Why Enemies to Lovers?

This is a good question because in my own romantic life, I don’t think I could ever stand being around an enemy long enough to ever fall in love with them. I don’t know about other people, but that just seems far-fetched. That said, there have been a few friends that I didn’t particularly care for at first (and vice versa). So who knows? Maybe it would have been possible.

I love reading enemies to lovers stories because I feel like they are ripe for great dialogue and imaginative storytelling. How do you plausibly get two characters who hate each other to fall in love? You have to keep putting them together in interesting and different ways until finally they connect. Then everything gets screwed up again. Then they reconnect and stay connected.

But this is a reading column, so we’ll shift gears to some recommended reading within the enemies to lovers realm…

Enemies to Lovers Reading List

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I’ll start with the obvious. I almost left this one off the list. But I am a firm believer in knowing your literary tradition. I think it helps you better keep things new and fresh as a writer. Anyway, we all know Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy and how they hated each other—her family kept getting in the way by being embarrassing, bad communication, that horribly unromantic proposal…but then it just eventually clicked.

For modern retellings of Pride and Prejudice, be sure to check out Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding and Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld.

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Full disclosure: I haven’t read this one yet, but once I realized that enemies to lovers romances were my jam, I immediately bought it. This one takes the enemies to lovers situation to the workplace. Here, we have two people competing for a promotion. I can’t wait to see what kind of hijinks they pull to make the other look bad, while also not making themselves look so bad that they lose out on the job.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

I believe it was this book that sealed the deal for me with enemies to lovers. Olive’s twin sister gets married and the entire wedding party except for Olive and her nemesis Ethan come down with a horrible bout of food poisoning. So Olive and Ethan get sent on the honeymoon instead. In order to not lose out on the trip, they have to act like they are the happy couple. 

Beach Read by Emily Henry

I first bought this one to read on the beach. The protagonists of this one met in a creative writing workshop and hated each other. Augustus writes literary fiction and January writes romance, but for the summer they decide to swap genres. To help in the process, they take each other on field trips to introduce the other writer to elements of the genre they are trying. I really enjoyed this one and kept getting angry at people interrupting my reading—it was that un-put-down-able.

Set on You by Amy Lea

I interviewed Amy for DIY MFA Radio back in the spring. We had a great conversation about how Millennials are approaching the romance genre and how she incorporated body-positivity into her debut romance novel. This one is about a social media influencer and a firefighter who compete over squat racks at the gym, which is a special place for Crystal. It gets even more complicated when they find out their grandparents are marrying each other. I love how family dynamics add an extra layer to this enemies to lovers read.

For Butter or Worse by Erin LaRosa

This is another one I got to read for the podcast and it will be out later in July. In this episode LaRosa and I do a deep dive specifically on the enemies to lovers trope, so keep your eyes peeled. In this novel, the two main characters, Nina and Leo, cohost a popular cooking show and aren’t very subtle about how much they hate each other. After Nina quits the show during a live taping, the two must start fake dating in order to save their reputations. What could go wrong?

Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola

This is another one I haven’t read yet, but that’s because it’s not out at the time of my writing this post. It sounds so interesting though! The New York Times article I read that introduced me to this one talks about how Babalola’s writing is so witty and full of observations on human nature. Kiki has just denounced Malakai as The Wastemen of Whitewell on her campus radio show. Then the two start fake dating to save both of their reputations. I know—more fake dating—but it’s just so cringe-worthy and so juicy at the same time.

Tell us in the comments: What’s your favorite enemies to lovers book?

Lori Walker is the Operations Maven at DIY MFA. Though she’s fallen off the wagon as a writer, she’s hoping to return to writing essays (perhaps even a novel!) through her involvement with DIY MFA. She is also Launch Manager, Web Editor, and Podcast Producer for DIY MFA and a Book Coach. She resides in Smalltown, Oklahoma, with her husband and their cat, Joan Didion. You can follow her on Instagram at @LoriTheWriter.

The post The Book Nook: Enemies to Lovers appeared first on DIY MFA.

Enjoy!

Mycroft Holmes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse 

Series or standalone: Series

Case: Mycroft’s friend Douglas hears that children are dying back home in Trinidad. The douen (children with backwards feet) are calling them to play and when the children come the lougarou (a werewolf-like creature) kills them by draining all their blood. It’s only happening on one side of the island and whole villages have been abandoned. 

When Mycroft tells his fiancée Georgiana, also from Trinidad, she is horrified and immediately plans to return home to make sure all is well with her family. She insists on going alone, but Mycroft convinces Douglas to go and books passage on the same ship without telling Georgiana. 

Mycroft is swiftly felled by seasickness, but then it becomes apparent it is something much more serious. Attacks and threats continue through the voyage. It is obvious someone does not want them in Trinidad, but who and why? 

Type of Sherlock: Supporting character (Mycroft) as main character, prequel to original series

Evidence of similarities: Not much except that it’s in the Sherlock Holmes universe

Evidence of differences: Mycroft is the main character, much of the book takes place on a ship then in Trinidad, earlier time period when Sherlock is still at university and Mycroft is in his early 20s, the characters of Georgiana and Douglas 

Deduction: KA-J is a legit writer! I had no idea he majored in English and History at UCLA. He is an amateur historian who has written history books, an autobiography, kids’ books, and for the past 7 years, a series about Mycroft Holmes. He’s also a regular op-ed writer in newspapers across the country. He’s written an episode of the Veronica Mars reboot. He’s a nerd! I thoroughly enjoyed this story that’s not my usual cup of tea: two men adventuring across the sea and in the Caribbean in the 19th century. 

I’ve never been particularly interested in Mycroft, but I found his background interesting, as well as his similarities and differences to Sherlock. And I loved it when young university student Sherlock popped up a few times. 

This book was absorbing, compelling, full of interesting historical detail, and had a creepy mystery based in Caribbean lore. Specifically Trinidad, which is part of KA-J’s heritage. 

The story and solution were a bit convoluted and heavily based in the politics and legalities of the time, which might bore or confuse some. I had to go back and reread a few pages at least once to make sure I understood what was going on. It was worth it. 

I am so impressed with KA-J and hope to read more of the series. 

Cumberbatches: 5

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution by Nicholas Meyer

Series or standalone: Series

Case: Holmes’s cocaine addiction has worsened and Watson is at a loss as to how to help him. A man named Moriarty comes to see him and Watson is frightened at first, knowing Moriarty as a criminal kingpin from Holmes. He explains to Watson that Holmes only fears him when he is high. He was actually the math tutor to Mycroft and Sherlock when they were young. Sherlock has been harassing Moriarty while under the influence, sending threatening telegrams and keeping watch outside his house. When he isn’t high, Holmes has no clue who Moriarty is. 

Watson goes to Mycroft and they hatch a plan. Stamford, the doctor who introduced Holmes and Watson, has heard of a doctor who has come up with a cure for cocaine addiction. His name is Sigmund Freud. 

Mycroft reasons that if Sherlock is tracking Moriarty, they can get him to Freud in Vienna by getting Moriarty to go there. Moriarty resists at first, but Mycroft has some sort of hold on him and he gives in. 

Soon the game is afoot and, of course, there is more to the story than curing Holmes’s addiction. 

Type of Sherlock: New story including a real historical figure

Evidence of similarities: The main characters, the time period, Holmes’s drug problem, the writing style

Evidence of differences: The worsening of Holmes’s addiction, the depiction of Moriarty, the Vienna setting, and, uh, Freud. 

Deduction: This book was marvelous. I can see why it is a classic of Sherlock Holmes pastiche. The connections between Watson and Holmes as well as Holmes and Mycroft were incredibly well done and touching. 

The plot was excellent, partly thanks to the brilliant move of connecting Holmes and Watson with Freud. I don’t know much about Freud as a person, but I loved the portrayal of his family home and his treatment of Sherlock’s addiction. 

