Born in New England, I crossed the country many times every few years when my family moved. Inconsistency ruled my life, new places, new friends, but even now, the one constant is my love of the written word. I am a reader, writer, lover of words. It’s not often you’ll find me without something to read.
Books and reading influenced my childhood, and continue to shape me as an adult. While my choice of genres continue to expand and contract, I find I am drawn to the variety of material at my disposal. An intriguing mystery, dystopian sci-fi, riveting non-fiction, funny memoirs, and epic tales so long I can hardly fathom finishing; these and more find their way into my hands, and I cannot put them down.
While hesitant to share my thoughts with the world, in 2009 I created UrbanBachelorette.com at a friend’s suggestion. The first year, a challenge; the second, growth; and as I continue, my writing improves, my exposure to different books/genres continues, and my thoughts find their way to others all over the world influencing their choices. In the beginning, this was merely a place to share my thoughts, but it continues to evolve.
Stains on the Page is the evolutionary result of the first three years.
As I discovered WordPress and the design aspects behind blogging, I decided to pursue a degree in Technical Writing with a focus on digital publishing. Some of what you see at SotP is a direct result of those courses combining my love of books and my growing passion for design. As my skills in school improve, so will SotP as it continues to evolve.
In addition to reading and reviewing books, I also attend many events. Each year I travel to NYC for the BookExpo America and the Book Blogger Conference. In 2012, the Book Blogger UnCon will be added to the list. Local events in Austin include ArmadilloCon and the Texas Teen Book Festival. There are so many more that I expect to add to the list in coming months. In addition to book related events, I also attend BlogWorld East, held concurrently with the BookExpo, as well as my local WordCamp to expand my knowledge of blogging trends and ideas.
Through the site and these events, I develop relationships with other bloggers, publishers, and of course my readers. I have a community that I would not trade for the world.
I hope that you find something of interest here and welcome any comments you might have. Please check out my Full Disclosure page if you are interested in having me post a review.