K. Makansi's Blog, page 3
May 18, 2018
Book Review: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
My friends, I have a special treat for you today. I am here to introduce you to the inestimable majesty that is Amor Towles’ newest novel, A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW. I have written before that life often hands you the book you most need at exactly the time you most need it, and I find it…
May 3, 2018
What I’ve Learned from Two Years of Writing Full-Time
Two years ago, I quit my job as a winemaker to become a full-time writer. I had plans to stay in the wine industry intermittently, particularly during the busy harvest season, but my goal was to dedicate myself to writing full-time during the off-season. I can say with confidence that I’ve done that. In the…
March 7, 2018
A Meditation on Lunch, or, Why You Should Eat Alone Sometimes
I work at home. My partner works at a winery in the area, so except for the rare occasion once a month or so when he comes home midday, I eat lunch alone every day. Lunch is an opportunity to break up the day’s tasks. Usually I try to get a certain amount of editing…
February 27, 2018
Why it’s Totally Okay if You Haven’t Read My Books (and Why it’s Almost Always Okay to Not Read Someone’s Book)
Sometimes when I run into acquaintances or old friends, people I’ve stayed in touch with via social media, one of the first things I hear is “I’m sorry I haven’t read your books yet!” My response is usually something like, “Why are you sorry? It’s not your job to read my books.” I’m constantly surprised…
February 20, 2018
The Literary Libations Secret: How to Pair Famous Books with Great Drinks, Explained with Funny Gifs and Sample Pairings
LITERARY LIBATIONS, the book I’m working on, is great fun because it allows me to spend a lot of time doing two of my favorite things in the world: reading and drinking. But writing drink pairings for famous books isn’t as easy as tossing back a cocktail or two, sitting in a leather armchair, and…
February 8, 2018
Literary Libations: For Whom The Bell Tolls
Check it out! The newest episode of the Literary Libations video series is out today. You’ll find out what to drink when you sit down with Ernest Hemingway’s FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, and you might even learn something about Hemingway himself. Enjoy!
January 1, 2018
Why I Believe in New Year’s Resolutions (and, If You Really Want to Know, My Resolutions for 2018)
I am a person who believes in New Year’s resolutions. But I am also a person who believes in breaking them. The first day of the year is an astonishingly arbitrary day to reexamine our pasts and set new goals for our futures. Why not the 3rd? Or the 79th? Or the 230th? The 1st…
December 5, 2017
The Case For Decomposing Into Nutrient-Dense Compost Now That the Republican Tax Bill Might Actually Become Law
On Friday, the Republican-controlled Senate passed their tax overhaul plan, which, when reconciled with the House bill, will most likely shrivel the U.S. economy like that bag of wilting spinach in the back of your refrigerator. Even though nonpartisan organizations across the country have agreed that this will take away health insurance for up to 13…
November 17, 2017
Introducing LITERARY LIBATIONS: The Video Series
What's the perfect pairing for Alexandre Dumas' THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO? What on Earth is one to drink while reading an out-of-this-world story like Heinlein's A STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND? And how are you to pick the perfect drink to go with a novel by that consummate alcoholic, Ernest Hemingway?
September 25, 2017
New Book Alert! LITERARY LIBATIONS to Be Published by Skyhorse Press
It is my great pleasure to announce that my forthcoming LITERARY LIBATIONS: WHAT TO DRINK WITH WHAT YOU READ has been contracted for publication by Skyhorse Press in Fall of 2018!