The setting—I know they’ve done a good job when I immediately want to travel there. Both the romantic and the darker sides of Vienna were portrayed beautifully. I want some of that Viennese coffee.

Cumberbatches: 5

Good Night, Mr. Holmes by Carole Nelson Douglas

Series or standalone: Series

Case: Penelope Huxleigh’s father, a country parson, has died and she is left homeless and penniless. She is wandering the streets of London hopelessly when a red-headed, beautifully dressed woman swoops in to rescue her from a pickpocket. 

This woman is “the woman,” Irene Adler. She is the only woman ever to outsmart Sherlock Holmes. She discovers Nell’s (as she nicknames Penelope) situation and asks her to be her roommate. Penelope soon discovers that Irene supplements her income as a struggling opera singer with detective work. Penelope is eventually drawn into it. 

The book is episodic, dealing with different cases until Irene goes to Bohemia to perform and meets the future King, triggering the events known to Sherlock Holmes fans. 

Type of Sherlock: Supporting character as main character (sort of), Sherlock story from another point of view

Evidence of similarities: Holmes and Watson along with a supporting character from the canon, the storyline from A Scandal in Bohemia (as the ending part of an original narrative)

Evidence of differences: Irene Adler is the main character and her sidekick is a new character named Penelope Huxleigh (also the narrator), told the story of A Scandal in Bohemia from Penelope’s point of view

Deduction: It was fun seeing real life characters like Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, and Charles and Louis Tiffany. 

The depiction of Irene did her some justice and I loved it when they got to the part where the King hired Sherlock to get the picture back and we saw the flip side of A Scandal in Bohemia. 

The book meandered in the first half, not uninterestingly, ultimately proving itself worth the journey. 

Cumberbatches: 3

IQ by Joe Ide

Series or standalone: Series

Case: Isaiah Quintabe (IQ) has lost his guardian, his older brother Marcus, and goes into a tailspin. He takes a neighborhood criminal named Dodson as a roommate and they begin robbing stores together. 

In the present-day timeline, Isaiah and Dodson are no longer roommates or friends and Isaiah now solves mysteries for neighbors and others who come to him with problems. Dodson has a famous friend with a big problem and Isaiah needs money, so they are thrown together again. 

Type of Sherlock: Modern-day Sherlock, Black Sherlock, American Sherlock

Evidence of similarities: IQ’s personality, intelligence, and deductive skills

Evidence of differences: Time period, setting, IQ’s race, IQ’s background, the culture of Black Americans living in 21st century Los Angeles

Deduction: There were very funny moments, sometimes in the middle of mayhem, and moments that broke your heart. The characters are complex and endearing. Ide finds at least a bit of humanity in all of them, even a vicious killer. 

The pacing was excellent with exciting scenes nicely balanced with calmer ones. The cerebral nature of IQ, the Sherlock of the story, helped with that balance. He is a lovely character, doing his best, just like most of the people struggling around him. I just wanted to give him a big hug, although I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t like that. 

The language is rough and there is quite a bit of violence, minimally but vividly described. The opening case is a bit rough for more sensitive readers, but the main case and other events of the book go in a different direction. There are viscerally written action scenes and one of the craziest, most creative methods of attempted murder I’ve ever read. 

This book deserves every accolade it has received and more.

Cumberbatches: 5

The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss

Series or standalone: Series 

Case: Mary Jekyll’s mother died and she is left with little money. Her father Dr. Jekyll (yes, that Dr. Jekyll.) died when she was little. After going through her mother’s accounts and talking to her lawyer, Mary discovers that Mr. Hyde, her father’s assistant, is not dead and her mother has been paying a sum monthly for his upkeep at a Magdalen House of all places. 

Mary goes to Sherlock Holmes for help. Watson goes with her to the Magdalen House and discovers Hyde’s daughter Diana, not Hyde. Diana claims to be Mary’s sister and that Jekyll and Hyde are the same person. 

They eventually find Beatrice Rappacini, whose breath and touch are poisonous and also doesn’t need food, Justine Frankenstein who was made to be a mate to Frankenstein’s monster, and Catherine “Cat” Moreau, a woman who used to be a puma. These women are not used to being treated well and are therefore slow to trust, particularly Catherine. But they find the strengths in what makes them “monstrous” and become a crime-fighting team as well as a family. 

Type of Sherlock: literary mash-up with characters from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein, The Island of Dr. Moreau, and Rappaccini’s Daughter (short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne)

Evidence of similarities: Holmes and Watson, time period, London setting 

Evidence of differences: The women are the main characters 

Deduction: I have a strange feeling about this book. It was very good and I liked it, but something is missing. I think she put the exciting climax too early in the book and could have worked in Justine’s story earlier. I like the wrap-up part of books and they did need to get the group established, but a bit of momentum was lost. It was barely perceptible and still held my attention, but it was there. 

Overall, though, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to read more of the series. I fell in love with the concept and the characters and this initial entry confirmed the potential of this series. 

Cumberbatches: 4

Warlock Holmes: A Study in Brimstone by G.S. Denning 

Series or standalone: Series

Case: Dr. John Watson, wounded and sickened by war, is destitute and living on the streets. His friend Stamford says he knows someone who needs a roommate. When Watson expresses interest despite Stamford’s cryptic warnings, Stamford immediately drags Watson to the morgue of St. Bartholomew’s hospital to meet Warlock Holmes. 

What follows are 6 short stories that poke fun at the Sherlock tropes and stories such as A Study in Scarlet and A Scandal in Bohemia. These stories are ridiculous and hilarious and turn everything you thought you knew about Holmes and Watson on its ear. 

Type of Sherlock: parody

Evidence of similarities: Holmes and Watson, the basic outline of the stories, time period, London setting, some of the supporting characters appear 

Evidence of differences: The familiar characters are rendered quite unfamiliar through the lens of parody and satire, the supernatural aspects 

Deduction: This is a funny, interesting collection of stories that are well worth the time of any fan of Sherlock pastiche. The dialogue and inversion of Sherlock story tropes is delightful. These parodies could only have been written by someone familiar with the originals who loves and respects them. 

Cumberbatches: 4

Dust and Shadow by Lyndsay Faye 

Series or standalone: Standalone

Case: Women in London’s East End are being gruesomely killed and their bodies defiled. The killer leaves no trace that anyone can find, even Sherlock Holmes. The great Sherlock Holmes and the monstrous killer dubbed “Jack the Ripper” by the press are going head-to-head. 

Will this be the one case Sherlock can’t solve? Are the women of the East End doomed if he can’t?

Type of Sherlock: new story from different author, story involving a real historical figure, Sherlock meets Jack the Ripper

Evidence of similarities: Time period, setting, cast of characters 

Evidence of differences: Sherlock did not confront Jack the Ripper in the original stories (although there are several pastiches that pit them against each other)

Deduction: Faye’s Jane Steele was featured in my column about Jane Eyre adaptations and pastiche. She is an imaginative writer who did a superlative job capturing the time and flair of an original Holmes story while still slightly modernizing the language. 

She lets her imagination go in a different way here than in Steele. She must stay within the confines of a Sherlock story’s conventions as well as historical fact concerning the Ripper killings, but the fact that Sherlock is fictional and he and the Ripper are such outsize characters (and the Ripper being so mysterious) gives her some room to make the case even creepier, if that’s possible. 

She also skillfully injects occasional humor through the supporting character of Mary Ann Monk and Sherlock’s ribbing of Watson. 

Cumberbatches: 5

Well, that brings us to the end! I admit to needing a break from Sherlock pastiche, yet being more interested than ever in the whole Sherlockian universe. Any suggestions for further reading?

