Rustypuppy

For those who like the MurderBot Diaries by Martha Wells, a Kickstarter is launching on Oct. 15th for a graphic novel of the first novella: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cosmic-lighthouse/murderbot-the-first-graphic-novel-multi-award-winning-sf

#bookstr #comics #murderbot

Some books be like that. #bookstr #reading

Birthday gift from the Birthday Boy!

#bookstr #birthday

Very fun 1000 pc jigsaw puzzle of Agatha Christie with objects reflecting her life and stories. Included a poster that gave her biography and pointed out all the references in the illustration.

Did you know she loved surfing? 🏄🏻‍♀️

#puzzle #bookstr

Congratulations!!! Massive #artstr #proofofwork right here 😍👏💜

#art #bookstr

Reminds me of one of my favorite Discworld passages between Vimes and Angua …

"He was largely blue, shading to green, with overtones of garlic."

"Yes," said Vimes, "but as a human who doesn't happen to be a werewolf with her nose half an inch from the carpet? What colour is he?"

"Ah," said Angua. "Brownish."

• Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett

#dogstr #bookstr

#art for #bookstr

Current read: Dungeon Crawler Carl.

Fun so far. I’ve never played tabletop RPGs, but I’ve been around people who do for decades, so the stats stuff doesn’t bother me. Lots of references, but they don’t get in the way of the story, which is (along with the characters) interesting enough for me to keep reading.

This is the first of many books, because there are 18 dungeon levels … though no one has made it past level 13 (cue ominous foreshadowing music).

#bookstr #litrpg #reading

Visited a local art gallery. Saw amazing art created by secondary students, bought cards, and donated money to take some art books home.

Owl & woodpecker by Sandra Kunz

Redtail hawks by Lindsay Piltz

Quilt by my mom

#art #bookstr #birdstr

Got an email that the new MurderBot novel is on its way to me!!! 🎉

I finished reading the previous one, System Collapse (don’t start here; it takes place directly after Fugitive Telemetry and there is A Lot Going On. All Systems Red is the first MurderBot novella - start there.)

Am now re-reading the short stories, which can be bought as ebooks or read for free at the following links:

• Compulsory - https://www.wired.com/story/future-of-work-compulsory-martha-wells/

• Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory - https://reactormag.com/home-habitat-range-niche-territory-martha-wells//

• Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy - https://reactormag.com/rapport-martha-wells/

#bookstr #murderbot

Re-reading the previous MurderBot novel in anticipation of the release of the next one in a week 🦾

#bookstr #murderbot

Finished reading Martha Wells’ Witch King and the sequel, Queen Demon.

First, these stories are in a unique magical fantasy world, so much more like Martha’s other novels than the popular Murderbot stories.

I loved Witch King; it was one of those stay-up-waaaaay-past-bedtime books that I fell into. It could be considered self-contained, so you can read it, get a complete story, and not have a cliff-hanger ending. It tells the story of the characters in 2 timelines (past & present) in alternating chapters.

Queen Demon takes place right after the end of WK in both timelines. Again with the alternating chapters, which didn’t bother me in WK. For QD, about halfway through the book, I did end up reading just the past chapters to the end, then went back and read the present chapters. There is an ending …. though it also very much a new beginning.

I originally thought/read this was a duology, so I expected a WK cliffhanger (that didn’t happen) and expected more of a complete closure in QD (also didn’t happen), but that means Martha has more Rising World stories planned, which is exciting, because I really enjoyed my time with these characters.

Side note: if you buy the ebooks, you do not get the world map, which is handy, so I included it as the last image.

Cover art (tordotcom edition) by Cynthia Sheppard

#bookstr #marthawells

Worth staying up until 4 am to finish.

Locked-room murder mystery with a great-aunt and second footman detective team during the panic caused by Halley’s Comet in 1910.

#bookstr #reading #murdermystery

#bookstr #grownostr

Got through half of this last night, going for the last half tonight.

Second book in Laura Anne Gillman’s The Devil’s West trilogy, The Cold Eye.

Alternative Old West setting, earth magic, and the Devil runs a saloon in the middle of the Territory where you can play cards with him and decide if what you really want is worth signing a Contract.

#bookstr #reading #fantasy #western

#photostr made an #artstr #bookstr 🎉💜🫂

It’s only 1 am, after all. #bookstr #reading

30 pages in and this is already everything I love about smart, honest characters in a genre setting. 🤩

If you haven’t read The Old Man’s War by John Scalzi and you like sci-fi, I highly recommend it. 🚀

#bookstr #scifi #sciencefiction #reading

Trying something new, along the lines of the Pottery Paradox from the book, Art & Fear.

