Seven Reasons to Meet Mary Robinette Kowal at Carnegie-Stout Public Library

What are you doing on Saturday, October 17 at 2 p.m.?

We think you should be at Carnegie-Stout Public Library to meet award-winning author Mary Robinette Kowal, and we've got seven reasons to help convince you.

ONE: Jane Austen

Mary Robinette Kowal's first novel, Shades of Milk and Honey, draws on Jane Austen for inspiration, while still creating a unique fantasy setting. Have you always thought that Elizabeth Bennett would do well to learn a few magic spells? This is the book for you. Seriously, she created her own spellcheck from a list she compiled of every word Jane Austen used to ensure that the language she uses in her own books is period appropriate.

Plus, it's entirely possible that Mary Robinette Kowal is time travelling Jane Austen (time lady?)

Left: Mary Robinette Kowal. Right: Jane Austen, photo by TV West Country/Katie Rowlett from Tor.com

TWO: Patrick Rothfuss

Jane Austen isn't the only author whose style Mary Robinette Kowal can channel, she also once out-Rothfussed Patrick Rothfuss. In a 2013 contest to raise money for charity, readers were asked to pick out Patrick Rothfuss's real Twitter account from a half-dozen fakes, and Kowal won handily with 41% of the votes (Rothfuss got 15%). You can read the behind-the-scenes story of her win on her blog.

Patrick Rothfuss & Mary Robinette Kowal. Photo by Wesley Chu

THREE: Regency Fashion

Mary Robinette Kowal doesn't limit herself to period accuracy in her vocabulary, she does research to make sure that her characters' fashion choices are accurate too. Not only that, she makes her own Regency dresses, including the dress on the cover of her most recent novel Of Noble Family. 

On the left, Mary Robineet Kowal models the dress she made. On the right, the cover created by Larry Rostant.

Her dresses have even been worn by other award-winning speculative fiction authors, like John Scalzi.

Photo and caption by John Scalzi.

FOUR: Writing Excuses

At this point, you might be asking yourself, how can I learn to write like Mary Robinette Kowal? Well, first, you should come to Carnegie-Stout Public Library on Saturday, October 17th to hear her advice in person. But, obviously, she can't fit all of her advice into one afternoon, which is why you should check out Writing Excuses, the writing advice podcast she hosts along with Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells. Their podcast won a Hugo Award.

FIVE: NaNoWriMo

Mary Robinette Kowal isn't just a published author, she's a published author who wrote her first novel during NaNoWriMo. If you're thinking about doing NaNoWriMo this year, there is your chance to get advice from someone who's been there. Not sure what I'm talking about? National Novel Writing Month is an annual event where people around the world attempt to write an entire 50,000 word novel in just one month: November.

SIX: Puppets

In addition to writing amazing books, creating beautiful dresses, and sharing her writing wisdom, Mary Robinette Kowal is an accomplished puppeteer. Just check out her audition video for the Sesame Street Puppetry Workshop. 

SEVEN: Audiobooks

With the voice actings skills required by puppeteering, it's no surprise that Mary Robinette Kowal is also an audiobook narrator. She's narrated books by authors like Sherryl Woods, Seanan McGuire, and Susan Wittig Albert. Check out this behind the scenes video of Mary Robinette Kowal recording audio for Of Noble Family.



Now that we've given you seven reasons to be there, you'll have to try hard to come up with a reason to miss out on meeting Mary Robinette Kowal on Saturday, October 17th at 2 p.m. at Carnegie-Stout Public Library!

Reading NaNoWriMo: "Shades of Milk and Honey"

The bulk of my attention for November has turned to NaNoWriMo, which means less time for reading (even if I'm woefully behind target for my word count). Luckily there are many books that I've enjoyed, but haven't had a chance to review here on the blog, so today I'm here to sell you on the novels of  Mary Robinette Kowal, who happened to write the first of her Glamourist Histories series, Shades of Milk and Honey, during NaNoWriMo.

