Wake me up when Chhibbtember ends

September 30, 2020

Okay friends! We’re back with another edition of Into the Chhibber-verse! If I get this out before the end of September so I can make that joke up there, I am absolutely getting a cookie. Let’s see how this goes.

Words, Words, Words

In just six days, my very first picture book (illustrated by the magnificent Mike Deas) will be out in the world. A Jedi You Will Be has the cutest old man grandpa Yoda you will ever meet — seriously, baby Yoda who? (Just kidding, Baby Yoda, I love you, do not be angry and cutely force choke me).

<image of A JEDI YOU WILL BE book cover. Heavily stylized, Luke Skywalker stands on one hand, with one arm straight to the side. Yoda sits on the top of one of Luke’s feet, cross-legged, smiling at the reader. R2D2 stands to the side. Luke and Yoda are encircled by floating rocks>

You can still preorder your copy wherever books are sold (though to be extra lovely, you can always use your local indie)!

Speaking of local indies! At 7:30PM EST tonight you can catch me and fellow Star Wars author / my Spectacular Spider-cast co-host Alex Segura in virtual conversation at Print Bookstore. Register right here.

<image is a promo for the event listed above, the cover of A JEDI YOU WILL BE on the left, with my face superimposed over Yoda’s (I’m wearing a Yoda hat). The cover for POE DAMERON FREE FALL is on the right, with Alex Segura’s face superimposed over Poe’s. In the center is the time and date info for the event.>

A very quick highlight for the best Chosen One of the Day I did this past month. Henry Cavill’s forehead curl is a goddamn gift. 

And in case you missed it, I chatted with Omar Holmon and Will Evans on their delightful afternoon Twitch livestream for Black Nerd Problems.

Preeti Rec’d

Queen’s ThiefAudiobooks

I share my release date (10/6) with the final book in Megan Whalen Turner’s Queen’s Thief series (not that I’m freaking out or anything), and so this month I want to rec the audiobooks. Steve West’s narration of our favorite wayward disaster child Gen and the love and intrigue and triumph of the lands of Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis is absolutely delightful. Most of them are on sale (I got my copies of the first four books for 3.99/piece which is absurdly cheap for an audiobook, to be honest). If you haven’t picked up the series yet, be ready to perfect your GASP!!! face because there are many, many wonderfully earned twists and surprises.

This was an, admittedly, harrowing but necessary read. Ratajowski’s images have been used as art and otherwise without her consent, and what does that mean both for us as a culture and to her as a person?

Okay, I’ve been saving this one as a reward for when I get through all my deadlines, but I can’t imagine it’s not going to be amazing!

Home InvasionAnimation short

This animation, by artist Anya Boz, is horrifying and mesmerizing. Please enjoy:

ExclYOUsive

 I’m trying a new title for this section and I don’t know if it works or not, but it’s fine. We’re all fine.

Today I have for you another GIVE AWAY! You can win a signed (by me, not by all the constributors because it is a pandemic and I have not seen other people in months lolsob) copy of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS: STORIES OF LIGHT AND DARK! First person to tweet out #CloneWarsNL and a link to this newsletter (preeti.substack.com) gets a signed copy and this little ghost cross stitch to celebrate the spoopy times (Continental US only).

<image of a square cross stitch. The fabric is black, with a smiling white ghost with red cheeks and purle eyes on it. The text above the ghost says, “Ghostin’ U.” The cross stitch is lying on groups of colorful cross stitch embroidery threads skines.>

Sh!tpost

Today’s sh!tpost is brought to you by what I have decided is the disappointed Dune dad! Oscar Isaac!

<image of Oscar Isaac from Dune with his back turned, his face is in profile. He has a full beard. There is tiny text on his back, zoomed in it reads, “Get a professional degree or else.>

Advice from My Friends

Every month (or maybe every other month, we’ll see how this goes), someone I know will give out free advice. It’s free, so maybe it won’t apply to your specific situation. And maybe it won’t be expert. But it will be advice!

This month we have writer Mike Chen swinging by with some real talk on how we can be every day superheroes:

You may feel envious of superheroes -- powers and cool suits and catchphrases -- but should you really? Think of it this way: on top of the same crap we have to deal with (a pandemic, racial and economic inequality, climate change, and so much more), they have to drop EVERYTHING because yet another supervillain decided to rob a bank or develop a mega-laser. Me, I've got enough on my plate. So instead of worrying about that, let's all use our one real superpower and vote (preferably as early as you can). That's the only way to truly Hulk Smash all the villains ruining our days. – Mike Chen

Please, this country is on fire

Three democratic senatorial candidates who could use your help to take back the Senate are Jaime Harrison, Jon Ossoff, and Reverend Warnock. Please consider donating or volunteering with a local democratic group!

Lastly, Just a Nice Thing

This guy just tries to guess what color the paint’s going to end up being and it is a complete and utter joy to watch.