Author: Alina

Even More Cuteness, Part 3

~ Alina ~ 6 Comments

Does anybody else need some cuteness this Friday? Yeah, me too. Five different kinds of cuteness, coming right up.

Four baby raccoons in a tree! (A group of raccoons is called a gaze.)

Photo credit: Tyler Smith

Fennec foxes. (A group of these would be called a leash, a skulk, or an earth.) The pets I want almost as much as hedgehogs and sugar gliders. Look at those ears!

Photo credit: Dean Thorpe

Baby sloth in a box! For extra squeals, here’s a video of baby sloths taking a bath! (A whole bunch of them together are a “bed” of sloths :)).

Photo credit: Jennifer Jordan

Koala taking a nap. (There’s no name for a group of these, because they hang out by themselves.) Sooo cuddly.

Photo credit: Susan Renee

And squirrel monkeys goofing off for the camera. (Hehe, a group of monkeys is called a troop of monkeys!)

Photo credit: Joachim S. Muller

Happy Friday!

Literature, Kniterature

~ Alina ~ 3 Comments
Today I’m tickled to host my second-ever author interview! My good friend Audry Nicklin has designed, written, and published Lit Knits, a book of ten knitting patterns inspired by works of classic literature that allow you to “wear your favorite story.” 

What a delicious stack of old books!
Ever since I decided I wanted to be a writer at age 14, I’ve loved reading interviews with authors. I love to get inside their heads and learn their habits and tips. Maybe it’s my secret hope that the literary prowess will rub off. 

Let’s go behind the scenes of a real live author’s creative process. Welcome to my virtual living room, Audry! 

1. We all know that a book takes a long time to produce. How long has your book been in the making, from concept to publication?


This book has been a long time coming. It took me roughly 2.5 years from concept to publication. And within that 2.5 years, I was also working part time at a yarn shop and submitting patterns to other publications.
2. How did you get the idea for Lit Knits?

After reading Anne of Green Gables in early 2011, I was inspired to make a shawl that had bits of the story knit into it. So I made up a stitch pattern that looked like the house, Green Gables. Below that I knit a texture of a fence followed by a field of flowers leading down to the Lake of Shining Waters. 

The “Avonlea” shawl from Lit Knits. I love Anne of Green Gables!
After completing the shawl, I started working on a pair of mittens inspired by the white rabbit in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. One thing led to another and I realized that I had a solid theme for a collection of patterns. It did take some time to figure out how to make the collection as cohesive as possible. I thought about doing a knit for A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens and one for The Raven by Poe. But Anne of Green Gables and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderlandare considered classic children’s literature, so I kept within that theme.

3. Of the 10 patterns in the book, which is your favorite?


I can’t say that they are all my favorite, can I?

Each pattern represents a different part of my knitting journey, so I like each one for a different reason. “Down The Rabbit Hole” is based on one of my favorite childhood stories. But the “Robin Hoodie” represents the culmination of all my knitting abilities. I couldn’t have written that pattern when I started the book. But I gained enough experience while writing the other patterns to make it a reality. 

The “Robin Hoodie,” the culmination of all of Audry’s knitting abilities.
4. What would be the 11th work of literature you would add if you could?

This collection almost had 12 patterns. Before I designed each garment, I read the book I wanted to base the knit on. I read Little Women and Heidi, but when it came down to it, I had trouble designing knits that didn’t look kitschy. So I cut the collection down to 10 patterns.

5. The photography in your book is incredible. However, we all know that serene images don’t always come from serene photo shoots. What were some funny stories that happened while you were taking pictures for this book?

Well, you were part of one of the more amusing photo shoots. Since the socks you modeled were Black Beauty themed, we needed to have horses in the background. After getting permission to go to a field where there were horses, we couldn’t find them! It took a good half hour of circling around groves of trees before we found the herd. Then three curious horses came over to investigate. Just as we would shoo one away from the equipment, another one would sneak up and have a look. I still have horse spit stains on my camera bag.


Glamor? More like cold mist, grass stains, allergies, and horse spit. Photo credit: Juliet Nicklin
I know you were cold during that shoot since it started to mist by the end of it, and I had horrible allergies for two days afterwards because I spent the entire time with my face practically rubbing the grass. And I never did get those grass stains out of my jeans.

6. I know you made extreme efforts to use authentic props in your photo shoots. What was the coolest prop you collected for this book?

I was lucky to have all sorts of neat props for this book. But my favorite prop was the real Piece of Eight that I used in the “Sail To Treasure Island” shoot. It came from my Opa’s coin collection and was minted in 1744 during King Philip V of Spain’s rule. 

