Personal - The Irresponsible Reader

2026 Plans and Challenges

On January 15, 2026

In Books, Calendar Items, Miscellany, News/Misc.

Finally it’s time to stop looking at 2025 (as fun as I hope that is’s been) and to start focusing on 2026.

Last year was a disaster for my plans and goals…both those stated and unstated. That only bothers me a little–I had too much fun with what I did accomplish, and was so tired because of everything else in life that perspective is easy. This is a hobby–I didn’t hobby the way I wanted to. But, still, hobbying was done.

This year

I do have things I want to accomplish here over the next 12 months for a variety of reasons—and listing them like this helped last year (although, you’ll see a lot of echoes here from that post. But most of those echoes are of a “continue doing this” nature). So, here’s what I’m going to shoot for around here in the next 12 months.
Cut down on my Goodreads Want-to-Read list and the unread books that I own (a perennial project, but 2024 was not good for the size of that stack)—I’m going to talk about that more in a minute.
Any book that I buy this year, I want to read this year (unless I buy it for a 2027 project). I will fail at this. But I’m going to try.
I’m going to continue to be picky in the Book Tours I participate in. I still like Tours, they expose me to things I wouldn’t normally read—and I’m going to keep doing them. But if I’m picky, it helps me focus on other things.
I’m cutting back on the Reading Challenges I’m going for.
Try to interview more authors (maybe others, too?), and get better at that, too. The Literary Locals series is helping with that. Hopefully that also means more of the HC Chats, too.
I want to continue the Literary Locals.
I plan on pressing forward with Grandpappy’s Corner, and hopefully do posts for it more frequently. One of my challenges (below) will help.

2026 Book Challenges

Goodreads Challenge

Last year, I lowered this goal, and am sticking with it. This is mostly an attempt to shift my attention away from the numbers–I honestly don’t care about them, I talk about them just as an indicator of how I spend my time (for myself), although it often comes across as something else. I’m also planning on tackling some more thought-provoking and slower reads this year, so this might help me not care about that. We’ll see how that works.

My TBR Range Challenge

I’ve been joking about Mt. TBR for a couple of years now, and then I saw some meme recently talking about some having TBR Piles and others having a mountain range. Of course, I liked that image. Around that time, I started thinking about how my pile has grown a lot over the last couple of years specifically. And I decided to look at the list by year (well, I took a few by aggregate because the numbers were so small). I found the results disturbing–but a little heartwarming for 2021-23, to give myself a little credit. I’m going to attack things here.

(thankfully, it’s hard to tell that there are slivers of yellow for Audiobooks, but it’s there)

Reading with Wrigs
The Tradition continues. I finished this one with room to spare last year–far better than the year before when I missed it for the first time. Gotta make it a streak.

The 2026 Booktempter’s TBR Challenge

I really appreciate the way this one is put together, and it’s pretty easy—just 1 book a month and my TBR should go down by at least 12, more if I can squeeze in some of the stretch goals. This has been pretty helpful the last few years, and I expect the same this year.

25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25 Years
When I saw Slate’s 25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25 Years list last Fall, I decided it needed to be a personal challenge for this year. And, hey, I read one of them a couple of years ago. This has gotta be in the bag.

2026 Speccy Fiction Challenge
I was going to call it enough with the above (and probably the below), but then shelleyrae @ Book’d Out invited me to participate in the 2026 Speccy Fiction Challenge, and I can’t resist. Also… it looks fun.

20 Books of Summer
Assuming that this is done again–hopefully last year’s hosts are up for it–I’ll be there. It’s a fun tradition.

That’s everything I have planned, I can’t wait to see what unplanned things happen around here. Hope you’re around to join in the fun!

The image for the Picture book list is taken from the article. The Book stack image by yeliao521 from Pixabay

Thanksgiving 2025

By HCNewton

On November 27, 2025

In Calendar Items, News/Misc.

Happy Thanksgiving/Turkey Day/Thursday

(depending on your practice/preference/location)

On this day that has been set aside these U.S. for expressions of gratitude, it’s been my custom to take a moment or two and mention a few of the things that The Irresponsible Reader is thankful for. This is just about my favorite of my annual posts, and yes, is different than previous ones (even if it doesn’t look like it).

