Emily English's Blog, page 3
January 25, 2021
Happy New Year! Is it Safe to Come Out, 2021?
Happy New Year…3 weeks later. As I reflected over what to write, I reread my New Year 2020 post, and chuckled at pre-pandemic me who had no idea what 2020 had coming. Last year, I was only 2 weeks late with my New Year greetings, so I have some serious room for improvement. Looks like my one word of FOCUS didn’t go so well for me. I’m just going to blame 2020 and try again.
BUT I SUCCEEDED IN FRAMING THINGS! I can check that off my 2020 list of things I wanted to get done! The 2021 goal is to HA...
March 11, 2020
Book Review: OSS Operation Black Mail
The full title for this book is OSS Operation Black Mail: One Woman's Covert War Against the Imperial Japanese Army, and its a fascinating read. This was the December/January selection for the book club Im in. Again, its been great for me to be exposed to what the other women in the group pick because it pushes me out of my box. I almost never read non-fictionnot because I dont want to. Its just not my go-to.
Anyway, this book is the story of Elizabeth Betty P. McIntosh, a badass woman who...
February 15, 2020
Book Review: Never Stop Falling
In keeping with love week, I figured I would post a review of a romance I read this past November called Never Stop Falling by Ashley Drew.
Romance is not my go-to genre, but someone had recommended it to me and I was in the mood for something different. This book promised to be cutesy without being childish, and without crazy, graphic sex thrown in for the heck of it.
This is the story of two best friends—since birth, pretty much—who realize after high school graduation that their friendship...
February 8, 2020
Love in the Heavens
I love love stories. I’m a big fan of secret crushes fulfilled, princesses who find their prince charming, best friends who become lovers, and on and on and on. I’m forgiving of insta-love and the damsel-in-distress archetype. If it’s cheesy, sappy, silly, count me in!
With all that said, I’m still pretty picky about what I truly enjoy, and only certain stories will stick with me. I’ve determined that there are two main elements that make these love stories stand out: the writing and the...
January 18, 2020
Happy New Year! (2 Weeks Later)
There were no brakes at the end of 2019, and we rolled right into the new year flailing and stumbling, but still hanging on for dear life.
We traveled to visit Mark’s family, hung out with my family, and made time for my sister who was visiting from L.A. with her family all while continuing to work the 8am - 6 pm. We went to experience Enchant in DC, babysat my 6-year old niece one day, then my 6-month old niece another day, made canapés for a quiet NYE at home, and whipped up dishes for the...
December 14, 2019
Holiday Gift Ideas
We all shop online (*cough* Amazon *cough*) during the holidays. You have access to tons of products, prices are fairly competitive, everything gets shipped to your house or wherever else you want it to go, and you can avoid the mall and other shopping venues where traffic and parking are abysmal, and the crowds make you lose all faith in humanity.
Merry Christmas, right?
I’m kidding. Kind of. But seriously, as an indie author, I like to support small and micro businesses. Believe me, I know...
December 11, 2019
Book Review: Educated
In November, my book club read Educated by Tara Westover. I think this book needs a trigger warning, so if you’re reading this, I’ll give it to you:
This book contains mental, physical, and emotional abuse.
Several other women in the book club wanted to chuck it after some of the ridiculous incidents. For two weeks after I finished the book, I operated in a kind of survivalist mode myself, trying to get my head back right.
But, Emily, surely you read the book blurb or description?
Yes, but I...
The Indomitable Chou Chou
The day after Thanksgiving this year, Mark and I went to see Chou Chou and the Imperial Palms Orchestra at The Carlyle Club for their holiday kick-off show. We had a great time as always, and after the show, Chou Chou spoke briefly to us about being reborn as a performer, an artist coming into her own. Her words resonated with me and my own struggle to stake my claim as an author in my own right, so I thought I’d share a little about Chou Chou just in case there are artists out there who need...
November 9, 2019
Book Review: When Breath Becomes Air
I was invited to join a book club recently, and I was really excited because the amount of reading I’ve done last year and this year has been sad. In 2018, I read 20 of my 30 book goal. This year, I’ve finished 11 of my 25 book goal.
Naturally, one would think “just lower your goal, and you won’t feel so disappointed. The thing is, I know I can do it. In 2017, I hit 42 books. Granted, I’ve put myself on a more rigorous writing schedule starting last year, so my reading time took a hit. Time management is pro...
October 21, 2019
Domaines Ott Dinner at Clarity
Mark and I had the honor of dining at Chef Jon Krinn’s Clarity for a special event: the Domaines Ott dinner. I’ve blogged about the Clarity experience before, and we had such an amazing time, that I felt compelled to write about it again.
There were less than 20 of us in the private backroom for this tasting, and we were each greeted with a delicious flute of champagne (Louis Roederer Brut Collection). There was a large flat screen monitor mounted on one wall, and images of what looked like the French Riviera...
