#probably because i live in australia and i touched snow once in my life

[o-kettle-art]

byler in the snow

[monstrousaffections1]

Vent

I am drunk now. I think I am.. am I? it’s hard to tell. I think I am. I thought drinking some good old Woodstock Bourbon would take care of my anxiety. Apparently, it doesn’t work like that. I sit at the bar, breathing slowly, hood up. I am Shadow. Creator. Writer. Fantasist. I’ve been hear many times. Many years. Long before you walked and will continue to be long after you cease to be. The oversized light bulbs that illuminate the room make me smile. They’re both comedic, yet somehow classic. A giant lightbulb hung from the ceiling, twisted robe it’s only anchor. No band tonight. Which is unusual, normally The Last Drop had a good old Irish Band playing every Friday. It was what they were famous for. Afterall, it’s what one could expect from a good old Irish Pub in Australia. Looking up slightly from my slouched position is look out the window, it’s dark out there. Rain pittering down flicking the glass of the windows. I don’t look forward to going home. But then again. Where is home? No one knows. I don’t know. Well.. I do.. sort of. My home is with my babies. My cats. The only things that make me not give up. Because I love them. Not much else to live for though. Well. There are my stories but those are going nowhere. I start to rock back and forth as I close my eyes, feeling sleepy. I can’t feel my anxiety. Well.. that’s a lie. I can feel it. But I can numb it down to nothing almost. If I can block it. Yawning I continue my rocking. Winter is coming. No doubt. Unlike most places, instead of snow, we get rain. Lighting and thunder. And green. Flowers bursting into life. The bell rings, I pretend not to notice as the figure shakes off his umbrella and hangs it up. I pull my cloak tighter, hood lower as I hear his footsteps approaching. He’s a lightweight. Well. Not entirely. His footsteps are heavy so I can tell he’s a man. But light. He’s not buff. I try not to notice as he sits down on the stool beside me. He chuckles. A warm, velvety voice. Sabbathian. I sigh. The Serpentine demon orders a pie. Odd. He never struck me as a Glutton. More of the Prideful kind.

“And I didn’t take you for a moping kind.” He chuckles, eyeing me. I shift slightly and smile, turning my head to see him. His green scales glisten in the light of the open fire. His reptilian eyes fixed on my hunched form. I relax a little. No point acting like he doesn’t know my mind. He’s one of my story characters after all. And a demon to boot. He was probably reading my soul like a book. I chew the inside of my cheek. Trying to steady my rising anxiety again. Starting to rock back and forth once more. His delicate hand touches my back, I try not to stiffen. “Oh hush. Your acting like I’m offering you a deal you can’t refuse.” His smiles and strokes up and down my back. I sigh. “What do you want?” I asked, a toothy smile spreading over my face before fading. “I dunno. You called me, love. What do you want?” he counters. Cleverly. My cheeks flush. That’s the thing, isn’t it. I should know. And I shouldn’t be conjuring up my own story characters just because I can’t express myself verbally about these things. Only through the stories. I want to lean on him, because I know he wouldn’t shove me away. “Someone.” I answer. Breathing deeply. Yawning again. Letting the hood fall back, revealing my face and hair, I reach up, scratching my cheek a bit, relieving a itch. “Someone for what?” he blinks, smile growing. Despite the gentleness in his features, his smile equally so, his eyes caring even as the second reptilian eyelid close sideways under his normal ones. His tone reveals all. He’s not acting. Not playing the smooth gentleman like he would on a heist or in business. He’s gonna rip me apart with his words and put me together again. Truly a demon. Despite the Gentlemanly Gangster persona he portrays. I don’t answer him, so he speaks again. “Someone to.. talk with? Or someone to indulge you?” He stretches the word. I swallow. “I hate myself...” I whisper. “aah~. This is about that. Yes?” his smile shows his sharp teeth. A little sinister. I feel one of my eyes wetten. Just a little. Not enough to be noticeable. I take a breath. “I hate myself. It hurts. Everything hurts. My chest hurts, my life hurts. And I want it to stop.” His claws gently run along my skin, stroking my hair, I shiver. I avoid his eyes. Putting on a resting bitch face. “Now don’t give me that.” He tuts almost patronizingly, taking my chin and making me look at him, talons pinching my cheeks. I wince and shove his hand off. “Fuck off.” The amused kind expression drains off his face. He looks like he does right before he shoot someone in the head.

“If you wanted a backhand for that it’d be Ridwan hear. Not me.” He says, I can’t help but shrink a bit. “Well we both know your not real. None of you are. You do what I want you to do.” I shoot back. He giggles, the friendliness returning. “Exactly. So shut your mouth.” He says, too sweetly. The waitress comes and puts the pie down in front of Sabbathian before walking away. It’s bigger than your average meat pie. The Last Drop is known for big pies. And the butt of the joke is. They’re meant for one person. The demon slides the bowel over infront of me. “I’m meant to be watching my weight.” I say. He shrugs. “You need to sober up.” And hands me a fork. I sigh. “You’ve been more hungry than usual lately havn’t you.” He says, blinking his slow reptilian eyes. I shrug. “It’s odd. I don’t normally get hungry. Or tummy grumbles.” “That’s good. Means your not eating between meals.” “But then it’s like… it’s not enough, I get so hungry during the night I have to get up and grab something cause my stomach is hurting like it wants to throw up.” “Self-discipline honey.” I blush again. Beginning to eat the imaginary pie. Feelings of negativity flowing back in. “Aye. Stop that.” He flicks my head. “I’m not doing nothing!” I exclaim in a whining voice. “Your overthinking again.” “No I’m not.” “Don’t lie. I’m in your head darling.” “Sonovabitch..” I grumble through a mouthful of meat. “No I think that’s Thomas.” He smiles toothily again, propping his chin on his hand. I smile a little and give a short chuckle. I yawn, feelings of tiredness once more going through me.

I almost jump in surprise when his long coat is laid over me. I blink, surprised. “Sabbathian?” He looks different without his coat. Wearing a long-sleaved button up shirt. A blue buttoned up vest and a blue tucked in tie. He encourages me to put on the coat. I begin to button it up. “It’s cold outside. And raining.” He says. And cups my cheek, I lean into his hand, closing my eyes. “Come on.” He says softly and offers his arm, I take it as he leaves a tip for the waitress and walks me to the door, picking up his umbrella he put sit up, sheltering both of us as we step outside, into the rain. “Lets go home.” He says.

[help-its-a-dot]

Alright so when I took this job they said all I had to do was narrate. You know, just follow this guy around and relay what he’s doing, make it sound interesting, yada yada yada.

Ok now that I say it out loud I realize that I’ve probably looked like a stalker for the past few days.

Fun.

ANYWAYS I was going somewhere with this; I had a point. Right. My point was that I didn’t think I’d end up in the middle of a burned down park, cowering in absolute terror behind some rocks that I really wish were bigger, and longing with all that's left of my heart that I could be one of those people that are, given the situation, naturally sprinting away whilst screaming at the top of their lungs.