So, this year, I’m thankful for:

The readers of this blog. If I knew your names, I’d thank you all personally.
The authors who’ve corresponded with me, encouraged me—even promoted my words.
Those authors, publishers, and/or publicists provided books for me to read.
Books (print, electronic, or audio)—the stories, characters, and/or things I learn are what keep me sane, entertain, and inspire me.
Authors! If not for them, I wouldn’t have the above.
Talented narrators and illustrators—ditto.
Coffee (and other beverages both caffeinated and adult).
The authors and bloggers who’ve taken the time to help my try to launch my YouTube page.
All the authors who’ve stopped by for a Q&A or a Guest Post this year. I’ve really been blown away by the work you’ve put into making my patch of cyberspace better.
Time to read (which is getting scarcer in my life, so I’m even more grateful for it).
The Nampa Public Library, The Caldwell Public Library, (and The LYNX! Consortium)
Shared Stories, Oldspeak Bar, Rediscovered Bookshop, and Libro.fm.
Local book fests like Treasure Valley Book Fair, Fall Into Fiction, and Middleton Author Palooza.
My Real Life friends and acquaintances who give me feedback and encouragement via text or face-to-face. You all could help my stats by using the comment forms, however 🙂 But I truly appreciate you reading and talking to me about this.
My supportive, understanding, and encouraging wife and kids. They all do a pretty decent job pretending to care when this old man drones on and on about what he’s reading or what’s going on with the blog. Helping me with technical issues, testing things, and general brainstorming is particularly appreciated.
I should give a specific thanks to my daughter, who serves as wingperson when I go to local events and has helped me connect with several authors that I wouldn’t have been as successful with on my own. It’s amazing what people skills can do.
Again, all of you who read this page, follow, like, tweet, comment, email, etc.—you have no idea how much every little bit is appreciated.

For my fellow Americans, I hope you have a pleasant day with your friends and/or family. As for the rest of you, I hope you enjoy today and that you enjoy having the same pant size tomorrow as you do today.

Stunned Thanks

By HCNewton

On July 7, 2025

In Miscellany

In my Saturday Miscellany post this weekend, I mentioned a GoFundMe to help with travel expenses for my son’s upcoming kidney transplant. We’ve hit our goal (and then some) far faster than we’d imagined we might (I really didn’t think we’d hit it). I wanted to thank those who looked/spread the word and (most importantly) donated. Your generosity blew us away–I rather enjoyed my wife’s reactions when she’d ask, “Do you know who __ is?” “That’s such-and-such author” or “Remember I told you about ____ book blogger.” Basically, a handful of people who’ve never really met me–or my kid–who expressed an unexpected kindness. In a world like the one we seem to be living in…it’s rare and wonderful.

Ya’ll were generous with my charity drive back in February, and have topped that this time. It means more to us than we can possibly express. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

2025 Plans and Challenges: Second Quarter Check-In

By HCNewton

On July 4, 2025

In Books, Calendar Items, Miscellany, News/Misc.

This year is speeding by, the way they do more and more…let’s take a quick look at the challenges and goals I set for the year

I’d hoped to keep charging ahead with Grandpappy’s Corner and Literary Locals, and while those haven’t completely died off, I haven’t done that much with them. I think the next couple of months should bear fruit along those lines, though. We’ll see. HC Chats are plugging around.

How’s the perennial, “Cut down on my Goodreads Want-to-Read list and the unread books that I own” goal going? I think I’m seeing what we’d report as “slippage” in some status reports at work. The next two months will really help with this if, and that’s a big if, I can keep my wallet in my pocket.

	Audio	E-book	Physical	Goodreads Want-to-Read	NetGalley Shelf/ARCs/Review Copies
End of 2024	3	68	78	167	10
End of 1st Quarter	5	72	77	172	11
End of 2nd Quarter	5	76	92	175	9
End of 3rd Quarter	–	–	–	–	–
End of 2025	–	–	–	–	–

2025 Book Challenges

Goodreads Challenge

No worries on that front.

Read Every Day in February for the American Cancer Society

Nailed it. Even better, we raised a couple of hundred dollars.

Reading with Wrigs
I could be doing better, but I’m still feeling bullish.