Tell us in the comments: Which Sherlock Holmes pastiche is your favorite? Do you prefer the original stories or new ones?

Sara Farmer lives in Austin, TX, with her husband, three kids, and two cats. When she’s not chasing kids and cats, she reads and writes mysteries. You can find her at www.kittymomma.com and on Twitter @avonlea79.

The post Cozy to Cold-Blooded: The Not-So-Elementary Universe of Sherlock Holmes, Part 2 appeared first on DIY MFA.

I find myself reading writers’ memoirs, pen in hand, underlining something on most pages. Ones that are especially useful, I go back through with a notebook and take down notes of the things I’ve underlined for quick reference later on.

For this #5onFri I’ve listed my five favorite writers’ memoirs and explained what I love about each. A quick note about the order. They are listed in alphabetical order of author’s last name, not in the order I read them or the order of preference. I find that in lists, alphabetical order is the most democratic.

1. Bukowski in a Sundress by Kim Addonizio

This memoir was so entertaining that it was like meeting a gal pal for endless martinis and swapping insane story after insane story. Addonizio’s memoir is really about the perseverance it takes to carve out a career as a writer, in particular as a poet.

There are a ton of great anecdotes about her adventures on the road at writing conferences and readings, as well as lessons about juggling real life and writing. She approaches it all with humor and grit—which are two crucial characteristics you need to be a writer.

This collection is definitely not for the faint of heart. Language and sexploits abound in this wild romp. But, for me, it was a super accessible memoir in that nothing was sugar-coated.

2. I Came All This Way to Meet You by Jami Attenberg

This is the most recently published of these writers’ memoirs. One of the blurbs on the back sums it up quite nicely: “A love letter to work and to friendship.” A lot of the book is grounded in road trips Attenberg took to promote one book or another and how grueling they were, but also the sights she saw and the things she learned about herself on the way.

She talks about books she wrote that didn’t do well and how she didn’t understand why, and I really appreciated that kind of honesty. This whole writing and publishing thing is a fickle mistress, which is why we really should just focus on the bit we can control, the writing.

This one made me realize that as hard as it all is, if you love the work (and surely you must, otherwise why do it?), it really is worth it. 

Plus, who doesn’t love a good road trip book?

3. How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee

I loved this memoir in essays. It is so poetic and beautiful. This book is a manifesto on the interconnectedness of life, art, and politics. Good writing encapsulates all three.

Chee does a wonderful job of balancing writing about his life and how that informed his development as a writer. Just when you think you’re reading an essay about writing, you realize that it’s also about life. And when you think you’re reading about Chee’s political activism, you also catch glimpses of writing advice.

I think I heard that he has another collection of essays coming out and I cannot wait to see what he has in store for us. He’s also the guest editor of this year’s Best American Essays, out in the fall.

4. On Writing by Stephen King

This was the first writers’ memoir I read cover to cover and I read it when I wasn’t really into Stephen King’s novels. This volume is broken into three parts: C.V., Toolbox, and On Writing, plus a couple of recommended reading lists.

In C.V., King presents his curriculum vitae, his bona fides, his path to writing. He delves into his childhood spent shuffling around and living with various relatives and how he eventually discovered he kind of liked this thing called writing. 

He is really honest about his struggles with and recovery from addiction and how it has shown up in his writing. Plus, he reveals how writing brought him back to life after his near-fatal accident in 1999.

This one provides another glimpse at the level of dedication it takes to become a master of the craft of writing. It is entertaining and inspiring.

5. Just Kids by Patti Smith

When I first saw this memoir, I had no idea who Patti Smith was, but I saw this memoir EVERYWHERE, so I eventually broke down and bought it. Naturally.

This is a love story by Patti Smith about her relationship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe. They lived together when they were struggling artists in New York City in the late 1960s and early 70s. Smith does an amazing job of exploring the depth of that relationship. 

But she also writes a beautiful account of the devotional aspect of being an artist. And that’s my biggest takeaway from this memoir—the importance of truly living your art.

You’ll have to excuse me for not writing much of a conclusion to this post. I am struggling to decide which of these writers’ memoirs I’m going to revisit first!

Tell us in the comments: What are your favorite writers’ memoirs?

Lori Walker is the Operations Maven at DIY MFA. Though she’s fallen off the wagon as a writer, she’s hoping to return to writing essays (perhaps even a novel!) through her involvement with DIY MFA. She is also Launch Manager, Web Editor, and Podcast Producer for DIY MFA and a Book Coach. She resides in Smalltown, Oklahoma, with her husband and their cat, Joan Didion. You can follow her on Instagram at @LoriTheWriter.

The post #5onFri: Five Writers’ Memoirs You Should Check Out appeared first on DIY MFA.

I’ve been doing a bit of rereading like I shared last month, but I’ve been reading plenty of new and new-to-me books. As a result, I had a hard time picking one great book to talk about this month, so I thought I’d share three books that have been dominating my spring reading. These are the three books that I am juggling as they compete for my precious time, attention, and affection. I hope something catches your eye.

Spring Reading List

Seek You: A Journey through American Loneliness by Kristen Radtke

Initially, I had planned for this May Book Nook post to be solely about this book, but I’m still reading it. I’m really not sure how this graphic memoir flew under my radar when it came out last year, but I happened across it last week and immediately knew I needed to read it. 

Radtke initially began her research for this book in 2016. Then, in 2020, the topic became beyond timely. I love her early discussion about the evolution of laughter in the human species and how it fosters connection. I remember an old episode of Seinfeld where Elaine and George are unexpectedly forced to spend time together without Jerry. The next day Jerry asks how it went and Elaine tells him it was pretty meh, except for when they bonded over making fun of Jerry. As someone who loves reading and writing humor, this really rang true for me.

Further, I love her choice to write this as a graphic memoir as opposed to straight prose. The images really participate in getting across her point and her research. Very well done. I can’t wait to keep reading.

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski 

I’ve had a bit of a long-term flirtation with this book. I started reading it last summer and inexplicably set it aside. Then I picked it up again in both the fall and the winter. I may have even mentioned it in a previous column. It’s great, life-changing information, but I’ve been too burnt out to read about burnout.

No more. I finally bought the audiobook and I’ve begun listening to it in 40-minute increments while I go walking a few times a week. Exercise, the book says, is the number one best way of completing the stress cycle. You see, there’s a difference between managing the stressor and the stress, and getting rid of the stressor doesn’t physiology rid our bodies of the stress chemicals. These incomplete stress cycles accumulate over time until something bad happens.

I love their writing style, which blends science and research with pop culture references and easy-to-digest advice. It is geared towards women simply because men and women face different societal expectations and pressures, and (like old heart attack studies completely missed the fact that women can have different symptoms than men) I kind of like knowing that something as important as unlocking the stress cycle is geared toward someone like me.

Animal by Lisa Taddeo

I have this thing where if a book receives a ton of hype, I can’t read it right away. Don’t get me wrong—I’ll totally buy the book, but I just have a hard time reading it. I don’t know if that’s because I can’t process my own thoughts in the midst of all the others swirling about on Bookstagram or maybe it’s a case of wrong book, wrong time. Nonetheless, I pre-ordered this one, the fiction debut of the author who wrote Three Women (which also took me a few starts and stops to read), and promptly set it aside.

I’ve been doing a lot of tweaking with my writing and this book is really jibing with the voice I want to develop for my narrator. She’s edgy, kinda screwed up, but honest and raw. The narrator, Joan, witnesses a pretty horrific act of violence and leaves town. She drives to LA, where she searches for Alice in an effort to make sense of her past.

I love that this is an exploration of female rage and the path back. Still, so often female characters and writers are expected to be a certain way. This novel subverts those expectations. Or maybe it creates new expectations, new ways of being. I am totally digging the vibe of this novel and the journey of this character.

