Literary Fold

Angie

Who am I? Well, I'm an English Major who is addicted to the internet, romance novels, fanfiction, writing, history, and British culture and not necessarily in that order! It took me a few years to figure out what I wanted to be when I grow up.   When not reading for class I like to snuggle up with a cup of Earl Grey and a romance novel, the more historical, the better. My long neglected husband shakes his head when I finish one, which is usually a few hours or a day after I began reading. While I do enjoy all forms, from all time periods, I love Regency the best. Thanks, Jane Austen!  I'm also a gothic novel nut, thanks to an English Literature professor a few semesters ago. Mystery has always been a first love for me, and gothic novels give me the best of both worlds, time eras long gone, and the mystery and suspense I grew up with while reading Nancy Drew.  I am neither an accomplished literary writer or critic, I am not a published author, and likely never to be, but I love to read. I grew up watching my Mom read the little paperback romance novels that are on the spinning rack at the local library and sneaking a peek at them when she wasn't home. I remember spending summers with my Grandmother and riding my bicycle to the public library to check out Walter Farley's The Black Stallion books and wanting a horse of my own.  These are my qualifications to be a reviewer of the romance novels we all love. I will tell you if I laughed, cried, boo'd, or fell in love or lust with a character, or if I downright hated the entire thing! I hope you enjoy and maybe pick up a book to read yourself!

Debra

My father's words about reading resonate to this day. His comment? "You can go anywhere, do anything by reading a book." And who wouldn't enjoy that freedom?  I have a double BA in Political Science and Environmental Studies and an MBA in Marketing. I've worked as a copy writer, copy editor, marketing communications specialist, market research analyst, and an office manager. I read the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal front page to back every morning to wake myself up  (I'm a bit neurotic about that actually. Just ask my delivery service what happens if they miss a copy), subscribe to too many magazines, and I've been known to spend entire days off with the written word, to the detriment of everything else I have on a to-do list. My taste in books runs from contemporary and period romance to biographies,  to any book by James Michener, David McCullough or more recently, Diana Gabaldon and Bill Bryson.  I'm not a major fan of science fiction or mysteries (so you may not find any reviews of mine in those genres).  When my head is not buried in some type of publication or my eyes are not affixed to my Nook,  you may find me at my laptop catching up with friends or reading the latest on dit on Twitter.  I'll also be editing for some very talented, budding authors of original fiction. I wouldn't be surprised if the reviews of those books make it to these pages in the future, after they are published. Eventually, I'd like to return to editing on a full-time basis. We'll see how that goes. As for my reviews, I'll try to keep it short and simple. If I like a book, you'll know it. Hopefully, any reviews I write will help you decide whether you want to invest your own time. But I'd love to know if you agree or disagree with my opinions.

Donna I’ve been described as a “voracious reader” but in my case that’s a gross understatement. To me, there is nothing more enjoyable (really, nothing – nope, not even chocolate!) than curling up in my flannel jammies with a teacup and a good long read. By the way, the longer the book, the better. If I’m going to be transported to a different place and time, I want it to last.  I have a habit of getting so involved in a book that I tend to finish a novel in one sitting. I enjoy all types of books, but spend a good deal of time  reading historical novels, romance being the genre of choice. But I also enjoy a good biography once in awhile, especially if the subject lived sometime in the 19th Century. I remember reading the World Book Encyclopedia and the dictionary while growing up. Old habits die hard, apparently, and I still browse the  dictionary when I have some time and I find the online encyclopedias to be pretty engrossing as well. I read so much that after spending $3,000 on Lasik surgery, I’m back in contacts and glasses. But the sacrifice is worth it.

My love of the written word extends to a desire to do some writing of my own and I derive a lot of satisfaction from working on these personal creations every now and then. Perhaps one day, someone will be reviewing my book. Now won't that be cool beans!

Right now, I am in what I consider to be the best decade of my life (when you get there, you’ll know what I mean) and a long time ago, I went to school, picked up a BA in, of all things, Anthropology (think museum curator). I didn’t go down that path, but nonetheless wound up in a good place professionally. When I’m not at work, I'm usually home, clutching my Kindle or online Tweeting or Facebooking (new verbs!) with my wonderful cyber-friends and family. And on a rare occasion, I manage to bestow some attention on my long suffering husband.

The point of this labor of love is to steer you in the direction of a great read. I want to spread the word as far as I can about a book or author that I’ve read and enjoyed. It makes my fun last just a little bit longer.