I first re-encountered slime volunteering at a youth summer camp last year --it was hands down our most popular item at the arts & crafts area and this was with tweens and teens. You may immediately have flashbacks to elementary school science experiments with liquid starch and white glue, but this trendy version of slime takes it to the next level! Read more about the 2016-present trend here. Librarians across the United States have already joined in and offered very popular DIY slime programs at their libraries. There's even a slime store that opened in Hawaii of all places earlier this spring!

However, you don't have to have do fancy, social media-worthy slime or spend a lot of money to run a slime program at your library. It can be inexpensive with minimal mess and still tons of fun --here's one way how!

The Recipe:

There are so many slime recipes out there online and in books --but beware! Many recipes call for 4 to 8oz. of glue (one glue bottle). For this library program, I decided the point was more to give our patrons the experience and give them the information they need to make more at home. I scaled down the recipe to only use 1/4 cup (2 oz.) of glue which helped cut down on cost and still gave participants a nice handful of slime to play with and take home. If you've done your research, you'll notice that there are three primary activators used to make slime: diluted borax, liquid starch, or contact solution/baking soda. I didn't get to break down the cost of using one over the other, but I chose the contact solution because of convenience and accessibility. We used 9oz. Solo cups and chopsticks to mix, then put the slime into snack size ziplocks to take home.

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup (2 oz.) Clear PVA Glue
• 1/8 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 & 1/2 tsp. Saline Solution or Contact Solution (must contain boric acid to work)
• 1/8 tsp. Glitter (silver or gold to look like stars, or your choice)
• 1 drop of Food Coloring (blue, purple, or other dark colors work well for that outer space feel)
• 1 Snack Size Zip-Top Bag or an Airtight Container
• A Container/Cup to mix in & Chopstick or Stirring Utensil

Directions:

1. Add the glue, baking soda, solution, glitter, and food color into a cup or container and mix together for 5 minutes or until the slime begins to pull together and away from the dish.
2. Remove the slime and knead it with your hands until no longer sticky. You may need to add a few more drops of saline/contact solution.
3. After playing, store at room temperature in a zip-top bag or airtight container. Please take your slime home to play with and do not open it in the library.

Definitely test out and be familiar with your recipe and the slime making process before you run your program. It's a lot of fun, but the majority of your time during the program will be letting people know when they're ready to go to the kneading stage, letting them know they need to keep stirring, or going around adding a bit more activator to people's slime.

Minimizing the Mess:

Slime by its nature and part of the appeal is that it is messy, gooey fun! However, we want to stay on the good side of our custodial staff and keep the library as mess free as possible, right? There are several things I did to minimize the chance to messes and for the most part it succeeded:

• Limit the amount of participants in your program: We had an RSVP requirement and walk ins only if space allowed. The amount of participants depends on how much your space can accommodate, how much staff/volunteers you have to assist you. I ran three 1/2 hour back-to-back sessions with one other staff member assisting, so we allowed 15 participants per session. We also required that all children under 10 had an assisting adult caregiver to participate which helped out a lot!
• Work in a non-carpeted area if possible: Our library has a small inner courtyard/lanai area covered in concrete. If you only have a carpeted space to work on I highly suggest covering the ground with plastic sheeting. I also covered all the tables with plastic tablecloths so that kids could dump their slime on it and knead on the table as well. I was able to wipe them down with a damp towel afterwards to re-use. I also had wet wipes, paper towels, and a tub of water for really sticky hands.
• Pre-measure ingredients: I researched many different library slime workshops and decided that although it is educational and beneficial for kids to use measuring tools, it would be too messy and too much wait time in between (I wasn't going to buy that many bottles of glue or measuring tools). Again, this program was to give participants the experience of making slime and they would get a handout sheet so they could make more at home. Fortunately with the assistance of three teen student helpers, it took the four of us no more than an hour to pre-measure 45 cups with everything added minus the coloring, which we let the kids choose during the program (but an adult staff member added to their slime).
• Limit the ingredients or choices: I bought food coloring in a set of 8, but only brought out three (pink, blue, and green) for the this slime program. Even though I had a lot of glitter, we just pre-measured silver glitter in everyone's cups beforehand. I did keep 5 cups without glitter in case there was anyone who didn't want glitter, but it ended up being a non-issue this time.