Who knows? Maybe by the time this article is published, I’ll have finished all three of these books. I’d love to think so. They are all so addicting and are speaking to different parts of myself. And isn’t that really why we read in the first place?

Tell us in the comments: What books are on your spring reading list?

Lori Walker is the Operations Maven and Chaos Coordinator at DIY MFA. Though she’s fallen off the wagon as a writer, she’s hoping to return to writing essays (perhaps even a novel!) through her involvement with DIY MFA. She is also Launch Manager, Web Editor, and Podcast Producer for DIY MFA and a Book Coach. She resides in Smalltown, Oklahoma, with her husband and their cat, Joan Didion. You can follow her on Instagram at @LoriTheWriter.

The post The Book Nook: My Spring Reading appeared first on DIY MFA.

Fiction

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

I’ve often said that the best kind of book is the book that teaches while it entertains. Perhaps not surprisingly, YA novels tend to fall into this category. They make for lovely and usually simple reading, perfect for stressful times when we need escapist leisure (hmm… why is that so appealing right now?). Yet, they are also often quite instructive; at least, the really good ones are. Kacen Callender’s Felix Ever After is a good LGBTQ+ Summer Read. Felix’s story, the story of a young trans black man, is a particularly important and powerful one right now. It is a story that needed telling.

Don Juan in the Village by Jane DeLynn

Jane DeLynn’s novel is a classic of lesbian fiction. It follows the escapades and sexual conquests of its female protagonist, a lady Don Juan, as she travels the world and sleeps with as many women as she can. The narrative spans the course of 20 years, beginning sometime in the 1970s and ending sometime in the 1990s. There is a clear and stark, sometimes painful, contrast between the freedom of the post-1960s sexual revolution and the advent of what the narrator labels, “the plague.”

Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian

Like A Love Story is not only a beautifully written YA novel, but it is a historically and socially important one. Nazemian reminds the reader just how hard gay and lesbian people had to fight to win their freedoms and equal protection, a fight that continues to this day and that is constantly under attack. 

The author includes several important historical lessons, weaving them seamlessly into the story of these characters’ lives so that readers who give this work a chance will find themselves learning critical history that is often overlooked, forgotten, or under-appreciated, while at the same time enjoying an excellent story. At the heart of it are themes of friendship, forgiveness, and first loves, as well as first losses.

Graphic Novels

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Somewhere amidst all the very heavy reading that I was doing last summer, I apparently needed a break. That break was found in Jen Wang’s delightful graphic novel, The Prince and the Dressmaker. The story is about a young man, a prince, who sometimes likes to dress in women’s clothes. He hears of a brilliant young dressmaker and hires her to be his own personal designer. 

The story is charming—delightful, really—and fresh in the way it bends gender roles separate from sexuality. The art, too, is simply wonderful. The story has its ups and downs, of course, and nothing goes entirely smoothly, not even for a prince, but the ending is a dessert worth waiting for. 

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

The heart of this graphic novel is three fairy tales, including two versions of Cinderella (the German and the Vietnamese) and The Little Mermaid. Also incorporated into the plot are concepts such as traditional coming out and coming of age in America, the immigrant experience, colonization and empire, post-war identity, and so much more. 

What on the surface might look like another wonderfully illustrated children’s story, is in fact a powerful, delicate, and uniquely rendered story about a queer, Asian American boy’s life, his family, and their heritage, not to mention language itself. I was utterly captivated by this one. The Magic Fish has found its place on my forever shelf.

Poetry

The Tradition by Jericho Brown

This collection contains three parts. Running through all three is a series of poems titled “Duplex.” Each one grows considerably sharper and more poignant as the collection roars forward to its conclusion. Somehow, Brown creates beauty where none should exist. His poems make explicit the horror we have grown accustomed to in our daily lives, but they do so in the way “Ganymede” promises from the outset: When the speaker asks us, who doesn’t want to be loved by God, we see the answer in the very craft of poetry. And what have we sacrificed for it? 

“I begin with love, / hoping to end there,” Brown writes in one of his “Duplex” poems, and I must cheer him for succeeding. This collection and every poem in it, whether it is tackling issues of rape or terror, mass shootings, workplace struggles, or the intimacies of the bedroom, is filled with love. Crafted with love. Expressing love in every word and line, in every syllable and caesura.

Fire to Fire by Mark Doty

This collection is a kind of “greatest hits” from a National Book Award-winning poet. It gathers the “best of” Doty’s previous seven poetry collections (pre-2008) and adds some of his more recent uncollected pieces. What it proves is that Doty is one of America’s greatest contemporary poets and certainly a standout for gay poetry. I responded most to his poems about loss and about the painful but necessary act of moving forward.

The Malevolent Volume by Justin Phillip Reed

This one speaks directly to the current movement and to the violence that has been perpetrated against black bodies for too long. Reed uses a full arsenal in his exploration and call to arms, from mythology to modern cinema, from pop culture to classical poetic forms. At its core, this is a critique of exploitation, an expose, and while it often looks outward at the populations of marginalized people, it is also personal, intimate, and revolutionary. 

Reed’s style of free verse is deeply informed by formal structure. His poems are always in conversation with other poems, and other poets. This is likely to become a well-cited model for emerging poets.  

Non-Fiction

A Queer History of the United States by Michael Bronski

If I’m not mistaken, this is the first text in the “revisionist history” series, and it’s a decent inaugural text for that project. Although this study ends in the 1990s and could therefore use a new edition, the book is exactly what it says it will be, an illuminating and detailed history of queer people in the United States, from its founding to the AIDS crisis. 

Those new to LGBTQ+ history will learn a lot from reading this book, some of which will be surprising. If you’re hoping to add depth to your characters’ backstories or to write historical fiction, this is going to be a helpful read.

Eminent Outlaws: The Gay Writers Who Changed America by Christopher Bram

In the years following World War II, a group of gay writers established themselves as major cultural figures in American life. Truman Capote, the enfant terrible, whose finely wrought fiction and nonfiction captured the nation’s imagination. Gore Vidal, the wry, withering chronicler of politics, sex, and history. Tennessee Williams, whose powerful plays rocketed him to the top of the American theater. James Baldwin, the harrowingly perceptive novelist and social critic. Christopher Isherwood, the English novelist who became a thoroughly American novelist. And the exuberant Allen Ginsberg, whose poetry defied censorship and exploded minds. Together, their writing introduced America to the gay experience and sensibility; and changed our literary culture. What writer doesn’t love reading about other powerful and history-making writers?

Thinking About It

This LGBTQ+ Summer Reading list of course just scratches at the surface of a brilliant and ever-developing “canon” of LGBTQ+ literature in the United States and elsewhere. I could write for pages and pages about other writers, like Ocean Vuong and Emily M. Danforth, who deserve to be read.

If you have other great suggestions for LGBTQ+ summer reading, feel free to leave them in the comments!

Adam W. Burgess is a Professor of English at the College of Southern Nevada. He has a Ph.D. from Northern Illinois University and is pursuing a post-doc writing certificate at the University of California, Berkeley. He loves engaging in all topics related to LGBTQ literature and craft. You can find Adam on his website or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The post Prepare Your LGBTQ+ Summer Reading List with Ten Must-Reads appeared first on DIY MFA.

The original stories inspired others to create wonderful art. Sherlock Holmes contains endless possibilities. He is the type of character that opens up all sorts of avenues when cast into a different time period, age, race, or gender. There are even many series centering members of the supporting cast.

This will be a 2-part column, because of the volume of Sherlockiana. Even narrowed down to my favorites, it’s still a long list. Several excellent Sherlock pastiches are absent from this post since I’ve already spotlighted them. These are the Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series by Vicki Delany, and the Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer. 

I rated the entries between 1 and 5 Cumberbatches, 5 being the best. 

