In a much-needed respite from all the gloom and depression I've spread about in my last few entries, here's a list of my favorite things from the past few days--what's made me really happy:

On Saturday I got a copy of Naomi Novik's Temeraire in the mail, to review for Interzone. And it was awesome! I spent the whole weekend reading, sometimes actually skipping back to re-read the best passages just because I loved them so much I wanted to really savor them. Sword-fights on top of flying dragons! Witty banter! Napoleonic history! Just exactly my kind of book. I finished it Sunday and wrote the (glowing) review yesterday, but the book itself is still sitting by my bed, where it can be easily reached for re-readings.

Yesterday I discovered my new favorite artist: Jackie Morris, who does gorgeous fantasy art to die for (or at least to lust after and wish desperately for enough money to afford....). I particularly drooled over her print A Silence Like Intimacy (sooo perfect since I just recently wrote a retelling of that fairytale), but since I don't have £500 to spare, I'll have to content myself with sending her free e-cards and reading her blog, which is also scattered with lovely art.

My brother Ben (who's just started a new blog, hurray!) has just published his cool Jewish historical fantasy story, The Star Inside the Swastika, in the webzine Dragons, Knights and Angels. Woohoo!

These are a few of my favorite things from this week!