Ugh. Well. Where do I begin?

This month was supposed to start off strong, and it definitely looked that way at the end of May. I had a lot of projects lined up, new announcements to make, and I was looking forward to diving into a new story.

Then a bunch of crises hit, pretty much within the same week.

I’ll skip over the small disasters, but for the big events that rocked me? My grandfather died; an eventuality that was not unexpected, but one that took a heavy toll. My granddad and I were close, and this is not the only family death that I’ve experienced during the pandemic.

On the heels of this death, my computer experienced a software failure. The computer was saved, but the price for this fix was an extensive file loss (potentially years of work).

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, I had and still have backups of this work. I’m not a total fool! Unfortunately, I didn’t anticipate that the main backup would be corrupted, too. So now we’re on a digital scavenger hunt.

Anyways, a new #OneFear has been added to my anxiety playlist, and I’m still piecing together my files from disparate sources. Client work is OK, and my stories were saved, but my personal stuff, including family photos of sentimental value? To be determined. The latest cover image for Metamashina got pushed back by the crash too, which is why our June episode was late.

Anyways, here are the official updates for this month.

Metamashina Podcast: New Episodes

On the podcasting front, we’re pretty much all caught up. Metamashina did a rundown of Ari Aster’s 2019 folk horror extravaganza, Midsommar, for June.

In Midsommar, a bunch of “clueless Americans” and a woman suffering from a familial trauma journey to a remote Swedish village to celebrate the spring festival, only to end up in the clutches of a bloody cult.

Return guest (and ritual sacrifice expert) Hazel Monforton joined us for this episode. We were also graced with our very first Swedish guest and Erin’s husband, David, to school us on our pronunciations and fact-check us for local customs.

New Articles: Frolic Media and #1BookAWeek

I didn’t think I would have any articles to talk about this month, but then the update post was pushed back! So some good has come from this, at least.

I’ve published a few more lists of books to read and movies to watch via Frolic. They are:

• 5 Paranormal Romance Novels With Angels
• 5 Paranormal Romance Series to Read on Webtoons
• Is There a HEA? A Review of Phantom Thread
• Is There a HEA? A Review of The Age of Innocence

Up until the crash, I was also posting One Book a Week on a regular basis. Unfortunately, this project was also affected by the software glitch, so there’s been a slight change in plans.

For now: One Book a Week is on hold until July 2021, so I can deal with the file retrieval.

In the interim, I want to highlight my favorite book from May: V. Castro’s THE QUEEN OF THE CICADAS, which will hit bookshelves on June 22, 2021 (I read it as an ARC). Definitely check out the One Book a Week review, and pre-order the novel if you like supernatural horror and Aztec gods.

Ongoing Projects: Rec List Updates

Once again, the Rec Lists have been updated. New titles have been added to the book recommendations section, and a comic recommendations section has been posted, too!

If you missed my explanation of what the Rec List project is, you can read it here.

Next month’s edition will be anime recommendations. I’ll let everyone know when that’s live.

Want Some Character Art? I’m Open to Art Commissions

Last but not least, I’ve got big news in this sector!

I’m happy to announce that I’m officially open for art commissions again. If you want a character design for your novel/fanfic, a social media banner, or a podcast cover, I’m your mark. I do hand-drawn typography, too.

You can view my art commissions website at shianneart.com. Prices can be found on my commissions’ page for a project-by-project breakdown.

Until next time: Stay safe, vaccinate if you can, and talk soon.