[Side note: If you're participating in NaNoWriMo this year, we're having a Come Write In session tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6 p.m. and then at 7 p.m. the book club is discussing another NaNoWriMo book, The Night Circus, which Andrew reviewed here.]

I first read Shades of Milk and Honey in 2011, and I picked up the most recent in the series, Without a Summer, this past August. I really enjoy the way Kowal mixes Jane Austen-like Regency romance with a system of magic that fit naturally with the setting. Even better, this has proven to be a series that holds up well to rereads. A fourth book, Valour and Vanity is scheduled for publication next year, and I'll probably be pre-ordering a copy.


In fact, I liked Shades of Milk and Honey so much, that I named it my favorite book of 2011 (I generally try to read at least a few of the Hugo and Nebula nominees each year). Months later I remembered to add a (very) short review to my Goodreads account, and then was floored when Ms. Kowal (or some person in charge of her Goodreads profile) "liked" my review.

It was a helpful reminder that these days it's not uncommon for social media savvy authors to interact with their fans, and not just the fans who sought out their mailing address, email, or blog comment section. It's fairly easy to use keyword tracking to find mentions of your name (especially if a library @ tags the author), or the title of your most recent novel.

In fact, we now have a half-serious joke about trying not to look like we're stalking Rainbow Rowell on Twitter. We aren't. We swear. Though, speaking of, did you know her most recent novel, Fangirl, is also a NaNoWriMo novel?

Of course, it seems unlikely that a group of librarians encouraging readers to love a favorite book as much as we do would be mistaken for creepers. But the other side of an author's ability to connect with fans online, is that it's astonishingly easy for readers to learn about the lives of their favorite authors. Long gone are the days when a young reader might pour over the about the author paragraph in the back of a favorite paperback trying to guess if the author is a cat or a dog person.

For example, we all recently learned how (not so) easy it is to (apply a rigorous research method and) impersonate Patrick Rothfuss on Twitter. In fact, Ms. Kowal applied some of the same methods she used to achieve a writing voice similar to Jane Austen's in order to out Rothfuss Rothfuss (who, it should be noted, failed to hit the 50,000 word mark during NaNoWriMo, and that's okay).

I also learned, in the course of writing this blog post, that Ms. Kowal is an accomplished voice actress, who has narrated several audiobooks. If you'd like to learn more about the author, she keeps a blog on her website: www.maryrobinettekowal.com
She also tweets as herself: @MaryRobinette

~Sarah, Adult Services


One final note: I couldn't think of a way to work in a link to my review of Shine, Shine, Shine by Lydia Netzer, which was also written during NaNoWriMo.

Staff Review: Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

Cookies and milk, chocolate and peanut butter, mac and cheese, some things are just better together.* So when I realized that one of my favorite authors, Seanan McGuire, had the audiobooks for one of her series narrated by one of my other favorite authors, Mary Robinette Kowal, well, I purchased and downloaded a copy immediately.

If you enjoy character-driven Urban Fantasy and dark humor, you too should check out Rosemary and Rue, the first book in the October Daye series. And yes, we do have the audiobook! The story is set in a San Francisco with a hidden underworld populated with a dizzying variety of Fae characters (my favorites were the rose goblins, a cross between a cat and a rosebush). October Daye, or Toby, is a changeling, a person born from one human parent and one fae, who has inherited a small amount of magic and a seemingly endless amount of trouble.

Without spoiling too much, Rosemary and Rue starts with Toby at a very low point in her life. She's barely scraping by with a terrible job and has almost completely isolated from her friends and family (aside from her two cats). Toby considers herself a failure and is punishing herself accordingly, until an old friend reaches out with a job she can't refuse. You see, Toby is a sworn knight to the Duke of Shadowed Hills, which translates in the modern world as something like a magical private eye.

