I'm Scrambled

My brains, that is. I feel like I've been running around in circles. I'm getting kind of dizzy. :)

I'm doing really good though. I bought & reviewed Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs and The Wild Road by Majorie M. Liu. Reviews are here. I enjoyed both, but Cry Wolf was AWESOME! :) 'Nuff said.

Work has been pretty slow. I've been reading a lot lately. Anticipating multiple books next week. The lovely Lisabea got me something in SF. She loves me. Totally platonically, of course. *snicker*

I've been reading a lot of stuff over on Pbackwriter's blog as well as all the other people involved in LB&LI. There is one person who is focusing on the differences between men and women. It is genius! Jaci Burton has been discussing the anatomy of a love scene here. It's been so fascinating going to all of these blogs and getting so many viewpoints. I've saved I don't know how many blog entries in my favorites under research because they will help with my story. If you haven't taken a look, I highly recommend it. :)

Let's see, what else? Well, I do have a little somethin' somethin' going on over on my other blog tomorrow. I have a special guest and a give away. :) So, hop on over there tomorrow & you'll see! Enjoy!

Well, I'm done for the night. Going to bed soon. My sinuses have been acting up and I sneezed really hard a few minutes ago. Ugh! :(

Yummy Mr. Rochester

Okay, so Tobey Stephens hasn't taken the place of Richard Armitage in my heart, but I thought you'd enjoy this scene. It's interesting to watch, because it shows how manipulative he can be. For some reason, can't find the embed thing, but here's the link anyway. Enjoy!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iShQFRngDU0

So, So True

I *HEART* Lynn Viehl

Just an FYI, especially for fellow writers out there. Lynn Viehl (otherwise known as pbackwriter) is doing her traditional Left Behind and Loving It workshop. It's for those of us who aren't able (or don't want to) go to the RWA Conference. She is focusing on all types of topics and had great links for others. Here's the link to her blog. Go check it out. You might see something you've been struggling with. In fact, she's already hit my sore spot...over-editing.

Jane Eyre

I just finished watching the DVD of Masterpiece Theater's adaptation of Jane Eyre starring Tobey Stephens & Ruth Wilson.

All I can say is wow. Talk about passionate. Phew! Tobey Stephens might not be the hottest man in the world, but in this movie? The man is HAWT! He portrays Mr. Rochester with a raw passion that just made me ache. He loves Jane so, but their love is so very forbidden.

Ruth Wilson played Jane with such sensitivity and witheld passion. She was marvelous in her role.

This movie was dark, raw passion. It was sick and twisted and just blew my mind. I felt the pain they felt near the end when they were torn asunder. I wanted them to get back together again. I wanted everything to end well. And it did. But it was a long, hard journey.

My Rating: A very solid A


I can't recommend it enough.


And so, I'm also now feeling the need to say that I can't understand why a man wouldn't know why a woman would want to be loved with such passion. When I watch a movie like that, that's what I want. Maybe not the hidden secrets and the agony, but the pure, unadulterated passion. I don't want some guy to be there for a booty call. I want it all. And if a man can't understand that? Well, then I can see why he's still single and has never found the right woman for himself. He's too selfish and isn't ready to deserve it.


And that's my thought for today.

2 AM...and I'm still awake

Okay, so it's not quite 2, but it's getting close. *sigh* I hate not being able to get to sleep. It royally sucks. :-P

Oh, man, my day was so lazy it's kind of pathetic. I got up, ate, sat down in the recliner and watched the 100 Greatest Songs of the 90's marathon on VH1. Yes, I'm totally lame. And then it was House Hunters on HGTV.

Speaking of HGTV, I watched the episode of Design Star. I'm not a fan of it, but boredom struck and I was already there. Anywho, the last two contestants had to design living room/dining room/kitchens for 2 families in Post-Katrina New Orleans. And what I'm about to say has absolutely nothing to do with the disaster down there. But I've got a big rant coming and I ask you to bear with me.

The 2 contestants live nowhere near New Orleans. I don't think either one of them had ever even been there. However, all they did was sob about the aftermath of the hurricane. It got to the point where I was thinking "Get over it already!" I know that sounds heartless and I'm not trying to be down on the devastation that's still there...but the fakeness of it all really, really bothered me.

And the families? Were really amazing people. Totally upbeat, happy-go-lucky, we've-survived-this-tragedy-and-are-moving-on kind of people. They were real and that was the cool part. Can I believe that it's been three years and there's still all that devastation down there? No. In fact, I find that fact very disturbing.

I don't remember who said it, but this has been bugging me since Katrina happened. They were talking about New Orleans and how the people there deserved what happened because the city is so evil. I went off on them and told them that no matter who lives where, no one deserves to go through that at all! How dare they say something like that?!? If something like that happened here (though it'd be more likely to be an earthquake), would they want someone to say that about Portland? Narrow-minded, stupid, asinine morons!

I think that things should've been done three years ago and that New Orleans should be totally rehabbed already. The fact that it's not is a really sad, sad thing. If I had a gazillion dollars, it'd all go towards helping them rebuild. Do I think it's asinine that the city is below sea level? Yes, but that was the way it was set up and there's really nothing preventing another occurance of this happening. All we can do is hope for the best.

