2022 In Review: An Update Because I’ve Been AWOL and Living Life :P

I really did intend to restart my blog last year. But I’d get as far as starting a post draft, and then forget, and then time passes, and then I’d start over, and restart the whole cycle again with no posts to show for it. However, the reasons I didn’t post in 2022 were far healthier and more compelling than the reasons I didn’t post much in 2021 or 2020. To put it simply, I was too busy taking the steering wheel instead of going with the flow.

Like that seaweed that drifts in and out on the tide and tangles in your feet (and startles the crap out of you, if you’re like me), I have a tendency to just live from day to day and go/do whatever comes my way. Too much planning gives me crippling anxiety, and I prefer to be spontaneous and live in the moment. But I’m an adult human in an adult world, and sometimes there are things I have to plan and obligations I cannot be spontaneously present or absent for. I didn’t learn how to balance this in my twenties, and now in my thirties, I feel like I am only just starting to get the hang of it. At the best of times. Which brings me back around to my blog.

I have good intentions and plans to use my blog. I’ve watched/listened to so many talks about using a blog to develop a “personal brand,” to refine your writing voice, and to keep connected with readers, friends, and families. And I nodded my head, took notes, and proceeded to wait until I had the mental energy to post. Dear reader, as you might have guessed, that ended up being a time I never found. But that was because I was doing other things.

So now, I’ve meandered my way to the point of this post, and if you’re still reading, bear with me and know that I appreciate you. I didn’t post in 2022 because I . . .

2022 HIGHLIGHT REEL

  1. Was editing and posting on Wattpad every week
  2. Was going to musicals, concerts, and festivals
  3. Was travelling and meeting people
  4. Was working A LOT
  5. Was finally starting in on the never-ending lists of books, movies, and shows I’ve missed
  6. Was volunteering and doing things that mean something to me
  7. Was writing and even finished NaNoWriMo (yay!) for the first time in about 5 years
  8. Bonus: 2022 Highlights Playlist and Some More Photos
I’ll go into each one in a little more detail below, and potentially (but no promises) in future posts. For example, under #5, I did an 80s movie watching streak, and read a lot of Brandon Sanderson, and I have many thoughts. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s be orderly and start back at number 1:
  1. Writing and Posting on Wattpad:

If you’re a new reader (I’m sorry), then you might not realize that I started this blog because writing is what I love and what I do. I had a publishing deal that fell through once (another story), and while that set me back mentally, I have never stopped writing. Writing stories has always been necessary to my mental health and living my life, but since I didn’t get some five figure publishing deal and become a breakout star as a teen, I’ve had to live the more normal road of working random and diverse jobs while writing on the side whenever I have the time and energy. I haven’t given up on publishing, but it’s had to go on the backburner for years as I burned myself out paying my way through school and survival.

Which leads me to January of last year, when I finally decided to post up some of my writing in the hopes of having some casual readers and feedback. I used to be on Wattpad as a reader back in the day, and since I was familiar with the site and the least scared of posting my stuff up there,  I ventured into the free-to-read world with The Last Coffee Shop (TLCS). TLCS was a former NaNo project of mine about a tired and stressed barista in a cheerfully post-apocalyptic world, who becomes the unlikely and reluctant heroine of an adventure she doesn’t want (Bilbo-style), and gets tangled up with a clever, dangerous, and oh-so-unreliable bounty hunter in pursuit of a dancing thief. It is wry, often sarcastic, and a little rough around the edges at times, so not for everyone*, and definitely not the mafia-werewolf-billionaire romance stories** that comprise A LOT of Wattpad’s offerings. More importantly, TLCS indulges my pointless love of footnotes.

Considering that Wattpad’s readership seemed to be anything but the types who might read and/or like my work, I only expected a few reads, and I certainly didn’t expect much in the way of interaction. So imagine my shock when a WP bookclub (I didn’t even know those existed), featured TLCS and I went from a handful of reads to about one hundred in just a few months. Those numbers may not sound big, and they aren’t really, but when you consider what I expected and the fact that I wasn’t writing along a trend, you can see why I was so surprised. I was even more surprised when the reactions were overwhelmingly kind, positive, or at least helpful. The bookclub belonged to a WP/Discord group called Dreamland Community (100% recommend), and I eventually joined their server and the selfsame bookclub: Dreamland Raid. Since joining the bookclub, TLCS now has over 1,000 reads, and some people might have even finished it. [Shoutout here to my sister Charlotte’s friend(s) who both finished it, and screamed at her over Discord about it. I have never met you, and I don’t even know your names, but I love you]

While I’m still not as active as I could be, I’ve been getting better, and I’ve really enjoyed reading and commenting on stories that are often far more diverse, creative, and interesting than a lot of what traditional publishing has to offer/will take a chance on. So the goal is to keep going into 2023, and do more. I’m currently posting a revised and edited version of Knight of the Blue Surcoat, a generally wholesome and very unfashionable Arthurian retelling, and seriously considering joining another bookclub and entering some contests here soon.

*Content warnings up in the description on WP                   

**mafia/werewolf/billionaire romance and fanfic seem to be the pillars of Wattpad

2. Musical$, Festival$, and Concert$

2022 will go down in my personal history as the first year I lived my music-loving dreams to the fullest and most indulgent heights. I could probably write six (or more) whole posts about the amount and variety of live music I witnessed, and maybe I will someday, but I’m going to keep this as short as possible and just give the highlights.

The most interesting festival I went to was the Busan International Rock Festival. I finally saw Nell and Jannabi (the ENERGY this man has), and Bastille again (festival Bastille is epic) and fell in love with a lot of new (to me) bands, including Glen Check and CNEMA (angelic vocals, some screamo, a trumpet, and more).

