December 31, 2009 is here and I only read 92 books this year, so I missed my 100-book Challenge. Most of what I read turned out to be nonfiction writing guides or other research for my novel-in-progress. Since TGAN (now "officially" titled Don't Trust the Rain) is set in Civil War New Orleans, my four memoirs for the "In Their Shoes" Challenge didn't get read either, much less the mysteries for the "On the Porch Swing" Challenge.
Usually, not succeeding in something like this--even though it was voluntary and "for fun"--would depress me tremendously. This year, it has not. Whether I am finally maturing in my attitudes (at 54, one would think I was already mature) or whether I am simply loving myself more these days I cannot say. Perhaps both, with a healthy dose of Hacuna Matata and Que Sera Sera thrown in for good measure.
Just for today, I choose to close out the old year celebrating my accomplishments and not dwelling on what could have been done better. After all, writing 50,000 words in November despite what life threw my way was a tremendous feat. I did take a short break, but am back to writing on a regular basis.
I also started crafting regularly again, enough so that I re-established my sales relationship with Stampin' Up! Not a lot of customers yet, but I joined primarily to collect their products at a discount and have fun using quality papers, inks and stamps. Therefore, this venture is successful and can only grow from here. For a personal challenge this coming year, I want to post at least a card or project here a month that uses exclusively SU! components.
And I posted much less here than I would have liked. I missed opportunities to post my reviews of several fantastic books and even better movies (you HAVE to see "Sherlock Holmes" by the way, and they simply MUST make a sequel--preferably with Jason Isaacs or Ewan McGregor as Professor Moriarity; but I digress once more LOL).
So, I'll end the decade on a positive note--I have a wonderful job and two fantastic avocations that are supported financially by the wonderful job. I have my health. I have great friends who support not only my paper crafting but my writing, and who even (usually) tolerate my reduce/reuse/recycle idealogies.
Here's a final toast to 2009--Thank you for the opportunities to learn and grow and develop into a better person! Challenges are simply ways of expanding my horizons.
This is a post to look back; tomorrow I will move forward. Lots of exciting plans so check back often.
Showing posts with label 2009 Reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009 Reading. Show all posts
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
2009 Reading Challenges Update
Sure haven't had as much time to read this year as I thought I would. My recent devouring of "An Echo In The Bone" by Diana Gabaldon should receive a post of its very own (out of a 5-star rating, it gets a 9 LOL!) but in the interest of time, I'll confine this post to its titled topic--an update of where I am with my challenges with less than three months left in the year.
For the 100-book challenge, I have read 89. I've spent many reading hours this year with young adult series (I have felt the need for light, amusing reading with a moral tone). Angie Sage's Septimus Heap series has become a new favorite series and I loved "The Chronicles of Narnia" earlier this year--how had I missed those as a child?
Daisy Dalrymple amused me five times so far this year with her spunky way of solving a cozy mystery. One of her volumes solved the "book with summer/winter in the title" part of my "On The Porch Swing" Reading Challenge.
Many of my other 2009 reads thus far have been non-fiction: various writing guides, New Orleans history and geography books, and extensive Civil War research. All the writers I admire do the research necessary to have their settings and characters make sense. If I ever want to be published, I need to follow that example.
I have writing guides from two of my favorite authors (Terry Brooks and Janet Evanovich) and a memoir from Rita Mae Brown (another of my favorites). I'm wanting to count these as my other three memoirs for the "In Their Shoes" Challenge--I know the writing guides may be stretching the point a bit, but they do include biographical info along with explaining how they craft their books. Sounds autobiographical to me LOL!
So, I guess it is time to stop posting and start reading maybe???
For the 100-book challenge, I have read 89. I've spent many reading hours this year with young adult series (I have felt the need for light, amusing reading with a moral tone). Angie Sage's Septimus Heap series has become a new favorite series and I loved "The Chronicles of Narnia" earlier this year--how had I missed those as a child?
Daisy Dalrymple amused me five times so far this year with her spunky way of solving a cozy mystery. One of her volumes solved the "book with summer/winter in the title" part of my "On The Porch Swing" Reading Challenge.
