Extended hiatus + April awards

My schedule the past few weeks has been nothing short of crazy.

The minute I devote myself to a new creative project, things get busy.

Oh, and I’ve spent the last few months contemplating quitting improv.

DAMN YOU, IMPROV.

The story I’m writing is going really well! Like, REALLY well.

I don’t get to write as often as I’d like, but I’m still going to make as much time for it as I can.

That means blogging is a pretty low priority. The break continues.

I’ll pop in here and there to do fun tags or monthly wrap-ups.

SPEAKING OF, I wanted to recognize some of my favorite reads from April.

 

Best Premise: Maneaters

I purchased this at the last possible second on Indie Bookstore Saturday.

I loved the title and the cover art, and that was BEFORE I read the plot summary:

A mutation in Toxoplasmosis causes menstruating women to turn into ferocious killer wildcats—easily provoked and extremely dangerous. As panic spreads and paranoia takes root, the fate of the world rides on the shoulders of one twelve-year-old girl. Part Cat People, part The Handmaid’s Tale, MAN-EATERS will have everyone talking.

Turning me into a giant murderous panther would be the most useful thing my period has ever done.

 

Biggest Laughs: Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

You wouldn’t expect a coming-out story to be FUNNY.

Halei emphasized the book’s humor in her review, but I DIDN’T BELIEVE HER.

I was onboard for some gay tragedy.

This book IS hilarious and Jeanette Winterston saves the gut punches for the latter half.

And she accomplishes it through IMAGERY.

A college friend trashed this book for being sacrilegious.

Not going to lie, that made me love it so much more.

 

Best Retelling: Once and Future

I’M SEEING SOME TERRIBLE REVIEWS FOR THIS BOOK.

I really loved this story (even if no one else did.)

I haven’t been this invested in Arthurian legend since Vera Chapman’s The Three Damosels.

 

Best Follow-up: Kid Gloves

So many sections of this book made me ANGRY.

Hey doctors:

START TAKING WOMEN SERIOUSLY.

I love everything Knisley writes. I’m happy she survived her difficult pregnancy IN SPITE OF HER AWFUL DOCTOR.

 

Best Non-Fiction: Sharp: The Woman Who Made an Art of Having an Opinion

The wit of these women astounds and inspires.

This was a great examination of critics and the cultural backlash they faced.

 

Best Message: Agnostic: A Spirited Manifesto

This book was joyous.

Many of my friends identify as agnostic; I purchased this book with the hopes of expanding my perspective.

Some of the writing lost me; many times, when science mixes with philosophy, I stop paying attention.

The chapters on faith, though, were beautiful.

Finishing this book helped me believe that the world is bigger than I could ever understand.

My faith feels much more grounded.

I haven’t felt that way in a long time.

 

I’m off to go write…potentially…and read some of my new books.

Be back…whenever.