Scribbles & Wanderlust

- Flipping Through the Pages: Winter Rewind 2019
  
  Posted at 7:15 am by Laura, on April 1, 2019
  Every three months I give a quick update on my life and work from the previous season. Enjoy the Seasonal Rewind!
  
  Through the Lens
  
  January through March was full of illness, life-changing decisions, and just trying to get through each day. I celebrated my birthday and the appearance of final editions of Don’t Date Rosa Santos, pushed through sinus infections and a bum knee, and decided to take control of my health by attending Orange Theory (and getting my butt kicked) and kickstarting running every Saturday morning plus doing an ab workout (with Lindsey!) every day.
  
  Life Highlights
  
  Well, everything from my If We Were Having Coffee post, if you’d like to click through and see. I also had an auction for my client Chloe Gong and you can add her book on Goodreads! Oh, and I tried on my wedding dress! It fit like a glove, so all we’ll need to do in alterations is raise the hemline a couple inches so I don’t trip over it. And last week I finally saw Mumford & Sons live! For years I’d joke that I’d marry the man who took me to a Mumford concert––and look, I’m marrying him! Haha. And, gosh, one more wedding thing, we have registries now. My mother was clearly so excited about it that she already purchased something on it. I had to tell her to stop because we didn’t have the right quantities or colors yet (scanned lots of things to look at again in a week or so). Apparently she had to then tell the rest of the family OOPS it’s not really ready yet! Oh, mothers.
  
  Bookmarked in the Community
  
  Since I’m spending more time on IG than I am on blog posts, I’m going to include some discussion topics I really liked while scrolling through the feed.
  1. “Addicted to Audiobooks” @ So Obsessed With — Hannah offers great recommendations for books on audio. Audio is seeing a resurgence in popularity in recent years, and loads of books are available for you to listen to while working, cleaning, driving…
  2. “What a Reading Year So Far” @ Bookmark Lit — Lauren shares some of her favorite books so far this year, plus the ways she thinks her reading habits have changed in order to read more books she’s drawn to.
  3. How do you cure a book hangover? @greadsbooks — Sometimes you read a different genre, sometimes you don’t read a book for a week or so, sometimes you watch TV…Ginger has a great discussion on all the ways we get over book hangovers.
  4. What was the last book you re-read that felt new to you? @soobsessedblog — Hannah spent the entire month of February re-reading old favorites. Some of them were books she hadn’t touched since the first time she read them!
  5. Which big books intimidate you but you want to read? @idlewildreads — There’s something about door-stopping fiction that gives many readers pause. Why? And which books do that for you? Have you read them, and if so, what did you think?
  6. Reading goals, big books, and motivations, @justagirlwithabook— Jessica brings up an excellent topic that I feel deeply, especially when I made my own reading goals for this year: reading for a goal number and reading for pleasure (which tends to be a lot of big books not meant for racing).
  7. What are some of the things you’ve realized about your reading habits or preferences since joining bookstagram? @eviebookish — Change “bookstagram” to really any social media platform and you’re in for a great discussion! For me, I think the biggest change of all is that I purchased books I intended to read the second I came home from the store. Now I have whole bookcases dedicated to books I was excited about but haven’t gotten to yet.
  Popular Posts on Scribbles
  1. Deal Announcement: Chloe Gong, YA Fantasy — How could this not be popular? You’re in for a treat, friends.
  2. If We Were Having Coffee — This is likely because I hadn’t posted in a while, but I wanted to be real with readers.
  3. Over on IG, Are you reading for quality or quantity?, inspired by this article which really resonated with me.
  4. Also over on IG, You are more than your number, inspired by all the discussions and stories lamenting over follower count, popularity, and how toxic social media can sometimes be.
  Cherished Reads
  
  She dropped the stone into a pan. “Stop turning into a statue, and you won’t have to deal with this.” She briefly paused to glare at him. “This is the third time I’ve had to treat you . . . people are not meant to shift into rocks!”
  
  He looked a little ashamed. “It’s very peaceful.”
  
  ––The Kingdom of Copper by SA Chakraborty ★★★★★
  
  “Where did you get all these from? Mr. Blezard in Padiham?”
  
  “Women I know,” she said.
  
  “Wise women?”
  
  “Most women are wise.”
  
  ––The Familiars by Stacey Halls ★★★★
  
  “It is very nice how many books there are, indeed; and on so many subjects.”
  
  ––His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik ★★★★ (coming soon!)
  
  Reading Goals
  
  In order to keep track of my 2019 resolutions, I’m keeping an updated roundup here each season of my progress.
  
  Required Reading: 4/15
  
  Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close || A Gentleman in Moscow
  An American Marriage || Is It All In Your Head?
  
  Library Books (For Fun): 3/10
  
  The Light Over London || When You Read This || The Familiars
  
  Marillier & Gabaldon: 0/2
  
  TBR Pile: 2/10
  
  The Kingdom of Copper || A Curious Beginning
  
  Genre Fiction: 6
  
  MYSTERY || A Curious Beginning
  HISTORICAL || The Light Over London, A Gentleman in Moscow, The Familiars
  FANTASY || The Kingdom of Copper, His Majesty’s Dragon
  
  Overall Challenge: 12/45
  
  On the Radar . . .
  
  Netflix / TV / Film: It’s been a long season of loads of Netflix and Redbox: Planet Earth II, Christopher Robin, Tidying Up, Grace & Frankie, One Day at a Time, Bohemian Rhapsody, Queer Eye season 3…And two rounds of binge-watching The Office. My favorite was Grace & Frankie though, and I’m looking forward to the next season already!
  
