I somehow read eleven books in January? Damn, I’m impressive. The other day I learned that the French phrase for “bookworm” is “buveur d’encre,” which means INK DRINKER. Not only does it perfectly describe the start of 2021 for me, but it’s also now the name of my imaginary goth rock band.
Read MoreIn 2020, I decided to track metrics for the books I read throughout the year. Not only did I want to know how many books I read, but what kind of books. Was I reading too many white authors? How many small press books versus Big 5 publishers did I read? I kept these statistics and more in a gigantic spreadsheet, and here are the results—my first ever Reading in Review.
Read MoreWhenever winter hits, I get really into sweeping, dramatic period pieces. And/or books that are actually from those historical periods. Either works! Much of my December reading was of that genre—but there was more, of course.
Read MoreI honestly think my Winter playlists are some of the best—the season is the most versatile. Glittering snow, iced-over mud, bleak cloud cover. In the case of this year’s playlist, it calls for everything from sparkly disco to the quietest folk strains.
Read MoreHoly cow I read a lot in November. Let’s get right to it.
Read MoreSo pleased that Trash Magazine published my series of linked micros “True Love Travels on a Gravel Road” today! If you like Elvis Presley, marital bliss, and cars with weird names, this one’s for you. To celebrate, here are three facts about these pieces.
Read MoreLike most people, I try to squeeze in a few horror novels for spooky szn. Read some excellent ones this year.
Read MoreI love the unpredictability of September. Will it burn like Summer? Will it bluster like Fall? My reading list for the month is similarly changeable.
Read MoreIt’s finally cooled down in Chicago, which means that it’s time, once again, for a Fall Playlist. It was hard to corral this one into an effective order; the songs range from sprawling electronic melodies to quiet folk tunes.
Read MoreThis was a great month for books, people. I read some stunners.
Read MoreAccording to writer Twitter, lots of people are having trouble reading these days—but not me. I can’t concentrate on TV shows or movies at all, but books are working out just fine, as evidenced by my extensive July reading list.
Read MoreThere’s a lot to worry about these days (understatement of the year). But one good thing about the whole world being stuck inside is that so many literary events and classes have moved online, making them more accessible. I’ve been fortunate enough to take several craft workshops with some of my favorite authors over the past few months, and I figured I’d share my favorite takeaway from each class with you.
Read MoreMay and June moved so quickly that they arguably only count as one month. And most of June is technically still spring. Anyway, here’s what I read.
Read MoreSummer is here, which means it is time, once again, for some jams. Some themes: 1960s France, modern disco revival, Black indie artists.
Read MoreI do miss writing in coffee shops, though—which is why, when Atlas and Alice put out a call for micros for their special GLOBAL PANDEMIC x THE THING I TOOK FOR GRANTED issue, I knew exactly what to write about. They were kind enough to publish my first-ever creative nonfiction piece “I don’t miss coffee, but” earlier this week.
Read MoreDid April truly exist? It felt like no time at all, but it must have happened—I read so many books! So. Many. Books.
Read MoreHoly quarantine, Batman! Since I’ve been stuck inside so much, my reading has picked up considerably. Last time I went two months before giving you a reading update, but that’s not going to work this time—unless I want it to be the longest blog post in history. Let’s just cover what I read in March, shall we?
Read MoreIt’s a jam-packed QUARANTINE EDITION of the Spring Playlist this year—couldn’t seem to edit myself down to 20 songs no matter how hard I tried. Some themes: songs I listened to as an undergraduate, obscure folk music, the 80s.
Read MoreOn March 4th I flew to San Antonio for the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) Conference. Afterwards, I took a bus to Austin for a few days, then flew back on the 11th—which was only a week ago. But thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems like a year since then.
Read MoreI must have fantastic literary taste, because I’ve read some great books since 2020 swept in! Here are some very brief reviews.
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