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“Remind yourself why it is you wanted to write in the first place. That might be done by revisiting work by others you find awakening and electrifying, or find disturbing in useful ways, the way disturbed soil can become receptive ground for new seeds. It might be done by going back to your own earlier work and voice.”

—Jane Hirshfield, in “Reconnecting After a Silence” in the January/February issue of Poets & Writers Magazine (2018)

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Best Books I Read in 2017

Happy New Year! While I am a warm-weather fiend, January is still one of my favorite months because the year is so full of promise. I do little things to start the year off right-- clean up my home, get some fresh food in the kitchen, and spend extra time on writing and personal projects.

2017 was a good year for some things in my life, and among them was accomplishing my goal of reading more. I read significantly more than I have in recent years... I made it to 73 books by December 31st, while in previous years I couldn't even manage 30. Watching less television, reading more audio books (which turn dog walks and work commutes into very productive time blocks), and practicing more focus while I read were key to accomplishing this number. "Focus" was, incidentally, my personal theme for 2017. For reading, this meant allowing myself to relax and enjoy while reading, rather than struggling through books just for the sake of finishing them, and it meant not reading while the TV is on, etc. Since I'm a writer myself, I sometimes slip into analysis-mode while I'm reading, and this year I worked on limiting analysis to books I was reading for that purpose. I have to say, I read some books I just did not end up liking, and there were a couple that I reached the end of and found I was unable to sink into them at all. I come away from 2017 with some different reading goals for next year, based on some disappointments in 2017. But I'm not here to talk about those books. Those are reserved, perhaps, for my next post.

Today, I'm calling out some categorical favorite reads and books that I wholeheartedly recommend.

Best Fiction: IT, by Stephen King

Originally published in the 1980s, 2017 marks my personal first-read of IT. I've been a Stephen King fan ever since the sixth-grade when my mom handed me a copy of Cujo (herself a lifelong Stephen King reader), and somehow I missed reading this one. Probably it was the length, and some of the outwardly disturbing subject matter, but somehow it stayed off my radar until the new movie this year hyped it up.

And... well. There are many reasons why this book is a gateway novel for many readers, and a touchstone in King's bibliography: it's unlike anything I've ever read before. It's not a novel about childhood. It's not a horror story about a clown. It's not a thriller about friends battling the supernatural. It's all of those things and more, and King's style and talent and technique are completely unleashed in this book. I feel like I'm just parroting bad copy at this point-- a book like IT deserves its own review, not a blurb in a Best-Of-- so... suffice to say IT shot to the top of my favorite Stephen King works. Perhaps the most I can say for it in my brief summary here is that I felt and knew that it was my favorite even in the midst of reading it. If you can stomach horror and disturbing subject matter-- and can set aside the time for a 1,000+ page book-- I recommend this to anyone looking for good fiction. And if you can, read it in the summer, when the air hangs a little too heavy. Best Non-Fiction: American Fire, by Monica Hesse

Newly published in 2017. I almost selected my honorable mention in this category is Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (which I wrote about here earlier in 2017). Ultimately, however, I have to go with American Fire. A true crime story about a hugely destructive pyromaniac and how they were eventually caught, it reads like a novel while still adroitly considering topics like regional economics and criminal psychology. Additionally, it takes place not far from DC on the Eastern Shore in Virginia, and I was fascinated to learn about an area so close to my home that I realized I knew nothing about. The best true crime I read this year, and the best overall non-fiction. 

Best YA: Flame in the Mist, by Renee Ahdieh

Newly published in 2017. Flame in the Mist is really lived up to the popularity of its author, and I've already added the upcoming sequel Smoke in the Sun to my TBR. I read a lot more YA in 2017, as well as more newly published books in 2017. I found this experience to be something of a mixed bag. Current marketing trends for traditional publishing can be scattershot-related to the actual quality of a book, so if you're just trying to read what you see a lot of on social media or in the store, you will sometimes end up with books that are truly over-hyped, over-sold, and not relevant to your interests. I've not read Renee Ahdieh's break-out book The Wrath & the Dawn but it was a bestseller in recent years, along the lines of a young adult adventure/romance based in a pseudo-historical fantasy world, and Flame in the Mist is in the same genre. This is a genre that has gained a lot of popularity, and unfortunately a lot of poor imitators. Ahdieh understands what works in this genre and what doesn't. Her characters are varied, flawed, and interesting. Her prose is lively and evokes a cinematic feel to her story. Flame in the Mist is an entirely appealing YA novel with characters whom I look forward to following in the next installment in this series. 

