It’s a pleasantly warm day today. Finally we got a little break from the scorching heat of this summer.
July went by too quickly, and unfortunately, I was unable to write a post. I had a lot of things going on. Like I said last time, I signed up for two creative writing classes this summer. They started on June 26th and July quickly became busy with classwork and my day job. Of course, there was plenty of reading to fit in as well and creative writing.
A quick video from a trip to the Birch Aquarium my husband and I made in July:
Writing Progress
At the moment I continue to be busy with coursework but I think that by the end of this month I should have a strong opening to my novel that will receive feedback from classmates.
Books I Read
I read several books since my last post. Going through them all would likely be tedious so instead I will list them all and pick a couple to highlight.
•Trust by Hernan Diaz•
I finished Trust and reeaally enjoyed it. I kept thinking about it for days after I had finished the book and started reading another. Hernan Diaz did a great job of sewing together four different narratives that captivate the reader and create a distorted view of reality. The book revolves around the stock market crash of the 1920s and a powerful couple that actually benefits from the crash. By the end of the book it’s hard to know what the truth of the “facts” actually are and whose account one can trust.
•The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton•
An oldie but goodie. There was something about Trust that reminded me of The Age of Innocence. I had read this book many years ago and so returning to it was a treat since I couldn’t remember exactly what happened. After reading the book I can see how I made a loose connection to the book Trust and am really glad I re-read it as it is a captivating story about a young man and his romantic adventures seeped in the social culture of his time and then contrasted in the end by the standards of the next generation.
•Pax by Sara Pennypacker•
I confess I decided to read this book because the cover is so cute. The little fox in a whimsical looking forest. Loved it, read it and now love it even more. The story was not what I expected. It had depth and meaning and loss and ultimately broke my heart, in a good way. This story is a must read for young readers as it is captivating with a profound message for us all. In the end I picked up the sequel – Pax, Journey Home and can’t wait to read it.
Other books I read:
- The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
- Still Life by Louise Penny
- Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin
- Sea Change by Gina Chung
What I am reading now
- Goodnight, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea
- The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
- Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
A Look Ahead
This month I am looking forward to finishing the courses I enrolled in. Officially the last deliverables are due by around September 3rd but at this point in time it feels like with the end of August will also come the end of these classes. I am excited to get back some of my time and to be able to spend more time working on my story. I feel like this year I have assimilated a lot of the fundamental concepts I picked up the year before and I am excited to dig deeper and craft a better story. Also, the holidays are quickly coming at us so it’ll be nice not to have extra stress on my shoulders during that time.
Hope you all enjoy August and the summertime.
Until next time,
Angelica Sophia
Angelica Sophia 
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