For concerts, there were two standouts: Epik High and BTS Yet to Come in Busan. I have never seen Epik High, although I’ve been a fan for years, and they were, well, epic. They are hilarious, and their chemistry and energy together is unmatched. It was the Epik High is Here tour, so they mainly did tracks from that album (part 1 was released in 2021, part 2 in 2022), but they also did some throwbacks in medley or full form (BORN HATER!). And then Younha (one of my all time favorite singers!) made an appearance and did Umbrella/우산 (one of my favorite songs!) and it was gorgeous. I rarely get emotional, but I teared up, got chills, and had the time of my life.

BTS Yet to Come in Busan was an even more impactful but very different experience. First, there’s the whole part where I managed to get a standing raffle ticket, and it was free to attend. Second, there were the people from all around the world that I hung out with, chatted with (sometimes through the aid of translation apps!) It was a once in a lifetime moment, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The sets, the fireworks, the special effects, the crowd, and of course, the guys themselves, made it one of the most special concerts I have ever had the privilege of attending. And this isn’t even getting into the emotional intensity of the moment. Since BTS (like many other artists) had to cancel a huge tour due to Covid, and they hadn’t performed for a full audience in Korea since 2019, the Busan concert was even more special.

Finally, the musicals. I probably should have had a category just for those. The first musical I saw in 2022 was Jekyll and Hyde in February. I’ve seen it before, and I enjoyed it a lot, so the main reason for going was to see my favorite musical actor: Hong Kwang-ho (I have gushed about this man’s talent and voice multiple times on this blog alone). He was amazing as usual, so no shock there. However, I then saw The Lion KingKinky BootsDeath Note (more on this in a moment), Sweeny Todd, West Side Story, and Moulin Rouge to round out the musicals that I saw for the first time last year. West Side Story was the biggest surprise, being the one I had never been interested in, but considering I saw it with the Kim Junsu as Tony and Leo (from kpop group VIXX) as Riff, and the addition of dance fighting, I enjoyed it a lot!

But Death Note . . . that was the culmination of my journey to Korea, in an ironic way. It was Hong Kwang-Ho and Kim Junsu in the roles of Light and L, respectively, that sucked me back into a renewed interest in learning Korean when I had started to give up. Specifically, it was the video below that made Hong Kwang-ho my must-see artist, and then my favorite musical star, the first time I visited Korea in 2018.

I had listened to every bad audio quality recording from the audience, and I basically had the main songs memorized before I even went. I was fortunate enough to see the musical three times while it ran, and one of those times was with both leads reprising their roles (which they originated in the Korean version), and when I say it was a peak moment of my life, I’m not joking. The singing, the staging, the acting . . . it was far better than a paragraph in a recap blog post can convey. But whatever money I spent on it . . . it was worth every bit.

I ended 2022 with Moulin Rouge, another culmination of years-long fandom. The movie is one of my favorites, for all that it’s er . . . problematic,*** but the artistry. And it isn’t an exaggeration to say that I’ve had that soundtrack on a regular rotation for over fifteen years now. Of course, I listening to the 2019 recording from the Broadway production, and I loved it too (Aaron Tveit is nearly unbeatable!). So when I found out that Hong Kwang-ho and Ivy (another very famous and incredibly talented Korean musical star) were going to star in the first Korean production, I was stalking Interpark (ticketing website) every day for release dates from the minute the news broke. And it went above and beyond my every expectations in every way. Some of the best choreo I have ever had the pleasure of watching, and don’t even get me started on the costuming. But again, this is not the point of this post, so maybe I’ll come back to MR later . . .

***Morality aside, I could write a paper on the merits of the movie, artistic and otherwise. But Hindi Sad Diamonds etc, etc.??!! 

3. Travelling and Meeting People

I’m not the most social creature (to say the least), but I do love to travel. While I only made it out of Korea to go back to visit my family in the US last year, I did manage to travel around Korea a lot more last year. I also joined Gospel City Church in Seoul, the church I’d mainly been attending online because of Covid, and I regularly attended a small group. This led to far more meetups and hanging out than I did in 2020-2021 combined. I also met a lot of friends’ mutual friends, and hung out with people from so many different countries, which was awesome!

Of course, there is always hiking, which continues to be one of my favorite things to do in Korea. But I also did far more urban hiking in 2022. I explored more corners of Seoul, and finally went to Jeju. Jeju Island is just as beautiful and lush as people said, and part of my time there was the long (8+hr) Hallasan hike, and drinking/eating my weight in fresh citrus. With striking black volcanic rocks, windblown slopes, mountainous ridges, and lush greenery everywhere, Jeju looks like the setting for a folktale. The colors of the sea and grass were incredibly vivid, and there is a wildness to the landscape that is different from mainland Korea. Now that I’ve been, I can’t wait to go back.

4.  Work, Work, Work

I’m still at the same hagwon (academy) that I started at in 2020. In 2022, I had the opportunity to teach some more high level classes, and far less kindergarten, which suited me just fine. Some stand-out experiences were talking Hunger Games with our highest level book club, teaching writing to college students, and greatly improving my listening skills by conversing with elementary school students. Our younger students talk in high speed, and have colorful repertoires of insults and game characters’ names. Listening was one of my weakest areas in Korean, and I 100% attribute my gains in this area to my enthusiastic and verbose younger students.

5. Pop Culture – All the Books, Shows, and Movies I Never Have Time For

I read so much more in 2022! Fantasy, nonfiction, Wattpad books, you name it. I also listened to a lot of audiobooks, putting all my hours on public transportation to good use. In books, some highlights were T.S. Kingfisher’s thriller/natural horror novels, Robin Hobb (finally!), The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix, Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner, A Deadly Education (and the sequel) by Naomi Novik, Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim,  and my favorite book of 2022: The Red Palace by June Hur. While I read far more titles, these were the ones that really made an impression.

The Red Palace is a historical mystery set in 1800 century Korea, during the turbulent time of the troubled Prince Yi Seon (이선), better known to us as Prince Sado who infamously died after being confined in a rice chest during the summer on the orders of his father. However, the Crown Prince’s tragic and violent story is the background to the mystery, and a sweet, thoughtful, slow-burn romance between an illegitimately born young nurse and a police inspector. Whether you are into history, mystery, or the romance, there is something for you, and even if one of those elements isn’t your bag, June Hur is a masterful, lyrical author who will sell you on the other parts. I highly recommend it, and if you end up reading it, let me know in the comments!

