Program Alert: Becoming the Face of RA

I am very excited to announce this because every single one of you can participate in this one. That’s right, if you can read this, you can be a part of our next ARRT Program--

Becoming the Face of RA
Thursday, August 25, 2016
2pm-4pm
RAILS
125 Tower Drive
Burr Ridge, IL

How, you may be wondering, can you participate from far away? Easy, we are partnering with Booklist and NoveList as part of their ongoing RA Conversation series. So as long as you have signed up to get Rebecca Vnuk’s Corner Shelf or just read this blog, you will be alerted when the video recording is available for free viewing. If you have an Internet connection, you can join us!

Now, I know watching the video is not as good as being there since you cannot network and interact with your fellow RA peeps, but we at ARRT have had many requests to provide a virtual version of our programs, so we are trying this out.

But if you can join us, click here to register. It is FREE if you are an ARRT member and only $10 if you are not. But big hint people-- ARRT membership is only $10.

Since this program will be on the web for free eventually, we didn’t feel right charging anyone to come. So if you want to reap the benefit of being at the event to meet and greet with these fabulous speakers [and me] all we are asking is that you become a member.

Also, we are happy that Melissa from Downers Grove is joining us. She will be talking about the work they did to create Book Genie which won them the inaugural ARRT/ILA RA Service award.  This year’s winner was just selected and will be announced soon, but quick teaser, I was thrilled that the winners are both former students of mine who now work together! We hope to have them present for us soon too.

Again, if you want to join us live, click here. The room only holds about 50 so please sign-up so we can have an accurate head count. Otherwise sometime after August 25th look out for the video.

RA for All: Call to Action--Don’t Bad Mouth Any Books or Authors in Public...EVER!

I have been a Readers’ Advisor for 16 years and a teacher/trainer of RA for 12 of those years. One of the tenets of RA Service is Betty Rosenberg’s famous quote, “Never apologize for your reading tastes.”  That is the cornerstone behind modern RA Service and what made it fundamentally different from any RA Service that came before it.

We are nonjudgemental ALWAYS. If someone’s favorite author is James Patterson and they love James Patterson and want to read everything he writes or publishes as himself or under his co-authors, good for them. Find them everything and then find them readadlikes that they would like when they run out.

I do not care if you like Patterson. That is not the point. Being a Readers’ Advisor had NOTHING to do with how you feel about a certain book. What you are concerned with is why the person in front of you likes the book that she or he does, and then finding her or him another book she or he may also enjoy. Again, not caring how you would feel about said book.

Psst....it’s not about you. It’s about the person in front of you. Seriously, I don’t care about how you feel about a book or author unless you want me to do some RA for you. Then I care immensely about you.

It is no coincidence that I pick Patterson here. Look, I know he has a lot of books coming out ALL THE TIME. And I know he takes a lot of our budget up. And I know that they are not the most literary titles. I know we get frustrated with him.

BUT, here is what a Patterson book is-- a crowd pleaser, a quick and easy escape from the real world, a book that gets people excited about reading books! Because he has so many books and they are so addictive to their readers, we have patrons coming into the library to feed their need for more. No one can afford to buy every Patterson book, heck, we libraries can barely afford it. They come in to the library to get them and while they are visiting and/or waiting for the next Patterson title, they try other books. He creates tons of business for us. He creates readers. He stimulates a life long love of reading.

BUT [yes another but], for all the good Patterson does getting people of all ages to read and visit the library, I still hear library people bad mouthing him all of the time. And the worst part of it is.....WE DO IT IN FRONT OF PATRONS!

How do you think that makes our readers feel?

I feel like I shouldn’t have to write this kind of post anymore, but apparently I do because over the weekend, my friend and ARRT colleague Megan and I had this Twitter exchange.

The fact that she had to Tweet this makes me sad and angry. Overhearing our colleagues doing this is infuriating.

Back in 2012 I had this post where I talked about three books I disliked but for which I wrote a review that did not necessarily give that away. I write every review, whether just for this blog or for publication, for the book’s best reader. That is the purpose of what we do.

Now even in that post, I do mention sometimes it is hard to always be positive about every book. And yes, we all need to vent about authors we personally dislike sometimes. But that venting needs to be done in staff meetings, at outside library events, in emails to colleagues, etc... Somewhere that is not at the desk where we are stationed to help ANY reader who comes by. Who is that helping? I am not sure because it is not helping any patrons in ear shot who love the author you are bad mouthing, nor is it helping your library promote your services. And it makes you look like a judgmental ass.

If you want to be a book snob, don’t work at the public library. We don’t need you or want you. 

Every book has a reader. Our job is to listen to the patron in front of us and find him or her THEIR book. And, it is a fun and rewarding job a that.

Or, as Megan said succinctly above, Don’t jude. Connect.

What I’m Reading: I am Providence, Bite, and Natural History of Hell

I have three reviews in the July 2016 issue of Booklist. I like all of these titles for a wide audience, but the first two listed here are EXCELLENT and should be read by more than just genre fans. As per usual, I have reposted my draft reviews with links to the magazine’s page. All three received a STAR review in the magazine. You may need to log in to read the reviews. They also appear on NoveList. I also give extra comments and readalikes here on the blog. Enjoy.

I Am Providence by Nick Mamatas

Aug. 2016. 256p. Night Shade, paperback, $15.99  (9781597808354). 
First published July, 2016 (Booklist).

The Summer Tentacular is the biggest annual convention for fans of legendary horror author H.P. Lovecraft and Colleen is a newly published Lovecraftian who is not sure what to expect during her first trip to Providence. When her roommate, the maligned author of the horror mash-up Catcher in R’lyeh, Panossian, is brutally murdered and the skin of his face removed, Colleen goes into Nancy Drew mode, spiraling deeper into the bizarre world of geeks, self important writers, manuscripts bound in skin, occult rituals, and Cthulhu to try to catch the killer. With the viewpoint alternating between Colleen, as she spirals deeper into her own personal Lovecraftian nightmare, and Panossian himself, dead in a drawer in the town morgue, this is both a compelling, satisfying mystery and a dark, macabre tale. Is Panossian there to help us solve his murder or is he simply the narrator of a Lovecraftian tale, his final story, with Colleen as his protagonist? This is a smart, wry, and fun novel, filled with biting, hilarious satire. Mamatas uses his story to take an honest look at Lovecraft, his troubling legacy of racism and sexism, how it comes into play during this current revival in his popularity, but you can also feel Mamatas’ true affection for the author and the larger community of misfit horror authors shining through in tribute. A great choice for readers who enjoyed Matt Ruff’s thoughtful exploration of the author and his legacy in Lovecraft Country, those who liked the dark humor, mystery, and speculative elements in Ben H. Winters’ The Last Policeman trilogy, and anyone who has ever been part of a fandom.

Further Comments: It’s a mystery but it’s at a horror convention and one of the narrators is dead-- he’s the murder victim, but is not a zombie. He’s dead in morgue but sentient enough to speak to us-- the reader. Also the entire book reads like a Lovecraft tale with the other protagonist caught up in the nightmare.  Such a smart and fun book.  But what is its genre? Ultimately I think I would put it in horror because it ends up open on Colleen’s fate (but the mystery is solved for readers) and it is very chilling, but the mystery is solid and would be enjoyed by those readers too.

This is a book that you need to add to your collections and hand-sell A TON!!! It will be a crowd pleaser.

Three Words That Describe This Book: wry, fandom, genre mashup

Readalikes: Beyond what I mentioned in the review itself, people may be interested in more Lovecraft and or Lovecraft inspired tales. I did a book talk on these titles recently and will post that recording when it becomes available. But for now, here are a few titles you can start suggesting:

• I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H.P. Lovecraft by S.T. Joshi. In two volumes, this is considered the definitive biography of the author
• Broken Hours by Jacqueline Baker
• The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
• The Gods of H.P. Lovecraft edited by Aaron French

Bite by K.S. Merbeth

Aug. 2016. 304p. Orbit, paperback, $9.99 (9780316308700). 
REVIEW.  First published July, 2016 (Booklist).

Merbeth’s action driven debut introduces us to Kid a, skinny, teenage girl who has known no world other than this post-nuclear apocalyptic one. Barely surviving alone after the death of her father, knowing she should not trust strangers offering a ride, but too tired and hungry to care, Kid gets in the car with two ominous figures-- the large, dreadlocked Wolf and the bright blue haired Dolly. And so begins a fast paced ride through a barren world where food and water are scarce, “Raiders” and “Sharks” rule the trade routes, and cannibalism is a real survival option. Kid’s first person narration grabs the reader immediately and we hang on her every word as she falls in with Wolf and his gang. The first battle scene comes immediately and is closely followed by another, and then another, strung together and constantly escalating. But in between the fighting there is equally as compelling character development. Wolf’s crew, villains all, but lovable and principled ones, come to be known and loved by Kid- and us. She watches and learns from each, and as a result, comes through the story stronger, both because she now has a “family” and has finally taken control of her own survival. Filled with dark humor, wit, and a realistic post-nuclear setting, Bite plays off the idea of who are the “good guys” in such a harsh world. Think Carl Hiaasen thriller set in a Mad Max world and you have an idea of what to expect.

YA: Yes this story contains some violence (and cannibalism), but Kid’s transformation from young victim of the post nuclear bomb apocalypse to active player in her own survival will greatly appeal to older teens.

Further Comments: When I first got this book for review in the mail, I looked it over, read the publicity material, and thought, “this is going to be dumb.” BOY WAS I WRONG. This book was great. It had tons of action, but also was extremely thought provoking. Give this immediately to everyone who loved Mad Max last year and is looking for something to recapture that magic.

Here are a few other notes I made while reading Bite which I could not fit into the review:

• Loved the constant jokes about her being mistaken for a boy. It added some comic relief
• The setting is perfectly described.  
• Narration and characters- WONDERFUL
• These characters grow as people, but still not good guys. You can’t be a good guy and survive in this world. Just bad enough to survive. But they protect each other to the death.

Three Words That DescribeThis Book: action! [not a typo, it needs the !], great characters, thought provoking

Readlaikes: Because this book is so unique, I had many readalikes in mind, but I chose to keep in succinct in the magazine to make it easier for you to booktalk it. Here are more:

• This is clearly going to be a series. The book read like Mira Grant’s phenomenal zombie thriller Newsflesh series. No zombies here, but they are similar in every other way.
• Last year I reviewed Builders by Daniel Polansky. I was reminded of it while reading Bite. Click through and I think you will see why.
• The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi. These books are similar in many ways-- female protagonists, the need for water. But also different in others. Bite is more like an action movie with a caper sensibility, while The Water Knife is more of a post-apocalyptic thriller.

A Natural History of Hell: Stories by Jeffrey Ford

July 2016. 279p. Small Beer, paperback, $16  (9781618731180); e-book (9781618731197). 
REVIEW.  First published July, 2016 (Booklist).

In this collection of 13 stories, most previously published, Ford showcases his award-winning talent for crafting creepy tales that bend the world as we know it in an unexpected way. While the stories here are not linked, they all do share a common theme of the wickedness lurking just beneath the surface of everyday life. And, while each uses different degrees of the supernatural influence to get there, all employ a dark and uneasy atmosphere, quirky, loner characters, and thought provoking endings, some even coming rather abruptly, but all forcing you to fit what you just read into your own worldview, with delightfully unsettling results. For example, in “Blameless,” we join the newly fashionable trend of staging a public exorcism party for your teen. This macabre and satirical story succinctly skewers both adult over- reactions to teenage behavior and lavish coming of age parties. Stories like “Terror,” which imagines the “true” ghost story behind an Emily Dickinson poem and “Rocketship to Hell,” which plays homage to the Science Fiction masterpieces of the pulp era, honor their historical source material while still having something to say about our present.  But it is in “Blood Drive,” where every senior in high school is required to carry a gun to school and far right, politicians are in control, where the chills hit very close to home. This collection is a good choice for fans of short stories by Neil Gaiman, China Mieville, or Kevin Brockmeier.

Further Comments: "Blood Drive” is, for better or worse, a timely choice to give to people right now. Overall, this collection will surprise many people who think they do not like short stories. They are like little novels.

Three Words That Describe This Book: wickedness, unsettling, timely

Readalikes: Like the authors I mentioned in the review, any authors who writes dark fantasy novels and short stories would be a great readalike option. Ones I did not mention but who also fit are Stephen Millhauser, Keith Donohue, Elizabeth McCracken, and Karen Russell.