  Shopping Bag: In an effort to stick to my word, I’ve become a Fabletics member and now am the proud and excited owner of some excellent workout clothing! Throwing down the money for some proper clothing really is my own motivator. I wouldn’t want to let them go to waste!
  
  Miscellaneous: Marie Kondo’s Kon Mari method impacted my household, too. Our closets are leaner, our drawers folded nicely, the books examined and evaluated (I donated ~150 books from my TBR cases!), and once it properly warms up for spring we’re going to air out the apartment and really deep clean and extreme tidy the closets and remaining storage spaces.
  
  Looking Ahead . . .
  
  April through June is going to be packed. I think I’m subconsciously trying to preemptively make up for the rest-of-life-slow-down August through October in favor of all things wedding, which meant saying yes to lots of things in the spring. April, May, and June I’m traveling to writing conferences, April and May I’m participating in WisRWA, I’m working extra weekends at the library, and then there’s all the meetings pertaining to the wedding planning happening as well. Let’s hope I survive all of this…
  
  ~
  
  What have you been up to this season / this month? Any new obsessions or good reads or great music? Share some of your favorites here, and let me know if I should check out any great blog posts!
  Posted in This Season's Rewind | 1 Comment | Tagged rewind, this season's rewind
- Book Review: “The Familiars” by Stacey Halls
  
  Posted at 7:45 am by Laura, on March 21, 2019
  
  The Familiars by Stacey Halls
  
  Publisher: MIRA
  Published: February 2019
  Genre: historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780778369189
  Rating: ★★★★
  
  Young Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a noblewoman, is with child again. None of her previous pregnancies have borne fruit, and her husband, Richard, is anxious for an heir. Then Fleetwood discovers a hidden doctor’s letter that carries a dire prediction: she will not survive another birth. By chance she meets a midwife named Alice Grey, who promises to help her deliver a healthy baby. But Alice soon stands accused of witchcraft.
  
  Is there more to Alice than meets the eye? Fleetwood must risk everything to prove her innocence. As the two women’s lives become intertwined, the Witch Trials of 1612 loom. Time is running out; both their lives are at stake. Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other.
  
  Fleetwood Shuttleworth is a young noblewoman living near Pendle Hill in 1612 and approaching her fourth pregnancy with trepidation. Her other pregnancies have failed and she’s terrified this one will be the death of her. She requires the midwifery services of Alice Grey, who is later accused of witchcraft along with a dozen other women in the Lancaster area. Desperate to prove her innocence, Fleetwood defies the men in her life and tries to piece together the puzzle of Alice’s unfortunate situation.
  
  This solidly historical novel, with writing and atmosphere that feels like there’s a touch of magic, recounts the Pendle Witch Trials in northern England, taken from transcripts, letters, and notes of the time. Halls does an incredible job of making the reader question if Alice really was a witch––the eerie coincidences, Fleetwood’s moments of fear, and the misunderstandings of the townspeople are full of the uncanny and unsettling. Hundreds of years later our society is fascinated by witch trials and witch hunts––what really happened, what caused them, and why don’t we believe it now––and let’s just say Halls really nails it with this novel.
  
  Poor, illiterate women were the scapegoats for any instances of misunderstanding or coincidences. These women were also relied upon (“wise women”) to serve their villages and towns with their knowledge of herbal medicines and remedies––far more than any doctor at the time, and far more successful. Whether people (particularly men) were offended or threatened by them for their poverty and illiteracy, or for their expertise in something one was not familiar with, or for the plain fact they were female and it offended one’s masculinity, these “wise women” were sought out and accused of witchcraft. In the case of the Pendle witches, they were poor, possible mentally abused and traumatized, and neighbors as well––perhaps there was a long familial rivalry and things just snapped––and immediately were the ones blamed for all bad luck in the Lancaster area.
  
  In a way, Hall makes us examine just how much we’ve “grown” from these trials. We still have prejudices against the poor, mentally ill, and boundary-pushing women, all who are still at risk of being pushed down, silenced, and minimized. They’re not witches anymore, but they’re still “unwanted” members of society.
  
  Politics aside, I was enamored with the writing, the power behind the story, and all that women were still able to do (in very roundabout ways) in order to stand with each other on the right side of justice. Excellent, atmospheric novel!
  
  This qualifies as book 3 of 10 in my library books challenge.
  
  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: historical fiction, review
- Book Review: “The Light Over London” by Julia Kelly
  
  Posted at 6:15 am by Laura, on March 18, 2019
  
  The Light Over London by Julia Kelly
  
  Publisher: Gallery
  Published: January 2019
  Genre: historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781501196416
  Rating: ★★★★
  
  It’s always been easier for Cara Hargraves to bury herself in the past than confront the present, which is why working with a gruff but brilliant antiques dealer is perfect. While clearing out an estate, she pries open an old tin that holds the relics of a lost relationship: among the treasures, a World War II-era diary and a photograph of a young woman in uniform. Eager to find the author of the hauntingly beautiful, unfinished diary, Cara digs into this soldier’s life, but soon realizes she may not have been ready for the stark reality of wartime London she finds within the pages.
  
  In 1941, nineteen-year-old Louise Keene’s life had been decided for her—she’ll wait at home in her Cornish village until her wealthy suitor returns from war to ask for her hand. But when Louise unexpectedly meets Flight Lieutenant Paul Bolton, a dashing RAF pilot stationed at a local base, everything changes. And changes again when Paul’s unit is deployed without warning.
  
