“A Parliament of Crows” by Alan M. Clark #SouthernGothic #Mystery #HistoricalMystery

A Parliament of Crows “A Parliament of Crows” is another installment in Alan M. Clark’s collection of “horror that happened” historical mystery/horror books. It tells the story, based on historical fact, of the three Mortlow sisters, who went on a killing spree that lasted decades. The story could have been lurid, and there are certainly […]

#TranslationThursday: “The Dead Wander in the Desert” by Rollan Seisenbayev

In “The Dead Wander in the Desert,” we see the final, painful days of the Soviet Union, juxtaposed with the final, painful days of the Aral Sea, as a once-bountiful land dries up and turns to a poisonous, salt-filled desert. The characters in the book fight to preserve the sea, but in vain: the central […]

What Are We All Reading?

Hi Everyone! I’ve been busy–and exhausted and sore–from the beginning of the semester and returning to teaching, so I don’t have a lot of news to share right now. So I thought I’d do another reading roundup. A number of you wrote back to me the last time I asked for reading recommendations, and now […]

“Shadow Stalker: Revolution Part 1” is out now #DarkFantasy #StrongFemaleLead

Hi all! As you know, I like to feature other authors here, especially indie authors writing fantasy with strong female leads. So I’m excited to share the news that Episode 23 of Renee Scattergood’s “Shadow Stalker” series is out today! It’s currently 99c or free on KU. Keep reading for a description, excerpt, and links. […]

#TranslationThursday “The Slynx” by Tatyana Tolstaya

“The Slynx” is one of those works that kept circulating on the edge of my reading consciousness. People were always bringing it up in conversation as something that, of course, we’d all read. Except that I hadn’t. So I finally decided to rectify this error and fill this lacuna in my reading knowledge. Let’s get […]

“Life Stories: Original Works By Russian Authors”

If you’re curious about contemporary Russian literature, but don’t know where to look or what authors to read, “Life Stories” is a good place to start. It’s a collection of short stories and novellas by big names in contemporary Russian literature–Lyudmila Petrushevskaya, Zahar Prilepin, Vladimir Makanin, Dina Rubina–and less-known but still worthy authors, as well […]

Turning Dreams into Reality (Or at Least Books)

Greetings from the swamp! Or at least that’s what it’s felt like this past week. It’s been in the 90s with massive thunderstorms every day this week until today. Now a cool, fall-like rain is coming down. Neither state has been doing much for my health. The damp has been turning everything into even more […]

“Stalingrad” by Vasily Grossman, Translated by Robert Chandler

Probably the Russian literature event of the year in the English-speaking world has been the publication of the English translation of Vasily Grossman’s “Stalingrad,” the first part of his two-part series about the battle of Stalingrad that concludes with “Life and Fate.” Me reading “Life and Fate” for my PhD comps while camping out on […]

Sultry Stories for Late Summer

It’s August, so the cicadas are whirring up a racket outside my windows. Days are hot, but the mornings are already getting a bit of that pre-autumn chill to them. And–are you ready for this–yesterday I walked ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BLOCK!!!!!!! Considering that last fall I was having to hold onto the wall […]

“Coup,” Shadow Stalker Episode 22, Available Now!

If you’re into dark fantasy and strong female protagonists, you should check out the Shadow Stalker series. It’s being released in short episodes, like a magazine serial, and “Coup,” episode 22, is out today! It’s 99c or free on KU for a limited time. Get “Coup” on Amazon here. Book description: Living under the […]

E. P. Clark: Author, Book Reviewer, and All-Around Literary Handiwoman

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