Sometimes I forget how much I love it.

Take right now, for example: I have this idea for this year's NaNo that it will have a quasi-Victorian setting, maybe based on reality, maybe a little steampunk, so I looked up books on Victorian history. For those keeping score, that was when Queen Victoria ruled England, circa 1840-1870. I now own three books on Victorian history, because not only are the books full of information and juicy little tidbits that will pad out my daily word count nicely, but sometimes they're just hilarious. I'm sure that someday people will look back at our time and wonder what we were thinking, because that's what's happening when I read these. And I'm having fun. I like learning. History can be interesting!

But I'm not the sort of person to seek out nonfiction books normally. I have to have a good reason. And research for NaNo is a pretty darn good reason.

This is why I know I could be a professional writer. Because I don't mind the research. It's quite fun to absorb all the bits of information during the research phase then have them suddenly coalesce in a somewhat coherent whole during the draft phase.

Here's to research. May it never get boring.

And here's to me, who got a whole lot of books (and the 2nd season of Heroes), because it's that little thing known as my birthday. Huzzah.

  The Hound and the Falcon, Judith Tarr and Inside the Victorian House, Judith Flanders
file under: books , celebration , reallife , thoughts , writings Posted by Jen at 12:33 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Yes, I finished another book in less than six hours.

Last year it was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows...this year it was Breaking Dawn, the fourth book in the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer.

I went to the midnight release party at my neighborhood Borders with my friend Josh. It wasn't that big of a deal, but there was a trivia contest with stickers as prizes and a costume contest. Josh had to wear a pink wristband (so did I, to show we preordered and thus got to get in line before some number of people there, but I didn't have to worry about my masculinity being threatened). We sat around and talked about writing and authors and the new Star Wars animated movie coming out, and I had a Vampire's Kiss smoothie (aka strawberry ). Then it finally got around to being 12:01 am and we got our books. I picked up Randy Pausch's book The Last Lecture and another YA book that had come out in paperback, and every!single!one! was on sale, because two were hardcover bestsellers and thus at a discount, AND I had a coupon for the other! Discounts for the win!

Since I'm catsitting for a friend who wants me to stay at her place a few times while she's away, I headed over there instead of home (there were happy kitties to keep me company, so it was all good). Started reading around 12:45 am or so. Found a good place to stop around 4:10, slept for four hours, got back into it around 8:30, and finished around 10:30. So approximately 5 1/2 hours for 754 pages. Yes, I am that insane. At least this time around I slept in the middle

Then Mike and I went to a pool party thrown by one of his coworkers, which was fun, if not exactly the most relaxing thing to do when one is going on four hours of sleep. And now I'm having a late dinner of sweet and sour tempura chicken and rice, and watching Shark Week. Life is good.

A very short review after the jump.

Nothing too spoilery here, but I liked it, mostly. There were some parts where I groaned and thought to myself, "I can't believe the author actually went there" during the just-a-smidge unbelieveable end of the first part, or "wait a minute, did I miss something" during the romantic bits...not that I expected anything graphic, but it's been a long time since the "closing the door" method has been so abrupt. I feel that she tied things up pretty well, though there could certainly be more. Bella is still a Mary Sue character that somehow still manages to get me to feel for her. I'm still a member of Team Edward. I'm sure at some point I'll reread it, but it will be a good long while. If you read the books with any sort of thought process going on in your head you probably figured out how the books would end long ago, and I bet you wouldn't be far off.

file under: books Posted by Jen at 9:42 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Free book! I read this a couple of months ago, and I really liked it. It's a fast-paced thriller with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing. And now you can read it too...for free! For the next few days, anyway, so click ye now and read!

Browse this book

Add to your site

Buy this book

Visit the author's site at www.jasonpinter.com.

  Twilight, Stephenie Meyer
file under: books Posted by Jen at 9:41 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Found through Writers Unbound, which brought back memories of the Pizza Hut Book-It program, where you had the summer to read a certain amount of books and if you did, you got a free personal pizza. Needless to say, I had no problem earning the gold stars.

So here's a challenge to me in July...read 10 books. Shouldn't be too hard, especially since I'd like to reread most if not all of Carol Berg's books before Worldcon...

Rules say books started in June and finished in July count as half a book. So I'm already up .5:

0.5: Midnight Never Come, Marie Brennan (July 02)
1.5: The Last Guardian of Everness, John C Wright (July 10)
2.0:Son of Avonar, Carol Berg (July 13) (re-reads count as half)
2.5: Guardians of the Keep, Carol Berg (July 16)
3.0: The Soul Weaver, Carol Berg (July 19)
3.5:Daughter of Ancients, Carol Berg (July 23)
4.0:Twilight, Stephenie Meyer (July 25) (getting ready for the Breaking Dawn release on the 2nd!)
4.5: New Moon, Stephenie Meyer (July 27)
5.5: The Guilty, Jason Pinter (July 2
6.0: Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer (July 31)

I'll update when I finish a book.