Should I run away? I mean, it seems like the more logical option here; If I could get over that bridge, then I’d-

*bridge disintegrates*

Well there goes that.

Looks like I’ll be narrating then! Yippee. So, I should probably warn you, I haven’t exactly been paying attention to my assigned main character, ergo I don't have that much background knowledge. Oh who am I kidding, I have none.

Anyhow, sorry, I know I should be narrating. I’m getting to that. Background knowledge. What do I know?

Uh, actually nothing much happened to this dude. A few weeks ago he found a dead body in his bathtub. Now that I think about it, that’s probably where I should’ve started paying attention….

Ah, fucked this up, didn’t I.

Also, as a side note, I’m gonna be calling this dumbass Jake because my dumbass kind of sort of didn’t ever really at all catch his name.

Alrighty folks! I’m gonna…. Be brave…. And peek out from behind these rocks…. Did I mention how much I wished they were bigger? 

Ahem. *clears throat*. Narrator voice. *nods decisively*. Lets go.

There’s fire everywhere. On the tops of trees like snow at the peaks of mountains (how are there even still trees here) bushes have morphed into bonfires, while patches of grass are practically leaking little flames like a dope game of ‘the floor is lava’.

Jake stands, looking at the devastation with wide eyes. Smoke billows out into the sky, painting the already grey clouds black.

A deafening crash sounds behind him- you know, the kind you get when a boulder squishes a four story building like it’s a three year old’s structure of off brand legos. He’s thrown to the ground, and waits, breathing heavily.

Aw god why did I forgot my flask of vodka today? I freaking need it.

And as if that weren’t enough, a spaceship just blipped into the sky.

Should I run?

I should probably run.

Sorry, sorry, I’m not very good at this narrator thing. In my defense, I didn’t think they were serious! Alright, I’m gonna try that again.

Suddenly, and quite literally out of nowhere, there’s a fatally blinding blue-red light, making everyone in the immediate vicinity-- which isn’t that many people anymore, most have used their last few remaining drops of common sense and fled for their lives --squeeze their eyes shut and hastily bury their heads in whatever was nearest and most convenient to shield themselves from impending blindness, wailing in a mix of surprise and agony. All flames previously terrorizing the verdure are extinguished and the smoke is blown out as a single gust of forceful wind, which also effectively topples the few remaining, yet charred nonetheless, trees, buildings, and people.

Augh, ew, eurgh, I got a mouthful of Martin’s grocery bag. How do I know it’s Martin’s? They have a distinctive taste of mild sadness and resignation. Right, right, the spaceship. 

See, when I say spaceship, I mean cool looking flying saucer thingy appearing like it was plucked right out of a conspiracy theory and given some upgrades. It’s a giant, azure/ultramarine blue, except for the bottom which shines in a weirdly mesmerizing yellowish glow, squished sphere. Oval. Pancake. Sorry, I don't know my shapes. It seems to be practically thrumming with energy, like it drank five red bulls followed by ten extremely caffeinated coffees and finished it all off with a few five hour energy drinks. 

I cannot tell you how much I hope it doesn't do what it looks like it’s gonna do and explode.

Meanwhile, Jake has picked up… a sword. Well shit. Medieval, much? Not a gun? No? Personally, I think a gun would be extraordinarily effective against the horde of what looks like blobs but are probably extravagantly dangerous aliens filing in a weirdly orderly single file line out of the saucer and immediately beginning to lomp closer and closer and closer crap did I mention they were getting closer?

Should I run?

I should probably run.

Hold up, no, that reminds me, I’m supposed to be narrating. God, I’m atrocious at this, aren’t I.

He feels sweat break out on his brow. The sword is heavy in his hands, and he can barely lift it, let alone decapitate a blob, but he’s in too deep to let his weariness show. He’s gotta be strong and save what’s left of these people, this city, or die trying. Which is probably what’ll happen in a few minutes. But ah, well, he’ll die fighting for Americanos , which can’t be all that bad.

Technically, if you think about it, he’s suicidal, because his colossal ego will not, quite literally, for the life of him, allow him to take a smart route, like getting into that convenient truck and bowling over all the blobs, or snatching up a gun from that store across the street, or even just alerting someone who is actually capable at dealing with an event like this like the authorities.

But what can he do, he is American, after all. It's simply unavoidable; part of the culture description. *white people i swear

He watches morbidly as Martin’s grocery bags blow past from the ruins before him, and glances up as the spaceship above him gives one final thrum and blips away, probably back to wherever it came from, leaving him alone with an army of blobs bouncing threateningly towards him.

In truth, he didn’t know what they were. All he knew was that if they kept destroying everything at this rate, there won't be a single McDonalds left in America, and he couldn’t have that. Of course, by then there wouldn’t even be an America, and everyone would have to go to the McDonalds’ in Russia. Russia has McDonalds, right? Oh, he simply could not do that to his fellow citizens! 

He pondered this, along with whether or not Australia exists, all the while counting down the seconds (...7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… dammit 3, 2, 1… 3, 2, 1… 3, 2-- he’d get it eventually) until his doom and willing his arms not to shake with the incredible weight of the sword in his hands. Whose idea was it to make swords out of metal, anyways? It’s incredibly stupid-- nowadays 90% of America wouldn’t even be able to muster the courage to touch one, let alone the strength to lift one. 

Ugh, he knew he should’ve gone with that plastic light saber he’d seen at the mall. At least then he could’ve gone down with style.

As if on cue, there’s another, at this point expected, crash resounding behind him, and he turns to watch in despair as said mall tumbles almost comically to the ground. 

There goes the light saber.

And another McDonalds.

Ohh, things were getting bad.

The park, if you could still call it a park, is deserted now save for the occasional Martin’s grocery bag skittering about, and he can’t help but give in to the desire to reflect upon his life. He wasted it, playing video games and other shit like that all day, every day. This is the first time he’s been outside in a long time. He now knows with absolute certainty that if he were ever granted such an opportunity he’d go back and redo it all. He’d try harder to beat that level, he’d get the better controller, he’d stay up later working on his technique. But all that was a distant dream now, something he could not hope to accomplish now.

He wished that maybe, just maybe, heaven would have a nice game console for him.

When he’d gotten selflessly sucked into this adventure, he never thought he’d actually die, never expected anything to really happen- If he had, he of course would never have turned the power of his last 8 braincells away from a computer screen and into the real world to start investigating.

Ah fuck, sorry for interrupting, I think I twisted my wrist or some shit while trying to get a better vantage point on these still too small rocks. 

Should I run?

I should probably run.

On a different note: I’m really sorry guys. When you take a narrator job they never tell you anything about your person. Had I known he was American, I would have immediately sabotaged this entire thing; I could never in good conscience have subjected you guys to.. well.. this.

But alas, now I’m stuck narrating an American who is going to get me killed.

Unless… Unless there’s a loophole. My parents were lawyers, so I excel at finding those.

