note #2: february 2023
Where has the time gone and is London to blame?
“Time is priceless, but it’s free. You can't own it, you can use it. You can spend it. But you can't keep it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.” —The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
INTRODUCTION
February is coming to a close and I’m honestly a little confused where the month has gone. Ever since the pandemic started, I’ve steadily lost my grip on time. It’s such a slippery, blurry thing these days where I wake up, go to work, come home, sleep, and then do it all over again. The pandemic took an already monotonous routine and somehow made it so programmatic that before I know it, the weekend has come and gone and it’s back to work, work, work. One of my goals for this year has been to be a little more intentional, so I really need to get a grip so I can spend my time more thoughtfully and consciously.
This sounds a bit gloomy, doesn’t it? Well, the good news is part of the reason February has flown by is most likely due to the fact that I took a vacation. A whole week away from the office, from New York, and from the monotony. I escaped to London and had a truly magical time. This was my second visit and something about this trip just felt wondrous. Maybe it’s because I didn’t feel the need to play tourist every day, so I was able to really wander and explore. Jet lag didn’t hit me as hard this time around, so that was nice, and I didn’t go wild at Waterstones—at least, not as wild as last time. You bet I still bought some books and tote bags, though! But have you ever taken a trip that seemed to change something within you that left you feeling not only fulfilled, but more confident and alive? If you have, then that’s how I felt about this trip. I came back a more assured and renewed version of myself—and I’m loving it. I hope you get to experience this kind of magic at least once in your life, if not repeatedly.
FROM MY SHELF TO YOURS
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett: This book came highly recommended to me by various people, particularly the lovely Stephanie Garber (Caraval), so I immediately went to Barnes & Noble the day it came out to grab a copy. It’s a short, but incredibly charming story about Emily Wilde, a Cambridge professor, as she travels to the village of Hrafnsvik to complete her manuscript cataloging the various types of faeries. She’s unexpectedly joined by Wendell, her handsome, too-charming semi-rival and colleague. Heather writes with such a unique voice that really immerses you in the story and pulls you into Emily’s head and world. The journal/diary-style narrative does make the plot feel a bit passive at times, but it also makes for a quick and enjoyable reading experience. If you like Maggie Stiefvater’s Lament and Ballad and cozy fantasy books, then this one’s for you!
If you plan on purchasing a copy of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries online, I highly recommend shopping via Bookshop or directly through an indie bookstore, if possible! Not sure where to go? Here are three suggestions:
Brazos Bookstore
Meet Cute Romance Bookshop
Café con Libros
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!
One True Loves: As many of you know, I love Taylor Jenkins Reid, particularly her pre-historical work. One True Loves is my second favorite and I’m really excited to see the story come to life on the big screen with Philippa Soo and Simu Liu! The trailer definitely plays up the rom-com aspect of the story, but I’m looking forward to seeing how they maintain the emotional weight. Philippa made me sob during Hamilton, so I’m fully prepared to cry while watching this!
“Point of No Return” by Lana Lubany: I came across an IG Reel from Lana promoting this song and randomly decided to watch it—and I’m glad I did! This song is so haunting and beautiful, and I love that she includes a bit of Arabic. I’ve been listening to it on repeat and look forward to listening to her other work!
Shadow and Bone Season Two: While I had issues with season one—the hectic mashup of the two book series, the unnecessary racism plot points—I’m very, very excited for season two of Netflix’s Shadow and Bone! I think I’ve managed to fully accept that the show is just wildly its own thing and rather separate from the books, so I’m really just here for Ben Barnes and to see Nikolai come to life.
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.
What book trends are you seeing lately?
Ah, everyone’s favorite topic: trends. The thing about publishing trends is by the time we’ve all identified something as an actual trend, it’s already too late for someone to take advantage of it. Books can take two or more years before they make it to your shelves, so by the time a trend has arrived, it’s basically already been filled by frontlist (newly published books) or with backlist (previously published books) before making its way out, which may happen quickly or slowly!
In terms of readers, though, I’ve noticed a huge uptick in cozy fantasies, much like Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries. TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea may have kickstarted this particular trend of feel-good genre reads, and I’ve since seen books like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Legends & Lattes, and The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (a personal favorite) rise to the top of everyone’s TBR piles. With everything going on in the world, it’s no surprise readers are looking for not only a bit of magic and fantasy to escape to, but a whole lot of comfort. I, for one, am here for this trend, and hope it lasts a long, long time.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading! Next month, I’m planning to do a deep dive (heh) of my love for Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Andersen’s original fairy tale, and the upcoming live action movie. So, if you also love Ariel, March’s newsletter is for you!
Lots of love,
DJ