'Another Shirt Ruined' Podcast (And All Things Elizabeth Peters!)
If you've known me for any amount of time, you likely know that my favorite author is Elizabeth Peters. That's why it was SUCH a delight to appear on "Another Shirt Ruined," a podcast dedicated to that illustrious author's most beloved series.
Erica Abbett
Aug 25
'The Odyssey': Movie Review
Though art is the depiction of a subject, it's also a reflection of the creator. Ask ten people to draw a horse, and you'll have ten different drawings--all roughly depicting the same thing, though the images will be far from identical. There are few better examples of this principle in action than the Trojan War. Though we've been making art about the subject for thousands of years, you'd be hard-pressed to find two identical representations. Take these depictions of "the ju
Erica Abbett
Jul 23
My New Obsession: Bookbinding
I love everything about books: reading them, writing them, annotating them, and now...re-binding them! (A.K.A. giving them new covers).
Erica Abbett
May 22
On Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey'
Acclaimed director Chistopher Nolan's The Odyssey is coming out this summer, and the official trailer dropped yesterday. Before I give my two cents, let me begin by saying that I have nothing but respect for creators. It requires an unfathomable amount of energy to direct an epic on this scale, and I'm under no illusions that I could do a better job. Furthermore, I'm not some stick in the mud who thinks the classics can never be interpreted. I've written several such stories
Erica Abbett
May 7
Who Inspired Jane Austen?
What do you call the author who inspired Jane Austen? While we should be referring to Frances Burney as a trailblazer or literary genius, upon hearing her name, most of us would simply say..."Who?" My nighttime reading lately has been Rebecca Romney's Jane Austen's Bookshelf , which explores the books that inspired Jane Austen and plays right into my fascination with the story behind the story. I did my entire Master's thesis on the creative process of Elizabeth Peters , an
Erica Abbett
Apr 2
You Asked For It! Presenting 'Wuthering Heights: Annotated Edition'
In response to many a reader request, I'm proud to present my annotated edition of Emily Brontë's bleak but beautiful classic, Wuthering Heights. I'd never actually read it before this year, and I must say, it was rather surprising.
Erica Abbett
Mar 6
2025 in Review: Annotated Classics, Journals, & More
My biggest goal was to expand my annotated classics series, and I've largely succeeded, even if I did stray a tad off course in the book choices.
Erica Abbett
Dec 29, 2025
Frankenstein Is Great, But Have You Read Dracula?
I'm not trying to be contrarian, but with all the fanfare surrounding Netflix's recent adaptation of Frankenstein, I can't help but think of the book's far more readable cousin, Dracula. In the A-list annals of Halloween costumes, the two are often paired together, but the reading experience of each is vastly different. Frankenstein is slow and cerebral. You zone out, and 20 pages later, the protagonist is still describing the landscape. Dracula, on the other hand, is a page-
Erica Abbett
Dec 11, 2025
Get an "A+" in Organization With These Beautiful Binder Covers
Plain white three-ring binders are so boring. Most of us remedy this fact by using different colors for different subjects, but why stop there? Get an A+ in organization with my gorgeous new three-ring binder covers. In true Vocabbett style, each design blends timeless art with a modern twist. With beautiful choices for history and English, your cover arrives as an instant digital download. Simply hit "print" and slide it behind your binder's clear plastic cover. Voila! Your
Erica Abbett
Nov 5, 2025