The “Sail To Treasure Island” blanket, its inspiring book, a compass, and a real Piece of Eight. 

7. Okay, let’s get into your secrets of creative success. On a “normal” day, what does your creative routine look like?

I know some people like to have strict time schedules. I find that keeping up with a schedule stresses me out, so I just have an order I do things. I’ll get up mid to late morning, shower, and walk the dog, Scooter. Then I walk myself to and from a local coffee shop to get tea, after which I eat lunch and read a little bit of a book before I sit down and work. I typically make a list of what needs to be done the night before, so I just start working down the list. Then it is a second dog walk followed by more work. After eating dinner, I might watch a little TV with Scooter while knitting. (He gets grumpy if he doesn’t get at least a half hour of TV time.) 

Audry’s four-legged creative muse, Scooter.
Depending on what stage I’m at in a design, I might be doing “work” knitting or “personal” knitting. After TV time with Scooter, he and I head to bed, where I might work into the wee hours if things are going well. If not, I give up and go to bed. Before my head hits the pillow, I’ll typically list a few things that need to get done the next day.

8. 2 1/2 years of dedicated work is a lot. What kept you from quitting on this project when the road got tough?

My options were to either finish the book or go look for another job. Working on the book looked like the better option. After a while, I had told so many people about the book that it would have been terribly embarrassing to not finish. So avoiding humiliation is what kept me going after a while. That, and I didn’t want to disappoint my parents.

9. Self-publishing v. traditional publishing is a big conversation in the book world these days. Why did you choose to self-publish rather than seek traditional publication? Are you glad you did?

I chose to self-publish because I didn’t want to sign over the rights to my work. The thought that a publisher could do one print run and let the book go out of print was a little too much to take. However, this also means that I am in charge of all the promotion. So while part of me is frustrated that I don’t have the resources to promote Lit Knits as widely as a publisher could, I’m still satisfied that I’ve chosen to self-publish. I’ve been lucky that my background is in print design. I don’t think I could have done it myself without that experience.

I’d say she did a pretty good job designing her own cover.

10. Now that Lit Knits is done, do you have another creative project in the works? Can you give us any hints?

I think I’ll always be working on some sort of knit. I have 2-3 more book ideas, but at the moment, I’m working on some single-pattern proposals for knitting magazines. It’s been interesting seeing how each of my previous jobs has led to the next. I look forward to seeing where this book takes me.
Thanks for having me, Alina!



My pleasure! It was a fun privilege for me to both copyedit the manuscript of Lit Knits and model a pair of socks. But above all, seeing my friend successfully pioneer her own book enterprise inspires me to take my own novel seriously and see it to completion. 

If you love to knit, know someone who does, or just like whimsical pictures of cool, literature-inspired clothes, check out the book on Audry’s web site. She’s got a special preorder deal going until September 25. You can also find her author page on Facebook.
Have more questions? Leave a comment! Audry and I will both be around for some Q&A! 
Unless otherwise noted, all photos are courtesy of Audry Nicklin. 

Blogiversary #2

~ Alina ~ 6 Comments

I love fall. The student in me thinks of September, not January, as the beginning of the year. As the weather gets cooler, I get an almost Pavlovian excitement for office supplies, pumpkin spice lattes, and new beginnings.

Photo credit: Jason A. Samfield

But what almost took me by surprise is that this approaching fall season also marks my second blogiversary. I went to write this week’s blog post and realized it’ll be two years on Sunday! Which prompts a bit of reflection.

It’s a little harder to track this year’s progress than it was last year. I do know that I’ve published a total of 95 posts and accumulated nearly 20,000 page views since starting this blog in 2011 (numbers which thrill, startle, and humble me by turns). Sometimes numbers help me step back and get some perspective on the small routines I perform regularly.

This year I have branched out to share a wider variety of art forms, including poetry, photography, and excerpts from my novel-in-progress.

Speaking of which, that novel is in its 4th (and hopefully final) draft! Sometimes not losing vision in the last stage is the hardest part. I’m both eager and nervous to set out on the road to publication.

I struck the words “recent college graduate” from my Blogger profile. Now that I’m 2+ years out of academia, I think I’m really beginning to consider myself a working adult.

Which is beginning to make sense, now that my weeks are full with 15 tutoring students, regular freelance editing projects, novel revisions, and some very dear relationships that make my life full and sweet. Sometimes living has been so sweet that I’ve clean forgotten about blogging (that’s why there’s no December under the 2012 tab).

