If you're looking for a novel that is intelligently written, comes replete with fully-formed characters, features memorable locations, and passes the Bechdel Test, then look no further than Sarah Penner's debut novel, The Lost Apothecary. I think it's well documented that I favor a novel with parallel narratives (see The Ex Talk and anything by... Continue Reading →
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
shelly. walston. writes. 