Audiobook Midweek Meme

Current/most recent audiobook: Last night I finished WHEN THE KILLING'S DONE, by TC Boyle.

Impressions: This is a book I need to review ASAP.  I loved the last book that I listened to by this author - THE TORTILLA CURTAIN (mini review here) - and was very excited about this one, but I ended up being disappointed by some of the choices the author made.  I'll explain more when I review it, hopefully within the week.


Current favorite audiobook: This is a hard one!


One narrator who always makes you choose audio over print: I love George Guidall for historical fiction, Katherine Kellgren is fantastic for accents, David Case for British books, and I could go on an on ...


Genre you most often choose to listen to: I really like non-fiction in audio but I can't say that I listen to more of that than anything else.  The genres of the last few books I listened to were: fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, historical fiction, and paranormal.


If given the choice, you will always choose audio when: I love the narrator, or when I know I'll be doing lots of chores or driving and won't have a lot of time to read.


If given the choice, you will always choose print when: I always check who the narrator is before deciding to listen to a book, and if the narrator is one I don't like I'll always get the book in print.


For more on Audiobook Week, click here.

Get Caught Reading - on the bookstore floor

November 5, 2010

Books-A-Million in Hanover, MD

reading my brand new copy of Towers of Midnight

(by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson)

sitting on the floor, surrounded by 250+ fans of the series, waiting 

in line to get our books signed by Brandon Sanderson

and Harriet Rigney (Jordan's widow and editor)

Get Caught Reading is a Sunday meme hosted by Miss Remmers' Review

Get Caught Reading - me at the beach

September 18, 2010

enjoying one of the last warm days of the summer
Ocean City, Maryland
re-reading an excellent book

Get Caught Reading is a Sunday meme hosted by Miss Remmers' Review

Get Caught Reading - kiddo on vacation

 September 17, 2010

The minute we arrived at the beach house for our last summer getaway, Kiddo, my formerly reluctant reader, hopped on the couch and flipped open his book.  This has NEVER happened before.  Needless to say, I was excited.  What book captured his attention?  How To Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell.

Get Caught Reading is a Sunday meme hosted by Miss Remmers' Review

Audiobook Week: a short meme

We've hit the midpoint of audiobook week - yay!

To take part in today's short meme, fill in the answers on your blog add your post to the Mr. Linky at Devourer of Books.




Audiobook are you currently reading/you read most recently: THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, by Kenneth Grahame, and also THE THINGS THEY CARRIED, by Tim O'Brien

Impressions?: WILLOWS is ok - I'm listening to it because I never read it as a child and wanted to know what it is all about.  I can't say anything about THINGS yet because I've only just started listening.

How long you’ve been listening to audiobooks: For as long as I can remember, probably since I was a child.

First audiobook you ever listened to: I have no idea ... I've been listening for longer than I can remember!

Favorite audiobook title: I can't pick just one ... I love the audio of the Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell (I reviewed one of them today).  THE HORSE BOY by Rupert Isaacson was very powerful to experience as an audiobook, and I definitely got more out of it than I would had I read it.  I could go on and on ...

Favorite narrator: I don't have a favorite but there are a few who I seem to listen to more than any others, George Guidall being the most common. Lisette Lecat did a wonderful job with the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency.  And I love the work that Michael Kramer and Kate Redding do on Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series; with 14 books at approximately 30 hours each, I've spend a long, LONG time with their voices.

How do you choose what to listen to versus read? I go with whatever is available at my library, unless there is a strong reason to choose the print version over the audio version.  Also, there is one particular narrator who I dislike so much that I won't listen to any books he works on, so that influences my decision as well.

3 Books That Make Me Long For Warmer Weather

Every week Lost In Books chooses a new topic and asks bloggers to chime in with three books that fit. This week's topic really caught my attention since I'm quite sick of all the snow and cold weather we've had in Maryland.

3 Books That Make Me Long For Warmer Weather

1. Dune, by Frank Herbert - This book, set on the desert planet of Arrakis, always makes me appreciate the way that people (even made-up ones) can adapt to any environment they find themselves in. I have fond memories of this book from my growing-up years and I'm hoping to do a re-read this year.
   
   
2. Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson - What is not to love about this rollicking pirate adventure? It makes me want to be marooned on a tropical island ... albeit without the pirates. I read and reread this book many times in my middle school days.
   
