You’re Toiling Away On a Novel
You’re Toiling Away On a Novel
Followed the Japanese royal drama or love oysters
Hi friends,
I hope you had a great Halloween. I dressed up as noted booklover Belle from “Beauty and the Beast.” Did you have a bookish costume? Let me know!
My brother passed along this article on why baseball is the most literary sport last week, and I thought some of you might appreciate it. With both my teams (the Nats and the Yankees) eliminated, I’m mostly checked out on baseball (although still hoping the Astros lose). I know though, that come January, I’ll be counting down the days till spring training.
Today is the last day to enter the raffle to win a signed copy of Vanessa King’s A Certain Appeal, as well as a sticker, pencils and a gorgeous handmade (!) burlesque headdress. If you don’t win the raffle, the novel comes out tomorrow for purchase or borrowing.
And, now, what to read if …
You’re Fighting Writer’s Block
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Each November, hundreds of thousands of writers participate in National Novel Writing Month, sometimes called NaNoWriMo. Their goal is simple: To write an entire novel, roughly 80,000-100,000, in a month. (If you’re participating, good luck! I can’t wait to read your book!)
Whether you’re writing a book now, have a draft hidden in the back of a desk drawer or just enjoying reading books, check out The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. The story follows Jacob Finch Bonner, a once-promising novelist now teaching at a third-rate MFA program and struggling to write anything of his own. When Jacob meets with a self-important student, Evan Parker, he’s prepared to dismiss his work, but then Evan shares the brilliant details of a plot Jacob is never able to forget. A few years later, after some googling, Jacob discovers Evan has died and decides to write the story himself. Once his book becomes a literary phenomenon, he starts to receive messages threatening to expose him as a plagiarist.
I devoured The Plot, which is as propulsive as the fictional book it’s about. It’s the rare thriller that is somehow both character- and, yes, plot-driven. Korelitz is a talented but not showy writer with a sly sense of humor. It’s a great book if you — like me — are still obsessed with the Bad Art Friend story. Be prepared, though. You will immediately want to discuss the ending with someone. (Feel free to email me when you finish it.)
Reminder Rec: Emily Henry’s Beach Read is many things — an exploration of grief, a moving love story and a celebration of found families — but it’s also a book about overcoming writer’s block.
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You’re Wishing Princess Mako All the Best
A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole
Princess Mako of Japan, the Emperor’s niece, quietly married Kei Komura, a commoner, last week, giving up her royal status in the process. According to People Magazine, “The couple became engaged in 2013 but did not announce their intention to wed until 2017. Public backlash to Mako’s plans was so strong that it caused her father Fumihito, Prince Akishino (the brother of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito) to withhold his approval of the marriage; the couple postponed the wedding for more than four years but stayed the course.”
The whole saga felt like the plot of one of Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royals books, a series that opens with A Princess in Theory. As the title implies, the collection is about royal family members who feel unsure about claiming their thrones. A Princess in Theory stars Naledi Smith, a former foster kid, now studying virology in grad school and balancing multiple jobs in New York. For months, someone has been emailing Naledi, claiming she’s betrothed to an African prince. Naturally, she deletes the emails, assuming they’re scams until the prince shows up. You can probably guess where A Princess in Theory goes from here, but the joy is being along for the ride.
A Princess in Theory is the type of book that makes me smile whenever I think about it. In addition to a swoony romance, it’s a celebration of the families we’re born with and the families we make. Cole excels at world-building, developing a complex religious system for this book, and I would love to see what she could do with a fantasy series. If you need extra incentive, Meg Cabot, author of the uhr-royal romance, The Princess Diaries, called A Princess in Theory, “delicious fun.”
You Love a Raw Bar
The Oyster War by Summer Brennan
Oyster season kicked off in Maryland recently. While I’m allergic to oysters, a lot of my friends are big fans of the briny delicacy. But, even an oyster avoider like me will find a lot to like about The Oyster War by Summer Brennan, a book about agriculture, science and politics — and how those forces shape our communities.
In 1976, the federal government protected more than 33,000 acres of California wildlife through the Point Reyes Wilderness Act. The newly protected land included a small family-run oyster farm, whose lease with the National Park Service would expire in 2012. After a rancher purchased the oyster farm, he vowed to get his lease extended — and keep his production site open — even if it required going to the Supreme Court. The subsequent legal battle divided the surrounding community and raised questions about how we can best protect the economy and the environment.
The Oyster War is one of my favorite kinds of books. It takes what’s seemingly a small-time local news story and blows it out, showing how it’s applicable to all of us. Brennan, an investigative journalist, has an attention to detail that makes characters, events and locations jump off the page. It’s a must-read for foodies and fans of narrative non-fiction.
That’s it for me today. If you missed last week’s recs, you can catch up on them here.
And, don’t forget to read my Q&A with Vanessa King and enter her raffle before midnight tonight.
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