Joan Didion just published another book. Yay!

I was in high school when I discovered the writing of Joan Didion. I can't remember which book was my gateway, either The White Album or Slouching Toward Bethlehem, but I was beginning to see that I wanted to be a writer myself and her elliptical style hypnotized me. I wanted to write that way. It was the first time I'd really analyzed "style' outside of an English class. And the first time I truly realized that something so effortless-seeming was actually insanely difficult. I cannot wait to read her latest book, which is out today. I have been a working writer for several decades now and I still have so much to learn from her.

Free Urban Fantasy giveaway

It's Monday, and there's a new Instafreebie giveaway!  This one is for Urban Fantasy novels. My favorite genre after mystery. Check out the freebies here.

God love Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Keep Her Safe

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (aka the Notorious RBG)  is my spirit animal. She's impressive enough now, but check out what she did before she joined the Supreme Court.
Ginsburg is a tiny woman (5'1") but she is the very embodiment of the Shakespeare quote, "Though she be but little, she is fierce."

Free Fae!

I've been wanting to read India Drummond's Blood Faerie and today, I snagged it free for signing up for her newsletter. You can too by going to Instafreebie.

The Next Book You Need to Read

This is a YA novel that's about something other than young love. It's a debut novel. You will be seeing more of author Angie Thomas. And you will not forget reading this one.
This is the blurb:

Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, Angie Thomas’s searing debut about an ordinary girl in extraordinary circumstances addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart, and unflinching honesty. Soon to be a major motion picture from Fox 2000/Temple Hill Productions.
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Happy Birthday Patricia A, McKillip!

Actually, Patricia McKillip is a leap year baby, born on Febraury 29, but let us celebrate her today! And also let us celebrate the publication of her newest book, The Kingfisher, which came out earlier this month.

I devoured her books when I was younger--loved the Riddle Master trilogy--but got distracted by work and life and other writers and sort of forgot about her. But recently I saw an add for the omnibus edition of Riddle Master of Hed and wondered how many books of hers I missed out on. Turns out...quite a few. So early Christmas present to me.

The Bill of Rights

Right now, the popular vote loser who occupies the White House (when he isn't in Florida at his golf club), seems bent on destroying the bedrock foundation of rights that this country was built on. If you're wondering exactly what's laid out in the Bill of Rights, the Bill of Rights Institute has the text and tons of educational resources. Here's a brief history of the Bill of Rights provided by the ACLU, the organization that is on the front lines of protecting these rights. And just in case you want a pocket-sized Constitution to keep handy, you can buy a 10-pack for $12 here.  That's enough that you can mail the extra to anyone who might need a refresher course. The mailing list for the White House is: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 2050.