   
3. O Jerusalem, by Laurie R. King - This book is part of the Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes series that I love so much. It is set in the Middle East and really made me appreciate the climate and the cultures of the area.

That's my list ... which book would YOU choose? Feel free to share in the comments or hop over to Lost In Books and join in there.

Kids Picks: Kiddo's Library Books

The 3rd Tuesday of the month is Kids' Picks at 5 Minutes For Books. Just for fun I thought I'd share with you the list of books Kiddo currently has out from the library. For those new to my blog, Kiddo is in 2nd grade, will be 8 in a few days, and is a very reluctant reader.

~ Kiddo's Library Books ~

See if you can figure out what prompted the choice of these first four books ...

• Mythology: the gods, heroes, and monsters of ancient Greece, by Hestia Evans
• Mythological creatures: a classical bestiary : tales of strange beings, fabulous creatures, fearsome beasts, & hideous monsters from ancient Greek mythology, by Lynn Curlee
• Oh my gods!: a look-it-up guide to the gods of mythology, by Megan E. Bryant
• Pegasus, the flying horse, Jane Yolen

If you guessed that our current read-together book is one of the Percy Jackson series, you'd be correct. We are working on book 3, THE TITAN'S CURSE. We took a break from it in December to read A CHRISTMAS CAROL but now we're getting back into Percy's adventure. As far as the books listed above go, Kiddo browses them more than he reads them. But I'll take what I can get.

Kiddo also checked out his favorite "backpack book kit", Stellaluna, by Janell Cannon. The backpack includes the book, a plush Stellaluna, an audio recording of the book, and a Stellaluna puzzle. I've lost count of how many times we've checked this kit out over the years. This time I told Kiddo he had to read me the story himself. He read half of it to me so far; hopefully he'll read the other half this weekend.

In addition, Kiddo checked out one book from his school's library. That book is Wayne Gretzky: Hockey Star, by Heather Feldman. He chose this one from the school library because (as you know) he is a huge hockey fan. This book is below his reading level BUT he really WANTS to read it (*gasp*) and that is a huge thing for him. He actually volunteered to read it to me not once but twice, and he's read it to Hubby at least once too. I'll take that!


I don't have a "library rules" for Kiddo - I let him check out pretty much whatever he wants. You never know what he's going to find (or ask me to search the computer for) when we visit the library!

I Read It!: Volsungasaga

Today is I Read It! day at 5 Minutes for Books. The idea is to share about a book that you read because of someone else's recommendation. I do that all the time here on my blog but I thought it would be fun to share about this particular book.

Volsungasaga

author unknown
65 typed pages/approx. 120 book pages
translated from ancient Danish (I think)

What is it? The Volsungasaga is an ancient Norse epic that tells the tale of the warrior Volsung, who was the grandson of the god Odin, and of Volsung's descendants. Learn more about it at Wikipedia.

Where did I hear about it? At the Bookworms Carnival on Mythology hosted by Things Mean A Lot of course! 5-Squared posted a fabulous review of this epic that really caught my attention. In fact, it is much better than my review so I suggest you go check it out.

Why did I read it? After 5-Squared's review, I knew I had to check this out at some point. And since I still needed to read a few more books for the Really Old Classics Challenge I decided to search out a copy of the Volsungasaga and dive right in.

So, what did I think about it? That is a tricky question. Part of me enjoyed reading this epic but the rest of me alternated between irritated, confused, and horrified.

• ENJOYED - I love the "Saxon Chronicles" series by Bernard Cornwell. One of the main features of that series is the Danish characters, mostly warriors, who invade Britain. This epic reminded me of many of my favorite characters from that series and filled in some of their mythological history, further fleshing out their stories.
  
• IRRITATED - When I was in the middle of the story Kiddo asked me about the book and I told him it was basically a story about a bunch of people who are constantly out to get revenge on each other for some murder or another. I told him that I was surprised there were any people left at all, what with all the slaying that was going on. Apparently I spoke to soon; the story ends when all of Volsung's descendants have finally been killed off.
• CONFUSED - I read the translation provided online by the Online Medieval and Classical Library. I don't know if there is another version out there but this was the only one I could find and it really didn't work for me. Imagine reading something like the King James version of the Bible but with tons of outdated words and others with unique spelling or definitions that don't match up to modern language. I did eventually get used to it but I'm sure there are parts of the story I missed out on because I didn't understand all the language.
  