  Closing Time, Semisonic
  The Last Guardian of Everness, John Wright
file under: books Posted by Jen at 3:07 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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So if you've been reading this blog for a while, you might know that the writer's group that I participate in has written an anthology of short stories based on landmarks of St. Louis. I'm in it, with a modern day faerie tale that takes place at the Muny (the Municipal Theater in Forest Park, the oldest and largest outdoor amphitheater in America, with trees growing out of the stage...)

And by golly, the book is out! You can check out the page at www.toastedraviolibook.com (though there's not much there at the moment) which has a link to buying the book online, do a book search on Amazon for Toasted Ravioli, or (the best way) ask me for a book in person. That way you get a discount and a signed copy and I (or the group) gets more money.

Or better yet, come to our first signing this Saturday (tomorrow, eek) the 26th of January at Legacy Books, 5249 Delmar (at Union) from 12 pm to 5 pm. All the authors will be there, so you can get a full complement of signatures on your new book, and the authors will read from their work. There should also be a Q&A session for the curious.

I hope to see you there!

  No Such Thing, John Mayer
  Hood, Stephen Lawhead
file under: books , celebration , reallife , writings Posted by Jen at 12:40 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I got three hours of sleep last night thanks to this wonderful book. Carol Berg stays at the top of my favorite authors list with this one, because it kept me reading from 8 pm until 5 am. Yes, 5 am. Oh, there were interruptions of dinner and a chat with the roommate and Pirates 3 (it was quiet in the apartment, what can I say? I have to stare at Orlando), so I could have finished sooner, I suppose.

Not quite the less-than-six-hours marathon of finishing HP 7, but close. I never wanted to sleep. I begrudged the time it took to shower and get ready for bed. Valen is as real to me as anyone, and I could see him in my mind as he leapt and danced, which is not at all usual (a phrase often applied to Valen in the book). I have a hard time visualizing characters, but my hands are itching to take a shot at drawing what I see for him.

I felt like a bad fan. I knew this book was coming out and I was looking for it, but I didn't know the exact release date, so I was actually a little late getting it. It wasn't until Carol sent out her sweet little email yesterday that I knew it was even available, and you can be sure that the hours I had to wait until I could leave work and head off to Borders were pretty darn long. But I have it now, and I'll be riding the high from reading it for a while.

I had to finish. It was too wonderful to stop, and I honestly didn't want to. Well done, Carol. Words can't express how happy I was to be reading it. It makes me want to write that well, and I hope I come close. I love Valen so much right now. For once, my speculations were right, but the story never made it too obvious.

So nice to read the rest of the story I got a glimpse of during those private readings with Carol at Archon in August. What a fitting conclusion to Flesh & Spirit.

Sleep deprivation will hit me a little later, but it was worth it.

  John Mayer, "Say"
  on to "Iron Kissed," Patricia Briggs, after last night's B&B marathon
file under: books , celebration , fantasy , reviews Posted by Jen at 10:25 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Today is a very good day. Pirates 3 comes out on dvd, Jim Butcher's latest Codex Alera book, Captain's Fury, comes out today, AND I had a 40% coupon for a dvd box set, so I am up to Season 5 of Buffy.

Jen is a happy girl. If only work wasn't in the way. I'll still probably finish Captain's Fury before the day is over, regardless.

And maybe Saturday, a Pirates marathon at Mike-of-NaNo's apartment. Whoo!

  Captain's Fury, Jim Butcher
file under: books , celebration , movies , orlando Posted by Jen at 10:06 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Check this out: I have written 11724 words of Forging the Forest (working title, anyway), and I needed to hit 11667 today. Go me! I'm on track and ahead by a few. I believe, in the four years that I've been doing NaNo, this is the earliest I've ever been ahead, if indeed I've ever been ahead before the month was almost over...let's see if I can't stay this way.

My cousin's wedding was wonderful, I got my dress sewn and was complimented numerous times on it (though they're all family, so dunno how much of that was just familial bias or awe at the fact that I actually, yanno, took the time to sew something versus an actual appreciation of the design of the dress), finished knitting the fingerless mitts (though they, and the HP scarf, need to be blocked), and my mom's show went well last weekend. She's got another one this weekend, so if you are in the Lou and need some christmas presents, stop on by...

and I finished Elemental Magic, a romance anthology which includes a short story by my favorite author Carol Berg. So sweet to realize the characters are (SPOILER) characters we (sort of) know. Hers was quite the best in the book. I could be biased, I realize.

I wrote 2400 words today. Not quite as good as yesterdays almost 3k, but pretty darned good. I almost don't know what to do with myself. Guess I'll get a little extra sleep.

What did you do today?

