Recommended Read: Peyton Place

When I used to intern at a small publishing company, if there weren't many tasks for me to do that day, I'd occasionally scour Amazon and read the first few pages of books that looked interesting—professional, I know. But I found a lot of great books that way! One book I found was Peyton Place. I hadn't heard of it before, even though it's been around since the 1950s.

I bought it on a whim at my school bookstore and once I started reading it, I couldn't stop! I think that my favorite part of this book is its scope! The author, Grace Metalious, writes about an entire town and its inhabitants with such ease and artistry. The book is easy to read and easy to follow despite how many characters there are. This is one of the books that simultaneously makes me want to give up writing and inspires me to be better.

The book is a composite of all small towns, but is specifically set in the fictional, New England town of Peyton Place. It fully embodies what every small, New England town is like and all the characters are exceptionally realistic. Further, when this book was first published, it was seen as extremely scandalous and was even banned in some states! While it might not be seen as scandalously now as it was then, there certainly are a lot of dirty little secrets that are enticing and exciting to read about.

Peyton Place is so full of beautiful prose and intriguing story lines, you will find yourself absorbed in this little town from the first page! I highly recommend this novel and I'm wondering if anyone has read the sequel, Return to Peyton Place. I certainly wanted the book to last forever, but I'm also wary of sequels. Thoughts?

What I've Been Reading

It's been a while since I've written a new post. January ended up being a bit busier than I expected, although the last week was a bit slower and more relaxed. When AJ and I got back to Boston, after spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Connecticut, it seemed that we had a constant stream of visitors! First it was my mom and sister for a few days, then my cousin for a week, and then my in-laws for a weekend. I went back to Connecticut with them for a few days and then my mom and her cousin brought me back to Boston and stayed for a few days.

But now things have calmed down enough for the new semester to begin.

Despite how unexpectedly busy winter break got, I still got in a lot of reading time. Reading really is the best way to pass the time during these chilly winter days. To get back into the blogging habit, I want to do a quick recap of the books I've read so far this year.


A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
I read this book for the third time around Christmastime and it felt like a completely different book. This is probably because I was in high school the first two times I read it and a lot of things have happened in my life that have allowed me to read this book in a new way. I found I could relate to it much more. I love the fact that this book has endured through many years even though it is not part of the typical literature canon—never once in my years of schooling have I been assigned this novel even though it is undoubtedly a classic. Smith captures a specific time and place and brings it to life. Reading this book, I felt like I was living the lives of her characters. I doubt that this will be the last time I reread it.

The Faith of a Writer: Life, Craft, Art by Joyce Carol Oates
As you might assume from the title, this book is a collection of essays all regarding being a writer and what it entails. There is a lot of autobiographical information of Oates, herself, along with bits of information and knowledge from other famous writers throughout history. I liked learning about Oates because I am always fascinated by writers and their lives, especially writers who have such productivity  like Oates. I was a bit let down by it, though, because I did not feel like I learned so much about the craft of writing itself—but that might not really be the objective of the book. Regardless, it is full of useful and insightful information. It's a thin text and can easily be read in a day.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
I picked this one up right after Oates's book and found that it was a bit more helpful in the writerly advice arena. This book, too, had a lot of autobiographical information. I skimmed a bit of the areas that didn't seem to pertain to being an author because the rest of the book was very focused on the craft and I was so eager to read those parts! King gives a lot of advice and discloses what kind of writing habits work for him and why they work. While his techniques might not work for everyone, they're definitely worth knowing, trying, and understanding—I mean, look at how successful he is. He must be doing something write.

I'm reading two books right now, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and Black Dahlia & White Rose: Stories by Joyce Carol Oates. I'm reading two because The Historian is close to 700 pages long so sometimes I need to take a break and read something else!

Christmas Literary Links

Spotted this at Brattle Book Shop today while strolling. Probably one of the greatest Christmas trees in Boston. 

I have two links (both from The New Yorker) for today as we're closing in on Christmas! I can't wait to be back in Connecticut, celebrating with family and sitting around my Mom's Christmas tree! This is such a fun time and I feel like it's coming and going so quickly this year!

The New Yorker put together a list of Christmas related readings. They're all great, but Jhumpa Lahiri's is really, really amazing!

Next, I know that every website and new site has published at least one (although probably 4 or 5) lists of the best books of 2014 and the best books to come in 2015. Most of them feature the same books but The New Yorker's is different. On this list, you'll find a variety of texts, including international books that I've never heard from but am definitely adding to my to read list. 

