life · Writing

6 Months: Little Step Day

JessLeave a comment

Yesterday was the half-way mark of my sabbatical. I'm incredibly and, rather unexpectedly, sad about that, to the extent that I made SK watch a ton of Call the Midwife on Netflix over the weekend just so I had good reason to cry off and on. It's going too fast, I haven't finished enough of… Continue reading 6 Months: Little Step Day

fAngus and Ragnar · Minerva

1st Wednesday Concerts in the Key of Dog

JessLeave a comment

In Minnesota, state and local emergency sirens go off in a 1pm test on the first Wednesday of every month. And every howly dog in the state sings along. https://videopress.com/v/BnVVLsi8?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true Minerva and Ragnar both RAN out the door (which is finally open because it's less hot than the surface of the sun outside) when the… Continue reading 1st Wednesday Concerts in the Key of Dog

fAngus and Ragnar · Minerva

13 things to do when you find a dead body on your deck at 8:30am.

JessLeave a comment

Stare at the mangled ball of meat, bone, possible intestine, and fur for a potentially unreasonable span of time. Turn on your barefoot heel and go back in the house. Grumble absently about how there isn't enough coffee in the world for this bullshit as you prepare your first cup. Ignore said body as much… Continue reading 13 things to do when you find a dead body on your deck at 8:30am.

Review: Through Smoke and Sand by Corrie Hathaway
Review

Review: Through Smoke and Sand by Corrie Hathaway

JessLeave a comment

I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Lexi is an eighteen year old barista who has a compulsion to help people. If someone asks her for advice or help in their personal life she has to help, or she'll suffer physically. Just before her nineteenth birthday, she… Continue reading Review: Through Smoke and Sand by Corrie Hathaway

Happy National Dog Day from Minerva and Ragnar
fAngus and Ragnar · life · Minerva

Happy National Dog Day from Minerva and Ragnar

JessLeave a comment

Shhhhh...just trying them on for size. https://videopress.com/v/sLYp1h7u?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true Singing for her Chobani container. Or the music. Or because she's a weirdo.

Review: The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi
Review

Review: The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi

JessLeave a comment

I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I raved about Saara El-Arifi's first novel, The Final Strife. The Battle Drum is second in the series following Anoor, Sylah, Hassa, and Jond on their individual journeys toward their fates. Spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't read the first… Continue reading Review: The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi

Review: A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll
Review

Review: A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll

Jess1 Comment

I received an ARC of this graphic novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. A Guest in the House is a domestic horror graphic novel set on the edge of a lake in a small town. Abby is the new second wife of the widowed town dentist, and a new stepmom to Crystal.… Continue reading Review: A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll

life · Writing

Sabbatical Update: 1/3 In

JessLeave a comment

I suppose it's actually 1/3 and some change, since my last day of work was March 10th. Ah well, summer has been busy and time seems to be inconsistently flowing lately: some days are gone in a sip of Starbucks, some run in long and lazy hammock time. Not sure which I prefer. I'm querying… Continue reading Sabbatical Update: 1/3 In

Banshee · Minerva · Writing

Concert in the Key of Minerva

JessLeave a comment

This isn't a real post, just a quick update because I'm in the middle of editing the first 25 pages (and, separately, the first 2 chapters) of the cancer book for a book proposal to an agent and a grant application. So I'm in query letter, book proposal component, and application writing/editing hell. Very different… Continue reading Concert in the Key of Minerva

Review: Gryphon in Light by Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon
Review

Review: Gryphon in Light by Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon

JessLeave a comment

I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I grew up spending hours of free time in Valdemar, treating my horse as a Companion and wishing I knew gryphons and mages and Tayledras and Heralds in real life. I started with Arrows of the Queen (Talia's story) when… Continue reading Review: Gryphon in Light by Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon