So we’ve reached 2019. Whoa. How in the heck… I had grand plans for writing all the things I’d meant to write in 2017, and then in 2018. It’s a long list. Like why I’ve been so silent for so long on my own dang blog, debriefing my first run at publication—and why I hid from my author email for over a year and ultimately made the choice to relaunch. Or inane angst and accidents and shootings (yes, for real).

But now we’re here. In 2019.

Yowzah.

But to mark this new(ish) year, I want to talk about puppies. My puppy, to be precise. This is the story of how she got her name (and covers how I most recently lost my mind).

Today, some of my fellow authors and I discuss our absolute favorite villains and what makes us love to hate them (or just plain love them!).

It began, as so many things do, at Christmas. A cheese-soaked lull between brunch and dinner, early… but not too early for drinks.

(Never too early for drinks.)

I know, I know. A fuzzy mirror wouldn't be all that useful. Or reflective. It might even need combing, or a bath...

ANYWAYS. Bear with me, I'll get there. *snicker* Bear, get it?

Scrape.

Scrape. Scrape. Wince.

Oh the dentist's office. You sit down in a reclining chair that seems designed to be comfortable, but is actual built to prevent easy escape. You're given headphones and a TV remote, but only have daytime TV. If  you can hear it over the dentist equipment.

Then they break out the implements, which my technician helpfully sharpened. Loudly. And of course I calmly sat there and let her do her job. 

Loins. *snicker*

Ahem.

Like so many of the writers I know and follow and admire, I’m an introvert—but I wear extroversion wonderfully. I’ll don killer shoes, a bold shade of red lipstick, armor-up with jewelry and bright scarves, and happily meet everyone. Talk books, art, politics, puppies—you name it—and I have a great time. How many times a year do I get to spent an entire weekend with people who love what I love and do what I do? (Hint: one)

It’s fucking glory.

Here we go. I'm officially starting the blogging thing! 

This means OPINIONS and THOUGHTS and STUFF and pictures of PUPPIES will infect this blog. You can never have too many pictures of puppies. Or pithy quotes. Or Tom Hiddleston, especially dressed as Loki.

I'll end up writing about comic-book movies and video games. Music. Conceptual art. My favorite unicorn picture of the day. Zombies. And, ever so often, visual culture and the joys of working in academica.