Happy November? This has always felt to me like the strangest, shortest, often most frustrating month of the year. We've finally got some properly crisp weather, but it gets dark outside at a rudely early hour, and if you're me, day-job work piles on gleefully while Thanksgiving, despite being a one-day holiday, somehow occupies a full week. As I write this, we're halfway through the month, yet the month is almost over.

So I'll keep this short and sweet, with an update on Dissonant State and a few other things I've been enjoying lately.

Dissonant State is coming soon!

Each book in the Gifted of Brennex trilogy is the story of a different sibling. Book 2 is Kay's story.

Unlike her brother Jasper, Kay has never felt the draw to be an activist. She hates Ravel Corporation as much as Jasper does, but instead of fighting them, she prefers to stay as far away as possible. But when Jasper gets in trouble with Ravel (that is, even bigger trouble than usual), the only way Kay can help is by going undercover working for the enemy.

And there's more Ship. Much, much more. If you loved Ship in Warped State (which has been the most universal reaction I've gotten about that book), you won't be disappointed here as Ship continues their journey of self-discovery.

In a weird twist of the creative process, Dissonant State is actually the first book I wrote in this universe, the first story I wanted to tell, before realizing I needed to go back and give Jasper and Havoc their story first, to lay the groundwork for Kay's. I wanted to delve into the self-exploration of an artificial sentience that doesn't want to be more human, but just wants to be more themself. And I loved twisting tropes around to have a sister rescuing her big brother, instead of the other way around.

Dissonant State comes out on November 30, but if you pre-order it now,  you'll magically receive it in your mailbox or on your e-reader that day, like an early Christmas present from yourself.

And if you haven't read Warped State, this is the perfect time to catch up before the sequel comes out!

Things to watch

If you haven't watched Our Flag Means Death yet, you're missing out. Gay pirates, madcap antics, a completely wacky mix of historical and modern, what's not to like? I just finished season 2 which is even more delightful than season 1, having just as much humor with somehow even more depth. Not to mention fantastic acting all around, including a devastatingly good performance from Con O'Neill as Izzy Hands, my surprise favorite of the season.

Things to bake 

What would November be without pumpkin-flavored things? I'm fairly indifferent to the pumpkin spice craze -- I'll eat whatever sounds good, and won't hate on anyone who loves it. But I do love a tasty pumpkin baked good, and this recipe for "The Most Pumpkin Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread" from King Arthur lives up to its name. 

Does it bug you when a recipe uses 3/4 of a can of pumpkin and leaves a tiny, useless bit left over? Sometimes I put that extra bit on oatmeal; more often I forget about it. This recipe solves the problem by having you cook down a whole can of pumpkin until the liquid is reduced and the pumpkiny goodness is concentrated and it is, in fact, "the most pumpkin."

And certainly not least...

Here's Ada, looking extra glamorous in the morning sunshine.

Until next time,

Jo Miles