So, in conclusion, I apologize if I offend anyone. I'm not trying to. I'm just trying to verbalize the annoyance I feel at small-minded, stupid people. And fakers. If you've lived through it and are in the process of rebuilding, my heart and prayer goes out to you. If you're going to whine about it though you didn't live through it and weren't even anywhere near that part of the country in 2005? Then I don't know what to say to you.

This Is Completely Insane!

Driving in a Sandstorm




Why not turn around & go in the opposite direction? And the end? Yeah, thank you but no. *icky shiver*

Weekend, Weekend, Weekend!

*happy dance* I don't have to be back at work until 1 Tuesday afternoon! Squee! But, my weekend is going to be so busy! *sigh* Cleaning, major dental work on Monday, maybe hanging out with a friend, going to lunch w/ one of my best buds on Tuesday. Otherwise known as Ack!

Because I'm basically totally broke and can't really go buy a ton of books (saving it all for the 5th), I've been doing a lot of rereading. I'm trying to figure out which books are worth keeping & which ones are tossers. It's so hard! I know of a couple that are for certain going bye-bye (Robin T. Popp anyone...eesh), but the rest are like my family. I feel like I'm giving away a beloved pet or something. *sniffle*

My mom cleared off the back porch, so maybe tomorrow after my major cleaning fest, I'll take my laptop and sit on one of the super comfy chairs out there. :) Whee!

I had kind of a funny thing happen yesterday. As I've stated before, I've been losing weight slowly but surely. A few weeks ago I went and bought some new capris and cropped pants. Tried them on and they fit (slightly loose), so I bought them and wore them to work. After just a short time of wearing them (half an hour) they were so big I could totally pull them off without unzipping.

So, yesterday while I was at work, I was using the restroom and had pulled down my pants w/o unzipping. Finish up, pull up my pants and after washing my hands I looked in the mirror. The pants were so big they were literally hanging on my hips. I've now officially gone down three sizes! Yay! It sucks though, because I honestly just don't have the funds to go buy a new wardrobe. I'm kind of grabbing things when they go on sale. I can't wait until I hit my goal weight and can wear the same size all the way through. I'm getting there...slowly but surely. :)

Most of my online buds are going off to the RWA convention next week. I'll miss you guys! What am I going to do for a whole week all on my lonesome? I've got something planned, but you won't find out...yet. :)

Well, I'm off. I'm really tired and might just go to bed. Here's hoping no more ridiculous late night calls. *sigh*

Hey, My Peeps

Howdy-do! :) I just finished reading Into The Fire by Suzanne Brockmann. Ya know, I think this was the most confusing of any of her books. I think there were at least 6 POVs in her book. I got confused. :-( Here's my review, if you're interested.

Work was a deadly bore today, but I read at least 2/3 of the book. Spent the other half of my day wanting to bang my head against the wall. *sigh*

Now I'm just laying here braindead. I hate it when that happens.


Other than the oh-so-exciting 2:45 am phone call this morning, not much is going on. I still can't believe he called me at that ridiculous hour. What a putz! :-P Men are so stupid.

And that's about it. My dad's flying to Kansas City Sunday to pick up a truck to drive it back. He'll probably be home on Thursday or Friday. Doesn't do it very often, but whenever he gets home he usually has postcards for me. Isn't he sweet? :)

I'm going to go play the Sims 2 now. Nite!

Nutty, Nuts

Guess what time I went to bed yesterday? When I tell you it was early...I mean it was EARLY! I got off work at 3, stopped and did some errands and got home around 5ish. I was sound asleep by 6:30. How that happened I don't know. *sigh* I got up at 9:30 and now I'm just hanging out.

Remember that guy who offered? Called me at 2:45 this morning. I didn't answer, just rejected the call. Avoidance, my name is me. :-P

I'm doing good though. It was nice to sleep. I needed to sleep, I guess.

I finally got my copies of the first two Colleen Gleason books back from my friend Tara. She'd had them for months! *sigh*


Now it's time to go shower and stuff. Bye for now!

Yawn

Man, I'm really tired. Need to go to bed. I just finished reading Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer. My review for the first three books is here. Of course I'll be reading Breaking Dawn, but I KNOW who I want Bella to choose. Call me crazy, but I'd totally go for my guy any day! :)

I'm doing good. Tired, but good. Work was really, really slow. Just to give you an idea how fast I read. I started reading New Moon at 1:00 this afternoon and was more than 2/3 of the way thru by 7 (that includes interruptions that were work-related). So, I read both books in less than 8 hours (with interruptions for both). Not too shabby.

I love looking at my Feedjit live feed. It's fascinating to see what people are searching for when they find my blog. The oddest one is the one for Black DIK. Personally, I'm thinking they were looking for something else, but they found me! Oh noes! :D

Most of my blogging buddies are going to SF next week for the RWA convention. I've since gotten over my jealousy (thanks to a few people...you know who you are) and wish them the best of luck. One of these years maybe I'll be able to join them.

In the mean time, for those of us who are left behind, I'm thinking of doing something kind of cool. I still have to figure out the logistics, but it'll give us something to do. :)

Now, I'm off to bed. I was finally able to get my copy of Into the Fire by Suzanne Brockmann. Will read that tomorrow at work. :)


Nite everybody!

