Found family, lost

Today is the last day of my holidays. I've mostly spent it keeping out of Matthias's way, as he had to go back to work (from home) and he works in the living room. Although we work for the same employer, so I know all his colleagues, I don't like the idea of sitting awkwardly in the background during his online meetings.

We woke up this morning to actual snow — snow that had settled. It's melted now, but I'm boggling at seeing it in April, especially since a week or so ago we had temperatures in the mid-twenties. Snow settled on the branches of blossoming apple trees is a really incongruous sight!

Today's book meme prompt is:

12. A book that came to you at the wrong time

( My answer )

( The other days )

Author events on Instagram

I've mentioned this before, but one thing I've really been enjoying about the pandemic is the proliferation of online literary events, particularly those involving authors who live in other countries. Pre-Covid, I went to the odd 'in conversation' event in Cambridge, and occasionally travelled down to London for signings and discussions at the big Waterstones in Piccadilly, but I was obviously limited by distance and timings, and having to fit things in around my work schedule. These days, all such barriers have fallen away (although many events in the US are too late in the night for me).

I'm posting to alert my Dreamwidth circle to two such literary events, both on Instagram. The first has already happened, but the authors concerned recorded it, and you can view the video. It's a three-way discussion about Jewish people and Judaism in fantasy literature, with Ava Reid (whose upcoming book The Wolf and the Woodsman looks great!), Victoria Lee, and Chana (one half of paperprocrastinators; I didn't catch Chana's last name). I really enjoyed listening to the three authors enthuse about books, storytelling, worldbuilding, history and culture (and food). You can watch the video here, although I don't know if you need an Instagram account to be able to view it.

The other event is happening on Wednesday evening, UK time: Lucy Holland, in conversation with Vic James, live through the waterstones Instagram account, as a launch event for her book Sistersong (historical fantasy taking place in post-Roman, pre-Anglo-Saxon Britain). The event will begin at 7.30pm British Summer Time, and since it's through Instagram you won't need to sign up, just access the video at the relevant time. Further details are here. I would assume you'd need an Instagram account to view the event live, although I'm not one hundred per cent sure.

Anyway, I hope these are of interest to at least some of you!