• HORRIFIED - I know that times were different back then and that the mortality rate among children was very high, but did these women seriously have NO maternal instincts?! I can't recall how many times in the story a mother had her own children killed for some ridiculous reason. In a way it reminded me of the play MEDEA which I read last month. In other ways it reminded me of the books I've read about Sparta, about how mothers expected their sons to be extremely tough and were ashamed of them if they were not. But seriously, NO maternal protectiveness or anything?! I am so glad I didn't live back then ...

I expected this story to be like THE ILIAD and THE ODYSSEY, a story that lends itself to the art of storytelling. With those two epics, I feel like I can hear the storyteller spinning his tales to an attentive crowd gathered around a fire. The VOLSUNGASAGA was very different. The parts of the story are very disjointed, nothing flows together. And I can't imagine listening to this around a fire ... it was more like a history lesson to be learned while sitting at a desk.

In the end ... Looking back over this review you'd think I hated this book. Actually, I didn't. I didn't love it, but I do think it was worth reading. Plus I made some interesting (sometimes amusing) connections while reading it. For example:

• The references to Norse gods Odin and Loki kept reminding me of Stargate SG1. They explained the Norse theology by saying a race of aliens actually started it. Here's an image of Loki from SG1 - I LOVED those little grey guys, especially Thor! And here's a video of Thor if you want to check him out.
  
• Brynhild was a warrior woman who slept for a very long time before being awoken by the warrior Sigurd. This reminded me of the story of Sleeping Beauty. The two stories end quite differently though ...
• Ragnarok is the name for the end of time in Norse mythology. It was also a theme in the most recent Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes book, THE LANGUAGE OF BEES, by Laurie R. King (reviewed here).
• The descriptions of the dragon Fafnir and his treasure hoard reminded me of Tolkien's dragon Smaug from THE HOBBIT. And don't you just love Justin Gerard's Smaug? I kept imagining this image as I read about Fafnir.
  

So I can cross off another book for the ROC Challenge - yay!

I'm curious though ... have any of you actually read this or studied in back in your college days? I'd never even heard of it until 5-Squared's review - what about you?

My Favorite Reads: Swimming to Antarctica

Today I'd like to tell you about Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer, by Lynne Cox.

It is August 7, 1987, and I am swimming across the Bering Sea. I am somewhere near – or across – the U.S.-Soviet border. The water stings. It’s icy cold. My face feels as if it has been shot full of novocaine and it’s separating from my skull. It’s as if I’m swimming naked into a blizzard. My hands are numb, and they ache deep down through the bone. I can’t tell if they are pulling any water. They feel as though they are becoming detached from my body. I look down at them through the ash-colored water: they are splotchy and bluish white; they are the hands of a dead person. I take a tight, nervous breath. Suddenly it occurs to me that my life is escaping through my hands.

That is the very first sentence of the book - way to get the reader's attention, no? I read this book a few years ago, I think just before I started blogging, and I still remember parts of it very, VERY clearly.

I'm not into sports memoirs but I do have a fascination with the Polar regions, which is why I picked up this book. Lynne is an open-water, long-distance swimmer who has a "thing" for swimming in extremely cold water. It is simply amazing the things that she puts her body through BY CHOICE; I can't imagine being FORCED to do those things, letting alone volunteering.

The book chronicles her swimming career from the age of 9 when she chooses to stay in the freezing pool to swim while her teammates opt for 2 hours of calisthenics out of the water. Her first open water swim was from the San Diego shoreline over to Catalina Island; if I recall, she was a young teen at the time.

I found this book utterly fascinating. I loved reading about Lynne's training, her reasons for swimming, the research on hypothermia she helped with, and the amazing swims she completed. I'm definitely NOT inspired to do anything like this myself, but I loved reading about it all the same, and I think many of you would enjoy it as well.



My Favorite Reads is hosted by At Home With Books every Thursday. If you'd like to share a book that you read pre-blogging, please join in!

BBAW: Reading Meme

Today's Topic: A Reading Meme. Enjoy!

UPDATE: I've made it through about 100 of the interviews posted yesterday - if I haven't been to yours yet, don't worry - I'll get there!

