Coming out of a deep freeze with temps as low as -17F (without the wind-chill factor), the warm fuzzies I felt from reading The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomn fueled my days - even though I was remiss to leave the cozy cocoon her pages and my sheets had wrapped around me. Solomon captures... Continue Reading →
March 26 would've been Opening Day 2020 but for The Virus. And while I've found a routine that is somewhat satisfying considering the circumstances of quarantine, the incongruity of beautiful, crisp spring days without the solid *thwack* of a baseball bat is harrowing to my baseball-loving soul. Thank the heavens for The Resisters by Gish... Continue Reading →
Apparently, "social distancing" and "self-quarantine" are the watch words for Spring Break 2020. I'm stressed with the news and cancellations and general end-of-the-world vibe I feel ripple through the fabric of the Universe when I step outside of my house, and this has me aiming to find a balance on which to level-out my anxiety.... Continue Reading →
Pam Grossman's Waking the Witch is an all-in examination of pop culture, history, and literature in their connections to women of ill-repute: witches. And it's glorious. Since 2017 Grossman has hosted The Witch Wave, a podcast "where Art is Magick, Magick is Real, and Reality is Stranger than Dreams." Her guests include tattoo artists, dominatrices,... Continue Reading →
After a few solid weeks of sunny, early-morning commutes, today's drive in darkness was a less-than-appealing start to my week. I'm groggy. And I blame Daylight Saving Time.
As the end of Black History Month approached, I wanted to celebrate the genius of a woman of color. I found this desire's fulfillment in Luster by Raven Leilani, a debut novelist. The back cover touts an ingenue, an artist, a self-loather searching for meaning and love in the hustle and bustle and (roach-infested) frenzy... Continue Reading →
Django walked past me this morning, gave me a harsh look, and kept moving until he stationed himself resolutely on the dining room rug. And glared at me. Intuitively, I knew. He shit in the back room. The turd. (Please note: I cleaned the litter box yesterday.) I got a text from Mallory: the furnace... Continue Reading →
If it's possible for the Winds of Change to knock about the chimes of my heart, boy have they! I'm itching for change. I can feel it in my bones. Deep within me. It's resonating through every. single. thing. I contemplate: moving furniture, organizing clothes and dishes and what's in the fridge, trying and trying... Continue Reading →
If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. --Henry David Thoreau
Savor this book. Let Roshani Chokshi's language roll around on your tongue, and let the underground world of Paris 1880s come to life in your imagination. It's worth it. The Gilded Wolves, a masterful tale of life and death, love and loss, and the inter-workings of The Order, tells the story of five exceptional, though... Continue Reading →
shelly. walston. writes. 