IT'S RAINING MEN

Okay, so it's not, but I thought the title was catchy. :)

I am extremely bored. After work I decided to go to B&N to see if they had any books out early (like they sometimes do), but no such luck. I ended up buying the 2nd book in Stephanie Meyers Twilight series instead. Yeah, I'm lame.

And I went to check out what was going on with Into The Fire by Suzanne Brockmann. A book that was supposed to come out next week?? Looks like it's not out until January! Argh! I hate it when that happens. So another 5 months to twiddle my thumbs. Boo! Hiss!

August 5th? Lots and lots and lots of books coming out on that day! Acheron! Whee! Cry Wolf! Whee! *happy dance*

I had this really, really weird dream last night. I dreamt that we were at my old house (which I haven't lived in since I was 5) and we were all sitting out in the backyard. Except that the backyard was in the woods and we were surrounded by nothing but trees. I had this weird camera in my hands and I was taking pictures of the sunset. I remember thinking that the sun sure was red, when I realize it's because there's nothing but fire on the horizon. We all pile into a car and are speeding away, but the fire is chasing us. That's when my alarm went off and I woke up. *shiver* I hate dreams like that.

I'm so very tired. It took me a long time to fall asleep last night. Work was dead slow today and now I'm just sitting here. I caught up on my emails and so.

I do have something coming up on my other blog over the next day or two. Waiting for a few kinks to work themselves out first. One of you knows what it is. Shhhhh. *finger to lips*

Okay, I'm outies. Have a great night everybody!




*EDITED TO ADD* So I just called B&N after going online to double-check the date for Into The Fire. Turns out the guy I was talking to earlier was looking at the mass market paperback. *smacks head* I read him the ISBN # and he was able to find the book for me! Yay! So, it's waiting for me tomorrow! *happy dance*

Cuz I'm in that Kind of Mood

Blogging is so strange

For me anyway. I never get on here with specific things to talk about. 99% of the time it's random stuff that just pops into my head as soon as I sign in. Does that make me weird? LOL!

Well, you know how I had plans to go to Starbucks today? Ha! I spent most of the day in bed with a killer headache and an upset tummy. I don't think I was actually sick, but ugh, I've definitely felt better. *sigh*

When I wasn't sleeping, I was reading. Still catching up on the Dark-Hunter books. I was going to post the new video for Acheron, but if I'm being completely honest I thought it was kind of...not all that good. I was going to say lame, but that's not the right word. The actor who is playing Acheron basically looks like a bad vampire costume for Halloween. I don't care for book trailers all that much anyway. I'd rather have a good blurb over that any day. But that's just me. :-S

When I went shopping yesterday, I bought some chocolate and some mango sorbet. The best ones I've found are Hagen Daaz. They make the best sorbet I've found yet. Yummy! The mango one is especially good. *smacking lips*

I dunno what is wrong with me today. Reading all of this romance back-to-back-t0-back is getting to me, I guess. Sometimes I don't know why I torture myself reading all of the romance I read. Maybe I've got a masochistic streak or something. Crazy, I am, I think. :)

But, I don't know how I'd live without romance novels. I don't mean I'd die without them or anything, but if I can't live vicariously through 2 crazy characters in love, what's the point? I don't know if I'll ever find a man for me. So, I want to read some sort of Happy Ending. I might end up single for the rest of my life, ya know?

*sigh* Sorry, don't mean to be a downer. 99% of the time I really, honestly love being single, but every now and then it just smacks me upside the head that I AM SINGLE...and a virgin. *shudder* That's just crazy. It really is, when you think about it. :-P

But whatever. Anyway, I'm done rambling and feeling sorry for myself. So, for now, I'm off! I have to be at work at 10:30 tomorrow, so I must goes to bed before it's too late. Probably around 12 or so. The one good thing about my job is that it supports my night owl tendencies. I am so not a morning person.


Nite everyone!

And Stuff

And stuff and stuff. LOL! Sorry, it's been one of those days.


We had my nephews all weekend long, so with that, plus hot weather, tempers were a bit short. My poor mom was so exhausted she could hardly function by the time my SIL came to pick up Cooper. She asked me if I'd be willing to go grocery shopping for her. I said sure and she wrote me out a list.

Now I should say that when I did live on my own and went grocery shopping, it was usually pretty random. I knew what I needed (for the most part) and would just buy whatever. My mom wrote me a list and gave me detailed instructions on where to find 90% of the stuff. For the life of me though, it probably took me a good twenty minutes to find the Meatloaf mix and the stuffing. *sigh* It also doesn't help that our local Fred Meyer did a huge remodel and moved everything around. I had it basically memorized the way it was before, so this makes my head hurt.

However, after less than an hour, I was home. Thank goodness. I was so hot and tired that I just wanted to crash. We had giant baked potatoes for dinner and they were DELICIOUS! Tasted like mashed potatoes and we had sour cream and bacon bits to put on top. Yum!

I've spent my day reading. I'm rereading most of the Dark-Hunter novels by Sherrilyn Kenyon in preperation for Acheron's book that comes out next month. I'm really looking forward to it, but that's just because I only started reading the series at the beginning of this year. I know, I am SO far behind. I liked 'em.