How It Went:

It was REALLY tight to run the program in 30 minute sessions … I used a 10 minute buffer to sign in the next group (so everyone really had 20 minutes to make their slime). I originally planned this to help out staff (a librarian and assistant off desk/unavailable for only 1 ½ hours rather than 3 hours) but I think the best way to do this program would be 1 hour:

• 10 minutes for folks to show up, sign in, fill out photo release forms, add walk-ins/wait list for no shows.
• 5 minutes to brief people on instructions and safety. (Most of this I pulled from the handout/booklist I made, which we gave to each participant.) It's super important to go over safety such as washing hands before and after playing with slime, not to eat it, keep slime out of reach from pets and younger siblings/babies, etc.
• 30 minutes to make/play with slime.
• 15 minutes for time to clean up, usher people out (in kindness), and set up for next session.
  

It also was a very cost effective program breaking down to about $1.75 USD per participant. I spent around $75 total for the ingredients, plastic cups, chopsticks, ziplock bags, table coverings, wet wipes, vinegar, and measuring tools --other than having to buy another gallon of glue, and more cups, I have all the ingredients I need on hand, which brings the price down more if  I run the program again!

Most importantly, as you can tell from the photos, it was a lot of fun! Feel free to contact me for more info and a huge thanks to all the other library system staff who shared with me their slime program experiences when I was putting together my program. I had over 60 people attend this slime program and I'm excited to be starting my every-other-month "Slime Club" this September! Next up: sand slime!

Is slime popular with the younger crowd in your area?  What do you think about slime?  Would you run a slime program at your library if you were a librarian?

Anyway, you probably noticed my blogging frequency totally drop these last few years and I'm about to tell you why ...

After graduating from library school, the only full time librarian positions I could find were temporary, substitute positions. I basically was a substitute librarian for about a year which was both exhilarating (both confirming my love of children's and teen librarianship and that this was what I felt God was showing me I was meant to do) and nerve-wracking (the uncertainty of temporary positions, having no work benefits and paying for my own insurance and things like that).  I learned A LOT and then I was interviewed for and hired for a permanent position as a Circulation Assistant in my local public library system.  I took it, seeing it as "my foot in the door" since my librarian applications seemed to go nowhere (it appears that I didn't have enough experience as a librarian to be interviewed).

But while I know it's a blessing to have a permanent full time job and also have learned a lot in my current position, I've really struggled with my desire to be a librarian ... It's been hard to watch other librarians and reference staff do their job and wish that I was there instead.  I've also been on a handful of librarian interviews during the past year and not been selected each time ... Perhaps internally, I was a bit arrogant in assuming that I'd be able to find a permanent librarian position easily within a year of graduation.  I used to think, "If I could just get interviewed, just give me a chance, and I'll get in." But I haven't been the right fit for all these libraries, I guess ... or maybe I'm not good at interviews?  These experiences have been very humbling and also make me doubt myself at times, though I'm really trying to look at these "rejections" through a positive lens.


However, I came across a box of these "received for review" books recently ... Even if I've ordered or promoted these titles in person, I still have a backlog of reviews I should write about and submit online.  I apologize deeply to the authors and publishers who have been waiting for so long.

So my plan is to post at least 4 times a month, ideally 1-2 times a week, half of that being reviews and the other half fun stuff like lists, pics, cosplay progress/tutorials (like I've wanted to forever), maybe some posts about my new hobbies (i.e. collecting K-Pop albums and music since last year and Bullet Journaling this year) ... I also would like to update my blog with a new look or layout, BUT my priority will be posting new content first.

Hey everyone!

Just a quick update to why I haven't been blogging a lot this month --"Real life" has been crazy-busy, mostly having to do with my last semester of #libraryschool.

Earlier this month, I was studying for Orals.  For our program, in order to graduate, you have to take a hour long oral exam in front of two faculty members where you talk about topics such as your professional philosophy of librarianship, ethical issues such as intellectual freedom and access to library resources, programming and outreach, and digital library collections.  The biggest hurdle is that there were no notes allowed (which totally freaked me out) but I passed!  So, as long as I get passing grades in all my classes this semester, I will be graduating with my MLIS degree in mid-May.  ^_^

And then, I've most recently come back from a spring break trip, in which my family was able to visit my grandparents for the first time in several years.  They don't have internet, so it was nice to relax, take a break from school, spend time reconnecting with my grandparents and other family members, and to be "unplugged" for a bit ...

1. Hakari Mikagami

Finally, I haven't posted about creating costumes a lot, but one of my good friends commissioned me to sew a Hakari Mikagami cosplay for a upcoming anime convention --I'm hoping to have that done next week.  I've never played the video game this gorgeous prosecutor is from (Ace Attorney a.k.a. Gyakuten Saiban) but her outfit is really awesome-looking and I'm excited that I've gotten my very first cosplay commission.