Happy reading!

On My First Semester of Grad School

This past Tuesday I had my last class of the semester. And, while I still have two assignments to turn in next week and some grading to do for the professor I assist, it feels weird to be done with classes for a few weeks. Actually, I have over a month until next semester even begins!

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The semester went by crazy fast and I feel like I learned so much without even realizing it until now, when I think back on the semester. My writing habits have changed but could be improved even more and I think that I have gained a bit more confidence since my workshop (although I'm still waiting on my grade!) The other class I took focused on getting us prepared to teach in Emerson's first-year writing program so I learned a lot about pedagogy, teaching techniques, and theories that had never been part of my education before. It was an interesting class and I'm hopeful that one day I'll be able to use what I learned as a teacher. My final for that class is a semester long outline of a sample class...I should be working on that now.

Next semester, I'm changing up my schedule a bit. Instead of taking only two classes, I'll be taking three. And instead of having classes only at night, I'll have two that are a bit earlier in the afternoon. I'm going to try to get another position as a TA but with three classes I know my time will be a bit more limited. I am looking forward to taking lit classes and to seeing what other workshops will be like.

Even though classes are done, I still have work to do. Today I have to proctor a final exam for an undergrad class and then grade them before sending them off to the professor. And, like I said, I have some final assignments to finish up, but by Wednesday at noon, I'll be able to say that my first semester in grad school is officially done. Feel free to celebrate with me.

Being Thankful

I have just one link for you today on this Wednesday before Thanksgiving. If you're traveling today or tomorrow to visit friends and family for turkey and pie, consider one of these twelve books to read over your holiday.


I don't have class or work today so I'll be spending the day getting some ingredients ready to cook tomorrow. I'm also baking my desserts today so that they are all ready to go tomorrow! Hopefully I'll also be able to carve out some reading time. It is a holiday break after all!

What are all of you doing today? Are you getting ready for Thanksgiving? Traveling or cooking?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Literary Links

photo via

These are my favorite kinds of articles to read. Reading about books and writers inspires me to write more and to write better. I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite articles from this week.

For people that are wondering what MFA creative writing programs are like, this article will give you some insight! All of it reads true and I'm glad someone was able to eloquently put this experience into words.

This article about making it through writing critiques kind of goes along with the first. When you're in a grad program for creative writing, you have to go through workshops a lot and being well prepared to take whatever comes at you is essential!

I'm going to be adding these titles to my list of books to check out from the library. Debut novels are always inspiring to read. I love seeing how writers achieve such great first novels.

Feel like spending the summer in Paris? Why not write while you're at it! The expats living in Paris provided us with phenomenal works of art by prolific writers (Hemingway, Stein, Fitzgerald, I could go on) and I imagine there's no better place to write than in the cafés where they created their classics.

The Dud Avocado

This book is one of those books that makes you wonder why you couldn't have thought to write it first. It makes you wish you could right as well as the author—it's that good. Written and originally published in the 1950s, The Dud Avocado, by Elaine Dundy, is more than a simple coming of age tale. It's the story of Sally Jay Gorce and how she tries to find herself amid the scandal and temptation of Paris in the 1950s. The story opens with her, walking through the city streets in an evening gown on the way to meeting her Italian lover.

The story is reminiscent of Plath's The Bell Jar and Moore's Chocolate for Breakfast in the sense that the female protagonist has to deal with difficult internal issues while navigating through the world around her. The story is enticing, captivating, and all-consuming. Sally Jay's life is as decadent as it is complicated and base. It is impossible to guess what will come at her next and what she will do to deal.

It really is an entertaining read and the fact that it's party autobiographical makes it all the more fascinating. Anyone who is a fan of Plath will enjoy this book and all girls and young women who have dealt or are dealing with hard times will see Sally Jay as a kindred spirit.

What I Have Learned From Grad School So Far

I've been in grad school for just over a month now. I know I still have an incredible amount to learn, but I do feel as though I have already learned quite a bit!

1. If you think you've completed and printed all your homework, check again. Two weeks ago, I had to scramble at the last minute to finish all my readings for Teaching College Comp because I forgot to read my syllabus and last week I missed turning in an assignment. I did it, but I forgot to print it. 

2. Reread everything. We typically have to read 4 stories for fiction workshop every week, sometimes more. In the past, I've been able to get away with reading assignments only once but when it comes to these in depth class discussions and analyses we have,  I've found that reading everything twice—if not more—is essential.