I also think people who like Adam Johnson should also give this collection a try.

Phew, that’s a lot of reviews. Plenty of books to enjoy.

ALA Conference Report: RUSA CODES Research and Trends

Each year the RA Research and Trend Committee of RUSA is charged with keeping up with cutting edge research and trends [hence the name] and they get a spot each year at ALA annual to present what they have been doing so that we can all stay as up to date as possible. They call this presentation the RA Forum.

For a full description of their charge and the committee list, click here.

This year, the presenters representing the committee were Cindy Orr, Barry Trott, and Michael Santangelo. Their talk was entitled, Harnessing Research and Data to Advance Reader’s Advisory Services:

The RA Forum explores the cutting edge of RA practices and services. This year's forum consists of three short presentations on data and research: Barry Trott - "Using Data You Already Have to Analyze Your RA Services," Michael P. Santangelo - "Cutting Edge Research on Reading that RAs Should Know About," and Cindy Orr - "How Big Data Is Changing What We Know About the Literary Landscape."

Thanks to coordination by Cindy, I have all three presenter’s slides available for you here today.

You can use the links I added to the description above to pull up individual presentations, or this link to pull up a folder with all three.

Also, to put it in a little more context, you can click here to read the American Libraries Online article which recapped the main points of their presentations.

Thanks to all three presenters for being willing to share this information with everyone.  Please feel free to contact any of them if you have further questions. Also consider volunteering for one of the many RUSA CODES committees so that you can help shape the future of RA Service. For information on how to get involved, click here.

ALA Conference Report: Read N' Rave

At the ALA Conference last week, Booklist hosted one of their more popular and more fun programs-- Read N' Rave. From the Booklist Reader:

Booklist and the Association of American Publishers convened the third installment of Read n’ Rave at this year’s ALA Annual Conference. Modeled after the popular Shout n’ Share panels that take place at the end of Book Expo every year, the program brings together a panel of collection development librarians who roam the exhibit aisles in search of galleys that should be on your radar. 

The latest panel included Stephen Sposato, Manager of Content Curation and Reader’s Advisory at the Chicago Public Library, Erin Downey Howerton, Children’s Manager at the Wichita Public Library, Magan Szwarek, Head of Reference at the Schaumburg Township District Library, and Naphtali Faris, Early Literacy Coordinator at Mid-Continent Public Library. To follow is what we raved about.

You can click through to see all the titles that these librarians are excited about.

But it would not be a RA for All post if I didn’t remind you that while these upcoming lists are awesome, a treasure trove of information can also be found in the previous two “Read N’ Raves”-- THE BACKLIST

So be aware of these titles that are about to come out (or just did in a few cases), but also check out the links to past Read N’ Raves for librarian approved selections that are probably on the shelf RIGHT NOW.

• Midwinter 2016 which focused on Middle Grade and YA novels
• ALA Annual 2015 Adult Titles.

Plenty of great books to hand to patrons of all ages today AND some upcoming titles to have them add to their holds queues for later.

Back tomorrow with another ALA Annual report from Cindy Orr and her team on the RUSA RA Research and Trends Committee.

Help RUSA With Their Name Change Task Force

Today I have something boring but important to share with you.  The arm of ALA that encompasses the work we Readers’ Advisors do is RUSA- Reference and User Services Association. As you can see already, that name is not only kinda boring, but also it does not accurately describe the fun scope of our work as adult public service librarians anymore. And it definitely does not reflect the dynamic and exciting  RA focused work being done specifically by the CODES section.

So RUSA wants to know if they should change their name and they want your help.  Since I am a member of RUSA I received the link to the survey, but the leadership is actively trying to reach everyone who could possibly be represented by the organization. Member or not, please share your thoughts.

So to help the future of library workers as they serve adults at a public desk, I am giving over today’s post to RUSA. Please read their plea below for your input, and click on the survey link.

They really want to know what you think, good or bad. They truly want to make the organization more helpful and useful. They have worked hard to keep up with the swiftly changing landscape of serving adults at the library in practice, now they need your help making their name reflect their awesome work.

Thank you in advance for taking the survey. It really will help you to do your job of helping adult leisure readers better.

Does RUSA Need a New Name?

