July 03, 2022

Offbeat Offline: June 2022 (Baby, I'm Back)


Welcome to Offbeat Offline, where I bring you up-to-date with what went on in my life during the month just gone, give you a sneak peek of my next shenanigans, and share my favourite posts of late!

What happened last month to yours truly (either than a blog hiatus)? Intolerable heat, laser therapy conundrums, job search despair, hairdresser hunting. On the plus side, I rested...or tried to - you know I'm a caregiver and the house is on me, but at least I didn't scramble to produce posts (though I wrote a few mini reviews and drafted a full one) or comments (though I made notes of your posts for my Tooting Your Trumpet series and kept abreast of your tweets), and I read a lot...10 books to be precise (plus I started one but DNF it). Here's the rundown of my past month...


📚 WELL-READ. As I said, I read ten books in June (one of them was a reread) and DNF one. Three of them were NG/EW approvals. I got a fourth ARC that I still have to start: Full Immersion by Gemma Amor (adult). It comes out on September 13th, and I'll have my review up a few days in advance.
I reread Deadgirl: Goneward by B.C. Johnson - Book 3 in the Deadgirl series - while waiting for the fourth and last installment to hit the shelves...it shouldn't be long now.
I read the Temporally Out of Order anthology by Joshua Palmatier et al., and A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck - both adult (the second being a novella), and I have their mini reviews scheduled for this month.
I read Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes (adult - some of you may know her for her YA and romance books under the pen-name Stacey Kade) and Fade Out by Nova Ren Suma (this one was her 2009 debut, originally called Dani Noir). I have mini reviews coming for those as well, in a trio with my DNF book of the month, August Kitko and the Mechas from Space by Alex White (adult - and to think I actually got APPROVED for that one! eeeeek! Pub date is July 12th).
I was given access to an ARC of The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco, and after loving their Girl from the Well duology, I expected to be blown away...except this one fell a bit flat for me. Mini review to come prior to pub date (the book releases on October 4th).
I also got approved for The Honeys by Ryan La Sala, and I loved it! Review to come next month (pub date is August 16th).
I read the Velveteen vs. series by Seanan McGuire (adult), which I found to be brilliant - mini reviews are scheduled for August.



😈 LITTLE RULE-BREAKER. As you may have noticed, while some of my mini reviews are just my immediate thoughts on a book that I mean to reread and review in full later (in which case I state it in the mini itself), I've been writing more and more "definitive minis" for certain categories of books (novellas. anthologies), or for books up that I'm rating up to 3 star. Well, I meant to point out that I've ended up adding 3.5-star books to my mini reviews. To be precise, I'll decide on a case-by-case basis if I want/need to review them in full or not - which, if you know me, is HUGE, since 1) I had drawn the line for my minis at the 3-star books not long ago, and 2) I'm allowing myself to be flexible about a whole category of books, instead of putting them all into the full-review or mini-review camp...GASP! I'M SWINGING! I DIDN'T MAKE A FIXED RULE FOR THIS! But honestly, I couldn't bear the pressure anymore, so I HAD to. It's not so much about not feeling up to writing a long review (since I noticed that some of my "definitive minis" tend to get a bit out of hand 😅), as it's about having an excuse to drop the darned full-review format (which I love, but can be exhausting).


Here is my review plan for this month: 
  • Classic Monsters Unleashed by James Aquilone et al., Temporally Out of Order by Joshua Palmatier [see above] and A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck [see above] (in a mini-review round on Sun. 10th);
  • August Kitko and the Mechas from Space by Alex White [see above], Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes [see above] and Fade Out by Nova Ren Suma [see above] (in a mini-review round on Fri. 15th);
  • Seasonal Fears by Seanan McGuire (full review on Thu. 21st).



Reviews aside, I'll participate in the last Tell Me Something Tuesday round of the month on the 26th (question: Do you prefer movies or TV series?). It's a prompt that I submitted, but I plan on answering a few of my fellow participants' questions in August...

Since this section got very long due to the number of books listed, I'll try to make the next one shorter...so here's a digest of my June adventures...


🥵 HOT STUFF. The temps have been well above average (by 6-8°C / 42-46°F) for the whole month, which means I've been miserable. Normally, this kind of heat would only happen in July, but what's normal anymore? So the cold-cuts and salads and quick-to-cook-food season started early...*sighs*

💉 THERAPY DRAMA. I tried to get laser therapy for my shoulder tendonitis, but after a tedious back and forth, I was definitively rejected due to my being an oncologic patient (though I only have CLL, not a tumour, and I'm not even taking drugs yet). The orthopedist told me that he didn't think physical therapy would be of much help, so he suggested infiltrations, but the first one didn't do much for me. I guess I can't expect to feel much better when I'm abusing my arm all day via mouse and keyboard...

✍️ UNEMPLOYMENT BLUES. I went to my local job center for a guidance session, but they didn't tell me much that I didn't know already (also, they will put my name forward for jobs that fit my profile, but most of those are the same ones that I can find on my own via the internet...). I'm keeping my eyes open and sending my resume anywhere I see an opening that suits me, but again - no experience except the radio one, no qualifications except the Foreign Languages and Literature degree, no driving licence, and I'm OLD 😭.

