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General Winston's Daughter

3.37 of 5 stars 3.37 · rating details · 1,065 ratings · 154 reviews

When eighteen-year-old heiress Averie Winston travels to faraway Chiarrin, she looks forward to the reunion with her father and her handsome fiancé, Morgan. What she finds is entirely different from what she expected. She realizes that Morgan is not the man she thought he was; and she finds herself inexplicably drawn to another. Handsome Lieutenant Ket Du'kai is like no on...more

Hardcover, 342 pages

Published October 18th 2007 by Viking Juvenile

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Mar 20, 2010 Grace rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Summary: Averie Winston is a rebellious, reluctant heiress in the manner of all rebellious ladies of privilege in the literary world (only one that comes to mind at the moment is Gemma Doyle and co.). She may live in an invented world, but her character and customs calls to mind the past when girls had to have a waist as big around as their age in years and (God forbid!) if they showed the world an ankle whilst crossing the street, they were ruined.
Averie's country is an imperial giant, and the...more Summary: Averie Winston is a rebellious, reluctant heiress in the manner of all rebellious ladies of privilege in the literary world (only one that comes to mind at the moment is Gemma Doyle and co.). She may live in an invented world, but her character and customs calls to mind the past when girls had to have a waist as big around as their age in years and (God forbid!) if they showed the world an ankle whilst crossing the street, they were ruined.
Averie's country is an imperial giant, and the beginning of the book sees her travelling overseas to the colony where her father and fiance are stationed. When she arrives in the new land, Averie is eager to see it from the citizen's perspective, if only her father and chaperone would let her! Not to worry though, for they soon relent. On Averie's travels through the city, she meets a merchant girl named Jalessa. When a rebel bomb goes off and Jalessa's wares are ruined, Averie generously offers for the woman to be her maid.
Opinions: I thought the idea behind this book was wonderful. It shows imperialism in a non-blaming point of view (after all, the countries present are fictitious). Through the different characters, the readers get ideas from both sides of imperialism (those that benefit, those that are overcome). I thought that idea, as well as Averie's gradual realization that imperialism isn't a one-sided, all-benefit situation was really well presented to the reader. I enjoy studying history, and I appreciate how a book like this can maybe make those who aren't history buffs aware of a critical issue from world history.
On another note, the book was marketed as a romance (at least in the jacket flap), but I really didn't see that as much. I didn't even mention it in my summary. I enjoyed the romance, but I thought it was much more of a subplot that the jacket blurb made it out to be. To me it was far more of a social commentary than a romance. That being said, the romance aspect was well-written and not at all forced, even if it did take a back seat to the action.
Now, as to why I gave this book 3 1/2 stars, the ending was a bit disappointing to me, particularly where a certain character was concerned (you'll have to read it to see what I mean). It was a very enjoyable book, but I have read better. I have a habit of over-rating things, so when I read a book that's really a 5 and I see how much better it is than those I rated 4 1/2, I'm kind of stuck. So, I figured 3 1/2 was a safe rating. It probably would have been a 4 if it had ended the way I wanted (where certain characters are concerned), but then again it may have been disappointing for that very reason. Like I said before, this is a very enjoyable book. If you enjoy fantasy that is heavier on culture than magic or historical fiction, I think you would enjoy this book, as it is essentially (IMO) a delightful fusion of the two genres.

(Review taken from my seldom-updated blog)(less)

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Aug 28, 2009 Libby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sharon Shinn amazes me. Her worldbuilding is always intriguing; her imagery and her plot hooks are often well-worn to the point of being a little hokey, but the things she does with them are just incredible. General Winston's Daughter really surprised me. All the way through, it feels like just another spunky-heroine-comes-of-age book -- the kind of book I really enjoy, but not a standout in that class -- and then, right near the end, the plot twists in a way that actually changed how I think ab...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Debbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya

"General Winston's Daughter" is a young adult fantasy. It's a look at how imperialism affects the conquered with Averie being a member of a British-like society that has taken over several "more primitive" societies for economic gain. Averie has an increasingly sympathetic view of the conquered peoples.

