The First of Many

This is not another cliché blog about book reviews and writing updates. Actually – it might be. As 2026 creeps further in on us, I’ve decided I need some sort of platform to keep me accountable for my consistency in writing, and this seemed the most likely place to begin. With that, I’ve also decided to make this a blog of book reviews of every book I read in 2026 and onward.

First, I’d like to talk a little bit about myself, as any normal writer does. If you haven’t read the bit on my ‘about me’ page, have no fear. Reading has always been a big part of my life and my personality. Writing came after, as it should. I dabbled a bit in writing in middle school, but it was mostly out of curiosity. In high school, my love for it grew as I’d been instructed to write short stories and poetry. One time, one of my high school literature teachers told me she was a bit spooked when she read a paranormal poem I’d written for an assignment. I was most pleased with myself. Fast forward seven years, and then another two, and boom! I had a Bachelors degree in Creative Writing. Those first few stories and poems in Honors and AP Lit were really the driving force behind my desire to write. Additionally, I read The Hobbit in high school, and I remember thinking to myself that I would one day write a fantasy series just as complex as Tolkien’s Middle Earth.

Two years later, I obtained a Masters degree, specifically an MFA in Creative Writing – the terminal degree in the writing field. I had specialized in Speculative Fiction during my undergrad program – an umbrella term for most things fiction, like science fiction, fantasy, YA, etc. The MFA was solely Spec. Fiction, which made the transition smoother than freshly churned butter. Now here I sit, nearly two and half years since feeling that rich satisfaction you get when completing a Masters degree with no real career in sight.

For the last year, I’ve been almost undecided about what I want to do for a career. Obviously, I want to be an author, I knew you’d guess that. No, I’ve always known I would need a day job, something to pay the bills when writing can’t, or until I reach the level of success that competes with Brandon Sanderson himself! My lovely partner is an English teacher for a local middle school, and that was something I’d considered more than once since I was in my undergrad program. Last year, I took a few steps and a hop to begin a Masters in Education program to pursue just that. Though I soon fell off course, and began rethinking my path. Teaching will never be out of the question, but I do think I’m better suited for college level instruction. Recently, I had an epiphany and a mild change of heart.

The library calls my name. This year, I’m going to pursue an MLIS – Masters in Library and Information Science with the dreams of becoming your friendly neighborhood librarian. I feel this suits my love of books and will foster my authorial desires.

Of Writing

Each week, I will post an update about my writing, for that is the purpose of this blog. As it stands, I have a completed outline of my high fantasy series that I’ve spent years world building for. After completing the 70+ page outline (of what will be a 600+ page behemoth), I realized that I actually want to make that novel the third in the series. So, back to square one. In the meantime, I would write a YA fantasy about a character who specializes in assigning quests, a Quest-Giver, you may call him. This story would take place hundreds of years prior to the main high fantasy series, and could be the first story published in this universe – mostly to give readers an idea of what I’m offering and to build some meager excitement for the latter saga. This outline is also complete and the story is at a momentary stand-still.

In November, after reading and re-reading several Gothic horror literature novels, as one is obligated to do every spooky season, I randomly spurred the most awful idea for a story: one of a British merchant who sails across the ocean, and experiences the horrors of the sea and goes absolutely insane. Written in your typical 1800’s Gothic fashion. I call it: Mortimer. And thus, I begun typing away. I’m several chapters in and I intend to finish my first draft by the Ides of March, or maybe by Easter, that’s fine too.

Of Reading

Each week, I will include an update on my reading progress of 2026, and review any books I’ve finished from that week. I will absolutely not be reviewing any of the 65 books I read in 2025. Deal with it.

I’m reading several different books at present, which, as you’ll learn, is pretty normal for me. The tome on my bedside table is Moby-Dick by Herman Melville, part of my mission to read as many classic literature novels as humanly possible, and also to feed my seafaring hunger for writing Mortimer. And sitting atop it are two others, Star Wars: The Lando Calrissian Adventures by L. Neil Smith, a trilogy, of which I’m starting book two, Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon. The other book is The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, a most curious novel.

I’m also reading, or rather listening, to a few audiobooks, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera, Star Wars: X-Wing: Wraith Squadron (book five in the series) by Aaron Allston, Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed, and another short sci-fi discovery, Saturn’s Monsters by Thomas K. Carpenter, which I’ll finish this evening.

This is all to say: I read a lot, and should be writing a lot (more). Henceforth, this blog will act as a platform where I’ll post weekly about my writing and where I’m at with it, and reviews on which books I’ve finished that week.

I hope you had the attention span necessary to read through this awfully long introductory blog post. If so, congrats, you’ve beaten the doomscrolling demons. See you next time from The Desk of T.P. Lanzarotto!