This is the post where I track my reading goal list for the year, recount movies/shows I’ve liked, and mention other fan enjoyments like music, art, or other eclectic things.
Reading
Books posted by the number in which they were read for the year (not just the week).
11. Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Imaginative Fiction by Jeff Vandemeer is an interesting, wild, and not-like-any-other book I’ve ever read kind of book. It’s a mixture of graphic non-fiction and prose by the author/artist, and article additions by notable authors and artists. I’ll be doing a full review in my Monday Writing Craft Book Review post.
12. So Far So Good: Final Poems: 2014-2018 by Ursala K. Le Guin. Finished and sent to her publisher mere weeks before her passing, this is Ursala K. Le Guin’s final contribution to the written word, and it is worthwhile reading. While I loved the first twenty pages best in this one-hundred-page volume, the book is a beautifully written, poignant read about the final days of life.
While I’ve been working away slowly at a few reads this week, that’s all I’ve finished reading that I want to mention. (Which means, yes, I did finish a book that I’m not even counting in my read list because I ended up skimming it to finish.)
A book on my current-reading pile I didn’t mention last week is Perspectives: On the World Christian Movement.
Watching
Usually if my reading list is short, there’s a longer watch list, but that’s not the case this week. This last week, I have been watching:
The Recruit, a streaming Netflix show about a young, an energetically aware and slightly arrogant lawyer for the CIA who ends up stumbling onto a troubling graymail case that sends him globe-trotting into high danger, and even possibly worse, getting into arguments with his roommates. The lead actor is someone we’ve seen in a bunch of Netflix Rom-Coms, and he’s a talented actor, able to pull off a more serious role with some comedy on the side. The dialogue and show-writing make this a fun show to watch, but the lead actor’s non-verbal acting takes this show up a notch.
We haven’t finished the season yet, so please don’t share any spoilers in the comments. I have been having this suspicion that _______ may be playing _____________ and ____________ and the ____________ may actually be ________________.
It will be interesting to see if this show lands easily or lands with the twist I suspect it to have.
Listening, Art, and Really Cool Artists, Authors, and Creatives to Check Out
While I have taken part in some podcasts with One Hope Church and plan to record this afternoon for The Mighty Books podcast hosted by Ryan Oliver, I keep brainstorming and recording snippets for the podcast I hope to host one day… someday. I’ll see.
Until then, I’ve been listening to The Might Books podcast hosted by Ryan Oliver, The Happy Writer podcast hosted by Marissa Meyer, and the Theology and Therapy podcast hosted by Lysa Terkheurst.
Artists, Authors, and Creatives I’ve recently followed via their newsletters are: Austin Kleon, author and artist of Newspaper Blackout, Steal Like an Artist, Keep Going, and Show Your Work; and Colleen M. Story, Author of Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed, Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, and multiple fiction books.
A few of the articles I’ve read this week:
The One Thing You Need to Do to Reach Your Writing Goals – Writing and Wellness
So, what have I been doing?
Celebrating my second-place win with the Lakewold Poetry in the Gardens Contest. It definitely hasn’t become old news yet to me, if it ever will. Plus, I went to an Open Mic reading night with Creative Colloquy on Monday and taught my first class in the Writing Short Stories Weekly 7-session class.
I’m also attempting to create a better organizational system for my three part-time jobs, my group of writing projects, my ongoing quest to learn creative and practical skills, and my volunteer work. If this sounds exciting, imagine spreadsheets, file folders, and charts.
I’m also switching over to MailerLite for my Newsletter, due to some glitchy moments with my last newsletter host, which keeps kicking me off their website and not letting me back on, no matter if I try to use their website on my laptop, phone, or a desktop computer at the library. If you are interested, the new newsletter Sign Up is HERE.
If you were previously signed up to the other newsletter, it is legal for me to bring over those names to the new one, so I did. You can decide to opt out at any time.
Why sign up for author newsletters?
The benefit I receive from reading the newsletters I receive is that I enjoy reading about the ways other authors and creatives find ways to keep going with their creative life, how they see the world, what new projects they have, and what’s inspiring them. The newsletters are often filled with tips, motivation, encouragement, and sometimes, #freebies. So, what will mine have, in this new iteration?
Based on feedback from my last poll, it will have: Writing Tips and Goal Setting for Authors and Readers. May also include limited time #freebies in the form of short stories or poetry.
Tyrean's Tales 