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The Art of Mass Effect: Mars, Tuchanka, Citadel, Sur'Kesh, Virmire, Earth, Noveria, Illium, Thessia

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My Top Five NaNoWriMo Tools (plus Bonus! Writing Inspiration)

Happy NaNoWriMo-e’en!

National Novel Writing Month begins tomorrow for those of us in the western hemisphere (or at midnight for the most intrepid), and as usual I’ve got some big pre-new-novel jitters. To power through, I’ve put together a list of my favorite websites, advice-givers, and tools that I know I can rely on for the next 30 days of writing, and thought I would share with the class in case they can help anyone else. Click on the links to check them out for yourself.

1. The Official NaNoWriMo Website.

If you haven't made a profile there before, make one! Then create a new novel project. THEN announce your novel. Somewhere. Anywhere. I've never been so accountable a NaNoWriMo participant as when I've announced my novel on Twitter, told my friends about it, and kept track of my word count on the calendar tacked up on my fridge. Just like any other goal setting you do, studies have proven that writing down your goals and sharing them with other people make you more likely to accomplish them. Plus, setting up a new novel on NaNo's official site comes with their daily tracker, which helps track your word count daily and lets you know how long before you're projected to break 50,000 words based on your pace.

Also, I’m “fleur-de-lys” on the website, so feel free to come say hi!

2. Rachael Stephen's Preptober.

Rachael Stephen is a novelist who has developed a month-long program called How to Build Your Novel that walks you through 30 days of novel conception, development, and outlining. She has great free videos on YouTube as well where she shows helpful diagrams and talks in more detail about her techniques for novel planning. "But it's already October 31st!" you say. Having followed and loved Preptober last year, I can say from experience that her techniques and brainstorming ideas are not only applicable mid-novel, but can be a life-saver when you hit a major block and need some external help getting around it. Use it and love it, even after October has passed.

3. MyNoise.Net.

You've got your Spotify playlists ready for each character, yes, but what about when you need something to keep the outside noise out while you're writing, without adding more words, sounds, and emotions to distract you? Enter the best ambient noise site in existence. MyNoise has everything, from rain to tinkling pianos to RPG dungeon sounds to far-flung environments. I write almost exclusively to MyNoise, actually, as listening to music (even word-less music like movie soundtracks or classical piano) can add too much distracting emotion when I'm puzzling through a character or scene.

4. NaNo Word Sprints.

Another official NaNo site, this is a Twitter account run by rotating writing coaches throughout the month of November. All day (and usually all night) they will post encouraging thoughts and gifs to writers, as well as schedule regular "sprints" and call for word counts. Look, sometimes you just need an external force giving you a deadline to help make your word count, and this Twitter can be that force for you. Also, for the last couple of years they've run Harry Potter house challenges based on competing word counts, and that's just a lot of fun.

5. Writing Excuses Podcast.

Good writing podcasts (as opposed to book or reading podcasts) are few and far between. Writing Excuses is not just one of the good ones; it's my favorite. Coming in 15-20 minute bursts, each episode (posted weekly) focuses on a different aspect of writing and publishing, and frequently features different guest authors. Hosted most often (at least in the last two seasons) by authors Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowall, Wesley Chu, and Howard Taylor, you get different advice from different writers. And if, like me, you prefer to read and write genre fiction as opposed to "literary" fiction, this is the place to be.

Bonus! Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lectures on YouTube.

Brandon Sanderson, bestselling fantasy author, posts videos of his fiction writing lectures at BYU. His methods and presentation are very approachable, with plenty of jokes and fun brainstorming and writing exercises. They are full-length lectures, of course, so they require a larger block of time to work through than some of the other tools I've listed here, but I mean it when I say even watching/listening to one of these *per week* provides plenty of tips and inspiration.

