Blogger: Lark
Favorite Genres: Fantasy & SF, mystery, romance
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Lark says: I have loved to read ever since I first picked up a book, but I didn’t become a book addict until I had my tonsils out at age 6. I spent a week recuperating at my grandparents’ house, where I binged my way through my mom’s old children’s books, particularly the Bobbsey Twins. When I ran out of those, I started in on Nancy Drew, and a bookworm—or rather, bookwyrm—was born.
These days, I read mainly genre fiction—fantasy and science fiction, mystery, and romance—with a smattering of historical fiction and literary fiction thrown in for variety. I’ve never been a book snob and will happily read books for all ages.
I occasionally enjoy reading or listening to well-written nonfiction, but most of my nonfiction reading is for my job as a freelance indexer—I create the indexes you find in the back of a book. (Yes, I have to read the book to create the index—usually in depth, and more than once.) I try to keep my professional life separate from my blogging, so you will rarely find me reviewing books I’ve indexed. It’s a pity, in a way; some of them are really interesting!
I have a bachelor’s degree in theater, and wide-ranging interests in history, natural science, and the arts. Prior to indexing, I worked as a bookseller, bookstore manager, and English and drama teacher. I also homeschooled our child, Robin, through their middle and high school years—it was challenging, but immensely rewarding (and a lot of fun!)
My husband (“Mr. Bookwyrm”) and I have been empty-nesters for a decade, but I still keep pretty busy! In addition to my part-time indexing work, I am an aspiring writer, a knitter and spinner, and a musician. Before the pandemic, I sang in several choirs and directed a children’s and a youth chorus, but they all shut down in 2020 and have not restarted. I still sing at home, just for fun.
My online nickname, Lark, comes from my love of music (and pays homage to Mercedes Lackey’s Bardic Voices series, in which the Free Bards all use bird names.)
NOTE on politics
This is no longer a politics-free zone. I write about and link to stories about books, authors, the publishing industry, libraries, language, and pop culture — all of which are inherently political, particularly in our current times. Books and libraries are increasingly under attack (book bans, defunding of libraries, etc.), and I can’t ignore or condone that fact. In addition, my circle of family and friends includes LGBTQIA+ people, immigrants, and people of color. Even if I didn’t know anyone in any those groups, I still couldn’t stay silent in the face of what’s happening. I stand firmly and openly on the side of civil rights and acceptance. For everyone.
FTC Disclosure
I receive review copies (also known as ARCs) of some of the books I review. In accordance with FTC regulations, I usually disclose where I got the book in the book information section at the top of each review post. If I received an ARC, an additional disclosure statement appears just above the review itself.
Review Policy
Honesty and integrity: All reviews posted on The Bookwyrm’s Hoard represent my own views, or very occasionally those of a guest reviewer. I am committed to honesty and integrity in all my reviews, regardless of where and how I received the book. Acceptance of a review copy does not guarantee I will review a book favorably, or even at all (though I do try to review most of them.) Also, I do not accept sponsored or paid guest posts.
Conflict of interest: In order to avoid any conflict of interest with my day job, I generally don’t review books for which I have written the index. The rare exceptions are noted within the review, and have been cleared with the author (and the publisher, if necessary.)
Genres: I read and review a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, mystery, romance, and historical fiction, in all age ranges. I occasionally read and review general fiction, historical fiction, nonfiction, and craft books. I lean heavily toward happy endings, and I avoid horror and anything overly dark or creepy.
Unsolicited review copies: I do not accept unsolicited books for review, unless I have an ongoing reviewer or fan relationship with the author or publisher.
Contact Me
Got a question or a suggestion? You can email me at bookwyrmlark (AT) gmail (DOT) com.
I am also on Bluesky, Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr. (Although these days I am trying to cut back on social media to avoid doomscrolling!) I left Twitter in 2024; I am on the others intermittently, except for Goodreads, which I use a lot. Search for The Bookwyrm’s Hoard, or click on the icons or links below:
Copyright
All content on The Bookwyrm’s Hoard is copyrighted (by me) as of the date of writing, unless otherwise stated, and may not be reproduced without permission. This includes my reviews, photos, and any images or graphics created by me. All other content (other people’s photos/art, book covers, quotes, interviews, guest posts, and videos) are property of the original authors, artists, and/or publishers unless otherwise stated. Please contact me if you would like to quote or repost my content.
Blog Design
Ashley from Noze Graze designed the theme (Tweak Me) and handled conversion to WordPress (in 2014). The bookwyrm/dragon artwork is by Christin Jaynes, and was a work-for-hire (meaning I own the rights to reproduce it.) Michelle at Because Reading turned Christin’s drawing into a header, and I have used the drawing extensively in graphics for the blog.