Many of my other 2009 reads thus far have been non-fiction: various writing guides, New Orleans history and geography books, and extensive Civil War research. All the writers I admire do the research necessary to have their settings and characters make sense. If I ever want to be published, I need to follow that example.
I have writing guides from two of my favorite authors (Terry Brooks and Janet Evanovich) and a memoir from Rita Mae Brown (another of my favorites). I'm wanting to count these as my other three memoirs for the "In Their Shoes" Challenge--I know the writing guides may be stretching the point a bit, but they do include biographical info along with explaining how they craft their books. Sounds autobiographical to me LOL!
So, I guess it is time to stop posting and start reading maybe???
Friday, September 18, 2009
Mystery Lover's Kitchen
Okay, ya'll already know I love food (one look at me and I could never deny that fact LOL). Most of you know I am also a coffee addict, and anyone who has read my blog knows I love to read...so, what could be better than a blog that combines all three??? Cleo Coyle writes the Village Blend mystery series and they have a permanent spot on my keeper shelf. (She also writes another of my favorite series under her nom de plume Alice Kimberly; this set stars a ghostly PI who resides in a bookstore).
Not only is Cleo giving away a free excerpt of her soon-to-be-released Holiday Blend; signing up for her newsletter enters you into a weekly drawing for free coffee.
Then, a link sent me off to Mystery Lover's Kitchen...all the writers share their recipes and their links to their websites and other blogs they love. Go check it out, but beware, you'll want to eat and drink while reading LOL!
Not only is Cleo giving away a free excerpt of her soon-to-be-released Holiday Blend; signing up for her newsletter enters you into a weekly drawing for free coffee.
Then, a link sent me off to Mystery Lover's Kitchen...all the writers share their recipes and their links to their websites and other blogs they love. Go check it out, but beware, you'll want to eat and drink while reading LOL!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Dumb and Dumber--Where does it Stop?
Please help start a movement to save the English language!
Most of my friends are 40+ and I enjoy surrounding myself with people who read and enjoy the arts. Call us "old fogeys" if you will, but we enjoy intellectual discussion on many varied topics. Several of us will start reading a novel and get so engrossed with some aspect of the setting or timeline that we will head to the nearest encyclopedia for a deeper understanding.
Recently, we have noticed more slang in printed works. Slang has a place in creating characters or moods, but too much of an okay thing is not at all right. Then we began to notice books in which computer proofing caused grammar errors--"two" for "too" or "to"; "their" being used for "there" and vice-versa--need I go on?
And I could truly rant about the obnoxious spelling present in "tweets", text-messages and e-mails. What started as a few emoticons in e-mails from one friend to another has begun to steamroll into blatant disregard--even in professional environs--for intelligent written communication.
A noted magazine geared towards writers is having a lively discussion through the letters to the editor due to a contest-winning entry that could have benefited from better grammar and punctuation.
The editorial column in volume 11, issue 4 of North and South explains my angst much more coherently than I; please find a copy and read it.
Our President has challenged us to learn and to value education no matter our age. If we are to meet all the challenges inherent in keeping the United States as a world power throughout the next decades, we must be able to communicate. Writing, whether on paper or electronically produced, must make clear sense to those who read and act upon what was written. Creativity is transmitted best when it is concise and readable. This is true when talking to my boss. It is true when writing a blog post. It is true when discussing possible solutions to financial problems, global warming, cessation of hostilities across the world--imagine diplomacy without precise translation from one language to another...
I have forgotten grammar, syntax, and spelling more often than I care to admit, and this aspiring writer knows she will never be the next J.K. Rowling, Lincoln Childs, Diana Gabaldon or Kathy Lynn Emerson. I pray however, that my inevitable rejection letters will not come because of spelling or sloppy sentence structure.
I refuse to "dumb down" to increase my audience. Each day brings us another opportunity to stretch our imaginations and increase our communication skills, and I refuse to believe I am alone in holding true to traditional ideals of language. Our young people will rise to a challenge if we require it as we have in the past. They have begun to read again thanks to "Twilight" and "Harry Potter". Now we need to encourage them to write (thanks Christopher Paolini for proving it can be done!).