  Why Georgia, John Mayer
  Guess I should return Austenland to the library. Back to Leven Thumps 2.
file under: books , celebration , reviews , writings Posted by Jen at 12:12 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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(doo da, doo da)

...but I can't tell you or Carol Berg will kill me, haha. This weekend at Archon I had the privilege of hearing some of the beginning of Carol's next book, Breath and Bone at a private reading. According to her, I'm one of about 7 people who know. Sweet! The book comes out in January, and I'm even more keen to read it now than I was after the end of the first book in the Lighthouse Duet, Flesh and Spirit when it came out in May. Excuse me while I squee.

Archon (the St. Louis sci-fi/fantasy/comics/pop-culture convention that's really in Collinsville IL) was very good. I debated about going for quite a while, because it was so expensive this year. Archon 31 was also NASFiC, since Worldcon was awarded to a non-North American site (Yokohama, Japan). It was, therefore, a national con and not a regional one, and theoretically worth more, I guess. I have very limited con experience, so I can't tell you if it really was bigger than normal (though some of my new con friends say it wasn't). I knew Carol Berg would be there, and I really wanted to see what she had to say. I took at look at the programming and decided that it would be worth it to pay that much, and indeed, it was. Thank goodness I have a car that could make the forty-mile round trip now.

There were quite a few writing panels, and I've got many notes which are going to live in my manuscript folder. It was pretty cool to interact with authors and agents, some of whom I've only encountered on blogs. And it's doubly cool to actually talk with the authors, most of whom are really nice and surprisingly approachable, especially for a shy girl like me (unless I'm talking about myself, sigh. then I seem to run on forever). It was wonderful to actually have a discussion with one of my favorite authors about writing (Carol sat down with me for an entire hour) and get some great advice. I was really intending to sit down this evening and write some on my novel, but the computer thwarted me with its one-two punch of slowness and browser-crashing in the middle of my entry, sigh.

It wasn't just writing. I went to panels on Harry Potter and Firefly, attended a workshop on Irish Ceili dancing and belly dancing, and saw the SFWA Musketeers demonstrate fencing techniques.Saw my cousin Brian, but didn't get to attend any of his panels. The writing panels really made it worth it, even if the days were looong.

I had a couple of mini-epiphanies about the novel while at panels, so that's good. I've just got to get the damn thing going. I can't believe how far I haven't gotten in the story, sigh. The workshops are going to be helpful, though, especially ones like Writing Realistic Violence and Plots that Work. And of course Carol's very good advice. I still can't believe I got to monopolize an author like that. She was very nice about it. I felt awfully stalkerish. Some people want to meet movie stars or sports celebs; I geek out over authors. She had some helpful hints for the anthology which I need to follow up on, and she had a dedicated cadre of fans that followed her around the whole weekend, so I made some new friends. Thank you, Carol, this weekend meant alot to me.

Maybe I'll fit in a little writing before it's time for bed...

(incidentally, this is entry 700 for this blog. Sheesh. I know not all of them are pithy and meaningful, but it seems a large number to me...)

file under: books , celebration , fantasy , writings Posted by Jen at 10:25 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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12:32 am to 6:18 am. I watched the sun come up as I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Well, damn, JK. You did a good job. The ending was pretty exciting. Satisfying, even.
Gonna put this next behind the cut just in case people don't want to know, but it's not all that spoilery, especially if you already read the Washington Post review, like I did.

I hate that you killed off some of my favorite characters, and did so callously. I'm glad that you answered questions. I'm glad you picked things up from long ago. I'm so glad I reread the books before this one. I hate that it's the end. And I had to laugh at the music on my iPod as I finished the final chapters: Transformation, from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and Resurrection, the final song in the soundtrack of The Passion of the Christ. Sometimes irony likes to be as subtle as a hammer.

And now it's time for bed, since I actually have things to do today.

  The Shadow Proves the Sunshine, Switchfoot

file under: books Posted by Jen at 6:21 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I'll let you know when I'm done.

  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
file under: books Posted by Jen at 12:32 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Just finished the 6th Harry Potter book (to the accompaniment of the 5th movie soundtrack, natch), and so am ready for the midnight release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows this weekend. I'm totally dressing up. It will be fun. And perhaps good that I didn't manage to finish my Gryffindor scarf, as it will be in the mid- or upper-90s Friday, and unlikely to cool off much before midnight...

Found a bookmark in my copy that mentioned HBP's release date, and found it sort of scary that I started rereading the book for only the second time almost exactly two years to the day I read it on release day. Weird. Was rather more warm to it this time, what with taking two days to read it rather than only eight hours...I've got some thoughts, and I'm remembering how much I miss or hate certain characters. JK Rowling still has some odd ideas about teen romance (or perhaps I just had an abnormal experience in high school) but she's not *quite* as bad as George Lucas.