3. It's ok to step away every so often. It can become really stressful when you sit down to start working and your mind becomes overwhelmed by every assignment you realize you have to do. Take it one task at a time and when you feel like you need a break, take it. You'll find time to finish the rest.

4. Naps are good. It's crazy how tiring writing and reading can be! I'll do a few hours of it straight and need a nap to go on. Usually, I try to resist napping because I feel like there are too many other things I should be doing. But I always find that after I sleep for 20 minutes (sometimes 60) I feel more aware of my work and can focus even better.

5. Sometimes, you have to drink coffee at 9 pm. Especially if you are in class until quarter 10 pm and your eyes won't stay open.

Literary Links

It's been quite sometime since I did one of these posts! I hope you enjoy this little collection of literary related posts!

Poe is back in Boston! The city in which he was born but came to hate and Boston kind of reciprocated that feeling. Read this article to understand what brought on these sentiments from one of America's greatest literary figures!

An article about what it means to be a young writer hits rather close to home. Reading this article felt so realistic, I couldn't wait until the end because I felt like it would tell me my future.  

Young female writers seem to be having a moment right now and I hope that moment turns into something much, much more. This article gives some advice as to how we can make sure that's the case.

Because I love Elena Ferrante and it is oh so rare when she actually gives a (written) interview.

Lauren Conrad's Fall reading list. I can't say they all interest me but I've been wanting to read Number 1 for a while now, Number 5 is one of my favorites and a book I think everyone should read, and Number 7 sounds really interesting especially because I love Revolutionary history—especially this time of year! What do you guys think about these choices?

What Everyone Should Be Reading and Loving

I'm sure this post is no surprise to anyone who has read my blog before. I finished reading Elena Ferrante's latest installation of her Neapolitan novels a few weeks ago now I think. It was just as amazing as the two novels that preceded it.

In this, the third, novel (and thankfully not the last!) of the series, Elena and Lila are growing up, more so than they have in the past. Both become mothers and lead very different lives that causes the tension in their friendship to grow even more.

The book is also filled with the ideals of revolution as both girls play their part in enacting change for those who are suffering. Ferrante eloquently places her readers in the context of Naples during this time and she does it so seamlessly. 1950s and 60s Naples is very real in this text and adds to further develop the characters of Elena and Lila.

Elena is married and becomes a mother over the course of the book. She lives in Florence with her academic husband and yet, she is unhappy. She is bored with her husband and feels uninspired to write. Motherhood is difficult for her to accept and she feels her mother's shadow creeping into her own life. And even though Lila lives a harder life, unmarried and mothering her son on her own with help from her live-in boyfriend, Enzo, Elena is again jealous of her friend. And the jealousy only grows as Lila's fortune changes for the better. Not to mention, the reappearance of Nino Sarratore leads to more conflict and drama.

It is impossible not to become engrossed in the lives of Ferrante's characters. I became so invested reading this novel, more so than the last two although all of them are amazing tales, that when the ending came I was angry and you'll see why when you read it.

I'm so glad that there will be one more Neapolitan novel but I can't believe we have to wait a year for it to come out!

October Books

I love to read and I think it's so fun to read books that fit the season, holiday, month, and so on. I chose some books that would be fitting to read for the month of October. 

When I think of Fall I think of New England and when I think of New England, I think of Fall, so naturally my book picks reflect that bias. Fall in New England is beautiful and I always try to take full advantage of it because Autumn is so fleeting. I feel extra blessed this year to be living in Boston this Fall, it is one of the best places to experience a real New England Autumn.

 Reading books and stories that are reminiscent of the season makes me feel even more immersed in the magic of the fresh air, orange leaves, bright pumpkins, crisp apples, and spicy coffee and tea. I chose a few books that will suit all different readers and will definitely get you in the mood of October!

So the first- The Portable Edgar Allen Poe. Poe is a New Englander and therefore he makes the list. Also, a lot of his writing is spooky and perfect for the mood of October. The Raven is always a must read. And, this weekend a new statue of Poe is being revealed 5 minutes from my apartment! I'll be walking by it all the time this Fall. 

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving I try to read every October. It gets you in the spirit and gives you a look back at colonial New York history. There’s also a Johnny Depp movie with the same title that’s worth a (creepy) watch. And the new show on Fox isn’t bad either! It took a really interesting spin on the original story and adds a lot of new layers to it. But of course, nothing beats the book! Also, it’s very short so if you’re crunched for reading for pleasure time, this Sleepy Hollow is a great choice.