The rules are, you have to stay with your hero and narrate their adventure. How an American turned out to be one of the heroes, I know not, it must be a glitch in the system. But I’ll be fucking damned if this glitch gets me killed. Literally. So! Once the hero, inevitably, dies, you’re free to go. There’s nothing much left to narrate afterwards. And since Jake is closer to the horde of blobs coming our way than I am, as soon as he’s bowled over I’ll sprint. To the side, like a smart immigrant would do. Not straight back, because then the blobs’d just follow me and kill me, so the only logical conclusion is to circle around them and see if my apartment is still intact. I didn’t finish my cream puffs and I really don't want them to melt.

They’re getting closer. He can hear their squelching, and the chicken nuggets in his stomach churn unpleasantly. There’s bits of goo flying off them in all directions, and when said goo makes contact with something it immediately disintegrates that unfortunate something, leaving nothing behind. Is this really the fate that’ll befall him? Is this how the world ends?

Well, death by disintegration it is then. Oh, he can’t wait to brag to his boys about this.

Oh, wait, no, that’s not right. He’ll be dead.

And, in the last few moments before the blobs reach him, he reconsiders. There’s still so much this cruel world has to offer, and he never took advantage of any of it. Nor was he ever grateful for much of it. 

He suddenly feels a new feeling. Determination. He will destroy every single one of these vile creatures, and he WILL come out of it intact. He has to. 

With new resolve he scrapes together the last of his strength and raises his trusty sword over his head, every nonexistent muscle tense, ready. They’re getting closer. Closer. 50 yards. 30 yards. 20. 10. Just a few feet.

He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes dramatically. Swings his sword.

And is immediately squashed with the most sickening squelch there could ever be.

Ew.

Should I run?

I should probably run.

Yeah, I’m gonna run.

[alemanriq]

I was tagged

by @idreamtofflying @huevette @hanjiist  @bananemetabolique and @sookashira (gracias!)

RULES: Bold the statements that are true about you

APPEARANCE:

I am 5′7″ or taller I wear glasses I have at least one tattoo I have at least one piercing I have blonde hair I have brown eyes (they are kinda dark) I have short hair My abs are at least somewhat defined I have or have had braces

PERSONALITY:

I love meeting new people People tell me that I’m funny Helping others with their problems is a big priority for me I enjoy physical challenges I enjoy mental challenges I’m playfully rude with people I know well I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it There is something I would change about my personality

ABILITY:

I can sing well I can play an instrument I can do over 30 push ups without stopping I’m a fast runner I can draw well I have a good memory I’m good at doing math in my head I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute I have beaten at least 2 people in arm wrestling I know how to cook at least 3 meals from scratch I know how to throw a proper punch

HOBBIES:

I enjoy playing sports I’m on/was on a sports team at my school or somewhere else I’m in/was in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else I have learned a new song in the past week I work out at least once a week I’ve gone for runs at least once a week in the warmer months I have drawn something in the past month I enjoy writing Fandoms are my #1 passion I do or have done martial arts

EXPERIENCES:

I have had my first kiss I have had alcohol I have scored the winning goal in a sports game I have watched an entire season of a TV show in one sitting I have been to an overnight event I have been in a taxi I have been in the hospital or ER in the past year I have beaten a video game in one day I have visited another country I have been to one of my favorite bands concerts

RELATIONSHIPS:

I’m in a relationship I have a crush on a celebrity I have a crush on someone I know I have been in at least 3 relationships I have never been in a relationship I have asked someone out or admitted my feelings to them I get crushes easily I have had a crush on someone for over a year I have been in a relationship for at least a year I have had feelings for a friend

MY LIFE:

I have at least one person I consider a “best friend” I live close to my school My parents are still together I have at least one sibling I live in the United States There is snow right now where I live I have hung out with a friends in the past month I have a smartphone I have at least 15 CDs I share my room with someone

RANDOM SHIT:

I have breakdanced I know a person named Jamie I have had a teacher with a last name that’s hard to pronounce I have dyed my hair I’m listening to one song on repeat right now I have punched someone in the past week I know someone who has gone to jail I have broken a bone (not my own) I have eaten a waffle today I know what I want to do with my life I speak at least two languages I have made a new friend in the past year

more tag memes under a cut

Tagged by @quinceminutes (gracias c:)

Rules: You can tell a lot about a person by the music they listen to. Put your playlist on shuffle and list the first 10 songs and tag 10 people 

1. Touch - Daft Punk

2. Last train to London - Electric Light orchestra

3. Te quiero puta - Rammstein (dhasdgda)

4. Let ‘em in - Paul McCartney

5. Too young - Phoenix

6. Because (The beatles acapella cover) - Vocal LT

7.  Electric feel - MGMT

8. Season 2 Episode 3 (what? lmao) - Glass Animals (hey this one is pretty good where did I even get it from lol)

9. Desafinado - Stan Getz

10. Lovesong - The cure

Getting to know me meme

I was tagged by @lareinadecorazones thanks!

Countries you’ve lived in: Perú.

Favorite Fandom: none at the time jfdks.

Favorite film of 2017: SPIDERMAN HOMECOMING...and Logan (it’s too painful so I don’t really want to see it again yet but it was good fjhsdkf)...

Languages you speak: Spanish and..english I guess lol.

Last Article You Read: The only one I remember rn is one about a peruvian artist...but a most recent one has probably been something related to Australia, a friend is always sending me odd stuff from there lmao.

Last Thing You Bought Online: Some markers and my son I call him kenny-kun (I should get another ofjkdisofjl)

Any Recurring Dreams: none I remember

Any Phobias or Fears: The fear of losing everything I love and live for and being sucked into the darkness..

or just cliffs...and cockroaches.  

How Would Your Friends Describe You: easy going..kind, kinda funny, or quirky? (I’ve been told that but idk to me I’m pretty normal ahaha), shy for sure, a bit careless...slow.

How Would Your Enemies Describe You: Rude, snake lol...well is just people that doesn’t like me but I wouldn’t call them enemies jfdksd. You can’t be liked by everyone :p

Would You Take a Bullet For Anyone: I guess yeah..yeah.

If you had money to spare, what would you buy first? I’d pay my art scholarship (when i get it ahahsjd)

[aboutbigbooks]

Recent Releases Part 2: Points of View

Once again, I have a bunch of advance reader’s copies thanks to NetGalley and Goodreads (in return for honest reviews). And once again, the bunch contains a variety of fiction and yields a range of recommendations. If you’re looking for a big book, there are a couple that come close (> 400 pp.) that I can heartily recommend. A theme that inadvertently runs through this crop is multiple narrators, a technique that most of these books use to good effect.

In chronological order, here are some new novels (and a couple of paperback releases) from the second half of 2017. Hint: my highest recommendations go to the more recent releases.

