Legendary Ladies Book Cover Reveal!

I'm so excited to finally share today the COVER for my next book, Legendary Ladies: 50 Goddesses to Empower and Inspire You. Published by Chronicle Books, Legendary Ladies features goddesses from major pantheons around the world – their myths, their impacts on our culture, and many ways to worship and work with these powerhouses of feminine divinity. 

I did a lot of research, writing, editing, and diagramming (book writing involves a surprising number of color-coordinated spreadsheets for me) to bring you 50 mythical goddesses that will not only inspire you with their origin stories, but also empower you with their strength, love, and compassion. There will be goddesses to call on for every phase of your life you may need support through; I wanted this book to be a best friend through hard times and good, a guidebook for how to get in touch with the divine feminine within yourself, and an inspiration to flip through. I was also able to get a lot more lush and whimsical with the art in this book, and I cannot wait to share the full thing with you when it comes out next April!

PRE-ORDER the book now here on Amazon, here at Barnes & Noble, or here through IndieBound! Pre-orders are super important to books because it shows the gun-shy retailers that the book will be in demand so they order more and publishers can plan better for the supply demand – and all the pre-orders are counted as sales for the first day the book comes out, which helps boost visibility and REALLY helps your favorite authors. Also most pre-orders are not charged until the day the book comes out (check with the place you're ordering!), so it costs you almost nothing to give the biggest show of support to your favorite artists and authors. Good to know not just for this book, but for any book that brings you joy and excitement!

Book cover designed by Jennifer Tolo Pierce.

"Bad Girls Throughout History" Press

Bad Girls Throughout History is here! Writing a book is such a funny thing; books take about a year from final manuscript to release, so I've been sitting here for about 12 months waiting to share this with all of you. I've read and re-read the manuscript at least two dozen times, reviewing it with about a dozen different editors, copyeditors, and designers. Do you ever have that experience where words start to look spelled wrong because you've looked at it so many times? And then a year later – it's out in the world and you hope for the best and it's time to talk about it all again!

Thankfully, Bad Girls Throughout History has been received with such welcome arms. I'm honored to be interviewed and covered in so many exciting places, and I wanted to share a list here of all the interviews and press we've been getting for the book. It's fun to get to share some of the behind-the-scenes process with you through these interviews!

• PopSugar
It was first featured here under Editors' Picks for 4 Home Pieces to Snag this August.

• Sweet
Sweet featured five of my favorite women from the book on their Snapchat channel & website.

• The Establishment
I did an interview with The Establishment about how I got the idea for Bad Girls, my process working on the book, and what I hope people gain from reading it.

• The Cut
NY Mag's The Cut featured a sneak peek of portraits from Bad Girls Throughout History right before the book came out. 

• TIME
A Reminder That 'History' is Always Incomplete, an article by Lily Rothman covered Bad Girls Throughout History alongside Hidden Figures.

• Skirting The Rules
I spoke with Meghann Foye at Skirting The Rules, a fantastic new website about inspirational women, about How Breaking the Rules Can Help You Succeed – And Change the World. 

• FIDM Digital Arts Blog
A short & sweet interview with the kind folks at FIDM.

* HelloGiggles
'Bad Girls Throughout History' will give you all the female-powered motivation you need. So excited about this feature on the cutest and smartest place on the internet by the fabulous Marie Lodi!

"Bad Girls Throughout History" Book Trailer!

We're 3 (!) weeks out from the release of my first book, Bad Girls Throughout History! Wondering what the book is about? Well, I partnered with my talented animator husband, Ryan Shaw, to create this book trailer.

Wondering why the title of my book is about Bad Girls? I wanted to speak to a history of oppression and sexism that has told women how to behave. These ladies do just that. 

Pre-order Bad Girls Throughout History now! Click here to get your copy on Amazon!

Pre-order "Bad Girls Throughout History" now!

Photo courtesy of Chronicle Books

My book, Bad Girls Throughout History, comes out September 6th! I'm really excited to share it with you and see this book out in the wild.

While there will be many more words and news to come about the making-of this book, and my experience researching, writing, and illustrating this collection, right now you can PRE-ORDER it online! Because Chronicle Books is the best, they are also offering a Bad Girl limited edition enamel pin for the first 75 people who pre-ordered the book AND fill out the form here! If you've already pre-ordered (thank you!!), you just need to fill out the form to get a pin!

Quantities are very limited, so get on that list! And though we love you international readers just as much, the offer is good for U.S. domestic residents only.

Pre-order now!

January Reading List

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This year I'm determined to hit my annual reading goal (the same number of books as my age), and I made great headway in January. Here's what I've been reading:

1. Yes Please, Amy Poehler
It was a treat getting to read Amy Poehler's first book – it's really more in the territory of autobiography than humor. I expected it to be funnier, honestly, and it didn't deliver on that front but it did deliver in a lot of no bs advice. My favorite chapter was "Treat Your Career Like a Bad Boyfriend". You really just have to read it; it's the best career advice I've ever read.

2. Beautiful Ruins: A Novel, Jess Walter
Finally finished this novel after jumping in and out of it for the better part of last year. The first half was hard to get into since it switches between different character's narratives and time, but the last half really wraps it up nicely.

3.Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J.K. Rowling
Rereading the entire book series at once; I just admire all the details, thought, and craftsmanship in this series now that I've read the entire story and am not just avidly awaiting the next one to devour in one sitting.

4. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, J.K. Rowling
Ditto above.

5. Princess of the Midnight Ball, Jessica Day George
A friend in publishing lent me this book six months ago and I finally got around to reading it this month. It's a silly YA novel, not a groundbreaking one, but one of the kinds that I like – a novelization of a fairy tale. This one is about The Twelve Dancing Princesses, a fairy tale I'm not too familiar with, so it was a quick, fun read. It's also inspiring new work for me!

6. The E-Myth Revisited, Michael E. Gerber
This business book came highly recommended, and could not come at a better time for me. It's really great if you're starting your own business, and trying to figure out why you feel frustrated or overwhelmed or anxious and what to do about it. It's definitely one of my top favorite business books now too. I've been recommending it to all my fellow entrepreneurial friends!

Tell me, what have you been reading & what do you recommend for me next month?

September Reading List

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Here's what I've been reading this past month (clockwise from top left):

1. Hyperbole and a Half, Allie Brosh
Just as good as the blog that made you stay up til 4am, laughing maniacally to yourself in the glow of your computer in the dark. There are some spectacular crossovers from the blog (Depression Parts 1 & 2, This Is Why I'll Never Be An Adult), but also brand new unforgettable stories...about a goose. Highly recommended.

2. Creative Confidence, Tom Kelley
Honestly, I judged this book by its cover. Which I loved. The content was just okay, mostly about creative problem solving for jobs that are not in an especially creative field. It was interesting, but didn't introduce any new concepts or tools for me. Recommended for people starting out in the creative field, or looking for a new way to look at their jobs.

3. Landline, Rainbow Rowell
An adult novel from the author of Eleanor & Park (a YA novel that I loved). I honestly didn't like this book very much. I was really intrigued by the magical-realist plot, with a time traveling phone that allowed the main character to call her husband in the past, before the troubles in their marriage began. However, said main character, Georgie McCool, was extremely annoying and unsympathetic, which made it really hard to care much about what happens to her. 

4. Mad About the Boy, Helen Fielding
I was putting off reading this book since I read about the premise (spoiler-not-spoiler alert: Mark Darcy died). I knew it was going to be a bummer, but I couldn't resist when I saw it at the airport before our Mexican vacation. I'm just a sucker for Helen Fielding, especially as a vacation read. The book turned out to be much less depressing than I thought it would be overall (although there were scenes that made me cry and cry), and Bridget Jones is really as messy, funny, charming, and irresistible as she has always been. The story of overcoming, of dating in the modern age, of a certain age, of being a widow – all the things that horrify me in my most anxious moments – is actually really hopeful. Loved it for a fun read.

5. How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie
This is a reread for me. Believe it or not, it's actually one of my favorite business books. Originally published in 1937, Carnegie's references include Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Carnegie stories the way a modern business book would include stories about Steve Jobs, which is fascinating and charming in a hopeful-before-WWII kind of way. The main theme of the book is really teaching you how not to be a jerk, and to be genuinely interested in other people. And how the universe opens up before you when you really care about people outside of yourself. There's your wikipedia entry for it, now read the book.

6. Steal Like An Artist, Austin Kleon
Read this after I read Show Your Work. Great ideas and concepts in here, so it was a good short read. Read both, but if you had to only read one, I'd go for Show Your Work.

What have you been reading? Did you read any of the above books too? I'd love to hear your thoughts and any recommendations for new reads for me!

June Reading List

One of the habits I've been focused on getting back in to lately is reading. Audiobooks have helped a lot, and some beach time too. Summer always reminds me of summer reading programs at the library, where you'd get stickers and prizes as you filled out your reading card. Now summer reading prizes would be more like a lazy weekend by the pool, under a big sunbrella with a fruity drink within reach.

I'm changing up my reading lists here, so that instead of putting up books I'm planning on reading, I'm going to share books I've read and a short review. Mostly for my own edification.

So this month, I've read (clockwise from top left):

1. Show Your Work, Austin Kleon.
This is a reread for me - just read it a couple months ago. Really good, short read that's pretty invaluable advice about how to build an audience and make your dreams happen.

2. #GIRLBOSS, Sophia Amoruso.
Honestly, this book has been life-changing for me. It's one of those books that found me at the right time and the right place. I've listened to it on audiobook three times already, and actually ordered a hard copy to reread. I've never done that before, so just read it. Lots of great perspective on career and life, the power of observational skills and magical thinking, and how to really show up for your life.

3. I Feel Bad About My Neck, and Other Thoughts On Being A Woman, Nora Ephron.
The original Mindy project. Nora Ephron is basically Harry and Sally, and that woman you hope to be in the future. Full of funny observations about modern life, while being painfully aware of her own privilege. My favorite line: Oh, how I regret not having worn a bikini for the entire year I was 26. If anyone young is reading this, go, right this minute, put on a bikini, and don’t take it off until you’re 34. Nora, you are so missed.

4. One More Thing, B.J. Novak. 
Just ok. Once again, an audiobook listen, so it was entertaining to hear it in the author's voice, and also have guest readers like Mindy Kaling, Katy Perry, Lena Dunham, Rainn Wilson, etc. Stories were short, but a little too aware of its own cleverness for me.

5. Say What You Will, Cammie McGovern.
If you like YA, and you liked The Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor and Park, then you really will enjoy this. I know because I am that demographic. And not just because I illustrated the cover.

What have you been reading? Any good book recs for me?