Greetings and felicitations, fellow nerds of the word! The May 2023 Leisure Learning column focuses on literary contributions somehow related to the past. Gain insight into William Blake’s process for resurrecting the illuminated manuscript, meet some lesser-known family members chronically overshadowed by their famous relations, and see how Walt Disney’s soldiering days influenced early Disney… Read more »
I spent the first months of 2023 reading Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot novels, most for the first time. It all started when I read The ABC Murders. I received a Nintendo Switch Lite and the video game The ABC Murders for Christmas and I didn’t want the game to spoil the book. I enjoyed The… Read more »
Writers, I’d like to talk about reading. Growing up, it was the form of entertainment universally endorsed by adults. Kids could watch too much TV or spend too many hours playing video games, but rarely did one get in trouble for reading too many books. (Although I’m sure some of you reading this have some… Read more »
Transgender literature, which deals with the experiences and struggles of people whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth, has a long and rich history. From ancient myths and legends to contemporary novels and memoirs, transgender literature has played a significant role in shaping our understanding of gender, sexuality, and identity. History of… Read more »
Merry April, all! I hope that by the time you read this, you have gotten a chance to experience the luxury of reading outside. (Made even more luxurious, at times, through the magic of antihistamines.) This month’s column explores the spectrum of friends, enemies, frenemies, and simply odd relationships found within literature, both on and… Read more »
Hey y’all. I recently had the opportunity to interview Jane V Blunschi, author of the novella, Mon Dieu, Love. I was really excited about this book because I feel like you don’t come across standalone novellas super often and I was definitely curious about the form. Plus, it has an interesting path to publication. And… Read more »
I inherited a love of afternoon tea from my Victorian grandmother. She would brew a pot of stout tea and serve it, steaming hot, with ginger cookies. Or, if North Carolina humidity cooperated, mint meringues with chocolate chips. I’d bite into their crisp skin and then wait, as the soft, minty inside melted in my… Read more »
I was so fortunate to be able to interview Eden Boudreau about her amazing memoir, Crying Wolf, her story of surviving sexual assault. Writing a memoir can be difficult enough to sift through the memories and when you write about trauma, it’s an even more difficult process, so I was very grateful that Eden was… Read more »
Hello, word nerds! Welcome to the Almost Spring edition of Leisure Learning. This month’s melange of experiences brings you the nostalgia of Beatrix Potter, the convoluted craziness of Ian Fleming’s role in British naval service, The Oscars (for books!) and a wealth of Irish tales, recorded by school children in their 1930s-era copybooks. Whatever your… Read more »
I am so excited to share this interview with Rochelle Bilow just ahead of Valentine’s Day. I’m relatively new to the romance genre, but I love it. By definition, we know it’s going to end with a happily ever after…but the fun part is seeing how the characters get there. It’s the journey, not the… Read more »