The mystery makes for a fast-paced plot, though the amount of world-building and the complex relationships between all of the characters can be overwhelming at times. Bear in mind that this is the first in a series, so many elements are set up for pay offs in future volumes.

Mary Robinette Kowal's narration is clear, and the many characters were easy to distinguish. Some of the characters sounded a little cartoony, but this helped to lighten a story that was at times very dark. I'm not sure how many times Toby almost died, but I hope that as she learns to deal with her depression she gains a more cautious approach to risk.

When not writing Urban Fantasy, Seanan McGuire wears a variety of hats, including musician, author Mira Grant (the pen name she uses for her zombie fiction), and the person behind one of my favorite tumblrs. Her reblogged gifs are the entire reason I marathoned Leverage last year.

When she isn't narrating audiobooks, Mary Robinette Kowal writes the Glamourist Histories series (a series which I've mentioned loving before), works as a professional puppeteer, and offers writing advice and guidance. Speaking of which, I'm happy to announce that Mary will be coming to Carnegie-Stout Public Library in Dubuque, Iowa this October! I'll be sharing more details as the event approaches, but if you want to make sure you're up to date on all the events offered to adults at Carnegie-Stout, be sure to sign up for our new monthly newsletter.

~Sarah, Adult Services

*Why yes, it is almost my lunch break. However did you guess?

Best Books We Read in 2011

Not every book we read and loved this year came from the New Shelf. Here are some of our favorite reads in 2011 that were published in 2010 or earlier. To see our favorite new books of 2011, follow this link.


Angie, Circulation - The Magicians by Lev Grossman
This fantasy novel is the coming-of-age for a sarcastic, sardonic, and flippant young man who finds that dreams sometimes do come true. The audio book brings the characters vividly to life.


Amy, Youth Services - Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir
A true story about the daughter of the king of Morocco's closest aide. In the 70's, her father was accused of trying to assassinate the king, and their family was imprisoned for two decades. Such a good book.



Lisa, Circulation - The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The characters and their intricate relationships, the rich descriptions of the merging Civil Rights movement, and the style of the writing all make The Help my favorite book of 2011. The book was both uplifting and entertaining, as well as shocking and heartbreaking at times. The character of Skeeter shows a determination that is inspiring, as she navigates her new role as a college graduate in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, who sees that change in necessary and inevitable. The Help is a page-turner, and tells a story that needs to be told.



Michelle, Circulation - Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
I read this story about the great runner Louis Zamperini's WWII experience as a POW in a Japanese camp to my Dad, who was also a WWII veteran and flyer. Dad did not see action but could really relate to all of the descriptions of the planes and being in the military. He and I both had tears in our eyes as we read of the courage and spirit these POWs displayed. Though they may have been "unbroken", many of the men (boys) came back permanently damaged in ways most of us can not imagine. It was a beautiful story made even more special to me having shared it with my dad.



Brooke, IT - Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon
The story line was very detailed, in a fictional landscape. I love to read books about strong independent women. Paksenarrion overcomes great odds, and you are constantly growing with her as she becomes a Paladin.



Sarah, Adult Services - Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
A Jane Austen inspired romance with a literal touch of magic. Not too serious, or too dark, it was the perfect escape from the stresses of the Real World.



Andrew, Adult Services - Fifth Business by Robertson Davies
This is a bit of a cheat, because while I did read this book this year it was maybe the fourth time I'd read it. Fifth Business is a novel crammed full of saints, stage magicians, and Jungian archetypes. Davies's clear and unpretentious prose keeps to book from getting bogged down by its heaps of larger-than-life ideas.



Michelle, Circulation - Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Ok so I'm jumping on the Dragon Tattoo band wagon. After the first 75-100 pages of the first book I was completely sucked in. Sometimes the narrative got a bit detailed for me and I found myself skimming to get to the action, but I usually didn't have to skim for long because there was more action right around the corner. I found the vigilante justice to be a guilty pleasure since it was balanced by the fact that there was a price to be paid for all the characters actions, both good and bad.



