About

Several years ago, my best friend told me I should start a blog to review all the books I read. He kept bothering me every few months for about six years. I thought it was a dumb idea…

Welcome To 

…on the B.L. 

I moved from Chicago to Houston in October 2016. As I was unpacking the 4,000 plus books I owned, I realized I really needed to do something with all of these. No, not give them away; I’m far too emotionally attached to even the bad books for something that dramatic. The words of my best friend reached out and told me to start writing about them because I have many opinions on these books, my constant companions, to keep them to myself. I didn’t just want to write about books. I wanted to write about everything. From books to travel to politics to fashion to my dogs to social justice to food and everything in between. In a strange city where I knew no one while staring at my empty bookshelves, …on the B.L. was born. 

In a way, I have dedicated my life to the simple act of reading. For me, books have always been access. Reading has been a way of unlocking the mysteries of the world, engaging my mind, pushing the boundaries, creating change, escaping, and so much more. 

I was born in Ames, Iowa, where I spent my formative years always with a book in tow. At 18, I began my solo venture into the world. I graduated from Cornell College with a triple major in Literature, French, and Russian with an emphasis in Literary Translation and Analysis in 2014. Basically, it’s a fancy way of saying “I majored in reading super good.” And yes, I do speak French and Russian. No, I will not teach you the naughty words. Mostly because I don’t know the modern ones; I focused on pre-twentieth century literature. After college, I moved to the Chicago area. Where I spent three years figuring out what I wanted to do with my life, and quickly realizing I had no idea, but it was not in the corporate sphere. 

I have been busy in Houston exploring and desperately looking for friends. 

Since I am not independently wealthy nor have I won the lottery, I am a freelance writer, translator, and editor, fearlessly campaigning for the Oxford comma and against all who oppose it. Shameless plug: If you need a writer, there’s a form below! 

I am a dog mama to six beautiful dogs. It used to just be one rescue, but I picked a dog up off the side of the interstate in Houston. Five days later, she had thirteen puppies. I kept the mama and the four puppies with special needs. It’s a house full of love and chaos. I’m mostly a shy introvert, but people who know me only consider me to be a bubbly weirdo. Neither perspective is wrong. I love what I love, and I write about my opinions. I’m also very tall. ​

Posing like I do in Iowa State’s Law Library. It’s often referred to as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. It’s gorgeous, and who said there’s nothing cool in Iowa?