- Religious theme: The Pilgrim’s Regress by C.S. Lewis
- Set in a confined space: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
- A book with a map: The Price of Power by Michael Michel (technically not completed during the first quarter, but…)
- About happiness or gratitude: Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel (one of the cover blurbs called it a novel about gratitude, I can mostly see it, but I’m not sure yet. Consider this a placeholder in case something else doesn’t come along)

The 2025 Booktempter’s TBR Challenge

January–First steps: You have my permission to read the last book you added to the TBR pile: Sword & Thistle by S.L. Rowland
February: Short and Sweet: Read 28 short stories – they can be in magazine, anthology or collection form. You don’t even have to finish the books! Just 28 tales to read: Promise by Christi Nogle and Passageways edited by Rebecca Carey Lyles
March – Ready Steady Go!: Start a series, or the next book in a series that has been lingering on those shelves: Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames
April – Easter Eggs: Read a book about stories within stories: Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
May – The Random Factor: Pick the fifth book you spot in your pile/shelf/ebook library: Body Breaker by M.R. Craven
June – Use the daylight/long reading night: Read the longest book in the TBR pile: The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman (not technically finished in June, but close enough)

Further Up and Further In

I’m one book behind here, and I think the next two months may mess with it even more. But I’m not worried about the pacing. I am a little worried that I have to deal with A Grief Observed soon. That one just wrecks me…

25 in ’25

Ouch. This is really not good.

Auditing Challenges
I’m not sure that I want to commit to these, but I saw them on Bookforager’s page, and wanted to give them a shot–they look fun. So I’m going to track them, and if I happen to do well with them, great. If not…oh, well.

(yeah, that’s true with all of these, but I’m sort of calling my shot with the above)
Alphabet Reading Challenge

Not bad…
(yes, the fonts don’t all match. I couldn’t remember what I used last quarter–and undoubtedly, next quarter I’ll forget again. Let’s pretend it was intentional to make it clear what quarter I read what in. Yyyyyyeeeahhhh, that’s the ticket.)

Picture Prompt Book Bingo Challenge for 2025

1. A prehistoric flint knapped stone knife	2. A lighthouse	3. An apple on a leafy branch	4. An archery target with three arrows in it
5. A very large mechanical telescope Pushing Ice	6. A human skull Silence of the Dead	7. A stag	8. The ruins of a temple-like structure
9. A crab	10. A sheaf of wheat	11. An old mechanical typewriter Blood Over Bright Haven	12. A cluster of four mushrooms
13. A fringed umbrella/parasol	14. A chemistry set-up of bottles and tubes A Drop of Corruption	15. A stylized sun with a human face That Hideous Strength	16. A Roman helmet The Bright Sword

Not bad…and yes, again, I’m counting The Bright Sword even though I finished it in July.

I’m in decent shape, overall…

The Best of the Best from 12 Years of The Irresponsible Reader (12 YEARS?!?!?!?!?!?!)

By HCNewton

On May 29, 2025

In Miscellany, News/Misc.

The Best of the Best from 12 Years of The Irresponsible Reader
It was 12 years ago today that I first posted something to The Irresponsible Reader. That’s one of those numbers that both doesn’t large enough, and is entirely too large. I can’t believe that I’ve stuck with it that long (I can’t remember if I said this or not here, but I didn’t tell my wife about it for weeks, until I was sure I was going to stick with it for a while)—even more improbable is that you, reader, are here. Whether you’ve been around for a few weeks or some years—my mind is boggled by it. Thanks for that, truly.

Now, after being shocked at people doing something like “The Best 15 Books I’ve Read in the last 10 years”—how could you possibly choose? It was stuck in the back of my head—and as I was trying to come up something to do for today, that idea resurfaced. But there’s no way I could come up with something that definitive. However, in most Januarys, I posted a list or five of my favorite books of the year (I was surprised to see how many years I didn’t do this). And now, for the first time, I’ve combined them all into one MEGA-LIST

So MEGA that I truly don’t have a count. So MEGA I had to put a “Read More” link in it so it didn’t bog down the main page. Also so large, that I’m doing annoying things like overusing all caps and the word “mega.”

It is a very strange list—authors that have no business next to each other, strange genre leaps, and a couple of books I’d largely forgotten about. Still, these are books that I’ve shouted about before and that I really want to draw your attention to—go read some of these!

This is definitely a work in progress. I’m going to refine this list a bit in the future (not changing any selections—although I might add some from the year or two I didn’t post a “best of”/”favorite” list), just refining it—making it look better, polish some of the comments, and that kind of thing. My goal is to have this in a format I like by the 15th Anniversary—assuming anyone’s actually still reading me then.