The Baker Street Letters by Michael Robertson 

Series or Standalone: Series 

Case: Solicitor Reggie Heath just wants his brother Nigel to get his life together. Nigel is also a solicitor but is suspended at the moment. He now works for Reggie at his law chambers on the second floor of a building that takes up the entire 200 block of Baker St. 

Nigel informs Reggie that they regularly receive letters written to Sherlock Holmes. This has been happening for decades. The lease requires every occupant of the second floor to answer the letters with a specific form and to never attempt to contact the writers. 

Nigel has discovered two recent letters written by a woman who also wrote twenty years before as a child to ask Sherlock to help find her father. Now she wants the enclosures sent back. But Nigel doesn’t think she wrote the new letters and he isn’t the type to ignore something fishy. 

Type of Sherlock: “Real” world where Sherlock is fictional, modern world 

Evidence of similarities: Baker St., brothers working together as Sherlock and Mycroft often did 

Evidence of differences: Set in 1997, Sherlock Holmes is not actually in the story, versions of other Sherlock characters don’t appear.  

Deduction: The mystery is interesting and intricate. It is well written and you care about the characters. The visceral descriptions of LA really painted a picture of the smog and the heat. 

Cumberbatches: 4

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Series or Standalone: Series 

Case: The great-great-great-granddaughter of Sherlock Holmes and the great-great-great-grandson of Dr. Watson have ended up at the same boarding school in Connecticut. Both Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson struggle with their familial legacy, as well as the problems and pressures of being teenagers. 

Charlotte, especially, has a rough history, starting with the fact that the Holmes family is very exacting and focused on excellence, unlike the more easygoing Watson clan. 

At first, they avoid each other but a murder on campus brings them together. It bears an eerie resemblance to one solved by their three times great-grandfathers. 

Type of Sherlock: Modern retelling, descendants of Sherlock and Watson, female Sherlock, teenage Holmes and Watson 

Evidence of similarities: Charlotte’s personality, intelligence, and vices. Jamie’s stability. Place names and cases pay homage to the original stories, as well as some of the non-canonical ones. 

Evidence of differences: Set in the 21st century, female Sherlock, teenage Holmes and Watson, Moriarty family has a truce with the Holmes and Watson families

Deduction: This is a kick-ass series, emblematic of the talent in children’s and YA literature these days. It is witty, fun, and at times heartbreaking. The mysteries and plot arcs in the books and the series as a whole are complex, emotional, and masterfully handled. 

Cumberbatches: 5

Sherlock Holmes and the Glad Game by Matt Ferraz

Series or Standalone: Standalone

Case: During the time that Holmes is presumed dead after his encounter with Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls, Mrs. Hudson encounters a young woman walking home with a bag of oranges. The bag breaks and Mrs. Hudson invites the young woman with a strangely positive attitude back to 221 Baker St. 

The young woman is Pollyanna Whittier. THE Pollyanna. Her back pain from an old injury has returned and she is in London seeking treatment. Dr. Watson knows the doctor is a quack and convinces him to tell Pollyanna the treatment is done and to refund the rest of the sessions. 

Pollyanna returns to America and her aunt. But both she and Sherlock will be back and Pollyanna’s connection to the quack doctor will embroil her in a case that threatens her life and her positivity. 

Type of Sherlock: Literary mashup, female sidekick 

Evidence of similarities: Time period, supporting characters 

Evidence of differences: Just Pollyanna. But she is a big one. 

Deduction: This book is better than it has any right to be. Pollyanna and her game grew annoying at times and the author’s attempts at American dialect grated (Why was that even necessary?), but Pollyanna won me over.  

The book also explores some interesting psychological territory with Dr. Watson pondering if the Glad Game is always a healthy response. The relationships between characters ring true, especially when they admit annoyance with the Glad Game, while still loving Pollyanna.

Cumberbatches: 3

A Study in Honor by Claire O’Dell

Series or Standalone: Series 

Case: Dr. Janet Watson served as a doctor in the New Civil War. She was wounded and lost her arm, which put an end to her career as a surgeon until she can get a new device. (The one supplied in the field belonged to a soldier who died and it had to be retrofitted. It’s also an older model.)

She returns to her hometown of Washington, D.C., and gets set up with the VA for counseling and job searching. She finds a job as a medical tech at the VA. And meets a mysterious woman named Sara Holmes who wants a roommate. She has a beautiful apartment. It’s a no-brainer for Watson to leave the hostel she has been living in. 

But then a former soldier dies suddenly. Then another. After Janet searches for info in the VA system, she is attacked on her way home. More soldiers die, all from the same unit. Janet discovers a dark conspiracy that someone will kill to keep from her … and that Sara Holmes knows just what to do about that. 

Type of Sherlock: Alternate universe Sherlock, female Holmes and Watson, Black Holmes and Watson, LGBTQ+ Holmes and Watson, American Holmes and Watson, modern retelling 

Evidence of similarities: Character names and roles, Holmes’s off-putting behavior, Watson’s background as a soldier

Evidence of differences: Race, gender, time period, sexuality 

Deduction: The alternate universe fascinates, as does Sara Holmes’s mysterious role. The mystery is solid and emotional. I love Dr. Janet Watson with her grit and determination laced through with sympathy and compassion, as well as some pessimism and fear about her future and the world’s. 

Cumberbatches: 4

The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R. King

Series or Standalone: Series

Case: Sherlock Holmes and teenager Mary Russell meet by chance on the Sussex Downs when she almost walks over him while reading. She is an orphan, having lost her parents and brother in a car crash. She lives on a farm with her aunt, with whom she doesn’t get along. 

Holmes has retired to a nearby farm and keeps bees. He occasionally does top-secret work, but he misses London and the chase. Mrs. Hudson lives with him as a housekeeper and cook. 

Mary is an exceptionally intelligent and rather odd young woman. She and Holmes quickly discover their similarities and become friends. He teaches her about detecting. They solve some petty crimes, like stolen money from a pub, before moving on to a kidnapped senator’s daughter and finally dealing with a personal enemy of Holmes who threatens his life and the lives of everyone he loves. 

Type of Sherlock: Continuation with new characters, new partner, older Sherlock, female partner

Evidence of similarities: Main characters, Sherlock’s personality

Evidence of differences: Smart, witty female partner. Sherlock lives on a farm and keeps bees. He is also older and feeling it a bit. 

Deduction: This book lives up to the hype. I instantly adored Mary Russell and her dynamic with Sherlock. King’s aging Sherlock is a knockout characterization and Mary Russell fits right in with the gang while remaining a completely original character. King’s depiction of the setting is vivid and evocative. 

Cumberbatches: 5

The Final Solution by Michael Chabon

Series or Standalone: Standalone

Case: It is the 1940s, and World War II dominates life. One day, an old man looks out his window and sees a little boy with a parrot on his shoulder. The boy is a Jewish refugee from Germany and mute. The bird talks and sings, mostly in German, particularly the numbers 1-9 in German over and over in random order. 

The old man is Sherlock Holmes but is never addressed as such. He is in his 80s and retired with his bees on the South Sussex Downs. 

The boy and the bird live in the home of the vicar and his family. They keep a boarding house. One of the boarders is murdered and the bird goes missing. For the first time in decades, the game is afoot and Sherlock is overjoyed. The bird’s cryptic utterings might mean something very important and one side does not want the other to hear them. 

Type of Sherlock: Continuation with new characters, aged Sherlock 

Evidence of similarities: Sherlock himself 

Evidence of differences: Very old and infirm Sherlock, no other original characters, Sherlock never mentioned by name

Deduction: I really liked it. The writing was a pleasure to read with some beautiful and creative word choices and metaphors. Although a few of the sentences are so convoluted that by the time I got to the verb, I went back because I forgot the subject. So many clauses lay in between that I got lost again.