• Do you snack while you read? No
• Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you? No writing in books, but only because I give them away when I finish reading.
• How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open? Whatever is handy – all of the above!
• Fiction, Non-fiction, or both? Both
• Hard copy or audiobooks? Both
• Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point? I can stop anywhere but chapter endings are helpful
• If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away? Nope
• What are you currently reading? Cranford (for the read-a-long) and A Thread of Grace (for an online book club), and listening to book 11 of The Wheel of Time (getting ready for the release of book 12 next month) and also Homer's Odyssey
  
• What is the last book you bought? Breaking Dawn (I simply couldn’t wait to borrow it, I had to have it right away) - UPDATE: yesterday Kiddo had me buy the newest Max and Liz book since it was on sale
  
• Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time? I have lots of books going in different places (my bedroom, my car, my office, etc.)
  
• Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read? Anytime/anyplace is good!
• Do you prefer series books or stand alone books? Stand alones in most genres, but series books in SciFi/Fantasy
  
• Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over? YES!!! Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible. Go read it RIGHT NOW!
• How do you organize your books? On my new shelf I have them sorted mostly by color. UPDATE: Since everyone seems to be amazed by this in the comment section, here's where I got the inspiration - doesn't it look great?! Mine isn't that nice yet but I'm hopeful ...
  

My Favorite Reads: books by Melanie Rawn

Welcome to the weekly event where we all talk about books that we loved before we started blogging. Click here to learn more about it. This week I'm talking about an author rather than a specific book ... (for previous favorites click here).

The Author: Melanie Rawn

The Books: two fantasy trilogies, The Dragon Prince series and The Dragon Star series, published between 1988 and 1994 - pages range from 480 to 776

What They Are About: I have to be honest and say that I can't remember the plot of these books. I remember a few specific events and themes, but that is about all. Here's what Amazon has to say about the first book: An arranged marriage between Prince Rohan of Stronghold and the "sunrunner" Sioned of Goddess Keep promises to bring a new kind of peace to a strife-torn land until the machinations of a self-serving High Prince plunge the world into war. Romance, intrigue, magic, and myth mingle freely in this first of a series that should appeal to readers of fantasy and epic romance.

Why I Love Them: I remember thinking that these books were different from the other fantasy I was reading. The magic system was unique and interesting and the dragons were different as well. My sister, my dad and I all devoured these books - the paperbacks were falling apart by the time we got through with them.

Other Thoughts: If I recall correctly, my sister and I saw someone reading one of these books on a plane and we talked to him about it. He highly recommended them, so we decided to read them (we were both huge fantasy fans). We both fell in love with these books right away.

Would I Recommend Them?: If you are a fantasy fan who also enjoys a bit of a love story thrown in, this is the book for you. It is different and exciting, and it isn't sappy or lovey-dovey.

Books In The Series: In case you are curious, here is a list of all the books in the two trilogies ...

DRAGON PRINCE SERIES:

1. Dragon Prince - Prince Rohan and Sioned, his wife and a Sunrunner witch, fight to save the last of the remaining dragons.
2. The Star Scroll - Rohan's son Pol grows to manhood...a foe vanquished ages ago gains strength...the only hope lay in the long lost Star Scroll.
3. Sunrunner's Fire - Spell wars set the land ablaze...dragons soar the skies, lured by magic's fiery call.

DRAGON STAR SERIES:

1. (A new cycle begins, generations unfold, and Fate displays a sick sense of humor.)
2. Stronghold - A generation of peace is about to be shattered as a seemingly unstoppable invasion force lays siege to High Prince Rohan's realm....
3. The Dragon Token - Is it too late for Prince Pol's troops and Lord Andry's Sunrunners to turn the tide of battle?
4. Skybowl -the conclusion of the series

My Favorite Reads is hosted by At Home With Books. All are welcome to participate so please join in!

BBAW is coming soon!

Book Blogger Appreciation Week is set for Sept. 14-18 this year and I can't wait! Not sure what I'm talking about? In short, BBAW is a time to celebrate book blogging around the world, find new blogs to love, and solidify blogger friendships. Learn all the details here (and subscribe to the BBAW blog here).

To help spread the word about why this is such a great event, there's a meme hosted by the BBAW blog about last year's experiences. Anyone who participated last year is welcome to do the meme, plus there are questions for bloggers who are new to BBAW this year.


Here are the questions for veterans, and my answers.