For shows and movies, I don’t ever remember those as well, but I 95% loved Wednesday, watched a great Korean historical film called The Night Owl/올빼미, enjoyed the star-studded Amsterdam, and thought Stranger Things S4 was fantastic. I also finally watched some more 80s and 90s movies (more on that eventually), rewatched old favorites like Terminator, and made far less progress on my to-watch list than on my to-read list, as per usual.

6. Volunteering

Volunteer work and helping in my community has always been something I was highly convicted to do, but was often unsure about how to go about getting involved. However, thanks to some friends and making connections at church, I was finally able to do more volunteering in 2022. In Chungju (the city I live in), I hung out with and did everything from baking to playing outdoor games with students at a shelter for older girls who haven’t been adopted. It hasn’t been easy (they are often shy, and don’t try to speak in Korean or English), but we are slowly starting to develop rapport and relationships with these brave and interesting young girls. One of my goals for 2023 is to be able to do more than in 2022!

7. Writing and NaNo

Last but not least, other than the writing alluded to in #1, I have been writing far more than in the past few years. School burned me out badly, and bouts with self-doubt and depression haven’t helped at all. But thanks in part to my Wattpad bookclub, readers like my sister and her friends, and the generally better place. Just having a writing community that is accessible to me, albeit online, has made a huge difference in my motivation. I wrote over 100K words last year, and I hope to write even more in 2023.

As for NaNo (National Novel Writing Month), I wrote over the 50K words in a month goal, and made progress on a novel project I’ve been tossing around for a while. I also worked on some other projects, and got some editing done. I’m not sure what’s the next step for my writing in 2023, especially since I don’t have a lot of free time, but I am feeling a little more optimistic about where I’m at right now than at the same time last year. Self-publishing is a route I’ve definitely been considering, and looking into that route with more serious intentions is one of the main things on my 2023 agenda.

Well, that was a long post, and thank you to anyone reading this far! As always, comment, let me know what you did in 2022, let me know if you want to hear about anything in detail, or just say hello 🙂

Happy 2023, and raise an imaginary glass to hoping we all are healthier and accomplish even more this year!

(And Don’t forget to check out the playlist and Photos Below;P)

“An Idea is Nothing if it is Not Shared”

I am not a true perfectionist. If you saw my room and my bookshelves, you would know this right away. But when it comes to my writing, my art, or anything I take very seriously (i.e., anything truly important to me), my usual carefree, spontaneous self completely disappears. Instead, I become fixated on the tiniest of errors, the smallest details in my work that suggest to me how worthless and flawed it really is.

I have always been like this.

As a child, I would agonize over any creative work, editing and redoing until there were holes in my paper or I threw my work away in a rush of passionate hatred for whatever idea I had dared to put down in words.

When I am in a more reasonable state of mind, I regret the multitudes of trashed work that I can’t pull out to laugh over now, as an adult. And yet, I haven’t changed all that much.

Of course, this hasn’t stopped me from writing, painting, drawing, etc. Not really. But for the past several years, my creative output lagged, and even died for a time, due to multiple factors (school and restaurant work). But now, living in a place I love, and working at a job I generally enjoy, with most of my weekends at my own disposal, my creative brain has been waking up and ready to start again.

So what was holding me back?

Earlier this year, I was having a soul-searching session in a small hanok (Korean traditional house) in Seoul over the Lunar New Year’s break. I spent a lot of time riding bikes and thinking over those few days, and I realized that my perfectionism and my fear of failure were holding me back from doing what I love the most: writing and art.

Why did I start drawing, or why did I start a story? It was always because I had some burning need to communicate images or ideas that I found worthwhile. Even if no one saw them but me. But if I never even attempted to share them, were they really worthwhile? This question was gnawing me, and I thought suddenly of a tweet I had read in late 2021. Tablo (Twitter @blobyblo) is the frontman of Epik High, one of my favorite groups. He is also one of the wisest, funniest, and most interesting people online. In the thread I’m referring to, he was addressing exactly what I had been thinking about. You can read the thread below:

If I couldn’t believe in my art, turn my “fancies” into real ideas, how could I expect anyone else to?
Tablo’s words became a challenge to me, and finally, I decided to do something about it.

I am not all that good at communicating. I am terrible at keeping in touch, and I tend to disappear and reappear with my moods and energy levels. At this time in my life, I don’t have it in me to pursue agents, traditional publishing, or take the huge amount of time to self-publish something I can put my name on without regrets. So that left free, internet publishing. Still too many options.

Newsletter? Nah.

Serialize on my blog? Nah.

Pass around to friends and family? Nah.

Finally, I decided to publish the same way fanfiction and random drabble make their way on the internet: Wattpad. Why? Because I wanted to share a story, and turn a fancy into an idea. I admit that my biggest fear is that no one will read it. My second biggest fear is that someone will call me out, tell me may work is actually as terrible as I tend to fear. But that is still better than it never being read. And if even one person read it and enjoyed it or gained something, that would be enough.

When I realized this, I was reminded of a webtoon (internet comic) I read called The Omniscient Reader/전지적 독자 시점. The main character is not particularly good at anything other than reading, and he has faithfully read “Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse,” since the first chapter. Eventually, he became the only reader. When the world is upended and people are suddenly fighting for their lives in “scenarios” that are streamed to viewers (think video game as real life meets The Hunger Games), Dokja (the hero) realizes that the story only he read told the exact way things would unfold. He uses this knowledge to gain literal power as he is the only one who knows what will happen. That story was so important to him and the writer, and I find the metaphor incredibly powerful. To one reader, a story could be everything, and to one writer, one reader can be everything.

If even one person can be entertained, comforted, or empowered, or if any dark power can be dismantled, to paraphrase Tablo, by sharing an idea, isn’t that the real endgame? Isn’t that more important than numbers, popularity, or exposure?