A 500 sheet ream of copy paper will be my sketchpad for the year. Not intentionally trying to use all of them. It’s just practice, and somehow easier to tackle than a bound sketchbook.

#artstr #artprocess #drawing #sketching #practice #bookstr

I’m starting research on a large creative project (designing a personal tarot deck). Checking books out of the library is a good way to see how useful they are.

Spent the afternoon with this book and given the number of flags I used on useful pages, it’s one a want to buy.

Now I just need to decide hardcover or Kindle…?

HC: love having an actual book, double page photo spreads, can leave open on the desk as a visual reminder

Kindle: screengrabs can be imported into the project file and marked up, searchable text

🤔

#bookstr #interiordesign #inttar #tarot

I prefer genre fiction to non-fiction, but this book about a painter’s winter on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen with her husband in 1934 is top notch.

Beautiful imagery describing the landscape and subtle touches of humor fill the chapters.

My trip to Svalbard next year will be far more luxurious than her stays in hunters’ huts scattered across the north coast, but I hope to see and feel some of the wonders she describes.

#bookstr #polar #arctic #biography #diary

May 5, 3026: the next Murderbot novel, Platform Decay, will be released as a hardcover, ebook, and audiobook. 🎉

#bookstr #reading #marthawells #murderbot

Anyone? Anyone? #writing #author #bookstr #grownostr

I read this when it was first published in 2008. Good re-read at this stage of my life.

#bookstr #reading #readstr

Attention #bookstr - or anyone who wants a great deal on All the MurderBot books and more!

Humble Bundle has a Martha Wells deal for 14 items at a minimum of $18 - https://www.humblebundle.com/books/martha-wells-murderbot-and-more-tor-books - all ebooks, all ePub files without DRM.

• all the MurderBot novellas, novels, and short stories
• her stand alone fantasy novels
• Witch King is part 1 of a duology with the second book, Queen Demon, coming out on October 7th

There’s also a 1 item bundle for the first MurderBot novella for a minimum of $1.

And a 3 item bundle for the first 3 (of 4) MurderBot novellas for a minimum of $10 … at which point I’d advise go up to $18 and just get everything. 😁

#reading #murderbot #marthawells #humblebundle #ebooks

Binged the Murderbot TV show over the past two days. 10 eps, about half an hour each.

So. Good. 👍 👍

Season 1 covers the first novella, All Systems Red, written by Martha Wells (https://www.marthawells.com).

The show reduced the number of PresAux characters, altered some relationships and emphasized others, added some new scenes, and overall, sharpened what was in the book.

It absolutely captures the heart and anxiety that is Murderbot.

I re-read the novella after watching the show. It’s fun to now have a voice for Murderbot and faces for the other characters.

Looking forward to season 2 …. and to finding out who they cast to voice ART … ?!

The only quibble I have (and it’s tiny), is that the promo image for the show has replaced the book cover of All Systems Red on my Kindle, because I love the original cover art by Jaime Jones (https://www.artpad.org). But I still have the print paperback and hardcover so I guess I’m fine. 😬

#murderbot #tvstr #tvshow #bookstr

I love Kickstarter as a means for creators to directly connect with their audience (even wrote a book on how to create a KS project), so seeing someone on #nostr promote their campaign is a true joy. 🧡

Check out the link, share the note - as someone who has run 8 successful KS projects and supported over 200, every little bit helps.

#grownostr #bookstr #bitcoin #kids #kickstarter

New Murderbot novelette by Martha Wells out tomorrow!!!!!

There’s a preview on the website now, and the full story will be available to read for free when released.

#bookstr #murderbot #scifi

Took 2 bags of books to Half Price Books. 📚

Came home with half a bag of new books. 😍

Found this in the preface of a book on printmaking and thought the folks here would appreciate it. May make it into an art piece. 🤔

#bookstr #quote #money #bitcoin

Cool book with lots of photos of #artstr studios … looking for ideas as a redo my own space. 💡

#studio #redo #newcycle #bookstr

So this happened. 😕

#artstr #bookstr #artbooks

Local B&N bookstore is closing because they opened a new store further north.

Got a few books and a great stash of magazines for art stuff: references, collage, and possibly gelli plate transfers; need to do some tests as the paper is different for every magazine.

#bookstr #reading #magazines #artsupplies

Boyfriend is going on a trip later this month, so I’ve stocked up on a bit of reading material. 😬

There’s also an anime for Snow White with the Red Hair, which is how I first got into the story, though it only goes through Chapter 32 (vol. 8) of the manga.

