What a way to start the New Year!

Pop open the champagne: another of my authors has just been published! (Though be forewarned: this title is definitely not for young'uns.) 

Leal's ambitious manuscript was one of my most challenging jobs yet, so I am extremely awed at the talent and perseverance it took to write it. I'll let him announce it in his own words:

"After more than six years of non-linear effort, I am happy to announce that my first novel Constellations and Microclimates is finally published. It became available for download on the Amazon Kindle store this morning.

Also, I have spent the better part of a year curating a personal website in anticipation of this day. Please have a look."

Congratulations, Leal!

- L'Editrice

Well suited

This is one of those experiments when you're validated in your hypothesis . . . but it's also kind of sad to be proven right, no? 

When I have little daydreams of becoming a politician or daily power-suit-wearing person, I imagine myself wearing the same suit every day and just switching up the blouses--like men do! Actually, I kind of did that exact thing when I had to travel for work for my old job and be at meetings in business attire: just wearing my one trusty suit (worn for every job interview since I started job interviewing) sure made life easier . . . and cheaper.

- L'Editrice

Kickstarting the magic

One of my authors (and friends!) Jules Gissler has started a Kickstarter campaign for her new book, Jules . . . Getting Your Magic Back.

Read and watch all about it here, and consider becoming one of her backers!

Very proud of you, Jules!
- L'Editrice

Fancy dress in the U.S.

After being a Trekkie last Halloween, here are the costumes I'm considering for this one:

- Lucille Ball
- Carmen Sandiego
- Pippi Longstocking
- a mermaid
- a Greek goddess
- Daria and Jane (couple's costume!)
- Daft Punk (couple's costume, take II)
- a Single Lady
- Tintin
- Little Edie
- Alice in Wonderland
- Queen of Hearts
- the Morton Salt girl (Coincidentally, I just found out it's her 100th birthday!)
- Little Red Riding Hood

And if any of my readers (i.e. my sisters) want tips or costume pieces for any of these, I'm your woman.

Treatedly,
L'Editrice

P.S. I wrote this post months ago, and finally decided it was no longer an absurd time to publish it.

In my own backyard

I just discovered the most charming little strip of shops that I have probably driven past hundreds of times without knowing what I was missing!

First I stopped in Surroundings: I bought a cool ring made out of telephone wire, and I wanted to buy everything else as well. I'm definitely going to come back with my sister next week, and the awesome selection of unique lampshades and shower curtains will be a great source for my mom.

Next door I found Pattywhacks and Company, where I bought the glammest wallet ever, which looks like fine leather but is actually made of recycled water bottles. They happen to be moving down the street tomorrow, right across from Simone on Sunset, which is one of my "locals." Wins all around!

A few steps over brought me to Hawkins Furniture. My style is generally a bit more modern than what they had showcased, but I really admired the craftsmanship and made a mental note about the possibility of custom furniture from them in the future.

Finally, Zapotec Art Imports had the most wonderful art and turquoise jewelry--including the gorgeous green kind that I have had my eye on for a while. One of these days I will find the perfect piece and treat myself. . . .

The best part of visiting these local shops? They are all in old houses, which makes the shopping experience that much more magical.

- L'Editrice

H-town highlights

My youngest sister will be visiting soon from London, so we're starting to make a list of all the spots she wants to hit in her week back home. Her agenda is typically a mix of old favorites and newbies that have cropped up since she moved across the pond (many of which she finds out about before I do!). Here's what we've got so far:
- Snowblock Shavery
- Green Vegetarian Cuisine (Everything can be made vegan, and the desserts automatically are!)
- Blue Leaf (Housed in an old bungalow with another chic little shack in the back, I fantasized a little bit about buying the property when it was for up sale a year or so ago, and enjoy strolling through it now as a shop--which is probably better for all of us.)
- And I'm so excited to check out Glazed and their vegan donuts!

Any suggestions from my readers?

