1. Book events I've been to Waterstones SO MUCH over the summer. Over the last month, I went to see Patrick Ness, Jandy Nelson, and I spent an afternoon writing poetry with the lovely Aisling Fahey. IT WAS ALL FABULOUS OKAY BYE.
3. Doctor Who So far, the new series isn't overwhelming me, but I'm enjoying it more than the first few episodes of last season. It's so nice to have something to watch on Saturday again.
5. New blog design 'Things are still being tweaked…' says she, tweaking absolutely nothing. XD But I was very excited to unveil it, and I hope you like it! I spent longer than I'd like without a blog post — I didn't spend all of those 10 or so days designing, I won't lie — but I wanted to take some emotional time out too. 🙂 I'd forgotten how much time school takes up, eek.
I've been kind of bad at both reading and writing blog posts this month. Hopefully I'll get a bit more used to the fact that SCHOOL WHAT HELP. But, I did use my previous life as a terrible roleplayer to illustrate writing techniques, flail about accents and speech patterns and tell you all which author pairs totally need to write together.
I had a blog party! You can still enter my giveaway to win a book of your choice.
Aimee @ To The Barricade wrote about how (not) to write a fantasy novel.
Alyssa @ The Devil Orders Takeout gave us the Two Cows Guide to creative writing. Humour and starry-eyed cows feature.
Topaz @ Six Impossible Things wrote more poetry that is THE. Most. Beautiful thing.
New Lauren Aquilina music is out in the world, and I'm in love.
Okay can we talk about the fact that Alice Oseman did a video interview? ❤ I am 98% sure I am shouting my fangirling into the void but SHE IS SO CUTE AND LOVELY AND litERallY I'M NOT SURE HOW I STILL HAVE THE STRENGTH TO TYPE EEP.
School started… It's nice to be back, but at the same time really, really stressful. It was weird coming back from having all that free time to…nil.
I finished my Penelope Bunce cosplay! I can't believe I, like, made something wearable? WHAT IS THIS MYTH YOU SPEAK OF? I'm BEYOND EXCITED to wear it for MCM in October, eep.
I'm, like, kind of getting good at putting bits of jelly contact lenses in? I think. I'm getting better, at least.
If you missed my incessant flailing over the last few months: I WENT TO PARIS!
If I ever learn French and aren't bankrupt then I am SO MOVING TO PARIS. I'm honestly so in love with it – I'm still in love with London, but Paris. I just want to sit in a café eating croissants and writing sappy poetry in cursive script for ever and ever. The architecture makes me weep. It was just such a lovely place to visit – if you squinted, maybe some parts could be London, but it felt a lot more…warm. Like cartridge paper in comparison to printer paper? SEE, PARIS JUST MAKES ME WANT TO WRITE SAPPY POETRY. God.
We took the Eurostar from St Pancras, where I stalked the bookshops and flailed because 'Lauren Aquilina played on that piano'. My friend attempted to teach me backgammom, but it was the teensiest magnetic version known to man. I was an utter failure. By the time we arrived at the rather fancy youth hostel near Gare du Nord, I was a strange combination of ridiculously excited and dead tired? I don't recommend it.
The first day was pretty much the only day we woke up promptly. We headed down to the river to look for the boat-bus. Whilst we were waiting, we took photos of all the love locks on the Passerelle de Solférino bridge. I got very excited by Paris architecture, because have you seen the buildings in Paris today. They're so beautiful. Curling balconies feature greatly.
We took the BatoBus (what have they done to you, lovely French bateaux?!) > up to the Natural History Museum and wandered around the gardens eating lunch and getting lost. After that, we took our sweltering selves back on the horrific pun of a boat-bus and went up to the Eiffel Tower!
We didn't actually go up the tower, but I took a ton of photos and basked in my general Paris feels. The fountain across the bridge started to look very inviting. Though you I'm sure you weren't supposed to, we paddled in it anyway. I figured it was one of those things like climbing the lions in Trafalgar Square: you're technically not supposed to, but everyone does it anyway.
After a somewhat distressing shopping break where we managed to lose my friend (never fear, we found her), we returned to the youth hostel for lunch. Later that afternoon, we set out to the Louvre and for a birthday dinner. We actually had two birthdays on our trip, which I thought was rather impressive timing.
In the movie/musical, the Musain is mushed with the Corinthe, but they're different places.
Unfortunately, that was the end of my trip! PARIS, MY LOVE, I SHALL SEE THEE AGAIN. NEVER FEAR. *sheds a single tear* Maybe I'll join in with all the weddings and get married to Paris. 😉 (Though, of course, London remains in my heart too.) I had the most amazing time, and there was so much still to explore. If I ever get the chance, I would definitely visit again!
P.S. Here's the final call for my blog survey! Seriously, I will send you love and cookies forever if you fill it out.