  Desperate for a larger life, Louise joins the women’s branch of the British Army in the anti-aircraft gun unit as a Gunner Girl. As bombs fall on London, she and the other Gunner Girls relish in their duties to be exact in their calculations, and quick in their identification of enemy planes during air raids. The only thing that gets Louise through those dark, bullet-filled nights is knowing she and Paul will be together when the war is over. But when a bundle of her letters to him are returned unanswered, she learns that wartime romance can have a much darker side.
  
  While searching through a client’s estate for antiques to bring back to the shop, Cara stumbles across an old tin filled with trinkets and a diary. The diary belongs to a young Cornish woman in 1941, experiencing her first romance and making a name for herself as a Gunner Girl. Cara has experienced recent turmoil in her life and solving the mystery of the owner of the diary rejuvenates her. She is determined to identify the owner of the diary and return it to her, especially because it may lead to answers in Cara’s own family’s past. The Gunner Girl, Louise, breaks free from her mother’s oppressive control by enlisting in the ATS, and then becoming one of the first women in Ack-Ack Command, shooting down German planes bombing London and other large cities—but she also finds herself caught in a whirlwind romance that does more harm than good.
  
  I was listening to this book on audio, two hours away from finishing, when I had to return it to the library—so I ran to the bookstore and bought it to finish! I love the WWII fiction that’s coming out lately, focusing on the brilliant efforts women made during the war, the unsung heroes and lesser-known stories, the powerful female friendships taking center stage over the wartime romances. Don’t get me wrong, romance is fine, but the accounts of these brave women are far more inspiring, empowering, and interesting to me. (Plus I love a good modern-day heroine who is a curator, archivist, librarian, etc…)
  
  What touched me most about this novel was Louise’s story. She’s swept up into a love affair as epic as the movies, full of urgency due to the war. She’s desperate to leave her mother’s grasp and defiant in anything her mother believed, but also wants to find herself in the midst of turmoil. Her search for an identity, to know herself and her strengths and weaknesses, and subsequently finding the thrill of independence among other like-minded women, was such a joy to read, even during her naivete in love. I want more of this. More female empowerment, more female friendships, and less focus on finding The One in order to make oneself “whole.” The Light Over London is all about second chances, starting over, reinvention, independence, and strength amidst chaos.
  
  This book is perfect for fans of Guernsey Literary and The Alice Network (likely also Lilac Girls and The Nightingale, though I’ve yet to read those!). Next on my TBR is The Huntress so expect lots of feminist history reviews!
  
  This qualifies as book 2 of 10 in my library books challenge.
  
  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: historical fiction, review
- Mini Reviews
  
  Posted at 6:25 am by Laura, on February 25, 2019
  
  Today I’m sharing two vastly different novels — one is deeply character-driven, and the other deeply plot-driven — both eliciting similar ratings for enjoyment. Should be fun!
  
  A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
  
  Publisher: Viking
  Published: September 2016
  Genre: historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery.
  
  Mini Review: I was pleasantly surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this novel. Character-driven narratives are my jam, but for a novel to be almost entirely devoid of plot was astounding. This novel follows a man living in confinement as a Former Person in a Moscow hotel following the Revolution. He was once a member of the aristocracy, and as the decades pass he continues to live with one foot in nostalgia and one foot looking toward the future. I enjoyed his turn of phrase, how he made the most of his circumstances, and the way time (passage of, experience within the moment, and history itself) altered while he was trapped in the hotel. He was an individual who still saw his “comrades,” the believers of the People as one homogeneous group, as individuals. When one girl’s life rests in his hands, he moves from a life of leisure to one of purpose, which was a joy to watch develop. (The experience was a bit like reading a narrative of the Earl of Grantham through the eyes of Carson the Butler in Downton Abbey.) I can’t pinpoint what exactly pushed me through to continue reading, but I’m glad I did!
  
  When You Read This by Mary Adkins
  
  Publisher: Harper
  Published: February 2019
  Genre: contemporary
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: For four years, Iris Massey worked side by side with PR maven Smith Simonyi, helping clients perfect their brands. But Iris has died, taken by terminal illness at only thirty-three. Adrift without his friend and colleague, Smith is surprised to discover that in her last six months, Iris created a blog filled with sharp and often funny musings on the end of a life not quite fulfilled. She also made one final request: for Smith to get her posts published as a book. With the help of his charmingly eager, if overbearingly forthright, new intern Carl, Smith tackles the task of fulfilling Iris’s last wish. Before he can do so, though, he must get the approval of Iris’ big sister Jade, an haute cuisine chef who’s been knocked sideways by her loss. Each carrying their own baggage, Smith and Jade end up on a collision course with their own unresolved pasts and with each other.
  
  Mini Review: Perfect for fans of Attachments and Eleanor Oliphant, this novel is a modern-day epistolary told through emails, blog posts, online therapy submissions, text messages, and other snippets from the characters’ virtual lives. There’s so much that can be gleaned from a person’s online presence! Though the formatting kept me from deeply connecting to the characters, I really enjoyed this quick read for all the ways one can see how people go about their days — their “external” communications with other people, as well as their “internal” struggles that still leave a footprint online (for example, all those pizza deliveries!). It’s also a captivating discussion on grief and death in the modern age — by emailing or writing on the loved one’s wall, knowing they’ll never see it or respond to it but somehow it helps us cope — that remarkably stays bittersweet and even funny without becoming too gloomy.
  
