Last year was a rough one. To put it in perspective, the blog had only 15 posts. It seemed to be a year of crisis on top of crisis. The specifics won’t be described here, since I like keeping my private life private. Suffice to say, these crises combined the workaday stresses of my full-time job kept me occupied and away from the blog.

And when the current crisis ceased, I didn’t feel compelled to post. Not like I’m gaining revenue based on clicks and likes. (Thank Gawd!) I maintain this blog because I like writing book reviews and literary essays, with the occasional foray into the subjects of television, film, and music.

The year was especially challenging after coming after two years of The Pandemic as an Essential Worker. It would have been nice for things to ease up a little. But no … life had other plans.

So, in summary, I’m planning to write more on this blog … if everything goes better, or at least better than last year’s shitshow. No promises, no pledges. I’m still chipping away at the ever-growing backlog. Hopefully this year will be less calamitous, so I can get back to doing what I love.

While other venues have devolved into clickbait, listicles, or thrown up prohibitive paywalls, The Driftless Area Review remains free to everyone. I’m also planning to write more long-form literary essays (Critical Appraisals), showcase more obscure, esoteric, and out-of-print literature (Forgotten Classics, Translation Tuesdays, etc.), and short-form reviews and raves (Espresso Shots).

Have a Happy New Year!