I enjoyed the world-building as Averie learned about the new culture. I liked Averie even though she was head-strong because she tended to be willful about neutral or good things, like wanting to...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Rebecca rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: teens

I generally like Sharon Shinn books, but I can't recommend this one.

I found the central character, Averie, very annoying. Her adventures in the borderlands reminded me of the beginning of Robin McKinley's far superior, The Blue Sword. Averie comes to a colonial outpost to visit her father and her fiance. There are tensions between the newcomers and the native folk, whom she learns about in much the way a British colonial might learn about Indians a hundred years ago.

Her disenchantment with her...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Shoshana rated it 3 of 5 stars

(3.5) This was pretty good. It's a little younger than I expected, but Averie's voice is fairly strong and her story (and the stories of those around her) compelling.

I mean, it's a pretty thinly disguised treatise on imperialism - but then, I'm anti-imperialist, so I buy it. Averie's home country is essentially Great Britain expanding its empire, Weskolia is France, and the countries they're mentioned as colonizing are African and Asian. It's not subtle.

But it's also not as simple (and potential...more

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Apr 11, 2010 Caitie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was written a few years after The Dream-Maker's magic, and it felt like Shinn had had a chance to refine her writing a little. The story was pretty complex and interesting, although the end broke my heart and I don't know if I'll get over it.

I really like the worlds Shinn creates. They are fictional, of course, but in this book it didn't seem like the countries were very thinly-veiled versions of real countries, like in some books I've read (*cough* Princess of the Midnight Ball *cough...more

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Mar 18, 2010 Meghan rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 21, 2009 Corinne rated it 3 of 5 stars

I want to give it 3.5 stars :)

When we meet Averie, she's on a voyage to a new land, where her father and fiance are currently stationed in the military and where they are in the process of trying to occupy said country. As the daughter of a general, Averie has always had assumptions about the purpose and consequences of her father's work, but finding herself among a people in the process of being conquered has made her begin to question what it means to become a colony.

As she becomes familiar wi...more

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Aug 05, 2009 Samantha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

I'm definitely a fan of Sharon Shinn, but for some reason it's taken me forever to get around to this book. Well...actually if I'm honest I have to admit had a terrible case of cover snob with this book (Angie has a great discussion about this phenomena in this post at her blog, Angieville).

I really didn't understand the cover, especially with a title like General Winston's Daugher, I thought it was about the Civil War (forget actually reading the synopsis, pshaw! ;-P). Once again I can kick mys...more I'm definitely a fan of Sharon Shinn, but for some reason it's taken me forever to get around to this book. Well...actually if I'm honest I have to admit had a terrible case of cover snob with this book (Angie has a great discussion about this phenomena in this post at her blog, Angieville).

I really didn't understand the cover, especially with a title like General Winston's Daugher, I thought it was about the Civil War (forget actually reading the synopsis, pshaw! ;-P). Once again I can kick myself for not reading a story by one of my fav authors because of something as silly as the cover (and also since I thought it was about the Civil War, which I wasn't particularly in the mood for, but I digress...).

Averie, as the title suggests, is General Winston's daughter. We join her story during her voyage to Chiarrin a faraway, foreign country that is the lastest to be invaded by the Aeberelle army (something akin to imperialist Britain). She is on her way to visit her father and fiancee.

Averie is an intelligent, sensitive, and lively character. She looks at everything new in Chiarrin with wonder instead of xenophobic disdain. Her discussions with Lieutenant Ket Du'kai during the trip open her eyes to some of the less tasteful issues involved and inseparable from invading another country, since Du'kai himself is from Xan'tai which has been under Aeberellian control for over two generations.

While it's true that this story's focus is Averie's coming of age, I also enjoyed Shinn's thoughtful portrayal of the fictitious cultures and peoples, even if the plot was very predictable. It bothered me that Aeberelle's military excellence and superiority is extolled at every moment, yet her father misses so many things that would be common sense to anyone, especially for someone with a military background.

