As I've been adding the finishing touches to my first nonfiction book about writing historical fiction, I've been thinking about the writing books that have inspired me over the years. There are too many to name in a short blog post, but here are a few I go back to again and again. Writing Down … Continue reading My Favorite Books About Writing
Book Recommendations
My Favorite Books From 2020
Staying Home To Read Was A Good Thing About 2020 It can be a bit of a stretch to find something positive from 2020, but I did read some great books. In my case, they were all historical novels, but that's no great surprise. As I was looking back over my Goodreads list of books … Continue reading My Favorite Books From 2020
What I’m Reading: The Thomas Cromwell Trilogy
Reading has always been a solace to me, these days perhaps more than ever. Here’s a bit of what I’ve been reading lately. After much anticipation (on my own part, as well as many others around the world), Hilary Mantel finally released The Mirror and the Light, the conclusion of the Thomas Cromwell Trilogy. As … Continue reading What I’m Reading: The Thomas Cromwell Trilogy
What I’m Reading: History and Self-Discovery
Here's a bit of what I've been reading lately. Bad Feminist I've heard much about Roxane Gay, mainly because, like me, she's an academic who writes for a more general population. Bad Feminist is the first book I've read from Gay, and I'm glad I finally took the plunge. According to Gay's definition, I would … Continue reading What I’m Reading: History and Self-Discovery
What I’m Reading: Life During World War II and My Favorite Fantasy Book of All Time
My reading has been eclectic lately (as it always is, actually). I've completed my research for Down Salem Way with two of these books, though I will always have a fascination with witch hunts and witch trials. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare I loved this book when I was a teenager … Continue reading What I’m Reading: Life During World War II and My Favorite Fantasy Book of All Time
Books About Life During the Salem Witch Trials
Since I've been spending most of my time writing Down Salem Way, a lot of my reading has been about either the Salem Witch Trials or life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. One of my favorite parts of writing historical fiction is learning about the time period I'm writing about. I had a pretty good … Continue reading Books About Life During the Salem Witch Trials
What I’m Reading: A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That
As summer is winding down and Pumpkin Spice Lattes are on the horizon, I find myself spending a lot of time reading lately. There are a lot of really good, really interesting books out there these days and I've found a few that have caught my attention. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng I … Continue reading What I’m Reading: A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That
Five Books I’ve Been Enjoying
There's a Reason They Call a Ph.D. a Terminal Degree You do feel a bit terminal (as in brain dead) when you finish a Ph.D. The other day I saw a tweet from Dr. Witch Hazel (@HazelMonforton) that summed up my reading experience while working on my doctorate: Random guy: Oh wow you have a … Continue reading Five Books I’ve Been Enjoying