August provided me with opportunities to try new and slightly-scary things, as well as a chance to reconnect with my past self. I don’t know if it’s the desert heat or the adrenaline, but I’m coming into a new month all fired up. Before I get too busy with a fresh month, let’s take a moment to recap…
Book Clubbing
Thanks to Zoom, I’ve had a chance to get closer to my mostly-online friends in a totally new way. Chatting about books, trading advice and life experiences, and throwing a virtual tea party has pushed me out of my comfort zone in a really positive way.
Have you participated in any virtual events recently?
To Read or Not To Read
Being part of a book club is incentive to carve out more reading time. I’ve been a bit distracted by picking out books I’d like to read, but I’m well-prepared for next month. In the meantime, I did enjoy:
- Mulrox and the Malcognitos by Kerelyn Smith (finally finished it!)
- Holes by Louis Sachar
What have you been looking forward to reading?
The Brightest Guest Star
I had the great pleasure of writing a guest blog post for MGBookVillage! I’ve been wanting to connect with fellow readers of middle grade fiction and be a bit more involved in the community, so this felt like a great step in the right direction.
Who are your favorite book bloggers?
A Site for Sore Eyes
Yes, I’ve been sitting on that pun for weeks. If you hadn’t already noticed, my website has gotten a makeover! Brand new headers, better navigation, easier to view on your phone… I’m oh-so pleased. It feels like my blog is ready for whatever new and exciting things may come next.
What device do you view blogs on the most?
Buy Me a Coffee
I am now on Ko-fi! If you’re not familiar with the platform, Ko-fi is designed to allow creators to receive support from their fans in a safe and easy way. Follow me there, cost free, for exclusive content, updates, and special offers.
If you enjoy my work, please consider supporting me for the cost of a cup of coffee! One-time supporters will receive cool downloadable content as a thank you.
What’s your go-to specialty drink order?
What a Way to Make a Living
I’m no stranger to the unique struggles of working from home. I’ve been a stay-at-home graphic designer for 5+ years. So I thought it would be fun to share my virtual workspace with the world! Every Wednesday, I am now Live-Tweeting my workday, 9am to 5pm. I wrote an entire blog post about why I thought this was a fantastic idea if you’re curious.
What’s your day job?
Artists Support Artists
I created a thread on Twitter featuring some of my favorite indie authors. If you’ve been following me for awhile, you’ll probably recognize many of the names or titles. There seems to be a stigma about indie authors being worse than traditionally published ones, which is a shame. These highly-creative stories are really wonderful. If you’re in an adventurous mood, I highly recommend giving these a try.
We Have a Winner
And speaking of indie authors, I recently won a giveaway from the fantastic author/artist Beth Wangler! A signed copy of her recently-released Steward Stories anthology is at the top of my to-read pile.
Have you ever won a giveaway?
How was your August?
Elza Kinde 