Backstory (aquaphilic-type)

Like Porpoise in her introductory post, I am excited about our update to an electronic medium.  Although the USPS  shouldn’t be blamed for the months and, once or twice, years between book picks (that rests squarely on our collective shoulders), the need to mail the book just exacerbated our tendency to procrastinate.  But don’t let ms. P fool you – she long ago attained slacker-level where keeping in touch is concerned. (‘Fess up, WH!) Despite our slightly pathetic history, I’m optimistic that the immediate gratification of this method will encourage a more rapid exchange of books and generate some lively discussion.

While I was a firsthand witness of Porpoise’s ski-bummery – living with her for 6 months in VT – I didn’t graduate and begin my cross-country travels until the following June.  Where have I been?  Since matriculating from the aforementioned ivory tower, I’ve moved from Billsville to a Twin City (Minneapolis) to Tucson, AZ to my hometown of Waukegan, IL to Milwaukee, WI back to Waukegan and, finally, to my current home in the Windy City.  Whew…

I find it a bit difficult to describe my book taste, so I’ll illustrate it with a recent conversation I had with a good friend from college:

Zombies?!? A friend gawped at me recently when I was trying to describe to him the last REALLY GREAT book that I’d read.  Uh, yep – a “non-fiction” accounting of the zombie wars, actually, I responded. Oh, and then there was this noir free verse thing-y about lycanthropes in L.A. that caught my attention, I forged on gamely.  I think there may have been a small amount of pity lacing his eyeroll as he tried not to laugh at me. Unfortunately, this is the way my “So whatcha reading?” conversations often progress  I love a good story with compelling characters and am not afraid to wade through werewolves or zombies or vampires to get it.  Fiction or non – if it’s got a hook – a way to connect, I’ll probably read it.  I, too, like nearly anything speculative, am always consuming several books at a time of various genres and am looking for the ICBMs to introduce me to stuff I like, but might not have picked up or known about on my own.  

And that zombie book that my friend so hubristically rolled his eyes over?  HE LOVED IT.