Tomorrow (for sure this time) I plan on going to Starbucks and doing some writing. The boys will be here all day and I just really want to get some writing done. I haven't really done much storywise so I'd like to get that fleshed out and see what happens.

I did have a funny scene pop into my head the other day. Wil and the Pack are in the process of going after the bad guys. One of the Enforcer's hands her a gun and she hands it back with a smile. "Thanks, but no thanks. Trust me when I say you really don't want me and a gun together. Scary business that would be."

Will I use it? I dunno. But I thought it was funny. :)

Well, I'm off. I'm tired, but not tired enough to sleep. Nite everyone!

Just Because

As we all know, I love North and South, especially this scene at the end. And can I just say that the way Mr. Thornton cups Margaret's face when he kisses her is one of the sexiest things ever? Richard Armitage has the most masculine, beautiful hands. He could play with me all night long. LOL! I'm so bad. he-he

My Day (and a mini-review)

So, I'd stated that my brother wanted to take me to go see The Dark Knight. I wasn't going to say no, especially since he was paying for it. I got advance tickets, went to pick him up and off we went.

Got to the theater & found our seat. We sat about halfway up at the end. Excellent seats. Of course, me being me, I ended up having a hard-core anxiety attack about a third of the way thru the movie. It was the craziest thing. Don't know what triggered it, but I still feel pretty icky. :(

My thoughts on the movie:


The GOOD:


It was really, really dark and very violent.
Christian Bale is the hottest Batman yet. He even beats out Michael Keaton (which I never thought would happen).
Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker was amazing. He deserves a posthumous something because it was downright eerie.
The acting, period, was superb. Morgan Freeman, Mr. Bale, Mr. Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, and Michael Caine were all phenomenal in the rolls they played.


The NOT-SO-GOOD:


Christian's voice when he's Batman. He sounds like he's got a horrible case of laryngitis. I kept wanting to pat him on the back to help him cough up that loogie.
Maggie Gyllenhaal...her character was just kind not really needed. I mean, she did a great job in the roll, but it seemed a bit superfluous and wasn't really necessary.
The introduction of a villain. I understand why they did it & everything, but again it seemed like it added way more to the movie than it actually needed.
The run-time. 2 1/2 hours is along time to sit on your butt. Thankfully it was a fast-paced 2 1/2 hours, but still...long time.


All in all, I greatly enjoyed it. Entertainment Weekly gave it an A-. I think I agree with that thought. It was grisly and dirty and showed so much about human weakness/strength. The end will surprise you and hey, it's a hot guy. Can't go wrong there.


And something else I learned today. I'm not meant to watch movies in a theater. I think from now on I'll wait until they come out on DVD and watch them at home. It's not the same as watching it on the big-screen, but at least I don't have to deal with a lot of people, especially people who bring young children to a movie that's too old for them. Some morons brought a kid who couldn't have been more than sevenish. He screamed and carried on through the ENTIRE MOVIE! Argh! Annoyed me to no end! :(

Go see it! You won't regreat it!



And the Chinese food we had afterwards was great. :)

Heya!

I'm getting ready to go take a shower. Yes, it's almost 1:30 and I haven't showered yet. So sue me! :) I usually work on Saturday, but due to some work they're doing on the parking lot (which is on the 2nd floor...directly above my department) they closed us down for today. The noise was so bad yesterday we couldn't even hear our customers. Pathetic.

Getting ready to go see the new Batman. I bought the tickets ahead of time and my brother is going to pay me back. He'd better. :P

I had a headache all night, but am doing much better. Looking forward to having a nice quiet day. Whee!

Have a good one!

I Am So Bored!!!!!

One of those songs that just makes me sigh. And whoever did this youtube video? A total genius. :)

A Continuation of my Previous Entry

So, I hopped over to myspace to see whazzup. I'm finding it interesting that as I start adding people to my buddy list, I realize I actually have fun over there. Go figure. For so long I'd just go there to check up on my BB and stuff. Now I've got fellow DIKers and others.

Aren't friendships odd? As things have progressed with the DIK ladies, I'm finding more and more things in common with them. :) They've been helpful with stories (Thanks, MK) or advise. We all love to read and there's just something about that cameraderie that is really cool. :)

I changed my layout on myspace too. Since my book is about shapeshifters who just happen be wolves...I think it's appropriate. :)

I read a book the other day that used this particular phrase: Masturbatory secretions. Um...yeah. I laughed my butt off at that one. LOL! Masturbatory secretions? Seriously? And in reference to a man? Yeah, okay. :D

So many of my buds are in preparations to go to San Fran for the RWA conference. I've gotten over my envy (for the most part) and will idly wait by my computer for their stories. One of these days...I'll make enough money for the trip & I will go. I keep wondering if I should join, but I just dunno. It's a lot of money, especially if I join my local chapter. And I'd never be able to go to any meetings because they meet while I'm at work. Just doesn't make sense. It's something to definitely think about.

I'm rereading Kiss of Fire by Deborah Cooke. I can't wait for Donovan's story Kiss of Fury. Comes out next month! So many wonderful books to look forward to. Nalini Singh asked that question the other day. There are a good 20 or so books coming out in the next few months. And I wonder why I'm poor? LOL!

Well, I'm off. Have a good one!


