Mountain View
Claire Handscombe
Looking Ahead to NaNoWriMo: Some Tricks to Help You Win
Suddenly, it's about to to be August, and we've got just three months before the annual writer fest that is NaNoWriMo begins. Having done this crazy challenge of writing a 50,000-word first draft of a novel a few times myself, I've got some advice as you look ahead.
Capitol Hill Books: A Look Back to 2012
Capitol Hill Books is a DC landmark of sorts, unmissable for visitors according to various tourist guide books. I first saw it back in 2012, not long after I'd moved here. It's changed owners since then, and survived a pandemic, through a combination of sidewalk sales at weekends, private browsing for up to 4 people in exchange for a deposit, and grab bags, where you could let them know your favourite genre and how much you want spend, and they'll put together a pile of books for you. They also now stock a small selection of new books, and they've tidied up the window -- though personally, I kind of miss the old one.
Who to Follow On Social Media If You Live in DC and You Love Books
For some of us, books aren't just for reading; they're a lifestyle. And if that's you, your social media feeds probably reflect that. Or maybe you live in DC and haven't found local bookworms yet, and you need some recomendations for who to follow. If that's the case, you're in luck! I've got some.
7 Retellings of the Classics
When classics feel a little intimidating, a good way in can be retellings. There are a lot of great ones around these days, and they introduce diversity into the often very white, very heterosexual world of Western fairylates, Greek myth, Jane Austen novels, or Shakespearean plays. Circe and Song of Achilles are two bestsellers, but here are a few more that have come out in recent years.
6 Novels Set in Portland
It's appropriate for a city that prides itself on its quirkiness -- "Keep Portland Weird!" -- that many of the novels set there are not the standard fare, but rather offer something off the beaten path -- whether that's magical realism, myth retelling, or unusual themes that are underexplored in American fiction. But in Portland as elsewhere, people fall in and out of love, fit in or don't with their families, figure out their identities. These six novels give a great flavour of what's available when it comes to novels set in Portland.
3 Great Novels Set in NYC During the 2008 Financial Crisis
The 2020 Covid crisis has shaken our world economically like nothing else seen in recent years - except, perhaps, the 2008 Financial Crisis. And arguably, nowhere felt the impact of the burst housing bubble in a more concentrated way than New York City. Time Magazine reports that in February 2008, there were 170,000 New Yorkers who were not in work, but just over 18 months later, that figure had leapt to 413,000. Of those job losses, around 40,000 were on Wall Street. All of this had a huge impact on the landscape and culture of New York City, and this is reflected in novels set around the time. Here are three excellent examples of those novels.
3 Memoirs that DC Actually Needs
With the recent news that Prince Harry is writing a memoir -- or rather, having a memoir ghostwriten -- and what's likely to be an influx of former Trump staffers penning their own slant on the last few years, I want to make some suggestions for memoirs I would actually be excited to read -- and to handsell at East City Bookshop, all of them with a DC feel. There's probably lots of reasons why they can't happen, or not yet, but a girl can dream!
Make Friends in DC by Joining One of These Book Clubs in August!
Book clubs are a great way to make like-minded friends, especially if you've just moved somewhere new. In DC, there's no lack of book clubs. Chances are, if you already have a friend group and you ask them, somebody will know of some book clubs you can join. But if not, don't worry! Lots of DC bookshops, including East City Bookshop, were I work, have book clubs you can join. Mostly, they are currently meeting online but will resume in-person meetings once it's safe to do so. Here is what's happening in August at East City Bookshop (online). Keep your eye on the ECB website for September meetings and any new book clubs that might launch!
20 Things Overheard in Bookshops
Bookshops are wonderful places. Obviously, they’re full of books, which is enough to make them wonderful, but they’re also full of interesting people who love books. Our kind of people, in other words. And it’s always fun to eavesdrop on those people.
3 Great Books by Brown Alumnae
If you’re heading to Brown this fall, you might want to get in the mood by reading some great books by alumni of the school. You probably already know about The Marriage Plot, by Jeffrey Eugenides, the opening section of which is set there, and other notable alumni like Nathanael West, Edwige Danicat, and Marilynne Robinson. But here are three more options.
DC People: Mary Matalin and James Carville
When your passions lie somewhere in the Venn diagram intersection between politics and books, DC is a magical place to live. In the first eighteen months after I moved here in 2012, I saw and had books signed by Michelle Obama, Al Gore, Sonia Sotomayor, and former Senator Olympia Snowe, and those are just the ones I can remember off the top of my head.
Writing Tip: Seven Ways Into a Story
If you want to write, sometimes the hardest thing is getting past that blank page. Where do you start? What do you write about? How do you find your characters?. Inspired by Joanna Rossiter‘s post on getting creative, here are some of my ideas for finding my way into a story.
Online Store Benefitting Independent Bookshops Reaches a New Milestone
Bookshop.org, the online store whose mission is “to financially support independent bookstores and give back to the book community”, passed a major milestone this month: they've now raised $15 million for independent booshops.
Want To Get Into BookTok? Step This Way!
In the early days of TikTok, there weren’t many book recommendations, or really anything else that was bookish. But, perhaps in large part because we were all trapped at home for so much of 2020, the app exploded in popularity and started expanding far beyond the original content of lip synching and dancing teens. Now, there is both educational and entertaining content of all kinds — from history to grammar to restaurant reviews, and a whole lot of adorable baby and pet content.
Capitol Hill's Literary Feast Will Be Back in 2021!
One of the loveliest Capitol Hill traditions is a fundraiser organized by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation called A Literary Feast. The idea is a simple one: in exchange for a donation, which goes towards local schools, guests get to attend dinner parties in homes aroud the neighbourhood. It's a wonderful way to make new friends, or, if you've lived on the Hill for a long time, to bump into familiar faces.
5 Great Middle Grade Novels Set in San Francisco
Middle Grade novels set in San Francisco reflect many different angles of the city: the tech angle and the shadow of Alcatraz and crime linked to it are just two of those. These five books use the city as a backdrop to their stories to great effect.
9 YA Novels Set In and Around Los Angeles
Growing up in LA is a unique experience. Glitz and glamour and proximity to fame make it an appealing place for dreamers and kids with ambitions -- and potentially a heartbreaking one, too. But there's also plenty of poverty and urban challenges, and, if you're a teenager, the usual experiences and challenges of growing up, figuring out your sexuality, and falling in love for the first time. These books reflect many of those experiences.
Six 2021 Novels Set in Chicago
Chicago seems to inspire a lot of writers of suspense and murder mysteries. But if that's not your thing, fear not: aside from three thrillers on this list of new novels, there are four new Chicago-set books with different themes, from family to teenage love to ambition in the Jazz Age.
6 of the Best Books Set in Columbus, Ohio
It's always great to read books set in a city to which you have a connection, whether it's because you lived there, or have travelled there. And for all of us, it's refreshing to read a book that isn't set in the usual coastal cities. There's so more to America than New York and San Francisco, after all.
Claire Handscombe
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Claire Handscombe is a British writer who moved to Washington, DC, in 2012, ostensibly to study for an MFA in Creative Writing, but really, let’s be honest, because of an obsession with The West Wing. She is the host of the Brit Lit Podcast, a monthly show about news and views from UK books and publishing; the author of Unscripted, a novel about a young woman with a celebrity crush and a determined plan; and the editor of Walk With Us: How The West Wing Changed Our Lives.
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