Amy, Youth Services - The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
A book about zombies, but in a way that's compelling to read about. This series would make a great movie.

A few books for National Astronaut Day

May 5th is National Astronaut Day, a celebration of the United States' achievements in space exploration. The date was selected in commemoration of Alan Shepard's successful spaceflight on Freedom 7 on May 7, 1961 which made him the first American in space.

As a librarian who loves reading about space explorations both real and imagined, I thought I'd share a few of my favorites here today. I hope you'll share some of your favorites in the comments as well!

Biography and Non-Fiction

Chasing Space: An Astronaut's Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances by Leland Melvin

A memoir by the former NASA astronaut and NFL wide receiver traces his personal journey from the gridiron to the stars, examining the intersecting roles of community, perseverance, and grace that create opportunities for success.

Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly with Margaret Lazarus Dean
The veteran of four space flights and the American record holder for consecutive days spent in space, Scott Kelly has experienced things very few have. He describes navigating the extreme challenge of long-term spaceflight, both existential and banal.

Packing for Mars: the Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach
Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA's new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Roach takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.

Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space by Lynn Sherr
This book is a biography of Sally Ride, America's first woman in space, with exclusive insights from her family and partner, and by the ABC reporter who covered NASA during its transformation from a test-pilot boys' club to a more inclusive elite. A member of the first astronaut class to include women, Ride broke through a quarter-century of white male fighter jocks when NASA chose her for the seventh shuttle mission, cracking the celestial ceiling and inspiring several generations of women.

Novels and Science Fiction

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process. Elma York's experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition's attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn't take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can't go into space, too. Elma's drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

The Wanderers by Meg Howrey

In four years Prime Space will put the first humans on Mars. Helen Kane, Yoshi Tanaka, and Sergei Kuznetsov must prove they're the crew for the job by spending seventeen months in the most realistic simulation ever created. Retired from NASA, Helen had not trained for irrelevance. It is nobody's fault that the best of her exists in space, but her daughter can't help placing blame. The MarsNOW mission is Helen's last chance to return to the only place she's ever truly felt at home. For Yoshi, it's an opportunity to prove himself worthy of the wife he has loved absolutely, if not quite rightly. Sergei is willing to spend seventeen months in a tin can if it means travelling to Mars. He will at least be tested past the point of exhaustion, and this is the example he will set for his sons.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Mark Whitney was nearly killed by a dust storm on Mars and was abandoned by his crew who thought him dead. Now he's all alone with no way of letting Earth know he's alive, which doesn't matter because his supplies would run out before they'd get there. Either way, the environment or human error will likely kill him first. Not giving in, Mark works to survive, battling obstacle after obstacle, but will it be enough? 

Friday Grab Bag: Award Nominees

We're putting the final touches on a new project that some might call madness, and we'll have all the details for you next week. We didn't want to leave you without a Friday post, so we're pulling together a list of titles that are up for one award or another!

First up The Oscars! The 85th annual Academy Awards will be presented this weekend on Sunday, February 24th. ABC has a full list of the nominees on their website, and many of the films are available for check out through Carnegie-Stout. Of course, many of the nominees are based on books that are also available for check out!

• The Pirates! in an Adventure with Napoleon by Gideo Defoe, part of the series which inspired The Pirates! Band of Misfits nominated for Best Animated Feature Film
• Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, the inspiration for Lincoln with twelve nominations
• The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick, the film of the same name has eight nominations
• Argo: how the CIA and Hollywood pulled off the most audacious rescue in history by Antonio Mendez & Matt Baglio ties in with the film Argo, which has seven nominations
•  The adaptation of Life of Pi by Yann Martel has eleven nominations
• Les Miserables, based on the classic by Victor Hugo, has eight nominations
• The Hobbit: an unexpected journey, the first of three movies based on Tolkien's classic has three nominations
• Kon-Tiki based on Thor Heyerdahl's adventure memoir is a nominee for Best Foreign Feature
• The latest film of Anna Karenina based on the classic by Leo Tolstoy has four nominations

The long list for the second annual Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction were announced this month. This award is selected by the American Library Association, and will be awarded on June 30th during the annual convention. You can check out the whole list by following this link. Staff of Carnegie-Stout have reviewed two titles from the long list here on the blog: Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver and Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo.

