Authorstrator Listy List

A round up of reads, watches and art stuff for October 🎃

Trick or Treat! - its the Authorstrator Listy List for October! And that means lots of spooky fun to add to your TBRs. The list is mostly only Halloween centric on the book side - but on Halloween, that’s the side that counts, if you ask me! I’m excited for this Listy because I’ve been building it for a while!

What’s this Listy all about? The Authorstrator Listy List is a roundup of what I think are the most interesting bits and bobs I collect for all the lists I keep in my notebooks over the course of the month! My TBR, my watch list, my list of arty things I want to try out. And I’m always on the lookout for more, so if you’ve got a great recommendation for a read, a watch, or arty stuff, I invite you to share your latest finds in the comments! 

Here we go!

“What are you waiting for!?”

The Reading List

Books

Here’s the pay dirt - I am excited about every single one of these titles and am aware that my Halloween reading season will probably last until Christmas.

Buried Deep (Short story collection) by Naomi Novik - I love Naomi Novik’s writing, Spinning Silver is one of my ultimate comfort reads, so anything new from her is something I’m going to pick up. These stories span the worlds of her novels and sound perfect for a cozy fall read.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher - another author who’s books get me really excited, this is a retelling of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher and has a lot of glowing reviews. Poe and Halloween? Done deal.

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter - I learned about this one from

Lincoln Michel

‘s newsletter and I decided I need to give it a read. Weird, dark feminist fairy tale re-tellings - I’m here for it.

Grave Empire by Richard Swan. It has “vicious mermen.” If you’ve been here a while, you know my stance on mermaid anything. This was an easy addition to the TBR!

Monster Movie by Chuck Wendig - I’m a fan of Chuck Wendig’s blog Terrible Minds and quite enjoy his fiction so a foray into children’s list by this hilarious writer has definitely made me take note! If you’ve got a middle grade reader looking for a scary tale, I would definitely give this one a go.

Articles

Ok to be fair, the following articles aren’t frightening, but still worth a read.

Lincoln Michel pops up again on the list because his newsletter

Counter Craft

provided the Halloweeniest of aritcles about writing with a piece about writing terror. If you’re working on something scary this month, give this read!

Bella Foxwell

shares this great article about being smarter about social media, and goodness knows I need all the help on that front that I can get. 

Zuck says some truly rage-inducing things about creators in this article from The Verge, and I just can’t help but wonder if each artist is so insignificant, why he doesn’t make it easier to opt out of his AI training? Or better yet, ask them if they want to opt in in the first place - cus you know, content creators are neither here nor there in the grand scheme of the coming AI rule.

The Watch List

Nightbitch - I am not exaggerating when I say I nearly cried watching the preview. Just YESSSS. More mom movies please. I fully intend to read the book as well.

Also, is it just me, or are we over due for a new iconic witch film? The Craft, Hocus Pocus, Practical Magic. Its time to meet a new witch! Know any?

The Art List

Seven secrets of visual story telling with Ian McCaig: Schoolism class. This is just such a great class to bring down the blood pressure after a long day. Not only is it very relaxing, but he delves into the subject of telling stories through image, and what that looks like, how to do it.

Folktale week - Another drawing challenge! There can never be enough. This one is especially good for picture book illustrators, but any kind of illustrator can check this out. I know Folktale week from the gram, and it seems to have carved out a spot for itself on Substack.

And that’s it! What’s on your Halloween lists?