Of course, this conviction isn’t enough to dispel self-doubt. And I don’t really write the sort of thing that could become a lifeline. But writing and telling stories has been a lifeline for me, when I was in the darkest, deepest parts of my head.

So . . . Wattpad.

After all this agonizing, I finally decided on The Last Coffee Shop (frequently referenced on this blog) as a first. It’s completed and generally polished/edited. And no matter how hard I try, I can’t hate it.

So . . . Wattpad. I posted it. Flames didn’t consume my computer, and I didn’t acquire an anti-fan. No one accused me of being the worst writer in the world. I also don’t know if anyone other than my family has been reading it. I don’t know because no one has commented other than my sisters. I am extremely grateful to them and their constant support. But my heart still wants someone to discover it on their own, organically. To read it and connect with an idea that speaks to them. This is still my dream.

I guess I’ll keep posting on Wattpad, because, as I said, the world didn’t end when I put up a chapter online. It’s a challenge to myself, to hone my craft and stick to my own deadlines. To bare my face to anyone who might be looking. To risk revealing myself.

But even if they don’t like what they see, I can be confident that my fancies really are ideas. And ideas were meant to be shared.

<3

Rebekah

P.S. If you read this far and you’re interested, you can find me on Wattpad as WinterFlower

 

 

 

Sorry Honey, I Forgot Our Blogoversary . . .

SO, I figured out that my blog’s anniversary was August 13th . . . and then I worked a 65 hour week and didn’t think about it at all.*

So I’m doing a belated Blogoversary post for myself. That means I will use an inordinate amount of gifs and jibber about nothing for at least a page; you have been warned.

I’ve been blogging for a bit now, but I’ve only been consistent for about a year. In that time, I’ve made some awesome friends, and had a lot of fun getting some words out there. More importantly, I feel like the writing connection with others (and the helpful feedback) has made me a better writer, and made me a more efficient writer.

I answered a lot of the “Why do you blog” questions on this tag from blogger Victoria Grace, so I’ll skip that. Also, you probably have heard more random facts about me than you ever needed! So I’ll skip that too. Instead, I think I’ll write a bit about my past year in blogging, and where I see myself going.

As most of you probably know, I had my debut novel scheduled for August publication.

Unfortunately, it’s already September (yes, I’m screaming), and I have yet to hear back from my publishers on a new, concrete date. They haven’t done something terrible like close down or drop my book, they’ve just pushed everything back in their schedule because: LIFE HAPPENS. No one knows this better than me, but it doesn’t make it easy. In fact, it’s made my last couple months rougher mentally than I would like.

In the meantime, I’ve been trying to stay positive and work on the many writing projects (new and old) that I have. I’ve also kept myself reading – because my love of reading is what got me writing, and it’s still my favorite pastime. It’s also good to get other people’s’ words and ideas flowing through your head, just like it’s good to have conversations with various people and not always be stuck in your own brain!

A Few Things I’ve Been Working on Between Last August and Now:

Promoting:

Knight of the Blue Surcoat, my delayed but still debut novel – an Arthurian historical fantasy adventure starring King Arthur’s daughter Melora. More about it here.

Editing:

The Last Coffee Shop (TLCS)- A snarky, post-apocalyptic adventure novel that involves a barista, a bounty hunter, a dancing thief, and a lot of aliens. Read more about it here.

Drafting:

Red as Blood – A genderbent Snow White retelling set in the same “world” as TLCS, just a decade or so later. It involves high fashion, corruption, food service, and quirky, damaged characters. More about that here, and in my current series of Beautiful People posts. September’s entry will be up soon!

Reading:

Scads of research books for a planned Japanese folktale retelling, and a few for an epic fantasy idea that I’ve been tossing around.

ARCS – as many as I can get to, for my day job as a bookseller. Standouts include Vassa in the NightBlood for Blood, and Patchinko.

Most recent reads: Tokyo Ghoul Volume 8 (<3t_t KEN!) and Malice by Keigo Higashino (Japanese mystery).

Learning:

Korean, and lots of other things – to be continued below . . .

Cooking:

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen my random kitchen projects. Kimchi-in-everything has been the theme. I’ve progressed to a proper kimchi storage container, so I can make as much kimchi jjigae (김치찌개) as I want!! Other things, such as Korean BBQ, fresh tuna sushi, Thai curries, the usual pies and scones, and many other things happened in my kitchen between work and other work.

Watching:

Obviously, I haven’t had much time to watch anything. However, I did finish the Korean Comedy/Horror/Drama “Let’s Fight, Ghost!” and it was hilarious (and actually a little creepy at times). I also started watching PinocchioCity Hunter, and a big-budget Chinese drama called Ice Fantasy. If you’re interested in hearing more about my tv watching habits, check out this post. AND PEOPLE – if you aren’t watching W: Two Worlds, you should! Not only do we get Lee Jong Suk being a fabulous action hero, it’s a reality-bending drama about being sucked into/out of a manhwa (만화 – Korean comics) and it has a rather Christopher Nolan-esque/postmodern feel about it that is pretty unique.

Oh, and Lee Jong Suk = reasons to watch anything. No, I’m completely unbiased.

ANYHOW.

The last movie I saw was Suicide Squad – and I had very mixed feelings about it. It felt like two different movies competing with each other, and I thought that it would have been better off as a goofy heist-style movie. Everything from the message to the storytelling was muddled (and I seem to be in the 1% who thought the Joker was in there too much – and I’d thought he was the main villain from the trailers . . .). And honestly, the villain (Tia Dalma 2.0, supermodel edition) was completely underwhelming. That being said, the main cast was good and parts of it were very fun/funny – and there were some excellent soundtrack choices.

I’m really looking forward to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find ThemMiss Peregrine’s wasn’t my favorite book – I found it rather boring, and the romance was really the only unnerving thing about it, but the movie looks pretty cool. And of course I’m excited about Fantastic Beasts! It looks like breath of cinematic fresh air.