*Edited to Add*


Here's a strange one for you. My mom told me this morning that my brother wanted me to go see the new Batman with him on Saturday. You'd have to know my relationship to understand why I'm so surprised. I told her to tell him okay. When I got home, she told me that not only was he going to pay for it, but that'd he'd take me out to dinner too. Color me surprised. :)

Hiya, Hiya, Hiha!

And stuff. he-he. I'm bored, I'm tired and...that's about it. Yes, my life is soooo exciting (cue sarcasm). LOL!

Actually today wasn't bad at all. I got to work a bit early because I was running errands and so I was able to catch up on a couple of emails. I was feeling quite productive. Got a few answers from MK in regards to DC, so that was great too. Now I just have to think of in-depth questions. Oh noes! :)

Got off work an hour early, got home, ate some reheated lasagna, and now I'm lying here typing away! Whee!

My friend K told me I'm welcome to go down to Sacramento anytime. I was researching airline tickets, making myself exteremely nervous (for no reason) and trying to figure out if it's an expense I can justify. *sigh* I just don't know. I'm more tempted to drive, but that's just because I'm a wuss. :P I've never been on a plane. Scared doesn't even begin to cover it. I was talking to my coworker today about it. He was kind of laughing at me when I told him my biggest fear is that the plane would take off and my sinuses would explode. Can you imagine the mess? LOL!

So, for those of you who do fly, any suggestions on how to relax (in a non-alcoholic fashion)? I'd love some pointers. :)

How was your day? And to all of my visitors, foreign especially...Hi! And thank you for reading my blog. :)

Here is Something Other Writers Can Understand...I Hope

As I've stated on here recently, I'm finally working on my WIP (happy dance around the room). I have my heroine 99% figured out. I'm sure she'll change as the story progresses, but I've been having a hard time figuring out my hero. I know what he looks like and all that good stuff, but I was having a hard time figuring out how he...ticked is the word I was looking for.

I remember reading somewhere on an author's site that one thing to do when you have a character who is driving you batty is write something via their POV. I tried that. Wasn't working. So, I decided to try something else.

Here, for your pleasure, is the "conversation" I had with my hero, Gideon.



"I can't believe you want me to talk about my feelings," Gideon said when I approached him at the restaurant.

"I'm sorry," I said as I sat down across from him. "I'm just trying to understand your character."

"My character, huh? Are we talking my psyche or just me period?"

"Well, I've got you figured out for the most part. I'm just trying to understand what makes you...well, you!"

Gideon rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair, his hands clasped over his rock-hard abdomen.

"That's just stupid, if you ask me."

"Why," I asked, wanting to know this man who has taken over my imagination for these last few weeks.

"I'm a typical guy. I like a cold beer, great sex and classic cars. Not a whole lot to figure out."

"There has to be something deep inside you that you want to show me. Right?"

I was begging at this point and felt like an idiot. Why was he being so stubborn? Didn't he want me to tell his story?

We sat silent for too long. In my head I was thinking that maybe this was all a mistake. I should just tell him that it was over, but didn't have the heart.

"I like chocolate," he said, his voice so soft I could barely hear him.

"Chocolate?" My voice was incredulous, but this was not what I'd been expecting to hear.

"Yeah, chocolate. You know, the good kind."

"I like chocolate, too."

"I know." He grinned at me, his dark eyes sparkling with laughter. We shared a laugh and I reached down for my bag. I took out my digital recorder and held it up with a questioning smile. He sighed, but nodded his head. I turned it on and set it on the table between us.

"So, tell me about yourself," I said in my best interviewer voice.

"What would you like to know?"

"Let's start simple, shall we? Your favorite color?"

"Black."

"Car?"

"Cherry red 64 1/2 Mustang Convertible."

"Nice!"

"Yup."

"Married?"

"Nope."

"Ever been close?"

"No...well, there was this one..."


There was a long pause as he looked down at the table to avoid my eyes. This was not usual behavior for him. I figured it was because he knew me so well. I just wish I could say the same for me.

"Now you've made me curious. Who was she?"

"Just a girl I knew a long time ago."

"And you almost married her?"

"No, not really. We were too young and I was too horny. Never would have worked."

"What was her name?"

"Doesn't matter."

I tapped my finger against my lip as I watched his face. I could tell I was making him uncomfortable.

"Do you think about her?"

"No...she's married and has a couple of kids. I haven't seen her in fifteen years."

He sighed and turned his head away, looking out the window. I felt bad for making him feel blue and reached over to place my hand on his arm.

"You will find the right one for you," I said with a smile.

"I hope so. You're writing about us."

"That's true. Would you like me to tell you about her?"

"No, I want to be surprised."

"I'll tell you a secret."

"What's that?"

"You've already met her."

His eyes go wide in surprise.

"I have? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! I'm the one who created you, aren't I? I know all of your history and everything."

He stared at me, focused on the little tidbit I'd given him. I can tell it's driving him nuts.

"So are you ready to give me more info about you so I can write your story?"

He jerked in surprise like he'd forgotten I was there.

"What?"

"Are you ready to tell me about yourself?"

"Yeah, I think so. I do have one question though."

"What's that?"

"Will I like her?"

The vulnerability he revealed in that question almost broke my heart.

