Why The Royal Library?

This is a question that I get in my e-mail or Twitter feed from time to time, usually from readers who don't agree with my opinion. Typically, it comes with a derisive inference that I consider my opinion supreme when it comes to books.

Anyone who knows or has read my material regularly should know that's not the case. I've said repeatedly over the years that I don't consider myself an expert, just a guy that likes to talk about books and music. The websites that I write for give me the opportunity to talk about it to people who might actually care instead of just blabbing away at my family members who really just wish I'd just shut up about it. The opinions expressed in my reviews are mine and mine alone and should never be taken as more. There are great books and music that I don't like and not-so-great books and music that I love.

So where does the name come from? Well, it's a bit of an inside joke.

Something a little different

For the few folks that may still be following my infrequent reviews, there will be a slight change coming to this blog. Hopefully, there will be more reviews and content than in recent months, but the books reviewed may be a little different.

The realities of the newspaper business these days mean that there's less space for and less interest in things like book reviews. The bad news is that I no longer really have a print outlet for my reviews. The good news is that this will give me an opportunity to go back and take a look at some books that I missed or skipped in recent years. For the past 10 years or so, I've passed on a lot of books that I wanted to read, trying to keep my reading fairly current for the reviews. Now I have the chance to revisit some of those.

So, for those still reading, there will still be reviews here, and hopefully more. There will still be some new releases mixed in, too, but you'll most likely see a lot of older books mixed in, and with the new addition of my Nook, possibly some ebook releases. Maybe it will help you guys discover something you missed as well.

A new beginning ... sort of

If you've wandered here in search of my music reviews, I'd like to let you know that I've branched out and created a new site solely dedicated to music. Since the music has always been the biggest draw, I decided to start the second site so those looking for music don't have to wade through my other insane babblings. Basically, it's the same name, same writer, just completely dedicated to music.

If you're one of the chosen few that enjoy my occasional rantings, book reviews and musings on the Saints, you probably don't want to wade through the pages of metal reviews either. Those features will still be found here, and I will continue to update them, though not as frequently probably as the music site. Hope you enjoy both.

Another grand failure

At what point do you just let something go?

I've had grand visions for a site dedicated to books, music and whatever else since about 1996. I've put months into designing the site and redesigning the site several times with intentions of following through on my grand schemes each time. I was quite proud of the most recent incarnation, from 2005, but life intrudes. It takes time to format html and make regular updates -- time that I never seem to have. So once again, I enter the Hall of the Mountain King to find cobwebs in every corner and a thick coat of dust over everything. This time, with a heavy sigh and resignation, I realize that I'm just never going to have the time to make it the site that I envisioned. (Feel free, however, to visit the crumbling ruins of the Mountain King's old home in the links list. There are still a few treasures hiding in the dark halls.)

But rather than give it up completely, I've decided to take a cue from some friends of mine over at the Saintsfan Lovers of the Blues site and try accomplishing the same mission via blog. It doesn't take quite as long to make updates, and I can do them anytime. It's more immediate, and it allows for some interactivity for the few people who may still be holding out hope that I'll update.

This space, up to this point, has been largely a place for me to bitch (those old posts are still hanging around if you want to read them, though most are out of date), but now I hope it will become a more creative and productive place. I'm not going to place any parameters on what I do here. I'll still do reviews of recent CDs and books, but I'll also do other things like talk about movies I've seen lately and revisit some old favorites in features like Stuck in my Head, which will take a look at whatever single song is running around in my brain at the time, and Pages from the Past, a revisiting of some of my favorite books. Should be fun. Enjoy reading, and feel free to chime in.