- L'Editrice

Additions, 7/22/14: Tout Suite Cafe (I hope it's open in time!)
                               True Food Kitchen (I loved it in San Diego--so excited it's in Houston now!)
                               My Flaming Heart (Probably my favorite store in H-town, aside from
                                                            Ten Thousand Villages, of course.)
                           

Noshing in Nashville

I got quite a bit of time to explore Nashville this past weekend, and I loved it--particularly the eating scene. Now, I'm sure most people who think of Nashville food think of barbecue, but as a vegan my food searches are a little different. And Nashville did not disappoint!

My new recommendations for any veg heads visiting Music City:

• The Wild Cow (they even had vegan queso!), 
• Sunflower Cafe, 
• and the "V for Vegan" pizza at Two Boots.

All were delicious and had cute locales and decor--something that can sometimes be hard to come by in veg/vegan restaurants. (In fact, they may be putting my Houston go-tos to shame in that respect.)

As for the non-eating tourism, I:

• visited the Parthenon (really!) and Vanderbilt,
• walked over the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge to explore the scene on Lower Broadway, then enjoyed the view and the Jazz and Blues Mixer happening on the bridge on the way back,
• checked out the outside of the Grand Ole Opry House and (only some of!) the inside of the Las-Vegas-meets-Venice-meets-San-Antonio-meets-only-in-America Gaylord Opryland Hotel,
• and went to the famous Hatch Show Print Shop and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

If I went again, I would skip the Country Music Hall of Fame and instead go see the "Grand Ole Opry"--I was really tempted to this time, especially since my favorite Pretty Little Liar, Aria (Lucy Hale), was performing, but I'd thought the ticket price was too much for standing room only, all that was available by the time I tried. I would also skip Woodland Vegetarian--yes, the food was good, but it didn't live up to all the hype I'd been hearing, plus it was a little chaotic in there.

- L'Editrice

In UtopYA

I'm so excited to be part of "Redacted Script: The Editing Panel" . . . happening in just an hour and a half!

(This is my version of a live tweet. :-) )

A discovery

I've just discovered this three-year-old interview of one of my authors, Mindy Hardwick, talking about our work together. I am so happy to hear her lovely, unbidden comments.

And what kismet in the timing--as she has just approached me to work on another manuscript with her! I can't wait to get started.

- L'Editrice

Boutiquing in Baltimore

Whenever I visit a new city, I always imagine where I would spend all my time (and money) if I lived there . . . or if I specifically made a shopping-tourism trip there with a designated boutique budget. (I'm generally too cheap to actually spend the money in my real life.)

In London, where I went in February, I would buy steampunk and Gothic/Sweet Lolita gear at Camden Market, and do the rest of my shopping at Old Spitalfields Market. In Baltimore, my current locale, I would hang out on "The Avenue" in Hampden, and buy fair-trade clothes at Milagro, vintage/vintage-inspired at Doubledutch Boutique, shoes and chocolate at Ma Petite Shoe, and all the rest at Trohv.

Smitten,
Listetrice

My review of "Veronica Mars"

It was definitely for the fans, and I am one, so I quite enjoyed it. And at least part of the ending made me really happy (the other part I could take or leave). However, three pieces marred me from loving it:

1) Were they trying to compete with The Wolf of Wall Street's F-bomb record by including as many B-words as possible? (Yes, I said "B-word." I am a feminist with strong feelings about the mainstreaming of anti-female putdowns.) I get that it harkens back to the series and how people reacted to Veronica as a strong woman, but at a certain point it felt gratuitous and like it was for cheap laughs. (The one great instance of non-cheap humor using it? Veronica's faux-hurt response to Gia and Cobb's conversation: "It's called curiosity!")

2) The inclusion of "TMZ" in any capacity immediately sleazes up everything it touches. Ten thumbs down.

3) James Franco. Blech, I am so over him. He was doing yet another stupid cameo as "himself," and that totally took away from the film's originality and indie cred.

That is all.
- L'Editrice

Happy birthday, Ms. Steinem!

