These notes include affiliate links.

Today on Fable and the Verbivore, we’re sharing our latest book reads conversation — this is part 1 of 2 featuring the Verbivore’s stories!

Over the last few months instead of doing our typical bookclub episodes, we’ve started talking about some of the things we’ve recently read and enjoyed, connected with, or learned from. It’s been a great way to share what we’re consuming and loving lately and finding new recommendations.

In this episode, the Verbivore covers a range of books, one blockbuster film, and a beloved animated series. The books include a much anticipated paranormal romance release that marks a forray into a new genre for a favorite author, a fantastic and funny quest-driven romantasy, a Scotland set cursebreaker romcom, and several enjoyable and useful craft books.

We also talk a lot about these stories from a craft perspective, what the authors, writers, or directors did that we found interesting. Things like:

• Bride - A paranormal romance that goes for it and knows exactly what it wants to be, An exercise in trust and going someplace new with an author you like.

• That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon - A hilarious and relatable monster romance filled with delightful dialogue and banter, An example of a story that knows the tropes in fantasy and quest video games and uses them to delightful results.

• Do Your Worst - A supernatural romance about curse breaking and set in rural Scotland, Realistic outside conflict that adds pressure to the conflicts between the two leads, A good example of a missing puzzle piece to the story being held back and revealed just in time. 

• Gentle Writing Advice: How to Be a Writer Without Destroying Yourself - An honest look at what it’s like to hit a wall as a writer and how to find a new and gentler way through, Normalizes the need to refresh your writing process when it no longer serves you, A funny and warm guide that explores different aspects of writing in a helpful and non-prescriptive way.   

• The American Roommate Experiment - Wonderful character chemistry, Believable forced proximity, Natural deadline and reasonable obstacles, Meta story about a writer writing a followup to a bestseller, Great level up of the writing craft from her debut

• How to Make a Living as a Writer - Great nuggets of wisdom, Useful and actionable takeaways, Super consumable.

• Writing from the Body - Filled with emotional and psychological truths, Fantastic exercises for grappling with your emotions and connecting with our body, Helps you connect with your gut as you write.

• Self-Editing for Fiction Writers (Second Edition) - Editors writing about editing, Packed with useful takeaways and examples, Incredibly readable for the subject matter.

• Somehow: Thoughts on Love - A book of personal essays from Anne Lamott that’s about being squishy, vulnerable, and opening ourselves up to one another. Thoughtful insights from a funny, messy, and slightly terrible person – just like me.

• Oppenheimer (2023) - Writing about difficult things, nailing your punchline.

• Avatar: The Last Airbender - Telling a solid story with funny and offbeat details that keep your audience engaged and bring in surprises.

We hope you enjoy this episode! Keep reading, writing, and putting your voice out there!

Into the woods,

Fable & The Verbivore

Notes:

Books and Films Mentioned:

• Bride by Ali Hazelwood

• That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

• Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan

• Gentle Writing Advice: How to Be a Writer Without Destroying Yourself by Chuck Wendig

• The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

• How to Make a Living as a Writer by James Scott Bell

• Writing from the Body: For writers, artists and dreamers who long to free their voice by John Lee and Ceci Miller-Kritsberg

• Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Brown and Dave King

• Somehow: Thoughts on Love by Anne Lamott

• Oppenheimer - Directed by Christopher Nolan

• Avatar: The Last Airbender - Created by Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko

Music from:https://filmmusic.io
‘Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)