It will be interesting to see that one made into a movie.

Did a lot of web design over the weekend and today. October is going to be a good month. And I'm seriously (Siriusly) thinking of going to Archon, since I'd have HP friends going...gotta decide soon. Deadline is Friday.

Time for bed.

  Fireworks (OotP soundtrack), Nicholas Hooper

file under: books Posted by Jen at 12:23 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Tuesday night, I met Jim Butcher, author of the Dresden Files and the Codex Alera, and have two books signed by him and actually interacted with the man, and that made me a happy girl. (Until my class presentation partner emailed me a totally changed presentation at 11:30 pm, but that's another story.)

Jim's a really funny guy. And he seems like he cares about his readers. He spent about an hour on Q&A, various insightful questions by readers who obviously care about his stories I was seated right next to him, since I sort of sidled up along the side of a bookshelf so I could set my bookbag down (I was carrying my laptop and a bunch of papers for the presentation. I did *some* work, honest). The speaker for his mic was next to me, so it was a little loud, but not terrible.

I was so proud I had the courage to ask a question. I'm not usually that bold. But he's very approachable. I asked how he comes up with the twists at the end of his books. He answered that what normally happened is that he piles up every bad thing he can on his main character, then figures that he'll get out of it somehow. He sends off chapters to his beta readers (man, what I wouldn't give to be a part of *that* group) and every so often he'll mention, 'see, I *knew* he'd get out of it somehow,' and someone will write back saying, 'you mean you didn't know beforehand?' So I feel better about my stuff if a famous best-selling author doesn't know how his stuff will end either.

There were probably fifty to eighty people there (I'm terrible at estimating, though), so the signing line wasn't too long. I brought White Night and Cursor's Fury and stood behind a lady who works for an internet service provider as a tech. Which I should look into, because more money would be nice. (Though, on the upside, I got a very positive annual review from my boss today, so perhaps a raise is on the horizon?) The lady knew about NaNo, which always amazes me. I have met so many people who don't know what it is that I have a little spiel that I spin out to inform them

When I got up to the table where he was signing, Jim was very nice and said how are you, etc, and I told him thanks for writing the books and that he's an influence on m writing and I've got 65k of a novel I hope to finish this year. And he didn't sound at all exasperated when he told me to make sure that when I finish this one to write the beginning of the next. Which I've already done, actually I hope that when I'm a fancy published writer I can be as generous to my fans as he is to his.

Side note: the neurobio presentation went pretty well, aside from some random technical difficulties. We had a video clip that should theoretically have been embedded in the presentation, but every time the file switched computers, it wouldn't show up. It's not that hard to Insert>>Movie, so I wasn't too worried. I stopped by my lab before class to print out slides and outlines and bibliographies, and I inserted the movie again and did a cursory check over the file. Things seemed fine.

Get to class, check out the file, and lo! the movie works. Cool. Close the file (which was a bad idea, I guess) and when it comes time to actually present, does the movie play? Of course not. No big deal, just play it off the desktop.

The fun part was when, in the middle of the pres, some slides randomly lost their text. All of them were slides with pictures on them, so at least they weren't blank slides, but there's a reason there's text on the slides...to remind you what to say. Luckily my partner had an old printout of slides, so we were able to present *some*thing, but that sure was annoying. I don't think it was a mac-pc conversion issue, because that hadn't happened before, but maybe it was a difference between M$2000 and XP. Most of the slides with missing text hadn't been edited in a few days, so I don't know where the text went. Weird.

I did make a mistake on the identity of a receptor on a slide that lost its text, but I at least figured it out. I think my partner might have introduced more slides than I, but perhaps it was simply that the slides he presented had more information on them, and he read them, slowly, instead of *presenting.* Eh. I answered questions, though, and presented better. I think. I knew more about the slides because I typed most of them up. Hope it showed. Had a few people ask questions where I was able to say, "and that's the next slide," so I had good flow. Nice to know that I can still be good at some design elements.

  And Now We Are Free, Gladiator soundtrack
  Moonshine, Rob Thurman
file under: books , funny , writings Posted by Jen at 5:51 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I read a book yesterday. Now, before you say, oh, that's boring, she does that every day (which is true enough), realize that I read an entire book yesterday. Specifically, Jim Butcher's new Dresden Files book, White Night.

He's got tight pacing. His characters are very human, no matter that they've got magical powers. His world is real, and I can see it. You care about what happens. And you know what? He actually answers questions that the series had posed earlier. Thank you, so much.

I read it fast enough that I can't remember all of it, which is a failing of mine, but I don't mind that much because it makes it easier to re-read Thank you for the funnies and the heart-pounding moments, thank you for Toe-moss and Marcone and Lash.

One day I will get something written that causes such emotion.