Most of my friends are 40+ and I enjoy surrounding myself with people who read and enjoy the arts. Call us "old fogeys" if you will, but we enjoy intellectual discussion on many varied topics. Several of us will start reading a novel and get so engrossed with some aspect of the setting or timeline that we will head to the nearest encyclopedia for a deeper understanding.
Recently, we have noticed more slang in printed works. Slang has a place in creating characters or moods, but too much of an okay thing is not at all right. Then we began to notice books in which computer proofing caused grammar errors--"two" for "too" or "to"; "their" being used for "there" and vice-versa--need I go on?
And I could truly rant about the obnoxious spelling present in "tweets", text-messages and e-mails. What started as a few emoticons in e-mails from one friend to another has begun to steamroll into blatant disregard--even in professional environs--for intelligent written communication.
A noted magazine geared towards writers is having a lively discussion through the letters to the editor due to a contest-winning entry that could have benefited from better grammar and punctuation.
The editorial column in volume 11, issue 4 of North and South explains my angst much more coherently than I; please find a copy and read it.
Our President has challenged us to learn and to value education no matter our age. If we are to meet all the challenges inherent in keeping the United States as a world power throughout the next decades, we must be able to communicate. Writing, whether on paper or electronically produced, must make clear sense to those who read and act upon what was written. Creativity is transmitted best when it is concise and readable. This is true when talking to my boss. It is true when writing a blog post. It is true when discussing possible solutions to financial problems, global warming, cessation of hostilities across the world--imagine diplomacy without precise translation from one language to another...
I have forgotten grammar, syntax, and spelling more often than I care to admit, and this aspiring writer knows she will never be the next J.K. Rowling, Lincoln Childs, Diana Gabaldon or Kathy Lynn Emerson. I pray however, that my inevitable rejection letters will not come because of spelling or sloppy sentence structure.
I refuse to "dumb down" to increase my audience. Each day brings us another opportunity to stretch our imaginations and increase our communication skills, and I refuse to believe I am alone in holding true to traditional ideals of language. Our young people will rise to a challenge if we require it as we have in the past. They have begun to read again thanks to "Twilight" and "Harry Potter". Now we need to encourage them to write (thanks Christopher Paolini for proving it can be done!).
Monday, June 22, 2009
Reading Challenges Progress Report
Where has 2009 gone? We are almost halfway through, so I decided I had better look at my progress towards fulfilling my various reading challenges for 2009.
First things first--not counting the three new word guides/dictionaries that now reside very close to hand, I have read a total of 55 books so far. Some have been oriented towards paper crafts or studio design; others have been writing guides or computer software manuals. Several have been non-fiction on United States history or geography as I have continued my research for TGAN (aka The Great American Novel). A few have been on healthy eating and the dreaded four-letter word, "diet" (which should be a word more associated with healthy eating in general and less connected with weight-loss; but I digress....)
So, on to the specific challenges--here's what I have read and what is left for the second half of the year:
"On The Porch Swing" Challenge
1) A book with Married/Marriage/Marrying in the title: (this is not my normal genre, so I may have to really search the library for this one)
2) A book with Friends/Friendship in the title: (a similar situation as #1)
3) A book with Summer/Winter in the title: (well, looks as if I really need to study the card catalog LOL!)
4) A book with a Flower Name in the title: (I have some of Kate Collins' Flower Shop series of cozy mysteries in my TBR mountain and they are quite enjoyable, so this is doable soon)
"In Their Shoes" Challenge (this is any four memoirs)
1) "Harry, A History"
2) TBD
3) TBD
4) TBD
I actually have several memoirs here to choose from so this challenge will be met as long as I make the time to read...