I've seen other bloggers do monthly "wrap up" or recap posts, so I thought I'd try it out this month ... because it sort of fits with my topic today. =)

In March, by participating in several blog tours (two which included book giveaways), I was able to interview Dani Pettrey (one of my fave romantic suspense authors), Ruth Logan Herne (my Seekerville friend and prolific author), and reviewed Rachelle Dekker's latest dystopian, The Calling.

So while I didn't really post a lot this month, I have a backlog of book reviews that I'll be working on writing up --including part two of Jill Williamson's epic new fantasy novel!

Finally, the reason for the title of this post.  Some of you may remember last year when I reviewed J.L. Mbewe's fantasy novel, Hidden Secrets.  Well, Jennette is running a birthday bash on her blog and had a story contest where she asked her readers to write out a scene in which you remove Desmond, "the other half" to protagonist Ayianna's upcoming arranged marriage.  So, I've written my first fanfiction drabble and decided to eliminate Desmond from the story ... Project Runway style. ;-)  You can take a look here and please vote for my story (before Friday) if you like it.  The winner gets an ARC of the sequel Darkened Hope, which released later this year and I really want to find out what happens next!  ^_^

1.  Image (c.) Capcom Co., Ltd.

Wow, I'm feeling way too accomplished for finishing this, but it was a lot of fun!  I saw Ally from The Scribbling Sprite participate in this book survey and I had to try it out!  Survey created by Jamie @ Perpetual Page Turner. See her original post for the link-up!  Most of the links below are my reviews of the book titles.

2015 Reading Stats

Number Of Books You Read: 141 (80 books/novels, 61 comic books/graphic novels), not counting picture books.
Number of Re-Reads: Er, I didn't really count this year ... I'd guess around maybe 5?  I also read 14 Attack on Titan manga twice.
Genre You Read The Most From: According to Goodreads, it's Dystopian, but half of that was the 20+ Attack on Titan manga and tie-in series. ;-)

Best In Books

1. Best Book You Read In 2015? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2015 release vs. backlist)
--I don't have to to cheat!  As a soon-to-be-librarian who adores historicals, Beyond All Dreams by Elizabeth Camden (an academic librarian by day, award-winning author by night) was definitely my top pick of the year!

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t? 
--Wayne Thomas Batson's Dreamtreader trilogy.  WTB was one of the first "new" (i.e. not C.S. Lewis or Tolkien) Christian fantasy authors I discovered in high school.  I hadn't kept up with his books recently, so when the opportunity to review the last book in his new trilogy came up, I jumped at the chance to read them.  As I wrote in my review, it's a good middle grade Christian fantasy series.  However, I think maybe I've outgrown WTB or my expectations were too high ... I didn't love the books as much as I wanted to or thought I would.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?
--It's a toss up between Nadine Brandes' A Time to Die (I can't believe what she did in the middle of, and at the end of the book!) or Jennifer A. Nielsen's The False Prince (maybe some will think the climax revelation cheap.  I almost felt betrayed for a moment, but I didn't realize it was happening until it was).


4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)? 
--I don't know anyone read them because of me, but the books I recommended the most this year was The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.  The books I posted the most about were probably Dina L. Sleiman's Valiant Hearts novels or Nadine Brandes' Out of Time books, since I was fortunate to be invited to these awesome authors' book launch teams.



5. Best series you started in 2015? Best Sequel of 2015? Best Series Ender of 2015? 
--I'm going to be super technical and not count trilogies, so I'll say Susan May Warren's Christiansen Family series.  She alone has made me want to read more Contemporary Christian fiction.  Her characters are authentic, unperfect, and relateable ...
--Best sequel ... I'm sounding like a broken record, but A Time to Speak by Nadine Brandes. Attack on Titan, Vol. 2 is a close second because of what happens in it ... *no spoilers* Seeing episode 8 of the anime blew my mind and prompted me to read the rest of the manga ('cause couldn't wait watching 1 episode a week on Cartoon Network)!  =P
--Best series ender was definitely Winter by Marissa Meyer.  It took awhile to get there, but I think I needed all 800+ pages to say goodbye to those characters.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2015? 
--I'll point to my Top 10 New-to-Me Authors of 2015 post, but I'll name Rachelle Dekker, since I'm ashamed to say I forgot to add her to that list.  Great YA dystopian debut with The Choosing --so much potential in this trilogy ... interested to see how it goes.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone? 
--The best book I read that was out of my comfort zone was Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson or Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher.  If they weren't required reading for my Books & Media for Teens course, I probably would never have read these general market YA novels because the storylines didn't sound appealing to me, but as modern YA classics, they're good to know about and they're good discussion opportunities.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
--I'm going to give this one to the Attack on Titan manga.  I borrowed volumes 1-14 from the library and I spent literally the whole night reading them until 3-4am and then freaked myself out when going upstairs to sleep ... Titans are scary.  ;-)

9. Book You Read In 2015 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
--The Attack on Titan Guidebook, in preparation/research for a Survey Corps uniform cosplay (Mikasa Ackerman, Sasha Braus, or Zoe Hanji?) ... maybe.  I couldn't write a review for Beyond All Dreams (Elizabeth Camden) without gushing uncontrollably, so I do want to reread and write a proper review this year.


