LidAlexiBlue

Physical inventory consists of about 1300 volumes. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry -- covering nearly every subject from Alexander the Great to animal husbandry. I have a few treasured books: some antiques with lovely Victorian artwork, a handful of signed 1st editions (two by Wendell Berry!), and the old favorites that are thumbed and worn with frequent loving readings. I also have a large number of eBooks that I have downloaded, but reading a book on my computer or a Kindle is unappealing so it is only something I'll do when desperate for material that is extremely rare.

Quite honestly, I've always felt that if anyone wanted to really get to know me, they would carefully note what was on my bookshelves. It's all there in plain sight. I've been collecting books since I learned to read at the age of four. It seemed the best way to free myself from the turmoil of my young life. Now that I think about it, my books were always my strongest shelter. I believe in the spirit of "pay it forward" so to that end, I have changed a lot of things in my life -- foregoing graduate studies, giving up a well-paying job (it was hardly a career)to play with words. And after 11 years of floundering, depression, and much struggle, I have completed one novel and one screenplay (neither as yet published). I've also written about half of my first murder-mystery-thriller, and I now have an outline for an epic historical novel to take place in Texas at the time of the battles for independence.