#readstr #bookstr #manga #anime

Happy World Turtle Day!!!! 🐢

“Great A'Tuin the turtle comes, swimming slowly through the interstellar gulf, hydrogen frost on his ponderous limbs, his huge and ancient shell pocked with meteor craters. Through sea-sized eyes that are crusted with rheum and asteroid dust He stares fixedly at the Destination.”

• Terry Pratchett, The Colour of Magic

Art by Paul Kidby

#terrypratchett #holiday #turtle #reading #bookstr

Some of the graphic novels from the library I read this week …

1. Covenant - much better than I thought it would be. Interested to read the next one.

2. The Well - enjoyed the story and art of this one a lot. May buy a copy when I get home.

3. The Circle Series - didn’t finish Black. Confusing and a genre I’m not interested in reading (which I did know it was because I was just picking up stuff without research).

#bookstr #reading #graphicnovel

Quiet afternoon reading by the fireplace. Picked up these two from the library today.

#bookstr #manga #reading #vacation

The early Discworld books are fun fantasy. Pratchett really found his voice as the series went along. My favorite is Night Watch, though it’s best if you’ve read a few of the Guards books already to really understand the characters.

The young adult Tiffany Aching series (first book Wee Free Men) is wonderful and can be enjoyed by any age.

#bookstr #reading #sirterrypratchett #terrypratchettday

#readstr looking for some #bookstr recommendations….

When the $60 each hardcover books you’ve been watching for years are on sale for $20 each so you can buy 3 now for the price of 1 then. 😍

#bookstr #marvelstudios #artstr #movie #filmstr #tvstr

The more I read of this book, the more I love her writing. Wanted to share a few great lines with you. 🦊

#bookstr #reading #readstr #nonfiction #fox

Usually don’t read non-fiction, but this one caught my eye during some bookstore browsing time, and the first entry engaged me enough to buy it.

#bookstr #nonfiction #reading https://i.nostr.build/n2UPTbQz0f4STnVg.jpg https://i.nostr.build/q2kptbbKAc1SD6vA.jpg

This is me for my January bullet journal. 😐

Didn’t even finish setting up all of my standard pages…. Which is why I’m starting set up on my February journal now, so it will be ready by the first of the month. 🙂

Photo of a page from a book published in 1887.

#journal #planner #bujo #vintage #bookstr https://i.nostr.build/CepkoXWuFdsjNTKY.jpg

Getting better at walking in my barefoot-friendly shoes, though there’s still the momentary thought when I step outside the house that I have slippers on because the Hobibear shoes are so flat compared to all the supportive shoes I’ve worn all my life.

Walked just under 1 mile today and 90% of that was at a HUGE Half Price Books store. 📚

#walking #bookstr #31days https://i.nostr.build/HdxoHg42wcyU7csk.jpg

The scarves are lovely, though it’s the handmade notebooks/journals that captured my heart. Bookbinding is an amazing #art

#🖼️ #bookstr #writing

Early morning drive to meet a friend at a cafe within a bookstore. #photostr #foodstr #bookstr https://i.nostr.build/VXiTDOTqS6B63lrn.jpg https://i.nostr.build/2jxdmW254lp5SAnO.jpg https://i.nostr.build/hiONawif3axFKnep.jpg

Local library for the manga win!!!

Apothecary Diaries has 2 seasons of an anime, light novels, and a manga.

Each tells basically the same stories. Because they involve ancient China court politics and mysteries, I understand each story a little better going through it in different ways.

I read one manga a sitting, so these will be returned before Christmas. 🎄

#anime #manga #reading #bookstr #apothecarydiaries https://i.nostr.build/Muyq7c5QSIDKNyWT.jpg

Handmade book, so awesome.

#art #🖼️ #bookstr #handmade #grownostr #plebchain

Slow mornings are the best …. especially when they happen at 3 pm because you earned the luxury of staying up until 5 am reading. 📚

#lifestyle #bookstr #reading #retirement

This book is going to be amazing!

#art #artstr #publishing #bookstr #nostronly #v4v #grownostr #plebchain #nostrich

Sharing Past Art…

This is a book I made in 2022. At the time, it was just an online class project. The pages are acrylic paint and stamping; the signatures sewn together with waxed thread and ribbon to help keep the overall shape.

I ended up doing collages in it as I went through the Camp Calm meditation class by David Cain at Raptitude.

I’ll share some of those collages starting tomorrow.

#art #artstr #collage #bookbinding #bookstr #rustypuppyart https://i.nostr.build/Ojp7qpnkYt0Vu23p.jpg https://i.nostr.build/VuKwhsqzKvxNY1Qq.jpg

I picked this up a month ago, then got distracted by the 5 Heartstriker books and Argylle, but once I started it, I finished it in 3 days: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

This is one of those books that is written as fantasy to be able to comment on reality, and while the subtext isn’t that sub in some places, it was secondary to the great, well-defined characters for me.

