Actually, I was going to title this post Book Whore, but didn't want you to get the wrong idea. Honestly, though, when it comes to buying books, I'm incorrigible, and getting a Kindle has made it worse, because now no one can see the stacks that are coming into the house.
You think I'm kidding? In the last week - since 3/24/12 - I've downloaded samples for the following books:
This Brilliant Darkness by Red Tash
The Alchemist of Souls by Anne Lyle
Caught (Gemini Men) by Jami Alden
Wicked As They Come by Delilah S. Dawson
The Indie Author's Guide to the Universe by Jeff Bennington
Midnight's Sweet Kiss by Ann Cory
And those are just the samples. They're more like bookmarks, things that caught my eye, reminders of what I want to take a closer look at. And I will take a closer look.
I also downloaded Her Heart's Desire by Adriana Ryan, and the short story Witch Upon A Star by Deborah Blake, which is a follow-up to her novel Witch Ever Way You Can (a book that totally rocked).
And then, because life is always better when you go to a bookstore, on Thursday night I picked up the following titles at Elliot Bay Books:
Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin (because it's a great book and I haven't read it in years)
The Once & Future King by TH White (because I've never read it and feel like I should, and I love the King Arthur myth)
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiel Hammett (because it's such a great example of a mystery, worth studying, and I've never read it)
The Virgin's Lover by Phillipa Gregory (because I recently tried my hand at writing a historical short story and thought I might learn from someone who's really good at it - this is a novel not a short story, so I'll be looking for how she handled the time period)
Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire (because I love the author's October Daye series and hadn't seen this one before)
Clearly I have a bias towards fantasy & paranormal. I figure if I want real-life drama, I'll go to work. When I read, I want something fun, something that takes me out of the real world. And if you follow me on twitter, you'll know I frequently tweet that it's raining in Seattle, so I should have plenty of time to lounge around with a book or my Kindle in my hands.
Not exactly
The problem is I'd need about 37 hours in a day to get to all the books I want to read.
But I will get to as many of these as I can - along with the 60 or so other books on my Kindle, and the stacks of books around the nightstand in my bedroom. Because there was something about each one that intrigued me. I know how much time and effort went into the creation of every last one, and I may not end up liking all of them, but I appreciate the fact that someone had something to say, and they put it down on paper. Or, e-paper, for us modern kids.
Peace,
Liv
(photo from Cavalier)
Hmm...it's Monday evening, which kind of puts an interesting slant on the blog post title. I'm looking around the living room, wondering if anyone's fed the cats and if it's time to take the white tulips that were so pretty on St Patrick's Day and lay them to rest in the compost heap (YES!). One kid is practicing her cello & the other is off with the husband at a Boy Scout meeting. I can hear the pink cat clock ticking and the G-scale, over & over again...
Kit-Kat Clock
All of which has left me in a contemplative mood, though it's possible a severe case of sleep deprivation and the lovely glass of Hedges pinot grigio at my side is helping that along. I've read a whole lot of blogs over the last couple of weeks, and, while my evaluative faculties might be a little foggy. I thought I'd pass along a few that were worth a second look.
(You guys would totally laugh if you could see how long it's taking me to get this post done. I keep getting distracted by FB & Twitter & Pinterest. Sigh.)
Back on task. The first post I want you to check out is from blogger and writer Sidney Bristol. She and her friend Suzan are doing a series of posts in which they share their on-line dating ups & downs. And it's mostly downs, if this post is any indication.
Be careful out there, ladies. Sidney Bristol's Flirty Fridays
Next, you should definitely check out Proudly Paranormal, Baby!, by blogger and writer Adriana Ryan. Not only did she coordinate the Proudly Paranormal Blog Hop, which was a whole lot of fun for everyone involved, she's celebrating the release of Her Heart's Desire. It's her first book, and looks like a great read.
For those of you who were paying attention, the interwebs have been buzzing with talk about employers who are demanding Facebook log-ins as a precondition of employment. Check out my friend Amanda's take on the subject, in her post Privacy? What's that?
Then here's a link for those of you who never met a four-letter-word you didn't like. The author describes what it's like to go back and take the SAT as an adult. It's killer funny, but it does make me feel kinda guilty for putting the daughter through the private-school testing rigamarole. And of course, she doesn't know any of those words....
What happens when a 35-year-old man retakes the SAT?
And finally, you'll have to indulge me a little by checking out a link to my very favorite Pinterest board, Johnny Depp & Stuff ... The common denominator is magic. Yes, it's my own board, but I gave it a tag-line that I really like, and I found some really cool pins in the last couple weeks. Give it a look, and follow along if you like it.
Peace,
Liv
Johnny Depp in Black & White
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But I will get to as many of these as I can - along with the 60 or so other books on my Kindle, and the stacks of books around the nightstand in my bedroom. Because there was something about each one that intrigued me. I know how much time and effort went into the creation of every last one, and I may not end up liking all of them, but I appreciate the fact that someone had something to say, and they put it down on paper. Or, e-paper, for us modern kids.