  Switchfoot, Awakening, from Oh! Gravity.
  Revelation, Carol Berg (since I'm already done with White Night)
file under: books , reviews Posted by Jen at 10:26 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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...of the hundreds of books that I own. Perhaps one day I will figure out where to put this in the sidebar...until then, it gets an entry.

  Medalon, by Jennifer Fallon
file under: books Posted by Jen at 10:26 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Today is the last biochem class before the final (which isn't cumulative, thank God), but since we didn't have class last week due to really inclement weather (that's the first time, excepting 9-11, that I have ever had a class cancelled at WU), there isn't a way to make up the lost class without adding time to tonight's lecture. So I will have freaking 4 and a half hours of biochem tonight, including the study session beforehand. And if he gives us more than one break during the hour-extended lecture, I'll eat my hat. Well, not really, since I like my hat and it's managed to stay with me, so far, with only a few moments of loss...

needless to say, that's a really long night. And of course, with the final only a week away, I've got to be serious about studying. Glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, sugars, dear Lord how am I going to remember it all? And then I see something in the text that I've been working with at work and I never knew anything else about it other than how to process it, and I feel ashamed.

Anyway, the title of the entry refers to the sad, wrenching feeling I had this morning as I laid aside my new copy of Cursor's Fury and did not put it in my bag to bring with me. I can't bring books to work when I'm supposed to be studying. I've learned that much, at least. But it's so pathetic that I'm so addicted to reading that I want that book, right now. It's so hard to study when that book (well, not specifically this book. Any good book will do) is sitting there, waiting to be read. I have to tell myself that I own the book, it will be there for me when I get back and done with this crazy class, but damn if I don't still want it.

I guess it's better to be addicted to books than, say, smoking. Good thing I don't do both. I'd be in the poorhouse. You know that Borders Rewards thing? It's embarrassing to think of the amount of Holiday Saving Rewards that I amassed this year, because that means I spent an atrocious amount of money at Borders. I probably pay the salary of one of their workers with all I spend there.

I need to find a job that lets me write fantasy and read other people's fantasy. I would be set.

  Look Where We Are Now, Teddy Geiger

file under: books Posted by Jen at 10:59 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Elantris

by Brandon Sanderson

It's a good fantasy novel, and inspirational to boot (it's the author's debut novel, so there is hope for me). The world is well built and easily imagined. The characters are fleshed-out enough that you understand their motivations, except, of course, when the twist comes about...

The title of this entry comes from the name of one of the symbols that the characters use to work magic, for lack of a better term. An Aon is the symbol, and Rao means 'spirit.' I'll try a summary: Elantris used to be a city of light and power, its people silver-skinned and glowing and capable of great magic. The Shaod was a mysterious process that transformed ordinary and extraordinary alike into Elantrians, but one day it stopped, and the city has fallen into ruins. Now, instead of becoming godlike, those taken by the the Shaod turn into zombies (okay, not the term they use, but if your heart doesn't beat yet you are still walking around and alive, what else would you call it?), and are shut off from the rest of the country behind the still-standing, tall walls of Elantris.

Raoden is a prince of the land, and he is taken by the Shaod. He struggles to make a 'life' for himself in the ruins of Elantris. Sarene is his betrothed, widowed before she was even married because of Raoden's disappearance. There's an evil monk, an even eviler monk, political intrigue, magic, angst, humor...just about everything I like. The middle part is a bit slow, but has its shining moments. The end is especially good, with all sorts of plot lines coming together and questions asked about what will happen in that world...or even our own.

I'm terrible at writing summaries, so I suggest you pick up a copy and see what I mean for yourself. If nothing else, the image of a glowing Aon hanging in the air will stay with me for a long time. That and the cover of the actual hardcover book itself is green, so you know that makes me happy

I'm looking forward to Mistborn, the author's next book, which is set in a different world than Elantris. It comes out in July. Yay summer reading.

Hopefully I can have a new layout up for you soon. We'll see...

  Convergence: Book One of The Blending, Sharon Green (which I bought for 25¢ along with five others at a craft fair last weekend)
file under: books , reviews Posted by Jen at 10:43 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Proven Guilty : A Novel of the Dresden Files (Dresden Files (Hardcover))

by Jim Butcher

Anyway, last night I went to the St. Louis Writer's Meetup like I do every month, and having heard that the newest Dresden Files book had been seen over a week early (amazon says it's due out May 2) at other Borders 'round the country, I thought I'd have a look. I fully expected this one to be as it normally is and not have it, and a glance at the Butcher shelf proved me right. Sort of. The paperback version of the current penultimate book was also to have come out May 2nd, but there were two copies on the shelf. No Proven Guilty, though. So I thought, okay, my luck isn't that good, but hopefully I perused the endcaps nearby...and there were five copies on one. Sweet!

(What's not so sweet is that I bought duplicates of some magazines I already had. Again. I really need to just subscribe so I stop paying newsstand prices. Twice.)