Listening to:

Other than the usual, I’ve really been liking Korean rockers F.T. Island‘s mixture of pop-punk and excellent vocals/instrumentals. Other notable current favorites include BØRNS (Michigan Native!), For the Foxes, EXO and B.A.P‘s dance-y recent offerings, The Unlikely Candidates, and Icelandic rockers Kaleo.

Also in music, I compiled an ultimate Last Coffee Shop Playlist (around 100 tracks) that gives you a great audio picture of the novel – and it includes a lot of the songs I listened to while writing TLCS as well.

Work:

Err, that. Back in February, I took on a second job at a new craft brewery, in addition to working part-time as a bookstore manager/head book-buyer, writing reviews for a women’s mag, and my own personal writing/reading work . . . so, yes. Anyhow, it’s been fun, but I think the crazy work fest might be over for the year.

Travel:

Besides travelling to Nashville and back in three days, I’ve been to Pensacola (for a day, but well, it was a good day), Gulf Shores, Chicago (4 times!), Traverse City, Harbor Springs, and all that jazz. I manage to clock a lot of road hours for someone who is rarely away from work, 😛

Life:

I GOT A NEPHEW!!! I already had a niece (and she’s one of the most precious, sweet, and mild-mannered little angels ever), but as of the end of June, I have a nephew too. He’s adorable and cuddly, and I got to go see him way too briefly in July.

So you remember I was learning Korean?

Well, last fall, after some serious contemplation/soul-searching/finance-shuffling, etc, I decided I’d be interested in putting some of my savings toward a few more college courses (I have some credits, but that’s all). I’ve always wanted to travel, travel write, and make it to East Asia. Not to mention, my passion for Asian History has had me reading courses worth of books for years. SOooo, I thought, well, a degree in East Asian Studies? Worth it? Maybe a foray into International Relations, or a certificate for teaching ESL? My number one goal has always (and probably will always be) to be a published author, but that travelling/teaching/exploring side is loud too. I want to write, in other places. So this meandering paragraph just means, I’m going back to school, as long as I can afford it . . . At least I’ll have a whole class of people to practice Korean with!!

Related to this – readers might remember how my sister and I had to leave our rental and ended up back with our parents? Well, I’m going to move (at least till December) down to Grand Rapids, and commute to my bookstore job in between. So I can’t see the craziness letting up any time soon, but it will probably be a bit more organized now. *Gulp*

And while I’m on the subject of school, I’m attending a college that really is quite a nontraditional place for an adult student – and it feels like I’m in class with high schoolers – I feel so awkward and out of place. So there’s that. I thought about doing a series about what it feels like to go back to school at 27 (on a small enough campus to where you can feel it). So that might be a thing . . . It’s amazing how isolated you can feel when you’re surrounded by thousands of people. Don’t get me wrong, I love being by myself, but trading in 65hr work weeks for 65hr work-and-school weeks is kind of lonely, you know? But I know that I have you guys to talk to! (And believe me, it’s comforting)

So that’s it – that’s all there is in a nutshell. Happy Belated Blogoversary to me! (Also, happy 추석 to my Korean friends out there!)

(I love Lurch’s dancing because we can all do better – sorry Lurch)

If you blog, when’s your blogoversary? Have you ever thought about going back to school after leaving it? Would you read a series about going back to school as an adult student?

What have you been up to this September? Conversation is delightful ;P

*I didn’t forget my beloved Bigbang’s anniversary though (August 19th). Priorities, priorities . . .

 

Beautiful People June: Meet “The Doctor”

IT’S BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE TIME! (No, you don’t have to be as excited as I am)

If you’re scratching your head in confusion – BP is a monthly writing meme run by Cait @ Paper Fury and Skye @ Further Up and Further In, and you can read all about it HERE.

Last month, I featured Mollie, one of the Seven Sisters of Henpecked Bar and Grill (Red as Blood) and I decided to continue that theme this month as well. This time around, I’m featuring Doctor Marjorie Pierce, the owner and manager of Henpecked, and the oldest Sister. Just for a recap, here’s her bio and reference pic again:

NICKNAME: THE DOCTOR.

Yes, otherwise known as Doc, or just Boss. While she isn’t a Timelord, Doc is a medical practitioner. Despite her healing tendencies, she’s a vicious warrior in her own right. And you’d have to be a strong personality to have all of the Sisters submit to your rule (a loving dictatorship). She’s a motherly figure, though she never had any children of her own (though there are rumors of a scandalous, tragic love affair in her youth . . .)

Age: A lady never tells – but she’s north of 40 and south of 60

Height: 127 cm  Species: Human

Weakness: Orphans of any species

Weapon of Choice: Bola

Likes: Feeding People, Sharpening weapons. Being Needed.

Dislikes: Whining and Complaining. Inefficiency.

Favorite Food: Fried Chicken and Biscuits with Gravy and Strong, Black Coffee – and Chocolate Cake. She’s not a health nut . . .

Marjorie is the first person to meet Sull in the narrative, and she (presumably) takes a shine to the battered, skinny boy with haunted eyes and too pretty of a face. He needs food.

As Marjorie is the oldest major character, I thought it would be interesting (and helpful) to explore her childhood a bit, since it’s something she never talks about to the other sisters, though it obviously shaped her life.

 

  1. What is her first childhood memory?

Marjorie’s parents were tenant farmers, and her mother was the farmer’s midwife. They all lived with Marjorie’s two younger sisters and grandmother in a longhouse with the other tenant farmers, so Marjorie’s first memories are of lots of noise and people. It was like having a very, very, large family.

2. What were their best and worst childhood experiences

Best: When Marjorie turned twelve, she had her official Welcoming Day. It signified that she was an adult, and fully capable of taking on an occupation like the other tenant farmers. However, what Marjorie liked about it was how she was finally the center of attention, and how her parents managed to make her a real fruit pie, and an almost-new dress that made her really feel like an adult. She felt loved, appreciated, and happy, and she often wishes she could go back to that moment.

