War and Peace

Friday Links: October Goodies Suitable for Fall

Nephele Tempest

Apologies to the Southern Hemisphere, but it’s autumn now here in the northern half, no matter the temperature. It’s in the 90s here today, but I’m ignoring that. Pumpkins and maple flavoring exploded all over Trader Joe’s in the last few weeks, people have pulled out sweaters; it’s fall. This means I can add fall reads to my TBR, and I plan to enable you to do the same.

What sort of books do you gravitate toward at this time of year? Halloween-y choices are obvious. Witches, vampires, ghosts. But I love a big fat novel that might carry my into winter, and I miss having the time to indulge. Academic settings also push my buttons; it’s the back-to-school vibe. I want books set at universities to go with a pile of new notebooks and pens.

I can’t swear all the book recs in this week’s links have autumn leanings, but there are a ton of them to sort through. I hope you find something to inspire and entertain you. Per usual, there are some random other links included. Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend!

This week’s links:

Fall Books 2021. – The New York Times has a list of lists to make your fall TBR overflow, including fiction, nonfiction, memoir, books for younger readers, and so on. Be sure to check it out.

The Coolest Literary Tattoos on the Internet. – A fun peek at the art bookish folks have been putting on their bodies.

Buckle Up, Me Hearties: Best YA Pirate Stories. – I love a good pirate tale, and this list offers up a bunch of them.

It’s Time to Put Down the Beach Read and Pick Up a Crunchy Autumnal Novel. – A look at what makes a great autumn read, with a particular eye toward SFF.

7 Indian Women Writers You Should Be Reading. – For anyone looking to read more diversely or do a bit of armchair traveling, some wonderful authors to check out.

Yiyun Li on Starting a Virtual Book Club During the Pandemic. – Some of you might recall the read-along of War and Peace early on in the pandemic. This interview with the author who kicked it off gives an inside look at why she started the project and what it meant to her during such a period of isolation.

This Year’s MacArthur ‘Genius Grants’ Were Just Announced–Here’s the Full Winners List. – I’m always interested to see who makes this list each year, not just for the writers but for the overall creativity it displays.

Friday Links: Shelter at Home Edition

Nephele Tempest

As of last night, the entire state of California is sheltering at home unless involved in some essential activity. Since I live in the Los Angeles area, this was pretty much what I was doing already. Except for a very brief run to my local bookstore last Sunday, I’ve only left the house for groceries and to pick up my mail for the last 12 days. But knowing 40 million people are in the same boat? Kind of feels a little weird.

That said, plenty of cars have passed my window this morning and I can hear someone down the street with a leaf blower. I am not sure what is considered essential, but I somehow don’t think landscaping makes the list. We’re in this weird in-between place where we have to weigh people’s employment and ability to earn a paycheck against everyone’s health. And while the situation brings out the best in so many people who are offering up forms of assistance, it brings out the worst in a lot of people too. I predict a long haul.

On that note, I’ll have some new things up here next week that I hope will offer distractions from the larger world issues. I’m not saying you all should be super productive at the moment; we’re all dealing with trouble focusing and anxiety and a slew of other problems. But for those of you interested in finding ways to fill some time, or to polish up some skills, I aim to please.

But of course it’s Friday, which means links. Not a ton this week, as I’ve been rubbernecking virus news right along with the rest of you. There’s some fun/interesting stuff, though, so I hope you get a little inspiration. Don’t forget about this weekend’s 24 in 48 readathon–officially #StayHome24in48. Very informal. Join in if you can. Otherwise, stay home and stay safe!

This Week’s Links:

Interlude: So Your Book Launch Has Been Canceled. – Great tips for writers struggling with canceled book events, trying to get word out about their work, etc. Keep in mind the situation keeps evolving, so cross reference against your location/severity of restrictions.

Tolstoy Together. – An online read-along of War and Peace. It started a few days ago, but they’re only doing about 12 pages a day, so there’s time to catch up.

12 Museums with Virtual Tours. – Pretty much what it says on the box, plus a link to a list of other museums with online resources. Great for a bit of downtime, education, armchair travel, or research.

7 Prolific Women Authors with More Than 10 Books. – Take some time to really catch up with an author’s works with a deep dive into entire backlist.

Creative Academy for Writers. – Previously a paid membership platform, The Creative Academy has recently dropped the paywall. They have a considerable backlog of writing and marketing advice, so check them out.