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A Roundup of Gifts for Your Favorite Janeite

We all have one.

That reader whose tastes can never be truly satisfied because they’re holding a candle for Jane Austen. They’re mourning the unfinished Sanditon, they’re saving their pennies to visit Winchester. They celebrate Jane’s birthday every year on Tumblr and are the first to tell you about rumored adaptations of Austen’s work.

Don’t you think they deserve a present that mirrors their devotion? In addition to Jane Austen Cover to Cover? Here are a few solid recs.

Posted by Danielle Mohlman

Books We’re Thankful For: Quiet by Susan Cain

Quiet by Susan Cain

Man, for the longest time I struggled with being "shy." I pushed myself to speak up in meetings; when I was single, I made myself go out to loud bars; and generally did things that I disliked—all in the name of being social and to fit in.

But this book gave me so much insight into myself—it was truly a gift, because I felt as though the book had been written just for me. I'm an introvert, and it reminded me that that's OK. I can go be social, but I also have to balance it out with quiet time.

Posted by Nicole De Jackmo

NaNoWriMo: Taylor Swift Edition

As most people know, Taylor Swift is influenced by the events in her life—breakups, negative celebrities and more when it comes to songwriting so I couldn’t help but imagine how T-Swift’s songs would change if she participated in NaNoWriMo.

Here are some ideas, revised lyrics written to go along with the original songs:

Posted by Jessica Yang

Books We’re Thankful For: How Winnie the Pooh Changed My Life

Winnie the Pooh changed my life. Not in a he’s-an-adorable-bear-and-was-my-childhood kind of way but in my-major-was-influenced-by-a-fat-yellow-bear-wearing-a-red-shirt kind of way.

Posted by Jessica Yang

Hello Kitty Crochet Showcase & Signing at Kinokuniya, Suria KLCC: Recap & Photos

Yay! My Hello Kitty Crochet Author Showcase and Signing appearance at Kinokuniya, Suria KLCC was a tremendous success! My books were all sold out that day, and I got to meet so many new friends, and also had a mini reunion with some of my relatives, ex-colleagues and high school mates (and even my bosses from work)!

Here’s a snapshot of my mom, sis and little niece before the people started streaming in! The event was supposed to start at 2pm, but when I began setting up at 12:45pm, I suddenly had Hello Kitty enthusiasts coming up to the table to enquire about the book! Some tiny fans even took to “re-arranging” my dolls for me!

Posted by Mei Li Lee

Getting Ready For NaNoWriMo: Some Desktop Wallpaper To Keep You Going

Autumn is my favorite season. The crisp air, the sweaters, the butterbeer, the colorful leaves, and… NaNoWriMo.

For those of you who haven't heard of it… November is National Novel Writing Month.

What started as a personal quest of the creator Chris Baty, and has now turned into a worldwide phenomenon. Each year tens of thousands of participants sit down at their keyboards, their notebooks, and their typewriters with one thing in common. They set out to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.

The challenge is to get the words down, despite your inner editor telling you they're not perfect yet, to get words on the page and move on. Once you have a draft you can edit it, but if you keep rewriting the first paragraph you'll never reach the end.

I first discovered NaNoWriMo (NaNo for short) in high school. While the other girls attended football games I sat at my desktop computer tapping away at the keys until I reached 50k. The best part of NaNo, for me at least, is the community. Having that sense of togetherness with other writers scattered across the world is inspiring. Connecting with those other writers on the NaNo forums is both my greatest strength and greatest source of procrastination during November. NaNo novelists come from different walks of life, but have one thing in common… the love of storytelling and the commitment to write.

If you've ever dreamed of writing your own novel join us!

Posted by Sarah Shotts