A

Amongst Our Weapons

by Ben Aaronovitch

My original post
Any installment in this series is a strong contender for a favorite of the year even before I open it, and this one is a great example of why. While telling a pretty strong story, Aaronovitch expands this world and the reader’s understanding of it, a whole new magic system, and seemingly introduces the next major story arc for the series. We get to see almost every major (and more than a few minor) characters, too. For a fan, this book was a heckuva treat.

False Value

by Ben Aaronovitch

My original post
After wrapping up the overarching plotline from books 1-7, what do you do for book 8? Something completely different. If you were to draw a Venn diagram with circles for Charles Babbage/Ada Lovelace, Artificial General Intelligence, and Wizardry—the overlap is where you’d False Value. Who wants more? The mix of contemporary cutting-edge technologies and Newtonian magic is just fantastic.

Throw in more Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy references than is healthy and you’ve got yourself a winner.

Lies Sleeping

by Ben Aaronovitch

My original post
I’ve read all the comics (at least collected in paperback), listened to all the audiobooks, read the books at least once . . . I’m a Rivers of London/Peter Grant fan. Period. Which means two things—1. I’m in the bag already for this series and 2. When I say that this is the best of the bunch, I know what I’m talking about. Aaronovitch writes fantastic Urban Fantasy and this is his best yet. The series has been building to this for a while, and I honestly don’t know what to expect next. Great fight/action scenes, some genuine laughs, some solid emotional moments . . . this has it all. Everything you’ve come to expect and more.

Chain-Gang All-Stars

by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

My original post
If there’s a book I’ve recommended more frequently this year, I can’t think of it. I’ve also bought more copies of it to give away than any other. At the core, this is a satire and critique of the American culture–particularly as it relates to sports, mass entertainment, and (most importantly) the carceral system. Pitting convicted felons against each other in gladiatorial fights-to-death, selling merch featuring them, turning them into Reality TV personalities between bouts…Adjei-Brenyah holds up the worst of the US to look at.

It’s a book about death—violent death at the hands of violent people who only hope to go on so they can kill again—However, in a serious way the book is really about life. It’s a celebration of life, a call to protect it, a call to see it for what it is. It’s a reminder that “where life is precious, life is precious.” It’s impossible to read this without being moved–perhaps to action. But it’s also a visceral and exciting read that can entertain you without forcing you to think deeply about what it wants you to.

Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American

by Wajahat Ali

My original post
I’m just going to remix some of what I said originally, this book was a great mix of memoir, social commentary, and satire—with a little sprinkling of a more general humor thrown in. The way he shifted between the genres was fairly seamless and quite effective—his own story (and that of his parents) were good illustrations of the societal ills he wanted to point to. Ali’s story is the kind that Americans love to tell and hear about success—even if his telling points to many of the flaws in our society. Through grit, determination, perseverance, and endurance, Ali pushes through all sorts of cultural, societal, legal, medical, and circumstantial challenges to arrive where he is. Because he believes in what we can be as a people, based on our (incredibly inconsistently applied and demonstrated) ideals and aspirations. It’s the kind of story we need to see, hear, and read more of.

Amari and the Night Brothers

by B. B. Alston

My original post
I’m a tiny bit worried that recency bias got this one on the list. But, I’m not going to lose sleep over it.

This is a delightful story about a young girl from the “wrong” part of Atlanta being recruited by her missing/presumed dead brother into a Hogwarts/MIB mashup, overcoming odds, making friends, saving the day by doing all the sorts of things that young teen protagonists have to do (with a little support from the grown-ups who are supposed to be stopping her), but mostly through grit. The book is written with a sense of joy and hope, while never losing sight of what Amari has to overcome in terms of her own circumstances as well as the specific villainy.

Also, and I can’t stress this enough, there’s a weredragon. What more do you need?

2025 Plans and Challenges: First Quarter Check-In

By HCNewton

On April 15, 2025

In Books, Calendar Items, Miscellany, News/Misc.

This year is speeding by, the way they do more and more…let’s take a quick look at the challenges and goals I set for the year

I’d hoped to keep charging ahead with Grandpappy’s Corner and Literary Locals, and while those haven’t completely died off, I haven’t done that much with them. I think the next couple of months should bear fruit along those lines, though. We’ll see. HC Chats are plugging around.