"Mystery Reader Cafe" Challenge
1) A book with Murder in the title: "Maid for Murder"
2) A book set in my region: (I haven't quite decided how narrow my geographic area will be for this one; if I use something set in Texas, I have a couple of Susan Wittig Albert's great China Bayles series here that have not yet been read--although I was hoping to collect the whole series first. I believe there is also a debutante series set here in Dallas that while cute, don't seem to be keepers, so one of those may be my choice here)
3) A book that has been on my TBR shelf/mountain at least a year: (I have at least 100+ to choose from for this part of the challenge)
4) A book from a "new to you" author: "Wreath of Deception"
If all the links work right, my PBSwap reviews should show up for the few books that have met individual challenges. My friends tell me I work too hard and play too little, so I should read more for fun I suppose. Out of the 55 titles read so far this year, there have been "fun" titles: The Star Wars Trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia (all seven volumes), three of the four Twilight books...and of course, before July 15, I simply must re-read Harry Potter 5 - 7 so I am ready for the new movie LOL!
First things first--not counting the three new word guides/dictionaries that now reside very close to hand, I have read a total of 55 books so far. Some have been oriented towards paper crafts or studio design; others have been writing guides or computer software manuals. Several have been non-fiction on United States history or geography as I have continued my research for TGAN (aka The Great American Novel). A few have been on healthy eating and the dreaded four-letter word, "diet" (which should be a word more associated with healthy eating in general and less connected with weight-loss; but I digress....)
So, on to the specific challenges--here's what I have read and what is left for the second half of the year:
"On The Porch Swing" Challenge
1) A book with Married/Marriage/Marrying in the title: (this is not my normal genre, so I may have to really search the library for this one)
2) A book with Friends/Friendship in the title: (a similar situation as #1)
3) A book with Summer/Winter in the title: (well, looks as if I really need to study the card catalog LOL!)
4) A book with a Flower Name in the title: (I have some of Kate Collins' Flower Shop series of cozy mysteries in my TBR mountain and they are quite enjoyable, so this is doable soon)
"In Their Shoes" Challenge (this is any four memoirs)
1) "Harry, A History"
2) TBD
3) TBD
4) TBD
I actually have several memoirs here to choose from so this challenge will be met as long as I make the time to read...
"Mystery Reader Cafe" Challenge
1) A book with Murder in the title: "Maid for Murder"
2) A book set in my region: (I haven't quite decided how narrow my geographic area will be for this one; if I use something set in Texas, I have a couple of Susan Wittig Albert's great China Bayles series here that have not yet been read--although I was hoping to collect the whole series first. I believe there is also a debutante series set here in Dallas that while cute, don't seem to be keepers, so one of those may be my choice here)
3) A book that has been on my TBR shelf/mountain at least a year: (I have at least 100+ to choose from for this part of the challenge)
4) A book from a "new to you" author: "Wreath of Deception"
If all the links work right, my PBSwap reviews should show up for the few books that have met individual challenges. My friends tell me I work too hard and play too little, so I should read more for fun I suppose. Out of the 55 titles read so far this year, there have been "fun" titles: The Star Wars Trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia (all seven volumes), three of the four Twilight books...and of course, before July 15, I simply must re-read Harry Potter 5 - 7 so I am ready for the new movie LOL!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Yet Another Reading Challenge
Just what I need for all my "free" time...another Reading Challenge! This one is from one of my Yahoo Groups, and since it is short and sweet (only four books in a year), I should be able to finish it off (imagine a wink and a grin here, dear reader).1. Read a mystery with the word "murder" in the title
2. Read a mystery set in your region
3. Read a mystery that has been on your shelf for at least a year
4. Read a mystery from a "new to you" author
I love reading the blog this came from...and I admire greatly the amount of time the author devotes not only to her blog, but to her many Yahoo reading groups...please go enjoy yourself at http://anotherbookonthestack.blogspot.com/
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Paperback Swap is Fantastic!
Please, if you are a voracious reader, go spend some time at PBS 
I love this place (and so does my pocketbook LOL!) Music lovers can also join Swap-A-CD and video buffs have Swap-A-DVD. I've just joined the DVD site as well, although I seldom buy DVD's that aren't for my keeper shelf. They have a great selection and an intriguing way of managing your Wish List. We hope you join us at one or all of these sites!