I had a chance to share my life story with some peers a few weeks ago and it gave me a chance to realize what this blog has done for me. Not only has it kept my writing muscles limber in busy times when other writing projects have gone into hibernation, but it’s been cathartic for me as well. Sometimes it’s easier to blurt out the truth in a public forum (especially online) than it is to be honest with your close friends and family.

Here I’ve reached new levels of honesty as I’ve broached subjects like vulnerability, loss, and lament poetry. What’s even better is that some of you have come to me and shared that my halting admissions of hurt, confusion, and failure have made you feel freer to admit your own struggles. And that makes it worth it.

It’s also been joyful to celebrate new beginnings throughout the year, noticing small magic, overflowing like popcorn, and cooing over adorable hedgehogs. It’s wonderful to celebrate fullness and joy. I think honesty about the empty and the hard makes this part even sweeter.

And with that, I commence celebrating blogiversary #2. No pumpkin spice lattes in my local Starbucks yet, but I’m waiting. Oh yes, I’m waiting.

Photo credit: brina_head


In the meanwhile, let this changing season give you a chance to reflect. What milestones are you celebrating? What are you looking forward to this school year? 

All The Cuteness, Part 2

~ Alina ~ 4 Comments

Okay. If you thought the hedgehogs were cute, I am about to show you something that will BLOW YOUR MIND with cuteness.

Ready? 
Photo credit: Ryan Lee
Sugar gliders! They’re tiny flying possums that are native to Australia and Indonesia…
…and they fit inside wine glasses. 
…and they snuggle in the palm of your hand.

Photo credit: Arnold T. Schwartzenglider

…and they hug your thumb.

Photo credit: Wm Jas

And they can do this!

Photo credit: Arnold T. Schwartzenglider

I want one of these to go with my imaginary hedgehog. But sadly, sugar gliders are also illegal pets in California (and Alaska, Hawaii, and Massachusetts). Seriously, what are those lawmakers thinking?

But tell me you’re not smiling now. Have a great Friday!

Someday I Will Be The Library

~ Alina ~ 2 Comments
I’m pleased to report that the old-books shelf in my personal library is now double stacked.
My mom has autumn cleaning fever, so I’ve inherited more books! It’s extra exciting, because these are old books. Rebecca belonged to my grandmother, and the other three were my great-grandfather’s in Mexico. 

I guess keeping a personal library has always been a byproduct of my obsession with books. Not to mention that my only motivation in interior decorating is finding more ways to store, display, and curl up with books.

Ok, maybe not the antlers.
photo credit: …love Maegan via photopin cc

But little did I think when I started collecting books that one day they might be a novelty. Before there were museums, people used to keep “curiosity cabinets” in their homes. I saw one in Prague, containing things like model ships, coats of chain mail, and petrified sharks.

Except that mine will be full of books. 
This week I read a blog post (thanks for forwarding, Michael) by Seth Godin predicting 7 things that will be lost as our society transitions from paper to electronic books. Godin doesn’t predict that paper books will disappear entirely, but that the infrastructure surrounding them will, including bookshelves, bookstores, and libraries. 

Or at least, libraries as we know them. Have you heard about the nation’s first “bookless library,” set to open in San Antonio, TX, in the fall (thanks Hannah!)? No books. Just desktops, laptops, and e-readers for checkout, as well as remote-access materials.

Sad.

I mean, don’t get me wrong. The really important things are that people keep reading, that one idea keeps leading to another, and that stories keep teaching us how to live. Those things can happen just as well on electronic devices as on paper. I have a Kindle, and I like that it allows me to keep one-glance track of all my highlights and notes and even share those with others on the Internet.

But…but…libraries.

To think that someday I might have to tell my kids a fictional story about a magical place where endless shelves of paper books sat waiting to be thumbed through, perused, checked out, brought home with you for a glorious three weeks. Not just to read. To admire, carry around, smell. They have histories. They start conversations. Sometimes they even start relationships. As you’re putting one back, another catches your eye. And you realize you’ll be spending the rest of your life reading. So many books, so little time.

Well, here’s one library that’s not going anywhere.

Someday, I can imagine giving tours of my curiosity cabinet like a museum docent. When bookshelves, bookstores, and libraries have gone out of fashion, I’ll take down my old books and let people smell them, sneeze on the dust. This one was my great-grandfather’s. 