How’s the perennial, “Cut down on my Goodreads Want-to-Read list and the unread books that I own” goal going? Well, I bought very few books in February, so that helped, but overall…?

	Audio	E-book	Physical	Goodreads Want-to-Read	NetGalley Shelf/ARCs/Review Copies
End of 2024	3	68	78	167	10
End of 1st Quarter	5	72	77	172	11
End of 2nd Quarter	–	–	–	–	–
End of 3rd Quarter	–	–	–	–	–

2025 Book Challenges

Goodreads Challenge

This actually looked better at the first of the month, but I forgot to get the image. Still, I’m on track.

Read Every Day in February for the American Cancer Society

Nailed it. Even better, raised a couple hundred dollars.

Reading with Wrigs
I missed completing this one last year, but have done some pre-planning on it and am about on schedule.

- Religious theme: The Pilgrim’s Regress by C.S. Lewis
- Set in a confined space: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
- A book with a map: The Price of Power by Michael Michel (technically not completed during the first quarter, but…)

The 2025 Booktempter’s TBR Challenge

January–First steps: You have my permission to read the last book you added to the TBR pile: Sword & Thistle by S.L. Rowland
February: Short and Sweet: Read 28 short stories – they can be in magazine, anthology or collection form. You don’t even have to finish the books! Just 28 tales to read: Promise by Christi Nogle and Passageways edited by Rebecca Carey Lyles
March – Ready Steady Go!: Start a series, or the next book in a series that has been lingering on those shelves: Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames

Further Up and Further In

I’m on track here

25 in ’25

Ouch. Drawing a blank here.

Auditing Challenges
I’m not sure that I want to commit to these, but I saw them on Bookforager’s page, and wanted to give them a shot–they look fun. So I’m going to track them, and if I happen to do well with them, great. If not…oh, well.

(yeah, that’s true with all of these, but I’m sort of calling my shot with the above)
Alphabet Reading Challenge

Not bad…

Picture Prompt Book Bingo Challenge for 2025

1. A prehistoric flint knapped stone knife	2. A lighthouse	3. An apple on a leafy branch	4. An archery target with three arrows in it
5. A very large mechanical telescope Pushing Ice	6. A human skull	7. A stag	8. The ruins of a temple-like structure
9. A crab	10. A sheaf of wheat	11. An old mechanical typewriter	12. A cluster of four mushrooms
13. A fringed umbrella / parasol	14. A chemistry set-up of bottles and tubes A Drop of Corruption	15. A stylized sun with a human face	16. A Roman helmet

Not bad…have one more finished already, maybe two.

I’m in decent shape, overall…

Week 2 Check-in: I’m Reading Every Day in February for the American Cancer Society

By HCNewton

On February 15, 2025

In Books, Miscellany, News/Misc.

No change since last week…other than the calendar (yes, I’m still reading every day!). So, consider this a reminder that I’m doing this and that I’d appreciate some support!

No one is a fan of cancer. I daresay there’s no one ambivalent toward it.* We’ve all had our lives, the lives of family, friends, acquaintances, coworkers, and even pets devastated by it in one form or another. Fighting cancer, researching better ways to fight it, preventing it–all are laudatory ends. So, I participated in this fundraiser last year on a lark—I’m pretty much going to read every day anyway–let’s see if I can earn some money for a good cause, right?

But this year, it’s personal. Last year, four people in my family dealt with cancer in some significant ways. Three of us seem to have dealt with it successfully—we’re not unscathed, but aside from follow-up tests, we’re pretty much done with it. One member of the family is undergoing treatment now, and we all have high hopes, although the road is a bit bumpy. So it’s not a lark this time, and I’m going to talk more about it than I did last year. (I probably should’ve taken it more seriously last year, but it’s too late to do something about that now).

So please, friends and readers, Donate. Every little bit helps. So, please, chip in. And watch this space as I fill in this calendar (and hopefully, the thermometer). Week One has brought a couple of more donors, making good progress at the goal. I’ve also chatted with some others who are planning to donate–which warms the cockles of my heart. Thanks for the support!!

I’ve heard there are some glitches, and it seems like a particular social network is being invasive while trying to pay. If you want to help and don’t want to deal with that, send me a message and we’ll work something out!

Here’s a quick glance at my month’s reading to date.

* As soon as I typed that, I could imagine someone objecting to that characterization. But I’m going to pretend to have faith in humanity and keep the sentence.

