Tracy Shapley Towley

Tracy is a freelance copywriter, all-around ne’er do well, very-adult graduate of the University of Iowa, and occasional waterer of plants. Her hobbies include writing fiction, reading fiction, mixing together various flavors of soup, and typing letters to her friends on an old red typewriter that doesn't have a working period so all sentences must end in questions marks or exclamation points? She has read every Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and has a lot of thoughts on them. Her old Iowa farmhouse is shared by her husband Sean, a pair of cats, a pair of dogs, and the ghost of Kurt Vonnegut.

The 2017 National Book Award Longlist for Fiction

How To Organize Bookshelves With A LOT Of Books

The things I tried, the things that failed, and the things that worked in my journey to learn how to organize bookshelves with a lot of books. Read on.

6 Bacon (and Bacon-ish) Cookbooks That Will Make Your Taste Buds Tingle

Look no further for cookbooks devoted to bacon, but always be on the lookout for salty, sizzling, delicious bacon.

Must-Read July New Releases

Rioters recommend the July new releases they're most excited for!

Genre Kryptonite: Fish Out of Water Stories

Three excellent stories wherein people are thrown into unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations.

4 Ways to Make Bookish Friends in Real Life

Tips for finding new friends who share your reading interests.

Does Diversifying MFA Programs Diversify Literature? I Did the Math So You Don’t Have To

A look at the diversity (or lack) coming out of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop

6 Prizes I’m Giving Away in My Imaginary Bookish Lottery

What bookish initiatives would you fund if you won the lottery?

Literary Tourism: Rome, Italy

When your vacation takes you to Rome, you do all of the literary tourism you can.

Cool Beans: 7 Books About Coffee to Help You Get Your Buzz On

Excellent *ahem* coffee table books.