  This qualifies as book 1 of 10 in my library books challenge.
  
  Posted in Reviews 2019 | 0 Comments | Tagged genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: historical fiction, mini review, review
- Deal Announcement: Chloe Gong, YA Fantasy
  
  Posted at 12:13 pm by Laura, on February 22, 2019
  
  Deal Announcements feature my most recent deal as an agent and the story behind it. Writers and readers should experience how an agent knows when they’ve struck gold and sign an author, the beginning of the journey to publication.
  
  I’m so excited to announce the publication of Chloe Gong‘s These Violent Delights!
  
  Tricia Lin at Simon Pulse has acquired, at auction, Chloe Gong‘s debut YA fantasy These Violent Delights, pitched as a Romeo and Juliet retelling by way of The Godfather. A monster has awakened in 1920s Shanghai, killing off citizens and stirring trouble between two feuding gangs. The rival heirs, Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai, must work together before the monster destroys all they hold dear, even while the Chinese Civil War breaks out around them. Publication is planned for fall 2020; Laura Crockett at TriadaUS Literary Agency did the two-book deal for North American rights.
  
  Once upon a time…
  
  In early summer 2018, I received an intricate, complicated, multi-layered, no-way-she’s-a-rising-sophomore query for a gorgeous, thrilling, and dark manuscript that was a blend of historical science fiction fantasy. I was immensely intrigued and requested to read 50 pages…and a week later requested to read the full…and a week after that (which was about two weeks before I left for Greece) I offered representation. I was so blown away by Chloe’s writing, enthusiasm, skill, and intelligence (she’s going to rule the world one day, mark my words) and I knew I had to represent her! Her acceptance was the last email I read before flying out of the country!
  
  Before diving into edits we needed to clear up some matters. I wanted to be sure nothing bad would happen to her academically or legally if we were to publish her work, as she is a student in the US from New Zealand. We spoke with her academic and international advisors to make sure every rule was followed, as well as making sure none of this would complicate her studies. With the green light, we were able to dive into edits, polish this up, and present this to editors across YA and Adult markets. (I mean seriously, it’s that good.)
  
  It was so important that the editor not only connected to the writing and story, but also to the Chinese experiences, to the history of Russia’s pogroms, to the deep understanding of Shanghai’s tumultuous history, to the complicated matters of generational and cultural diaspora. Tricia Lin hustled for this project, and I’m so thrilled she and Chloe will be bringing These Violent Delights into the world!
  
  And the rest…is history.
  
  Congratulations, Chloe! You’re going to be a published author!
  
  Posted in agenting, deal announcement | 6 Comments | Tagged agenting, deal announcement
- If We Were Having Coffee…*
  
  Posted at 2:08 pm by Laura, on February 17, 2019
  
  *Titled as such even though I prefer tea because saying “if we were having tea” sounds so high brow for a Midwestern American.
  
  Hello! Happy Sunday afternoon. It’s been a while since I’ve updated the blog, and I thought I’d gather ’round here and have a little chat about life. Grab your favorite hot beverage and let’s swap updates…
  
  If we were having coffee… I would tell you that I recently purchased a brand new laptop for work, which meant giving up all of my Adobe Creative Suite software. I’m now without my favorite Photoshop and InDesign programs, and relying on Canva until I decide which of the two I’m willing to subscribe to for the year. Y’all, seriously, I understand the cloud is great and everything, but do we really need to do subscription services each year for all of these programs, and therefore boatloads of money down the drain? I’d rather go back to disc downloads…*sigh* I used InDesign for my blog (though it’s not as if I’m designing a whole lot), and I used Photoshop for social media (and again, it’s not as if I was using it a lot), though the thought of going without one of the programs is daunting. Especially when I’m not a huge fan of what Canva can offer so far, at least on the free platform. What do you use?
  
  If we were having coffee… I would tell you that January was a very difficult month for my family. Without going into detail, let’s just say it made work life, personal life, and me-time a dark and stormy place. Thankfully we’re out of the woods and everything is much better and looking to only get better from here, but man! It really was scary, the beginning of this year.
  
  If we were having coffee… I’d tell you that wedding planning is going well and on track. We have the hotel and attendants’ clothing locked in, we’ve narrowed down the florals, we’re going to have linen discussions in March, and all the marriage counseling and church-related elements are underway. We’re even thinking about our honeymoon in spring 2020! Whenever I tell people this they seem impressed and shocked — I guess that means we’re ahead of the game? What else would you expect when bride, groom, mother-of-the-bride, and mother-of-the-groom are all Type A? Spreadsheets are our friends.
  
  If we were having coffee… I’d tell you that I’ve had a rough time of it with my reading for 2019. I’ve DNF’d as many books as I’ve actually completed reading so far this year (if not more than). I knew going into this year that my challenge would be to read books I genuinely enjoy and to set aside books that just aren’t hitting the right notes for me — to focus on quality over quantity. However, on the flip side, I’m carving out time for myself in the mornings to read for pleasure, and that’s been very rewarding. Instead of hitting snooze several times and racing out of bed to start my day in a rush, I’m getting up with the alarm, taking my time, easing into the day before 8am and feeling refreshed for work by 9am. It’s fantastic! What are your morning routines? In what ways do you carve out time for yourself?
  