"Honey, you will love her with everything you've got. And she'll love you just as much."

He smiled and the questions began.




The things the psyche does to help a story along. No, Gideon is not real (if anyone wants to know), but I was trying to make him feel that way. Any thoughts? Questions? Help? LOL! Anyway, after that pseudo-interview, the psyche questions started rolling and now I think I've got a feel for the man. All I can say is Mrowr! :) Total Alpha...though I know he doesn't 100% come across that way here. He knows me. he-he.

I'm a Total Fan-Girl

Yes, I am. And I'm proud of it. :)

A week or so ago, KristieJ and Miss Katie(babs) had the lovely Eve Kenin/Eve Silver on their blog. She was giving away an ARC of her September release and guess who won?!? I did! :)

So, when I got home from work, a lovely package was awaiting me. It was wonderful! Not only did she send me an unedited, signed copy of the book, but she also sent me (I dunno what to call them...they're the cover-copies maybe??? Just the covers before they're put on the books.) anyway, a signed cover copy of Hidden by Eve Kenin & a signed cover copy of His Wicked Sins by Eve Silver. Squee! I am so lucky! She loves me! She really loves me! Thank you! *happy dance*

And that was the topper of an otherwise blah day. *sigh*

The Heat is ON. The Heat is ooo-oon. The Heat is (dink-dink) on

Sorry...LOL! I'm cracking myself up. It's hot as molasses here. I gotta tell ya, humidity sucks. *sigh*

So, I found out I didn't get that job. Not even the least bit surprised by that news. Aw well, what else is new? I wish I had the wherewithal to quit and write full-time, but my finances DEFINITELY do not allow for that. I need to find a rich man who'd support my writing habit without expecting nookie on the side. :-P

I'm doing good other than melting. Work went by super fast today. I stopped at Freddy's on the way home to pick up diapers for my mom. My 2 year old nephew wears size 7s. Yes, he is a BIG boy. The thing is though, he's not even remotely fat. He's just tall like his daddy and me. :) I look at him at realize I was just like that when I was his age. It's easier for a boy though. He won't get picked on because he is a boy. And nobody would be in their right minds to pick on that child. He'd just run them over. LOL!

The hot weather is causing tempers to fray. One of my coworkers had a fit today over something super stupid. She ended up being sent home without pay because she wouldn't calm down. I say good for them. She's a psycho anyway.

I said I was going to review Tribute soon. I think I'll do that once I'm done here. I then want to write. Yay! :)

Nite!

This One Will Be Relatively Short...

I think. *sigh*

I had all these plans to go write today. Got to Starbucks and my computer wouldn't cooperate, plus I'd forgotten my flashdrive. I'm a genius (not!).

Got home, melted for awhile and about 6ish my mom asked me if I'd be willing to go to urgent care with her. I said okay and off we went. Didn't get home until about 10:30. I'm tired.

However, I was able to read Tribute by Nora Roberts. Can I just say that she writes some of the hottest heroes ever? Ford isn't the sexiest or the coolest, but there was something about him I just really enjoyed. I need to blog about it over on goodandbad. Soon.


Last but not least, HAPPY BIRTHDAY (a day late) to Jen and HAPPY BIRTHDAY (on time) to Ciara! Here's a little somethin' somethin' for y'all to enjoy! :) Enjoy his yummy abs of steel and his come-hither look. Yum! :)

I'm Meltiiiiiinnnnngggg! :P

It's hot. It's very hot here in Portland. Let me just tell ya...I hate heat. *sigh* Thank goodness we don't have to deal with much humidity here. I think I'd just shoot myself otherwise.

Because it's so hot I have no ambition. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. I had plans to clean and do some other stuff. Instead, I read all day long. *sigh*

But, I finished reading the Darkyn series (or the books so far) and reviewed them here. I kind of reviewed all the books at once. I did that because the whole series just kind of all rolls into one big pile of "Say What?!?" Not that I'm complaining. I give the series as a whole a B. Obviously I like having my head played with. LOL!

I'm just so tired. Heat does that to me. I think tomorrow I'm going to pack up my laptop and go to Starbucks. There's one not that far from here. I'll plug in my computer, put on my MP3 player and hopefully get some writing done. *crossing fingers* I haven't done much in the way of working on my WIP, but I've figured out why Wil hated having the "good" life and decided she liked angst instead. It makes the story firmer and more intriguing. It also will make the story more action-packed...I hope.

I bought Nora Roberts' latest book while at B&N. I don't know why I haven't started it yet. I think it might be because I've been so disappointed in her latest trilogy. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Nora fangirl, but there are times when I think she's just not all that into the story she's writing. I miss the great days of the MacGregors or the Stanislaski's. People you knew she really cared about. Now each series is basically a repeat of the one before. I wish she'd go back to stories of family & people. That's what she specializes in. Not paranormal hunkajunk with more emphasis on the weird and less on the people. It makes me sad.

Well, I'm done now. I shall see you all on the morrow. Nite!

It's My Weekend! *happy dance*

*Sigh* and I am TIRED! This week has been a doozy. Even though I didn't work yesterday due to a severe case of laryngitis, I didn't get anywhere near enough sleep this week. To top it all off, it was hotter than hot today. I'm sure it got close to 100, if not over. Thank goodness we don't have high humidity here or I think I'd be dead by now.

