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Rachel’s Year In Books

Rachel’s 2024 Year in Books

Take a look at Rachel’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Rachel’s 2024 Year in Books

Rachel E. Pollock’s Followers (79)

Rachel’s Bookshelves

to-read (1778)
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read (1256)
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cnf (26)
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3,399 books | 558 friends

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596 books | 89 friends

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2025 Reading Challenge

2025

READING

CHALLENGE

Rachel Pollock has read 109 books of their goal of 100!

109%

Rachel E. Pollock

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

http://www.rachelpollock.net/

Twitter

labricoleuse

Genre

Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir

Influences

Armistead Maupin, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dorothy Parker, Paul Collins, E ...more

Member Since

April 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/labricoleuse

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As a writer, I'm hard to pin down.I write fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and technical documentation in the field of professional costume production for stage and screen.

I received my MFA in Creative Writing from the University of New Orleans in 2013. I teach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Costume Production MFA program, and I make a lot of random stuff for actors to wear.

I spent a decade working as a nightclub DJ and promoter before focusing on the far more lucrative and less dramatic field of professional theatre. Some highlights from those years include leading over 1000 people in the Time Warp while spinning at the New Orleans House of Blues, and providing music for the first Boston Tattoo Convention af ...more

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Ask the Author

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Popular Answered Questions

How many books are you working on at any given time? (The only skill missing is juggling!)

Rachel E. Pollock Wow, thanks for the great question, Alice! It's hard for me to figure out how to count projects in process.

I have a novel out on submission currently,…moreWow, thanks for the great question, Alice! It's hard for me to figure out how to count projects in process.

I have a novel out on submission currently, which I know will involve further revisions when it finds a home with an editor/publisher; but it's hard for me to think of it as something i'm working on, since i can't work on it at this stage of the game!

I have two other novels in progress at present, one for which i've finished the first draft and the other which i'm first-drafting. I am the sort of person who needs distance between the completion of the first draft and the revision/rewriting. (I'm also someone who sometimes comes back to a first draft and goes, "This is complete shit and cannot be rewritten into something i'm proud of." I have a couple of totally abandoned novels that fit that bill.)

I also have the long-term goal of expanding my masters thesis (creative nonfiction) into a full-length book some day, but there's a lot of time i need to spend in some far-flung archives in order to do that. So, while i consider it something i'm working on, that book's going to have to be a project that builds slowly while i also tend to the rest of my writing career.

And, i also like to continue to write short-form work (primarily essays and short stories), which I'd some day like to assemble into a collection or two; so maybe I should count those along with the thesis expansion as "eventual books," so to speak!(less)

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I notice you have begun posting reviews of ARCs. How does somebody get to do that?

Rachel E. Pollock In my most recent cases, the first and foremost answer is, I know the publisher from graduate school (Bill Lavender of Lavender Ink/Dialogos). But, i …moreIn my most recent cases, the first and foremost answer is, I know the publisher from graduate school (Bill Lavender of Lavender Ink/Dialogos). But, i think there are probably a few more factors involved than just that, and that there are things one could do to raise one's chances of being selected to receive ARCs-for-reviews on here. [Aside: ARC stands for Advance Reader's Copy, sent out before the book's released to build buzz.]

For one thing, establish a presence; it helps to be an active member of the Goodreads community. Do you add books on a regular basis to your shelves? Do you then subsequently rate them? Do you not only rate them but write about them? And do other readers Like your reviews? If you haven't added a book since 2013, you won't get ARCs from publishers for sure.

See, i use Goodreads as a tool for tracking my own reading. I rarely finish a book that i don't write at least a paragraph on my response to it. I like going back and seeing what i read over the past month, or season, or year, reminding myself of books i loved, books that disappointed me, surprised me, excited me, books i abandoned or books i loved to hate.

And i read fairly serendipitously--sometimes i'm reading for work (i read a lot of play scripts in this category) and while i was in grad school i read for classes, but nowadays i read on whim, usually several books at once. I always have a bedtime book, a commute book, a lying-on-the-couch book, all going at once. And i even also sometimes have a poetry book going, too.

So, from a publisher's perspective, all this makes me a pretty good prospect for reading and reviewing ARCs. I do read widely and frequently, across genres and types of books. I share what i read regularly, and i write about how the books struck me. Readers respond to my reviews, too, with Likes.

I think there are a few things to keep in mind if you do wind up reading ARCs on here.

I'll always start off acknowledging that i got the book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Full disclosure's a good policy on that. When i see reviews on a book that's not released yet and they don't state that kind of thing up-front, I assume they must be the author's family/friends, particularly when they're all five-star raves.

Which brings me to the point that you then need to give that honest rating and review. Did you love it five stars worth, really? Would you love it five stars worth if it hadn't been free? If you didn't know the publisher, or the author, or the subject of a CNF book, or whatever?

And, recognize that Goodreads is basically a social medium for book-readers--you are not writing a book review for the Times here, and if you put up a review for a book that reads drastically differently than, you know, every other book review you've written about the non-ARC books you've read, your friends and followers will notice and wonder WTF's up.

