Books, Taylor Swift, and other hyperfixations
I have two difficult drafts that I'm working on that I keep editing and restructuring and sometimes avoiding, which is why I haven't been posting as often. I need a break from the emotional energy required by those posts. So on to books. I am currently reading... The Princess Bride by William Goldman This is… Continue reading What I’m Reading: August 2018
Fam, Some of the people I love most have been raped by those closest to them. Some of the people I love most have struggled against a system that protects their abusers. I often hesitate to offer support when others ask, but for them? Yes. Of course. Without question. So I support Rise, Inc.'s fight… Continue reading Support Rise, Inc.
I've been on a health kick recently (and not just because my antidepressants are making me fat.) After reading Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project, I retooled her basic premise: What if I pursued not happiness, but health? In June, I worked on my physical health, prioritizing yoga, meditation, and meal prep. In July, I focused on… Continue reading Spiritual Health Month
I have books from childhood that I love and books that I constantly reread. This list consists of books that have impacted my actual life in big ways. On my spiritual health I read A Woman's Place by Katelyn Beaty and Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey while wrestling with mixed messages from the church regarding women. As much as I hated… Continue reading Lauren’s Go-To Reads: Actual Influences
Between the fall of 2016 and the summer of 2017, I read a number of trashy YA novels for stress relief. Kale, My Ex, and Other Things To Toss in a Blender marked a breaking point for me; after reading that mess, I decided to stop altogether. Before hitting my limit, I picked up a book called Marie… Continue reading Book Betrayal: Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender
I made the jump. After hanging around evangelicals, tolerating Southern Baptists, and trying my hand at Presbyterianism, I now attend a Methodist church. My new church is a good deal more liberal than my past churches. I don't really know how this happened. * After graduating from college, I left the church my parents had… Continue reading Ambivalent Accidental Methodist
A good adaptation can change your mind about a play. To put a twist on the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival retooled "Oklahoma" as a queer romance featuring multiple gay, transgender, and gender-nonconforming characters. I won't be able to watch straight "Oklahoma" ever again. The same-sex interpretation makes a lot of… Continue reading Converted by same-sex “Oklahoma”
I hate historical fiction, but I'll read historical books that try their damnedest to be interesting. If a book adds a serial killer, say, or some girl power, I'll come sniffing around. Under a Painted Sky caught my interest. Two women of color become unlikely allies and go on the lam together? Disguised as boys? And… Continue reading Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee: Why I Only Lasted 9 Pages
I have to credit Claire for this idea: she called Georgette Heyer romances "little fluffy pastries" and I, of course, took it a step too far. I have strong opinions about books and dessert. Like dessert, different genres of books inspire my praise or rouse my ire. I scream the same epithets when someone brings… Continue reading Books as Desserts: A Bakery Case of Genres
"So," the interviewer starts, holding his iPhone near my face. "What books have most influenced your writing?" "Yes, tell us," says Adam Grant, my research hero. I haven't figured out yet why he's here. "Which authors acted as mentors in your youth?" "Interesting question, Adam." I grab the iPhone and speak directly into it "Follow-up… Continue reading Lauren’s Go-To Reads: Old Standbys
Narrative Paradise 