Siracusa (Delia Ephron, 304 pp., paperback release June 6). Two couples to go Italy together: Taylor and Finn (who bring their daughter, Snow) and Lizzie and Michael. Told from their four perspectives, relationship chaos ensues – a situation that you can foresee from the start. I won’t say more about the events to avoid spoilers, but think entropy. Around the same time I read Siracusa, I also read Jane Smiley’s Commonwealth, which made me think about writing a blog post about wife-swapping novels. The difference between the two books? Ephron’s characters are anxious, dramatic, or both; Smiley’s are (as always) serene and observant. Read them both for an interesting contrast.

Read if: You like your drama high.

Emma in the Night (Wendy Walker, 320 pp., August 8).  Two sisters disappear, and only one, Cassandra, shows up on her mother’s doorstep three years later. Her mother and father are still divorced and remarried, and her mother is as crazy as ever. In mythology, Cassandra was the prophetess whose true prophecies were not believed. This Cassandra is an unreliable narrator, not because she is drunk or damaged, but because she has a secret agenda of her own that she doesn’t tell anyone (including the reader). The other narrator is Abby Winter, an FBI forensic psychologist who worked the original disappearance. Of the two, Cassie is the more interesting. Some good twists.

Read if: You like dysfunctional family dramas and unreliable narrators.

Unraveling Oliver (Liz Nugent, 272 pp., August 22). I started to hear some buzz about this book around the beginning of September, but I was disappointed.  The story is told in flashbacks by Oliver and those he has had contact with over his life. That was not the disappointing part – the structure worked super well. The characters themselves, however, were archetypes with little depth or complexity. Oliver has some kind of personality pathology, probably narcissism with a dash of antisocial thrown in, and that’s about all you need to know about him. His wife is the bad stereotype of a librarian (she’s actually an artist, but not that kind of artist – you know, the vegetarian kind with dyed hair. The dowdy kind who wears cardigans and is a poor driver.) The older French woman? A winemaker, wise in the ways of food and sex. An aunt is a spinster sister, unattractive and not good with children. And so on.

Read if: Construction satisfies you more than character.

The Golden House (Salman Rushdie, 380 pp., September 5). Did not finish. This sounded like a winner: from Salman Rushdie, winner of the Booker of Bookers for Midnight’s Children and set in New York with a loose allegory on Trump. I got about two-thirds of the way through it, and finding that I was not getting the momentum that some readers reported halfway through, I moved on to better things. The story is told from the perspective of a twenty-something American man who becomes intrigued (to say the least) with a family from an initially unnamed country that moves into his affluent neighborhood. The widowed patriarch is Nero Golden and his three sons are Petronius, Lucius Apuleius, and Dionysus. Nero is meant to be the Trump allegory, which you can tell because sometimes he says things like, “On the upper floors I can get a terrific deal . . . So, a great deal. The best deal in town.” My main problem with this novel was voice. I got bogged down in a conversation between the narrator and Nero about guns that didn’t indicate the speakers, and I couldn’t tell from their voice who was who. Both of them sounded like the elderly foreigner. I quit not long after that.

There were beautiful nuggets, to wit:

Life and death are both meaningless. They happen or don’t happen for reasons that have not weight, from which you learn nothing. There is no wisdom in the world. We are all fortune’s fools. Here is the earth and it is so beautiful and we are so lucky to be here with one another and we are so stupid and what happens to us is so stupid and we don’t deserve our stupid luck.

If you read it: Let me know how it turns out.

Sing, Unburied, Sing (Jesmyn Ward, 285 pp., September 5). I honestly don’t know how many stars to give this book. Like others in this crop, it was told from the viewpoint of several characters. The center of the book is Jojo, a Black teenager living in abject poverty in the rural South. Unlike Unravelling Oliver, this book has rich, emotional characters. The language is swoon-worthy. So why not an immediate 5 stars? THE GRIM, PEOPLE. SO MUCH GRIM. Beautiful grim, but still.  There was also an element of the supernatural that did not work 100% for me. Ward just won a MacArthur Genius Grant, and I’m betting this will be on a lot of literary award short lists.

Read if: You love beautiful language and can handle grimness.

The Dark Lake (Sarah Bailey, 400 pp., October 3). I am always skeptical about books that promise that they will satisfy fans of Tana French (the Dublin Murder Squad series), but this one fits the bill. Set in a small town in Australia, this debut effort is told from the (sole) perspective of detective Gemma Woodstock. A teacher from Gemma’s alma mater, her former classmate, has been found dead. It falls to Gemma and her partner to expose the victim’s life while protecting their own secrets and negotiating their own complications. Like the Dublin detectives, these cops are real people with real flaws that sometimes get in the way of their jobs. A great page-turner and nearly big book. I’m looking forward to more from Sarah Bailey.

Read if: You can’t wait for the next Dublin Murder Squad. No, seriously.

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things (Bryn Greenwood, 406 pp., paperback release October 3). Another nearly big book that I loved. The novel tells the coming-of-age of Wavonna from her perspective and those of her relatives, teachers, and the biker mechanic who is ultimately her savior. Wavy’s parents cook and take methamphetamine, and she is often left to her own devices. Wavy is damaged – she can only eat alone, preferably out of the garbage; she doesn’t talk much; and don’t try to touch her. When Kullen finds her trying to maintain the household and care for her mother and little brother, he has to do something. Can an adult biker mechanic and a young girl – and later, a young woman – be soulmates? Bryn Greenwood will make you believe they can.

Read if: You like your grim counterbalanced with unlikely but sustaining love.

The Immortalists (Chloe Benjamin, 352 pp., January 9, 2018). Last but absolutely not least, this novel asks, what if you knew the date of your death? Four bored young siblings decide to visit a medium who can (and does) tell them the exact dates of their death. The youngest, Simon, has the earliest date:

It’s the prophecy, too, something he would very much like to forget but has instead dragged behind him all these years. He hates the woman for giving it to him, and he hates himself for believing her. If the prophecy is a ball, his belief is its chain; it is the voice in his head that says Hurry, says Faster, says Run.

All of the siblings are affected by the prophecy and what it says to them. They take risks or avoid them to the point of paralysis; they make plans or discard them; they look to the future or the past. Varya, the eldest: “it was evident in Simon’s spirits, in Daniel’s tendency toward anger, in the way Klara unlatched and drifted away from them.”

Read if: You think you would like a mash-up of San Francisco in the 70s (think Tales of the City), magic shows, a meditation on duty to others, and another meditation on connection, all in a family saga.

[seventeen-scenarios-blog]

[DRABBLE] Boyfriend!Jeonghan (G)

Requested by: @jeonghanlife Prompt: Jeonghan Christmas winter scenario Word Count: 1,908 Genre: Fluff Warnings: None!