  If we were having coffee… I’d tell you that I’m debating about doing some sort of social media detox. At least on FB and Twitter. (Perhaps it’ll be my thing to give up for Lent.) It feels so toxic, especially Twitter, with its echo chamber and voices shouting into the void and repetitive drama. At this point I’m here to help my clients promote their books, and that’s it. I’m rarely on there for anything else. Have you had issues with social media? Have you tried going on a detox before (and if so, how’d that turn out for you)?
  
  If we were having coffee… I’d tell you that agenting is going so well. I’m super proud of all my clients and what they’re accomplishing, and I can’t wait to share all sorts of good news! I’m also incredibly thankful for the encouragement and advice from other agents in the industry. It takes five to seven years (years) to really get your career off the ground, to start reaping the rewards of all the hard work and hours you put into this job, all for a tiny slice of commission. The first two years were very hard, the third year I started to get more clients, more deals, and year four was the best to date. I’m only partially in my fifth year and I can actually see myself living on this income. I can’t tell you how thrilling that is, especially because I’m in a field that’s entirely a game of luck and chance. I’m sure other self-employed / entrepreneurs out there get what I’m saying. 2019 is a catch-22 year for me, though, in terms of time and human ability to get All The Things Done, and I’m already falling behind on reading requested submissions. Cross fingers success continues, and perhaps I’ll be able to step away from my part-time work and truly enter agenting wholly, completely full-time.
  
  If we were having coffee… I’d confess that I really miss Greece right now. Spring can hurry up and get here, but only if it includes the bluest of blues Aegean Sea and cloudless skies and endless cooling breeze on hot, sunny days. I’m such a fall/winter girl, but Syros really spoiled me for good summer weather.
  
  ~
  
  So, how are you doing? What’s new with you? Let’s chat!
  
  Posted in Update Post | 14 Comments | Tagged if we were having coffee, personal
- Book Review: “The Kingdom of Copper” by SA Chakraborty (ARC)
  
  Posted at 7:30 am by Laura, on January 8, 2019
  
  The Kingdom of Copper by SA Chakraborty
  
  Publisher: Harper Voyager
  Publishing Date: January 22
  Genre: fantasy
  ISBN: 9780062678133
  Rating: ★★★★★
  
  With Daevabad entrenched in the dark aftermath of a devastating battle, Nahri must forge a new path for herself. But even as she embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she’s been trapped in a gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to her family—and one misstep will doom her tribe..
  
  Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the marid—the unpredictable water spirits—have gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried.
  
  And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad’s towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews unseen in the desolate north. It’s a force that would bring a storm of fire straight to the city’s gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a peace he fears he will never deserve.
  
  Five years after the traumatizing attack on those Nahri held most dear, Nahri is married to the emir, trying to establish a home for herself in a kingdom run by a controlling madman, and searching for that spark of inspiration and hope for Daevabad’s inhabitants. Ali, meanwhile, has been exiled to the sands, and is struggling to control his new water magic, twisting it to be useful for the people of the desert rather than something to cause destruction. As a generation celebration draws near, Ali is summoned home and Nahri must work alongside him to restore a ruined hospital, a symbol of peace and hope for the city. Little do they know that a warrior is in their midst, and every fine thread they’ve grappled to hold onto will snap in the blink of an eye.
  
  The Kingdom of Copper was one of my most anticipated reads for 2019. I adored the first of the trilogy, and this book held up to my expectations. It’s just as heart-pounding, adventurous, political, humorous, and heart-breaking! Nahri is fully immersed in court culture, trapped in a golden cage and struggling to find a way to express herself without fear of Ghassan’s wrath and tyrannical power. She’s also grown in her magic as well, and I thoroughly loved the way the palace speaks to her and answers her call. While The City of Brass introduced us to the politics and magic of this world, Kingdom of Copper immerses us further into its history, the way prejudices run deep, and introduces us to the vast array of creatures and their abilities. From beginning to end, I was immersed in the magic of these pages. The fate of Daevabad lies in the family drama at the heart of the city.
  
  Thank you, Harper Voyager, for providing the galley for review!
  
  The rest of the review will contain spoilers. If you have not read The City of Brass yet and would like to remain unspoiled, please do not read below the break.
  
  Continue reading →
  
  Posted in books, Reviews 2019 | 1 Comment | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, review, rock my TBR
- Flipping Through the Pages: Autumn Rewind 2018
  
  Posted at 7:45 am by Laura, on January 3, 2019
  Instead of participating in the Monthly Rewind meme, every three months I’ll update the world on my life from the previous season. Enjoy the Seasonal Rewind!
  
  Through the Lens
  
  October through December was a busy whirlwind. In October we had our engagement shots taken, in November Tasha’s debut Empire of Sand released, and in December I made a roundup of my favorite books of 2018––all seven of which were five-star reads!
  
  Life Highlights
  
  Part of the whirlwind of the fall months was all the wedding planning we accomplished. I found my dress and veil, we found the photographer and immediately took engagement photos about two weeks after, and we picked our DJ (three of the four things I needed last season!). November brought on Thanksgiving in town, and we had relatives from Ohio and Arizona come in to celebrate in a relaxed and fulfilling way. December was chaotic with all the music commitments, but by the time Christmas Eve rolled around I felt the joy, peace, and wonder of the season. My family also flew out to Nebraska to visit my future in-laws, and we came back in time to ring in the new year with friends. In agent life news, I’m super thrilled to share (again) the sale of KayLynn’s YA fantasy––we worked so hard to make the magic happen, and I can’t wait to share her world with…well, the rest of the world!
  