💇‍♀️ NEW ADVENTURES IN HAIRDRESSING. I finally plucked up the courage and started looking for a new hairdresser...I was afraid I'd have to walk around the whole town (which I was SO not looking for, especially in this heat), but on the second day of my scouting, I found a nice and friendly lady who answered all my questions and said a lot of things that I liked AND showed me the right curlers, so I decided to give her a try. Of course we'll start with dye jobs for now, and it will be months until I get to test her perming abilities (when it's time to redo my bangs/top), but I'm reasonably confident, which is a start...


PUBLISHING NEWS/TIPS
  • The lovely Erin Callahan (whom I've worked with as a beta-reader for her solo debut The Art of Escaping) finally found an agent for her college horror-fantasy Black Dog, White Rabbit (which I beta-read as well, along with my friend Carrie). It's inspired by the classic children book Goodnight Moon, and I'm so glad that literary agent Sydnie Thornton decided to champion it! 🎉 We need more agents with a vision.

THINK-PIECES, DISCUSSIONS, ORIGINAL FICTION

REVIEWS/RECOMMENDATIONS

That's it for now! My next post will be up on Sun. 8th, and it will be the first mini-review round I announced above.

So, what were your highs/lows in the past month?

36 comments:

  1. I'm happy you got some rest, even though you probably had a lot on your mind.

    And yes, please break all the rules!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "you probably had a lot on your mind."
      Oh, yes, I did, and I still have, but at least I got to read without obligations and I didn't have to produce posts...

      LOL, I finally had to learn to break some rules (my own, because I already was a champion when it came to other people's...😜).

      Delete
  2. A little rest is good. I hope your arm gets better. I'm glad you were able to find a hair dresser that looks like might be a good fit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, and I fervently hope she is...

      Delete
  3. Glad to see you back! I'll look forward to your dead Silence review. Mine should be out this week too after NUMEROUS delays. And Classic Monsters Unleashed looks super fun! I have a thing for those classic monster tales...

    The heat sucks. It's been getting warm here too but not quite that bad.

    Okay a horror based on Goodnight Moon? THAT'S intriguing.

    Thank you for mentioning my post in your round up. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your read DS? You have a REVIEW coming? Eeeeee! 😉

      You're lucky if you're only getting "warm" weather LOL.

      I wasn't familiar with Goodnight Moon until I read Erin's draft, since it's a US thing apparently. I hope its being popular will help with building the hype for her book!

      Delete
    2. Yesss! Shocking, right? My reviews have been non existent.

      Delete
    3. All the more precious! 😉

      Delete
  4. Oh, and that cover of Deadgirl reminds me of a movie Night Teeth on Netflix. I wish you had Netflix...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNu-G-rd4H4

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha, I get why, but I assure you - DG GW has got nothing to do with that movie LOL. There are no dark ladies stalking the night involved 😂.

      Delete
    2. I know, I just couldn't resist. :)

      Delete
  5. I suppose it's good to have rules for your reviews but honestly, I wouldn't know if someone breaks their own rules when it comes to book reviews. But you should do what's comfortable to you.

    It's also hot here too. I don't think I'm a summer person at all.

    Yay for finding a hairdresser. I have no experience with them since I've never been to one but I imagine it's nicer to have someone do your hair than doing it yourself.

    Sounds like you still have a lot to do so I hope you get to them.

    As for me, I don't remember much of what I did in June aside from reading a few books.

    Have a lovely day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can be a bit ossessive about doing things a certain way...it's hard for me to break my own rules...

      Same, definitely NOT a summer person, especially in my old-ish age...

      "I imagine it's nicer to have someone do your hair than doing it yourself."
      It's not about its being nicer...I couldn't do my own hair even if I wanted to - one can't layer/perm one's own. But frankly, I've never dyed it myself either. Too much work. The most I've ever done is trim my bangs...

      Well, at least you enjoyed a few books (at least I hope you did)...my life used to be uneventful as well, at least until 2020/21...I miss those times 😥.

      Delete
  6. Twitter is a great way to keep up with people, at least the people who use it, when you can't bloghop much. Oh no, you DNFed August Kitko? I'm looking forward to that one, though tbh, I didn't request it because I'm not sure if it'll really be for me or not, so I still want to read it but will wait for the library.

    Wait. I'm so confused. 42 degrees F is hot???! 42 is miserably cold for me lol. I'm sorry you couldn't get the laser therapy. Hopefully the new hairdresser will work out at least! I want you to have some actual good news!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. August Kitko is...weird. As a rule, I like weird books, but this one was different than I expected...maybe it will work better for you.

      We already talked about the temp thing on Twitter, but now I wonder if anyone else got confused by the way I phrased it...since of course I meant to say that the temps here were 6-8°C / 42-46°F higher than average LOL. Summer in Italy has been BRUTAL lately.

      "I want you to have some actual good news!"
      Thank you, it would be about time...I hope you can get some respite as well...💚

      Delete
    2. Yeah I think my mind just jumped to the temperatures and skipped over the word "by" lol.