• What was the highlight (something that happened, a post, an activity, etc.) of BBAW for you last year? I was thrilled to be asked to give out two awards last year and even more thrilled to be nominated for an award. Although I didn't win the award for "Most Chatty Blog" I was beyond happy that my readers nominated me - it was sort of like a big hug from the blogosphere.
  

• What is one new blog you discovered during BBAW last year? One of the fun things last year was being paired up with another blogger and doing interviews of each other. That's how I met Anna, one of bloggers at OCD, Vampires, and Amusing Rants, oh my! I had never visited that blog before but now it is on my daily reading list. You can check out my interview of Anna here if you like - both she and I had lots of fun with it.
  

• What tips would you share to help others get the most out of their BBAW experience? First off, it is an overwhelming week. Last year I wasn't able to keep up with all the posts at all the various blogs. I'm thrilled that this year there is a dedicated BBAW blog - that should make things easier. But my advice would be to have fun with it. If you can't keep up, that's ok - just read the posts and do the activities that you DO have time for. Go along for the ride and you'll really enjoy yourself. Second I'd suggest remembering that (most) bloggers do what they do because they love it. But that doesn't mean you'll love every blog you visit. Find the ones that are compatible with you and add them to your reader - you'll be glad you did!

My Favorite Reads: Sarum

This weekly event, hosted by At Home With Books, is a place to remember and share books that we read before we started blogging. All are welcome to join!


The Book: Sarum: A Novel of England, by Edward Rutherford - published in 1988 - 1,056 pages

What It Is About: It is basically an overview of all of English history, focused on one particular place and several specific families. Here's a summary from Library Journal:

A first novel, Rutherfurd's sweeping saga of the area surrounding Stonehenge and Salisbury, England, covers 10,000 years and includes many generations of five families. Each family has one or more characteristic types who appear in successive centuries: the round-headed balding man who is good with his hands; the blue-eyed blonde woman who insists on having her independence; the dark, narrow-faced fisher of river waters and secrets. Their fortunes rise and fall both economically and politically, but the land triumphs over the passage of time and the ravages of humans. Rutherfurd has told the story of the land he was born in and has told it well. The verbosity of a Michener is missing, but all the other elements are present, from geology and archaeology to a rich story of human life. Highly recommended.

Why I Love It: I don't remember many of the specifics of this book but I do remember being enthralled with it. I loved how each family had its own characteristics that you could trace through the generations. And I remember learning so much history from this book while being entertained at the same time.

Other Thoughts: This book hadn't crossed my mind in many years. But when I saw Swapna's photos from her trip to England, specifically her visit to Sarum, I was immediately reminded of this book.

Would I Recommend It?: Those who enjoy historical fiction would likely enjoy this book. On Amazon.com it is shown as a Young Adult novel ... really? I was a young adult when I read it, but I was reading all sorts of books at the time so I can't say if this is an appropriate label or not. Regardless, it is epic in scope and fascinating to read.


For more of my before-blogging favorites click here.


*** Reminder: I'm giving away two copies of CW Gortner's wonderful novel THE LAST QUEEN. Click here for details! ***

Kid's Picks - July 21

This month for Kids' Picks I decided to do something a bit different. Rather than tell you what Kiddo has been reading I'm going to let him show you. Hope you enjoy his video!

By the way, I realize that it is really dark - it certainly didn't look that way when we made the video, but it is what it is. Next time I'll be sure to bring in some extra lights ....



Kids' Picks is hosted by 5 Minutes for Books. Go on over there - you're sure to find LOTS of great kids books every month!

*** Giveaway Reminder: I'm giving away a copy of THE LOCAL NEWS by Miriam Gershow - click here for details. ***

My Favorite Reads: Treasure Island

At Home With Books has a weekly meme where we can all talk about books we read and loved before we started blogging. Hope you enjoy my reminiscences!

The book: Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson - published in 1883 - 224 pages

What is is about: This is the story of young Jim Hawkins and his adventures with the pirate Long John Silver in his search for buried treasure.

Why I love it: This is an adventure story meant to be enjoyed by children but it is not "just" a kids story. There is fun and adventure, yes, but there is also friendship and a blurred line between right and wrong. Is Long John Silver "all" bad? If he is a pirate, how can he be "good" in any way? What is the "right thing" for young Jim to do? These are not simple questions to answer nor are they simply the problems of children. Of course, for the most part I love the book because it is FUN ... but the morality issues it weaves in are what make it an enduring classic.

