Even more book reviews in The Clintonville Spotlight

You’ve probably noticed that I’ve been writing a ton of book reviews recently. That’s half on purpose and half accident.

The accidental book reviews are actually the ones I’ve been posting on this blog. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all the books I’ve covered, but I call them accidental because I often have no idea what ARCs are going to show up at my house and when the books’ publication schedules are, so sometimes I end up reviewing a half dozen in a row like what you’ve seen on Off the Beaten Shelf recently.

In terms of the book reviews I’ve been paid to write, definitely purposeful. Though I write for national publications, I also value local, indie journalism, so I support my neighborhood paper, The Clintonville Spotlight by writing a literary column where I keep up with local author news.

I’m fortunate to live in an area where there are so many creative folks, including authors who are published in a variety of ways, including traditional Big 5, small/indie press, university press, and crowdfunding by popular demand. (I don’t really cover self-published books for the column because of accessibility issues––sometimes folks who want the book aren’t actually able to get it because it’s only available in a limited capacity.)

I haven’t shared these books with y’all before, but I thought you’d like to see! Most of the articles are more author interview than book review. In no particular order…

Some Kind of Animal by Maria Romasco Moore

Voices from the Ape House by Beth Armstrong

Nothing Has Been Done Before: Seeking the New in 21st Century American Popular Music by Robert Loss

Close-Up: A Novel by Michelle Herman

Beneath My Mother’s Feet by Amjed Qamar

Sybelia Drive by Karin Cecile Davidson

The many, many books of David Meyers

Hank and Stella in Something From Nothing by Damian Synadinos

And a bonus: an essay on how putting a little free library in my yard helped connect me to my neighbors during the pandemic.

Do you write about books somewhere or contribute to your local paper? Let me know!