Hedgehogs

~ Alina ~ 6 Comments
Warning: this post has absolutely no intellectual content. Sometimes brains need a break.
So this post is about hedgehogs.
I didn’t really understand what the thing was about hedgehogs before. Their pictures circulate a lot on Facebook, but whatever. Puppies are way cuter.  
But on a visit to the San Francisco Zoo a few weeks ago, I actually got to see a hedgehog…and pet it…
…and now hedgehogs are a thing. So. Much. Cuteness.

Image courtesy of stock.xchng and tburgey

I know, right? Beatrix Potter’s respectable Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Brian Jacques’ Ambrose Spike never prepared me for this. Those spikes aren’t really poky–they feel kind of like rubber. 

Image courtesy of stock.xchng and sparkules
…and this one drinks out of a teacup! Just like a good British hedgehog. 

Image courtesy of stock.xchng and greengia

…and here’s one rolled up in a ball…

Image courtesy of stock.xchng and mouse

Eee! It’s waving. Hellooo, little adorable hedgehog…

Depressingly, hedgehogs are perfectly legal pets in all the states except for Maine, Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Pennslvania…and California. Guess I’ll be contenting myself with internet pictures for the time being.
(If you have links to more cute hedgehog pictures, post them in the comments! I can’t get enough of them!)

Independent Bookstores: Santa Rosa

~ Alina ~ 2 Comments

This is the story of my life.

not to be trusted in a bookstore with a credit card - pinback button badge

Especially at a used bookstore like Treehorn Books in Santa Rosa, CA. My mom and I took a short trip up there last fall and saw the “Books” sign in the window. You know what happened next.

Of course I couldn’t resist going in. In a cheery, pedestrian-dominated downtown just off of Highway 101, this bookstore rubs elbows with public outdoor gardens, international fair-trade shops, coffee shops, and an authentic millinery store–that’s a hat shop to the rest of us.
‘
My attention was arrested right from the window, where an array of dollhouses and paper constructions, including Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, announces the presence of whimsy and imagination (some of them are dangling from the ceiling).
But of course, as with good books and good people, it’s the inside that really counts. This bookshop is much bigger than it looks on the outside. Rows and aisles and alcoves and crannies of books. No sliding ladders here, but there are some stepstools.
I drooled over books old and new for a while, even chatting it up with the friendly store owner for a few minutes. But what almost got me was the first-edition boxed set of the Lord of the Rings trilogy under glass by the cash register. Gasp. Drool. (For those of you who don’t yet know, I had The Lord of the Rings read to me when I was eight and it’s been my most favorite, inspirational set of books ever since. See my Good Reads page for evidence.)
Unfortunately, those beautiful first editions were something like $250 per book. And since I am a devoted book lover, I majored in English in college. Which meant that that purchase was not happening. So I admired that boxed set like a work of art in a museum and decided to put it on my “when I am rich and famous” list.
Take heart, though! The less rare books were very accessibly priced. So if you’re ever in Santa Rosa, climb a few of the stepstools for me.
Treehorn Books is located at 625 4th St, Santa Rosa, CA 95404. They don’t have a website, but their Yelp page has all their information. 

Cats, Dogs, and Grammar

~ Alina ~ Leave a comment

When I’m not writing irresistible blog posts (*ahem*) I actually make a living by fixing people’s grammar. As a freelance editor and English tutor, mostly, but occasionally for free in conversation. I really try to keep that knee-jerk reaction under control, though.

Grammar is descriptive rather than prescriptive, meaning that what is “correct” changes over time, according to the way people really use words in speaking and writing. Unlike in science, there are very few absolute laws in grammar. So anyone who tries to collar you and tell you that ending a sentence with a preposition is a cardinal sin is probably just…overreacting.

Overreacting. Image courtesy of stock.xchng and xvoltagex

That being said, the goal of language is to communicate, and to accomplish that, the way we use language has to be standardized. Publications like the MLA Handbook, the Chicago Manual of Style, and the Associated Press Stylebook exist to teach us how to write standard English (and even write with style). And because of them, here are a few of my pet peeves from the last few weeks:

1. Take your sentences to the gym

I think of a sentence as a person going for a workout. Get rid of all the extra flab, and you’ve got a toned, healthy, athletic body. You can’t get attached to that extra bit of tummy fat; it’s about the health and fitness of the whole body. So for the sake of the sentence’s health, ask yourself, “Can I say the same thing in fewer words?”

