So you think you can recommend a book Willow will like? (Q&A / FAQ)

Thank you for being brave enough to suggest a book we’ll both enjoy, for us to read together and then discuss on our Bookstabber podcast. Remember: give it your best shot! Willow will probably rant about it, but Gene will likely love it. Worst case we both love the book, in which case we’ll spread your fame as a readers’ advisor far and wide.

Email your suggestions, with a short justification (or questions for the FAQ below) to: bookstabberpodcast@gmail.com

An ongoing Q&A about the books she likes, with Willow Payne:

What was the last book you liked? 

Probably something real niche…The Anubis Gate by Tim Powers. (read April 2020)

What are your favorite books?

The Hitchhiker’s Guide, American Gods, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. A Series of Unfortunate Events. 

What do you read for?

Escapism. Comfort.

What quality do books you enjoy have in common? 

They’re fast-paced page turners. But I use the term differently than others do — I would use that term to describe Lemony Snickett’s books.

And I like short stories. I sometimes read New Yorker style short fiction and enjoy it, but not all the time.

What’s a book you didn’t expect to enjoy but did?

The Scarlet Letter (in high school) — I thought it was well written and didn’t feel as terribly dated as Moby Dick.

What’s one book you expected to like but didn’t?

Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series, which an old girlfriend recommended. (Gene: I loved that series.) And I wanted to like Murakami’s 1Q84 but couldn’t get into it.

I’ve recently been listening to a lot of radio plays.