I also had the interesting dilemma that once I got home last night, I was in the middle of two books by the same author at the same time. I had already reread all the Dresden Files, and had started on the Codex Alera last weekend (the first book was my MCAT escape during the test ). I'd just started the second book yesterday morning. I wasn't expecting to have Proven Guilty until next week, but obviously I took a break from the reread of Academ's Fury to read the new one

Oh, so now you want the review, eh? Possible spoilers. Read on at your own risk...

I tore through this one, pretty much. I started reading around 10 pm, after my meeting was over, and stayed up till (gulp) 3:15 am. I was in bed, though, so at least my body was resting...

I liked this one. Probably not as much as some of the other Dresden Files (I've yet to put them in "most liked" order, so I'm not sure which is my favorite right now) but it was good. Jim Butcher has a way of injecting humor into the most serious of situations, and of dropping bombs on you that were not expected. His writing flows very well, and I think I caught only one copy-editing mistake (that's what you get for first editions, but much, much, better than the first-run hardbacks by Laurell K Hamilton). I have to admit, I'm in awe of the way he can switch from comedic fantastical crime to high fantasy. Reading both series at the same time will give you that insight, I guess

This one didn't give me quite the tingle that others did, though I'm glad we got to see so many bits from other books in the series. Too bad Harry's not getting the romance he needs (no comments on my love life, thanks) and there's still a bunch of questions hanging around. We still haven't gotten the big picture of who (or what) is behind all the maniacal goings-on in the world of that other wizard called Harry, but as I just read, there are 20 predicted books in this series, so I guess it would be silly to unveil that plan for world domination just yet

I really want to know what Mouse is (aside from a Caucasian, hahah) and I would have liked to see more of Bob. And Little Chicago? So all that power went back to Harry. What did he do with it? Was that all that let him get through what he went through? The writing about SplatterCon!!! (misspelled without the exclaimation points) makes me want to get to a con again. Maybe soon. Molly was a nice character, and it will be interesting to see how she and Harry get along. So he can't be in a mentor-apprentice relationship without some sort of sexual tension (ie Elaine)? Hmm.

Of course, now that I've read it, I can't wait for the next one. Maybe we'll see Butters and his amazing polka skills again. Would have liked to have seen Warden Luccio more. Wonder what will happen with the Merlin. Seems like Harry's either being set up to take a great fall or great responsibility. Oh, wait. He already has that...

And speaking of Peter Parker, Jim Butcher is putting out a Spiderman novel later in the year, and the third book in the Codex Alera comes out in December. Joy.

My boss is out for a few days, but I still should get to work. See you on the flip side.

  Academ's Fury, Book Two of the Codex Alera, Jim Butcher
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It's tough working and taking a class, however easy this one might sound. Got a lab practical in just about an hour, and I'm not quite ready for it...and we've been quite busy at work, which is crazy. I get home and I just want to sleep.

When am I supposed to be able to write the great debut novel? sigh.

On the fun side, a book that wasn't supposed to be out until next week is now in my hot little hands, and already read since last night. Alright, it was a really short book, but hey, it's Anita Blake. I tear through those. Thanks to Barnes and Noble for having it early. No thanks to any of the bookstores in town for not having up-to-date MCAT study books. Not that I really need a new one, since I barely got through the ones that I had last year, but I would like an update, you know? sigh.

Wish me luck on the test. I'll be glad when this is over. Joyeux Mardi Gras, if I don't see you...anyone want to come party with me this weekend?

  Pocahontas and Smith, The New World soundtrack (James Horner)

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by Rowling, GrandPré

The St Louis Post-Dispatch review is semi-spoilerish and can be found here.

SPOILER WARNING: This post contains my first thoughts about reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which I finished this afternoon. I bought it last night at the midnight release party, read for about two hours before I went to sleep, then finished it after helping Olga move out, such as it was. She was mostly packed before I got up. I turned the last page sometime around 6 pm. So of the 18 hours that I've owned this book, seven were spent sleeping and two or three hours were spent helping Olga and watching the movie Paycheck. So it took me a little over eight hours to get the whole thing read. It's about 200 pages shorter than the previous book, which was disappointing to me. I mean, I know that the 820 pages of OotP was a pretty hefty doorstop, but dammnit, I like to read! Keep me occupied for more than a day, eh?

But she did keep me occupied for a day, so hats off. Lots of things behind the link. I suppose if you are totally unaware of anything HP there are spoilers everywhere. I do mention who dies, so if you don't want to know that, DON'T CONTINUE READING! Otherwise, please read and let me know how you felt about the book, the direction the series is going, anything at all.

I finished the book not so long ago and I had to sit a moment and just be blank after what I'd read. It was good, and I'm not sorry I bought an HP book in hardcover for the first time, but man oh man oh man.