Cumberbatches: 5

The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz 

Series or Standalone: Series

Case: A man named Carstairs visits Baker St with an extraordinary tale. He is an art dealer. A valuable shipment to Boston was interrupted by train robbers and the paintings were destroyed and two men killed. Carstairs and his customer united to capture the group responsible called the Flat Cap gang. The police managed to kill all but one. 

Right before Carstairs boarded the ship for his return to England, the customer was gunned down in his garden, presumably by the remaining gang member. 

A young woman befriended the distressed Carstairs on the ship. They married. Shortly after their return home, a man in a flat cap began appearing wherever Carstairs happened to be. Carstairs fears he is next. But there is more, oh so very much more, to the story. 

Type of Sherlock: Continuation with original characters, darker Sherlock

Evidence of similarities: Writing style, characterizations, time period, setting 

Evidence of differences: Darker story with more violence

Deduction: Anthony Horowitz was chosen by the Arthur Conan Doyle estate to write new Sherlock novels and is one of my favorite writers. I love his Susan Ryeland and Hawthorne and Horowitz series, both of which I covered in this column. He also adapted Midsomer Murders, a British police procedural/cozy mystery show, which has aired since 1997. 

All of which is to say, he knocked it out of the park. 

Like Chabon and King’s contributions to this list, his writing was pleasurable to read with a cracking good story contained within. 

Cumberbatches: 5

Lock and Mori by Heather W. Petty 

Series or Standalone: Series

Case: James “Mori” Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes attend the same private school in modern-day London. They are also neighbors on Baker St. But they don’t formally meet until Mori tries to drag Sherlock out of his lab at the behest of a teacher during a fire drill. 

Sherlock soon attempts to draw Mori into his latest “game,” solving the murder of a man found stabbed in Regent’s Park. She resists, but finds herself meeting up with him anyway. They feel a connection beyond an interest in crime. 

But Mori begins keeping secrets as she discovers her late mother’s connection to the victim and delves into her mother’s past. Mori is trying to protect herself, but learning to trust Sherlock could change her life … and save it. 

Type of Sherlock: Modern retelling, darker Sherlock, YA Sherlock, romantic Sherlock 

Evidence of similarities: Living on Baker St., Sherlock’s intelligence and personality, Mori’s gift for math and dark side

Evidence of differences: Very dark story, female Moriarty, the nicknames, their ages, their friendship and attraction to each other, the modern time period 

Deduction: I enjoyed it very much, although the parts where Moriarty, Sr., abuses his kids were hard to take. I like Mori and really hope she doesn’t grow up to be an evil criminal mastermind. 

Cumberbatches: 5

Tell us in the comments: Which Sherlock Holmes pastiche is your favorite? Do you prefer the original stories or new ones?

Sara Farmer lives in Austin, TX, with her husband, three kids, and two cats. When she’s not chasing kids and cats, she reads and writes mysteries. You can find her at www.kittymomma.com and on Twitter @avonlea79.

The post Cozy to Cold-Blooded: The Not-So-Elementary Universe of Sherlock Holmes, Part 1 appeared first on DIY MFA.

As you watch a Nora Ephron movie or—better yet!—read something she wrote, you can tell that she loved words, characters, and storytelling. She is famous for having said, “Everything is copy,” which is one of the truest things I have ever heard about writing and art. And she totally lived it! She mined her divorce from Carl Bernstein to write her hilarious novel Heartburn, which she also adapted into the screenplay for the movie.

Meeting Nora Ephron

I had seen her movies, of course. I remember watching You’ve Got Mail in theatres and I was utterly captivated by the power of books in other people’s lives. For me, it was one of those moments where I realized that it wasn’t just me.

But I don’t think I truly met Nora Ephron until after she died.

In 2014, my life (and the lives of my mom, dad, uncle, and grandma) revolved around visiting my beloved papa in one hospital facility or another. It consisted of a lot of sitting while he dozed. I’m not good at sitting and doing nothing, so I made sure to bring books with me. But when you’re constantly being interrupted by nurses, aides, visitors, etc, it’s difficult to get into the groove of a novel.

That’s where Nora came in. I had purchased The Most of Nora Ephron when it came out in 2013 and randomly decided to bring it with me. It’s a long volume, clocking in at just over 550 pages. But it contains multitudes.

Robert Gottlieb, who compiled the volume, arranged it by types of writing. You get to meet Nora Ephron the journalist, the novelist, the foodie, the blogger, and the essayist, among other her personas. 

As I flipped through the book, I gravitated toward the shorter pieces that I could finish in one gulp. These were by and large under 10 pages. And they were funny! It was a nice break to get to laugh when things sucked so much.

After that initial introduction, I began purchasing her individual volumes of essays: Wallflower at the Orgy, I Feel Bad About My Neck, I Remember Nothing, Crazy Salad, and Scribble, Scribble (those last two conveniently combined into a single volume). 

Whenever I finish a book, I sign my name and write the date on the inside of the front cover. Looking back at these books now, I can see that I read them in the days immediately after my papa passed. Those books, those essays, provided the balm I apparently needed in order to get through. Humor is, after all, a great medicine.

Realizing the Larger Context

As time passed and I became more serious about this whole writing thing, I began seeing Nora Ephron in a new light. I still thought she was funny as hell, but I became more interested in the arc of her career as well. She wrote a bit of everything. 

While I don’t harbor any desire to write screenplays, I do want to write essays. I want to write a novel. I want to write about food. I want to write widely because there’s just so much out there to explore. And I love seeing that somebody has done so. 

I know other authors have done it (hello, Joan Didion) but Nora Ephron was the first one I really noticed, which makes her special to me. Plus, her style is more intuitive and natural to me, which is why I gravitate toward her so strongly. 

Essays are my first love as a writer and probably the genre I’ll most frequently write in. And I have to credit Nora Ephron with that. She sparked an interest in personal essays that led me to David Sedaris and Joan Didion, then onto Samantha Irby, Rebecca Solnit, and so many others.

When you start something new and you’re alone, it’s kind of like the first day of high school. You walk into the cafeteria and you don’t know where to sit. Your eyes scan the room. You observe. You try to find connections amongst the people at the different tables so you know where you might fit in. 

Well, as I was scanning the writers’ cafeteria, Nora Ephron looked up, caught my eye, smiled a welcoming smile, and beckoned me over. 

I found my table. And I hope you find yours. 

Tell us in the comments: Have you ever read any of Nora Ephron’s books? What did you think?

Lori Walker is the Operations Maven at DIY MFA. Though she’s fallen off the wagon as a writer, she’s hoping to return to writing essays (perhaps even a novel!) through her involvement with DIY MFA. She is also Launch Manager, Web Editor, and Podcast Producer for DIY MFA and a Book Coach. She resides in Smalltown, Oklahoma, with her husband and their cat, Joan Didion. You can follow her on Instagram at @LoriTheWriter.

The post The Book Nook: Ode to Nora Ephron appeared first on DIY MFA.

A while back, I hopped onto Instagram and asked for a few book recommendations to add to my TBR pile. But here’s a little secret: while I love writing, I am guilty of not being an avid reader. In fact, I binge read 3 to 4 books and then read nothing for a long while. 

However, as I started reading a few of those book recommendations, I realized they were some of the best (in my opinion) to appreciate the basic storytelling elements. And I couldn’t help but think how much I would love to share them with you all. 

Today, I have 4 book recommendations for you to binge on and get a better understanding of storytelling elements.

But first thing first, what are storytelling elements?

There are many definitions out there, but I consider the following three elements essential when telling a story. Miss out on one and your entire story falls apart:

1. The Characters: Who are you going to follow around in the story?

2. The World: Where does this story take place?

3. The Plot: What is happening in the story?

There’s a lot to explore about these storytelling elements in themselves, but our focus for today is to appreciate them in practice. To avoid any spoilers, I have included the blurb for you to read and what I liked in the novels.

