Things I Like! And FEAR MY STING!

So, first things first:

I’ve had a wasp named after me, which might be the coolest thing EVER. You can read about it here. And here. And here (snarky!). And here……. and about a gajillion other places. Apparently this is a big deal in the world of wasps.

And it’s a big deal to me, because it’s AWESOME. Not least because my wasp is a “parasitoid wasp,” known for its “deadly reproductive habits.”

No comments, please.

While you mull on that one, here she is! Ain’t she a beaut?

wasp

That pin, however, looks uncomfortable.

Anyway, terribly excited about all of this, of course. It’s not often one has a wasp named after oneself, and I’m delighted. Thanks to Donald Quicke for thinking of me!

Other Things I Like right now, besides having a wasp named after me (!!!), include some awesome books.


First off, I read Sophie Littlefield’s Garden of Stones and I about died. For those of you who don’t know me well yet, Sophie is a good friend of mine.

I also think she’s a genius.

I adore her books. Her Bad Day For Sorry mysteries are some of my faves, and I recently raved about her new e-book mystery, Blood Bond. Sophie’s an amazing writer, and it was with utter joy that I read Garden of Stones, in which she really comes into her own.

The book is beautiful. The prose is tight, elegant, and understated. The story is fantastic, integrating a mystery plot into the setting of Manzanar, one of the Japanese internment camps set up during WWII. I learned so much from reading this book, as a writer, as a reader, as an American, and as a friend. The book is about love and sacrifice, and contains some amazing themes. One of which, the idea of beauty as a curse, is a favorite of mine to explore and see explored.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough, and neither could Target, who made it one of their Book Club picks. 🙂

Other Things I Like include the fact that my good friend Mark Henry re-released his short story Seafoam as an e-book. It’s SO TWISTED AND CRAZY you have to read it, now. It’s only $.99, and it’s amazeballs. Also, insane as only Mark can be insane–brilliantly, and touchingly, and filthily.

One final Thing I Like right now is a band that’s new to me, Hey Marseilles. I can’t get enough–they’re sort of a more upbeat Beirut, one of my all time favorite bands. Here’s a sample:

In other news, I’ll be in Dallas next week for Dreamin’ in Dallas, where I’ll be running workshops on hot seating, deep point of view, and time management for authors. Can’t wait to be somewhere WARM and to see my friends in Dallas. For those of you in the area who can’t attend the conference, there is a public signing on March 29th:

dreamin

Hope to see you there! xoxo

Posted by Nicole Peeler

Author, Professor, Lover, Fighter

4 thoughts on “Things I Like! And FEAR MY STING!”

  1. My first thought upon seeing the wasp picture was, "Why is that wasp dancing on a stripper pole?" THen I read about how it's named after you and it all became so, so clear. 😉 Also I'm totally jealous that you have a parasitic insect named after you. It's a new personal goal.

  2. LOLOLOL Those who know me best, like you, will truly understand all the delicious layers of irony. And yeah, pretty cool, right? We've got a good gig, we do. *hugs* Also, that meditation app is AWESOME. Thank you!

  3. ditto Jaye, and i learned a new word, "Parasitoid" – which is begging to be used at the first possible opportunity. and thank you for the sweet sweet words on the book, sugar.

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