Witch Hunt is a Young Adult novel but would be an interesting read for anyone. It’s a  creative perspective on the Salem witch trials that historical biographies don’t give. This is more of an entertaining read because it is fiction but it sticks with the facts and is historically accurate.

Mysteries and Legends of New England is like grown up scary stories for telling around the campfire with s’mores. Like I said, Fall and New England go hand in hand in my mind so spooky legends focused on New England are perfect for October. The stories aren’t really scary, just eerie enough to give you the chills!

October Dreams is a collection of short stories and essays about the month and Halloween, so of course it would a fun anthology to flip through and pick a story every so often throughout the month to keep the spirit alive. Reading them out loud to kids or friends in front of the fire place would put you in the Halloween mood even more!

And the final book, Witch Hunt, is for those who are not as New England centric as me! This nonfiction book focuses on the history of witch hunts throughout Europe even before the witch trials in Salem! People in the United States, myself included, might not have ever learned too much about this part of Europe’s history but it is ver interesting indeed! If you’re already a Salem witch trial buff, don’t care for spooky stories or New England, this is for you!

School So Far

Like I mentioned a few days ago, my first day of grad school went really well and it was really exciting! Since then, I've come to start to grasp how much work this semester, and probably the rest of my semesters as a grad student, will include. Not to mention...I got the TA job! I'm so, so very excited about that. I really want to have the opportunity to teach at the college level after grad school and I feel this is a great way to get experience, not to mention I'll be assisting a British Lit class in which we are reading some of my favorite authors and novels.

Plus, I've only had one out of my two classes so far and the work from one class alone feels like a big amount! I already talked about my homework for this week, and I just received the first story I'll have to critique for workshop on Wednesday. Now I've added a bit more work with the TA position—I am currently making my way through Book I and II of Sir Thomas More's Utopia, which is an essential read for a British Lit class, but I don't have it with me and I have to read it on my computer so it can be a little straining on the eyes. Regardless, as long as I'm reading or writing, I'm usually happy!

On My First Day as a Graduate Student

And what an eventful day it was! It started the same as any other with an early morning trip to the gym and plans to sprawl out on the grass of the Boston Common to get some sun. But, no, that did not happen. Instead, as I killed time on my computer waiting for it to get just a bit warmer, I received an email from a literature professor, following up with my application to be a Teacher's Assistant. I scheduled a time to meet with him, then regretted scheduling the interview for four o'clock, giving me five hours to think and worry about it.

But luckily, we did some stuff to take my mind off it. Around 11, AJ and I went to Brattle Book Shop. I picked up a short fiction anthology, edited by Joyce Carol Oates, and The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides, for $3 each!

From there, we walked over to Boloco at their Commons location where it was free burrito day! Neither of us have tried Boloco before, but every time I walk by I'm tempted to try everything! Their shakes, salads, bowls, and burritos all sound delicious and—with it being free and all—we decided it was the perfect time to try it out! The line was kind of long but we were there before noon and the line only got longer after that. AJ got a chicken teriyaki burrito and I got the chicken tikka masala burrito. They were both delicious and (we each got a small burrito) the perfect size. We will definitely go back to Boloco—it's free burrito day at their School St. location in two weeks. 

After that, all I had left to do was get ready for my interview and class. I changed into the most grown up outfit that was conducive to the sweltering heat. My shirt had birds on it but the skirt was J. Crew so I figured it worked. I went to the meeting, was there a little early, and talked to the professor about the job. It sounded great and he gave me a little assignment to do—grade a student paper—to see how I work and he invited me to sit in on the first day of class, which I did this morning. I felt surprisingly old, even though I was an undergrad just a few months ago! But I did feel pretty lucky to be taking a British Lit class for free! I haven't been offered the job yet, but fingers crossed!

After the interview, I ran home quickly, changed into jeans, ate a quick omelette for dinner before over packing my schoolbag with books, paper, a laptop, and lots of pencils and hurried back out to school. My class was on the 11th floor of a building on Boylston. I was in awe when I walked into the classroom, one whole wall was made of windows, giving me the best view the Common, the State House, Beacon Hill, and beyond. I was very distracted during class. 

Some of us were early and some other students filtered in just after 6 so we spent the first ten minutes or so doing a free write on the prompt, the best time of day. We didn't have to read it or share and it was a great way to start the class. I'm usually terrified of in-class free writes but this one came pretty easily for me! There are 12 of us in class, all of different ages and stages of life. Some people have been writing for a long time and are very experienced in workshops and some others are relatively new to fiction writing. 