  Bookmarked in the Community
  1. “November 2018 Recap: On My Shelves” @ So Obsessed With — I admire Hannah’s ability to be a mother and still find the time to enjoy her personal hobbies. In this month in particular, she didn’t blog much but she read 30 books (*gasp!*)! It took me half a year to get to 30 books!
  2. “On Playing Catch-Up” @ BookmarkLit — On the flip side is Lauren, who talked about all the reasons she’s fallen behind on her usual reading, and the ways in which she’ll try to catch up or improve her reading. Plus, I admire a good spreadsheet and goals list!
  3. “My 2018 Retrospective” @ Alexa Loves Books — Alexa compiled a heartfelt post looking back on 2018 and all the ways in which she grew, discovered, and improved. It’s so wonderful especially when you have fantastic people surrounding you and supporting you in your hopes and endeavors.
  4. “Most Anticipated Books of 2019” @ Perpetual Page-Turner — Jamie compiles lists of anticipated adult books (this one highlighting the first half of the year) and I love scrolling through them! There are plenty on this list I’m looking forward to myself, including Priory of the Orange Tree (even though I haven’t read any of her other books) and The Au Pair (even though suspense/thriller is not at all something I like to read––this one looks really good nonetheless).
  Popular Posts on Scribbles
  
  Ignoring my MSWL post, which gets hundreds of hits a month…(yay!)
  1. Book Review: Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield — Setterfield is one of my favorite authors, purely for The Thirteenth Tale, and it was so great to see that storytelling style happen again in her third novel.
  2. End of Year Book Survey V — I love doing this round up! It really helps you look back on your reading year and realizing which books stand out most to you. Apparently a year goes by and I’m still in awe and anguish over The City of Brass, haha!
  3. 2019 Bookish Resolutions and Reading Challenges — All in all, 2018 was a difficult reading year for me, so I made my resolutions as a way of reminding me what reading is all about: enjoyment. Read what you enjoy. Life is short. No one needs to spend time doing something they don’t like, so I’ve given myself permission to set books aside even if they’re just meh.
  Cherished Reads
  
  The Romanov Empress by CW Gortner ★★★★.5
  
  Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce ★★★★★
  
  Goodbye, Paris by Anstey Harris ★★★★★
  
  Progress Update on Reading Challenges
  
  Required Library Books: 15 / 17
  
  The Passion of Dolssa || Big Little Lies || The Zookeeper’s Wife
  Saga Volume 1 || The Night Bookmobile || Sweetbitter
  The Psychopath Test || Planetfall || A Long Way Home
  Ocean at the End of the Lane || Small Great Things || The Innkeeper at Ivy Hill
  The Glass Castle || The Circle || Goodbye, Paris
  
  Fun Library Books: 16 / 5
  
  Mr. Churchill’s Secretary || Surprise Me || Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
  My Oxford Year || Malice at the Palace || The Bird and the Blade
  Save the Date || Radio Girls || Kings of the Wyld
  The Lost Queen || The Romanov Empress || Dear Mrs. Bird
  The Glass Ocean || Meet Me at the Museum || Empress of All Seasons
  In Your Dreams
  
  Marillier & Gabaldon Challenge: 0 / 8
  
  Fantasy:
  
  The City of Brass || Spinning Silver || The Queens of Innis Lear
  A Secret History of Witches || The Bird and the Blade
  Kings of the Wyld || The Girl in the Tower || Empress of All Seasons
  
  Historical Fiction:
  
  Between Two Fires || Mr Churchill’s Secretary || The Passion of Dolssa
  Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie || The Clockmaker’s Daughter
  Radio Girls || The Lost Queen || The Romanov Empress
  Dear Mrs. Bird || Once Upon a River
  
  Rock My TBR: 11 / 16
  
  Crazy Rich Asians || The Passion of Dolssa || The City of Brass
  Between Two Fires || Now That You Mention It || Slightly South of Simple
  The Queens of Innis Lear || Royals || China Rich Girlfriend
  A Secret History of Witches || The Girl in the Tower
  
  Overall Challenge: 47 / 45*
  
  *It was clear I wouldn’t be able to reach 50 books, and I was bummed about that. So I adjusted it to 45 and felt much better about my accomplishment. (Yes, that’s how this year has been.)
  
  Random Obsessions
  
  On TV/Netflix: New GBBO episodes––for New Beginnings, the two new seasons with Pru, Sandy, and Noel, as well as the holiday episodes––kept me busy during the holiday season. I was also vegging out in front of The Office. It all began with wanting to watch Christmas episodes, and turned into a full-blown multi-season rewatch…
  
  On Film: Finally saw The Family Stone and Die Hard on New Year’s Eve. One because it’s totally my kind of movie and I hadn’t seen it before; another because everyone’s trying to convince me it’s a Christmas movie (it’s not; it’s set at Christmas with Christmas music but it is not a Christmas movie).
  
  In the Shopping Bag: Old Navy’s 50% sale in November burned a hole in my wallet, but other than that I’ve kept things on the down low. Girl’s gotta pay for 2019 health insurance.
  
  Miscellaneous: I swear, I swear, this is the last time I will binge chips and queso. I SWEAR.
  
  Looking Toward the Future
  
  Clarissa’s Bear No Malice came out January 1, the Beau’s birthday is coming up, followed by my birthday, and lots of further wedding planning (hotel blocks, transportation, rehearsal dinner, save the dates, cake, and attendants’ outfits). Wish me luck!
  