I got paid yesterday, so I went to B&N to pick up the latest Nora Roberts book. Haven't read it yet. I also bought the rest of Lynn Viehl's Darkyn series and the Hotter Than Hell Anthology. Ya know, maybe it's just me, but I really don't understand the appeal behind anthologies. The only reason I bought it is b/c it was edited by Kim Harrison. She also wrote a story for it. I don't care for short stories myself. I like books with meat (so to speak).

I got some very interesting responses to my DIK blog post (see here). I especially enjoyed Lisabea's telling me she was thinking of me (in a nonsexual fashion of course *snicker*).

Worked today. It was bad. Per usual. *sigh* Still haven't heard anything about the job. I'm totally not going to go one way or the other. If it happens, okay. If not, I'll just move on.

Well, this is my super fantastical blog for the day. I'm going to play the Sims 2 and then go to bed. Have a great night everyone!

Me? I'm Lizzie Bennett! :)

Take the Quiz here!

It's My Turn

Over on the DIK Ladies! Go see!

It Was a Very Good Day...For The Most Part

I should preface this whole thing by saying that allergies suck. *ahem* Now we will begin. :D


The events actually took place yesterday, but by the time I got home and everything I was too tired to blog about it. So, I'm telling you today. Yay! :)

I have a friend (I'll name her K) who I've been friends with off and on since I was about 12 and she was about 11. K's older sister is a bit older than me and b/c we all went to church together, K's sister was basically forced to invite me to sleepovers and the like all throughout our adolescence. Sorry, I'm bitter.

Anywho, K & I were friends during our teens, but our friendship drifted off when K's family moved away. We'd connect again off/on over the years, but the friendship never died.

A few years ago I attended a church service (I haven't attended church in a long time...too many things, but that's a different story) and K saw me. She was so happy to see me, we chatted for a few, gave each other our emails and moved on. We've been communicating via email ever since. It's been sporadic, but it's still there.

K & her husband have been up here in Portland for the last few weeks, but we didn't get a chance to connect until last night. She asked me to come see her at the church campgrounds and I said okay. The church is about a mile or so away, so it's not like it's out of my way or anything. So, I got there about 9 last night. She was so happy to see me. She gave me a big hug, introduced me to her darling baby and we sat down to chat. Her mom was with us at the beginning, so we caught up on life and the like.

About 10 her mom decided to go off to bed, K's husband took the baby to put her to bed and the conversation really began. It was one of the best conversations I've ever had. We discussed all kinds of things, but the part I'll never forget is when we started talking about relationships. I told her about the offer I'd been given to lose my virginity and that I'd seriously contemplated it for a minute, but that I'd decided I was too good for that. She really listened to me and it was so wonderful to talk to someone who really understood me. She didn't get married until she was almost 30 and so she'd waited all those years. She told me that though the temptation is out there, that there's nothing better than waiting for the right man.

She also gave me an open invitation to go down to Sacramento to stay with her and her family. I'm sorely tempted. It'd be nice to really visit with her and stuff. So, we'll see what happens. I didn't get home until about 11:30 last night, so I was pretty pooped. I woke up this morning with a severe case of laryngitis. I don't think it was from talking since I do that all the time anyway. I think it was from severe allergies. I've felt lethargic all day long. Ugh! So, I've been pumping allergy meds until I think my head will explode.

All in all, yesterday was a great day. It's so special to have truly great friends like that. I'm so glad the two of us have reconnected and it's nice to have a true friend.


I have to also tell you something really sweet. When her husband came to take the baby and she was helping him pick stuff up, the expression on his face when he looked at her just warmed my heart. You could see the complete and total love he had for her. I told her about that and she almost started to cry. :) Very sweet.


Well, I'm off. Gotta get up to go to work tomorrow. Boo! I stayed home today. I didn't get my voice back until about 6ish. Couldn't talk on the phone if my life depended on it. *sigh*

You Know You're Having a Strange Conversation

With your mother when the words virgin and self-pleasure are used in the same sentence. Yes, I can talk to my mom about masturbation. Crazy, no? :D

Again, I want to thank all of you who commented. I appreciate your feedback and what you have to say. It means a great deal to me that so many of you were concerned and wanted to give me your 2 cents. Obviously, I ultimately decided against it, but I gotta tell you. For a second there I was sorely tempted. *sigh*

I had my interview today. I have no idea how it went. The person who interviewed me is very hard to read. I will wait and see what happens. If I do not get the job, then I will consider it a sign and start looking elsewhere. With the way the economy is that's a scary prospect, but I can't be stagnant and stuck in a dead-end job. I want something that will allow me to grow as a person. Like I told him, I'm very good at my job. I can do anything and everything (and have proven that numerous times).

So, I guess the only thing I can say is keep your fingers crossed for me and we'll see what happens.

I shaved my underarms this morning and now I have razor burn so bad I can barely keep my arms down at my sides. It's also a heat rash, so I'm totally miserable. I'm trying to figure out the best way of medicating it. If I drank alcohol, that'd be my first option. Cuz it really hurts! :(

Well, I'm off! I've got a few things to do tonight and then I'm off to bed. I took a sleeping pill last night, but I think I took it too late. I woke up feeling all blah and now I just feel ugh. Yeah, that's a descriptive! :D Anyway, might go take it now so I can have a decent night's sleep. Ciao!