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Game of Thrones + the final episode of the season

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When I find my ship in times of trouble,

Fanfic authors come to me,

Speaking words of wisdom: Ao3.

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on 11 February 1503 Elizabeth of York, first Tudor Queen, died

“Though founded on pragmatism, Henry and Elizabeth’s marriage had nevertheless blossomed throughout the uncertainty and upheaval of the previous eighteen years. This was a marriage of ‘faithful love’, of mutual attraction, affection and respect, from which the king seems to have drawn great strength -indeed, it was the kind of marriage that their second son, Prince Henry [future Henry VIII] would spend his whole life trying to find. With Elizabeth’s burial, the lights went out all over Henry VII’s court. The reign was plunged into crisis. Henry, shattered, would never be the same again.” — Thomas Penn, Henry VII - The Winter King.

“The King remained in seclusion at Richmond for six weeks after the funeral, prostrate with grief and so ill with quinsy—a complication of tonsillitis that can cause breathing difficulties—that it was said he was near death. He was unable to swallow and could barely open his mouth. His mother came to nurse him, bringing sweet wine and ordering physic for him. It seems that the loss of Elizabeth […] impacted badly on Henry; as for the remaining six years of his life, his health steadily declined. By 1504 he had become “a weak man and sickly, not likely to be no long-lived man.” — Alison Weir, Elizabeth of York: a Tudor Queen and her world.

[[ bigger version/DevARt ]] someone suggested this idea in my askbox and i HAD to draw it ;)

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reign + text posts (3/?)

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queens of england + mottos

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               ERA AESTHETICS                ↳ The Tudor Era, England. 1485 - 1603

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THE GOLDEN QUARTET: SULEYMAN I, HENRY VIII, FRANCIS I, CHARLES V. Never before had the world seen four such giants coexisting. Sometimes friends, more often enemies, these men held Europe in the hollow of their hands.

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new/old bts photos of adelaide kane and rollo from the set of reign

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5 Shows to Watch Now That REIGN Is Over

After four seasons and 78 episodes (!), our favorite, semi-historical, semi-fantasy teen drama has come to an end. The last Urban Outfitters dress has twirled out of the ballroom; the last Lumineers song has played us off; and the last prophecy of Nostradamus has come to fruition. Did those things have anything to do with the real life of real person Mary, Queen of Scots and Notable Badass? Oh hell no, but that didn’t stop me from loving this show.

For me, it was love at first sight with some of the bananas storylines and details:

Why doesn’t anyone in France find Queen Catherine as hilarious as we do?

How many games of Hide & Seek can these grown-ass adults play per season?

Is the ghost that lives in the palace walls there to help Mary or hurt Mary, and hey it’s not a ghost it’s been a lovechild this whole time?

But my love for this show grew along with the tangle of plotlines, and over the last few years I developed a genuine affection for Reign. I’ve spent a good number of Friday nights watching and livetweeting and yelling at the screen when yet another episode has gone by without Mary getting a happy storyline, or without enough Catherine one-liners, or when they’ve killed off characters I’ve come to care for.

So where do we go from here? Where can we get that rare mix of adventure, romance, pseudo-history, and most importantly high-stakes costume drama? I’ve assembled a list of shows to help fill the void, where to watch them, and a semi-biased guide to appeal-level of each one.

(I tried to find as many pictures for these shows of the cast in the same dark, broody pose. This is the kind of detail I muster just for you guys.)

1.       VERSAILLES

What It Is: A series following Louis XIV, and how one prince turned an obscure hunting lodge into the premier palace of Europe. As you can imagine, this show is less about the price of timber and gilded mirrors and more about the courtly intrigue of early Rococo France.

Where To Watch: Versailles premiered on Ovation tv, but has since been available for streaming on Amazon Prime and Netflix. Seasons One and Two have aired, with a third season in production.