10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015?
Dauntless - Medieval era heroine armed with bow and arrow ... 'nuff said.
Batgirl of Burnside, Vol. 1 - Batgirl's costume re-design is perfect!  Love the practical and utilitarian design. 
Attack on Titan, Vol. 13 - Hajime Isayama isn't the best manga artist but this is my favorite cover of his.  My crew look so "badass" and epic ...  Please no one else dies ... ;-)  <3

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2015?
--Beyond All Dreams was just like a love letter to librarians, librarianship, and art, so I just ... that one for me was the most beautiful. 
Also, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman comes to mind.  Even though written in the 21st century, it had a really classic, British children's book feel, like it was timeless, despite the references to cell phones and such which clearly date it as modern.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2015? 
 Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When the Stakes Are High.  A required reading for my Library Management course, but it emphasized several concepts that I think are important for communications.  It's not a perfect book, but a lot of interesting things to think about and consider when dealing with conflict.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read?
--Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and The Giver by Lois Lowry.  I'm actually glad I didn't read these in middle or high school because I think I got more out of them as an adult ... but yeah, chalk these up to LIS books & media class required readings.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2015? 
--Luke Callahan has an amazing scene in chapter 8 of Beyond All Dreams where he's encouraging his young nephew, an aspiring artist.  As an artist and creative myself, I found the whole chapter beautiful, but here's just a brief portion:

If you don't make it as a painter, funnel that passion into something else, but it doesn't have to die.  Do you think I would have turned that old boxcar into a traveling library if I hadn't been in love with poetry?  My love of poetry was a gift from God.  So is your passion for art, even though we don't know yet what form it will take.  If you don't make it as a painter, perhaps you'll be a great teacher.  Or a museum curator.  Maybe you'll become a rich industrialist and fund a museum.  Just don't limit yourself by thinking you already know God's purpose for you.

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2015?
--Shortest books were the picture books I read for LIS classes or preschool storytime at the library.  The longest book was Winter by Marissa Meyer at 824 pages.

17. Book That Shocked You The Most (Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
--Nadine Brandes' A Time to Die and A Time to Speak win this for sure ... all of the above while reading her books!  ;-)

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!) (OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar) 
I probably shouldn't admit this, but I'm Team Eremika:  That is, 'shipping Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan.  I love this pairing!  They have so much ... history together, I just can't see them with anyone else.  In real life, I might have some issues with their relationship (they're the points critics of this 'ship usually bring up), but I think they have the potential to really compliment and support each other (think what was "Everlark" in The Hunger Games trilogy).  But sometimes, I don't know why I even bother since I'm pretty sure romantic relationships aren't at the forefront of creator Hajime Isayama's mind (this is a shonen/action/"boys" manga, after all --romance isn't the focus).  There are little hints in the manga and anime, but they're not a couple yet (at the very least, there's a strong bond of friendship).  In all honesty, I probably wouldn't even be in this borderline horror?/dystopian fandom without this 'ship.  =P

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year 
--Trevn-Sar Hadar and Hinckdan (Hinck) Faluk, Prince Trevn was hands down my favorite character in Darkness Reigns, the part 1 e-book of Jill Williamson's new epic fantasy series, and his close bond of friendship with Hinck, his backman (and I guess, wingman) just makes me smile.  

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2015 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
--Beyond All Dreams and With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden.

21. Best Book You Read In 2015 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
--Ender's Game.  For a presentation, I had to read a minimum of two books from a Margaret A. Edwards award-winning author for my Books and Media for Teens class. I couldn't decide between Susan Cooper (The Dark is Rising sequence) and Orson Scott Card --After talking to my classmates, polling my friends on Facebook, and talking to a school librarian, I ended up choosing Card.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2015? 
--Ooh ... snap, too many.   Uhm, the guys from The Lunar Chronicles probably won't count because it says "newest" ... so, I'll narrow it down to Luke Callahan (especially with a very romantic, sweet, swoon-worthy gesture/scene near the end of Beyond All Dreams), Jude and Hawke from Nadine Brandes' Out of Time trilogy (in the words of Megara, "I won't say I'm in love," but ... *yeah*), and Kael from Secrets Kept by J.L. Mbewe (I must know more about this angsty elf! LOL). ;-)

23. Best 2015 debut you read?
--As one of the only true debuts I read, The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker.


