note #1: january 2023
Magic, saints, and a fairy tale to keep you company
“What was magic anyway, but the world beheld by someone who chose to see it differently?” — A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi
INTRODUCTION
I’ve been thinking a lot about magic lately. It’s something I always say I believe in, something I’m “in pursuit” of and some days I’m not sure exactly what I’m looking for. Am I still a little kid chasing after supernatural powers (I’ll take Piper Halliwell’s ability to freeze time, thank you), a dreamer longing for grand quests, or just an exhausted millennial looking for a little slice of extraordinary? Care to guess which one it is?
It’s way too easy to get bogged down by the daily hustle and bustle, the responsibilities we feel pressured to tend to, the careers we bend over backwards for. And it’s tiring, right? It’s heavy and repetitive and, at times, frustratingly ordinary. So I’ve decided 2023 is the year I’m going to strive for more. More experiences, more travel, more goals, more hobbies, more stories, more, more, more, more. Because I choose to believe magic isn’t just supernatural occurrences and fairy tales. It’s lessons learned through other people’s stories. It’s the growth that comes from challenge, the sigh after that first perfect sip of a drink from your favorite café. Magic is waking up next to the person you love, and the way your heart races when a song crashes into you like an unearthed memory.
So, all of this is to stay that magic is real, if you choose to believe in it. It’s there waiting for you to say hello and I hope this is the year you make that introduction.
FROM MY SHELF TO YOURS
Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb: This debut YA fantasy set in a world inspired by Italy has been high on my most anticipated list ever since it was first announced and I’m so grateful I had the chance to read it early. Seven Faceless Saints is a dark, angsty, and imaginative fantasy complete with a lovers to enemies to maybe lovers romance that made me think of Mal and Alina from Shadow and Bone if they had become enemies after Alina discovered her power. In short, read this is and thank me later.
Cover image from Hachette’s website.
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo: Not to be dramatic, but Hell Bent is an absolute masterpiece! It’s surprisingly sexy, which resulted in me screaming in delight more than once. One word: glowstick. If you know, you know. Really, though, Leigh has written an incredibly propulsive and compelling sequel that continues to expertly explore power and privilege through magic and hell. I loved Ninth House, but Hell Bent is my new love and I honestly think it’s a perfect book. Please drop everything you’re doing and read it so we can scream about it together!
Cover image from Macmillan’s website.
Power Plays & Straight A’s by Eden Finley and Saxon James: I’m not a sports person whatsoever, but for some reason, I really, really love hockey romance. It just hits different and I was so excited to receive this book for Christmas. It’s a M/M new adult romance with a oh-shit-I’m-in-love-with-my-brother’s-nerdy-best-friend dynamic, and Foster and Zach had me smiling the entire damn time. Their relationship is so sweet and I really love how Foster was always looking out for Zach, even if he was reluctant to do so at first. If you’re looking for a sweet and steamy read that will make you feel really good about life, then be sure to add this to your TBR pile.
Cover image from Goodreads.
If you plan on purchasing these books online, I highly recommend shopping via Bookshop or directly through an indie bookstore, if possible! Not sure where to go? Here are three suggestions:
Reading in Public
Schuler Books
The Curious Cat Bookshop
Note: These are not sponsored or affiliate recommendations, just stores I genuinely want to support!
DEEPLY OBSESSED
Here’s a round-up of all my latest obsessions ranging from upcoming books, TV/movies, Broadway, music, and everything in between!
“About You” by The 1975": I rarely listen to male artists, but I recently stumbled across “About You” by The 1975 and I’ve had it on repeat ever since. I love a good romantic duet, so Carly Holt’s contribution to the song is what sealed the deal, but I was also immediately drawn in by the hazy, dreamlike sound. It makes me think of summer days and romantic comedies, even if the lyrics are more somber than swoony.
Into the Woods: By sheer luck and maybe a little magic from the North Pole, I won lottery tickets to see the highly-acclaimed staged concert production of Into the Woods on Broadway during the holidays and left the show a new person. Truth be told, I’d never been all that keen on this musical despite it being about fairy tales (love those, you know?) and what comes after “ever after”. I’d seen the movie, which I know is not a great representation of the actual material, but I was incredibly bored and kept wondering when it was going to end. But this new stage production has had an amazing cast, so I was curious to see it before it closed for that alone. Well, call me a fool because it was absolutely incredible and beautiful. Much like Shakespeare, I think this is a show I had to see live in order to “get it”, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to do so.
Charmed: The reason I love all things witches and paranormal romance is because of three things: Bewitched, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Charmed—three shows that made up my formative years and remain forever favorites. I’ve embarked on a rewatch of the original Charmed having finished my Grey’s Anatomy rewatch/catchup and wrapping up the Charmed reboot, which was fine. Not the best show ever made, but it had its moments. Anyway, Original Charmed is a hoot, very dated and lots of fun all at once. I forgot how much I love Piper and Leo, and I can’t wait for a certain demon to appear…
STORYTIME
“The Huntswoman and the Fairest”, an original short
Once upon a time, there was a king who craved eternal youth as all powerless men do. In order to stay young and handsome forever, he required the heart of the Fairest, a woman with eyes black as midnight tides, hair white as the first snowfall, and lips as red as blood. But this woman lived in the labyrinthine forest, a cursed place the greedy king could not enter.
So the king enlisted the help of a poor huntswoman, a former knight whose glory days were nothing but tired stories few cared to hear. With the promise of enough gold to last a thousand lifetimes, the huntswoman accepted the king’s dark task and set out to claim the heart of the Fairest.
When at last the huntswoman emerged through the thicket, the Fairest welcomed her with a grim smile that softened upon reading the lines across the huntswoman’s face. She could see the grief and burdens upon the weary warrior’s armored shoulders and knew then that her heart was safe. And when the huntsman looked into the Fairest’s eyes, she saw starlight, the warm glory she once held and would hold again. This time, it would be glory won through love and not war.
And so, once upon a time, a new story began.
DEFINE “PUBLISHING”
As a publishing professional with over seven years of experience, I’ve seen many of the ins and outs of the industry firsthand and I genuinely love pulling back the curtain on this often mysterious, fractured, yet magical business. If you have a question about publishing that you’d like me to try to answer, please submit it via this anonymous Google form.
Full disclosure: my insights and opinions are based on my personal experiences and knowledge, and they do not reflect the opinions of my employer. I have only worked at traditional publishing houses, so many of my thoughts may not apply to indie or self-publishing.
Okay, I think I’ve rambled long enough. Thank you for reading and I’ll see you next month!
Lots of love,
DJ