Will I Like It? If you loved the courtly intrigue best in Reign, then this is the show for you. It’s basically the late sequel to Reign, in terms of time period. A lot of the cast is also fairly young and pretty, and the set design, costumes, and sweeping scenery gives you a lot to feast your eyes. It is definitely, ahem, a show for grownups in terms of graphic content, but probably nothing you haven’t seen before on a BBC show.

2.       MEDICI: MASTERS OF FLORENCE

What It Is: A series following Cosimo de Medici, running his family bank and investigating the murder of his father at the height of Medici family power. Heavy on the murder investigation, family drama, and political upheaval, and light on the banking systems of Renaissance Italy.

Where To Watch: Netflix. Season One was uploaded in late 2016, and a Season Two has been discussed.

Will I Like It? This is the series for you if you wished we could have seen more of what Queen Catherine’s relatives and enemies were up to over in Italy. Also for the Rob Stark fans. Again, this show is heavier in graphic content than Reign.

3.       THE WHITE QUEEN / WHITE PRINCESS

What It Is: Two seasons covering two stories in Philippa Gregory’s The Cousins War book series. Season One is the story of Elizabeth Woodville, York Queen and mother of the infamous “Princes in the Tower” allegedly murdered by Richard III. Gregory’s books and the tv show focus through the female perspective on the Wars of the Roses in fifteenth century England.

Where To Watch: Originally on Starz, The White Princess just recently broadcast its final episode. The White Queen is available to stream on Amazon Prime, and I imagine that The White Princess will not be far behind. I was unable to find information on a third season, but as Gregory has several books that continue the warring family saga, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was renewed.

Will I Like It? To be completely honest, this is my favorite of the shows I’ve included in this list. I’ve been a Philippa Gregory fan ever since I was in high school and first fell in love with The Other Boleyn Girl. Her stories bring a lot of family lineage, political minutiae, and land-grabbing to life. The White Queen and The White Princess have been critically acclaimed as a “feminist response” to Game of Thrones, which… while they certainly offer a nuanced perspective and, in Season Two, a noted female gaze, they’re not a “response” if the books were written before Game of Thrones ever aired. Just nitpicking on the critics not checking publication dates! Because it’s a terrific show, and if you love the strong female characters of Reign, then you’ll love these real women of English history. This brings me, of course, to the show I almost need not list based on the fact that you’ve definitely heard of—and probably seen it-- already…

4.       GAME OF THRONES

What It Is: Warring families compete for The Iron Throne in the fantasy world of Westoros, while dark supernatural forces loom on the horizon to threaten life as they know it. Inspired by the A Song of Ice and Fire book series, author George R. R. Martin has stated in numerous interviews the significant influence of the Wars of the Roses, the work of J. R. R. Tolkien, and other classic “sword and sorcery” novels on his high fantasy books.

Where To Watch: Originally on HBO, but literally anywhere, as it’s the most pirated show in tv history. Available to stream in its entirety on HBOGo. Gearing up to debut its seventh (and penultimate) season next month.

Will I Like It? If you were into some of the magical and supernatural storylines from Reign, and can stomach some pretty intense violence, graphic adult scenes, people being mean to each other, and unending side characters and plots, then you’ll love it. I’ve loved this show, too. I don’t love it all of the time, but it’s hard to beat the dream casting, shocking moments, and truly gorgeous production quality.

5.       POLDARK

What It Is: A young lord returns from fighting the rebels in America to his failing estate in Cornwall. Ross Poldark must save his mine, his tenants, and struggle to win love in eighteenth century Britain.

Where To Watch: Originally aired (in the US) on PBS, now available for streaming on Amazon Prime. Currently airing its third season.

Will I Like It? If you like the family drama and romance parts of Reign, then you’ll like Poldark. Also, if you’ve been a fan of The Forsyte Saga or Downton Abbey, then this is really the best show in this list for you… The balance of heartwarming and backstabbing moments between characters is exquisite, and the period details and beautiful seaside Cornwall are massively appealing. Also Aidan Turner has been mentioned as a potential future James Bond, so... do with that what you will.

