Sherry at Semicolon did this last week, and while, like her, I am not an author, I am a bit of a list-maker, and for some reason this exercise — to come up with a list of things that fascinate me, inspire me, and I can never seem to get enough of reading about — caught my fancy. Sherry did 52, which impresses me to no end, but I found it was a stretch for me even to come up with 25. Maybe I’m not all that fascinated in things? Or maybe just a few things really take up my time? At any rate, here’s my list:

1. Food, subcategory nonfiction — Books about the growing of food, the making of food, the selling of food.
2. Food, subcategory memoirs — especially those in the food service industry
3. Food, subcategory fiction — books like Garden Spells, where it’s very evocative with the food. Magical realism helps.
4. Food, subcategory cooking — I love to cook, and while I’m not as experimental as I could be, I do love to make and eat a well-made meal.
5. Travel. Memoirs of people who have traveled, experienced most any place throughout the world. But I specifically love…
6. France — the language, the food, the culture, living in France and…
7. The UK — love the English stories, love the Irish stories, love the Welsh stories (even though I can’t pronounce the words!), love the Scottish stories. Love the history, the culture, and the accents.
8. Memoirs — I like hearing other people’s personal stories, not just travel stories. I especially like them when they’re interesting and well-written.
9. Strong girl characters. What makes these girls strong, and how they tackle what the world gives them.
10. Beauty and body image. It may be tough for me to read about, but I feel a need to know, especially with raising four girls.
11. Friendship — both same- and opposite-sex. How do people become friends, how do they stay friends, what’s involved.
12. Family dynamics — issues of parenting, yes, but also sibling dynamics. How and why do they (or do they not) get along.
13. The King Arthur legend and mythology. I’m not quite sure what the draw is, but I love this story.
14. England’s Renaissance (an offshoot of #7) — from the Tudors through Elizabethian times — the culture, the time period, Shakespeare
15. Folklore — not just King Arthur (though his legend in particular), but all the stories that are handed down in any particular place. I especially like Asian folk tales.
16. Oral Histories — it’s kind of like #8… the personal stories of the past, the things that didn’t quite make the history books, but give us a flavor for the world. (Like These is My Words.)
17. Fairy tales — original adaptations of traditional tales, mostly, but I’m curious any retelling of any fairy tale
18. Religions — not so much Christianity, since I consider myself one, but rather other religions. I’m curious about them, their beliefs, and their philosophies of life. And this goes for “made up” religions, as well.
19. Humor — what makes me laugh, does it live up to the “hype”, and especially when there’s a balance between the inane and the brilliant.
20. Women’s roles in society — how they’ve changed over the centuries, what makes a “strong” woman, issues of feminism.
21. Good storytelling — when an author — doesn’t matter if it’s fantasy, or realistic, YA/MG or adult — gives us a good tale, with characters that are worth spending time with.
22. Jacket Flap Copy — in my dream world, I would love to have a job writing jacket flap copy (and on the side, I’d be a pastry chef). What makes good copy, what draws one in to the book.
23. Photography. What makes a good photograph? And the act of capturing history or beauty fascinates me.
24. Architecture — I’m not a student of it, but looking at beautifully made buildings, from old houses to new skyscrapers, fascinates me.
25. Dance — I suppose this is an offshoot of #10, but I love to watch people dance, to see the way dancing interprets the music (which I also love). I also love to move my body, though I rarely do so in public anymore (though perhaps I should?).

So, those are mine. What are some of yours?