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[ID] => 2530
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[post_date] => 2019-01-28 19:43:33
[post_date_gmt] => 2019-01-29 00:43:33
[post_content] => I am excited about the journey 2019 has to offer for
The Oyster Thief and the oceans.
OCEAN UPDATE
Good news! More than three-quarters of marine mammal and sea turtle populations have significantly increased after their species were listed in the U.S. Endangered Species Act, according to a
study released this month.
On the other hand, the oceans are getting louder, according to a New York Times
article. Increasing ship traffic and seismic exploration for offshore drilling are disrupting the lives and chatter of sea creatures large and small, from whales to zooplankton. (Imagine that there was
construction happening outside your window every day, so loud that you couldn’t hear the person sitting next to you.)
Though the din in the oceans is greater, steps are being taken to reduce plastic pollution. On January 1st, Washington D.C. began a
ban on single-use plastic
straws in restaurants and other service businesses, becoming the first major U.S. city to do so.
The question is: Are straws just straws, or are they more? I believe they’re more. The conversation around straws is part of the broader conversation around the use of plastic and moving toward more sustainable alternatives. Most straws end up in landfills, but others contribute to the 8 million tons of
plastic that enter the oceans every year. You can watch an illuminating three-minute video on plastic straws
here, narrated by actor Adrian Grenier.
BOOK REVIEWS
[caption id="attachment_2531" align="aligncenter" width="525"]

(Credits left to right: Nicole @fearyourex; Emma @emmasbookishlife; Carly @carlycravesbooks)[/caption]
“In
The Oyster Thief, Faruqi creates a full-fledged, highly believable merworld using beautiful imagery and demonstrating a deep understanding of ocean conservation and marine life.”
—
Library Journal
“
The Oyster Thief is a fascinating novel that blends mermaid lore with social commentary on how we treat the environment.”
—
Syfy Wire
“
The Oyster Thief is a captivating blend of fantasy and environmental activism—and it is more than that. It is the first novel to feature an underwater civilization alongside themes of ocean conservation.”
—
Green Living Guy
[caption id="attachment_2532" align="aligncenter" width="525"]

(Credits left to right: Dee @level.headed.book.obessive; Em @emreads.365; Dee @level.headed.book.obessive)[/caption]
I received a
kind note from a reader Jenny, who wrote: I am an avid reader therefore I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed
The Oyster Thief. It was spellbinding to say the least. A beautiful love story about our oceans….I couldn’t put it down! I think it would make a wonderful film for both youth and adults. I will also check out
Project Animal Farm.”
Want to test the waters? Dive into the first chapter of
The Oyster Thief here!
[caption id="attachment_2533" align="aligncenter" width="525"]

(Credits left to right: Lindsay @llbookrat; Autumn @moonys.books; Sam @readwithsam)[/caption]
MORE
I enjoyed speaking on the
Get Lit podcast about
The Oyster Thief and the writing process. You can listen
here!
The results are in! There were several great answers to the
“What would you most like about being a merperson?” contest announced in the December newsletter, but there can only be one winner!
Congratulations Asha! Asha answered: “What I would most like about being a mermaid is that I would have deeper insights into ocean life and underwater creatures.”
[caption id="attachment_2534" align="aligncenter" width="525"]

(Credits left to right: Brandi @lollipopsandlyrics; Carla @happiestwhenreading; Katelyn @stardustandrockets)[/caption]
[post_title] => January 2019 Update: An Ocean of Possibility
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