The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) is considering a change in the name of the organization to ensure the continuous support and representation of its current and future members' needs and interests. RUSA members represent a wide variety of interests and professional activities, including readers’ advisory, interlibrary loan, genealogy, user experience and all kinds of library public services. Many once identified as reference librarians, but now recognize that the membership is changing in addition to new professional roles; members are questioning how best to brand themselves and the services they provide.

Conducted by the RUSA Name Change Task Force, RUSA members and nonmembers are encouraged to participate in a lively conversation about the future of RUSA. Take the short survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YK3ZK9R no later than July 15. Join the conversation online and share by using #nameRUSA on your favorite social media site.

Follow the conversation on Twitter with hashtag: #nameRUSA

The RUSA Name Change Task Force includes Ed Garcia and Nancy Cunningham (Co-Chairs), Michelle Roubal, Viccy Kemp, Elizabeth Lane, Marlinda Karo, M. Kathleen Kern, Paul Brothers, Melissa Del Castillo, Nancy Abashian, Jeannette Pierce, John Dove.

The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers’ advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more about the association at www.ala.org/rusa.

Summer Reading: Best of 2016 So Far

Continuing my Summer Friday series pointing out great summer reading options for you and your patrons, we have hit the half way point in the year so that means that the best of the first half of 2016 lists are coming fast a furious.

Two I like are the Book Riot Contributor’s Best of 2016 So Far [because their contributors have such widely varied tastes] and Amazon’s Editor’s Best of 2016 So Far [because they have searchable categories]. But there are many and they are everywhere

But you could have found those lists yourself.  The purpose of this blog is to take posting a list a step further and showing you how these lists or resources can improve your service to patrons.

How does this effect you at the service desk?  Thanks for asking.  Here are a few ways.

First, patrons are seeing these lists which mean they are going to come in asking for the titles appearing on them.  We need to be ready with readalikes because these books have only been out from 1 day to 6 months; chances are many are checked out. So simply being aware that this “best of the year so far” thing is happening is step one. But if you click through and look at a few now, you can come up with some readalikes before the patrons arrive.

Second, I want to remind you that when patrons are looking for books from a specific best lists they often are not actually asking for those specific books; they are simply looking for something that is good.  I have a much longer post here where I discuss this at length and give advice.  It works for best of the first half of the year lists too.

Third, why not show them back list options of the" best books" from 2015, 2014, 2013 etc... There is ZERO chance they have read all of these and there is also a great chance these titles will be on the shelf.

The most comprehensive list of archival best lists can be found via Largehearted Boy here [2015 in length with links to previous years].

Or, try any of my “best books” posts. They are not only about “best of year.” There are literally thousands of options here for a wide range of readers.

You can also use my monthly archive in the bottom right gutter to pull up my personal best list from any year since 2007.  I try to post my personal best list on the final day of each year, so if you pull up December for any year, it should be one of the first posts.  Here is 2015’s to get you started.

What are your best books of the year so far? Share them in the comments so we all have more options to help each other.

Palindromic Reads

Today’s post is short and uncharacteristically selfish.  It is my birthday and Saturday is my daughter’s.  While our birthdays are always 2 days apart never before have we had palindromic birthdays... until this week that is.  We are 41 and 14.  I didn’t even realize it until last Sunday when we did a family party and my mother-in-law put the numbers together on the cake.

We are a family who discussed the run of palindrome dates earlier this month [from 6/10/16 through 6/19/16], so this is right up our nerdy alley. It is so cool!

In honor of all the Palindromes, here are some book lists so you can join in the celebration too:

• Earlier this month, in honor of the string of palindromic dates, Penguin Random House had this list of book titles that are palindromes-- for adults and children.  Of interesting note, two books that I really like are on this list, Seveneves by Stephenson and Maddaddam by Margaret Atwood. I never thought about the palindromic titles before though.
• Fun With Words’ Palindromes Book Store. Yes, an entire book store of palindromes. 
• Did you know that The Palindromist Magazine is an actual thing? You do now. You are welcome.
• Bestselling author and library patron favorite, Stuart Woods has a book titled, Palindrome.
• Goodreads has a crowd sourced list of books with any palindromic words in the title.  Not as cool as the PRH list but still worth a look.