A/N: WHOO IM ON A ROLL WITH THESE REQUESTS (I can only hope that my drive doesn’t crash and burn anytime soon) Okay, I know Christmas is WAY over, so I changed the request a little (I am so sorry ;;). But I still hope that this drabble manages to encapsulate the same magical feeling. I’m really new to this whole winter stuff *glares at the temperature which peaked at literally 34 degrees Celcius today wowilovesingapore* 

Please enjoy it ^^

wooed<3

*highpitchedscreeching* BYEOBEETCHINAERINDA SHYAALAALALAALALLAALLAAAAAA cough sorry ok on with the story

You find yourself stirring awake after lingering in the abyss of sleep, and your eyes flutter open to unfamiliar surroundings. This isn’t your room, is it?

But a low rumble of a snore reminds you that you’re in Jeonghan’s apartment, cozily tucked in his bed despite the day being well into the afternoon. When the temperature had dropped to the negatives on the day you were planning to go sightseeing, and with your body not being very accustomed to cold weather having lived in the tropical regions of Australia for most of your life, Jeonghan was more than happy to call it quits. As a result, his more-than-happy declaration of “Today will be a lazy day” was what you went with eventually.

And after spending the morning watching through old movies in his bedroom, Jeonghan has you wrapped around his limbs like a bolster with his eyes shut. Unable to escape, you eventually proceeded to join him in dreamland.

Admittedly, it isn’t your ideal kind of date, but how are you to resist the tempting thought of being in Jeonghan’s warm embrace as he spoons you from behind, in the middle of a cold, harsh winter?

With his arms and legs still entangled around you, and his deep breathing sounding so peaceful to your ears, you are unwilling to pull away. So, you decide to cast your eyes out towards the window to pass the time.

There isn’t that much to appreciate from the 2nd storey with another building obstructing the view, except several trees lining the pavement. But you make the best out of it anyway, finding wonder observing the faded, greying bark and barren branches. Winter at where you’re from is boring to say the least, and you got nothing aside from a slight dip in temperature and the occasional rain.

But after coming to Korea, you were absolutely enthralled at the sight of golden brown leaves scattered all over the floor, and you had begged your boyfriend (whom you had met online and visited during the holiday season), Jeonghan to let you play in them.

He had granted permission while ruffling your hair at your cuteness, promising that there will be more to come as winter deepens in Korea.

And he had been right. You thought your eyes are playing tricks with you at first, but when more crystalline white particles descend from the sky, you know that you aren’t seeing things. Your heart starts accelerating at exponential rates, and you suddenly feel wide awake. Can it be, really?

“YOON JEONGHAN!” you scream, turning around and shoving the sleeping lump next to you with excitement-fueled strength. You barely notice how he tumbles off the bed in an ungraceful heap, and you jump on your feet, finally free of your restraints.

“Babe, what the hell?” he grunts, his voice still raspy from sleep. But you ignore his grumpy words, for you’re already bouncing at the window.

“Look, Jeonghan!” you cry in delight, jabbing your finger at the glass pane. Now standing up, you’re able to watch this phenomenon up close, and it’s more beautiful than you ever could have imagined.

“It’s snowing! It’s actually snowing! Isn’t it pretty?” Turning around, you watch Jeonghan as he slowly clambers onto his knees and rubs the sleep dust out of his eyes. When he lowers his eyes, it is filled with drowsiness and slight exasperation.

“Seriously?” he rasps. “You woke me up just to watch some ice?!”

You blink, slightly taken aback by his less-than-enthusiastic reaction. Why isn’t he just as excited as you are? But you shrug it off; he’s probably cranky from being so rudely woken up. He’ll get perky in time.

“But, but…” you try to find something to evoke his enthusiasm. “Isn’t there this thing in Korean folklore? The one about couples being able to stay together forever if they are able to witness snow together?”

But to your dismay, he lets out a bemused huff deep from his lungs, clambering back onto the king-sized futon bed. “You must be mistaken,” he says as he flops back onto the mattress. “The folklore specifically mentioned for it to be the ‘first snow’, not any regular ol’ snow.”

“W-what?” You feel your face crumple at his nonchalance, but he simply lies down front-first with your pillow tucked under his tummy.

“You heard me.”

“But…” you try again, but no words come out. Your boyfriend simply closes his eyes again.

“There’s plenty more where that came from, babe,” he mumbles before parting his jaws in a yawn. “There’s really no need to be so worked up over one bout of snow. Besides, you won’t be so grateful when it drowns you in icy cold horror come February.”

You feel as though someone has tied an anvil with your heartstrings, sending your heart plummeting to your feet. How can he be this apathetic? Sure, he’s been living here his entire life, so snow’s probably as common as rain. But can he at least offer you, who’s never even experienced sub-zero weather, some empathy?

You can only stick your lower lip out in a pout and wrinkle your nose to express your dissatisfaction, turning around to face the scenery outside the window once more.

“If you want,” he says again, “I’ll take you to see the snow.”

At that, you brighten up hopefully, but your expression immediately crumbles when he makes no move to get up. “Another day,” he adds pointedly. “Because after all, didn’t we agree to make today a lazy day?”

Your mouth falls open, a protest at the tip of your tongue, however your boyfriend has already become one with the bed once more, his breathing deepening into snores. You deflate, unable to fight back the wave of disappointment that threatens to choke you. You press your palm against the window, looking out at the white crystals longingly.

No, you tell yourself. This is the first snow you’ve witnessed in your years in living, and you can’t let your spirits be dampened just like that. With your boyfriend or not, you’re going to experience your first snow first-hand.

Tiptoeing around the large bed, you stand in front of Jeonghan, waving a hand back and forth in front of his face to make sure he really fell back asleep. When he shows no sign of disturbance (and letting out a loud, offending snore to boot), you finally convince yourself to sneak outside to have some fun. And so, slipping on your trenchcoat, you carefully push open the main door, descending down the stairs to reach the courtyard below your apartment.

You step out of the building to be greeted with the most wondrous sight in your life. Silvery white powder rains down upon you, landing on you and feeling like soft kisses when they melt against your skin. Children let out excited squeals as they run around the frostbitten grass, under the watchful gazes of their parents. They’ve probably hardly experienced snow in their lives, so you relate to their stupefaction easily.

You can’t help but giggle like a kid again, extending both your hands to receive the icy particles. You love this so, so much. Everything about wintertime in Korea amazes you so much, you wonder if you should stay here permanently.

You close your eyes and take in everything, but your trance gets abruptly cut off when you hear a familiar voice yelling your name.

“Babe, where are you?!”

You whip your head around, startled when Jeonghan bursts through the building door, a heap of clothes bundled in his hands. He locks in your location and clumsily stumbles towards you.

“Jeonghan, what even?” you gasp when he all but throws the clothes onto your shoulders, causing your knees to buckle from the force. He pulls on a padded jacket over your trenchcoat before wrapping a thick scarf around your neck.

“What were you thinking, going out in nothing but that thin piece of rag cloth?” he demands hotly, shoving a too-big snowcap atop your head, making you wince when it simply falls over your eyes and face like a ski mask.

Nagging like a mother, Jeonghan continues, while re-adjusting the headgear, “You could have caught a cold, coming out in this weather. I know your body isn’t used to the cold at all, so why did you leave the house? Didn’t I tell you that I’d take you to see the snow another time?”

