I RETURN — WHOOSH!

I’m still alive! No need to panic!

I realize I haven’t posted in, like, two months, and that’s pretty sucky of me. To be honest, I haven’t been in the biggest mood to blog, and I don’t think I need to be preachy about it. We all get tired of blogging sometimes, and I’ve been productive in other ways.

BUT I STILL LOVE YOU ALL. (To prove it, cute cat pics ahead!)

As you probably know, I’m a writer by day, so I work on lots of articles (both online and print — exciting!) all the time. You can always check up on the things I’m churning out here. And for fear of spoiling my progress with this, I’ve actually been chipping away at the old novel, which feels … so old by now.

Not surprisingly, in my absence I’ve gotten behind on book reviews. By now, it’s so late that I’ve probably forgotten everything I wanted to say about them, so I may or may not do reviews. But the books I’ve read include two Raymond Carver short story collections and The Girl Who Would Be King. Maybe I’ll do a roundup or something. Would that be cool?

I’ve also been playing (and dammit, COMPLETING) lots of video games in my spare time, which is kind of my job, but I don’t always get to do it without writing involved. Things are going super well right now. Some good prospects are lining up. And I’m doing something really, really fun and secret (for now) with three other girls, and I CAN’T WAIT to see it published.

Life news: I may be moving to Philadelphia, which is kind of no fun. My boyfriend and I don’t want to leave Pittsburgh, but, alas — school stuff. I can go anywhere with my work, but we have two cats now* and everybody we know is here, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed that we can stay put.

This actually was a thing that happened.

Other than that, I finished Breaking Bad, which makes me incredibly sad only because it’s the Best Show Ever Made, and Nothing Will Ever Be As Good Again (sighs).

I’m still on my quest to become the Ultimate Cooking Master, which this winter has involved making the hell out of some awesome chilis and soups and using my crock pot more and trying not to make everything with chicken, because god I eat a lot of chicken, and I should probably diversify.

I am stupidly busy this month, and that’s always my fault (more assignments = more money, yay!), but I will share a couple cool links:

There’s a new app that will let you read novels in under 90 minutes thanks to wearable technology. THE FUTURE IS NOW.

Don’t panic: You can play The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s 30 years old and new again. GO!

So, what’s going on in the book/writing world that I should know about? What adventures have you gotten into? Deets, please!

Sammy (left) and Merlin (right).

*Our newest kitty, Sammy, only has three feet. He was born that way, ALL RIGHT?!

I’m still alive, I swear

COME BACK!

I know that I’ve been super quiet lately and have missed two Awesome Book Cover Fridays in a row, which is just unacceptable. Authors everywhere are crying.

(Not really.)

I’ve felt a little short on time lately, which is not incredibly silly, but I think I’ve needed a little break from creating extra work for myself. I’m self-employed, so that’s all I do, and sometimes the struggle to keep up with bills and expenses and making sure I earn the checks to cover them is … more than exhausting. So I like to veg out and do nothing.

I also just returned from a too-short vacation in California. My sister’s now a Mrs. And boy, do I want to go back. THAT WEATHER.

But I’ve also felt the absence of not writing for me and for you here, on this blog, where anything goes. It makes me sad that I haven’t really posted in so long. First and foremost, I’ve always been a blogger, and I always want to make the time for it.

I hope you can forgive my inconsistent posting of late because I’m looking forward to jumping back in — at my own pace. I’ll do better. Promise. I’m many things, but slacker isn’t my style.

Love you all!

My apartment is even more crowded now

Meet the newest addition to the family. He’s far cuter than any of us.

My boyfriend and I haven’t thought of a name yet, but we’re bringing him home this Sunday on my birthday. We’re already “kitty-proofing” our ridiculously tiny apartment, which is not going to contain this rascal, I’m sure.

Anyway, quick life update: I wrote about a fun and thought-provoking game called Gunpoint for Kill Screen. And I’m crossing my fingers for some new writing gigs. Hopefully, I’ll have more to share on that soon.

Awesome book cover Friday: The Cats of Tanglewood Forest

Today’s book cover pick is The Cats of Tanglewood Forest by author Charles de Lint and illustrator Charles Vess. Why? BECAUSE I LOVE CATS, that’s why.

Here’s a description:

The magic is all around you, if only you open your eyes …

Lillian Kindred spends her days exploring the Tanglewood Forest, a magical, rolling wilderness that she imagines to be full of fairies. The trouble is, Lillian has never seen a wisp of magic in her hills — until the day the cats of the forest save her life by transforming her into a kitten. Now Lillian must set out on a perilous adventure that will lead her through untamed lands of fabled creatures — from Old Mother Possum to the fearsome Bear People — to find a way to make things right.

In this whimsical, original folktale written and illustrated throughout in vibrant full color by two celebrated masters of modern fantasy, a young girl’s journey becomes an enchanting coming-of-age story about magic, friendship, and the courage to shape one’s own destiny.

What do you think? I love the … well, the cats, and the name of the book. And the lush green color and reflection in the water.

Have a great weekend! Hug some kitties. :)

A cute purse for lovers of Gone with the Wind, Little Women, and more

This fashionable Antique Book wristlet purse by “MeredithMyersDesigns” on Etsy comes in shades of black, brown, and gold and features images of books like Gone with the Wind and Little Women stacked on top of each other.

The 1/2″ wrist strap includes a hook closure to snap onto belt loops or larger bags if desired. The entire purse measures 4 1/2″ x 8″ and costs $30 (shipping is $5 within the United States or $0 with another item).

What’s great is that Meredith sells variations on this purse in her shop, too — so you can snag a bamboo purse or fanny pack of the Antique Book design, or even something entirely different. I love her Little Golden Books cosmetic bag ($15) and the Cats & Books wristlet purse ($30).

Fun trivia: Meredith calls herself a “Stand-up Librarian.” Awesome:

As the Stand-Up Librarian, my mission is to educate and entertain people about the importance of libraries. I believe all of us can be advocates for libraries whether we work in them or not. So in addition to my literary comedy performances, videos, and witty commentary on StandUpLibrarian.com, I am now promoting literacy in my DESIGNS!