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Shelf Stable: April 22
“You can't buy happiness, but you can buy books and that's kind of the same thing.” – Anonymous
Right when everything was beginning to shut down, when I could see the writing on the wall but didn't have to be locked in my house just yet, I finally did what I'd been meaning to do since I moved to my new apartment and got a cat.
I named her Mira, after my favorite author Mira Grant (aka Seanan McGuire). She's especially known for her stories about viruses, and I have enough of a sense of humor to give my quarantine kitty a virus writer's name.
I am so glad I adopted her. She's brought joy to my life at a time when things feel so dismal. She loves looking at the window, batting at strings, and turning my lap into biscuits.
Her favorite place to hang out is the top shelf of the closet, which involves a complicated jump and twist that I'm still surprised she makes every time. Getting out is easier, it just involves an insanely long jump from the closet to my bed.

And like so many cats, it's hard to get any reading, writing, knitting, or anything else that isn't petting her done when she's in the mood. Audiobooks, at least, tend to be safe. And watching stuff, provided it's not on something with a keyboard for her to walk over. I've been trying to get started on the upcoming novel Red Dust by Yoss , but she keeps getting in my way!
Still, she makes me smile every day, and I hope all these pictures of her made you smile too. Stay well, and if you have a furry (or scaled, or feathered, or any other textured) friend in your life, make sure and give them some extra love from me!

Shana and Mira
Don't miss our next virtual event!
Recommendations for Theater Lovers
Anybody miss spending a night at the theater? Whether it's your community troupe, a regional company, or a Broadway show, there's something special about experiencing a live performance. Kate shared some recommendations based on your favorite shows.
We know that was a good one, because a certain SOMEONE liked the tweet.
Caleb's Quarantine Writing Prompts
1. OK, so to get a better understanding of your Main Character (MC), let's take a look at their lives through the lens of a six-part Netflix series. Tiger King is already taken, but what is your character King/Queen of? Write the pitch for this series, extra points if I want to binge it.
2. Quarantine is over! (Not really, but for the sake of this exercise). What does your first day back out in the real world look like? Or, what would this look like for your MC after a long time inside? Go crazy, write Blast From the Past fic if you have to.
3. Let's live in hyperbole for a minute or two. The self-isolating can feel like prison so WRITE YOUR WAY OOOOOUT and give me your best prison break scenes. 
4. Some people (not me, I suck) are using this time to pivot to new habits. What kind of #skills would your MC come up with during all this isolation?
Stay sane out there, folks. What's my name again?
*checks notes*
- Caleb
Need some inspiration?
I'm currently teaching a kids' comics/storytelling/drawing class (I basically alter it to suit the students, so it evolves as their interests do) so I've been thinking of activities and exercises for writing and storytelling. Here are a few to keep you occupied.

Anytime I eat salmon, I think about the Random Salmon. The Random Salmon is one of those experiences that was strange and wonderful and became one of those stories that I tell probably a dozen times a year. We all have them...we can probably even tell each family member's favorite stories. Here's a writing prompt that utilizes these stories as a way of developing voice.

Repeatedly Told
Think of a story someone you know has told over and over again. Write it down. Try to focus on the words the person telling it uses, and how they speak when they tell it. Oral storytelling uses different syntax and word choice than writing, so you may find more sentence fragments than usual.

Do you have a list of words that sound great but you rarely use? Persnickety is one of mine. I also like spindidly from A Snicker of Magic , a spectacular book in which the protagonist collects words. Here's a chance to use these interesting words.
Favorite Words
Write down a list of at least 15 words you like the sound of (for example: persnickety). Then, try to use all these words in a story.

Essay: The things that happen when nothing is happening
This is something I've been thinking a lot about lately (as have many people). Sit down in a quiet space. What is happening right now? What do you notice in the quiet stillness?

Sometimes I think my water bottle has seen everything. As it sits next to me, I wonder just what it thinks of our adventures...especially since it's been dropped more than a number of times. Here's a chance to figure that out!

Interview an inanimate object
There is an entire podcast of these, and it's a phenomenal idea. First, write a series of questions to ask inanimate objects. Then, respond to the questions as the object. You can also swap with someone, where they ask and you respond as the object.
Bedtime Stories
Last night Shana read from Sal & Gabi Break the Universe . Get excited for book 2 in the series, coming out in just two weeks!
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Featured Staff Pick For Kids
The Deceivers by Kristen Simmons

Private academy for teenage con artists! What's not to love? Fast-paced, fun, diverting, and there's a sequel once you've finished this one! -- Rebecca
We Want to Hear from You!
What other bookish goodness would you like to see in Shelf Stable?
Interviews with Authors
Written Book Recommendations
Video Book Recommendations
Deeper Dives into reading
You libromancers do other things than read, right? Tell us about that stuff!
Audio Book Of The Month
Deacon King Kong by James McBride

--Stuart McCommon, Novel.
See you next time here at Shelf Stable!
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