Worst: A rival warlord took over the plantation where Marjorie and her family lived. In the chaos, her entire family was killed. Coming back and finding everyone dead or gone was the worst moment of her life.

3. What was their childhood home like?

The tenant farmers lived in a series of longhouses – which are exactly what they sound like – long buildings with almost zero privacy. Families would put up rough curtains between sections, and sleep in a small space on shared pallets. The average number of occupants in each house was around 20, with families that often included grandparents or great-grandparents. The farmers worked long hours, with plantation duties in addition to their other jobs (such as mechanics, android supervisors, medics, etc.) Though many of the farm chores were done by mechanicals and robots, human workers were needed to run things.

4. What’s something that scared them as child?

As a child, Marjorie was frightened of the alien warlord who (basically) owned her parent’s as indentured servants. Though she never really saw the warlord, or his wife (who actually supervised and ran the entire estate), Marjorie heard too many stories about what happened to tenants who broke the rules.

5. Who did they look up to most?

Marjorie had a good relationship with both of her parents and her grandmother, but she looked up to her mother most. Marjorie remembers her mother as a loving, giving, and genteel but capable woman, who never raised her voice above a yell, but was (almost) always obeyed.

6. Favourite and least favourite childhood foods?

Favorite: Other than fried chicken and chocolate cake, Marjorie always loved anything with fresh fruit. Fresh fruit that wasn’t synthetic was a rare luxury that her hardworking parents could hardly afford.

Least Favorite: Slurry. Slurry was the all-purpose name given to the “leftover soup” fed to the tenant farmers twice each day. Morning’s offerings were usually grainy and bland, while evening slurry often had strange, unidentifiable chunks in it. It was so bad that Marjorie never speaks about it, to anyone.

7. If they had their childhood again, would they change anything?

Marjorie would change a lot of things. She’d help her parents more, and daydream less. She would pay more attention, and she would have found a way to get her parents out. That’s what she tells herself, anyway.

8. What kind of child were they? Curious? Wild? Quiet? Devious?

Marjorie was distracted and flighty. She was curious about the world around her, and frequently disrespectful of her elders. Despite this, she was very caring, and she was devoted to her younger sisters.

9. What was their relationship to their parents and siblings like?

Marjorie loved her whole family, but she felt like they were always disapproving of her, and that she couldn’t be as good as them. Her father was very quiet and stern, and they rarely had conversations, but he silently gave up everything to make his family’s lot a little better. Marjorie’s grandmother and mother were two in a long line of midwife/healers, and they imparted a great reverence for life to Marjorie. They taught her everything they knew, and encouraged her apprenticeships with the other longhouses’ healers. Marjorie’s little sisters were twins, and four years younger, so Marjorie frequently had the care of them. Since their parents were normally working, it was up to Marjorie to feed, bathe, and watch over her sisters on a daily basis. Marjorie resented it at times, but it also made her incredibly close to them.

10. What did they want to be when they grew up, and what did they actually become?

Marjorie wanted to study medicine off-planet, though she knew her parents could never afford such a thing. She always dreamed of running away, becoming a famous doctor, and coming back with lots of money to redeem her indentured family.

Due to the traumatic events in #2, Marjorie’s interests turned from healing to revenge. She was thirteen when the rival warlord wiped out the plantation, and she fled for the neighboring plantation. There, she convinced the tenant farmers to take her in as one of theirs, and she enrolled in the warlord’s guard. Through cunning, knowledge of anatomy and herbals, and determination (and aided by her small stature), Marjorie developed a reputation as a capable assassin. She finally caught the attention of the Matron (formal title of the warlord’s wife), and after many successful missions, her indentured servitude was lifted, and she was formally employed. Having achieved this goal, Marjorie set to undermining and destroying the warlord who had wiped out her family. She did eventually receive her medical training, and become a renowned doctor, but the planet she left behind never knew her as anything resembling a healer.

Well – that was darker than anticipated. That’s what I get for writing a book about a bunch of assassins-turned-restaurateurs taking in a troubled runaway . . .

Did you do BP this month (or do you plan to?) – if so, leave your link in the comments so I can go read it 🙂

What do you think about Doctor Pierce? Does she sound like an interesting character to you? Anything else you’d like to know about her/like clarified?

Thanks for reading!!

 

 

6 Reasons You Need to Read Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani

First off – A huge thank you to Intisar Khanani for allowing me to read an advance copy of Memories of Ash! This was a free copy provided in exchange for an honest review – which in no way affected my review 🙂

 

Memories of Ash, the sequel to Sunbolt came out a couple days ago- have you ordered your copy yet? If you haven’t read Sunbolt, don’t worry – it’s quite short, and very good – so fix that first 🙂 You can also click through above to read my review of Sunbolt, and to get an idea of the story.

Memories of Ash picks up immediately where Sunbolt left off – so some minor spoilers for Sunbolt follow in the synopsis (pinched from Goodreads):

In the year since she cast her sunbolt, Hitomi has recovered only a handful of memories. But the truths of the past have a tendency to come calling, and an isolated mountain fastness can offer only so much shelter. When the High Council of Mages summons Brigit Stormwind to stand trial for treason, Hitomi knows her mentor won’t return—not with Arch Mage Blackflame behind the charges.

Armed only with her magic and her wits, Hitomi vows to free her mentor from unjust imprisonment. She must traverse spell-cursed lands and barren deserts, facing powerful ancient enchantments and navigating bitter enmities, as she races to reach the High Council. There, she reunites with old friends, planning a rescue equal parts magic and trickery.

If she succeeds, Hitomi will be hunted the rest of her life. If she fails, she’ll face the ultimate punishment: enslavement to the High Council, her magic slowly drained until she dies.

Since I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone I’ll follow the same format as I did with reviewing Sunbolt, and give you 6 reasons why you need to read Memories of Ash, ASAP.

