If you celebrate Easter, then Happy Easter! I’m not big on the religious aspect of it, but do I enjoy jellybeans and Cadbury creme eggs? Yes, I do, and you better believe I’ve been stocking up and pigging out! It’s kind of wild that tomorrow is April too. Where is the year going?
Now onto a brief writing update. I’ve scheduled my editor, Kate, to complete a copy edit on Book #2 in “The Álvarez-Moreno Files” series in May, so I’m really excited about that. I’ll have more concrete information on Book #2 over the summer, I think. This book might be my favorite one I’ve written. It’s bigger and better in every way. I can’t wait for you to see how I loop Mateo into participating in another reality series.
Book #5 is coming along – I’m probably about 1/3 of the way through. Unfortunately, work has gotten really crazy, kind of unexpectedly. While I still anticipate that I’ll be able to stick to my normal writing routine, I’m a little concerned that some of the editing for Books #3 and #4 might need to be put on the back burner until June. I work at a university and commencement is coming up, so aside from the unexpected craziness of work, there’s also the expected craziness, which will keep me busy. It won’t affect my release schedule in any meaningful way but I’d still like to be focusing on my writing and not all this other noise. And, also, I just like complaining!
Anyway, onto things that I liked this month…
I Love TV
So March saw the return of the X-Men on TV with the premiere of “X-Men ’97.” I have always been a huge fan of the X-Men; though, I never really read the comics. I watched the shows, the movies, and played the video games. When I was a kid, the original cartoon, “X-Men: The Animated Series,” aired and I loved it so much. So I’m thrilled that this sequel series is airing now. Picking up where we left off, Professor X is gone and Magneto has inherited the X-mansion as well as become the leader of the X-Men. Only three episodes have aired so far but they’ve all been excellent episodes. It’s slightly grittier and more adult than the original cartoon, which is kind of fun to see. Basically, if you’re a fan of Cyclops, Jean, Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, Jubilee and the rest of the gang, then there’s no way you’ll be disappointed with this series.
“3 Body Problem” is a new sci-fi show on Netflix based on the Chinese novel, “The Three-Body Problem,” by Liu Cixin. I really don’t want to say too much about it because it’s really fun the way this story unfolds. What I will say is that it starts off by following two time periods. The first is that of Ye Wenjie in 1960s China as she is taken in by the military because of her scientific background to a base in a remote region. She ends up getting involved in a project that the military has been working on, which includes sending signals into outer space. In the present day, two investigators are trying to uncover how a gaming headset is linked to a string of scientists dying by suicide. Separately, a group of physicists start experiencing unusual occurrences – Auggie, for instance, starts seeing a countdown in front of her eyes at all times, and a strange woman tells her not to let the timer reach zero. What the physicists and the investigators uncover just might involve a decision that Ye made back in the 1960s, and that decision could just doom the planet. I really, really enjoyed this. It’s not a perfect show, but it kept me captivated through all eight episodes. I hope there are future seasons (there are three books) because I need to know what happens next!
Movies I Enjoyed
“Anatomy of a Fall” is a film I really wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy. Even though it was nominated for a bunch of film awards this past year, movies about criminal trials are just not really my thing. I thought it would be boring but I was very wrong. Sandra, a writer, is married to Samuel, though they’ve had some marriage troubles. They have a son, Daniel, who has limited eyesight due to an accident. One day, Sandra is trying to interview someone and Samuel is playing loud music, which causes some tension. Sandra ends the interview and Daniel goes to take their dog for a walk. When Daniel returns, he finds his father’s lifeless body lying on the ground outside. Sandra then must prove her innocence in her husband’s death. While Sandra’s on trial, many different things come to light making it difficult to tell what really happened. It’s a quiet film, but the story is strong and engaging, and the characters are all well-acted. Check it out! It’s currently on Hulu in the US.
The Books I’ve Liked
This month I read fantasy novel “Mister Magic” by Kiersten White. This was kind of a wild book that I don’t think would work as well if I didn’t have the knowledge ahead of time that it’s based off the author’s childhood as a Mormon. If you decide to read this book, keep that bit of information in mind. The story follows a group of thirty-somethings who have reconnected after decades apart. They used to be a part of this children’s show called “Mister Magic,” led by a mysterious caped figure. The friends have now reconnected because someone wants to do a podcast about their experience. The weird thing is that there’s no footage of the show and no real proof that it ever existed except everyone remembers watching it when they were young. Making matters more mysterious, the show ended suddenly after a tragic accident. Once the friends have been reconnected, they band together to discover just what really happened on this supposed show for children…
Music
- Hozier: Too Sweet
- Kacey Musgraves: The Architect
- Olivia Rodrigo: Obsessed
Michael Procopio 