Authors I want to read in 2016

Probably I won't get to all of these authors during this year, but at least I would like to try.

Alan Moore

Alan Moore is well know for comics like Watchmen and V for Vendetta. I'm currently reading the comic From Hell which talks about Jack the Ripper. At least this one I want to finish. But I might grab other comic or even revisit one that I've read before.

Mike Mignola

Mike Mignola is the author to some of my favourite comics series. I love the drawings and stories from Hellboy (and all the sequels and side characters that derive from his world.) It's time to get back to world full of weird creatures and folk tales inspired stories. I'm particularly curious about the Witchfinder!

Anne Rice

For years I try to find Anne Rice books. Last year I collected a few from two different but connected series - The Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches. I'm worried that these books might be a little addicting, but it's time to leave that though behind and grab one of them!

Thomas Harris

Last year I read the two first books from the Hannibal Lecter series. I can't wait to read more about him in the next two books. (and somehow I also wish that there were more books about him, so far I'm loving the books and I'm also a huge fan of the movies with the ... as Hannibal Lecter).

Stephen King

I never though that I would be into second hand books. But now I am. I never thought I would appreciate old books with cheesy covers - but I do! Specially these editions that scream 80's! They might be old and battered but I love them! I think that they illustrate so well the stories that are inside and I only read the back cover. I'm not sure from where to begin but for sure I'm coming back to some more Stephen King.

Tess Gerritsen

I've only started these series this year, but I'm already addicted. I hope the next ones are as good as the first two (I will talk about The Surgeon and The Apprentice in Books Read in January post)

James Patterson (with Maxine Paetro)

I really like thrillers and crime books. These ones are short, easy and quick to read. I'm on the 6th book of the series and all books that I've read so far are always so unpredictable (at least most part of the book). The 14th book is already published and 15th one will be published this year!

Have you read anything from these authors? What do you recommend?

Bites and Bits 2016 | 03/52

When I purchased some new boots I reserved these ones too. (my number wasn't available at the time). These are for sure the most comfortable boots/shoes I own and since I got I barely used others.

I'm trying to spend more time in the studio (it's not working yet, but I'm making plans to change that). This one of the quirky storage cups that I have. Isn't he weird? My grandfather had this habit of collecting random things. I like to have some random ones around me in the studio. They remind me of him.

I'm a little late on the drawing challenge, but still doing it! I'm excited with new projects that are coming my way, where I will need to draw a lot. I'm also considering to change and improve Nuts for Paper products - so a lot of new drawings are coming my way. 

About owls... these we're created back in December. It's time to do some proper photos and share them!

Last week I've received The Art of The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien  and this week I got The Art of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. I'm so excited to proper read them! I've already sneaked in and the art is so amazing! 

In December I didn't read much. But this month I've been reading a lot! (next week I'll share all the books I've read). This one was the one started in the end of the week. The 6th Target - it's the 6th book in the Woman's Murder Club series written by James Patterson. 

Friday culminated in a visit to the post offices. Time to ship some orders to: USA, Canada, France, Belgium, Finland and Portugal! Most of them were 2016 planners but one of them was my first order of just badges! (yes, I still get excited with these little things!)

Bites and Bits 2016 | 02/52

I had a few meetings and appointments outside of the studio and I miss the studio... a lot

I started (and finished) this book. It was a page-turner. I was so into the story and the characters that I jumped into the second one in the series (you can see all the books I have in the series here)

The making of 2016 softcover planners. Yes, I'm still making planners.

and cutting and separating the inside of the planners.

One of the best things that arrived in the mail! I am so excited for this book! ❤ (oh and the illustrations are so awesome!)

One day of this week I had one of the oddest dreams. I dream that I had squirrels living in the studio backyard. When I woke I really wished it was true.

This was probably the only thing that I purchased in sales season. Two awesome beanies. (and I don't even care that they came from the men section of ASOS).

Best,
Mafalda!

In the mail | New Book Series In my shelves

I've been eyeing these series for awhile. Although I'm not the biggest fan of the TV show (mainly the actresses who have the main roles) I really enjoy Crime and Detectives books.
You might know the tv show - Rizzoli and Isles. These book series are the original thing.
These are short books, easy and quick to read.