A part of you is really touched that Jeonghan is so worried about you, and you feel slightly bad for imposing this much panic on him. Yet, you had been so gratified by your short experience in the snow, you wanted, no, needed Jeonghan to understand how you feel.

“I wanted to see it so badly, Jeonghan,” you confess with a sheepish shift of your foot. “I know It isn’t the first snow or anything, but at least to me, it is. This is my first snow. I want to remember just how magical it had looked when i first saw it falling from the sky. So... I couldn’t resist taking a closer look.”

You look up and meet his eyes, surprised to see his pupils soften with guilt when you actually expected for him to chide you some more. He holds your gaze a little longer before letting out a gentle smile.

“That is what you’re feeling?” he asks with a pout, rubbing your head in apology. “I didn’t realise how much this must mean to you. I’m sorry.” Your heart swells at his words, impressed.

“Jeonghan, there’s no need to talk to me like I’m a four-year-old,” you laugh, swiping his hand away and giving him a light tap on his shoulder. He chuckles, making a grab for both your arms and pulling you into his chest.

Only now you realise how warm his body is in comparison to yours, and how you had taken little into account the sheer cold. As a result, you melt into his embrace with a sigh of perfect contentment, just like the snow. He laughs, playing with the furry ball at the tip of your snow cap.

In return, your fingers fumble around the soft fabric of his jacket, realising belatedly that it had been worn inside out in his haste to reach you. “Wow,” you breathe in awe, as though you had witnessed something legendary. “Did you just abandon your precious nap so that you can come out to give me clothes?”

He gives you a sassy roll of his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, are you honoured yet?”

“Oh, you big, soft teddy bear, you. I knew you had a soft spot in there somewhere.” You jab him in the belly playfully. “But since you’re out here, can we please just stay out for a while longer?”

He purses his lips to one side, as though contemplating heavily, but you can see his resolve visibly crash once you give him the biggest puppy eyes you can muster. Sighing heavily like he’s just got the weight of the entire world dumped upon his shoulders, he agrees.

“Fine, but just for half an hour. Then we’re so heading back for a nice, warm cup of mixed coffee in our nice, warm bed, and we are gonna share some nice, warm cuddles together, got it?”

You squeal in ecstasy at his consent, already dragging your boyfriend further out into the snow before he can finish his sentence.

*****SHYAAALALALALLLAAAALAAAALALAaaAAAAA*****

[ardentaislinn]

11 Questions

I was tagged by @bookishandbossy and @unbreakablejemmasimmons . Thanks guys!

Bookishandbossy’s questions

1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Right now? Home (Australia). In general? Somewhere north where it snows.

2. What small yet useful skill do you wish you could master? Giffing/graphics

3. Do you speak any other languages? Nah, I’m useless at that.

4. What’s the view from your window? The Cuban ambassador to Qatar’s swimming pool

5. Tea or coffee? Tea

6. What was the last book you read? Currently reading ‘The Trouble Maker Next Door’ by Marie Harte. Prior to that I read a short story by an online acquaintance of mine.

7. Describe your personality in 3 words or less. Irritating. Irritated. Empathetic

8. Favorite song lyrics right now. I’m terrible at song lyrics. Ummm...First thing that comes to mind is ‘She makes me want to speak Spanish’ from Dance Like This. Lol.

9. Summer or winter? Winter.

10. Strangest work interaction you’ve ever had? Lol. I live and work in Qatar. Every day is strange.

11. If you could have something named after you, what would it be? A scholarship for underprivileged kids that want to study creative writing.

Unbreakablejemmasimmons’s Questions:

1. What was the last beverage you drank? A cup of Rooibos tea. 2. What’s the next big thing you’re looking forward to? Going home! (Early Feb) 3. What do you listen to when you’re driving or commuting to work/school? Silence if I can get it. Otherwise, the angry beeps of arrogant, impatient motorists. 4. Can you do any weird body contortions or tricks? I can touch my thumb to my wrist. My knees bow backwards. 5. What talent do you most wish you had? If I had graphics talent, my life would be a lot simple. If we are talking outside the realm of one day being possible, then a standing backflip. 6. Describe your fashion style/aesthetic. Hobo chic :p 7. Did you go to camp as a kid?  Not an American style camp like you see in the movies, but something. Once or twice. It was awful. 8. What’s a current guilty pleasure of yours? I never feel guilty about things I enjoy haha. Since I haven’t had time to watch thing or read lately, I’ll go with the Chocolate Addiction dessert from the vegan restaurant here. Shouldn't eat that as much as I do. :p 9. Dream travel destination (or next travel destination)? New York/East Coast USA or Scottish Highlands. 10. What’s your weirdest favorite food? Everyone thinks all of my food is weird. As long as it is vegan, gluten free and nut free, (and not sour) I’ll probably love it. 11. Recommend me something awesome, anything. I know I’ve said this before, but I think you’d really like the Scriptnotes podcast.

And my questions!

1. Dogs or cats?

2. Indoors or outdoors?

3. Time/place in history you’d most want to visit?

4. Most quotable movie or show you’ve seen?

5. First ship you ever remember getting attached to?

6. Windows or Mac?

7. If you got to choose your final meal, what would it be?

8. A question you wish people would ask you more often?

9. Celebrity that you would watch the most awful movies for?

10. Actors that you wish would be paired together again (for different roles or the same ones)?

11. What’s your happy place right now?

And I tag! No pressure if you don’t want to do it: @fitzsimmmonsy , @jadeddiva , @imperfectlychaotic ,@msgenevieve447 , @lavendergaia , @thymelady , @stillnotapepper , @adaughterofeve , @everyl1ttleth1ng , and i’m getting tired of thinking of people to tag so whoever wants to do it just say i tagged you because i totes did.

[mylifeindots]

It’s time for another interview 😀 Today we’re going to talk with Suzette from @xo_theartist on Instagram! She’s an amazing letterer and her watercolor pieces are beautiful ❤ We actually used Skype to do this interview. It was so exciting, because I’ve never talked to her in person + I rarely video chat! But I loved it so much! I tried my very best to type it out 🙂

  Hey Suzette! It’s so nice to talk to you! I only know you from instagram, so I don’t really know a lot about you. I’d love to get to know you better! Tell me some things about yourself and tell me some fun facts about you!

Hi, I’m Suzette I live togerher with my husband and my two kids. My daughter is 11 and my son is turning 6.

For people who follow me on Instagram, everybody knows that I bake a lot when I’m not doing household work or something like that. Next to calligraphy, I like cooking. And because my family loves sweets and desserts in general, I started teaching myself how to bake. So that’s my other passion, besides lettering and painting watercolors, and every once in a while I bring goods to work and they love me for that, hahaha. Sheryl tells me she wants to be my neighbor. And I tell her: of course you can be my neigbour! I need someone to test my bakings for the first time!