For example, i normally write about books in terms of how i felt about them--did i like the book, the characters, the pacing, the plot, the voice, the writing itself. I also tend to write about technical elements about the book--i like looking at books as physical objects, the font choices, the layout, the graphic design, any illustrations, and I also leap on copy-edity things like when a book is peppered with homophone errors. So, if i rave-reviewed an ARC that was full of typos but didn't even mention that? My friends and followers who are familiar with my reviews who then read the book based on my rave might wonder how honest my review was if i omitted that. And i tend to write my reviews in conversational vernacular, as if i were just holding forth my thoughts on the book at a coffeeshop or bar. I cuss and drop slang and make jokes, and so when i review an ARC, i don't suddenly pretend i'm writing an analytical paper for academia. If i thought, "This book blows chunks," or "This book would be better off recycled into toilet paper," then i'll probably put that, verbatim, in my review. Though so far, i haven't had an ARC that i thought was asswipe material, thank every single star.

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Combine Editions
Rachel E. Pollock’s books

Average rating: 3.54 · 2,368 ratings · 263 reviews · 11 distinct works

	Steampunk by Ann VanderMeer (Editor), Jeff VanderMeer (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Joe R. Lansdale (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 3.53 avg rating — 2,294 ratings — published 2008 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Resurrection Engines: Fifteen Extraordinary Tales of Scientific Romance by Scott Harrison (Editor), Rachel E. Pollock (Goodreads Author) (Contibutor) 3.05 avg rating — 56 ratings — published 2012 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Confessions: Fact or Fiction?: a collection of short stories and memoir by Herta B. Feely (Editor), Marian O'Shea Wernicke (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Elizabeth Patton (Contributor) 4.19 avg rating — 21 ratings — published 2010 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Voices of Multiple Sclerosis: The Healing Companion: Stories for Courage, Comfort and Strength (Voices Of series) by Richard Day Gore (Editor), Rachel E. Pollock (Goodreads Author) (Contibutor) 4.20 avg rating — 15 ratings — published 2009 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sticks in Petticoats: Parasol Manufacture for the Modern Costumer 4.17 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 2007 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A History of the Theatre Costume Business: Creators of Character by Triffin I. Morris, Gregory Morris, Rachel E. Pollock (Goodreads Author) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2021 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Imagining Heaven by Linda Matney (Editor), Rachel E. Pollock (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2010	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ready for Consumption: An Anthology of Poems from the 30 Day Poetry Challenge by David A. Frazier (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Rachel E. Pollock (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Danielle Blasko (Editor) 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Sky is Falling (SteamPunk Magazine, #3) by Margaret Killjoy (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Rachel E. Pollock (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2007	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Journal of Misapplied Technology (SteamPunk Magazine, #2) by Margaret Killjoy (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Juli(A) (Editor), Kate Khatib (Editor) 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2007	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Rachel E. Pollock's Blog: La Bricoleuse aggregate and more...

Book review: with her own hands

Nicole Nehrig's With Her Own Hands: Women Weaving Their Stories is so good! I also found it unexpectedly emotionally affecting and even therapeutic to read.

The book is a tribute to the resilience, creativity, and wisdom of women across cultures and generations. Through personal narratives, Nehrig invites readers into the intimate spaces where women have shaped their identities and communitie

Rachel is Currently Reading

Rachel Pollock is currently reading

Appalachian Elegy: Poetry and Place (Kentucky Voices)

by bell hooks

bookshelves: currently-reading, poetry

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Rachel Pollock is currently reading

Arcane Carolinas Volume 3: Folklore, Urban Legends, and Tales of Modern Weird from the Carolinas

by Charlie Mewshaw

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Sep 21, 2025 02:36PM

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The Fourth Turning Is Here:

by Neil Howe

bookshelves: currently-reading, audiobooks

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Aug 23, 2025 12:28PM

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Rachel Pollock rated a book it was amazing Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
So good! Highly recommend to any person feeling burnt out.
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I am so glad I read this book, which was recommended on a book podcast. I would not have picked it up without the recommendation and it is fairly heavy emotionally and I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone.
Oct 16, 2025 02:48PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Death Is But a Dream by Christopher Kerr. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Death Is But a Dream by Christopher Kerr <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
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Nicole Nehrig's With Her Own Hands: Women Weaving Their Stories is so good! I also found it unexpectedly emotionally affecting and even therapeutic to read. The book is a tribute to the resilience, creativity, and wisdom of women across cultures and g ...more
Oct 12, 2025 12:57PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of With Her Own Hands by Nicole Nehrig. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — With Her Own Hands by Nicole Nehrig <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
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Nicole Nehrig's With Her Own Hands: Women Weaving Their Stories is so good! I also found it unexpectedly emotionally affecting and even therapeutic to read. The book is a tribute to the resilience, creativity, and wisdom of women across cultures and g ...more
Oct 11, 2025 12:03PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of With Her Own Hands by Nicole Nehrig. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — With Her Own Hands by Nicole Nehrig <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
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Quotes by Rachel E. Pollock (?)

“Down we felt as up we grew, dancing our didn'ts and drinking our dids.”
― Rachel E. Pollock, Knoxville Bound: A Collection of Literary Works Inspired by Knoxville, Tennessee

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