After I finished I realized that I actually liked Jalessa, the Chiarrin maid, much more than General Winston's daughter. Definitely recommended for this story's sense of adventure and poignant issues. (less)

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Feb 07, 2011 Aimee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Seventeen year old Averie Winston is the daughter and heiress of General Winston of the Aeberelle army. She embarks on a journey to the far off, exotic land of Chiarrin to join her fiancé and her father who are currently involved in a campaign to take over the country. Averie finds herself completely taken in by the culture and customs of Chiarrin, eagerly embracing them. Although the country of Chiarrin appears to have accepted the presence of the Aeberelle army, rebels have begun to launch sma...more

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Jan 12, 2009 Eva Mitnick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, fantasy

This is fantasy that is almost historical fiction. No magic to speak of, but it's not our own world - rather, a very Earth-like place with different countries and cultures. There are strong parallels to England's invasion and colonization of so-called "primitive" countries, with events that may even remind young readers more of the U.S.'s invasion of Iraq than England's conquering of India and other countries. The main focus is a young woman, engaged to be married, whose irrepresible energy, joy...more

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Aug 21, 2009 Summer rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: no one

This book is something that I wish I had left on the shelf. Allured by the cover and the author I picked this book up. I soon found it to be annoying, tedious, and unorigional.

This is the story of Averie Winston, the brash and undistructible daughter of General Winston. When she goes to visit her father, in the foreign land of Chiarrin were her father and her her fiance are stationed to help "protect" Chairrin locals from they're own rebels. As Averie flirts, goofs around, and becomes iindiffere...more

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Jul 05, 2009 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Eighteen year old Averie is a very lovable heroine, rebellious and charming, who is traveling with her father and fiancee's army to a colony they are attempting to conquer. The adventurous heiress is quickly charmed by the foreign country but is naively surprised to find out the imperial army is not exactly welcomed by the local inhabitants. As Averie discovers the intricate cruelties of imperialism and tries to decide how she stands the world changes around her in this coming of age novel. I re...more

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May 13, 2009 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, 2009, fantasy

Averie, daughter of Aeberelle's military leader, goes by ship with her chaperone, Lady Selkirk, to dry, dusty Chiarrin, the latest conquest of Aeberelle's empire, to be with her father and her fiancé, Colonel Morgan Stode. She's a happy, enthusiastic, curious eighteen-year-old, and her travelling companion, the Xantish lieutenant Ket Du'kai, intrigues her with his stories of his homeland, Xan'tai, long since invaded by Aeberelle and absorbed into its empire. At the same time, he unsettles her by...more

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Oct 11, 2010 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would.
The world that the author had created was strange. The names of things were hard to read/pronounce thus, interuppted the flow of reading.
The story seemed to drag on for me. I wanted more interaction with Lieutenant Du'kai, but came up lacking.
The main character, Averie, didn't evolve or progress evenly. Her character would progress some then regress.
The ending was disapointing, becuase not many scenes happened between Averie and Ket Du'kai. T...more

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Dec 20, 2010 Gem rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read2010, yabooks

This is not my favourite Sharon Shinn book, but it's a great read for teen girls looking for depth to a story with a little bit of romance. I appreciate that the main character's opinions and attitudes towards other cultures are transformed throughout the novel. I think it's a very interesting depiction of war based on cultural differences, colonialism, etc., but the story is not set in our own time and place. The descriptions of the people are far enough removed that the reader won't feel like...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Lexie rated it 3 of 5 stars

What threw me about General Winston’s Daughter was that I had no idea it was a young adult until after I picked it up. That might sound unusual, but when I need a new book to read, and have no certain book in mind, I’ll simply look for an author I like and pick up whichever book of theirs I haven’t read yet. As this wasn’t shelved in the YA section I figured it was of a similar vein as her Twelve Houses series. In that respect, at least, I wasn’t disappointed. Much like her Twelve Houses books,...more What threw me about General Winston’s Daughter was that I had no idea it was a young adult until after I picked it up. That might sound unusual, but when I need a new book to read, and have no certain book in mind, I’ll simply look for an author I like and pick up whichever book of theirs I haven’t read yet. As this wasn’t shelved in the YA section I figured it was of a similar vein as her Twelve Houses series. In that respect, at least, I wasn’t disappointed. Much like her Twelve Houses books, General Winston’s Daughter combines politics with a fantasy setting.