I love this place (and so does my pocketbook LOL!) Music lovers can also join Swap-A-CD and video buffs have Swap-A-DVD. I've just joined the DVD site as well, although I seldom buy DVD's that aren't for my keeper shelf. They have a great selection and an intriguing way of managing your Wish List. We hope you join us at one or all of these sites!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Fate of the Jedi
I have been remiss in not sharing my deep abiding love for all things Jedi. Perhaps my personally eclectic belief system feels a deep resonance with The Force, or perhaps I just love old-fashioned serial adventure stories, but Star Wars has become an often-visited alternate universe for me for several decades.
Unfortunately, until now, my travels to Tatooine, Courescant, and Endor have all been courtesy of video. I am quite ashamed to admit that reading the serials has never been a priority. Somehow, I keep hearing my mother's rather inane refrain that good girls did not read books written for boys. Mother, prepare to roll over in whatever domain you now inhabit--I intend to read Star Wars! As great as the newest chronicles look, I'm actually going to start with the original trilogy and move backwards and forwards as necessary--The Han Solo Trilogy, Lando Calrissian's tales, Luke's rebuilding of the Jedi Order...I have skirted around these for quite some time as I instinctively know I will want to collect them all and my apartment is already somewhat overrun with books.
So, since I have the Trilogy, I shall begin. Expect my book postings to be of this overall genre for a while--science fiction and fantasy will make a wonderful distraction from my novel research and the topics and styles differ enough from mystery that my novel's plot line shouldn't receive undue influence. (Stay tuned for more postings on learning to craft a novel--that is also a tremendous learning experience).
Unfortunately, until now, my travels to Tatooine, Courescant, and Endor have all been courtesy of video. I am quite ashamed to admit that reading the serials has never been a priority. Somehow, I keep hearing my mother's rather inane refrain that good girls did not read books written for boys. Mother, prepare to roll over in whatever domain you now inhabit--I intend to read Star Wars! As great as the newest chronicles look, I'm actually going to start with the original trilogy and move backwards and forwards as necessary--The Han Solo Trilogy, Lando Calrissian's tales, Luke's rebuilding of the Jedi Order...I have skirted around these for quite some time as I instinctively know I will want to collect them all and my apartment is already somewhat overrun with books.
So, since I have the Trilogy, I shall begin. Expect my book postings to be of this overall genre for a while--science fiction and fantasy will make a wonderful distraction from my novel research and the topics and styles differ enough from mystery that my novel's plot line shouldn't receive undue influence. (Stay tuned for more postings on learning to craft a novel--that is also a tremendous learning experience).
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Yet Another Challenge
Do you think I set my sights too high? Well, with this one, maybe not so much...
I ended up reading 125 books in 2008, so I am again joining the 100 Book Reading Challenge for 2009 (see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/100bookchallenge for details). These can be any genre and believe me, mine last year ran the gamut from self-help to crafting to sci-fi and fantasy. I enjoyed many cozy mysteries and added some time-travel and historical fiction to my "keeper" pile as well. Since my TBR mountain now numbers 655 volumes, I hope that 100+ will decrease that pile somewhat this year (I guess it would decrease even more if I would quit adding to it on an almost weekly basis LOL!)
This year has started well--eight books have been read so far (three were devoured--thank you Stephenie Meyer and your Twilight series!) I know I am not yet too old (and hope I never am) to read fiction targeted to young adults; after all, I read Tolkein's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings annually (and do not count those volumes in the 100-book challenge) and have started doing so with the Harry Potter series as well. I also do not count my annual re-read of the Outlander series; that pleasure is akin to vacationing at the same favorite location each year.
I ended up reading 125 books in 2008, so I am again joining the 100 Book Reading Challenge for 2009 (see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/100bookchallenge for details). These can be any genre and believe me, mine last year ran the gamut from self-help to crafting to sci-fi and fantasy. I enjoyed many cozy mysteries and added some time-travel and historical fiction to my "keeper" pile as well. Since my TBR mountain now numbers 655 volumes, I hope that 100+ will decrease that pile somewhat this year (I guess it would decrease even more if I would quit adding to it on an almost weekly basis LOL!)
