DreamCloud

Hi, my name is Eleanor.

I have worked in the book business or in publishing for most of my life. My kids are all grown and out of the house, so I am enjoying the free time to focus on mindful journaling, writing, and creativity in general. My husband is a chef, an artist, and an award-winning barbecue pitmaster. On the weekends, we go “thrifting” for art supplies, books, boho odds-and-ends, and vintage items for our outdoor tiki bar.

-colors: orchid, lavender, violet, deep pink

-books, reading, libraries

-mindfulness and meditation

-crystals

-afternoon tea

-writing and journaling

-tarot

-Stickii or Pipsticks stickers

-cottagecore

-dopamine decor

-all types of tea except for vanilla flavored

-stationery, note cards, postcards, and stickers with magical, book, or tea designs

-decorated envelopes. (I make pockets out of them to glue into my junk journals and I keep the letters or cards in the pockets.)

My favorite genres are classic literature, science-fiction/fantasy, and personal growth/spirituality.

Best books of 2024:

JANUARY

1. Hello, Habits: A Minimalist’s Guide to a Better Life by Fumio Sasaki

2. Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes Book 2) by Travis Baldree

3. A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind by Shoukei Matsumoto

FEBRUARY

1. Ragnarok by A. S. Byatt

2. Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

MARCH

1. Spare by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

2. Heal Your Living: The Joy of Mindfulness, Sustainability, Minimalism, and Wellness by Youheum Son

3. Mary Ventura and the Ninth Kingdom: A Story by Sylvia Plath

4. Infinity Gate by M. R. Carey

5. The Fox Wife: A Novel by Yangsze Choo

APRIL

1. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library: A Novel by Michiko Aoyama

2. The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

3. The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

4. The Witching Year by Diana Helmuth

5. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

MAY

1. Shadow of Night (All Souls #2) by Deborah Harkness

2. The Book of Life (All Souls #3) by Deborah Harkness

3. The Book of Koli (The Rampart Trilogy #1) by M. R. Carey

JUNE

1. The Trials of Koli (The Rampart Trilogy #2) by M. R. Carey

2. The Girl With All The Gifts by M. R. Carey

3. When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

4. Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

5. Close Knit by Jenny Colgan

6. Paula Spencer: A Novel by Roddy Doyle

7. Xingu by Edith Wharton

8. The Night Tiger by Yangtze Choo

9. The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

10. Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman

JULY

1. When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

2. Translation State by Ann Leckie

3. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

4. Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis

5. The Ministry For the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

6. Sipsworth by Simon van Booy

AUGUST

1. Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain

2. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

3. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

4. Keep Going by Austin Kleon

5. Write for Life by Julia Cameron

6. The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry by C. M. Waggoner

7. A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

SEPTEMBER

1. The Devil’s Apprentice by Jan Siegel

2. Time’s Convert (All Souls #4) by Deborah Harkness

OCTOBER

1. Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes

2. Unnatural Magic by C. M. Waggoner

3. Chronically Magickal by Danielle Dionne

4. A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney

5. The House with a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs

NOVEMBER

1. The Figure in the Shadows by John Bellairs (Lewis Barnavelt #2)

2. The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring by John Bellairs (Lewis Barnavelt #3)

3. The Ghost in the Mirror by John Bellairs (Lewis Barnavelt #4)

4. The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder by John Bellairs (Lewis Barnavelt #5)

5. The Doom of the Haunted Opera by John Bellairs (Lewis Barnavelt #6)

6. The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H. G. Parry

7. The Blackbird Oracle by Deborah Harkness (All Souls #5)

DECEMBER

1. The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan

2. 500 Miles Away From You by Jenny Colgan

3. The Wood in Midwinter by Susanna Clarke

4. Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik

I appreciate each and every envelope I receive! If you are interested in a list of things I would probably not use, here goes: classroom reward stickers, Disney, things with artificial scents/flavors, things that smell of cigarette smoke, free advertising postcards, or religious things unless they are buddhist or pagan in nature (classical art depicting things like angels or madonnas is fine.) I have a great respect for the religious choices of others and desire reciprocity.

If I find myself in the unfortunate position of sending a swap more than one or two days late, I will notify you. If, due to an unexpected emergency, I am unable to let you know that a swap will be late, I will contact you as soon as possible and send the swap then. I rate upon receipt of a swap and I don’t abuse the rating system. I hope my swap partners extend the same kindness and consideration to me.