Week 1 Check-in: I’m Reading Every Day in February for the American Cancer Society

By HCNewton

On February 8, 2025

In Books, Miscellany, News/Misc.

No one is a fan of cancer. I daresay there’s no one ambivalent toward it.* We’ve all had our lives, the lives of family, friends, acquaintances, coworkers, and even pets devastated by it in one form or another. Fighting cancer, researching better ways to fight it, preventing it–all are laudatory ends. So, I participated in this fundraiser last year on a lark—I’m pretty much going to read every day anyway–let’s see if I can earn some money for a good cause, right?

But this year, it’s personal. Last year, four people in my family dealt with cancer in some significant ways. Three of us seem to have dealt with it successfully—we’re not unscathed, but aside from follow-up tests, we’re pretty much done with it. One member of the family is undergoing treatment now, and we all have high hopes, although the road is a bit bumpy. So it’s not a lark this time, and I’m going to talk more about it than I did last year. (I probably should’ve taken it more seriously last year, but it’s too late to do something about that now).

So please, friends and readers, Donate. Every little bit helps. So, please, chip in. And watch this space as I fill in this calendar (and hopefully, the thermometer). Week One has brought a couple of more donors, making good progress at the goal. I’ve also chatted with some others who are planning to donate–which warms the cockles of my heart. Thanks for the support!!

I’ve heard there are some glitches, and it seems like a particular social network is being invasive while trying to pay. If you want to help and don’t want to deal with that, send me a message and we’ll work something out!

Here’s a quick glance at my month’s reading to date.

* As soon as I typed that, I could imagine someone objecting to that characterization. But I’m going to pretend to have faith in humanity and keep the sentence.

I’m Reading Every Day in February for the American Cancer Society—My Official Launch Post

By HCNewton

On February 1, 2025

In Books, Miscellany, News/Misc.

No one is a fan of cancer. I daresay there’s no one ambivalent toward it.* We’ve all had our lives, the lives of family, friends, acquaintances, coworkers, and even pets devastated by it in one form or another. Fighting cancer, researching better ways to fight it, preventing it–all are laudatory ends. So, I participated in this fundraiser last year on a lark—I’m pretty much going to read every day anyway–let’s see if I can earn some money for a good cause, right?

But this year, it’s personal. Last year, four people in my family dealt with cancer in some significant ways. Three of us seem to have dealt with it successfully—we’re not unscathed, but aside from follow-up tests, we’re pretty much done with it. One member of the family is undergoing treatment now, and we all have high hopes. So it’s not a lark this time, and I’m going to talk more about it than I did last year. (I probably should’ve taken it more seriously last year, but it’s too late to do something about that now).

So please, friends and readers, Donate. Every little bit helps. So, please, chip in. And watch this space as I fill in this calendar (and hopefully, the thermometer).

I’ve heard there are some glitches, and it seems like a particular social network is being invasive while trying to pay. If you want to help and don’t want to deal with that, send me a message and we’ll work something out!

* As soon as I typed that, I could imagine someone objecting to that characterization. But I’m going to pretend to have faith in humanity and keep the sentence.

I’m Reading Every Day in February for the American Cancer Society

By HCNewton

On January 22, 2025

In Books, Miscellany, News/Misc.

No one is a fan of cancer. I daresay there’s no one ambivalent toward it.* We’ve all had our lives, the lives of family, friends, acquaintances, coworkers, and even pets devastated by it in one form or another. Fighting cancer, researching better ways to fight it, preventing it–all are laudatory ends. So, I participated in this fundraiser last year on a lark—I’m pretty much going to read every day anyway–let’s see if I can earn some money for a good cause, right?

But this year, it’s personal. Last year, four people in my family dealt with cancer in some significant ways. Three of us seem to have dealt with it successfully—we’re not unscathed, but aside from follow-up tests, we’re pretty much done with it. One member of the family is undergoing treatment now, and we all have high hopes. So it’s not a lark this time, and I’m going to talk more about it than I did last year. (I probably should’ve taken it more seriously last year, but it’s too late to do something about that now).

So please, friends and readers, Donate. Every little bit helps. So, please, chip in. And watch this space as I fill in this calendar (and hopefully, the thermometer).

* As soon as I typed that, I could imagine someone objecting to that characterization. But I’m going to pretend to have faith in humanity and keep the sentence.

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