FUTURISTIC... BY V. JOLENE MILLER
READING ON THE RUN
Binge reading on the run because everything else can wait.
ABOUT THE COLUMNIST
I live in remote Alaska where I work 40+ hours a week at my day job, write novels, and own a pop-up book shop. In my spare time, I chase after grandbabies and go running with my giant puppy, Omar. Always, I carry a book in my purse. I never know when I’ll get a few minutes to indulge in a good read. Fifteen minutes before dawn, at lunch, bundled up in my car by the river, or right before falling into bed. Reading is my resting place.
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J U N E / J U LY 2 0 2 1
If only we could see into the future, right? Or, perhaps, if you’re a bit of a cynic or a bit anxious (or both!), you’d prefer to not have the ability to gaze into the bottom of your tea cup and see what lies ahead. It’s interesting that every book contains a bit of futurism. Not necessarily, on a broad scale, but the characters scramble to make a future for themselves. Isn’t that the beauty of a book? I’m currently reading a non-fiction selection called Developing the Curriculum; Improved Outcomes Through Systems Approaches. I know, it doesn’t have quite the flare of the fiction pieces I’ve been reading. And, the cover art is nice, but it’s not breathtaking like some. So, why am I reading this book? I’ve gone back to school. I know... what was I thinking, right? But, that’s the thing about books and futurism. You never know which book will catch your eye or spark your interest. We can’t see into the future to know what’s going to happen next. And, we never really know just how connected books and our futures are. Has that happened to you? Maybe, you’ve picked up a book about horses and realized that you love this incredible animal. Or, you read a book that has mouth-watering descriptions of food. Suddenly, you’re exploring new recipes or looking into culinary arts school! Of course, I’m over here searching for a single spare minute to sit down and read anything that’s not a textbook! Why aren’t there more hours in a day? While I’ve only been able to read two fiction books in the last month, they were both incredible. I was drawn into the characters’ stories as they eked out a living for themselves