Written in a close POV, you follow Linus, a worker a the Department in Charge of Magical Youth in his investigation and evaluation of a unique orphanage in the system that is classified due to the extreme magical nature of the children kept there. It’s a story of found family and growth and seeing individuals as they are instead of how others have told you they should be.

It is a stand alone novel, with a sequel coming out in September 2025 called Somewhere Beyond the Sea, that, from the blurb, takes place very soon after the events in this book.

#bookstr #books #reading #tjklune #fantasy #magic #children #rustypuppyreads https://i.nostr.build/1sBUfqfMxmnFDgzR.jpg

Finished reading Argylle by Elly Conway, which is (and isn’t) a tie-in to the movie Argylle.

The movie is about Elly.

This book is a spy novel about Agent Argylle’s recruitment, training, and first big mission for the CIA.

Written in present tense (which alternately fades into the background or is obvious and annoying), I felt at a distance to all of the characters. Reminded me of the Fleming Bond novels. I haven’t read spy novels in decades, so maybe that’s the style?

After I finished it, I thought about whether or not I actually liked it. Was it worth the hours I had put into reading it across the past week?

Then I read the back cover again - all the plot points in the yellow diamond that made perfect sense now … and the yellow text in the top left and bottom right corners:

The greater the spy, the bigger the lie.

It’s the perfect tagline for the movie and this book, because there are multiple ways that theme plays out.

Suddenly I liked the story much more than I had a minute ago.

#argylle #ellyconway #bookstr #book #spy https://i.nostr.build/BPUWIZuAMnijfF4p.jpg https://i.nostr.build/TEguyvmdjoZYzQBi.jpg

Last Dragon Standing, last (5th) book in Rachel Aaron’s Heartstriker series.

Good ending to a good series.

Even being aware of the theme and having a solid guess how it would likely end, there were still surprises - good surprises, not “where the hell did that come from?!” surprises, which is one of the reasons I keep reading Aaron’s books: the worlds and magic systems she creates have rules and they don’t get broken for dramatic or plot reasons; the fun is seeing how they are interpreted and used by the various characters in pursuit of their (often conflicting) goals.

#rachelaaron #urbanfantasy #dragons #heartstrikers #bookstr #book #fiction #rustypuppyreads https://i.nostr.build/zlwXJeJbBqNtSOuE.jpg

Going to be antisocial for the rest of the day. 📖

#bookstr #reading #happysunday https://i.nostr.build/gZXkG.jpg

Dragon of a Different Color by Rachel Aaron, #4 in the Heartstriker series.

Nice follow up to the plot threads of book 3 (No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished). New dragons, various characters level up, Big Picture gets Bigger, and something that makes utter sense given the rules of the world but was still a shocker.

Really liked Marci’s journey through this book, though since her and Julius spend most of the novel apart from each other, every chapter alternates POV …. which means for most of the middle I just skip chapters to follow a single POV. 😬

Also this cover is soooo reminiscent of Mary GrandPré’s original illustrations for the Harry Potter books because there’s a freaking spoiler in it that means nothing to you until you’ve read the story. 🤣

On to the last book, whose cover proves this whole thing has always been about Bob. 😉

#rachelaaron #urbanfantasy #dragons #heartstrikers #bookstr #book #fiction #rustypuppyreads https://i.nostr.build/Q7Ky8.jpg

No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished, Book 3 in Rachel Aaron’s Heartstriker series.

Damn, things are leveling up now, which you expect in Book 3 of a 5 book series. There’s a good balance of keeping up with the major players involved, though that does mean alternating chapters of POV when they go off in different directions.

I really enjoy the various levels of magic power: humans, dragons, animal spirits, environment spirits, and stuff that’s obviously waaaay more powerful but hasn’t been fulling explained yet.

Aaron does a good job of keeping things relative to each other, so you do believe this human can punch above her weight and (as frustrating as the main nice dragon can be), there’s enough motivation and reasons for the other characters to do what they in reaction to his efforts and actions. One mystery isn’t that mysterious and the reader should be able to figure it out even though he doesn’t.

I don’t think this book, and the next two, will be as impactful if you don’t start at the beginning.

On to the next one. 👍🐉

#rachelaaron #urbanfantasy #dragons #heartstrikers #bookstr #book #fiction #rustypuppyreads https://i.nostr.build/LeL58.jpg

One Good Dragon Deserves Another, book 2 of 5 in the Heartstriker series by Rachel Aaron.