The nominee list for the 2012 Nebula Awards were also announced this week. This award is given by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. The winners will be announced on May 18th, which gives you enough time to check out all of the nominees for Best Novel (all of which are available at Carnegie-Stout):

• Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
• Ironskin by Tina Connolly
• The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin
• The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan
• Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal
• 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson

Be sure to check back next Friday to learn about the first ever Dubuque Tournament of Books (or stop by the Recommendations Desk to learn more)!

June is Audiobook Month: Speculative Fiction

June is Audiobook Month! To celebrate, borrow a Science Fiction audiobook from Carnegie-Stout Public Library's collection. Here are a few recent titles of science fiction and fantasy that you might enjoy:

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks
Brent Weeks writes dark and gritty fantasy novels. The Black Prism is the suspenseful first book in his Lightbringer series about the growing threat of war and the complicated ties of family and politics. The audiobook is produced by Graphic Audio, and includes a full cast of narrators and sound effects giving it the feel of a modern radio drama.



Indexing by Seanan McGuire
Seanan McGuire writes whimsical, yet gritty, urban fantasies with intriguing world-building and colorful characters. Indexing explores a world where fairy tales have the potential to become very real and dangerous. The ATI Management Bureau attempts to keep the world safe. Mary Robinette Kowal skillfully narrates by providing distinctive character voices and accents.



The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie is known for writing fantasy stories filled with adventure, gritty violence, and sex. His writing is sometimes referred to as “grimdark fantasy,” and will appeal to fans of Game of Thrones. The Blade Itself is the first in a series filled with dark humor and less-than-honorable protagonists. Steven Pacey’s audiobook narration provides impressively distinct character voices.



Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer
This is historian Ada Palmer’s thought-provoking first novel. Too Like the Lightning takes the philosophies of the 18th century Enlightenment and creates a distant science-fictional future. Jefferson Mays narrates the audiobook and he provides distinct voices for the various characters.

C-SPL Reader of the Month: Courtney Chaffee

About Courtney

I am a musician, a bowler, a photographer, a lover, and a friend. My passions vary widely, but are all art-centered and I include reading as an art. I play trombone with a lot of local groups, bowl in league weekly, and love taking photos on nature hikes.

Fun Book Fact: in middle school my group (which changed yearly) went to district “Battle of the Books” all three years.

I’m always open to reading suggestions and I try to pick up at least one book per reader that’s featured. Some of them included in my lists are books that were suggested to me or book club picks. Books are food for the brain and just like when you’re eating, you’ll never know if you like it if you don’t even try it.

(See the past Reader of the Month posts here) 

Q & A with Courtney

Q. Can you tell us about your reading interests in general? 

A. Anyone who knows me now would have difficulty believing I used to hate reading. I’m rarely seen without a book, more often than not it’s multiple books. I’m a frequent commenter/poster on the library’s Facebook, am featured on their banner, have been on their blog, and now I’m a Reader of the Month! My level of dedication to reading this year increased when I said I was making Diamond Level on the Great Reading Challenge - no matter what. I now have a blog called “The Book Nook by CC-Liz” where I post reading updates regarding the challenge and book reviews. I have already achieved my goal for this year! I’m attempting to challenge myself even more by branching out and reading things that are outside my norm. I’ve worked my way into the nonfiction realm and have been reading memoirs, essay compilations, and studies on different topics. I have let the questions that come from reading guide me to my next topic. I still keep one foot in the fantasy waters though. Right now I am listening to the “Wheel of Time” series by Robert Jordan, while reading a bunch of psychology-heavy books.