24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
--Nälu (J.L. Mbewe's Secret's Kept, Collum & the Darkwater forest (Patrick W. Carr's The Darkwater Saga), and the United States of the East/post-apocalyptic North America (Out of Time trilogy).

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
--Princess Ugg, Vol. 1 by Ted Naifeh (a princess from a viking-esque tribe is sent to be educated in a refined princess academy) & Kristy's Big Idea by Ann M. Martin, adapted by Raina Telgemeier (this Baby-Sitters' Club graphic novel was a nostalgia trip; a very well done adaptation).  Also Your Lefthanded Child by Lauren Milsom --even as a lefty, this was an eye-opener in a "that kind of makes sense" way ... =P 

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2015?
Probably A Time to Die and A Time to Speak.  Nadine Brandes, your books are emotional roller coasters --just sayin'. ;-)

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
Because I don't normally read indies, Secrets Kept by J.L. Mbewe, but the librarianship-focused, Cosplay in Libraries: How to Embrace Costume Play in Your Library by Ellyssa Kroski, is a close second.

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
--Nadine Brandes' Out of Time books.  Both of them.  Crushed in a good way, but ... my heart/soul. =P

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2015?
--Meanwhile by Jason Shiga --sort of a "chose your own adventure story" but crazier.  You have never read a graphic novel like this one. 

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
--A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes.  I love the book, but that certain character ... oh, I was so mad.  ;-)

Your Blogging/Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2015?

• Dreaming Under the Same Moon Rissi's one of the most prolific bloggers I "know" --she and her book/media review blog is such an inspiration (wanna be a blogger like you when I grow up)!  ;-)
• Britt the Book Nerd is a fellow LIS/Library & Information Science student (a.k.a. future librarian). ^_^

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2015?
--Hmm ... probably "Smart & Sassy in All the Right Ways" (Like a Flower in Bloom by Siri Mitchell)
 or my manga/anime/fandom review of Attack on Titan.  My favorite more "professionally written" review was something like "A Shockingly Good Fantasy" (The Shock of Night by Patrick W. Carr).

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
--One of the most popular (and personal) posts I wrote this year was "And They Said Speak Now: In Defense of Christian Romance", but my favorite non-review post I wrote this year was my "Dream Bookish Cosplays" for Top Tuesday.

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
--The opportunity to attend the American Library Association's Annual Conference (ALAac15) this summer was the best book-related event for sure!  For online or virtual events, the most amazingly organized and interactive launch team I've ever been part of was for Nadine Brandes' A Time to Speak --I met so many new book blogging friends through that!  A close second was being invited to be one of the hosts for Seekverville's Rockin' New Year's Eve blog party! 3,252 comments on one blog post I have never seen!  =)

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2015? 
--One of the best bookish life moments of the year was experiencing the Exhibit Hall at ALAac15 and also the "Young Gotham" panel there, where I briefly met the main writers and artists of Gotham Academy, Batgirl (of Burnside), and Grayson.  It felt like I was at a huge Comic Con(vention). ^_^

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year? 
--Posting consistently.  I know you can schedule posts ahead, but between school, work, family, and more ... life happens.  Definitely going to try and co-ordinate better once summer comes! 

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
--According to Blogger, my top three posts are:

• "Dauntless Inspirations" (A Guest Post by author Dina Sleiman about her YA medieval novel, Dauntless).
• "Dragons: Race to the Edge (of Excitement)!" - A fandom post on the then-forthcoming Netflix series based on the How to Train Your Dragon film series.
• Finally, my "In Defense of Christian Romance" post mentioned earlier.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

• "Animation Awards Season" (A look at the Oscar nominees for best animated feature film w/ videos!)
• My interview with dystopian YA author, Nadine Brandes (It was published on Star Wars Reads Day! Which of course, has nothing to do with dystopia, but ...) ;-)
• "Valiant Hearts MBTI with Dina Sleiman" (I customized MBTI graphics for this post and was a little disappointed more people didn't check post out, I mean, who doesn't like Myers-Briggs Type Indicators?)  =P

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

• Cosplay, Comics, and Geek Culture in Libraries - A website created by an academic librarian/cosplayer Ellyssa Kroski, it's a treasure trove of information for librarians looking to incorporate fandom into their libraries.  Many contributing librarians write articles on programming, geeky arts & crafts, fandom, cosplay, book/media reviews, fandom life, and more!