The story is a fairly simple one on the outset–Averie Winston is traveling with her chaperon to the foreign country of Chiarrin to meet with her father, the General, and her fiance, an up and coming soldier under her father’s supervision. Things become muddled the further that I progressed in the tale, however. For instance, though Averie has loved Morgan for countless years and recognizes that he is an ambitious fellow, she doesn’t feel a need to be the wife he needs. Her thought process seems to be that he loves her the way she is and will tolerate the fact she hasn’t become any more sophisticated or ladylike since he last saw her. While ordinarily I would have applauded her for wishing to stick to her principles and not knuckle under to pressure, it didn’t feel as if she wanted to be a strong independent support for his political career, but rather that she expected him to learn to live with her careless ways.

There was something almost childish and petty about the way that Averie viewed criticisms or attempts to make her more ladylike. The harder anyone pushed, the more she fought back, but with no real cause. It was in her best interests to want to be more ladylike so she could help the man she claimed to have loved all these years.

Much of the book is spent on the foreign invasion and conquering of the land of Chiarrin. Her father expounds on the subject quite often, as does her fiance and much of the rest of the cast. Everyone has an opinion on the matter, actually. In a longer book, or even a series, this may have made more sense so we could see the full weight of what the occupation caused, but in a YA novel it seemed out of place and jarring.

In the end I was disappointed by the book, having become so accustomed to the level of depth and intrigue Shinn’s other books exhibit. While I wouldn’t say this is unreadable, I think it’s best for those who just want a light read on some random afternoon. For Shinn fans, however, this book will only lead to confusion and comparisons to her lengthier and more interesting novels.(less)

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Oct 12, 2012 Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Snail in Danger (Sid) by: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2009/01/colonial-fantasy-robin-mckinleys-the-blue-sword comment thread

Shelves: children-ya, cover-pretty-white-girl

For the first, oh, 3/4 of this book I was enjoying this book and tearing through it, and being a little sad when I had to put it down to go to dinner. Then ... I'm not quite sure what happened. I mean, what happened is great for the country that got invaded. But as a critique of colonialism and imperialism (the clear authorial intent) it kind of failed. Probably because, at the end, the plan of the young white heiress is to (view spoiler)...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Louise Dunlap added it

Shelves: fantasy

As usually, Shinn did not disappoint. This fantasy novel follows the story of Averie as she travels to another country that her government invaded and now occupies. She is curious and open about her new home, eager to learn about a new culture and traditions. She also finds herself torn between her fiance and another intriguing young man, who is of a different race and culture, yet she finds true understanding with.

The story reminds me of tales I read of the English occupation of India and other...more

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May 28, 2009 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

I think this book was interesting- a girl in a different country and learning different customs. A girl with a lively personality, someone who does what she wants and believes. She sees a different perspective, living in another country and has great empathy for the native people. I think I related to Averie slightly, in that when I went to another country, I was able to meet many natives and understand and learn their culture and I loved it, just like Averie loved the Chiarrin people. Fortunate...more

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Jul 12, 2009 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

I actually really liked this one - there was a lot of politics but in an unheard of step for me I actually *didn't find them heinously boring* and in fact thought the Chiarrin culture in general was really quite interesting. Averie was a little too naive and frivolous for an 18 year old but I found her enthusiasm rather endearing, and Jalessa's betrayal at the end came as a total shock, which was nice for a change - I like being surprised by plot twists instead of seeing them coming a mile off....more

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Aug 10, 2010 Rachel rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

If this hadn't been by Sharon Shinn, I don't think I would have been as disappointed as I was. I expect better from her, not preachy, shallow, silly, easily manipulated characters who learn almost nothing over the course of the book.

I need to go re-read Archangel or Summers at Castle Auburn to recall the beautiful stories that she's capable of writing...

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Sep 05, 2010 Sally rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, chick-lit, coming-of-age, european, fantasy, parabal, political, romance, teen, war, young-adult

EXCELLENT book! I greatly enjoyed it. (Though I could see the end coming before being halfway through the book.)

General Winston's Daughter is charming, enigmatic, confused, quick-witted, big-hearted, and sometimes a little dense, but that makes her a character easy to relate to and enjoy. Her name is Averie and she's bound and determined to enjoy herself even if she is in the middle of a war - her people trying to colonize a people who do not want to be colonized.

