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Oct

Friday 5

1. Last weekend I made this amazing apple cake. This weekend I am going to bake my mom’s chocolate-chip pumpkin muffins. Last weekend Steve made vegetable soup. This weekend I am going to make butternut squash and sage soup. I ♥ fall food. 2. I finished reading Leviathan last night and I ♥ it too. Definitely one of my favorite books of the year. It’s such a wonderful old-fashioned adventure story, but with supercool steampunk elements. The illustrations are gorgeous. And I really connected with the characters, too, which is a must for me. I adored Dr. Barton, the clever-boots zoologist, and Alek, the brilliant pilot/sad boy/pompous prince. But most of all, I loved Deryn Sharp, the brave, trash-talking, swaggering girl who crossdresses to become a midshipman and fulfill her dream of flying. I think I shall adopt her favorite curse, "Barking spiders!" Anyway, you should read it so we can talk about it. Yes, YOU. 3. I finished the first...

Oct

Goodreads & Book Recommendations

Jessica

The more I think about my book someday being published and available for ranking, the more cautious I am about this sort of thing. Still, I want to be honest. Not every book is a 5-star read for me. That doesn’t mean someone else won’t enjoy it. This is my Goodreads system: 5 stars: I unabashedly LOVED it and pimp it out to all my friends 4 stars: I really liked it and would pass it along if I think it’d be your cup of tea 3 stars: I liked it overall. (Sometimes books I categorize as 3s are fun reads but don’t necessarily stick with me for whatever reason, or I like the characters but feel like the plot could use some work, or vice-versa.) If I don’t like the book–2 stars or less–I don’t usually put it on Goodreads. There are some notable exceptions, like Emily’s Quest by...

Oct

Laramie, 10 Years Later

Jessica

Tonight Steve and I went to see The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, An Epilogue. The reading was produced by Arena Stage in DC, but it premiered simultaneously in all 50 states, Canada, Great Britain, Spain, Hong Kong and Australia. Today was the 11 year anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death. I’ve dramaturged The Laramie Project twice–in undergrad in 2002 & in grad school in 2005. I sifted through pictures of Laramie and of Matthew Shepard. Lost myself for hours in researching the townspeople who became characters in the play. I read dozens of interviews and feature articles about his murder. I’ve seen the play probably twenty-five times between rehearsals and shows, but it never stops breaking my heart. It’s an extremely powerful piece of theatre and a worthwhile conversation-starter. The epilogue includes moving interviews with Judy Shepard–and with Matthew’s killers, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, who have two very different views of remorse for their crime. It follows the...

Oct

Especially Thankful Thursday

Jessica

Guess what? I have an agent!!! I’m honored to be represented by Jim McCarthy of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. Honored and excited and a little stunned. On Labor Day weekend 2007, I started writing this book. I put it on hold while I dramaturged a show. That spring, I wrote and rewrote and got feedback from friends. Last Fall I decided to change it from third-person past-tense to first-person present, which was a lot of work but totally worth it. I got more feedback, including notes from two awesome generous authors. I wrote a fifth draft and then tweaked that. And finally, three weeks ago, I queried a few agents. I got some form rejections. I worried about whether my query sucked. Last Monday, I got a request for a full. Then this Monday, Jim emailed me and asked whether we could talk about my book. I called Steve and whisper-screamed a lot. I was...

Oct

Soup & Happiness

Jessica

I am in a nesty mood. And, no, I am not with child. I’ve been away for two consecutive weekends, and it’s fall, and my throat hurts. I want to lie on the couch with my super-soft awesome pink blanket and read and drink green ginger tea and make soups. Does anyone have any awesome vegetarian soup recipes? For once I’m not in the mood for baking but for warm fall comfort food. I am thinking about making this Risotto Primavera Soup and this Warm Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad this weekend. I just spent an amazing weekend at my undergrad for a drama alum reunion. I listened happily to people talk about supporting theatre, making theatre, rehearsals, projects, plays, etc. I love theatre. Love seeing it and reading plays and thinking critically about them. I love that my husband is a playwright. But it was nice to...

Friday 5

Goodreads & Book Recommendations

Laramie, 10 Years Later

Especially Thankful Thursday

Soup & Happiness

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