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
--I met my reading goal of 100 books for 2015.  More details in My Year of Books According to Goodreads 2015.

Looking Ahead 

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2016?
--Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas ... I don't know if it's my #1 priority, but it's part of a series I'm absolutely curious about, with all the hubbub about them.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2016 (non-debut)?
--A Time to Rise, the 3rd book in Nadine Brandes' Out of Time trilogy! 

3. 2016 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
-- Currently, Curio by Evangeline Denmark, which was released earlier this month!

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2016?
--Nadine Brandes' A Time to Rise for series ending (Out of Time #3). For sequel, The Calling (book #2 of The Seer trilogy/series?) by Rachelle Dekker.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2016?
--My first Top Ten of the month was all about my Bookish and Blogging Goals for 2016, but the main thing I want to do is add all my cosplay and costumes (with breakdowns and "making of"/walkthrough posts) to my blog.

6. A 2016 Release I’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:
I haven't read a 2016 release yet!

Whew!  If you've read all that, you deserve virtual brownie points!  So what do you think?  #QOTD: Feel free to answer one or a few of these questions in the comments, or if you've participated in the survey, I'd love to see your post! 

I've never been one to make New Year's resolutions, but that's sort of the theme of The Broke and The Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday this week.  Since I do have some book and blogging goals for this year, I decided to feature them here, so in no particular order ...

(c.) 2016 The Artist Librarian - Bookish & Blogging Resolutions for 2016.

Bookish Goals:

1.  Overall Reading Goal: 125 Books
--I want to up 2015's goal of 100 books.  Last year, I started counting everything: novels/books and comic books/graphic novels to my Goodreads Reading Challenge, but kept a personal goal of 50 novels, which I achieved.  This year, I'm aiming at 55 books minimum, but once I graduate from library school this spring, I'll re-evaluate and see if I can afford to bump that goal higher!

2.  Read more from my own "stacks"
--I have a shelf doubled up with books I own and haven't read yet (and probably more around the rest of my room).  I keep meaning to get to them ... I'd like to get at least of quarter of them read this year.

3. Finish up the old Star Wars Expanded Universe books and catch up with new Star Wars publishing
--The Bad: the previously published Star Wars "EU" novels have been rebranded "Star Wars Legends" so all the books and most of the characters that made this fangirl fall in love with Star Wars isn't part of the official timeline anymore (thanks, Star Wars: The Force Awakens). =/

The Good: Since the Disney buyout, every Star Wars novel published since September 2014 is part of the official timeline and is actively being integrated with the films and tv shows.  Previously, info/storylines/characters, etc. from the books could be dismissed if they contradicted the films or tv shows. 

The Point: I had read nearly every Star Wars EU novel until 2012, when I fell behind finishing the last Fate of the Jedi novel.  Having just watched The Force Awakens, which left me with more questions than answers, I am finally inspired to finish off the old EU and get to the new "canon" books. =P

4. Read the Harry Potter Series
--This series has been on my radar since high school --maybe I'll finally get around to reading it this year. Goal is to start the series by summertime, bonus points if I finish by the time that new Fantastic Beasts and How to Find Them movie is released.  ;-)

5. Read Dee Henderson's O'Malley Series
--My mom read and loved this series, but wanted to wait until I was 16 to let me read them.  Well ... 16 came and went, LOL.  I keep meaning to get to these highly regarded Christian romantic suspense novels.

6. Expand My Manga Horizons
--So the majority of my manga experience is essentially Attack on Titan or A Bride's Story.  In 2015, I read about 60 comic books/graphic novels/manga.  I expanded beyond western superhero comic books to quite a few graphic novels and stand alones, but my manga series were basically two.  This year, I want to explore the many different manga genres in the all-ages to teen ranges.  I've already reserved Kaoru Mori's Victorian historical Emma series ... Any and all manga suggestions are welcome!

7. Utilize Goodreads More Constantly
--I normally only update my reading list on Goodreads about 4 times a year.  In 2015, other than posting time sensitive book reviews, I only updated my reading list in Spring and Winter.  While I keep track of the books I read on a spreadsheet (which was handy for keeping track of novels vs. comic books), I'd like to update Goodreads more consistently this year, so that when they're tracking my 2016 reading goal, it will be more accurate on how many books I'm behind or ahead of my goal.

