Stone Soup Digest 04.15.22
Welcome to the Stone Soup Weekly Digest! This is where I share what I'm up to and some of my favorite things from around the internet. Subscribe to Stone Soup to get this in your inbox every week.
This week I made two cakes. One of them was a very moist chocolate cake, soaked in clementine syrup and then topped with clementine marmalade. I poured the clementine marmalade onto the cake while both were still very warm, so the marmalade seeped into the cake, leaving candied peels on top. I don’t have a photo of that cake because we leapt upon it like beasts.
I also made a cornmeal olive oil cake, swirled with strawberry preserves and topped with fresh strawberries. It had a sugar crust on the bottom and sides. This cake has so many egg yolks and so much oil in it, and yet somehow it came out light as air. It’s almost gone after just a few days. I’m making another one tonight, because we keep having strawberries and it seems important for there to be cake, don’t you agree?
Cover reveal and interview with Bendi Barrett
I interviewed author Bendi Barrett about his upcoming book with Neon Hemlock, Empire of the Feast! This book is wild and this interview is lovely – Barrett is thoughtful and brilliant. Go check it out!
The art of Jason Limon
I recently stumbled across the artwork of Jason Limon. It’s charming, funny, and poignant. Memento mori but at the carnival. This is my favorite piece from the website, but they’re all worth your time.
Vote in the Locus Awards!
Locus Awards voting closes today! Anyone can vote – you don’t need to be a subscriber. I hope you’ll consider voting for The Echo Wife in the Best Novel category – but truly, this ballot is stacked. You can’t lose.
Save the Date for Loyalty Bookstores’ Big Gay Fundraiser
Loyalty is one of my favorite bookstores anywhere, and on May 7th, they’re holding a fundraiser to support queer and trans youth, whose rights are currently under attack in the United States. Go add it to your calendar and register via Crowdcast now! I’ll see you there!
I’m Reading: The Complete ElfQuest Volume 1 by Wendy Pini and Richard Pini, illustrated by Wendy Pini
Discover the legendary Elfquest! Created in 1978, Elfquest continues to capture the imaginations of readers young and old. Chief Cutter and the Wolfriders are driven from their forest home by the threat of annihilation. As they wander an ever-changing landscape inhabited by excitable humans – and other odd creatures – they discover other elf tribes as well. Alliances are forged, enemies discovered, and savage battles fought in this epic fantasy adventure! This edition boasts 720 pages, collecting the entirety of what is now known as "The Original Quest" in stunning black and white, including an extensive gallery of concept art, pinups, and covers, with commentary from series creators Wendy and Richard Pini.
I loved ElfQuest as a kid. This week, in a fit of low morale, seeking comfort in a beloved series, I decided to revisit ElfQuest, which you can read in its entirety for free at ElfQuest.com. It’s been incredible to return to this story and find the roots of so many of my own narrative instincts.
Featured New Release: Molly on the Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal, illustrated by Diana Mayo
When Molly and her family move to the moon, they can only pack the essentials – just one toy each for Molly and her baby brother, Luke.
Luckily, Molly has a big imagination. A packing crate becomes a fort, a tarp becomes a witch's cape, and some cans become a tea set. Baby Luke, on the other hand . . . has blocks.
Molly doesn't want to share. At first. But then she realizes that when you're on the moon – or anywhere else – a big imagination and being with someone you love can be infinitely better than all the toys in the universe.
When people ask, "Where do you get your ideas," this is where. My picture book, Molly on the Moon came out today and I had the first inkling of an idea for it in 2018 after reading this tweet thread. https://t.co/FH5RELr1sy
— Mary Robinette Kowal@🏡 (@MaryRobinette) April 12, 2022
Add Molly on the Moon to your tbr here. Order it from your local independent bookseller, or order it via Bookshop.org to support independent booksellers throughout the US and the UK. For international shipping, you can try Barnes & Noble. You can also request Molly on the Moon from your local library — here’s how to get in touch with them. And if you need to order from the Bad River Website, here’s a link that will leverage your order for good.
Kitten Update
This week Calamity has been practicing her hunting skills, mostly on Bert. Bert continues to grow at a rate scientists are calling “Godzilla-like”. He also discovered jelly beans, which he desperately wants to have and perhaps eat. Cruel despots deny him.
As you’re surely aware, queer and trans children are still under attack across the United States; Ukraine is fighting a Russian invasion; AAPI communities are facing discrimination and violence. If you’re struggling to figure out how to help, here are some places to start.
If you’re a paying subscriber, a reminder that our writing date is tomorrow 4/16! We’re moving it up an hour to start at 10am pacific – I hope you can join us! The link to join is in the Stone Soup Supper Club post. Stop by for our weekly chat! I can’t wait to find out how you’re doing.
—Gailey
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