The professor, Daphne, was wonderful and smart and made everyone feel comfortable. After the free write, we went around the room a few times to introduce ourselves, talk about our writing background, and who were our favorite authors to read. We went over the syllabus, which told us all how much work we will have, and made a schedule to workshop our fiction. We then read a great short story and had a discussion on it for quite sometime. The class is supposed to last from 6 to 9:45. Last night, we left class around 8:20 and I was in bed by 9:30 and I kept thinking to myself 'I would still be in class if this weren't the first day.'

We were assigned two short stories, one by Chekhov and one by Grace Paley, to read and prepare for discussion, two student stories to read and write critiques on, and we each have to write a 3-5 page story or story fragment which takes place all in one scene. I'm glad we have smaller writing assignments on top of the short stories we will write for workshop so that it doesn't feel like we only have to write twice a semester. My first short story is due for workshop on September 17th!

I'm looking forward to next week's fiction workshop and this coming Tuesday I will have my first day of my other class called Teaching College Composition. 

Currently Reading: Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay

Yay! I've been waiting for a while to finally read this book and now that I have it and it's available in the US, I'm not wasting any time! I finished reading Russian Winter last night (spoiler: it was great. I'll post on it soon) and I began Elena Ferrante's final installation of her well-known Neapolitan Trilogy.

I'm already so engrossed and invested in this story of two friends, Elena and Lila, from having read the first two installations—two books that I suggest everyone read. Ferrante's writing is exceptional. She explores the true elements of a sometimes hurtful, sometimes inspiring friendship. She writes of Naples and Italy in the 1950s and 60s in such a way that it becomes real and relevant to today's world.

I find myself getting genuinely excited for Elena, the narrator of this story, when she finds out that her fiancé has been offered a tenure professor job at a university in Florence in the first few pages of this book. It's not always easy for me to feel the emotions of a character I read about, but Ferrante writes in a manner that makes it feel as if this excitement is part of my own life, as if this is happening to a close friend of mine or even to me!

Another reason that I love this story so much is because of Elena, the narrator's, life. She was born into a family that is preoccupied with hard work, not education or self improvement. Elena has always felt that she is in the shadow of her best friend, Lila, even though Lila only has an elementary level education and has been stuck in an unhappy marriage and now finds herself a single mother, working in a sausage factory. Elena, however, graduates high school and goes to a university in Pisa. She writes a novel, based on her childhood and her Neapolitan neighborhood, that is quickly published. Further, she finds herself engaged to an intelligent professor with a good, strong family. But somehow, her friendship will Lila constantly causes anguish and will always cause her to doubt herself and the life—far away from their Naples—she has chosen.

I love the fact that Elena succeeds, that she becomes highly educated though she comes from a community of people who do not necessarily support or encourage it. I love that she finds herself as an accomplished and well-recieved author. I love all of these details and I can't wait to see how they unfold through this last book of the trilogy.

I'm sure I will read it quickly out of sheer enjoyment, but I will miss it when it's done and when Ferrante has written all she can about the lives of Elena and Lila.

One of These Things Just Doesn't Fit

The most difficult part of packing to move to Boston was deciding which books to bring. I don't have a bookshelf here yet so space is limited and I had to cut back on what I chose. Regardless, I was still excited to set my books out as we were unpacking. I set them up nicely, in height order, on a trunk in our family room only to come back a few minutes later and see an addition at the end of my book lineup. AJ's FIFA. I quickly told him that he ruined it but the game remains there and probably will for a while now.

A Reading Challenge

I am the kind of girl who looks forward to the start of each school year and since I'm starting graduate school this year in a new place, a new city, with new people, and a new focus, my excitement has only tripled! As soon as I got to register for classes in July, I checked for any updates on my class schedule multiple times per day, hoping and waiting to see what classes I would be put into. I wanted to know what time my classes would be and where they would be held and who my professors would be so that I could try my best to visualize what these next three months of my life would look like.

When I finally got my schedule and eventually my teacher assignments, I researched them and found that I was already familiar with my fiction workshop professor, Daphne Kalotay. My mother gave me Kalotay's novel, Russian Winter, for Christmas two years ago and it has since sat on my shelf waiting to be read. I was extremely surprised and delighted to find that I would be studying under a writer whose work I was aware of and who I  knew was an accomplished and respected writer.