Blogging Goals: 

8. More "Artist" at The Artist Librarian
--I first started this blog with the intent to highlight not just book reviews, but my arts, crafts, and especially costuming and cosplay projects.  I've been blogging for about a year and a half now and I'd say 95% of my blog is bookish related.  I recently revamped my blog design and reorganized pages in preparation for this.  While the upcoming semester will be pretty busy, I'd like to start posting costume/cosplay guides and tutorials (one or two costumes a  month) once summer begins.

9. Reviews of Clothing, blu-Ray/DVDs, or Other Fandom Stuff
--Again, when I started this blog, also I wanted to feature some product reviews of things I've purchased.  For example, I often wish online stores had detailed garment measurements.  I also at times have wanted/needed more detailed cosplay wig information or reviews on a certain style or color.  If I can do 6-12 of these this year, I'd be satisfied ...

10. Falling into Fandom Series
--If you've perused my new "Interviews & Other Features" page, you may have seen the #FallingIntoFandom series of posts I'd like to start this year.  In it, a fandom will be featured (book series, film, tv show, etc.) and I'll write about how I became a fan of said series, why I'm a fan, etc.  I think this would be a cool link up thing to do ... or something to get other bloggers to join in on --I'll have to look into how to do that.  But for now, I'd like to just start off with about 6 of these this year.  =)

So ... I'm probably super ambitious with this list, but any advice?  What are your blogging or bookish goals this year?  Feel free to share your TTT list also!

This year, Goodreads.com introduced a new feature that breaks down different reading stats based on what books you logged on Goodreads.  I thought it'd be fun to post some screenshots of mine:

These stats were fun.  The Giver was read for my Books and Media for Children class earlier this spring.  Cosplay in Libraries ... was just released a few months ago, so considering the price for this professional development book ($50), it's not surprising that only 2 other people have read the book (it also explains the 5.00 rating: 3 of us must have all given it 5 stars)!  I think I normally rate books a 4.0, but because I added comic books and graphic novels, I think that affected my average rating (there were several 1 - 2 star ratings I gave for some of those).



At the beginning of the year, I decided to add comic books and graphic novels for my total of books read (in previous years, I would only add them after I added all the books/novels I read for the year).  As a result, I chose to double my normal reading goal (of 50) to 100.  I ended up reading 80 books and 61 comic books/graphic novels, so I don't think I did too bad!

Lastly, some details on ratings and top shelves.

What about you?  Do you use Goodreads?  Tell me about your 2015 reading goals or milestones! 

Hello everyone!

I'm currently fiddling with a couple new blogger templates for The Artist Librarian --it's been over a year since I started blogging and I've always wanted to give this blog a more professional look that the default, stock blogger.com templates just don't give me. 

So if you saw my Instagram account earlier this month, you may have realized I've cut my hair ...

I've always thought it'd be cool to sing "in character" while cosplaying and Mulan is one of my favorite Disney characters, so ... Lea Salonga (Mulan and Jasmine's singing voices) I am not, but I gave it my best shot for Robin Lee Hatcher's #RLHKaraokeGiveaway!  The video with the most "likes" by May 26, 2015 wins a $100 gift card, so I only have a day to catch up.  Please click on the link below to vote for me if you feel so inclined and feel free to share also. I promise, I sing in tune, so your ears shouldn't be damaged!  ;-)

Click here to go to the video page to vote. (Please click on the "thumbs up" button on the bottom right corner of the video).

To check out the other entrants, click on the hashtag above.

The final covers from The Heart of San Francisco trilogy

For this week's "Wordless Wednesday" I was inspired by Julie Lessman's guest post last week when she wrote about her original ideas for The Heart of San Francisco trilogy's book covers.  It stuck with me and I knew I wanted to try my hand at sketching some ideas of what it might have looked like had they gone in that direction.  Disclaimer: It's been awhile and my Art Professors would be very disappointed that I haven't kept up with my daily drawing journal.  These are quick sketches, only about 10-15 minutes spent on each one.  I'd love to revisit these later (maybe once finals are over)!

My Love at Any Cost cover concept art

"For book 1, Love at Any Cost, I envisioned the blonde heroine—Texas cowgirl Cassie McClare—in a full-length, off-the-shoulder evening gown with her hair piled high in the Gibson style of the day, looking over her shoulder at the reader with a Mona Lisa smile. Very sweet and elegant, but with a lasso—which is an important part of the story—in her hands behind her back that trails to the floor."