Q. What is the best book you have read within the last year (or ever)?

A. This is a hard question. I have to break it down by genre or collection type anytime I am asked. The best fiction book that I’ve read in 2020 is The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, while the best fictional audiobook I’ve listened to in 2020 is Rosemary & Rue by Seanan McGuire narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal.

The best book I’ve ever read is an impossible question to answer. The audiobook that elicited the largest reaction from me was Me Before You by Jojo Moyes read by Susan Lyons (mainly, there are multiple narrators). My favorite book of all time is forever going to be the “Harry Potter” series, with the Prisoner of Azkaban as my favorite one.

Q. What is your ideal reading environment (location, sound, snacks, etc.)?

A. There’s two environments that are perfect for reading, it just depends which I’m in the mood for. The first one is outside, anywhere in nature. I can be lying in my hammock, sitting in the woods, feet in the water, wherever. As long as I am surrounded by nature, I am happy.

The other perfect reading environment is snuggled in a blanket in some sort of nook/corner with a warm beverage. Bonus points for each animal I have trying to distract me from my reading (one cat and two dogs).

Q. What book are you most excited about reading next, and what about it is most exciting?

A. I can’t answer this. I rarely know what I am reading next. I have a really long TBR (To Be Read) list, but I just pick and choose. A lot of the time I will walk into the library and look at the displays; then next thing you know I’m walking out with 8 books, none of which were my original plan. I do the same with eBooks, I will look at what is available now and choose one from there. Yes, I use the hold feature A LOT for titles that interest me, but I can’t really say there’s a single book that I am just waiting for on the edge of my seat.

Q. What book do you think more people should read, and why do you think they should read it?

A. I wouldn't suggest a single book because everyone’s tastes are different and my reading style now, isn’t what it was last year. I curate my advice to the person. If you’re looking for a young reader novel then the “Ranger’s Apprentice” series. A romance? Any book by Jojo Moyes or Nicholas Sparks. Fantasy? Rosemary & Rue, J.R.R. Tolkien, or "Harry Potter." Empowering? Girl Up by Lindsey Bates. I can go on and on for each genre (except a few nonfiction topics maybe….).

Q. What book has been the most challenging for you to read? How did it challenge you?

A. After reading memoirs and first person stories of survivors of violence: sexual assault, domestic violence, war, etc. I found a fictional tale on those topics to be really difficult. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell for example. Her writing style is nice, but I struggled with a fictional telling of grooming and abuse after reading cases like the Larry Nassar trials or Weinstein. I actually advise against this book and would steer a person towards the memoirs/nonfiction titles.

Emotionally the most challenging was listening to Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I had a bottle of wine and a bar of dark chocolate alongside me when I got to the last third of that novel. She had me bawling like a baby, but I couldn’t stop listening. It was intriguing!

Q. When do you decide to stop reading a book? In other words, do you read every book to the last page, or is there a moment when you decide to stop?

A. Stopping a book is really difficult for me. Once I’m invested in it, I almost always finish it. If the book was suggested to me I tend to try even harder to finish it. There are a few that after a chapter or two I wasn’t hooked and I quit, but that is fairly rare.

Q. Do you remember when your love for reading began?

A. My love of reading actually started in elementary school (kindergarten to second grade area). Shout-out to the best teacher I ever had: Mrs. Resch. Without that woman, I would not be the reader I am today. I used to hate reading and was actually considered ‘behind’ the curve. My parents put me in a summer school course and BOOM, I’m never seen without a book anymore. Mrs. Resch inspired my reading and pushed me along. She took my love of raccoons and used it to help me read, my favorite children’s book will forever be The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. I have multiple copies in multiple formats and languages, as well as my original copy still. 

Check out Courtney Chaffee's book list! 

Apply to be the next C-SPL Reader of the Month!