On Tuesday one of my heroes, Gloria Steinem, turned 80. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom last November, and her speech on that occasion perfectly expresses all that is important about feminism.

Gratefully,
L'Editirce

Two things I learned from last night's Oscars

1) Joseph Gorden-Levitt and Emma Watson would make the cutest couple ever. (I learned this along with everyone else in the world, apparently.)

2) After Lupita Nyong'o, Constance Leto was the most beautiful woman there.

- L'Editrice

Houston-Downton connection

While I have yet to see the finale of this season (so no spoilers, please!), I'm proud of our homegrown "Downton Abbey" after-show making the NYT. Next season I've got to go watch this in person.


- L'Editrice

An editor's nerdy correspondence with friends

Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2014 13:28:40 -0600
Subject: periods
From: d---@gmail.com
To: L'Editrice
CC: a---@gmail.com


Dearest Sarah,


It appears that both A and I have been shocked to hear recently that we should NOT use two spaces between sentences when typing. I remember getting an inkling of this hidden knowledge when you edited my website blurb a few months back, but it all came to the forefront when I read a scathing article in the Huffington Post about the flagrant misuse of spaces between sentences. A was apparently in a heated debate about this at work (maybe not heated, but I'm taking some liberties paraphrasing). Can you impart your knowledge?


If it is true, I do not know how I will un-train my thumb to use only one space. And when others see my emails at work, they will think *I* am the ignorant. This will pose quite a dilemma.


D



Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2014 14:22:00 -0600
Subject: periods
From: L'Editrice
To: d---@gmail.com
CC: a---@gmail.com


Dearest friends,


It is indeed true. I learned it in my first week at HarperCollins. The previous convention comes from using a typewriter, when you would do two spaces to clearly separate between sentences. Now that we all use word processors (such an old-school-sounding word, too--hee) the programs automatically add a little more space after a period, so typing two spaces between sentences is no longer needed.


Let others think you are ignorant (if they even notice)--you can be smug in knowing you have it right. (Also, I'm sure everyone else is making far more flagrant mistakes.)


Sincerely,
Your editor friend




Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2014 14:55:24 -0600
Subject: periods
From: d---@gmail.com
To: L'Editrice
CC: a---@gmail.com


Wow. It's official then. I will have to adapt. OMG, it's so hard to stop. Thank you :-)

---

Consider me thoroughly charmed

This morning I overheard a little boy of no more than 10 say to his brother, "Isn't this exquisite?" about an item in my store. Plus he had an Australian accent.


- L'Editrice

Resolvedly

At the top of my list for 2014 is to think about how much things really cost. What I mean by this is reminding myself that when something is convenient and cheap, it is likely because someone underprivileged is bearing the brunt of low pay and poor working conditions so companies can still keep their huge profit margin. Not to mention the environmental effects.

I know I can't be perfect, but I think being conscious about where my purchases come from--my clothes, especially, since that's where I tend to spend most of my disposable income--will be a good goal.

So far I've identified the following sources for fair trade/Made in USA/independent-artist made clothing and accessories: [Update, 4/15/14: I've been putting up new sources as I find them, plus adding sources for other necessities we often forget about thinking where they come from, like soap.]

• Global Girlfriend
• Raven and Lily
• Indigenous
• Lemlem
• Myth and Symbol
• Settlement Goods
• CrOp
• Ona Mission
• The Little Market

• Liz Alig
• Nisolo
• Sseko Designs
• Altar'd State

• Maggie's Organics (I love how their models are regular people, too.)
• Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap
• Liberty United

[Update, 5/20/14: Just discovered these fair-trade clothing brands, and I'm in LOVE:]

• Mata Traders
• Global Mamas

[Newly discovered, 6/12/14:]

• Pact (Fair-trade, organic undies! And I can pick them up at Nordstrom, Whole Foods, or Sprouts.)
• Synergy

And of course I'll continue to buy lots of gifts and accessories at Ten Thousand Villages.

Consuming less and consuming consciously: that's my resolution. What's yours?
- L'Editrice