Self-contained plot, though I think it would be easier to follow if you’d read the first one. Also has an end-of-the-book blowup that adds a new crises that seem will resonate through the rest of the books.

I like what the author does with the seers (dragons that know the future and manipulate anyone and everyone to get the outcome they prefer) and spirits (sentient magic). Part of the joy of reading genre for me is experiencing these other worlds that authors create.

As an author, I enjoy the craft of the book:

• showing the reader things the characters don’t know to increase tension
• having the characters know something that is completely hidden from the reader until the reveal
• keeping some things from the reader and the characters, but with enough bits scattered around that, when looking back, all the parts were there before the final puzzle image was revealed.

Going on to the third book. 👍 🐉

#rachelaaron #urbanfantasy #dragons #heartstrikers #rustypuppyreads #bookstr #book #fiction https://i.nostr.build/Q7VEX.jpg

#truth #bookstr #reading

Picked up this book at the library: How to Draw Without Talent by Danny Gregory. The Sketchbook Skool logo felt familiar, but it wasn’t until I was a few pages in that when he said he was Koosje Koene’s partner that I got it - I have her book on sketching.

I’ll try pretty much any book on drawing/sketching because reading and practicing the same thing presented differently often helps it click better for me.

This book has fun, quick exercises.

The second and third photos was to make marks while listening to different songs- which I found very helpful. The whole ‘make marks’ thing has always confused me. Probably because I keep wanting the marks to look like some specific thing. Playing with the pen over the paper became secondary to enjoying the song, so much more fun.

Here are links to the songs…

Flower by Jisoo - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YudHcBIxlYw

All Night by Parov Stellar - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_C7UgR_sIW0

#drawing #practice #sketching #artstr #art #bookstr #nonfiction #songstr #music #playlist #songs #tunestr https://i.nostr.build/0j7gM.jpg https://i.nostr.build/2RDxX.jpg https://i.nostr.build/LelBD.jpg

Finished Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron. Fun urban fantasy in a near future where magic has come back to the world (especially Detroit). Dragons are real and very scheming. Human mages have different schools of magic use.

This is the first book, and while it does come to a conclusion, something big has been set in motion. There are 5 books total (and an interview with Mother of the Heartstriker Dragons), all of which are out, which is why I started this series - not a fan of year or longer waits for a story I’m enjoying.

I loved her Eli Monpress books, and these have a similar feel, though more urban than fantasy world.

Starting the next book tonight. 🐉

#rachelaaron #urbanfantasy #dragons #heartstrikers #rustypuppyreads #bookstr https://i.nostr.build/Vw0Zv.jpg

Starting a new series from a favorite author. Back … later … ish. #bookstr #reading #happysunday https://i.nostr.build/oMOn7.jpg

Finished reading the second Whimbrel House book, Heir of Uncertain Magic, by Charlie N. Holmberg. It’s been a while since I read the first book, Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, so it took a bit to get back into it, as the events happen right after each other.

Enjoyable, light read. Mystery (situational, not murder), bit of romance. Magic in the late 1800s in Massachusetts but not “witches” - this is a unique magic system with various traits inherited by bloodline, though the majority of those with magical ability are low level.

Just like the previous book, Heir is a complete story, though there are threads of more adventures to come.

And looking at the cover just now on upload, I again appreciate how much a good artist and art director can imbue of the story in their cover illustration - that scarf is so frigging important!

#bookstr #book #magic #magicalrealism #charlienholmberg #rustypuppyreads https://i.nostr.build/POa26.jpg

Night watch is one of my favorite City Watch novels by Sir Terry Pratchett.

The Discworld books I reread the most are the Tiffany Aching series.

#bookstr #book #discworld #terrypratchett https://i.nostr.build/YgR2x.jpg

Found a great book for the May #Artstr contest… #bookstr #filmnoir #artchallenge #artcontest https://i.nostr.build/wGLBl.jpg

- saw this book and thought of you…. #bookstr #artstr #art #sketching https://i.nostr.build/xELoz.jpg

Had a fun outing at a bookstore, so today’s sketch is a store made out of books.

Daily drawing in a 4” x 4” sketchbook.

#art #artstr #drawing #dailyhabit #dailysketch #doodle #littledoodlehouse #bookstr #bookstore. https://i.nostr.build/aQvWJ.jpg

Thrift stores FTW!

#shopping #bookstr #thriftstorefinds #doctorwho #marvel #captainamerica #stickers #grownostr https://cdn.zbd.gg/ugc-uploads/c6b686e9-1691710363379.jpeg