This year has started well--eight books have been read so far (three were devoured--thank you Stephenie Meyer and your Twilight series!) I know I am not yet too old (and hope I never am) to read fiction targeted to young adults; after all, I read Tolkein's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings annually (and do not count those volumes in the 100-book challenge) and have started doing so with the Harry Potter series as well. I also do not count my annual re-read of the Outlander series; that pleasure is akin to vacationing at the same favorite location each year.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Musing about Meyer
What can I say about Stephenie Meyer? Not much on the surface--I had to find her website to link to this post and haven't had a lot of time to explore it as of yet... http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/
I can talk about Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse however. Rarely do I add to my annual re-read list (friends say that if I keep re-reading the same books annually, I will sooner or later never get around to reading anything new LOL!) The Twilight series will become an annual re-read, even without having the privilege as yet of reading Breaking Dawn.
My dear BFF Ruth asked how I could read about vampires and still hate horror movies. Meyer, perhaps because of her targeted young adult audience, brilliantly walks the sometimes fine line between suspense and horror very gracefully. She kept me laughing and crying while sitting on the edge of my seat--pure, unadulterated, escapism entertainment. I remember being so very like Bella in high school--totally unaware of my true gifts and wanting desperately to fit in somewhere. I knew mean girls and dorky guys. A writer who can bring those memories to the surface again for me more than three decades after I left high school has true talent in captivating a wide audience.
Ms. Meyer, thank you for treating Native Americans with dignity and respecting their belief systems. Thank you for showing teens that sex and drugs are not foremost in every teenager's mind. Thank you for showing dedication of purpose and adherence to moral ideas. Thank you for showing that actions have consequences. Thank you for writing Twilight.
I can talk about Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse however. Rarely do I add to my annual re-read list (friends say that if I keep re-reading the same books annually, I will sooner or later never get around to reading anything new LOL!) The Twilight series will become an annual re-read, even without having the privilege as yet of reading Breaking Dawn.
My dear BFF Ruth asked how I could read about vampires and still hate horror movies. Meyer, perhaps because of her targeted young adult audience, brilliantly walks the sometimes fine line between suspense and horror very gracefully. She kept me laughing and crying while sitting on the edge of my seat--pure, unadulterated, escapism entertainment. I remember being so very like Bella in high school--totally unaware of my true gifts and wanting desperately to fit in somewhere. I knew mean girls and dorky guys. A writer who can bring those memories to the surface again for me more than three decades after I left high school has true talent in captivating a wide audience.
Ms. Meyer, thank you for treating Native Americans with dignity and respecting their belief systems. Thank you for showing teens that sex and drugs are not foremost in every teenager's mind. Thank you for showing dedication of purpose and adherence to moral ideas. Thank you for showing that actions have consequences. Thank you for writing Twilight.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2009 On The Porch Swing Reading Challenge
Each challenge should be a different book.
1. Pick a title with the word "marriage" or "marrying" or "married" in it
2. Pick a title with the word "friends" or "friendship" in it
3. Pick a title with the word "summer" or "winter" in it
4. Pick a title with a flower name in it
I haven't decided yet if these will be historicals, mysteries, non-fiction, or fantasy or a mish-mash of genres...but I love this woman's challenges (her blog is fascinating too, so click on my post title and take a peek; she's the genius behind this graphic!)...Paperback Swap, here I come!
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4)
In Their Shoes Reading Challenge 2009
a challenge for memoirs through the Yahoo "On the Porch Swing" reading group (click my title for the group manager's blog; she's the artist behind this wonderful graphic)...
"Memoir" is defined by Merriam-Webster's online dictionary as a narrative composed from personal experience.
Read 4 MEMOIRS in 2009 and you have met the challenge!
Watch this space for updates...and join me if you would like!
1) Harry, A History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon (Paperback) http://www.harryahistory.com/
Yes, I am a devoted Harry Potter fan and love reading The Leaky Cauldron, http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/ so when I learned Ms. Anelli was writing about her experiences inside the HP phenomenon, I knew I would be anxiously awaiting her book.
Just as I laughed and cried at Harry, Ron, Hermione and all the others, I laughed and cried with Melissa and Emerson and John and Jo. An aspiring writer myself, Ms. Anelli's way of sucking us in to her doubts and her dreams had me reading long into the night. 4.75/5
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