Other thoughts: Two things come to mind ...

First, there's a relatively new book out called SILVER, by Edward Chupack that is a retelling of this book. I have it on my shelf waiting to be read.

And second, I've seen many of the movie adaptations of this book but my favorite will always be The Muppets Treasure Island. Here are a few clips for your viewing enjoyment:





Do I own it? I fell in love with this book in middle school. I'd check it out from the library over and over again, reading it at home and in class (stuffed in my desk so the teachers couldn't see) until I finally lost it. That was the first book I ever had to pay the library for ... I was mortified. I never did find it, and I've never bought a copy for myself. I might get one for Kiddo one day though ...

Would I recommend it? Oh yes, most certainly. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't enjoy this book (but of course I'm biased!).

My Favorite Reads: The Mists of Avalon

I've been wanting to write about some of the books I read prior to blogging and now I have an excuse: At Home With Books's meme, My Favorite Reads. The idea behind this weekly event is to share with your readers some of the best books that you read BB (Before Blogging). I won't participate every week but I will chime in from time to time. I've made a list of some books I want to share with you and I'll tackle one whenever I get a chance.


This week I'm going to talk about a book that I LOVE with all my heart, THE MISTS OF AVALON. I've read this book at least twice, listened to the audio version once, and watched the TV miniseries based on it as well.

The book: The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley - published in 1982 - 912 pages

What it is about: The book is a retelling of the King Arthur story through the eyes of the women involved. Focus is on Morgaine, Gwenhwyfar, and other female characters. More time is spent on their lives and the mystical/druidical background of the story than on Arthur himself.

Why I love it: This book has it all - strong and powerful women, love, lust, betrayal, adventure, you name it. The story is full of details that immerse you in the lives of these people.

Other thoughts: This is one of those books where learning something about the author leads to a deeper understanding of the book. When my book club read this (at my prompting of course) we saw that the author's feminism and religious beliefs came through very clearly in her writing. That was something I didn't know before reading about the author.

Would I recommend it? Before blogging I'd have said yes unreservedly - this is a fantastic book in every way. However I've read on several blogs that people find this book challenging so now I'm a bit leery about recommending it. I guess I'd have to say that if you DO find it challenging, it is VERY worth the effort you put into it. For me, this is a "must read" for just about everyone.

Do I own it? Yes I do. This is one of the few books in my "permanent collection" as I call it. I don't know where I got it originally (likely from my dad), but I've had it since middle or high school. During my "romantic" phase in high school I pressed a rose between the pages ... and it is still there. I have no recollection of who gave me the rose but I've still got it all the same.

All Things "D"

There's this meme going around that's all about letters ... have you seen it? The lovely Chartroose asked me to play along, and although I wasn't planning to do this one, I got sucked in when she assigned me the letter D. There are so many wonderful things that begin with D! But I only have to come up with 10 ... so here goes:

1. Daddy - You can't have a list of D things with out that! I'm including both my daddy and my husband (who is a great dad to kiddo). The picture to the right is my daddy with my sister's youngest boy, who was named after him. And the picture below is kiddo's daddy.
2. Dragons - the first "grown up" book I ever read was THE HOBBIT when I was in the first grade. Reading about Smaug the dragon hooked me for life. If you are a fan of Tolkien, or even simply a fan of great illustration, please go visit Justin Gerard's illustration of Smaug ... it is the best I've ever seen. In high school I found the dragons and fire lizards of Pern, created by Anne McCaffery ... oh, how I loved them!
   
   
3. Dancing - This is something I'm not particularly good at but I can't help doing it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE music and simply can't stay still when it is on. Kiddo inherited that love as well. Did I tell you guys that he's taking Irish Step Dance lessons? And that is was HIS idea?! He has a recital coming up in a few weeks and I'm sure to have photos to post afterward!
   
   
4. Dagoba - It's the home of Yoda, my all-time-favorite Star Wars character. I grew up on the Original trilogy and although the newer movies aren't as good, you have to admit that Yoda is awesome in them. (If you can't tell, I'm using Dagoba as an excuse to proclaim my love for Yoda. After all, the planet itself is pretty creepy.)
   
   
5. Different & Divergent Opinions - One of the best parts of blogging is reading and sharing different opinion on books and miscellaneous other topics, don't you agree? It is no fun when everyone agrees on everything.
   
