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How did I miss your question about completism? Yes, I'm one of those people who, when I find an author I love, read all their works. Here are a few: Dorothy Allison, Barbara Kingsolver, Barbara Neely, Sandra Scoppettone, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Kurt Vonnegut, Ursula Le Guin, Tommy Orange, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, P. D. James, Val McDermid, Ruth Rendell.

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Yes it was. We had the final fitting this morning for both the wedding dress and the party outfit (corset and tulle skirt). I also made the veil. I have a couple of final tweaks on the dress and then I'll sew the wedding gifts. The wedding is in five days.

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I recommend you start with An Unsuitable Job for a Woman. There are only two in that series.

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Crime writers have cropped up last week and this with references to particular police/related characters and I have a list just compiled off the top of my head. Every novel related to the character(s) read by me, my wife and a good few friends. The author coming second in any discussions we have: Adam Dalgleish (P D James); C I Wexford (Ruth Rendell); Ruth Galloway (Elly Griffiths); Harbinder Kaur (Elly Griffiths); Martin Beck (Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo); Dalziel and Pascoe (Reginald Hill) and, first in my head and re-read last autumn whilst recovering from a stroke, is C I Lloyd and Detective Sergeant Judy Hill (Jill McGown). A good few of the authors are dead, others in full swing, one just two novels in. My list has no dark, seriously flawed characters. Unconventional maybe. Lloyd and Hill is, at heart, a love story - and I am a sucker when it comes to romance! In my world it is characters first authors second - Robert Howard 🐰

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Three writers I admire--Ari Hornavar, Jim Ruland, and Marivi Blanco—all together in one beautiful newsletter. Thanks, Betsy. I hope to see Jim in a "live" appearance at a great San Diego Indie bookstore reading from his new book. And... that movie of Marivi's. Waiting for these events is teaching me patience.

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My title for the month - Look Homeward, Angel

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Title of my January: Month Two of Bridal Sewing

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Thanks for the shout out! This week I read a novel I absolutely loved: CLOSE TO HOME by Belfast author Michael Magee. It's a powerful look at grief, class, and family history through the eyes of a young man trying to overcome his own bad decisions. It doesn't come out until May but highy recommended!

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Your completist question made me realize that I'm a near-completist with several authors, but haven't managed to read them all. I've read almost all Anne Tyler (Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant may be my fave); nearly all Toni Morrison (who can pick a fave, my god she's so so good); all of Louise Erdrich's old stuff, but I'm missing some of the new (it's all on the list!); most of Pete Hamill; lots of Knausgaard. I went on a tear with Deborah Levy and Abigail Thomas last year, but there's probably something obscure I'm missing. I don't chase complete-ism, but if I read something I like, it's on to the next. For instance, I finally read one Tana French and immediately picked up a second. Several more are on my shelf. And Ferrante - the few unread books are waiting next to the bed. So many books! A delicious problem.

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