  Hahahaha, I can imagine! I want to be your neighbor too! 

I would love you guys to be my neighbours! We could party all the time! Before I discovered calligraphy, I used to, well every once in a while, paint with watercolors.

Pink for tonight

A post shared by 🍁 Suzette 🍁 🇨🇦 (@xo_theartist) on Jan 20, 2017 at 7:01pm PST

  That’s so cool! I love to cook, but I’m a terrible baker, hahaha! But hey, did you like the interview with Sheryl?  Since she’s one of your best friends too 🙂

 I enjoyed it very much! I feel like she’s my other twin. She’s one of my closest friends. Actually, she is one of the very few that became my friend since I joined the calligraphy challenge on Instagram. I was so, so, so nervous when I created my other account which is solely for calligraphy and artwork. I didn’t know what to expect. Again, I’m not a very extravert person, like to putting yourself out there and make friends. It’s always that ‘hesitation’ first. So that was a big thing for me. Now I’m so glad I did it, because you know, now sometimes I try to encourage the new ones. Like posting little comments here and there makes a big difference. That’s how you really make friends. Before I just used to say ‘hi’, ‘thank you’, … and at least now I can comment a little more, hahaha. Sheryl was so friendly and she messaged me and she’s always so encouraging.

You know, what I find is, sometimes we’re too nervous when we’re doing stuff for the first time. But I’ve found that, you don’t have to worry so much about what other people have to say or think. I mean, for me what I found, there are more encouraging people and people that will be proud than you will ever know.

Have a great weekend!!!

A post shared by 🍁 Suzette 🍁 🇨🇦 (@xo_theartist) on Mar 3, 2017 at 7:09pm PST

  That is such great advice. And what you say is so true. I always worry too much about what other people think.. I took me a while to tell people about my blog and only my closest friends know about it now. But Suzette, you know I love your work! When did you start lettering and watercoloring?

Actually, as far as I remember, I always liked to draw. I grew up in the Phillipines, and there we didn’t have a lot of materials. At least not where I lived. I only had the Crayola supertips and pencils. I would draw every once in a while. And then I went to college and started computer engineering. So it was mostly math. But we had a drafting course, and I loved that. That was about the only subject I looked forward too because at least I could draw something there; hahahaha.

After I completed my degree, I moved to Canada. Basically, I totally forgot about painting. And then I met my husband and we went traveling. And about 15 years ago we bought a house. We finally lived in a bigger house, and I had a little bit of time off and I thought to myself: I want to try a new hobby. And then, I don’t know why, but I just saw there was a watercoloring course. So I decided to try it. It was very basic, but I got hooked after that. I started painting, but it was more like detailed paintings where you have to sketch first. I used to do it on those really small canvasses, because when you first start, you’re like so scared to do a big piece. After that course, I got pregnant and I never touched watercolors again.

All this time, I had basically forgotten about it and then 6 years later I had my son. A while after that I stopped working because I had two kids and I needed to spend more time with them.

When my son was 4, he started going to school, and I wanted to go back to work because I missed it. I just wasn’t the type to stay at home. I’d go crazy. So I was job hunting and I started baking again. I was frustrated and I couldn’t find my way back to work. It was very hard, and after a while and out of frustration, I started using watercolors again and I wanted to connect with other people on Instagram that also used watercolors. And that eventually led me to the lettering and the calligraphy. And I was just like “wow”. I was so blown away. In the back of my mind I’ve been wanting to do it too, but I never had the courage to do it. So then I actually tried the pointed pen and it was just a mess. It was a mess, and I didn’t want to do it anymore. It was really frustrating for me when I first tried it and I so wanted to learn it, but I was so, so bad at it! You have to pick up ink all the time. All the preparation drove me crazy, so I said “forget about it”. And then I saw the ‘Show Me Your Drills Challenge’ with The Happy Ever Crafter, and she used brush pens. so thought: at least with this you don’t have to worry about your materials. You buy it, and you’re good to go.

Been sick for the past few days and as soon as I felt a little better, I continued working on this. My worst fear coming to life on G!! 😭 But as always, we learn and then move on.

A post shared by 🍁 Suzette 🍁 🇨🇦 (@xo_theartist) on Nov 26, 2017 at 6:07pm PST

  But in the end, you picked it up again, you started writing with the oblique pen again.

 Yes. So, last September/October I used mostly brush pens, until the challenge ended. And then in December, when I thought I was ok with the brush lettering and I was pretty much comfortable with the letters, I decided to try it again. So I did a little bit of research here and there and I watched many videos on the internet and the very first thing that they said is “use the G nib”.

We only have very limited art stores here, so I ordered it from the internet and it was like 10 nibs in the pack for the Zebra G. So I tried it, and OH MY GOD, what was wrong with it?! My main problem with the nib was that the ink wouldn’t stick onto the nib and then I tried to write and there was no ink! It was so frustrating! This was driving me crazy. So, I hated the Zebra G. And now I still hate the Zebra G. So I tried something else. Over the holidays, they had some sales. So I bought all these samples of all different nibs, and oh my, it was like a HALLELUJAH moment. So, I got this oblique pen and it was a very good one. I thought was pretty expensive, but it actually was pretty cheap. I think, for a beginner, you don’t have to spend too much money on these materials. That was a big thing for me.

The very first nib that I really, really liked and that I fell in love with was the Leonardt EF Principal.

So that was it, that’s how I started to like copperplate calligraphy and calligraphy in general. And so I started really practicing in January.

Day 9 of #showmeyourwords .

A post shared by 🍁 Suzette 🍁 🇨🇦 (@xo_theartist) on Jun 12, 2018 at 6:20pm PDT

  That’s so cool! I’m gonna learn a lot from you! When I’m gonna look for a good nib, you’re gonna be my person! Your work is so good. I see your work on Instagram, but I’ve never seen it in real life. When I got your card, I was blown away. You are just amazing.

 I started making friends on Instagram. And I love Instagram because of the community and the support. At some point, someone asked me: do you sell your work? And I said: I just don’t feel like I’m good enough to sell my work. So I told them I don’t sell it, but I would love to send it to whoever would want it.

Well, I think your work is good enough for selling!

 Oh, thank you! But anyway, I said, whoever is interested, just let me know and I’ll send it to you. My cards have been sent as far away as to Australia and I’m glad that it’s made its way to you! I’m just happy that somebody is able to appreciate it. That’s my main thing.

I’m so happy with it! ❤ Are there people who inspired you to start lettering and painting in particular?

 In the lettering community that would be Suzanne Cunningham. She’s like the master of flourishing. I love, love, love her. There’s also Paul Antonio. When I heard he was coming to Toronto last May I thought I was going to die. I’ve never attended a workshop before and I was so, so nervous. First of all, attending his workshop is like WOW. His workshop was the first workshop I attended and it was very memorable for me. Apart from them, there’s also Nina. She inspired me so much because she does a lot of live videos on Instagram. The thing is, she’s just one of the people, when I meet her, I would probably hug her, because she’s so GIVING. She answers so many questions and she does it for free and in her own free time. She’s one of the most generous people on Instagram I know. I learned a lot from her.