   
6. Discovery - I love learning new things, be it discovering something in a book, tv programs on The Discovery Channel, or watching kiddo discover something for the first time.
   
   
7. Digital Camera - I take photos all the time and my digital camera makes is SO very easy to take good ones. In case you're curious, I have a Sony Cybershot with a 10x zoom and 8.1 mega pixels. Oh how I love my camera! I take it (literally) everywhere I go.
   
   
8. Digital Scrapbooking - And speaking of pictures, I am not one of those people who keeps all my photos on the disk or on my computer. No ma'am. I've been a Creative Memories scrapbooker (and consultant) for 10 years so most of my photos are displayed in albums around my house. My NEW favorite thing is digital scrapbooking though. There is no mess and the complete albums are MUCH smaller and easier to display. Here's a link to the software I use if you want to check it out. I highly recommend it!
   
   
9. Dough, as in chocolate chip cookie dough - Yep, I'm one of "those" people, the ones who eat it raw. Hubby yells at me because I buy the tubes of dough then nibble at them until they are gone without ever baking a singe cookie.
   
   
10. Dublin - I've been to Ireland twice, but only to Dublin once. It is a city that I would love to spend more time in though. Not only is it beautiful and full of history, but it is fun and vibrant as well. Hubby and I did the double-decker bus tour during our few days there. Ah, the memories! Here are some photos of the city (not taken by me, unfortunately) for you to enjoy. On the left is the General Post Office (GPO) ,on the right is Temple Bar, and below is Kilmainham Gaol. Bonus points to anyone who can tell me the any historical event that took place at either the GPO or the Gaol ...

Doubtless there are delightful deluges of D words I could dump here (like diatribe, diaphanous, devilish, dionysian, dystopia, and damn) but I've delivered my donation of drudgery to your day and I'm dubious my digression can be delivered with daring dash and ... ok, I'll stop now ... after all there's nothing as detrimental as beating a dead horse. Ok, ok, I'm really done now!

And those are my 10 favorite D things! I hope you enjoyed them. If you would like to get in on the fun, post a comment and let me know - I'll assign you a letter and wait with baited breath to see what you come up with!

In reply to The Daily Rant ...

Salena* over at The Daily Rant tagged me for a meme. I usually don't do memes for a whole host of reasons HOWEVER I am going to do this one because 1-I love Salena's blog, 2 - I just gave her an award last week and 3-I'm behind on book reviews but can't concentrate long enough to write them. So there.

* Her name is spelled SALENA not SELENA like I originally posted. Oopsie!
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The Rules ...

1. Link to the blog that tagged you and list the rules on your blog. Hello to The Daily Rant!
2. Share seven facts about yourselves on your blog — some random and some weird. My list is below.
3. Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their name as well as links to their blog. Yeah, not so much. I don't tag but please feel free to play along if you want to. Seriously - please play along!
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. See my answer to #3. Oh, and if you DO play along please comment and let me know.

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Seven Weird and Random Things About Heather J.

1. I like to edit things. If you ask me to read something you've written - be it a term paper or a letter to your momma - expect to get it back covered in "suggested edits." I don't use a red pen though ... that's just mean.

2. I talk a lot and I talk very quickly. If I drink a caffeinated soda, my words-per-minute climb exponentially. In those situations I sometimes talk so quickly that even I don't know what I just said.

3. After I eat I always get cold. My husband knows when I'm almost finished with my meal because I'll reach for a sweater or start rubbing my arms to warm them up. I tell him that my body has a limited amount of energy and when some of it is used for digestion, it can't be used to keep me warm. He just smiles at me in that way you smile at a crazy person and continues eating.

4. I've recently realized that I pronounce certain words incorrectly because I've only read them in books and never heard them said aloud. For example, unrequited; it's pronounced un-re-QUITE-ed but I always thought it was un-re-QUIT-ed. A coworker pointed out my error a few months ago. Since then I've realized that I'm probably guilty of mispronouncing lots of words. I chalk it up to reading so much as a child. But seriously, who ever says unrequited in real life?

5. Genealogically I'm a mutt: English, Irish, Italian, and an eclectic "American Mix". My mom's dad (who I've written about before) is 100% Italian (he was born in the US but his parents were both from Italy) and I identify most with that part of my heritage. I also have lots of love for Ireland since my Gram was born in Belfast.

