Margaret's Nearly Monthly News - Nov 2023
Hello, and welcome to the November Nearly monthly news. Let's kick off with one last labor update because:
The SAG-AFTRA strike has ended!
So happy for my union siblings who held out for 118 days and won the deal they fought so hard for. I was out in solidarity at Warner Bros on what turned out to be the last day of picketing, which I'm sure affected negotiations not at all, but I'm glad I was there to help walk it in at the end.
Since then, I've started a new job. Animation, so not directly affected by our recent labor actions, but it's good to be back at work, and I'm super-excited share more about what I'm doing as soon as I get clearance. (So... sometime in the next few years?)
Fortunately, I do have other news that I am allowed to share.
From my Desk
My latest flash story debuts in The Deadlands today! "Remember This When They Find You," is short, moody, and (as implied by the title) written in the second person, which probably checks off a square on my writer's bingo card. It's available on the web as of November 27th, but if death is your jam, I encourage you to buy the full issue or support the magazine through The Deadlands Patreon.
What I'm Reading and Watching
My Mysterious Galaxy order came in, bringing a multitude of additions for the book wine cellar. This month, I'm looking forward to:
Bookshops and Bonedust, the novel length companion to Travis Baldree's cozy fantasy novella Legends and Lattes. I'm about halfway through, and this story is just as charming as the first.
I also have not one, but two books in Seanan McGuire's October Daye series waiting for me: Sleep No More and The Innocent Sleep are truly an embarrassment of riches. These books aren't the place to dive in if you're not familiar with McGuire's rightfully lauded urban fantasy series, but that just means you have sixteen other books you get to enjoy first.
On the film and tv side, I recently went to a Q&A screening of The Disappearance of Shere Hite, about the author of The Hite Report about women's experiences with sex and sexuality. I was broadly familiar with the Report, but knew next to nothing about the furor surrounding its release. If this incisive documentary isn't in a theater near you, it's worth catching when it comes to streaming.
From the Cutting Room Floor of the Duolingo Dystopia
This month, Duo appears to have made an interesting betting choice on an unusual footrace.
Honestly, I'd put my money on the wolves.
And That's the Nearly Monthly News!
Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we'll be back next month for our annual year-end wrap up. Questions? Comments? Drop me a line! Otherwise, I'll see you in December!