LOVED it. Would recommend for Y...more

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Apr 09, 2009 Lady Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

This was a pretty decent read. It is basically a British colonial story but with all the places and cultures changed so that the author didn't have to be historically or culturally accurate. It is a young adult book, but I thought that the writing (in terms of word choice, etc.) was still a bit juvenile for the actual story.

*slight spolier*

The protagonist would have to be the heiress of a not-so-small country to actually be successful in her financial venture at the end of the book. That was th...more

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Aug 19, 2009 MB rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy-urban-fantasy-paranormals

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 21, 2010 Bani M rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-finished, books-finished-2010

It's been a long time since I've done a simple pros and cons list. Think I'll do that here.

But some important things to mention beforehand- this is a third person-perspective book. YA with a pinch of romance. If you go into it wanting a sprawling romance you'll be disappointed. This book was poorly marketed and its biggest qualities are not well-clarified in the blurbs and promotion.

I enjoyed this book a lot but there is more that could have been. The ending however impressed me enough that I a...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Swoon is a dark and twisted tale about a girl with powers that she can’t quite control. These powers get her, and the rest of the town, into quite a bit of trouble when she gives life to a ghost who was determined to get revenge on those who wronged him centuries ago. In the chaos and insanity that ensues, Dice finds herself dangerously drawn to her all-too handsome accidental creation.

This was one of those books that will only have two extremes of reactions: total love, or utter hate. With a bo...more Swoon is a dark and twisted tale about a girl with powers that she can’t quite control. These powers get her, and the rest of the town, into quite a bit of trouble when she gives life to a ghost who was determined to get revenge on those who wronged him centuries ago. In the chaos and insanity that ensues, Dice finds herself dangerously drawn to her all-too handsome accidental creation.

This was one of those books that will only have two extremes of reactions: total love, or utter hate. With a book dealing with the kind of things that Swoon deals with, there really is no in-between. I personally loved it. It was breathtakingly, extraordinarily amazing.  Much different that other paranormal books out there, Swoon will have you swooning.

Nina Malkin wrote in an interesting and lyrical way while still managing to capture the mindset of teenage girl. Dice’s voice flowed, creating a vivid and realistic narrative movie in my mind as I read. Even with the more mature elements, Nina handled them nicely by glossing over them and wording them in a, erm, gentler way.

As always, characters make or break a novel. And there is much controversy over Sin. Is he a jaded man whose pain and loss have spurred him to do these things? Or is truly off his rocker insane? How could anyone love, or even like a psycho like that? Well, that’s the beauty of this novel. It’s up to your own interpretation how you handle Sin. I will say that I personally loved him. Even though he had did have moments of frightening craziness, he also had all-too seductive moments, as well as heart-wrenchingly sad ones. Dice was strong and level-headed most of the time, trying to do damage control. But even she was lost to the seductive charms of Sin. Somehow, though, she managed to keep it all together. She was an endearing heroine, multi-faceted, and relatable.

I recommend Swoon to anyone looking for a thrilling and exhilarating, yet dark and alluring paranormal romance. I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
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Nov 10, 2008 Sara rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: no one

Shelves: young-adult, hated, 2008, sci-fi-fantasy

Randomly picked this up at the library because the cover was cute and it sounded halfway decent - a girl travels to a faraway (fictional) territory, newly under her empire's control, to be with her father and her fiance, then falls in love with someone else and starts thinking about life in general as well.

When I opened the book, I was amazed by the long list of books the author has penned. Then I started reading and discovered how she'd found enough time to do so - there wasn't much to the boo...more

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Aug 14, 2008 Kathy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-high