Thanks for the indulgence today. I figure my birthday is a good excuse to be a little selfish.  Tomorrow I will go back to be my usual useful self. 

Essay on How We Consume Media

Whenever I present a RA training program, I make it clear to my audience that I am using the word “book” as a stand in for all leisure media people consume through the library. I do not treat item types or formats as distinct.

By this point most library workers see things the same way I do. When we talk about “Readers’ Advisory,” we are talking about library workers matching the patron in from of them with the right leisure read, watch, listen, etc... for them at that moment.

However, we are ahead of the curve. The rest of the world still seems to have this PRINT vs DIGITAL mentality. That is all they want to talk about-- patrons, mainstream media, publisher studies.  What is being lost in this simplification are the WHYs and HOWs people consume media today.

As library workers, we need to be aware of trends in media consumption.  For example, think about how hard it would be to do your job if you were not aware of the binge watching phenomenon. This is a huge shift in how many of our patrons use our materials and online streaming services from just a couple of years ago.  When I help people who want a new show or series to read, I need to make sure to ask how long a series they are looking for and if they want one that is already done so they can experience it in its entirety. This is something most people didn’t care about before, but now, more have strong feelings about this than do not.

That question in general was not one I thought to ask back in 2000 when I was a baby librarian, but with changing methods in delivery and consumption, it was one I had to ask all of the time by 2015.

The point I am trying to make today is as part of our jobs as Readers’ Advisors we need to stay aware of how and why the public consumes their media not just what they are reading [be that a specific title or a format].

To get you thinking about this important service issue a little more seriously, I suggest you read this excellent and well researched essay from The Millions-- Beyond Digital vs. Print: On How We Consume Media. There is much there that you can use to better serve a patron right now.

ARRT Update: Fantasy Boot Camp Notes, Horror Assignment, and a Bonus Video

THIS POST WAS EDITED ON 6/29 TO INCLUDE THE CORRECT NOTES LINK

Earlier this month, the ARRT Speculative Fiction Genre Study met to have our Fantasy Boot Camp.

The detailed notes are now available here. As our notetaker extraordinaire Karen said in her email to members... "feel free to share them far and wide.”

As I have mentioned before, at ARRT we realize that we are lucky to have such an established genre study program AND live in an area where not only is RA education a priority but also we are densely populated so people are able to attend our 6x a year meetings in high numbers.  We take our work seriously when we meet, but we also want to share the knowledge with as many people as possible.

So please, pass these notes on.  Use them to help you, your staff and your patrons. Pass them on to colleagues too.  Just let people know you got them from us.  Thanks.

You can access the notes from this genre study and previous ones [where available] on our web site.

I also want to remind my readers that this genre study is different from all which came before in that we are not looking at authors by genre and subgenre.  Yes we had a SF boot camp, a Fantasy boot camp, and next month I will lead a Horror boot camp, but that was just to define the genres, set the baseline, and make sure we were all on the same page.  After that, we are going to discuss all the genres together by grouping key authors by their major appeal to readers.

We met last week to outline our plans for these meetings which begin with the Doorway of “setting.”  We picked setting to go first because most of these books prominently featuring setting-- especially SF and FSY-- but that also made it harder for us to narrow down the authors we will discuss for that day.

I am not going to reveal those author details now, you will have to wait for the August meeting for that, but I did want to remind you that these meetings are coming and that I AM VERY EXCITED for them. Teaching the genre study this way is going to maximize both the learning by us, the participants, AND provide us with a way to help patrons immediately. The notes will be even better than usual because they will be focused around the WHY people read an author not its subgenre only.

But back to the last boot camp, our next meeting, I will obviously be the horror leader.  Here is the assignment:

Upcoming Meeting: Horror Boot CampAugust 4, 2016, 2-4 PMGlenview Public LibraryFeatured resource: Horror.org (Horror Writers Association website)Assignment:Read Stephen King’s The ShiningRead your choice of any fiction by Joe Hill or Jonathan Maberry (EXCEPT for Maberry’s Joe Ledger thrillers)

Finally, we are asking everyone to watch this conversation between Stephen King and George R R Martin from earlier this month.  We thought it was both a wonderful bridge between the Fantasy assignment [to read Game of Thrones] and the Horror assignment [to read The Shining]. Plus, it was just awesome and fun.