One of the first things I remember being read to me was The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe. I was so young, and the language was so unlike anything ever spoken to me, that my grasp of the actual story was tenuous at best. But I knew the bleak December, I saw the stately Raven…
The Mighty Pen
I vividly remember the first week of my high school journalism class. I already fancied myself a writer and was chomping at the bit to get started, bursting with story ideas and clever headlines for The Wildcat Howl. At the time, I was all but settled on journalism as a career choice and had built…
If You Can’t Make Your Own Dopamine, Bookstore Bought is Fine
About three years ago, I diagnosed myself with ADD. It was really a long time coming. Just out of college I was working an office job, and despite trying nearly every tool Google offered, I just couldn’t wrangle organization like everyone else. Focus apps mocked me, procrastinating was a physical compulsion, and my memory was…
Read Adventurously
When I was first asked to take over LPL’s Speculative Fiction Book Club, I had my doubts that it would be something I would be good at and/or enjoy. I’d never even participated in a book club before, much less hosted one. I’ve always understood at least part of the allure (mainly imposing my opinions…
Preserving the Web that Our Community Weaves
If you’ve spent an afternoon jumping into the Kaw River, seeking relief from the heat of summer while wearing heavy denim overalls from a long day of work, you’ll understand why the residents of North Lawrence (who lovingly call themselves the Sand Rats and, back in the day, preferred dungarees to overalls) referred to residents…
Game of Thrones: I Still Have Questions
*This post is dark and full of spoilers.* Winter came and went with the series finale of Game of Thrones. I tuned in, along with over 19 million others, and felt a pretty full range of emotions. Among them pride that what started as a cult classic high fantasy series I first read in 2006…
It’s the End of the World as We Know It
A question I’ve asked myself as a devoted reader of speculative literature, and one I’ve been asked a fair amount of times as a librarian, is what exactly is the difference between post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction? Along with why would I want to read something so frightening and depressing? It can be helpful to know (and…
Can’t Miss April 2019 Reads
April 2019 is a busy month in the publishing world, which is great news for those of us who are gearing up for Summer Reading! Whether you're into memoirs, romance, thrillers, historical or literary fiction, this month has a hit for you to enjoy. Here's a look at a few April reads that immediately…
Arthurian Legend: Then, Now, and Forever
My introduction to Arthurian legend came at the ripe age of 14 when I first read The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. The cryptic but beautiful descriptions of the magic that the priestesses of the Mother Goddess wield transported me to Avalon. Morgaine was the first character of her kind I was exposed to…
The Little Free Libraries of Lawrence
In 2009, the first Little Free Library was constructed by a man named Todd Bol in Hudson, Wisconsin. What started as a spiritual gesture to honor his late mother, June, quickly became a neighborhood sensation. And less than a decade later it has evolved into a movement that has taken over the world with more…
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