A Good Marriage (Full Dark, No Stars) by Stephen King

Marriage is one of those relationships that, if you've never had one, is likely impossible to understand. Having never been married myself, I'd tend to agree. From an outside viewpoint and from witnessing the many marriages within my own family and circle of friends, it seems to create both a seemingly unbreakable bond and a … Continue reading A Good Marriage (Full Dark, No Stars) by Stephen King

Carnevale by Michelle Lovric

If I could go back in time, I would choose to live my life in Venice as a courtesan or as a Papal chef. Both of those professions seem to very romantic, though the reality is more difficult and disgusting than many fictional stories might indicate. Venice itself is an incredibly romantic, beautiful, decadent and … Continue reading Carnevale by Michelle Lovric

Fear Feasts Podcast Now Live!

My latest podcast, a collaboration called Fear Feasts with the wonderful Allie Pino, is an exploration of the connections between food and horror. We analyze the horror genre - specifically films and movies - through the lens of food, talking about themes of nourishment, obsession, terror, motherhood, eating, kitchens, jump scares, ghosts, final girls, haunted … Continue reading Fear Feasts Podcast Now Live!

Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham

Go camping, they said. It'll be fun, they said. Uh, no, it wasn't. I had to sleep in the crappy orange tent under the leaky section on the side closest to where the trash bags were, and yes, yes, that WAS a bear that wandered into our camp site that night to forage in the … Continue reading Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham

The City of Mist by Carlos Ruíz Zafón

If you haven't read any of the books of Carlos Ruíz Zafón, you're surely missing out on one of the true literary pleasures of this universe. A modern-day Cervantes, Ruíz Zafón spun stories about labyrinths, mysterious figures in black, magical pens, death and destruction and war, the beauty of love, the pain of romance, the … Continue reading The City of Mist by Carlos Ruíz Zafón

The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte

"The Anjou Wine" is the first chapter in this rollicking adventure tale reminiscent of Alexandre Dumas, the famous French author of The Three Musketeers saga, and plays a starring role in this week's recipe, too. The Club Dumas, in short, is the tale of Lucas Corso, an antique book dealer who is sent in search … Continue reading The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

The revolutionary era of Mexico seems to be a popular literary backdrop these days, which I appreciate because it shines a light on an era that I personally know little about. Growing up in New Mexico, the connection with Mexico was of course a significant part of our culture, and I have a vivid memory … Continue reading The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Duma Key by Stephen King

I have never much cared for Florida, which I realize is an unpopular opinion. But aside from the massive amount of bugs, the dreadful humidity, the terrible hurricanes, and the fact that Mar-a-Lago is located there, Florida just has never been my cuppa tea. It's a beautiful place, certainly, but it has always had a … Continue reading Duma Key by Stephen King

When In Florence by Richard Cortez Day

This is one of those books that I just love, in which several stories tie together a myriad of characters who interweave throughout each other's tales, with one minor character in one story becoming the major player in another...and the best part? It's set in another one of my favorite cities in the world - … Continue reading When In Florence by Richard Cortez Day

Journal: The Short Life and Mysterious Death of Amy Zoe Mason by Kristine Atkinson and Joyce Atkinson

So this was an unusual little read for me. I normally don't much care for what you might call "interactive" reading, although I did love the Griffin and Sabine books. If you enjoyed that series of graphic novels, you'll like this book, which is very much in that vein. The story itself is told epistolary … Continue reading Journal: The Short Life and Mysterious Death of Amy Zoe Mason by Kristine Atkinson and Joyce Atkinson