Hey friends!
It’s the really cool sticker on the lamp post you sometimes walk past, Sam Cote, here with another Weekly Favorites (finally)! In order to keep this the usual length, I’m going to have to actually pick favorites this time. There’s no way I could reasonably cover every amazing piece of media I’ve consumed in the past month-and-a-half.
What I’m Reading: My favorite book that I’m currently reading is Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. This book is everything it’s hyped up to be and more. There is something (nearly) univerally comforting about coffee shops and cozy establishments of every kind. Baldree is able to tap into the essence of what makes places like those so special, and translates it seamlessly into a fantasy world. If you haunt coffee shops on the regular, like me, this is a must-read. I’m about halfway through, and am trying to take my time with it!
What I’m Listening To: I have been really enjoying the Dungeons & Daddies podcast! It is a real-play D&D podcast following four dads who are dropped into the Forgotten Realms (the classic D&D fantasy world) on a quest to find their sons. It is chock-full of dad jokes, ridiculous NPC’s, and engaging roleplay. The players and the DM are a delight to listen to. There is truly nothing quite like seeing a 2014 Honda Odyssey pull up in Neverwinter.
What I’m Watching: Sticking with the fantasy theme here– The Legend of Vox Machina. This show is adapted from a D&D campaign (Critical Role season 1), and it is (in my opinion) a very successful adaptation. The players are fun to follow and full of personality. The plot and combat encounters are tailored perfectly to the characters and their backstories– as such, they’re often nail-bitingly, heart-wrenchingly engaging. Plus, the D&D mechanics and inside jokes sometimes slip their way into the show. The party often struggles to open doors, and I can often tell when a player rolled poorly. My own D&D party put me onto it, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves the game (or that style of fantasy).
What I’m Making: Remember when I started a novel back in November? I started over, and it’s actually working this time. Something about my first attempt didn’t feel right, and I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what, so I stopped. I decided to approach the project with a completely different mindset and prose style, and everythning is clicking in a way I couldn’t have anticipated. Progress is moving slowly, but it’s actually happening. I’m quite proud of what I have written so far, and I am beyond excited to see how the rest of it unfolds!
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