Random thoughts:
I wonder if JKR is mad that there were a few articles out there speculating that DD was going to be killed? I'm a little sorry I read those, since it seemed that the fact that he died was sort of muted for me. Maybe it's just because the pace of the story at that point, as others have mentioned.

I could just hear the sound of millions of shippers' hearts breaking as I read (myself included, sort of). I'm firmly H/Hr, but I don't mind other ships. But it just seemed like JKR decided to toss everybody in the air and see where they came down. I can see the foreshadowing for some of the pairings but mostly everything seemed rushed. Alas. It seems sort of like the romance was what she cut out to keep the book shorter than OotP. Kinda like the romance in Star Wars Episode III. *gag*

I can't say, in retrospect, that I was entirely surprised by Snape being the half-blood prince, but it caught me off guard while I was reading. I had an early clue that Draco was the one Moaning Myrtle was comforting in the bathroom, but I never dreamed it was for killing DD, even if I pretty much had figured he was the one to die. I will admit that I never liked Snape, but geez. Talk about a double agent. I've always wanted to hate him, but left off because he did seem to help, occasionally, and there was the whole issue of DD's trust in him...I hate to say it, but Harry is so vindicated at the end, and there's nothing but an empty feeling of impotence when everyone realizes it. I'd like to think that perhaps because of the Unbreakable Vow there's still some good in Snape, but I'll let myself hate him a little more now.

I think JKR did what she was supposed to as a writer: she makes you want to read the next book. This wasn't my favorite, but I dearly want to know what happens in the end, and I can't stand the fact that it will probably be another two years before we find out. She didn't do it the way I wanted or expected, which I appreciate. I will agree that it seemed like she took way too many elements out of fanfiction or at least was influenced by the fans that make somewhat insignificant details into great epics. I mean, come on. Who really thought that Blaise Zabini would make it back into the story? I am pleased that she used the name of the charity that Dan R. supports, Demezla House, as a name for one of the Quidditch players.

There were two things outside of plot twists and ships sunk that surprised me: Draco is mentioned as lying down with his head in a girl's lap, and somewhere in the book, a girl is referred to as a slut. Call me a prude, but I never expected to see those in a HP book. I realize that the book is portraying characters that are well into their teens, but it just seemed that JKR was above using such language. I mean, even Uncle Vernon actually said "what the hell" or some variant thereof, instead of "swearing loudly" as has been used in the past. JKR has had a decade to write these things, though, so I suppose it makes sense that she's using more mature (or immature, depending on how you look at it) language.

I can see how this might have been a tangent of the Chamber of Secrets. We learn a lot about Voldemort's background and about that diary that mysteriously shows up at Hogwarts. I'm glad she didn't try to fit it in there though. There's no way things could have developed properly if she had.

JKR must have some hell of an idea of how it's all going to end to drop so many bombs on us like this. I can't pinpoint why it seemed quite so much different than the previous ones. I'm sure I'll reread it soon, after I've had a while to think about it. Do let me know what you think. Sorry about the length. Wish I had someone to chat about it with. Could be you

  Chariot, Gavin de Graw
  are you kidding? did you read the post at all?
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Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

I am Michael Carpenter. I am one of those honored by God to serve His Will as a Knight of the Cross. My faith is strong, unshakeable -- and deadly to the truly evil. It's my job to seek them out, to get them to change if I can, and to stop them if I must. And I am not alone in this. Never alone. God watches over me and sees that I am sent where I am most needed. I carry the holy sword Amoracchius at my side -- that nail you see in the hilt came from the Cross. The other Knights stand by me. My wife and children are just as fierce as I am -- God help you should you try to find out if it's otherwise. And there are others. Together we all stand, shoulder to shoulder, against the darkness. Our faith has been tried, tested, and proven resolute. No matter the cost, no matter how bloodied you might make us, we will not bow, and we cannot fail. God's Will be done -- on Earth, by our hands.

Who are you? Take the quiz!

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Random thought: Did you know that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory comes out today? I didn't even realize it. I know I liked CCF when I was younger, but Johnny Depp looks so odd in the previews that I don't know what to think. Tim Burton directs, too, which always sort of scares me. Guess we'll see. Going up against HP, though it doesn't stand a chance.

So tonight at midnight is the release of the 6th Harry Potter book. I'm excited. It's about damn time. I decided, since it was the second to last book release, and I really like the books, I would go ahead and buy the hardcover at Harrypalooza, the release party held at Left Bank Books. It costs a little more than Amazon or even Borders, but it's going to be a big party. Streets closed off and everything. People from the Science Center and City Museum will be there doing scientific magic stuff. One restuarant is having a HP-themed menu. Awww. I do get a goody bag with purchase, and since I've already paid I can get it right away. Yahoo. Cece's coming with, which makes me happy. You might know by now I hate going places by myself.