6. I've been dipping my pizza in Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing since I was in elementary school. It's absolutely delicious. I had it for lunch yesterday.

7. I have a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and History, with a concentration in Russian/Soviet history. I work as a sales and marketing coordinator for a software company. Makes complete sense, right?

So those are my seven things ... hope you enjoyed getting to know me better!

BBAW: Free Day, and About Blogging

Our last day of BBAW is a Free Day according to Amy, and that's good for me. This week has been CRAZY! Luckily I'm heading out to the beach for a long weekend in just a few hours. The weather is supposed to be perfect (high 70's, no clouds) so I'm looking forward to a lovely, relaxing weekend. No internet though. Ugh. But I'm sure I'll live! Not so sure how I'll catch up on all the posts that go up while I'm gone though ...

I don't usually do memes but APOOO tagged me for one that fits very well with the last day of BBAW.

Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.

This is easy-peasy, and a perfect way to end BBAW so here goes ...

1 - COMMUNITY - Wow, is there EVER a community?! In my real life I've always felt like my obsessive love of reading is strange. It didn't bother me to be different (in fact I revel in it!) but it was sometimes isolating. Once I started blogging I found out there there are TONS of people like me out there! It is wonderful to belong to a community of readers, to talk books with people all over the world, and to share an obsessive love of the written word that transcends our differences. So yeah, I'm all about the community.

2 - MY TBR LIST - I'm not sure if this is a positive or a negative, but my TBR list has grown exponentially. On the good side it means that I'm learning about fabulous new books all the time. One the bad side, will I seriously ever read all of them? I think not. But I keep adding to the list all the same!

3 - ADDICTION TO POSTING - Does anyone else have this problem? I have so much to say and all I want to do all day is write it and post it. I have to force myself to do other things whenever I'm at the computer.

4 - MOM & SON BOOK CLUB - I've always read with my son, and I've been a part of a book club for 3 years, but I don't think I would have started the Mom & Son Book Club if it hadn't been for blogging. I've written about the beginnings of our mini club before so I won't go into detail here, but it's one of the best things that has come out of my blog.

5 - EMPATHY - I've always tried to be there for my family and friends when they needed me, to support them in whatever they are going through, good or bad. But sometimes I just have no idea what is needed, what to say, or what to do, or I unknowingly say the wrong thing. The amazing thing about blogs (not necessarily book blogs, rather the more personal ones) is that you get to see what is going on in the blogger's head. They are more honest and open online than they are in person. I've learned so much about how to relate to people in trying circumstances from reading those posts, especially the ones that downright tell you what to do - they are wonderfully useful.

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Ok, so those are my 5 things. You know I don't tag anymore but please feel free to tag yourself if you like. If you do post your 5 things please comment and let me know, and I'll add a link to you here.

Book Buzz Meme

I was tagged for this by Booking Mama and boy, was this a hard one for me. Here are the rules:

My Friend Amy says: I am going to list three categories of books. 3 MUST Read Books, 3 Keep Your Eyes on These, and 3 Look For These Soon. Keeping with the theme, I am going to tag at least 3 bloggers. They should put these same lists on their blog but SUBTRACT one book from each list and ADD one of their own. Then they should tag at least 3 more bloggers. It will be fun to see how the lists change as it goes around the blogosphere. Please come back to this post and leave a comment so I can see how the lists are changing as they go around the blogosphere. Since this is Book Buzz...please keep your lists to titles released in 2007-2009. (Heather's note: I'm italicizing the ones I added.)

Ok, here's why this is hard for me: I don't read many new books. If you were to ask me about a MUST READ book I'd likely suggest something written 10-100 years ago! But I did some research and here are my answers ...


3 MUST Read Books:
Matters of Faith by Kristy Keirnan (Heather's review and author interview)
Somebody Else's Daughter by Elizabeth Brundage
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (here's Julie's review)

3 Keep Your Eyes on These:
Seeing Me Naked by Liza Palmer
Wife in the North, by Judith O'Reilly
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson (Heather's note: I agree! I won a copy and it's on the way now!)
3 Look For These Soon:
The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson (Heather's note: The 12th and final book in the Wheel of Time series, coming in 2009 - I can't wait!)

I don't usually tag people for memes but, since I know she loves to be tagged, I'll tag Trish from Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'?.

I'm short two more players ... any volunteers? Let me know and I'll officially tag you!