Eighteen-year-old Averie Winston travels to Chiarrian (a distant country) to visit her father, who is a commanding General, and her fiancée Morgan. Her father has invaded the country and is working to overthrow local government and rebel forces. As she learns more about the situation and herself she realizes that Morgan is not the man that she thought he was; and slowly falls in love with Lt. Ket Du’Kai, who himself comes from a conquered society. Averie delves into the culture, wanting to learn...more Eighteen-year-old Averie Winston travels to Chiarrian (a distant country) to visit her father, who is a commanding General, and her fiancée Morgan. Her father has invaded the country and is working to overthrow local government and rebel forces. As she learns more about the situation and herself she realizes that Morgan is not the man that she thought he was; and slowly falls in love with Lt. Ket Du’Kai, who himself comes from a conquered society. Averie delves into the culture, wanting to learn everything she can, and forms a friendship with a local Chiarizzi girl Jalessa, who teaches her about their culture. Political resistance continues and rebels threaten colonial rule, security is heightened and tension rises.
Hmm, it is hard to say what I thought of this book. I had recently read “Summers at Castle Auburn” also by Sharon Shinn, which I loved so I thought this book sounded somewhat similar and the plot interesting, but was somewhat disappointed. I thought Averie was very childish and naive, and was hoping that her character would grow throughout the book, but she did not. It seemed like the focus of the book was more about the country of Chiarrian and their traditions/beliefs, and not on an actual story.

***Possible Spoilers***

The love story was a disappointment, it seemed like there was more interaction with Averie and Morgan than with Averie and Ket. Morgan actually seemed like a pretty decent guy who was truly in love with her, and other than his love for war, he was hard not to like. I found the relationship between Averie and Ket hard to believe because they were never together, so how could they really have fallen in love. They had nothing in common and really didn’t know each other. The romance part of it was lacking, and I think she picked the wrong guy, only for the fact that the character of Ket was underused. If she had built up their relationship I probably would have enjoyed it more and not minded her choice.

The main twist at the end was predictable and I knew from the beginning what would happen. I was still disappointed since even though Averie was immature, she was sincere in her new love for the people and country, so her betrayal was very sad.

If you like a book about politics, war and make-believe places then you will probably enjoy this story.
(less)

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Jul 04, 2008 Cynthia rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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About Sharon Shinn

I’ve been writing stories and poems since I was eight years old. My first poem was about Halloween: "What is tonight? What is tonight?/Try to guess and you’ll guess right." Perhaps this inauspicious beginning explains why it took me till I was in my thirties to sell a novel. It occurred to me early on that it might take some time and a lot of tries before I was able to publish any of my creative w...more I’ve been writing stories and poems since I was eight years old. My first poem was about Halloween: "What is tonight? What is tonight?/Try to guess and you’ll guess right." Perhaps this inauspicious beginning explains why it took me till I was in my thirties to sell a novel. It occurred to me early on that it might take some time and a lot of tries before I was able to publish any of my creative writing, so I pursued a degree in journalism at Northwestern University so I’d be able to support myself while I figured out how to write fiction.

I’ve spent most of my journalism career at three trade and association magazines—The Professional Photographer (which, as you might guess, went to studio and industrial photographers), DECOR (which went to frame shop and art gallery owners), and BizEd (which is directed at deans and professors at business schools). My longest stint, seventeen years, was at DECOR. Many people don’t know this, but I’m a CPF (Certified Picture Framer), having passed a very long, technical test to prove I understood the tenets of conservation framing. Now I write about management education and interview some really cool, really smart people from all over the world.

I mostly write my fiction in the evenings and on weekends. It requires a pretty obsessive-compulsive personality to be as prolific as I’ve been in the past ten years and hold down a full-time job. But I do manage to tear myself away from the computer now and then to do something fun. I read as often as I can, across all genres, though I’m most often holding a book that’s fantasy or romance, with the occasional western thrown in. I’m a fan of Cardinals baseball and try to be at the ballpark on opening day. If I had the time, I’d see a movie every day of my life. I love certain TV shows so much that knowing a new episode is going to air that night will make me happy all day. (I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, but in the past I’ve given my heart to shows all over the map in terms of quality: "Knight Rider," "Remington Steele," "Blake’s 7," "Moonlighting," "The Young Riders," "Cheers," "Hill Street Blues," "X-Files," "Lost," "Battlestar Galactica"...you can probably fill in the gaps. And let’s not forget my very first loves, "The Partridge Family," "Here Come the Brides" and "Alias Smith & Jones.")

I don’t have kids, I don’t want pets, and all my plants die, so I’m really only forced to provide ongoing care for my menagerie of stuffed animals. All my friends are animal lovers, though, and someone once theorized that I keep friends as pets. I’m still trying to decide if that’s true.

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