Five Books I Want to Read in 2016
Ah, January, the month of new beginnings. I’m all for making New Year’s resolutions, even if most of them never make it past February. One of mine for this year is to read more books, and while it’s too soon to tell what new stories will have everyone hooked in 2016, there are some classics still sitting on my shelf that I’d love to start with.
So in no particular order, here are five books on my to-read list for 2016. Enjoy!
1) A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Late to the party? You bet. I received A Game of Thrones for my birthday in 2014 and started reading it a little over a year ago, but with all the scientific texts constantly taking priority on my list, progress has been slower than I’d like. Still, it’s been a captivating read so far, and I’d love to be able to finish the book this year. Maybe then I’ll finally get into watching the series!
2) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
This one has been on my to-read list forever, but I can never seem to get around to reading it. Pride and Prejudice is a timeless classic, and while I’ve seen the 2005 film more times than I can count, I imagine Ms. Austen’s literary masterpiece must be even greater in its novel form. If I’m going to read more period dramas in 2016, there’s no better book I’d love to start with!
3) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Speaking of period dramas, this one’s another book given to me as a birthday present and that I’ve been meaning to read for a while. I received Jane Eyre last year after my mother recommended it to me, and since my copy is in a pocket edition, I can at least keep it in my bag and do some light reading while I’m out and about. I’m sure I’ll enjoy this one too; a Victorian feminist coming-of-age story seems right up my alley!
4) The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
This book I received as a Christmas present a few weeks ago, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise as I have yet to indulge in the works of Oscar Wilde. The Picture of Dorian Gray was also recommended to me by my mom, and though it doesn’t seem like the first book I’d grab off the shelf in the store, the reviews of this Gothic classic have certainly left me intrigued. Knowing it was an incredibly racy work that pushed the boundaries of moral sensibility in its time, I can only imagine what an exciting read lies ahead!
5) Tree Thinking by David A. Baum & Stacey D. Smith
Yes, one of these books is not like the others. Tree Thinking is a nonfiction book that serves as an introduction to phylogenetics, and though I’ve already read part of it just to get my foot in the door of my field of study, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have as much knowledge of the subject as possible under my belt. It’s proven to be quite a pleasant read so far, which isn’t surprising for me; if I learned anything in my college years, it’s that evolutionary biology is fascinating!
What about you? What books do you plan to read in 2016? Any other resolutions you’ve made for the new year?
Word of the Week: Bibliophile
Word: bibliophile
Pronunciation: BI-blee-ə-fyl
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a person who collects or has a great love of books
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Since last week I shared a word that defines people who love words, today I thought I’d continue on that line to discuss another word for a certain kind of enthusiast. If you consider yourself a “logophile”, then you likely qualify as a “bibliophile” too. It’s only logical to assume that with a love of words comes a love of books!
A “bibliophile” is someone who loves and/or collects books. The word arose in the early 19th century and is originally French. This noun comprises two Greek roots: the noun biblion “book” and the adjective phílos “loved”.
While “bibliophile” isn’t a word I see or hear too often, it may be one of my favorites for describing people who are passionate about reading. Book lovers keep our magical world of creative writing alive, so it makes sense that there’s a perfect vocabulary word to define them. If you’re a novelist whose characters are book enthusiasts, you can no doubt have fun writing as much for the “bibliophiles” in your stories as in your audience!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
One Wish
Stella was the loneliest girl in the whole town. But she was also the most hopeful. No matter how many boys overlooked her or how many young couples she saw holding hands, she never lost faith that her turn at romance would come.
Especially now that someone had finally noticed her.
She sighed as she gazed longingly out her window. The night sky was speckled with stars, not a cloud in sight. It was the perfect setting. Now all she had to do was wait. Just one, she thought eagerly, glancing around the sky. Come on, just one…
And then she spotted it: a shooting star falling down the sky, its tail shimmering brightly against the dark backdrop of the night. It shone only for a second before it vanished, but it was enough.
Smiling, Stella closed her eyes and scrunched up her nose. Time to believe in magic.
I wish for him to see me the way I see him. She urged the thought into reality with all her heart. Please, please, please…
Suddenly, a ping on the glass brought her back to her senses. Stella opened her eyes and lifted the window pane to peer outside. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked down into the yard: standing on the grass below, gazing up at her with an innocent gleam in his eyes and a rose in his hand, was the boy who had smiled at her.
Jimmy grinned as the girl appeared in the window frame. Her heart racing as she leaned over the sill, Stella glanced up at the night sky with a smile and whispered, “Thank you.”
Never again was Stella the loneliest girl in town, not since the night she discovered the magic of shooting stars and the joy of one heartfelt wish come true.
The Year Ahead: What I Hope to Learn About Writing in 2016
Happy New Year! Welcome to my first creative writing post of 2016! After reviewing the accomplishment (or lack thereof) of my resolutions from last year, it’s time to ponder what I hope to achieve in writing in the new year. So to start off a new year of creativity, here’s what I hope to learn about writing in 2016. Enjoy!
How to complete a Master’s thesis on time
The fact that this is Priority One for me right now probably goes without saying. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in two years of a Master’s program, it’s that you shouldn’t count your chickens before they hatch. Almost every time I get a decent amount of writing done on a particular part of my thesis, a change in my project renders that writing practically void. It’s almost as if Murphy’s Law makes reef fish DNA deliberately refuse to be properly amplified and sequenced…
This final stretch of my program is going to prove extremely challenging, but with any luck, I’ll have my phylogenetic results within the next couple of months and be able to complete my thesis in time to defend it next semester. Hope it all works out! For science!
How to expand my blogging network
This one may be a bit easier to figure out. I’ve already gotten better at connecting with writers through WordPress, and my social media presence is steadily growing. I plan to eventually expand my network with guest post exchanges and author interviews, which will hopefully increase my traffic. Updates will appear on my blog as these new features become available, so be sure to check back if you’re interested! Here’s hoping I can gain a stronger footing in the blogosphere in 2016!
How to start monetizing my writing
I know this is a pretty ambitious goal, especially considering how little I still know about blogging seriously. I probably won’t even be able to start focusing on this task until the middle of the year, but I would like to be able to earn some sort of income from my writing, and the sooner I start trying, the better. I don’t want to flood my blog with ads, of course, so I suppose the most obvious way to go is to publish and sell my work. I have been looking into freelance writing, and after years of publishing short stories and poetry, it’s about time I actually write a book! Wish me luck!
What about you? What do you hope to achieve in writing in 2016?
Word of the Week: Logophile
Word: logophile
Pronunciation: LAH-gə-fyl
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a lover of words
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
It’s the first Word of the Week of 2016! To start off this year’s collection of vocabulary words, I decided to write about a word that I think perfectly describes me and all the regular readers of this segment. And no, I’m not saying we all love logos or logs (though there’s nothing wrong with that if you do). If you enjoy reading about these words as much as I enjoy writing about them, then you too are a “logophile”!
A “logophile” is someone who loves words. The word is composed of two Greek roots: the noun lógos “word” and the adjective phílos “loved”. The former stems from the verb légō, which means “I say”.
Oddly, there doesn’t seem to be much historical information available about the origin of the word “logophile”. All I could find while researching it was its Greek roots, with no mention of the point in history when it first came into English usage. Still, I love the fact that there’s a word to perfectly define people who are passionate about vocabulary. If you have characters or readers who are word enthusiasts, you may have fun writing for the “logophiles” in your stories and your audience alike!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
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