  What have you been up to this season / this month? Any new obsessions or good reads or great music? Share some of your favorites here, and let me know if I should check out any great blog posts!
  Posted in This Season's Rewind | 6 Comments | Tagged rewind, this season's rewind
- MSWL for 2019
  
  Posted at 5:15 pm by Laura, on January 1, 2019
  
  Also Known As
  What I’d Like to See in my Agent Inbox in 2019
  
  In general, my manuscript wish list stays the same no matter the season or year! But for 2019, I’m really hoping to see these kinds of projects in particular appear in my inbox. Similar to 2018, but with some adjustments.
  
  Please note: my inbox is flooded with YA and Adult fantasy. I don’t mind that one bit! But I’m already pretty particular about fantasy, and I do represent a variety of fantasy writers already. To really expand my list, I’d like to see more in these categories and genres…
  
  ~
  
  Adult Historical Fiction || I love all sorts of historical fiction, especially when it branches off little-known aspects of history, or it takes on a fresh new look at popular historical events (WWI and WWII, for example, are incredibly common on the shelves, but it’s how the story is told or the unique perspective the story is told through that brings them to the shelves). For example, my favorite historical fiction includes Shadow on the Crown (Emma of Normandy and early British history), The Alice Network (WWI/WWII parallel narrative shining light on female spy networks), The Romanov Empress (about Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II), and Dear Mrs. Bird (WWII advice columnist/slice-of-life narrative). I would love to see some more light shed on impressive women in history and the things they accomplished despite society’s limitations (STEM, feminism, code-breaking, politics/reigns). Admittedly, I’m most drawn to European (specifically English) history, but I’m open to reading anything as long as the premise is compelling and fresh.
  
  Adult Contemporary/Historical Parallel Narratives in Fiction || There are great ways to introduce parallel narratives in historical and contemporary women’s fiction. Some of my favorites include anything pertaining to archivists, curators, scribes, researchers, and academics. Sometimes the parallel narrative is in the form of epistolary fiction –– artifacts and documents the curator, archivist, or researcher in the modern day stumbles across that takes us into the historical narrative literally (like The Weight of Ink and Possession) or figuratively (Meet Me at the Museum). I especially adore fiction that follows said curator, archivist, and academic on their journey, like The Clockmaker’s Daughter. I’m open to two historical narratives (Letters from Skye) as well as one historical and one contemporary, just as long as both narratives are tied in some way while still having two separate, compelling journeys.
  
  Adult Contemporary Women’s Fiction || Some of my favorite contemporary women’s fiction tends to be a bit on the morally ambiguous side of things, tackling taboo topics or shedding light on a hot-button issue in a new way. The queen of this, I think, is Jodi Picoult. I also adore women’s fiction that is about the average woman doing average things, experiencing the difficulties of everyday life, and growing from it — such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, A Window Opens, Leave Me, Goodbye, Paris, and The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living. On the flip-side, I love chick-lit — humorous women’s fiction that’s appealing to a millennial audience, about young women in the workplace and the silly things that happen in their life. My absolute favorite is Sophie Kinsella, along with The Hating Game, Attachments, and You and Me, Always. Romance is not a primary draw for me, but it doesn’t turn me off to the story, either!
  
  Adult Historical Fantasy || I’m such a sucker for these, especially if there are elements of romance. The voice and the writing in historical fantasy is exactly what I love about the two genres separately. It’s accessible, even when it’s a world entirely different from our own. The characters’ voices are enticing, their daily life is familiar, as if I’ve always been a part of it, thanks to the historical aspects of the world. Some of my favorite books and series, such as Outlander, Daughter of the Forest, and The Winter Witch, are historical fantasies. Others, such as City of Brass, Uprooted, The Bear and the Nightingale, and The Queen of Blood, are inspired by history and folklore, though not necessarily part of actual historical pasts. I’d love to see more historical fantasies inspired by other cultures’ histories and folklore, much like my client Tasha Suri’s Empire of Sand.
  
  Young Adult Contemporary Fiction || It is all about the voice for me when it comes to YA contemporary. When I read YA contemporary, I need to feel like I’m talking to my high school best friend. Teen readers can spot inauthenticity in a heartbeat, and you want to make sure you have their desires and heartbreaks in the voice of your protagonist. You’re not an adult trying to be a teen — you are a teen. That said, I am seeking fantastic rom-coms like When Dimple Met Rishi (technology camps!), Royals (royals’ sidekicks fall in love!) and Anna and the French Kiss (study abroad programs!), badass heroines like Dumplin’ (fighting against stereotypes!), books that handle mental states with honesty like When We Collided and What to Say Next, and great family and friendship dynamics like Emma Mills, Morgan Matson, and Jenny Han. Perfect examples of this are my own clients Jared Reck (A Short History of the Girl Next Door) and Nina Moreno (Don’t Date Rosa Santos). I’d love to see more characters with fun and interesting jobs, unique hobbies, and (as a past drum major) more marching band narratives! I tend to lean on the lighter side of things, with hope at the end of the tunnel, rather than something dark and gritty from the get go and very little humor to carry throughout. I do like tear-jerkers, but I want that spark of hope and inspiration at the end.
  
