I’m a writer and editor and specialize in reviewing books written for adults and writing educational standards-based books and articles for kids and teens. My work has been published in The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Bookforum, The Oregonian, Publishers Weekly, and other publications.

Featured Author Interviews

Like BDSM? R.O. Kwon and Garth Greenwell’s Kink Turns Erotica into High Art

When thinking about the intersection of kink and mainstream American media, a few unsatisfying milestones might come to mind. There’s Steven Shainberg’s erotic black comedy “Secretary,” based on the Mary Gaitskill novella about a dominant lawyer and his submissive assistant. The film broke ground when it was released in 2002 but seems dated and only mildly titillating in 2021. Then there’s E.L. James’ series of (atrociously written) Fifty Shades novels and the … [Read More...]

In Quinn’s She Votes, 100 Female Artists Retell the Suffrage Movement Story

  If there was ever a time to get out and vote, it’s now. But, first: Raise your hand if you can explain the real story behind the suffrage movement aside from what you learned in grade school. Right, that’s what I thought. The sad truth is, there’s a lot that most of us don’t know about how women “earned” the right to vote, including how long the process took. For example, did you realize that Sacajawea, one of the core members of (and … [Read More...]

Featured Reviews: Fiction

Edie Richter Is Not Alone by Rebecca Handler

If you’ve ever been a caregiver for a loved one who has dementia or Alzheimer’s, you know the experience is horrific. It might begin with a forgotten name, a set of misplaced keys. The effects of the disease might then progress to forgetting to pay the electric bill, getting lost on the way home from the grocery store or Post-it notes tacked up around the house (“Use the blue toothbrush.” “This is your house.” “Your wife is Louise.”) At its worst, witnessing someone suffering from … [Read More...]

Featured Reviews: Fiction

Memorial by Bryan Washington

For Houston native Bryan Washington, 2019 was a banner year. The already widely published author released his first book, Lot, a stunning collection of interlinked short stories set in various neighborhoods around Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Rife with raw, candid depictions of queer relationships, especially between young Black and brown men; of the impacts of encroaching gentrification on poorer communities; and of the … [Read More...]