People are one of the more difficult subjects to draw ... I couldn't find a good photo or reference image to work from, so the figure is definitely off. It isn't quite what I had in mind, but when your art is frustrating you, it's best to take a break and move to something else.  Fortunately, Alli and Megan turned out much better.  =)

Pose concept for Alli in Dare to Love Again

"For book 2, Dare to Love Again, originally the ebony-haired heroine Alli McClare wanted to take up boxing because she wanted to learn to defend herself after being attacked one night in the Barbary Coast where she volunteers at a school for the poor. I saw Alli in the same kind of flowing dress as book 1, in full-view stance with head cocked as she looks at the reader with a coy smile, a pair of boxing gloves dangling over her shoulder. In the final book, however, Alli learns jiu-jitsu rather than boxing, a self-defense technique popularized by Teddy Roosevelt who was the U.S. President at the time."

I love how Alli's pose turned out and her figure is much more proportionate.  I'd probably want to have her hip cocked a bit more and have an added tilt to her head so she looks more sassy!

Megan's got her glasses again!

"Book 3 [Surprised by Love] is an ugly-duckling-to-swan story about the auburn-haired heroine Megan McClare who wore Coke bottle glasses as a child before she is transformed in Paris while attending school for a year. I thought it would be cute to have Meg holding eyeglasses behind her back or against her lips as she gives the reader an innocent look, once again in full evening dress or even a Gibson style skirt and blouse."

I decided to not go the evening gown route for Meg, though if this really was a cover series, it would look out of place compared to the other two ... I think it was since she was holding the eyeglasses, the blouse and skirt felt like it would go together best (and a hat, as a nod to the final covers).

Author Kaye Dacus wrote a book "quiz" I decided I wanted to try out ... I guess you can tell she was an English/Literature major, hmm?  As per her instructions, feel free to re-post to your own blog or Facebook page and share you link in the comments!
List your favorite . . .

Austen (Jane) novel: Sense & Sensibility or Pride & Prejudice.

Brontë sister’s novel:  I haven't read any yet, though I did see the Jane Eyre film adaptation from a couple years back (the one starring Emily Blunt, I believe), so I'll say Jane Eyre.

Clancy or Crichton novel and/or movie:  I think The Hunt for Red October is the only one I've watched (the whole way through). 

Dickens novel and/or film:  I caught the last two episodes of Little Dorrit on PBS several years ago ... It piqued my interest enough that it's been on my "to watch and read" list for awhile ...

English class you took:  Hands down, Eng. 385 - Fairy Tales and their Adaptations.  "Comparative analysis of selected tales of magic and their adaptations across history, cultures and media such as book illustration and film."  Dr. B and her TA were amazing --best large sized class (50ish students) I was ever in.  They worked hard to make sure it wasn't just a lecture course and encouraged interaction and discussion.

Frequently read author:  Ooh, this is too hard.  Julie Lessman, Camy Tang, Donita K. Paul.  Bonus: growing up it was Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Grisham novel and/or movie: Never read or watched ... at least, I don't remember doing so.

Historical novel*:  Um, out of authors I haven't mentioned, anything by Julie Klassen or Elizabeth Camden (she's also an academic librarian).  They stand out to me because of the research and historical details they have in their novels. *Written at a time well after that in which it’s set.

Iconic fictional character: Leia Organa Solo. Okay, Star Wars books probably don't count as literature ... um, Aslan from the Chronicles of Narnia.

James Joyce or Henry James?  How about Henry James Alden?  Boxcar Children Mysteries FTW!

King in literature (i.e., a character who’s a king, real or fictional): High King Peter Pevensie of Narnia.

Lord of the Rings character:  Eowyn of Rohan, with Aragorn son of Arathorn coming a close second.

Movie made from classic literature:  Probably Pride & Prejudice (2005 version starring Keira Knightly), Walden Media's Chronicles of Narnia films or Peter Jackson's Tolkien based films ...

Newberry Medal–winning book: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Oldest book you own (not necessarily “favorite,” just oldest): Dana Girls #15. The Secret of the Jade Ring by Carolyn Keene. 1953, 1st edition.

Pirate in literature:  Faves are in Wayne Thomas Batson's Isle of Swords, Kaye Dacus' Ransome's Quest, and the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.

Quiet place to read:  In my room (the line that cues the Beach Boys song ... er, never mind, just kidding.)

Robin Hood version (which film/TV series?):  A Bollywood Robin Hood was a fun and entertaining play ... I want to watch the BBC Robin Hood television series someday.

Artist:

My formal training has been primarily in drawing and painting, but I've attempted to branch out into other media such as printmaking, sculpture, and fiber art ... As a result, I am a bit of a "jack of all trades, master of none" type. Well, I'll let you take a look yourself and decide ...

Librarian: