dawn.vogel | May 27, 2020
It looks like we may be spending a lot of time at home this summer, without the big summer movie blockbusters that we’re used to. But there are still three major media things coming in July that I am super excited about. On July 3rd, Hamilton will be on Disney+. It’s the original Broadway cast, filmed. […]
dawn.vogel | May 20, 2020
The Kiminee Dream by Laura McHale Holland (WORDforest, 2020) is a surreal and beautiful slipstream novel about the inhabitants of a very unusual small town in Illinois. The novel primarily follows the story of Carly Mae from her birth (a momentous occasion for the town) through her early teen years. Along the way, she exhibits […]
dawn.vogel | May 13, 2020
Reading: Books to review, for the most part, plus a bunch of history articles and books for my Unfixed Timelines II essays. Watching: We recently watched the first episode of the new Penny Dreadful run, and while it’s very unlike the original Penny Dreadful series, I’m really enjoying it for the history and the visuals. At one point […]
dawn.vogel | April 29, 2020
The Witches of St. Petersburg by Imogen Edwards-Jones (Harper Paperbacks, 2019) is a beautifully crafted novel of historical fiction, holding closely to actual historical events while concocting a more fantastical explanation behind some of them. Set during the reign of Russian Tsar Nicholas, the story revolves around two Montenegrin princesses, Militza and Stana, who have […]
dawn.vogel | April 22, 2020
Look, I don’t know where April went either, but it’s vanishing far more quickly than March did. Reading: A stack of books to review, when I’m not re-reading my own writing. Watching: We finished out season 2 of Altered Carbon (and enjoyed it, even though it was different from the first season) and have returned to […]
dawn.vogel | April 15, 2020
If you liked my recommendation of listening to Ambient Worlds while you’re working on stuff, but wish it was a little less pop culture-centric (or if you found all those soundtrack songs to be more distracting than helpful), check out Homework Radio. These mixes are a little more atmospheric and spooky, and they’re a great […]
dawn.vogel | April 8, 2020
The Sparrow in Hiding by J. Kathleen Cheney (2016) is a historical fantasy novella that blends Russian history and fairy tale into a gorgeous story about secrets, love, and recovery. The story is told from the perspective of two characters, Irina and Evgeny. Irina is a wealth young widow staying at her family’s summer estate, […]
dawn.vogel | April 1, 2020
Reading: I just finished The Sparrow in Hiding by J. Kathleen Cheney (review to come soon), and the next in my “stack” is The Witches of St. Petersburg by Imogen Edwards-Jones, so I’m just all about the fantastical Russian stories right now! Watching: We’re surprisingly not watching a whole bunch right now, largely driven by the fact […]
dawn.vogel | March 25, 2020
I love penguins, and getting to watch them waddle around and visit other animals is a delightful distraction. The Nerdist has collected several videos of the Shedd Aquarium penguins visiting other animals now that the aquarium is closed to the public. Enjoy the distraction!
dawn.vogel | March 18, 2020
I’ve just published my final review for Mad Scientist Journal, for Valerie Valdez’s Chilling Effect, which was basically everything I’ve ever wanted in a novel. It’s hilarious, a lot like Firefly, and mashes up little bits of sci-fi pop culture into a wonderfully twisty story. Though this is my final review for Mad Scientist Journal, never fear! The […]
