The year is over, as of tomorrow. We survived the year of our lord 2017, y’all. Holy shit. There have been so many days that I thought we weren’t gonna make it, but we’re still here.

I picked up, and then put down, a lot of books this month. I’ve just been struggling to actually focus on the words on my screen, so most of what I read was on audiobook.

I’ve taken a lot of small steps, and some bigger ones. For example, you can now become a patron and help me make this blog even more awesome.

Become a Patron!

I’m working on a year’s wrap up, but I’m proud of all the things I accomplished, and some of the things I failed at this year. Here’s some of what I accomplished this month.

Books I Read:

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor | Girl Reporter by Tansy Rayner Roberts | Chainbreaker by Tara Sim | The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner* | The Lost Plot by Genevieve Cogman | Jade City by Fonda Lee* |

Blog Posts I Wrote:

Coffee Shop Talk: Audiobooks | Creators Corner: Fandom Fiber Company | Author Interview:: Erica Cameron | Review:: Girl Reporter by Tansy Rayner Roberts | Monday Mini-Reviews 12/18/17 | Coffee Shop Talk: Blogging And Money | Review:: Meet Cute Anthology |

Culturess Articles I Wrote:

Rowling Library finds some false facts in latest edition of Harry Potter | Autistic readers boycott To Siri, With Love, autism mom’s ‘love letter’ to her son | 10 books to buy for the young reader in your life | Lin-Manuel Miranda to ‘Hamildrop’ 13 new songs in 2018 | Four wines for the Elven Kings of The Lord of the Rings and you! | Fionavar Tapestry optioned for television | 30 books to watch for in the first half of 2018 |

Journalism I Wrote:

Company making limited edition rifles to celebrate county’s 250th anniversary | Art by Hargrave cadets on display at local gallery | Teen found guilty in death of mother, arson | In surprise testimony, teen confesses to stabbing mother; jury finds him guilty of first-degree murder | Danville Area Humane Society gets $250,000 grant for renovations | Former Armet CEO requests jury verdict be set aside | Aging Pittsylvania County landfill in need of costly fixes | Pittsylvania County seeks interest for vacant National Guard Armory | Judge to decide if new federal fraud trial warranted | With help from video, Facebook, police make arrest after packages stolen from front porch | Recount settles it: Keeping 14-vote margin, Ben Farmer elected to Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors | With OK of commission, renaming Danville library after Ruby Archie closer to reality | Pittsylvania County launches social media accounts | Inland port plans progress in Hurt | Board members against re-establishing solid waste fee | Institute to host Industrial Hemp Summit in February | Festive holidays also most dangerous for home fires | Gould won’t seek re-election to Danville School Board | With wave of support from community, 3-year-old girl with cancer keeps smiling | Rescue truck back in service in Pittsylvania County | In frigid forecast, bitter cold temperatures may stick around for a while |

Links I Liked:

you can’t catch me and make me a man: Peter Pan as a trans metaphor | How Dollar General Became Rural America’s Store Of Choice | #72: What Is Revision? | “I Thought It Would Be Better for You”: A Mother, A Daughter, and Racism in America in 2017 | On Quitting Your Day Job | Her job at the mill bought her a new, better life | The Little Things | Why I Love Being the Stranger at the Party | When A Best Friendship Fails You, Why Is It So Hard To Break Up? | 13 recommended reads to diversify your kids’ bookshelves. | Moms Are Main Characters, Too | Who Gets To Be The “Good Schizophrenic”? | Flame by Julie C. Dao | Dame Judi Dench: My life now is just trees. Trees and champagne | Writing the Distant Future of Global Politics | A Hillbilly Syllabus | As a child, she tried to make Moravian sugar cookies at home. That didn’t go so well. | Black Farmers Are Sowing The Seeds Of Health And Empowerment | Perceptions of Sapphic Media by Young and New Adults || by M. Hollis