  Young Adult Historical || Historical fiction is very hard to break into in YA. Sometimes it needs to have magical elements, sometimes it needs to be an era that readers are familiar with. Look to your own city, look to the history books, look to your family history, and see what seemingly small event had a large impact for that area. A Prisoner of Night and Fog is set in Germany in the 1930s, not quite WWII but through the perspective of someone in the middle of the frightening changes in the country; Outrun the Moon is set during the San Francisco earthquake, and how race and economic status barriers fell in a state of emergency; A Madness So Discreet is set across America in the 1800s, battling patriarchy and standing up for those unlawfully sentenced to mental institutions; The Forbidden Orchid is set in Asia as a Victorian girl hunts down her father, a man in the middle of a race to find a perfect, rare orchid; The Bird and the Blade, though partially based on a folk tale, is inspired by historical events during the Mongol Empire and the Great Khan’s reign of power. There are so many more — but great YA historical fiction requires an intriguing and original premise, a general accessibility, and bringing the past to life. I would love to see historical fiction set outside the US and Western Europe!
  
  ~
  
  For a final once-over, feel free to follow my #mswl and #MSWLaesthetic on Twitter, read my Manuscript Wishlist post, follow submission guidelines, read up on Publishers Marketplace deals, and catch up on this blog once in a while to read my thoughts and reviews of published works. Every little bit helps to getting representation! Oh, and as a reminder:
  
  ALWAYS seeking: diversity. Race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, mentality, health, economic status, religious affiliation, all of it. The obvious shouldn’t need to be said — that I want my projects to reflect the beautiful diversity of the world, that I want to see and share with others life through another’s eyes, that I want to see these differences expressed through art and creation and culture, that these books need to be on bookshelves — but that’s the state of things. So yes, there is no question to it: I want diversity.
  
  ALWAYS open to queries: even during times of the year when publishing seems extra busy, or extra slow, or I’m on vacation or traveling — I am open to queries. I never close. I read every single query. It’s unfair to you as the writer to try to keep track of all the agents who are opened or closed, and (selfishly) it’s unfair to me to be closed when something truly remarkable could have been in my inbox for me to represent. SO! With that said, if I’m busy or traveling or on vacation, I’ll have an away message up with clear, simple instructions about what will happen with your query in the time I’m away. I am never closed to queries.
  
  NEVER seeking: anything set in space, anything set in the future, thrillers and suspense (psychological, military, legal, political, or otherwise), all nonfiction (poems, essays, memoirs, how-tos, everything nonfiction), paranormal romance, erotica. If your project uses any of these concepts to describe it, it’s an automatic no. I’m not the agent for any of these projects, so please do not send them to me.
  
  ~
  
  I hope this is helpful! I’m looking forward to receiving great manuscripts and selling lots in 2019!
  
  Posted in agenting | 0 Comments | Tagged agenting, personal
- 2019 Bookish Resolutions and Reading Challenges
  
  Posted at 9:15 am by Laura, on December 31, 2018
  
  To be perfectly honest, there were only a handful of standout books I read in 2018. I see my progress on Goodreads and looking back on the year doesn’t bring me much satisfaction or joy. With precious little time to spend reading for pleasure, I hope my goals in 2019 will help curate a great reading list on which to reflect and be proud.
  
  Major Goals
  
  READ 45 BOOKS || I’ve had to come to terms within the last year that challenging myself to fifty books really is, um, quite the challenge. Which is both good and bad. It means I’m spending more time dedicated to reading great manuscripts, but it also means finding the time to read for fun is getting limited. A friend suggested not setting a Goodreads goal, or feeling obligated to stick to it, and the mentality of it would change. Even still, I’ll shoot for forty-five great books this year! (I’ve already accepted there may be lots of DNFing.)
  
  READ 10 LIBRARY BOOKS || That won’t be hard, to be honest. I’ve been reading more and more from the library recently — I have a feeling I may surpass ten library books!
  
  READ MARILLIER AND GABALDON || Like I said last year (and failed) and the year before (and also failed), I want to read more Marillier and Gabaldon. It’s almost necessary now for Gabaldon, since Outlander season five will be out in 2019, and I haven’t finished that book yet! And for Marillier, I own so many of her books and left them unread, and really need to get through that pile.
  
  Bonus Goals
  
  READ MORE FROM TBR || Last year my goal was to read more from my TBR and less from ARCs. And I think overall an aspect of that went really well — I did read fewer ARCs! But I haven’t been very good with my TBR. Just take a look at my bookshelves, shaming me here in the living room as I type this…
  
  READ MORE GENRE FICTION || Part of my job at the library is to expand my readers advisory knowledge, and one genre I’m lacking in is mystery. I think I can dive into the genre with something more familiar to me — like historical fiction. There are a few historical mysteries on my TBR so I’ll start with those and go from there!
  
  What are your reading goals in 2019?
  
  Posted in books | 6 Comments | Tagged books, personal, resolutions
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- Hello, I’m Laura!
  
  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent and librarian, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I have a passion for Victorian culture, Gothic lit, and music. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to knit, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm obsessed with popcorn. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!
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Posted at 7:15 am by Laura, on April 1, 2019

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On the Radar . . .

Looking Ahead . . .

Posted at 7:45 am by Laura, on March 21, 2019

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Once upon a time…

And the rest…is history.

Posted at 2:08 pm by Laura, on February 17, 2019

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Posted at 7:45 am by Laura, on January 3, 2019

Through the Lens

Life Highlights

Bookmarked in the Community

Popular Posts on Scribbles

Cherished Reads

Progress Update on Reading Challenges

Random Obsessions

Looking Toward the Future

Posted at 5:15 pm by Laura, on January 1, 2019

Also Known As What I’d Like to See in my Agent Inbox in 2019

Posted at 9:15 am by Laura, on December 31, 2018

Major Goals

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What I’d Like to See in my Agent Inbox in 2019