6 Reasons to Read Memories of Ash

  1. The World and Characters.

    If you love fantasy, you know that a fascinating world and colorful characters are extremely important. In the Eleven Kingdoms of Sunbolt and Memories of Ash, Khanani has created a world so vivid and interesting that you won’t want to leave. Her worldbuilding is fabulous, with so many (effortlessly) diverse and multifaceted cultures and places. In Memories of Ash, the Mage School and the magical wastelands (both mentioned in Sunbolt) are the primary new locations explored, and there are a handful of new characters introduced as well. As with Sunbolt, the characters are varied and well-developed, with Hitomi always at center stage (as she should be). Val isn’t forgotten either, and the ramifications of their alliance (friendship) are further explored and complicate the story.*

    2. Hitomi. 

    I know I used her as one of my reasons for reading Sunbolt, but I’ll shamelessly repeat myself: Hitomi is just the sort of strong heroine that we need more of. She isn’t fearless or invincible, but she’ll go to (believably crazy) lengths to save the people she cares about. In spite of this, she won’t trample people or intentionally cause harm (which creates a few moral quandaries to spice up the plot). She’s moral herself, but she isn’t judgemental, and she is both a likable and relatable young woman. And of course, Memories of Ash just made me love her more.

    3. Consistency rules. 

    When I started Memories of Ash (hereafter known as MoA), I was immediately plunged back into the world of Sunbolt. Khanani’s characters, facts, magic systems, locations, and details are so seamless that you don’t feel disconnected at all. With fantasy, this is pivotal to the reader’s experience of the book.  Characters from Sunbolt mixed with new characters, and at the center, Arch Mage Blackflame seems to have an even more complicated scheme than we all realized

    4. The Writing. 

    This is another point I’ve brought up – but Intisar Khanani’s prose is fluid and beautiful to read. She blends humor, intrigue, and just the perfect amount of description. Her plotting and pace are wonderful, with a good mixture of adventure, action, and a few twists. I could immediately visualize all of the different locations, though the descriptions were never long.

    5. Thorny Morality Questions: Met head-on.

    Have you ever watched an adventure film or read a book and thought “where are the consequences?,” or, “do they even care about collateral damage?” Well, morality (interestingly enough) comes up rather often through the course of Memories of Ash. Hitomi is confronted with several pivotal decisions that make her put her own freedom/safety/happiness up against the lives and livelihood of others. And she doesn’t just make these decisions by flipping a coin or shrugging it off with a “ends justify the means” mentality. It’s refreshing to see a character dealing with the real fallout of their decisions, and Hitomi’s struggles just made me more invested in her.

6. It’s BOOK SIZED.

Did you love Sunbolt, but wish it was longer (I did!)? Memories of Ash is book-length, which takes away my only complaint from Sunbolt. A longer novel was definitely worth the wait, as it allowed Khanani to further develop and enrich the fascinating world and characters.

Did I convince you yet? Then what are you waiting for?! Go purchase a copy (you can download it through Kobo, Nook, or Amazon, or ask your local bookstore to order you a physical copy!**)

Have you read/do you plan to read Memories of Ash and/or Sunbolt? Scroll down for more info and a GIVEAWAY!

Footnotes:

*Don’t you just love complicated relationships (in fiction)? And Hitomi and Val’s whole connection is so interesting to me. I can’t wait to read more about Breathers (yeah, I’ll keep bringing this up . . .)

**I’ll be ordering physical copies for the store I work at!

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Book Info:

Title: Memories of Ash

Series: The Sunbolt Chronicles, Book Two

Author: Intisar Khanani (http://booksbyintisar.com)

Cover Designer: Jenny Zemanek (http://www.seedlingsonline.com/index2.php#!/HOME)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Release Date: May 30, 2016

Publisher: Purple Monkey Press

Price: US $3.99 (eBook), US $TBD (paperback)

Author Bio:

Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. She has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. Until recently, Intisar wrote grants and developed projects to address community health with the Cincinnati Health Department, which was as close as she could get to saving the world. Now she focuses her time on her two passions: raising her family and writing fantasy. Intisar’s current projects include a companion trilogy to Thorn, featuring the heroine introduced in her free short story The Bone Knife, and The Sunbolt Chronicles.

 

 

A Brief Update on Knight of the Blue Surcoat

“Houston – we have a release date”(partially) . . .

Most of you probably know that I have a novel coming out this summer (screams inside every time she writes that)

Okay – maybe it’s not quite like winning an Oscar – BUT IT FEELS LIKE IT
Anyhow, I finally have a month – Knight of the Blue Surcoat is scheduled for release in AUGUST 2016. I’m still waiting to hear back on the exact date, but we are closer. Excuse me while I go off to do an excited dance . . .
B.A.P, everyone

There – now that I’m back – a few details:

  1. Any Advance Reader Copies should be available as soon as the layout is done. If you are a blogger/reviewer and are interested in reading a YA King Arthur retelling in exchange for an honest review, get in touch with me through the comments form. If I’ve already talked to you about this, I’ll contact you with details as soon as I have them. Savvy?
  2. PDF Advance copies are my publisher’s preferred format – just so you know. If this is a problem, make sure to tell me 🙂
  3. If this sounds interesting to you, but you have no idea what I’m talking about – Knight of the Blue Surcoat is a historical adventure fantasy about King Arthur’s daughter.

Here’s the synopsis (again, for some of you):

Being King Arthur’s daughter isn’t easy, but being his only heir is a nightmare. Sixteen-year old Melora has struggled with her role ever since her older brother was trampled to death in a hunting accident. Her father raised her to be a warrior queen, but Melora is too valuable to be allowed to test herself beyond the castle walls. She is trapped, surrounded by suitors who want her kingdom, and suffocated by her parents’ love. She wants to escape, but how can she leave when even the sight of a horse makes her paralyzed with fear?