My first day of class with Daphne Kalotay is just under a week away and I've given myself a goal of reading all (or as much as possible) of Russian Winter by the start of class. It's a long novel, pushing 500 pages, but its content is intriguing and it jumps between settings—one of which is Boston—so I know that I will have no problem staying focused and interested. Not to mention AJ and I are in that place where we are waiting for time consuming distractions (school for me, work for him) to take over so I should have ample time to read, read read!

Currently Reading: Troubling Love

My love for Elena Ferrante novels is well known around these parts and this book of hers I'm reading right now only amplifies the respect I have for her words and writing style. It's unlike anything I've read by other authors; her descriptions, the way she weaves seamlessly through time, and the deeply personal thoughts and feelings that most people experience but leave unsaid are hallmarks of her prose.

This novel, Troubling Love, takes place in Ferrante's native Italy and follows the story of a woman, Delia, trying to find out the truth about her mother's mysterious death by drowning. Of course, the reader is given insight into complicated relationships between mother and daughter as well as buried childhoods memories, such as watching her father nearly kill her mother's lover and budding sexual relationships as an adolescent.

Among the first clues in Delia's possession, is a bag of lingerie that, even though it belongs to her mother, is uncharacteristic of the deceased woman. Aside from that, Ferrante develops all the odd characters that are necessary in a story such as this: a one-armed uncle, an abusive husband who claims to act out of love, a nosy neighbor who might know more than she says, a childhood playmate who becomes more, and an old man who may have started it all.

The book is not very long, only 139 pages. I'm going through it slowly, though, in an attempt to catch every words, phrase, and reference because this is a book that you could read 100 times and find something new with each read.

The Way To My Heart Is Through Books

And more specifically, through Elena Ferrante novels. I came home from babysitting on Monday to a package from Amazon. At first I got nervous that I was going crazy and shopping online without remembering buying anything! But as I tore through the package, I realized I was in fact not going crazy. Instead, I realized just how very lucky I am.

Inside the package were two of Elena Ferrante's novels that I don't have yet, Troubling Love and The Days of Abandonment, along with a sweet, little note from AJ. He knows I love surprises and he knows I love books and it was such a nice gesture and a wonderful treat to come home to! I'm a lucky, lucky girl and you better believe I've already jumped into these two books! I had a good four or five books I was already reading but I've set those aside to enjoy these.

Plus, AJ hinted that he has already pre ordered me the last book in Ferrante's Neapolitan trilogy which comes out in September!

Elena Ferrante Sneak Peek!

You guys know how much I love Elena Ferrante and her novels, right? Specifically, the first two books of her Neapolitan Trilogy. If you don't know, you can read about them here and here. She is a phenomenal author who writes in Italian and her translations are definitely worth buying because you will want to read them over and over again.

The third and final book in her trilogy, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, is set to publish in September, only a month away now! I can't wait to get my hands on it and read it. It seems that I'm not alone!

The publisher of her English translated texts, Europa Editions, has offered a peak at the first chapter of the upcoming book! Reading this chapter has made me even more excited to read this book and I'm sure it will do the same for you!

And if you haven't already, treat yourself and buy the first two books: My Brilliant Friend and The Story of a New Name.

Let me know what you think!

MFA Stuff

A little update. As some of you may know, the day that AJ and I moved to Boston for his internship back in March, I found out that I was accepted to an MFA Creative Writing program in Boston. From the moment that I received my acceptance email, my mind has been preoccupied with MFA related thoughts: what my classes will be like, all the writing I'll be doing, and what my future will look like upon graduation. If there's an article that has the letters MFA in the title, I read it. I can't get enough.

So, a few days ago, on a whim, I checked to see if any changes had been made to my previously blank class schedule for grad school. I was oh so pleasantly surprised to find that it was no longer blank! I have a schedule! And it's a wonderful one, too. I am taking two classes (they suggested only 2 for your first semester). One is Teaching College Composition and the other is Fiction Workshop. Each class is once a week for 3 hours and 45 minutes. I have class Tuesday night and Wednesday night and that's it!

Having my schedule makes me realize how soon school will be starting and that it is very real. It's coming! And it just so happens that in the same week I got my schedule, Bustle.com has put out two great articles regarding books and writing.

The first is about books that you should read before starting an MFA program. It's a great article but it freaked me out—I haven't read any of the books listed! I have to get on that. Now.

The next article is also about books. These, however, are books that you should read before writing your first novel. This might not be universal for all MFA students, but one of my goals is to write a novel (at least a draft) by the completion of my degree so this is a handy list!

I love articles that suggest great books for different reasons. I hope you enjoy these, too!