRITERS REALLY LIKED IT!

**A real one, not one where accidental amputation ensues.

      A common piece of advice among writers is to "start a story in the middle."  The idea is that tales often don't get interesting until a certain amount of tension builds, or problems unfold.  By starting a story in the middle, the characters have their motivations firmly in place, and the reader gets to find out not only what happens next, but what has already happened.  This is fresh on my mind after just watching the final performance of Seattle Opera's "La Traviata," Verdi's famous tragedy.*  I'd never seen it before, nor was I familiar with the story, although in many ways it's a classic tale.

I wish I had seen it earlier so I could have recommended it to more people!!!

      Here's a summary: the most popular young courtesan in Paris** is wooed by an awkward, bookish young man.  She is dying from a wasting disease, & he wants to take her away from her life of vice.  Against all her instincts, she falls for him.  For a time they are happy together in the French countryside.  But then the young man's father arrives & begs the courtesan to leave his son & not tarnish the family name.  Grieved, but determined to do the right thing, she abandons her lover & returns to Paris, where she persuades everyone - even him - that she was only toying with his affections.  He confronts her in a rage before leaving to travel abroad with his family.  Months later, she is dying alone, when her lover returns.  His father has told him of her sacrifice, & he is determined they shall live happily together once more.  But alas it is too late: although her heart is filled with joy she dies in his arms.
      The opera opens right where my summary began: at a party, where the Parisian elite are teasing this bookworm by pushing him towards his celebrity crush.  We know nothing of the courtesan's past except that she must be good at what she does to be so popular.  As the opera goes on, we learn more of her lover's past than of hers.  But the story doesn't need anything more: the themes of the tragedy (and the gorgeous music) speak for themselves.
      Now a novel doesn't have the benefit of music or actors to fill out the blanks.  The author must find ways to do this on their own.  But more than that, the author has to figure out something more subtle: just where the heck is the "middle," anyway?
      Some stories seem like they're starting at the beginning, & it's not until later the reader realizes how they are really in the middle of something--something big.  While not an expert on the genre, it seems to me this is how pretty much every mystery goes.  Consider the Sherlock Holmes mysteries; sure, it's the beginning of the adventure for the famous detective, but the mystery itself may have been gathering momentum for years.

"Once upon a time" could mean a lot of things, depending on the timeline in question.

      When I tried to think of stories that actually begin at the beginning, the only thing that came to mind was fairy tales.  You don't start by saying a girl in a red hood knocks on her grandmother's door, & then find out she met the wolf en route after she's been eaten.  But then again, the story starts with Little Red going to visit her sick granny.  Already we have a character with a history so strong her identity is synonymous with it.  Where do stories really begin, anyway?  If they're character based, would the beginning be birth?  But then what about the family of origin?  Or the history of the location where it all takes place?
      While I'm certain there are plenty of authors, professors, editors, & other people far more experienced & successful than I who give a concise definition of what it means to "start a story in the middle," I'm starting to think that for me it really means knowing the story myself.  As the author, I need to know what happened to set up the events at the opening of my tale.  After all, a good novel is rarely one story: it's usually several interwoven.  "Pride & Prejudice" may seem to start at the beginning - when Elizabeth first meets Mr. Darcy - but later we learn the story of Mr. Darcy's pride & reserve, & the scandal that threatened his family & comes to threaten hers.
      Maybe I'm getting too philosophical here, but thinking about where a story starts seems a lot of like trying to figure out when a day begins.  Midnight?  When the sun breaches or the horizon?  Or pulls free of it?  When your alarm goes off?  When your coffee kicks in?  Maybe it's not so much about starting the story in the middle, as it is about the writer creating a sense of real time continuum.  After all, everyone wants to believe their own next adventure could start any moment!



*It's so famous, that even if you're not an opera fan you're probably familiar with at least one tune.

**Of course it has to be Paris, even though the opera is in Italian.