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How-To Tuesday: How to Summon Piethulhu

Halloween is over, but the Old Ones won’t sleep for long. You never know when they’re going to burst out from the shadows, from a closet…or from inside your pie!

Ever since California-based artist Sandy Yoo created a dangerously delicious pie last year, I have yearned to attack this food decoration project. Finally, the time has come! Dear Reader, I must reveal the horrific details of this most dreadfully supercool endeavor, so that you can make your own Piethulhu (did you see what I did there?).

What You’ll Need:

–    Enough pie dough for two 9-inch pie crusts 
–    Pecan pie filling (I used my favorite recipe from Joy of Cooking)
–    Rolling pin
–    Knife
–    Extra pecans

I’m a recipe-follower, so your first step is to find your favorite pecan pie recipe. NOTE: Since it’s all about the crust decoration, you can Cthulhu-ize any type of pie, from Chess to Cherry. I was in the mood for pecan pie, so that’s the way I went. Just hold on to a couple of the berries or nuts you’re using for the filling; you’ll need these for the eyes.

Prep the bottom crust in a greased 9-inch pie pan, and add the pie filling. Set aside. Roll out the second pie crust, nice and thin. 

Begin by making the tentacles. Using a knife (it doesn’t have to be sharp), cut 8-12 tentacles out of the rolled-out pie dough. A good way to do this is to cut one side straight, one side curvy.

Posted by Suzanne Wallace

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