Short Story Advent Calendar Unveiling: December 21 and 22

Here we go-only three days left after today!
I’ve gotten into a terrible habit lately. I visit the Buzzfeed website quite often these days, and I frequently find myself clicking through their lists of whatever, marveling at the fact that whatever they come up with seems to be right up my alley. Literally, whatever they combine into some sort of list or tally,…
So, I don’t normally review ‘coffee table’ books but I made an exception for this one because it’s a picture book of cats on outdoor adventures. Yes, you read that right, cats are in canoes, hiking mountains and perching on paddle boards in the great white north that is the Canadian wilderness. Bolt and Keel…
I’m feeling perkier and perkier as we inch closer to Christmas. Part of that is because my cold is improving (yay!) but another big part of it is the fact that I can now taste food again, specifically chocolate. As you’ll see in this latest video, I received a big beautiful gift of chocolates last…
As the economy continues to take a nose dive here in Alberta, I’m becoming more and more determined to read local and encouraging others to do the same. When possible, buying locally-authored books from an independent book store is even better because it keeps the money in your community PLUS it helps the publishing industry…
Can I get a hurrah for linked short story collections? Frying Plantain by Zalika Reid-Benta is a quiet yet decisive book that doesn’t gloss over the first and second generation immigrant experience in Canada. And instead of getting a disjointed look at these experiences through a raft of different characters, we follow one person, Kara…
If you were ever wondering how to pick up a maid in Statue Square, you will quickly find the answer to your question in Rea Tarvydas’s debut collection of short stories (whew, am I right?). Statue Square by the way, is a real place in Hong Kong, and I’ve tracked down an image of it…
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My husband and Kitty came to watch the videos! Anne, we’ve been blog friends so long that you had a kid, made another kid, carried it for 9 months, gave birth, and now the kid is 7 months old. Hooray to friendship!
hooray!!!!
December 21, The One Who Is: So much going on in such a short story. Wonderfully rich. It conjured so many emotions. A lump in my throat, a tear to my eye. (Your baby had a lot to say about it, too :).)
haha yes it was very complex, I struggled finding an appropriate way to talk about it, which is probably obvious in the video LOL
December 22, Returning to the Problem: This story was too freakishly timely given the state of affairs in the world today. It was a difficult read, though. The author called it a “frankenstory” in his Hingston & Olsen interview (https://www.hingstonandolsen.com/2018/22/eugene-lim-returning-to-the-problem), and I think that pretty much sums it up. I can’t say I found it an entertaining read, but there were some interesting tidbits in there (and only 1 footnote). Today’s cover reminded me of a prison. Coincidence? I think not. I, too, honed in on the line you referenced.
Hmm glad i wasn’t alone in that! And I just received a Donald Trump mask in a holiday gift exchange (sigh)
I love your gold scrunchie!
These stories sound intense. Yay for epidurals!
It’s a bummer about the chocolate advent calendar. Maybe next year you should just go nuts and buy a new kind of chocolate treat for every day in December. 🙂
thanks-the scrunchie is fun right? I love it too. And yes, very intense story today :)
I think you should let Arthur review the next one! The second one sounds as if you found it really thought-provoking, which isn’t always easy in a short story. Maybe next year you should MAKE a chocolate advent calendar where you choose all your own favourite chocolates…
I was thinking I should force my husband to make me a chocolate advent calendar LOL