I guess it’s no surprise that I’ve been doing more reading since the world went into lock-down. Not that I ever really stop reading, it’s just that much of my reading time is usually hogged by nonfiction. But my tendency lately has been to reach for the fiction shelf, probably because I’m looking for that escape from reality that many of us need right now.
One of my favorite things to do is to recreate the sense of wonder in the real world that I feel when I read a good book with great settings. Recently, I stumbled across a fantastic idea on social media that I really want to try: book nooks. If you haven’t seen these dioramas squeezed into the width of a book spine, you’re in for a treat!
I love miniatures, anyway, and the idea of a fantastic setting tantalizing me on my bookshelf makes me want to grab that machine from Honey I Shrunk the Kids and go exploring! If you could step into the pages of any book, which would it be? For me, I really want to see the Citadel of Wizards in the Antryg Windrose series by Barbara Hambly.
Speaking of stories with great settings, here’s one I came across recently: Artificial Love by R.J. Conte.
This was a cute Western short story about two sisters who do their best to avoid the notice of a group of desperados that take over their homestead. Things get truly interesting when the older sister falls for the desperado’s handsome servant. The question is: can she trust him with the truth?
I found this story entertaining with its creative steampunk vibe and a surprise twist at the end.
Pick up your copy on Amazon!
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