All these books are in softcover format (note to self to one of these days to write why I like these sort of book format), from the Bantam Press and where bought in second hand.*
I'm quite pleased with these covers, usually crime books have more heavy looking covers, but these ones are white and minimalistic. It's not very noticeable in the photos but the letters are of metalic tone (which I usually don't like very much) but work very well in this minimalistic design.

Rizzoli and Isles Book Series

1 - The Surgeon
2 - The Apprentice
3 - The Sinner
4 - Body Double
5 - Vanish
6 - The Mephisto Club 

* the only book that is little bit more damaged and dirty is The Apprentice. It's also the only one that looks that is from other edition, because the typography is very different from the other books. It's my less favourite cover of these.

Bites and Bits 2016 | 01/52

In 2016 I want to try to photograph more. Specially other things than Nuts for Paper products. And if I'm not able to photograph more things, at least my daily life.

optimistic start of the week with loads of programmed things

created a new illustration with some of my favourite colours

packed and shipped a bunch of orders - and also had a meeting about designing a logo

organized Nuts for Paper pins/badges and magnetics. I'm loving creating these. I also need to remind myself that I need to take individual photos of them and maybe do some more.

a few of the books that I'm currently reading. I'm loving reading Lovecraft although I feel it's not the kind of book you read very quickly (it's a short stories book but each story is quite dense and full horrific details)

this week arrived to my mail some second hand books. in this case these are a new series for me. (more about soon in the blog)

on the top of my wishlist for 2016 was invest in new boots. the boots on the right are my old boots. I've used them a lot in the last eight years. They are still good but they are starting to rip apart. It's was time for a second plan and those beauties are exactly what I wanted. Now I only need to break them a little and walk miles and miles ;) 

The week started pretty much organized. With everything layout out in my planner. Although I didn't stick with all of it (in the days I had previously programmed). I was very tired during this week, and my sleeping pattern was a little messed up; which is why I didn't managed to be as organized as I wanted. But I have to accept that some days I'm not as productive as I wish for, and sometimes is better rest and have a fresh start.

Currently Reading | January 2016

Books I'm currently reading (that transition from last year) ...

Short Stories books

1) Gloria in Excelsis Histórias Portuguesas de Natal by Vasco Graça Moura (Editor)
It's an Anthology of Christmas Portuguese Stories. I've read a few already and I'm enjoying it a lot. Most of these short stories are so rich in descriptions that I just want to draw them!

2) Os melhores contos de H.P. Lovecraft, vol. 1 by H.P. Lovecraft

3) A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor (ebook)
Flannery O'Connor short stories are amazing, and never end they you think they might. To me they talk about human behaviour and also show how people lived in the US (so far the ones I've read more in the rural area).

Crime novels
1) Rapture in Death (In Death Series #4) by J.D. Robb (audiobook)
J. D. Robb is a pseudonym for my favourite romance novels writer Nora Roberts. It's a very interesting series set in the future. The main character is Detective Eve Dallas. The books are about her cases but also her personal life. I'm enjoying these books in the audiobook version.

2) The Killing by David Hewson
Yes, I'm still talking about this book. This book is huge (800 pages), and I know a big part of the story (because of the american TV show, although this book is written inspired in the Danish screenplay/TV show original version ). In February it will make a year that I'm reading this book. The written is not hard to read, you accompanied the daily investigation of a murder. But it's so information packed that one day seams a lot more time!

Fantasy & Horror
1) Horns by Joe Hill (ebook)
I read half of this book and then stopped and never reach it again. I might try to listen to the audiobook.

2) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
At last I'm reading some classics! I have this thing for reading the originals. And there so many things about Frankenstein in so many other works of fiction that I thought it was time for me to read the original thing. I've read before some short stories by Mary Shelley and I liked her style. However this time I'm trying it in english.

Non-fiction

1) How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
This book was actually started a few days ago. The first chapters were fun. Let's see how the rest goes.

Comics & Graphic Novels
1) From Hell by Alan Moore, Eddie Campbell (illustrator), Pete Mullins (illustrator) (ebook)
Alan Moore comics are always very dense and well build. This one is about Jack the Ripper. I wasn't expecting it to be so awesome has it is. But it's so dense that I have to go slow so I don't miss on the details.