Without further ado, here are my recommendations:

The Characters: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

“It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother’s graveside, Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger’s Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel’s foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel’s world is both opened up, and closed down.”

I am a sucker for fantasy characters being the narrator and here we have Death narrating the story. That sold me. But the novel is filled with characters that you fall in love with, sometimes hate, and then end up falling in love with once again. Much like people in real life. And you cannot help but love them, even Death, because they are so unyielding in the face of something so dreadful as war and their relationships so heartwarming.

Beautifully written with a heartbreaking yet absolutely realistic ending that would leave you in tears and have a profound impact on you. However, as is the case with many novels, people have a divided opinion on this one. If complex reads and tragic endings aren’t your things, maybe steer clear of this one.

The World: The Goblin Emperor by Sarah Monette

“The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an “accident,” he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.

Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.

Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend…and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne—or his life.”

The strong world building was my key takeaway from this book besides the poignant characters. If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written, you know I love world building, and this novel had such detailed world building that I fell in love. You’ll find everything important about it here. The politics, mannerism, laws, interpersonal relationships, everything is mapped out so perfectly it is hard not to be in awe.

However, some parts are drawn out too long with descriptions and names that are hard to remember, but the coming-of-age trope is something I enjoy and saying this novel has done justice to it is an understatement.

The Plot: The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

“The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.”

Some novels grip you the first time you read them. Then there are some that when you re-read them, you appreciate them on a whole new level. This one is a combination of both. 

There was so much foreshadowing and so many other nuances hidden in plain sight that re-reading it gave me a new sense of appreciation of just how spectacular this novel really is. You think you have uncovered all the layers of this novel, but end up finding another one right underneath. The plot is so skillfully crafted and detailed, anyone who appreciates high fantasy novels is bound to find this interesting.

Now, there’s a complaint that Jordan has borrowed many aspects from J. R. R. Tolkien’s work, but I argue there are so many pieces of literature out there and almost everything is inspired by something or the other. 

Jordan has included his own original magic and delivered us a story with growth and powerful allusions. But that’s my opinion and if long novels or series aren’t your cup of tea, we can find you another.

Complete Package: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

“What would you change if you could go back in time?

In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.

In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, we meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the café’s time-traveling offer, in order to: confront the man who left them, receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by early onset Alzheimer’s, to see their sister one last time, and to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know.

But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the café, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold . . .”

I am in love with this beautiful novel. Kawaguchi has touched upon the age-old question with his unique traces and it just warms your heart. With heart-rending characters and their stories that might leave you in tears, topped with such an interesting world building, it really makes you wonder what would I do if I could go back in time? 

The pacing is just as it should be and when you turn the last page, I promise you’ll learn the truth about past, present, and future that was right there on the surface of your head but it’ll hit you differently.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold: A Novel is the debut novel of famous playwright Toshikazu Kawaguchi and you’ll find hints of his skills in the way the novel feels like a theatrical setup and it is in some ways. But that shortcoming is nothing compared to the way the novel will leave you feeling. Like a warm cup of coffee on a rainy day.

Tell us in the comments: Have you read any of these recommendations? What are some of your go-to novels that explore the basic storytelling elements?

The next time we meet, let’s create a world of wonder that can be, in equal measure, marvelous and intimidating. But we’ll take away the intimidating part with questions that can help you set on a path to create the perfect world for your characters.

Disha Walia is a lifelong storyteller and an enthusiastic writer and editor in love with the idea of exploring the creative world of words. While making her space in the world of non-fiction and fiction alike, Disha loves to spend even her free time daydreaming about what next to write. Connect with her on www.quillinary.com. You can also follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

The post Appreciate Storytelling Elements with these Book Recommendations appeared first on DIY MFA.

I would say I’m a bit surprised that I haven’t read 1984 before now, but I was a bit of an imbecile in high school and resisted reading a number of books that I was told to read. Yet somehow I became an English major? I don’t know. I want to go back and punch myself in the face sometimes. But I digress.

We’re here to talk about George Orwell’s 1984. The novel has certainly come into the fore in recent years, with the rise of alternative facts, the tendency to discredit journalists, and many attempts to rewrite history by censoring the parts of it that are uncomfortable. Rather than focusing on the plot of the book and its connections with the present, which I feel has been thoroughly discussed, I want to talk about art and ideas and what this book has to say about them.

Why a graphic novel?

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that there was a graphic novel version. In my younger, snobbier days, I would have scoffed at the notion. I remember that scene from Major League, where the baseball players are reading the classics…in comic book form. The punchline is supposed to be that they can only comprehend the concepts if there are pictures.

But I now feel like graphic novels have a way of enhancing the story, while also, yes, making it more accessible. This artist, Fido Nesti, uses a simple palette of colors, lots of greys and browns, and occasionally blues and reds. This creates a visual starkness of how drab and uniform the totalitarian government has rendered the nation of Oceania. 

One of the things I love about reading is my mind’s ability to paint a picture. But having this visual component to my reading helps rein in that imagination. 

And that’s fully part of the point of Big Brother.

The importance of art

I’ve seen a lot of talk amongst writers that I know about why we should even be making art given the current climate. Isn’t there so much more we should be worrying about? Isn’t there something impactful we could be doing?

But those questions, I feel, miss the point of art. I began reading Make Your Art No Matter What by Beth Pickens this morning before sitting down to write this article. In her introduction, she hits on a couple of important points about art and its role in our lives. She says, “Artwork reflects the lived experience, imagination, and ideas of the artist,” then goes on to add, “I find artists furthering and transforming conversations, illuminating new ways to think, feel, connect, and live.”

To me, this means that art and life are inextricably intertwined. Through art, we ask questions, make statements, and engage with the world around us, including those who consume our art. And in order to make art, you also have to take in other artists’ work. Therefore, it’s a full-fledged conversation.

Art is also important because it creates a record of some sort. It depicts current events as interpreted by the individual artist. This makes art inherently subversive because it frequently seeks to challenge the status quo in some way.

How does this relate to 1984?

The novel begins with the defiant act of Winston Smith, the protagonist, putting pen to paper. The very act of putting words on the page forced him to craft a narrative version of current events and past recollections, which may well deviate from the official party line. As you read further, you learn that the party line changes as events unfold and Winston is tasked with correcting written accounts to match these changes in narrative. The government also controls so-called artistic output, dictating the storylines of novels, not just controlling the news and history.

And this is where the importance of art comes in. With art, there is the artist and the medium. There is no entity dictating what the art must look, feel, or sound like. This freedom and ability to express ourselves through our chosen medium is important and priceless. 

So, with all of this in mind, please continue making your art. It really is important. Art has the ability to reach other people and impact their lives. But it is also important on the personal level as a way of engaging with the world around you and giving you an outlet to tell your own story. It matters.

Tell us in the comments: Have you read 1984 by George Orwell? What did you think about how it relates to the importance of making art?

Lori Walker is the Operations Maven at DIY MFA. Though she’s fallen off the wagon as a writer, she’s hoping to return to writing essays (perhaps even a novel!) through her involvement with DIY MFA. She is also Launch Manager, Web Editor, and Podcast Producer for DIY MFA and a Book Coach. She resides in Smalltown, Oklahoma, with her husband and their cat, Joan Didion. You can follow her on Instagram at @LoriTheWriter.

The post The Book Nook: 1984 by George Orwell appeared first on DIY MFA.

It turned out I had a much longer list of auto-buys than I thought. I ended up dividing it into series and authors. You get part 1 of my auto-buy series today. You will get part 2 in a couple of weeks and the authors another time and will probably be surprised at the different types of books.

