D.R. Baker
What are your favorite genres?
Literary fiction, fantasy, nonfiction of all stripes
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
This is Running for Your Life by Michelle Orange, To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James
What's your go-to reading snack?
Pretzels forever.
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
In a literal cupboard when I was a kid.
What do you do when you're not reading?
Writing, cooking, game development.
Giovanna Centeno
What are your favorite genres?
literary fiction, magical realism, short stories, nonfiction (including true crime)
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier, Norweigean Wood by Haruki Murakami, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and If On a Winter's Night A Traveler by Italo Calvino
What's your go-to reading snack?
Popcorn!
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
My cousin's quincianera, I was 13 and fully submerged in the Twilight phenomena
What do you do when you're not reading?
Listen to podcasts, travel and watching Netflix
Sarah Davis
What are your favorite genres?
Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, Children's/Middle Grade, YA, Nonfiction, Comics/Graphic Novels
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
"The Secret History" by Donna Tartt; Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling; "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger; "Ghost World" by Daniel Clowes; "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green; "A Visit from the Goon Squad" by Jennifer Egan; "SuperMutant Magic Academy" by Jillian Tamaki
What's your go-to reading snack?
Chocolate covered espresso beans
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
On the Isle of Skye while I was doing research about Virginia Woolf.
What do you do when you're not reading?
Writing stories and poems, blogging, and cooking.
Amanda Diehl
What are your favorite genres?
Romance, Sci-fi/Fantasy, Horror
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
Battle Royale by Koushun Takami, The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang, John Dies at the End by David Wong
What's your go-to reading snack?
Anything crunchy and salty!
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
On the lawn in front of the National Library of Sweden
What do you do when you're not reading?
Trying new craft beers & playing Stardew Valley
Cassie Gutman
What are your favorite genres?
True Crime, Horror, Mystery, Memoir, Literary Fiction, and Unresolved Endings
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
The Thirteenth Tale, anything Agatha Christie, Little Women
What's your go-to reading snack?
Twizzlers & Cheez-Its
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
The only time I got in trouble in school was for "hiding" the 4th Harry Potter behind our earth sciences book in 5th grade and trying to sneak read.
What do you do when you're not reading?
Huh?
Liberty Hardy
What are your favorite genres?
Sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, military history
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
The Known World by Edward P. Jones, The Giant's House by Elizabeth McCracken, Geek Love by Katherine Dunn, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
What's your go-to reading snack?
Humus and salsa! Mix them together - it's amazing.
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
On a nighttime glass-bottom boat tour of the Bermuda Triangle.
What do you do when you're not reading?
Not...reading? DOES NOT COMPUTE.
Chelsea Hensley
What are your favorite genres?
Fantasy, Science-Fiction, Mystery, Young Adult, Middle Grade
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Uprooted by Naomi Novik, Dread Nation by Justina Ireland, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
What's your go-to reading snack?
Chocolate-chip cookies
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
The bookstore parking lot after the midnight release of a Harry Potter book
What do you do when you're not reading?
Write, tell my dog how cute she is, and watch Golden Girls.
Nicole Hill
What are your favorite genres?
fantasy, science fiction, horror, YA/MG
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
Circe by Madeline Miller, Hogfather by Terry Pratchett, Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut
What's your go-to reading snack?
Heaping spoonfuls of peanut butter, straight from the jar
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
On a bus to Hobbiton in New Zealand
What do you do when you're not reading?
Yoga, pilates, and bowing to the needs of two dogs and a cat
Nusrah Javed
What are your favorite genres?
Literary Fiction, Humor, Contemporary Romance, Food Writing, Memoirs, Historical Fiction
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
To the Bright Edge of the World, A Confederacy of Dunces, The Song of Achilles
What's your go-to reading snack?
Coke Zero and Popcorn
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
During labor!
What do you do when you're not reading?
All the cooking
Sydney
What are your favorite genres?
lit fic, young adult, thrillers/horror, anything that makes you yell "WTF" at the end
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
Anything by Christina Lauren, V.E. Schwab, and Leigh Bardugo. And Harry Potter, always, Harry Potter.
What's your go-to reading snack?
I'm more of a drinking reader (Diet Coke). But I wish it was Cheetos.
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
Shower, the door is clear for a reason.
What do you do when you're not reading?
My 9-to-5. Pet #allthedogs. Sleep.
Emily Martin
What are your favorite genres?
Literary Fiction, Victorian Literature, YA, Horror, Mysteries/Thrillers
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling, Beloved by Toni Morrison
What's your go-to reading snack?
Iced coffee
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
In line at Dragon*Con waiting to see LeVar Burton
What do you do when you're not reading?
Teaching Pure Barre classes, watching The Bachelor, and petting cats
Mya
What are your favorite genres?
Fantasy, Science Fiction, YA
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
Anything by China Mieville, and The Secret History by Donna Tartt
What's your go-to reading snack?
A fast-paced YA novel involving rebellion and strong female characters.
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
Secretly under my desk during a super boring English class.
What do you do when you're not reading?
Watching movies, & playing with my kitten.
Connie
What are your favorite genres?
Fiction, memoir, poetry, reference books
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
Bluets, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Salvage the Bones
What's your go-to reading snack?
Popcorn
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
Everywhere
What do you do when you're not reading?
Write, travel, eat noodles, and stare at the moon
Neha Patel
What are your favorite genres?
fantasy, literary fiction, historical fiction, nonfiction
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni; The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss; Everybody Writes by Ann Handley; The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys; Night Theater by Vikram Paralkar
What's your go-to reading snack?
my mom's chai (with lots of cardamom and masala), chocolate chip cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate cake (you get it)
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
When I queuing during Black Friday!
What do you do when you're not reading?
chasing my dogs, baking, collecting records, and writing in local coffee shops
Tirzah Price
What are your favorite genres?
Mystery, Fiction, Fantasy
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi, The Secret Place by Tana French, Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman, We Are Okay by Nina LaCour, Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly
What's your go-to reading snack?
White cheddar popcorn
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
In the announcer's booth at a rodeo
What do you do when you're not reading?
Knitting, cooking, chasing my dog
Courtney Rodgers
What are your favorite genres?
Literary fiction, plays/drama, YA, horror
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
What's your go-to reading snack?
Irish breakfast tea and chocolate chip cookies
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
The very dark sound booth of a theater, DURING a show.
What do you do when you're not reading?
Theatre, photography, and watch tv
Laura Sackton
What are your favorite genres?
literary fiction, fantasy, science fiction, romance, essays, memoir
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
Circe by Madeline Miller, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin, Nimona by Noelle Stevenson, How to Write An Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee, Band Sinister by KJ Charles, Exile & Pride by Eli Clare
What's your go-to reading snack?
cookies
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
on the beach (in winter)
What do you do when you're not reading?
bake, walk, stare at my dog
Etinosa Uwadiae
What are your favorite genres?
Science fiction, Fantasy, Historical fiction, Contemporary
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor, The Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn, Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa, Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells
What's your go-to reading snack?
Chocolate Cookies, Biscuits
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
Toilet... at my former workplace
What do you do when you're not reading?
Write, watch Anime, blog and daydream
Kendra Winchester
What are your favorite genres?
Fantasy, Literary Fiction, Memoir, Middle Grade
What are a few of your desert-island reads?
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf, Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward, My Life France by Julia Child, and Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
What's your go-to reading snack?
Chips and Hummus
Weirdest or most interesting place you've read a book?
The Winchester Mystery House
What do you do when you're not reading?
Walking Dylan, my Corgi, or perfecting my latest favorite recipe