December

Book Nook — December Edition

I feel like I am in the midst of the reading slump to end all reading slumps. It has stretched from October to November to December. On the rare occasion that I have a moment to actually pick up a book, I lack the mental bandwidth to focus on it. And that’s really a bummer… Read more »

team awesome thanksgiving post

Team Awesome Thanksgiving Post

Hey y’all. Lori here. As many of our readers know, today is American Thanksgiving. Many families take a turn going around the table and everyone says what they are thankful for. Fortunately, my family does not do this because I find the answers typical, saccharine, and not very sincere when you compare them to words… Read more »

September

The Book Nook — September Edition

It’s already September! The new school year may be starting, but I am still clinging to the last vestiges of summer. Last month was a great reading month for me, despite a beach vacation where I didn’t actually get much reading done. That’s all right though. I had a great time and can’t wait to… Read more »

Title Image: The Book Nook - August Edition

The Book Nook — August Edition

I’ve been having such a hard time doing anything productive. All I want to do is sip a cold drink and read…yet my attention span isn’t super great right now either. Thank you, August heat. (We’re actually having a bit of a weird cool spell at the time of this writing, but whatever.) I haven’t… Read more »

June

The Book Nook — June Edition

It’s the first Sunday after the first Tuesday of the month, which can only mean it’s time for another edition of the Book Nook! We’ve made it to June and I can’t tell you how much I enjoy dropping into your feeds each month to share a new list of books. I was very fortunate… Read more »

May

The Book Nook — May Edition

I’m not going to declare my surprise that it’s already May. I did that in the preceding months, and time only sped up incrementally each month, which is interesting because sometimes the days drag on interminably. But here we are—it’s May. The flowers are blooming, the baseball bats are swinging, I’m enjoying cool drinks out… Read more »

The Book Nook—February Edition

After my last Book Nook column was a smashing success, the Powers that Be at DIY MFA saw it in their infinite wisdom to make this a monthly column! Henceforth, on the first Sunday of every month, you will see an update of all the bookish goodness I’ve been indulging in over the past month…. Read more »

Additional Reading on the Theme of Man and the Natural World

I love a good story that explores the theme of man and the natural world. Maybe it’s because I’m a nature lover at heart. Or maybe it’s because I often draw on nature for inspiration for my poetry. Regardless, when a book’s jacket copy hints at a unique natural setting, a character’s fight for survival… Read more »

Beyond Crazy Rich Asians: A Look at Humorous Fiction

Walk into any coffee shop these days and you’re bound to see java lovers laughing out loud. Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice the source of their laughter is a book. And that book is the uproarious Crazy Rich Asians, or one of its two sequels, by Kevin Kwan. If you haven’t read it or seen… Read more »

Beyond Janette Oke: A Look at Inspirational Fiction

If you have a spiritual side, you might consider penning inspirational fiction.  According to a 2017 news release from the Association of American Publishers, books with “religious and inspirational themes” are in high demand. A wider audience, including millennials and people of color, are discovering this genre once read almost exclusively by mature caucasian females…. Read more »