For watercoloring, there’s a few of them, like Yao Cheng and @kuminyoung_artist on instagram.

Happy Hump Day!! Week 1 of #jesandleschallenge with @jeshypark and @leslie.writes.it.all . Because it is still snowing in April 😞

A post shared by 🍁 Suzette 🍁 🇨🇦 (@xo_theartist) on Apr 4, 2018 at 4:25am PDT

  Do you have any favorite materials? You told me about of some of your favorite nibs, but what do you like to use for watercoloring? Are there any other specific materials?

 I’ll tell you a little secret. Because I like watercolors, you can see I like colors in my work.

Blue is my favorite color. And for my lettering, most of the inks that I use, I mix up. I use food coloring and Arabic gum. It’s only for practice and it’s perfect for me. It’s so cheap and you have so many colors! You don’t have to spend a lot of money in order for you to be creative. I would love to buy all these ‘nice’ products, but for now, I’m good. I have a good oblique pen holder and I have the nibs I like.

For my watercoloring I use Winsor and Newton Professional watercolors which I still have from the courses I followed in the beginning. There’s also the Daniel Smith watercolors. They are amazing. They go a long, long way.

For my brushes, they’re actually really inexpensive too. You can buy the Princeton brushes and they are not as expensive as some others, but they work really fine. I don’t recommend buying all this expensive stuff, especially when you’re starting out.

❶ Layout paper Borden & Riley ❷ Oblique Pen ❸ Nibs – Hunt 101 & Hunt 22b ❹ Pelikan 4001 Fountain Pen Ink Brilliant Black

❶ Canson XL Watercolor Paper ❷ Princeton Neptune Brushes ❸ Daniel Smith & Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolors

    Those are some wonderful tips! I’’m so curious to know where you work best. Do you have like a studio where you do all your work?

 I wish I had a studio. We always talk about how we want something, like the pretty pictures we see on Instagram, hahaha. Right now, I work in our basement. We have an extra room there. It barely has any windows. That’s why all my pictures on Instagram are so horrible, hahahaha. I don’t have that nice natural lighting. I shared a room with my husband, because that’s his computer room and I have a desk over there. A long time ago, when I was first learning how to paint with watercolors, he bought me this table for Christmas. It’s like a drafting table. So I’m still using it now although it doesn’t work quite as well for my calligraphy, because it’s at an angle. So that’s what I have. Nothing fancy. 😉

  I think we all would want a studio 😉 And besides that, I think your pictures on Instagram are wonderful!

 Are there some things you still struggle with?

 Definitly. So, the thing is, both lettering and watercoloring are a work in progress. I love both, but if I don’t don’t practice half an hour or a few minutes a day, it’s like starting all over againg.

Like there was a time when I completely didn’t practice at all. At nighttime, when I have the energy to do so, I try to practice.

Another one of my challenges is the spacing between my letters. That’s something that I’ve been working on. And also, the strokes. I don’t like writing ‘M’ and ‘N’ and letters like the ‘Y’ and the ‘G’. The compound curve is so difficult. Even Paul Antonia says the most difficult name to write is ‘Emma’.

I also had difficulties with the Tombow Dual Tip brush pens. I think I like smaller brush pens better.

Joining and catching up with my #calligrafriends on #showmeyourwords challenge. Hello pointed pen!! It's been a while and it shows 🙈.

A post shared by 🍁 Suzette 🍁 🇨🇦 (@xo_theartist) on Jun 6, 2018 at 8:23pm PDT

  Are there any surprising lessons that you have learned along the way?

 Yes. There’s no shortcut to practice. You really have to put in effort. That’s really one thing that I’ve learned so far. You have to do your work and sometimes it’s good to look at different artists to see how they do it. That doesn’t mean that you have to copy them or the way they work.

Different artists spend so much of their time trying to practice and that’s why they’re so good at what they do. I have an expectation of myself of what I can and cannot do and the thing is that I have this high standard but I also know that I have to put a lot of effort in it in order for me to achieve it. I can already see that I’m improving, even if it’s only a little. To me, to see a little improvement is a lot.  When you see little changes, when you recognize it looks different. Just concentrate on one thing at a time. Set your priorities.

  What are some of the pieces you created that you are really proud of?

 There is one that I did recently. I think it was more memorably for me because I didn’t expect it to turn out that well, but it did. It was a car painting. My co-worker was leaving and the first thing that came in my mind was that I wanted to give him something special. And I remembered he loves his car. As soon as I got home, I started working on it. I literally googled it on the internet and I think within 2 hours, I was able to produce it. I showed it to my husband and he said ‘wow, you did this?! It’s so beautiful!’. So, that’s one of my favorite pieces right now. I put lettering on it afterwards too and let all my other co-workers sign it too. We gave it to him the other day and he was beyond happy.

Finally done. Now on to the lettering part…

A post shared by 🍁 Suzette 🍁 🇨🇦 (@xo_theartist) on Jun 13, 2018 at 4:18pm PDT

A post shared by 🍁 Suzette 🍁 🇨🇦 (@xo_theartist) on Oct 18, 2016 at 3:39pm PDT

beautiful painting she did for her husband

  Do you have other tips for people who just start watercoloring?

 It’s frustrating to start. But I always say: there are so many distractions when you look at other people’s work on Instagram, that it can be hard to find what YOU want to do. Think about what you really, really want to do. Is there a particular flower that appeals to you? Then paint that one over and over again. Take a break in between because it doesn’t come out the way we want to the first time we do it. But the more you do it, the better it’s going to be. Pick a simple one that you think you can do first, because that builds up your confidence. And once you feel comfortable doing it then move on to the next one. But it should always feel like “because you want to do it”, because YOU like it. Start with one thing and do it over and over again until you feel more comfortable. Also, when you work with watercolors, paper makes a big difference. You don’t have to buy the super expensive paper, but just make sure that it’s a 140 pounds. Not less than that, because that will just buckle.

I love the *new* #showmeyourflorals monogram workbook 😍 It inspire me enough to get out of my watercolor rut. Here is my version while trying to learn how to paint icelandic poppies. Thanks again @thehappyevercrafter and @stephaniefehrenbach

A post shared by 🍁 Suzette 🍁 🇨🇦 (@xo_theartist) on Apr 22, 2018 at 4:21pm PDT

I just realized Mother's Day is just around the corner. Taking this opportunity to paint once again. Happy Friday!

A post shared by 🍁 Suzette 🍁 🇨🇦 (@xo_theartist) on May 4, 2018 at 3:48pm PDT

  Thank you so much for the interview! I really loved it and I’ve learned so much from you!

I’d love to see you in person some day! ❤

Talking about Lettering and Watercolors with Suzette It's time for another interview 😀 Today we're going to talk with Suzette from @xo_theartist on Instagram!