2021 End Of The Year Favorites

Q&A With Shay Every Other Sunday

It’s hard to believe the year is already coming to an end. For my wrap-up blog of the year, I’m going to focus on favorite art and moments of 2021. I probably consumed art a lot more than I created this past year, but that’s an equally important part of the process, right? I’m looking forward to doing more of both in the new year!

Q: Best read of 2021?

A: They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman

Q: Best show of 2021?

A: Cruel Summer. I’m obsessed with it! Might be time for a rewatch. I also might be equally obsessed with the 2021 show Ginny & Georgia, though!

Q: Best movie of 2021?

A: I haven’t really watched that many movies this year and none that stood out much. Like everyone else these days I gravitate toward series, but I enjoyed the movie Profile. That was also the only movie I saw in theaters the whole year.

Q: Best song of 2021?

A: “Johnny Wants to Fight” by Badflower

Q: Best new food tried of 2021?

A: There was a food stand in Charleston called Vegan Demon Eats. Everything about it was amazing, especially the vegan Philly cheesesteak melt. But I’ve actually tried quite a bit of delicious vegan food this year—and that will not be stopping in the new year!

Q: Best accomplishment of 2021?

A: Probably winning two awards for Fractured! But at the same time I might have to say embarking on a new personal chapter in my life. I’ve had a lot of realizations and personal growth in the last few months and that’s as big an accomplishment as any.

Q: Best thing you’ve written of 2021?

A: This is a tricky one because although I’m writing a TON all the time, it’s not necessarily the writing I’d be choosing to do. I have taken a break from my next young adult novel, though I wrote a few good scenes of it this year and had some breakthroughs in terms of ideas. Hopefully I can translate them to the page once I get back to it! I wrote so many poems in the first few months of the year. I had planned on releasing my next poetry collection this year but time got away, and I’m hoping it’ll be out in 2022! Some of the poems in the collection are my favorite pieces of writing from the year. One of them will be published in an upcoming literary journal. My favorite poem that I wrote so far this year is probably one titled “Throat” and it’s somewhere on my Instagram @shaysiegelauthor.

Q: Best advice you received in 2021?

A: One thing that has been a theme of the last few months that someone also said to me this year is: You can’t wait and think things will fall into place on their own, you have to make it happen. And there is no one to blame but yourself if you are not living the life you want to be living.

Q: Best moment of 2021?

A: There have plenty of great moments and plenty of not so great moments. But getting my Bernie to swim finally was very exciting! He always liked going in the water but not actually swimming, and this past summer he picked his legs up and paddled. I’ve also enjoyed all the simple moments in nature, mainly at the beach, where I felt peace.

Q: Best pictures taken in 2021?

A: Below are some of my favorite pictures from the year—all of which are either my dog or nature, two of my most favorite things!