(Art by Melissa Nucera)

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Dangerous it may be, but unbelievably it is time to go out of our doors for the tenth year in a row, to experience those stories which, in spirit at least, begin with those four magic words…

Once Upon a Time.

Ten years! I cannot believe that I have been hosting this event for a decade. Time does indeed fly.

Monday, March 21st (my wife Mary’s birthday) marks the official start date of the tenth annual Once Upon a Time Challenge. This is a reading and viewing and gaming event that encompasses four broad categories: Fairy Tale, Folklore, Fantasy and Mythology, including the seemingly countless sub-genres and blending of genres that fall within this spectrum. The challenge continues through June 21st and allows for very minor (1 book only) participation as well as more immersion depending on your reading/viewing/gaming whims.

Don’t like the word “challenge”? We have something special just for you.

Come away, and I’ll tell you more…

Continue reading Once Upon a Time X →

(Chamomille 2, by artist Brian Kesinger)

While sitting in my recliner in our little library oasis, I can turn my head to the left and see the framed print of the above image, one of Brian Kesinger’s fabulous Tea Girls illustrations. I am drawn to any artwork that depicts characters reading as it combines two of my passions. Looking at this picture fills me with all kinds of warm thoughts about the adventures I have had between the pages of good books.

It is these warm thoughts that I revisit today with a look back at the books that have left their mark upon me in 2015.

Twenty-fifteen saw me completing fewer books than I have in the nearly 11 years that I have been writing here at Stainless Steel Droppings. Fortunately the decrease in reading was not due to negative circumstances, but was in fact the result of a number of satisfying experiences that I would not trade: Spectrum Fantastic Art Live 4, increased time spent with friends and family, increased involvement in my local church, training for a few important-to-me trail runs, and more board gaming and video gaming.

2015 has been a year of growth and change. It hasn’t always been easy, and there were certainly personal and work challenges, but the decline in number of books completed did not have an impact on the quality of the books I experienced.

One of the joys of this time of year is finding out what books you most enjoyed. You can discuss these in the comments, of course, but I have also put a Mr. Linky wizard at the end of this post for you to link any post(s) you may have done discussing your favorite books of the year.

Continue reading My Favorite Books of 2015 →

I had the privilege of being asked by Andrea to participate in this week’s Mind Meld over at SF Signal.

The topic: The Changing Relationship Between Reviewers, Publishers, and Authors. I’m not sure I did much more than dance around the topic, but I shared what were my observations and am in honored to be in good company over there.

If you have time, please check out what the panelists had to share and weigh in with your thoughts.

(Image by the extraordinarily wonderful Abigail Larson, used with permission)

The beginning of my favorite time of year is just a few days away…Autumn (unofficially) begins.

I love the period of year from September through December. I was telling a dear friend the other day that something about the change of seasons, where the world goes to sleep and the beauty changes from bright and colorful to muted and subdued (yet no less beautiful) makes me feel closer to God.

Yes, just one more reason to conclude that I am one weird individual. I think that time of beautiful melancholy makes me more conscious of the precious gift of time and my senses are heightened.

Another reason I love this time of year is that my reading turns towards the mysterious, which is why 10 years ago (I can hear Jeremy Piven’s voice from Gross Pointe Blank screaming “10 years!!!!) I began what was then the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril, or R.I.P. Challenge.

While the years have changed it from “challenge” to “event”, the spirit of the thing remains. As I approached this season I had some commitments that I knew were going to make hosting a challenge, and the idea of doing something special for anniversary instantly brought to mind Andi and Heather, who have hosted Group Reads in conjunction with this event for the past few years.

I’ve known these women online for several years, and have done projects with them on both the Estella’s Revenge and The Estella Society sites. I asked them recently if they would take the hosting mantle this year, and to my utter delight they said “yes”.

So this year, R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril X will be hosted by The Estella Society, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. I will be taking on the role of participant, something I’ve already begun as I started listening to the audio version of Louise Penny’s newest novel, The Nature of the Beast, yesterday.

Special thanks to Andi and Heather for their love of this event and their willingness to lead the community this year. And to Abigail Larson for the use of her fantastically perfect art.

Now head on over there and join me in making the 10th year the BEST EVER!