Image courtesy of stock.xchng and ctr

2. “The difference between the right word and the almost right word…”

“…is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug” (Mark Twain). I love big words. I am enraptured by big words. My favorite word in English is tintinnabulation. (Go look that one up for a grin.) But every word has a shade of meaning, and you have to choose the one that best suits your sentence. So don’t use incursion when you mean raid, or hirsute when you mean bearded. There’s a time and a place for big words, but they’re not one-size-fits-all. Make sure you understand what you’re really saying.

Image courtesy of stock.xchng and Catrya

3. Be nice to apostrophes

This one’s best explained with a couple of formulas and a picture.

Your=belonging to you
You’re=you are
You’re about to step on your French poodle.

Whose=belonging to whom
Who’s=who is
Whose French poodle is that? Who’s a French poodle? 

(Note: who’se is not a thing…)

There=a place
Their=belonging to them
They’re=they are
They’re picking up their French poodle from there.

Poor poodle.

Image courtesy of stock.xchng and crs_171

Loving the grammar (or need some more help)? Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips is one of my favorite quick-reference websites. I also just found out that Grammar Girl has a whole Pinterest board of hilarious cartoons for grammar nerds. Enjoy!

Do you have any pet grammar peeves? Feel free to share them in the comments!

Independent Bookstores: Seattle

~ Alina ~ 2 Comments

Since I spent last weekend visiting my college stomping grounds in Seattle, Washington, what could be better than to do a tour of the city’s used bookstores? In a city full of coffee, hipsters, and rain, the book trade flourishes, and the independent bookstores each have as much uniqueness as the people walking by. Here are my top 3 favorite Seattle bookstores:

1. Arundel Books

Though Arundel has recently moved to the Pioneer Square area, its old location was just a few blocks from Pike Place Market. Selling new, used, and rare books, it has something to tempt everyone. I found one of my rare nonfiction buys there: a copy of Bruno Bettelheim’s The Uses of Enchantment, on the psychology and importance of fairy tales. Very intriguing. Just as intriguing as Arundel’s spiral staircase that leads into an airy balcony packed with books.

2. Mercer Street Books

When my old favorite, Twice-Sold Tales, left the Lower Queen Anne area, Mercer Street Books rose from its ashes. A quick bus ride away from my school, this bookstore’s big, inviting windows often lured me to step inside…probably more often than I should have. In addition to selling used books, they also buy used books.

To me, selling books feels like selling children. I could perhaps conceive of passing along a few “less-favorite” titles in order to make room for more books on my shelves. But I have this hunch that if I were to trade books for money, I’d instantly trade money for more books. Then I’d leave with more than I brought. It’s one of the unfortunate laws of book magnetism.

3. Ophelia’s Books

Definitely my favorite independent bookstore in Seattle, Ophelia’s buys and sells used books. I found a nearly-new copy of Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose for about $7 here while I was working on my college senior project. But the real draw of this bookstore is its charm. See that upstairs loft? The ceiling is only 5′ 10″ off the floor. And guess what’s shelved up there? Children’s books. Oh yes. Perfect.

There’s always at least one cat lurking around Ophelia’s. Even though cats make me sneeze, they do lend a certain ambience to a quirky little book paradise like this one. And I love that the store is named after a character from Hamlet, my favorite Shakespeare play!

Ophelia’s also has a spiral staircase. Have I mentioned that I think spiral staircases are awesome? Almost as awesome as sliding ladders. Those will show up in another bookstore, another day.

This concludes our tour of the Rainy City’s used bookstores. I know there are many more, though, so if you have a favorite that’s not listed here, please leave a comment!

Novels and Ships

~ Alina ~ 2 Comments

So instead of blogging yesterday…

…I worked on my novel.

Which looked kind of like doing Internet research on ships.

I found one that might end up in my final draft. It was known as a packet ship of the Black Ball Line, active from 1817-1878.

Cool, huh? Fast, spacious, well-armed. I won’t tell you what it’s for, but let’s just say it’s making a cameo in this book so it can possibly reappear in the sequel.

And here’s a snippet of what I was working on yesterday:

Ellie took the pen and let it hover above the page. Fill the words with light. Where on earth to start? She closed her eyes, remembering the story. Instead of curly black letters, she saw sailors fleeing from giant waves, a salty hurricane of spray overwhelming them. But then the clouds broke, and the white gull came wheeling down in a shaft of late golden light. The fearsome waves were turned to turquoise mountain peaks, capped with snowy foam–and gilded with light like the Legend in her visions. She dabbed her pen in the dish of blue ink and began to draw. 

Getting excited? So am I. I’ve only got about 45 pages left to revise!