Writer Igniter Reading Challenge (Prelude)

     Alas, I have no witty title.  I am borrowing this one from DIY MFA wherein I will be embarking on a reading challenge to become a better writer through reading with the writer's lens.  Was this one or that one clearer?  Can I see the other one again?  Are those supposed to be letters?

  

    I have selected the book I will read for the challenge thanks to insights gleaned from one of my favorite podcasts: LeVar Burton Reads.  During this adjective-defying year, I've found a great deal of nostalgic comfort in having LeVar Burton read me a story once again.  I have been introduced to many new writers including Amal El-Mohtar, whose short story "Pockets" drew me in and led me to her book This is How You Lose the Time War, coauthored with Max Gladstone.  The cover features neither space-ships nor ray guns but two phase-shifted birds.  Why wouldn't the interest of yours truly be piqued?

Here is a lovely photo of the authors discussing their book ("9/13/19 Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (This Is How You Lose the Time War)" by banksquarebooks is licensed with CC BY 2.0.  To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).  It is obviously of the pre-Covid era.  You can see the book on the far left.  See that other light blue book propped on top of the shelf in the upper right?  It's called Bird Songs and has recordings that go along with each bird's page.  Now how do I know that?  

  (A tiny sliver of my bookshelf...bookshelves)

Well, that's the end of this prelude (violin ceases playing).  The Challenge is afoot!