So, at the risk of showing you once again how much of a geek I am, I made myself a Gryffindor robe with an iron-on patch (now that was a fun thing to do *sarcasm*), a tie with markered stripes, and a wand. I don't have anywhere to put the wand, so perhaps that should be remedied, and there are no pockets in the robe which I should have thought about before I sewed up the seams. I feel like I made a graduation robe. It's not quite movie quality, but I'm proud of my efforts. I have fabric for a skirt, but unless I have a lot of motivation in the four or so hours between getting off work and heading downtown, I doubt it will get finished I was up too late and needed to be awake too early to try to finish it last night. Besides, I made Quidditch-inspired tshirts for me and Cece so we can look goofy together. I'll try to get pictures.

Tomorrow after the two of us are exhausted we'll go down to Johnson's Shut-Ins with some of Cece's friends. I'll read on the way Should be fun. Went down there last year with Kate, which was fun, so hopefully the water will be high enough to make some slides.

On a more Sirius serious note, pray for my car and that it's just the battery and not some other piece of heinously expensive part that requires more heinously expensive labor to put in. I realize that in the grand scheme of things, $150 for an alternator isn't bad, but when you just spent twice that for fixing *other* things in the car, it sucks. The repairs are worth more than the car. My dad got me a new battery, so hopefully that's it and the car will work again, but it's sort of like, is this a time bomb or what? Gotta keep a close watch on the dash for those scarily boring warning lights. *hopes car lives*

We won another softball game last night, 14-2. Poor things. It's tough when you're not getting the best pitches *and* you can't quite get the ball in. Oh well. Yay for the statistics to slowly tilt back in our favor. Paige came back into town as well, which made me happy. Cece came over after her first tap dance class *so jealous* and we talked about tshirts and moving and such. Hopefully I can get out early today and work on the things I mentioned above for the costume. I'm such a dork.

Wish me luck with the study. 13 hours to go!

  Problem Girl, Rob Thomas

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[ETA: pass the potato!]

St. Mark is the patron saint of Venice, and as such, you see his symbol, a winged lion, in many places around that region. Sometimes the lion is clutching an open book, sometimes a closed one. Open, it means the statue was carved when Venice was at peace. Closed, Venice was at war. There is a church in town called St. Mark's, and it does indeed have a winged lion on the very interesting architecture-wise chapel. I've never looked to see if it holds a book, open or otherwise, but perhaps if they have art shows again I will be able to find out.

The random trivia above is brought to you courtesy of The Historian, the debut novel by Elizabeth Kostova, a bestseller before it was even released. Damn but I hope my first novel sells like that. Guess I should get it written. Had an idea for Moonstone today while I was aliquoting samples. And who said science squashes creativity?

Anyway, I went ahead and bought The Historian in hardcover on the strength of word-of-mouth and reviews that I'd read about it. I've been breaking my "buy no hardcover books" rule quite a bit lately. Picked up The Traveler as well, after the Writer's Meetup Tuesday. I've got so many books waiting to be read you'd think I'd quit...but I can't. It's an obsession. Both books look to be a good investment. Haven't gotten far in either, but it's a sad fact that even I cannot read two books at once.

And of course, the huge book of the summer, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, comes out on the 16th. (I can't believe it's July already.) I went ahead and preordered it at Left Bank Books, so I'll be going to the midnight release party and meet up with a few other fans from the hp_stlouis livejournal, I hope. I just really wanted to party, and this seems like a fun way to do it. Cece might come too, which would make things doubly fun. It looks like there's going to be a lot going on that night, so yay.

Hopefully I remembered all the things I wanted to say before the power went out unexpectedly for just a second earlier. But that second was definitely enough to turn off every computer and light and electronic device, so I lost what I was typing. I love technology. The funny thing was, I was listening to my portable cd player, but I hit pause just as the lights went out, so I was really confused for a moment as to why my battery-powered player suddenly stopped. Don't you love feeling sheepish?

  Lord of the Dance
  The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova
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Eragon by CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI

I'm just trying to get this book to post. It's odd that it won't go through the standard MTAmazon plugin that I've got for my blogging software. Ah, the vagaries of technology.

Save 50% off of select Posters and Standees at NewLineShop.com!

file under: books Posted by Jen at 10:42 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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On a random note, I finally have my name on the roomnumber panel outside my 'office.' How lovely. I feel all official.

So yeah...the 12th Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter book came out on Tuesday, and I broke my rule of 'buy no hardback books ' for it. Laurell K Hamilton's books are good enough that I'll do that with no qualms. Also, it's 15% off b/c it's a new bestseller, AND I get 10% off for being a member of Waldenbooks. So it's not a terribly bad price. People grew up in this book, in more ways than one. And there was lots of sex. Yeah. Threesomes. Wow. Feels weird to even think that I read it. But it's so much fun! Vampires and werewolves