Prince Orlando is expendable. His arrogant brothers and distant father were thrilled for him (and his prize stallion) to leave tiny Thessaly. Orlando heard tales of Arthur’s court, where men are measured by their worth. He came to prove himself; he didn’t plan on Melora. Her fear of horses is a challenge Orlando is willing to take, but befriending the princess earns him powerful enemies, including the wizard Merlin and Melora’s many suitors.

When Merlin curses Orlando to eternal imprisonment in the Celtic Otherworld, only Melora can save him and break the curse. But first, she’ll have to get on a horse. Melora travels from British shores to the coast of India on a madcap quest to find the keys to unlocking Orlando’s prison. Melora must overcome warriors, outsmart kings, and face her deepest fears if she wants to get Orlando out alive. Even if she can break the curse, will there be anything of Orlando left to save?

Sound like something you’d be interested in? See above ^^

This is a long shot, but I am planning to hold a launch party at the story I work at (in West Michigan), so if anyone reading this is nearby, be advised. For the rest of you, I plan on doing a blog count down and other fun activities as I have time, so stay tuned!!
Just when you thought you’d escape without a Bigbang gif . . .

I couldn’t be more excited, and thanks to everyone who has already shown so much interest and given so much support!!!

Give yourself a hand

 

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani – COVER REVEAL!!! (+ Release Date, Preorder Info, and More!)

If you’ve followed me (or even just stopped by my blog), you might have noticed how much I loved the fantasy novella Sunbolt, by indie author Intisar Khanani. You can read my review of Sunbolt here. So, naturally, when I heard there was going to be a sequel soon, I was super excited. I have the distinct privilege of participating in a cover reveal today for Memories of Ash, and keep reading for an interview with Intisar Khanani and info on pre-ordering the book!

I’m excited to have Intisar Khanani on the blog today, revealing the cover for her newest novel Memories of Ash. This cover was designed by the amazing Jenny of Seedlings Design Studio. There’s also a Kindle Fire giveaway, so make sure to scroll down to the end of the post to enter.

Describe Memories of Ash in 3 words.

IK: Walk with courage.

What compelled you to write your first book?

IK: I always wanted to write a novel, so my senior year of university I decided I’d better buckle down and try. I chose a fairy tale (The Goose Girl) to give me an over-arching plot and narrative structure, and then went to town with it. I really wrote it as an exercise to test myself, not intending to do anything with it when I finished. But, by the time I finished, I loved my characters so much that I ended up working through over a dozen revisions to take it from “writing exercise” to my debut novel, Thorn.

If you could live in one of your books, which one would you choose?

IK: Definitely the world of the Sunbolt Chronicles. Sunbolt follows Hitomi, a street thief with a propensity to play hero when people need saving, and her nemesis, the dark mage who killed her father. Although there is a lot of darkness in Sunbolt, there’s also a lot of light. It’s a real world, in its way, and I love the diversity and vibrancy of the cultures and creatures that populate it. I’d have my choice of living in a tropical island sultanate reminiscent of historic Zanzibar, or among the nomadic desert tribes that eke out an existence alongside the cursed Burnt Lands, to name my two favorite options. Then again, in Memories of Ash, there’s the decaying grandeur of the capitol of a fallen empire that feels a lot like an Istanbul of old, right at the heart of the Eleven Kingdoms. Plus, I wouldn’t mind having shape-shifting friends and charms to keep my bread from burning.

What authors, or books, have influenced you?

IK: As a young duckling, I imprinted on Tamora Pierce and Robin McKinley’s earlier works. I read pretty widely, but those are the authors I kept coming back to, especially McKinley’s Damar books. I am also an incorrigible Jane Austen fan, but my books don’t reflect that very much!

What are you reading now?

IK: I just finished “Kingdom of Ruses” by Kate Stradling. In a kingdom where the eternal prince who rules is just a ruse kept up by the prime minister’s family (and most recently, Viola, our heroine), keeping the peace is a delicate thing. Enter a stranger who manages to take the place of the doppelgänger the family uses, and Viola has her hands full.

Your first reaction to the cover in GIF format.

 

And here it is…

MoA_FC_FNL16_BN

“In the year since she cast her sunbolt, Hitomi has recovered only a handful of memories. But the truths of the past have a tendency to come calling, and an isolated mountain fastness can offer only so much shelter. When the High Council of Mages summons Brigit Stormwind to stand trial for treason, Hitomi knows her mentor won’t return—not with Arch Mage Blackflame behind the charges.

Armed only with her magic and her wits, Hitomi vows to free her mentor from unjust imprisonment. She must traverse spell-cursed lands and barren deserts, facing powerful ancient enchantments and navigating bitter enmities, as she races to reach the High Council. There, she reunites with old friends, planning a rescue equal parts magic and trickery.

If she succeeds, Hitomi will be hunted the rest of her life. If she fails, she’ll face the ultimate punishment: enslavement to the High Council, her magic slowly drained until she dies.”

Kobo Pre-order | Apple Store Pre-orderAmazon Pre-order | Barnes & Noble Pre-order | Add it to GoodReads

A Special Treat For Those Who Pre-order…

Not only is the pre-order of Memories of Ash on sale for only 99 cents, but anyone who buys the pre-order will receive a free digital art print of Hitomi by artist Grace Fong. Just email your proof of purchase to moapreorder@gmail.com!

Haven’t read Sunbolt (Book 1) yet? It’s been knocked down to just 99 cents to celebrate the release and is available at most major e-retailers. That’s two fantastic books for less than your morning coffee. And don’t forget to check with your local, independent bookstore to see if they can order Sunbolt for you. (I have a physical copy and it’s beautiful!)

MoA_PreOrder Special

About Intisar Khanani

Khanani_Author_PhotoIntisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. She has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. Until recently, Intisar wrote grants and developed projects to address community health with the Cincinnati Health Department, which was as close as she could get to saving the world. Now she focuses her time on her two passions: raising her family and writing fantasy. Intisar’s current projects include a companion trilogy to Thorn, featuring the heroine introduced in her free short story The Bone Knife, and The Sunbolt Chronicles.

Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads

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