      Delete
  7. I would like to think that your break is coming because the universe cannot possibly keep up this level of dumping on you. ((HUGS)) buddy. I hope things start looking up and that you can get some relief for your shoulder. At least your reading life was pretty good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 😭 I hope the universe is listening to you 🧡. Thank you for always being there for me. And yep...at least the books were (mostly) good...

      Delete
  8. Glad you were able to get some reading in despite the chaos of the past couple of months! Still keeping fingers crossed for you to find employment soon, and glad you found a new hairdresser! Thanks for sharing my post, Roberta :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm always in the mood for reading...it keeps me sane...blogging too, but it comes with a bit of work attached LOL.

      Thank you!

      Delete
  9. Welcome back! I'm glad you got some time away and there were some definite wins for you - I hope the new hair stylist works for you.

    Sorry to hear the job hunt is still not going well and the therapy was a bust. The heat here hasn't been bad, only just finally hitting 80F this past week. I'm in Northern New England on the coast, and we don't get very hot here. Our summers are pretty short.

    I had a very busy month in June. My eldest graduated high school. We had family visiting, a big party, and attending several other parties for his friends. He also played in a senior all star game for lacrosse, which was a fantastic end to his lacrosse career.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thank you!

      I don't know if you love summer, but your corner of the woods (or, well, of the coast LOL) sounds like something I would enjoy living in. Short, mild summers? Bring them on! 😂

      Big changes ahead for your elder, uh? It's great that you got to celebrate his graduation big-style. I hope he's headed to a bright and successful future, but most of all, that he'll find a job that he enjoys doing!

      Delete
  10. I'm happy to hear that you're back, I missed reading your posts. :)
    The question about TV shows and movies is an interesting one, and I like both but for different reasons, it can be disappointing to see a bad movie, but if it is a bad episode of a TV show you know there is likely a good episode coming next.
    -Quinley
    P.S. I wish you luck on finding a job, I hope you find one.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. "I'm happy to hear that you're back, I missed reading your posts. :) [...] I wish you luck on finding a job, I hope you find one."
      Thank you! 🧡 I need ALL THE LUCK right now.

      That's a good point. I personally don't like movies, but if you like both, at least with a series you can always hope it will get better...

      Delete
  11. It was 30 here for a week and we were dying, but then my excuse is that I am from the frozen north so for us that is a crazy heat wave. Now it's like normal and cold and 17

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    1. 30 is HUGE for me as well, but then again, me and the heat are mortal enemies LOL. Most people here wouldn't even flinch. Of course it would be intolerable where you live.

      Delete
  12. Interested to see what you think of Dani Noir! I've had that one on my list for a while. Is Velveteen illustrated like a comic book, or is it just about superheroes?

    It's been ridiculously hot on and off here too. We usually get the worst of it in July/August, so I'm not looking forward to that!

    So, so excited about Erin's book! I can't wait until it has a publisher and I can send a copy to everyone I know! 🥳

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Velveteen isn't illustrated (though yeah, the covers give graphic novel vibes LOL). Just your regular series, except it's made of short stories that form a larger story.

      So we are all suffering together...even the far North (see Blodeuedd's comment above)...but of course global warning is a myth 🙄.

      It's crazy that Erin got her agent break after 3 years, and when she was on the verge of giving up on that one!

      Delete
  13. I got approved for the physical therapy but not the laser lol is infiltration steroid injections?? That will be next for me if the therapy (on my own now) doesn't hold. Sort of weird they don't think therapy will help. It's always helpful to keep mobility. But what do I know? lol

    Good luck with your hairdresser. I have one now and she's so amazing but she raised her prices A LOT so now I'm not sure what to do. I have weird hair that's hard to cut right lol

    Karen @For What It's Worth

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "is infiltration steroid injections??"
      I...don't know. I think...Good luck on your home therapy! I don't think I'd ever have the patience and dedication to do it on my own...

      I hope you can keep your hairdresser. After all, with Figgy gone, you'll have less medical expenses for your pets...sad as it is...

      Delete
  14. Welcome back! I am glad you have taken some time for yourself- and adjusted your posting accordingly too! I am SO excited to see what you think of Full Immersion! It looks really good but I don't see anyone mentioning it.

    I also got the email about The Sacrifice, but I just didn't think it would be for me, so I am kind of glad I didn't grab it! And obviously I know your feelings on ol' Gus 😂

    I am so sorry that you are still in pain, AND still having to deal with unemployment ridiculousness. Honestly, it should not be this hard, right? My fingers are crossed that you find something soon!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. "I am SO excited to see what you think of Full Immersion! It looks really good but I don't see anyone mentioning it."
      Now that you make me think of it...I don't either! I'll start it in a week or so, but I won't post my review until September.

      Thank you...I hope you aren't out of work yourself at the moment...it stinks so much when you badly need the money 😭.

      Delete
  15. If they're your own rules, you get to break 'em (unless you're, like, prime minister or something...) - be a rebel, you know you wanna ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, if I have to rebel against other people's rules, I'm the best - but my own...😬

      Delete

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