Here are some of my auto-buy series:

The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series by Vicki Delany 

Premise: Transplanted Londoner Gemma Doyle (no relation to Sir Arthur) partially owns and runs the Sherlock Bookshop and Emporium at 222 Baker St. in West London, Massachusetts. Her globe-trotting Uncle Arthur is her co-owner in that business as well as the one next door Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room, run by Gemma’s best friend Jayne, who has a stake in the Tea Room along with Gemma and Arthur.  But like Cabot Cove, West London has more than its fair share of murders and Gemma is there to help the police, sometimes under protest. 

No. in Series: 7

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Sherlock Easter eggs and references abound. The store cat named Moriarty is probably my favorite one. The main character, Gemma, is intelligent, fun, and struggles with relationships somewhat due to neurodiversity. I sympathize with that and always appreciate seeing neurodiversity in books. Plus, this falls firmly in the cozy category, despite having a bit of bite to it, and returning to the world of a well-loved cozy is comforting. 

Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas

Premise: In this intriguing and complex series, Charlotte Holmes takes unusual steps to avoid being married off. She doesn’t quite reckon with the consequences, but luckily finds her Watson, a Mrs. Watson in her case. Together, they set up Charlotte’s “brother,” Sherlock Holmes, as a detective. But he is ill and unable to receive visitors, so Charlotte acts as “intermediary.” 

No. in the series: 6

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Thomas is an award-winning romance writer and you can see why when a romance develops for Charlotte. Also, the series is an ingenious reimagining of the Sherlock stories, but very much its own creation. The world is rich with beautiful descriptions and imagery, the dialogue witty, and the mysteries twisty. Each book has its own mystery while continuing the overarching saga of the truly chilling Moriarty, whose fiendish plot gradually infiltrates Charlotte’s life and threatens those she loves. 

Maggie Hope series by Susan Elia MacNeal 

Premise: British-born, American-raised Maggie finds herself in London at the beginning of World War II. Her grandmother has died and she moves into her old Victorian house while settling the estate. She discovers that she likes life in London and finds roommates to live with her in the house. She also finds a job at No. 10 as a typist through her friend David. Maggie, however, studied mathematics at MIT and soon discovers a coded message in a newspaper. After that, her life is never the same. 

No. in the series: 10

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Where do I begin? The meticulous without being overpowering historical detail? The intelligent, kick-ass main character? The well-plotted mysteries with WWII as the backdrop? Exciting, tension-filled denouements? You also get to learn about the Special Operations Executive (SOE), a team of undercover saboteurs Churchill sent to “set Europe ablaze!” 

Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear

Premise: After serving as a nurse in WWI, Maisie Dobbs turns to private investigation to support herself. Maisie has had both great luck and great pain in her life. She lost her mother and had to go out to service when she was a young teen. But her employer Lady Rowan Compton discovered her secretly reading books in the library at night and saw her potential, becoming her patron and friend. She hired Maisie’s tutor, Maurice Blanche, and paid for her college education. 

No. in the series: 17, plus one companion book

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Maisie is brilliant, kind, and empathetic, but unflinching about duty and responsibility. She has suffered and moves forward so bravely and determinedly. These books also really bring home the reality of the inter-war years in Britain. For instance, the treatment of the soldiers who came back with PTSD (known then as shell shock) and visible injuries was atrocious, with people anxious to hide away these living reminders of the war’s devastation. The two wars tend to overshadow this time and I never paid much attention to it before, but it is fascinating, heartrending, inspiring, and important. That, combined with Maisie’s epic journey, leaves me riveted every time. 

Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn

Premise: Veronica Speedwell is anything but the stereotypical Victorian lady. A spinster by choice and happy that way, she regularly takes lovers to satisfy what she considers to be natural needs. She is a scientist, a lepidopterist who travels the world studying butterflies. But her world is rocked when her aunt (who raised her) dies and a stranger attempts to kidnap her after the funeral. 

While on the run, Veronica takes refuge in a warehouse, the home of Stoker, a taxidermy artist and erstwhile gentleman. Sparks fly, but the forces pursuing Veronica haven’t given up. If they have any say in it, Veronica won’t live to see if she and Stoker will ever be anything but contentious allies. 

No. in the series: 6 (The next is due 2/15/22.)

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Veronica is a fascinating character with verve and courage to spare. The chemistry between her and Stoker sizzles, but doesn’t dominate the narrative. It adds to it in my opinion. As the series progresses, each book has its individual mystery with an overarching storyline about Veronica’s past and her identity. Reading these books is fun and absorbing. The pages fly by. 

Lady Hardcastle series by T.E. Kinsey 

Premise: Lady Emily Hardcastle and her companion and housekeeper Florence “Flo” Armstrong have decamped from London for a quiet life in the country. In fact, that’s the title of the first book. They retired from a mysterious career, the details of which come out over the run of the series. But Flo knows martial arts and Lady Hardcastle readily begins to investigate when a body is discovered in the woods near their new home. There is definitely more to these two ladies than meets the eye. 

No. in the series: 7, plus one novella (The next is due 6/7/22.) 

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: The relationship between Lady Hardcastle and Flo is an absolute joy. They tease and joke and seem much more like friends or even sisters than employer and employee. Their back and forth banter and seamless teamwork in dangerous situations is balanced by an obvious affection and deep bond between the two. 

The setting also has that charm peculiar to fictional English villages at the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries. Like any good mystery series, that charm overlays a network of relationships and resentments sometimes going back generations. 

Perveen Mistry series by Sujata Massey

Premise: Perveen is based on the first woman lawyer in India. She works for her father’s law firm in Bombay and at first seems to be a spinster. But as her story unfolds through flashbacks, we discover her painful past and the risks it still poses to her happiness and independence. We also see her frustration at society’s reluctance to accept a female lawyer and her delight when she finds a niche helping women in purdah, who don’t leave their home or see strange men. The excitement and the mysteries start rolling from there. 

No. in the series: 3

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: I haven’t gotten to the third book yet, but it is next on my TBR. If it’s anything like the first two installments, it will be exciting and packed with fascinating details of 1920s India. The setting and characters in these books are so richly drawn and they navigate well-plotted narratives. I also loved exploring the social, political, and religious environment of the period. It was a whole aspect of the 1920s and the world that I never knew about before and I can’t get enough. 

Myrtle Hardcastle series by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Premise: Myrtle Hardcastle is a young girl living with her father and her governess, Miss Judson, in Victorian England. She loves science and is fascinated by crime. Starting with the first book, she gets plenty of opportunities to investigate the world around her. 

No. in the series: 3

Why It’s an Auto-Buy Series: Myrtle is one of my very favorite characters. She despises the rules for Young Ladies of Quality (her capitals!) and is desperate to dig into every crime that occurs around her. These books are witty, funny, and have elements of a cozy feel with the comfort evoked by Myrtle’s lovely home and relationships with her father and governess. 

Miss Judson is an intriguing character, being a woman of color from French Guiana, living in England with an upper crust white family during the Victorian era. She is well educated and proper, but holds her own with Myrtle’s father and relishes investigating with Myrtle, despite her initial protestations. She is wistful for her home at times, but loves Myrtle (and perhaps Myrtle’s father) fiercely.

These mysteries are adult caliber, despite being written to be appropriate for children. They strongly remind me of Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce (another favorite series that is sadly now defunct). The plots, Myrtle’s arch narration, the dialogue, and the characters are all top notch. 

Tell us in the comments: Do you have any auto-buy series?

Sara Farmer lives in Austin, TX, with her husband, three kids, and two cats. When she’s not chasing kids and cats, she reads and writes mysteries. You can find her at www.kittymomma.com and on Twitter @avonlea79.

The post Cozy to Cold-Blooded: My Auto-Buy Series, Part 1 appeared first on DIY MFA.