Lit. Lover in the Making

Well, perhaps "current-and-forever-book-lover" is a touch more accurate, especially if ladies like the one pictured above are doin' the readin'. *End lechery*

Again, mass apologies for another stretch of silence here at Cute, Queer, Canadian. Life in the literary world has spiked, to put it lightly. Free time is coming at strange hours, now. And, starting next week, those hours will queer themselves up even further.

To take stock:

• I am three weeks into the publishing certificate program and am loving it. What a new world from those undergraduate days. I am learning practical, hands-on knowledge! I am learning from people in the publishing industry! I am in a classroom with people who have a clear picture of where they'd like to go with these skills! Stunning. This is the first time I've been all jazzed about group work which is a revelation all its own. It's been a good run so far, especially since these will be people I'll work with in the real world afterwards.
• I got me a seasonal job at Chapters! For kids outside of Canada, Chapters is the one-and-only national book chain here. As in, Chapters is responsible for 60% of book sales in Canada. Yeah. It's a big deal. While I am thrilled at the prospect, I am a touch nervous as to how this month will turn out for me. I am on the stocking shift which means I work 5 AM - 9:30 AM. And, given the commute back from school, I will not get home on most nights until 11:43 PM. Hmm. Problematic. But, it's a short term situation and did I mention THERE ARE BOOKS??!
• The International Festival of Authors is fast approaching and I will more or less live there on all available days. I have four volunteer shifts booked at the moment and, depending on the Chapters schedule, there might be more to follow, muahaha.....

I am on a one-woman mission to dominate Toronto's book world in the next month. Not to mention I have made it a personal goal to read:

• The shortlisted books from the Man Booker Prize
• The longlisted books from the Scotiabank Giller Prize
• The shortlisted books from the Toronto Book Award

... That totals 24 books alone. Well, technically 23 since I finished one book listed for the Toronto Book Award. It was a good read, but I was a little put off given how often penises were mentioned or described in vivid detail. Yeah, I've noticed there's this weird obsession with male anatomy that runs throughout Canada literature. I don't get it. But, then, I am a queer woman, so that might explain the general aversion. Ah well, I brought this reading challenge upon myself, so I must accept these award-nominated books for the next few weeks.

So, BOOKS -- I am re-nerding myself and polishing that ol' vocabulary this month. I also sort of want to re-read Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes because it is October and Hallowe'en is approaching and it's been far too long since I last read it. Plus, I always wanted to re-read it in October. And HEY! Check out the month. How convenient.

Did I mention I also have school assignments to finish throughout all this?

I know, I am chock full of crazy. But that's what you love about me, am I right?