styro asked: Do you live above a bookstore? Do you write book reviews?

1. No — I wish! Or rather, that would be very bad for my budget. I do live within walking distance of the most excellent Greenlight Bookstore, though, which makes me very happy.

I live above a pet store, however, which comes in handy. That’s how we got Gypsy, in fact — she’d been dropped off there by someone who found her on the street. For weeks I thought she was the shop cat, but Dan came home one night and said she was up for adoption and while I initially resisted, the next morning she was outside the shop and came up to me and rubbed up on my legs and I was all “Ohhh, we could call you Gypsy!” (because we’d just watched a Mystery Science Theater episode and I knew Gypsy was Dan’s favorite) and then I knew she was ours. 

2. I do write book reviews! I’ve been doing so for a few years. When I started I was reviewing erotica, which made me a huge hit at parties, since most people have no idea how weird erotica can be, or how varied the subgenres are. And it required a 180-degree shift in thinking about writing, because I don’t think it’s fair to evaluate erotica in the same way I would something mainstream or literary. At the same time, there were a few genre conventions with which I was unfamiliar and had major problems with; e.g., woman is unwittingly drugged and this somehow allows her to realize her sexuality. After a while I got kind of depressed with how many stories hinged upon the heroine not being able to own her desires without some sort of outside help.

Now I review mostly mysteries and thrillers, and anything else that looks appealing. I’m fortunate that I get to pick.