“Have you heard about those new corduroy pillows? They’re making HEADLINES.” Just like the comic strip that introduced me to this joke once upon a time: Bloom County. I was a child of the 80s. This fact has never been more evident than it was this…

What happens in Vintage Vegas…
What happens in Vintage Vegas benefits the Howard County Public Library System – sounds like a win to me! Thank you to everyone who made this year’s Evening in the Stacks: Vintage Vegas such an enormous success! I’m a big fan of any literary gala that…

Heartfelt Thanks
Thank you. Because of you – my friends (online and offline), my family and my readers – I was honored with the title of “Best Celebrity Bartender” for Evening in the Stacks: Sparkle and Spurs. But the real winner is the Howard County Library System, which is as it should…

An Open Letter to Dave Barry
Dear Mr. Barry, Where to begin? I suppose the most logical place is this: I swear I am not making this up. I’ve been a fan of yours since I lived in Miami in the 90s. Your ability to sum up the absurdity that is South…

Evening in the Stacks: Sparkle and Spurs
I walk in the doors and inhale, smelling the slightly sweet, dusty scent of old paper. I walk straight to my favorite section and stop in front of a particular shelf, pull down a book and smile at the soft crackle of the plastic-cased cover as…
The Walking-Faster-Than-You-Think Dead
Three seasons into it, I just started watching The Walking Dead. I adore the films of Frank Darabont – you may know him as the director of The Shawshank Redemption, the one movie that makes almost every single person I’ve ever known’s top list of all-time…
Towel Day or Wear the Lilac?
Okay, I’ll admit it. I am an avid reader and fan of fantasy and science fiction. This is what makes May 25th such a challenge: celebrate Towel Day or Wear the Lilac? Towel Day Towel Day first began in 2001, two weeks following the death of…
Well Worth Watching
Recently I stumbled upon two videos well worth watching. They’re part of the TED series called “Best of the Web”, which collects insightful, inspiring and engaging talks not specifically given as part of any TED event. They also happen to come from two of my favorite…