This year I listened to many books and read a couple. Despite the emphasis on audiobooks, I still say that I have "read" a book when I've actually listened to it. Here's a list of the books I consumed this year along with a short note about each. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars... Continue Reading →
Never fear, no spoilers here! Shadows of Self is the 5th Mistborn book, the second in the Wax and Wayne series by fantasy author Brandon Sanderson. It follows rough-and-tumble lawman Waxilliam "Wax" Ladrian in an old west-inspired setting as he grapples with an unknown foe who appears bent on bringing down the city. Here are... Continue Reading →
Never fear—no spoilers here. In the book Save the Cat Writes a Novel, author Jessica Brody defends the view that people enjoy mystery as a genre because it gives the reader a window into the dark side of human nature. I think that Brody has a point. There isn't much of a mystery without a... Continue Reading →
It's been a while since I shared an update on my reading, writing, and music projects. While 2020 brought along many difficulties, one of the good things that came along with it was a new writing group. With their help, I was able to finish out writing a second draft of the book I am... Continue Reading →
As always, this book review is spoiler free, focusing on the characteristics of the book rather than the content of the plot. I just finished reading The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, book one in The Kingkiller Chonicles. The book is the first of a projected three, though book three has been in the... Continue Reading →
I don't typically mix my academic and creative lives on this site though it happens all the time in my day-to-day living. However, a publication is a publication, and writing is writing, so I feel justified in sharing this small success here. As of today my undergraduate thesis is published! In light of the publication,... Continue Reading →
Illustrator Bam Bofu and I joined forces on this children's book project, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I can't wait to share it with you! Here's the short blurb from Amazon: "Brothers Hershel, Leo, and Sammy are in for a surprise when they wake up one morning to the sound of... Continue Reading →
As always, this review is spoiler-free. Wrath of the Dragon King is book 2 of 5 of author Brandon Mull's Dragonwatch series. The series borrows from and continues the story of told in the Fablehaven books. It follows the story of siblings Kendra and Seth as they attempt to prevent a war with the dragons of... Continue Reading →
As always, this book review is spoiler-free! Book of a Thousand Days is a fairy tale novel by author Shannon Hale. It is based on the Brothers' Grimm story "Maid Maleen." I liked the story for a lot of reasons, but here are my thoughts: Fairy Tale Spirit—Shannon Hale has figured out the recipe for writing... Continue Reading →
As always, this review is spoiler free. The Graveyard Book was first recommended to me by my cousin several years ago. It's been on my list ever since, so I passed on the recommendation to my local book club in hopes that I might find extra motivation to get around to reading the story. The book... Continue Reading →
smiles in the sky 