BONUS!       ROAR

What It Is: A series following a young Celtic warrior prince who is determined to protect his land from the invading Romans. To do that, he must gain the trust and respect of the Celtic tribes and find a way to overcome his adversary’s mysterious power in early Middle Ages-Britain.

Where To Watch: Apparently it originally aired on Fox, but I remember it from childhood in syndication on the SciFi (now SyFy, and no, I’m not afraid to date myself) Channel. It doesn’t look like it’s currently available to stream anywhere, but you can get the complete single season of 13 eps on DVD for a (shockingly high) $25 USD on Amazon.

Will I Like It?  Roar is the *tamest* of all of the shows in this list in terms of graphic content since it originally aired on Broadcast television many years ago, so if you need a break from GoT you can check out Roar. But I made this one a Bonus! entry on the list because it’s difficult to find and (again, just being *honest*) of spotty quality. They were banking on the then-recent success of the Hercules and Xena shows, but I think that the seriousness of the Roar storylines and the confusing timeline of the show were its ultimate downfall. Nevertheless, I couldn’t *not* include it because I have truly enjoyed several watch-throughs of Roar myself. Hey, I’m an anglo (er, celto)-phile myself, I was bound to find something in it to love. Do you want to see bb Heath Ledger and bb Vera Farmiga? Of course you do! The charismatic actors are the best part of this series… and hey, if the dubious historicism, fantastical magic, and occasional camp appeal to you from Reign, then you’ll find a worthy stand-in in Roar. 

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reign + superstore (aka the reign series finale, probably)

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Break it down, and build it back up again.

The plan wasn't to buy more books, but that's what happened. The plan for #ConquertheTBR was, of course, to hold back from buying new books until I'd made a bigger dent in the list, or best case scenario: until I'd finished the whole list.

But then the Gaithersburg Book Festival happened this weekend, and that part of the plan flew out the window.

I went for the Historical Fiction panel specifically, and yet I came away with a small armful of unrelated books: a contemporary, horse-centric novel (I can never resist), and two used books whose sale benefited the local library. Plus I picked up a Ray Bradbury-themed scented candle (Smoked Pine and Parchment, if you were wondering) and snacks from local vendors. The Festival is primarily sponsored by Politics & Prose, the renowned independent bookseller from DC (and, ahem, the publisher of the anthology where I first appeared in print, which is available for purchase here online), and I feel so fortunate to live in a region where an enormously diverse array of authors visit and present on their work. I buy my books from P&P whenever it's possible for me, to support their important work in fostering a literary community in DC. I couldn't *not* go and buy books at the Festival, in other words.

The Historical Fiction panel was excellent. Susan Higginbotham, Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie read from their latest novels (Hanging Mary and America's First Daughter, respectively) and afterwards discussed their writing and research processes, which I particularly found insightful as I'm currently working on a novel myself that requires some historical research.

Now I have added three more books to my TBR list. What does that mean for my project?

I've just got to keep reading onward.

I didn't ban myself from buying new books. Not yet, anyway. I kept reminding myself of that yesterday as I flitted through the pile of books on my couch that I'm now reading all at once, feeling a bit guilty that I'd bought them. I'm reminding myself that, at this point, the only way to ruin my own project would be to abandon it entirely. I think that being realistic-- I love to shop and I love to read, and banning myself from doing those activities until I've read 75 books would be, I think, an as yet unnecessary personal challenge-- will make my project and my resolve to clean out my TBR even stronger in the end. Knowing that I can add a new book here and there, and yet continuing to work through the list, will prove to myself that I can make it through a stack of books whenever I need to.

Additionally, I am also trying to read more new releases of books when they come out, as I like discussing books with people and, frankly, that's easier if I'm reading new books along with them! I can't know every book that is coming out this year and I can't imagine what friends and other writers might recommend to me, even while I'm working through my TBR-- I want to maintain some leeway in my project to allow for the occasional addition.

So, after a productive past two weeks, I'm back up to 75. But I'm still excited to keep working through my list, and I anticipate some good strides forward as we approach Summer, when I have a good number of hours to spend by the pool, getting weird sunburns and reading all the while.