The Novel Hermit

daydreaming about books

Archives for June 2014

Monthly Recap

MONTHLY RECAP | June 2014

Comments : 10

june

June was really good to me. It was a good month even though I didn’t blog as much as I wanted to.

  • I got two new banners — You’re Just My Type and The Three C’s: Candid Conversations with Cee.
  • I received BEA books from Kelly and Jon. (Thanks, dudes!)
  • I purchased a new domain. EEEEEEKKKKKK. The project is top secret. It won’t be revealed until August (even though I want to get the design and everything done right now, but no timeeee).
  • Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie were at Philly Comic Con. And let me say that I became super overwhelmed with all the pictures and fan accounts. I wished I went!
  • I started Blogilates. I’ve kept up with it for the past week. Hopefully, I’ll keep on doing it.

I have a pretty bad memory, so I’m sure I left out important moments in my life.

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Letters

SINCERELY, CEE | A letter from yours truly to Cee about Camp NaNoWriMo

Comments : 2

Dear Cee,

I hope all is well with Camp NaNoWriMo for you.

Camp starts tomorrow, and you’re not ready. What is up with that? Get it together! There’s no time to be slacking! Time is of the essence.

Since that discussion post where you announced your participation in July’s Camp, I became worried for you because you haven’t been thinking about the project you’ve been planning to do. You’re all sorts of distracted. That’s not good. (I know who’s to blame. ;P) I know that you’re afraid of thinking about Project You’ve Got Mail: Friendship Edition because you’ll freak out. Hell, I’d freak out too! (I think I already am.) However, you need to sit and think and start writing.

I know you’ve been worrying about the plot because it feels too light and not enough angst for your liking. But remember that fantastic idea you had Saturday? Do that. Put a psychological spin to it! It gets me pumped up when I think about it (as you should too!). You can achieve it. It’ll take work, but it’s doable. Don’t think too much about how to execute it perfectly and how the position the spin puts the character in. It’ll only stress you out. I’m sure you can achieve this psychological spin without making it into a cop-out or a cliché or problematic. Just write. It’ll work out in the end…or you know, after intense revisions and editing sessions (but that’s not until much later).

I know you will encounter distractions throughout July, but you better reach that 15k word count goal, or in the words of Burton Guster, “we would be having words.” (Not nice ones, fyi.)

You will get through all the distractions and the buckets of tears you’ll be crying. I know it.

Remember this: You can do it! I believe in you.

 

JUST WRITE!

 

With love,

cee

p.s. Write to me about your progress. Or send me words of encouragement please?

Waiting on Wednesday

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY | Winterspell by Claire Legrand

Comments : 3

wowfestivo

[quote]Waiting On is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.[/quote]

Claire Legrand - WinterspellWinterspell by Claire Legrand
September 30, 2014
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Pre-order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

The clock chimes midnight, a curse breaks, and a girl meets a prince . . . but what follows is not all sweetness and sugarplums.

New York City, 1899. Clara Stole, the mayor’s ever-proper daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother’s murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer.

Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes.

Her home is destroyed, her father abducted–by beings distinctly not human. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. If they’re to survive, Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets–and a need she can’t define. With the dangerous, seductive faery queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won’t leave Cane unscathed–if she leaves at all.

Inspired by The Nutcracker, Winterspell is a dark, timeless fairy tale about love and war, longing and loneliness, and a girl who must learn to live without fear.

 

Why I’m waiting?

I NEED THIS BOOK. I HAVE THREATENED TO MAIM SOMEBODY TO GET THIS. (There were witnesses to my statement. I stand by it, sort of.)

I’m a huge fan of Claire Legrand. Sure, I’ve read one book by her so far, but it was enough to convince me that her writing is fucking kickass, and I should read all her books. Also, friends, Winterspell was inspired by The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker. (I can already hear the music in my head.) How can I not want to read this? Like most people, I have a big affection for the ballet. Plus, Clara was secretly trained in this, and there’s a wicked curse. Can you feel my excitement?

Winterspell is an absolute must!

What books are you waiting on?

Typography

YOU’RE JUST MY TYPE {15}

Comments : 9

yourejustmytypebanner

I love fonts. You can say I’m obsessed with collecting them all. It’s no secret to those who know me. You’re Just My Type is a new feature where I showcase the fonts I absolutely adore and use. And hopefully, you will love the fonts I pick. Add all of them to your font collection! Let it grow!

We have another batch of wonderful fonts! They all make me want to go to places (like a bar or a lighthouse). Very weird, but hey, I don’t question it.

Writing commentary for these are always a pain, but it needs to be done. I hope you appreciate it.

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Designed by Riley Cran

“All be back,” said the Governor. (I always think of former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.)

This is a great bold font. It was inspired by “the apartment signage of Miami Beach,” so if you’re around there, try to spot the signs that look similar to this font. (Font Spotting. It’s a new game I just made up. ;D It needs a new name though.)  You can use this on signs when you lose a dog, or just about anything to get your point across.


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Waiting on Wednesday

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY | Jackaby by William Ritter

Comments : 6

wowfestivo

[quote]Waiting On is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.[/quote]

William Ritter - JackabyJackaby by William Ritter
September 16, 2014
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Pre-order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

“Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,” Jackaby said. “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion–and there are many illusions. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.”

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary–including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police–with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane–deny.

Doctor Who meets Sherlock in William Ritter’s debut novel, which features a detective of the paranormal as seen through the eyes of his adventurous and intelligent assistant in a tale brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre.

 

Why I’m waiting?

THAT COVER. Georgie showed me this cover a few months ago because of the typography, and I fell in loveeee. When I read the synopsis, I knew I needed this in my life. A character who has the ability to see supernatural beings? A serial killer on the loose? A story told from the assistant’s point of view? Cheeky humor? Sign me up please!

I’m very curious to see the Doctor Who aspect of this book. It should be good, right?

I am lucky to have gotten a copy courtesy of Kelly and Jon! (Thanks, guys!) And I can’t wait to read.

What books are you waiting on?