Much Ado About Nada

Hiya! :D So, I'm just sitting here minding my own P's & Q's. I took a sleeping pill awhile ago. Here's hoping it kicks in soon! Yay!

Work sucked. I'm so tired of dealing with people who are so stinkin' indecisive. Make up your mind & stick with it! Sheesh!

Tomorrow I have an "interview" (I quote b/c it's not really an interview per se. It's more a discussion). Keep your fingers crossed for me. I'm not very hopeful, but I really, really need to move on.

I'm broke, so no buying books for me. *sniffle* So, waiting until Friday. 'Tis payday, but this'll be the world's smallest paycheck. Must wait until I'm rich. Ha!

Tired, tired, tired. I'm thinking the sleeping pill has kicked in. Must go potty and brush my teeth. I bid you good night. :D

Thank You!

This is to the wonderful ladies who commented on my blog about my dilemma. I appreciate all your comments and your heartfelt caring. Much appreciated. As I said in that entry, I decided not to do it. But I gotta tell ya...I was sorely tempted.

So here is a little something for you. :) He's a cowboy and boy is he a smokin' one! :D

This Is My Dilemma

Okay, so I talked this the other night and was extremely cryptic, b/c I wasn't sure if I really wanted to vocalize it. However, whilst thinking about it, I decided I'd put it out here for the world to see to understand why I'm even thinking about it. *sigh*

As many of you know, I'm a virgin. Yup, I am. I know, everyone thinks there's something wrong w/ me because I am, but there's not. See, dating for me has always been more miss than hit and I've just gotten stuck in a rut. Also, I hate the idea of anyone seeing me naked (body issues, anyone?). It's pathetic and sad, but there ya go.

So, this is the so-called dilemma. I'm attracted to someone (and I'm as shocked as you are). He knows I'm a virgin and though there's no chance on this earth that anything will come of it, he basically offered to have sex with me. I know, I know, it totally sounds like a pity thing. The thing of it is though, he was totally serious! Shocking!

He's of the opinion that sex is just something that a person has to do. He's up front about the fact that he's not looking for a relationship and if I'm completely honest, neither am I. However, since I've waited so long, it's kind of...I'm trying to think of the right word. Maybe anticlimatic? Anyway, I'm honestly tempted. Maybe it's because it's been so long since I've honestly been attracted to anyone or something. I don't know.

But, if I'm being completely up front with myself, the truth is I want it to mean something. I don't want to lose my virginity just b/c. I want to be in a loving relationship with someone who has patience w/ my foibles. I don't want to lose it to some random guy just b/c he offers.

And there's the answer to the question. I won't do it, but I am sooooooooooooo tempted. What would you do if you were in my situation and something like this came up? Would you do it or would you be like me and say no? Inquiring minds want to know (well, I do anyway).

I'm Going to Admit Something

That totally embarrasses me. What is it? I'm jealous! Horribly, awfully, want to get down on my knees and beg jealous! Why? Because a bunch of people I know are going to the RWA conference in SF and I can't go. Not only that, but they will get autographs from authors I LOVE and I got nothin'. It's moments like this I hate being poor. *sigh*

Okay, enough whining. :P Here's the thing, it would be so cool if we could come up with some way to get autographs from authors who are going. People who can't afford to go or who have things that are keeping them from going should be able to have some of the same benefits, right? What if we came up with some sort of Conference here on our blogs? Communicated with authors we know aren't going and ask them to participate? I dunno about you, but I think I'd kill for half the autographs of authors who'll be there.

I know, I said I'd stop whining. Moving on. *clears throat*

Lessee...anything interesting happen this weekend? Nope. Went to bed, slept too late, ate too much, basically became a slug. I don't care! :-P

Went out with a friend for dinner tonight. I picked her up from work and we went to Azteca for dinner. We split a thing of fajitas and had an amazing dessert. I took her home, came back home, got in my jammies and now I'm online. I know, I'm boring! :D

I have a long week ahead of me and am not looking forward to it. Long, long, long. Blah, blah, blah. It's one thing if I actually liked my job. It's another when I don't & have to be around people longer than I want to be. *sigh*

I'm going to go play the Sims 2 now. Have good nite!

This is just wrong! :)

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I Was up WAY too late last night...*sigh*

5:00. Yes, that is what time I went to bed last night. I know, I'm crazy. *sigh* I had good reason, but not good enough. I've felt off-kilter all day.

I read Sam's Creed by Sarah McCarty yesterday. It was sooooooo good! I gave it an A-, just like Caine's Reckoning. They were both so good, but for totally different reasons. And Sam? What a hottie. :D

Today I read Moose: Memoir of Fat Camp by Stephanie Klein. I reviewed it here. What a story. And my review was much more personal than it usually is. This story resonated with me, mostly because I am a fat girl. I mean, I'm losing weight, but I'm still fat. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me think. I 100% recommend it. In fact, I just sent an email to Stephanie thanking her for writing her story. She is a great writer.

I feel really ugh today. My head hurts, my sinuses are stuffy and I'm just blah. I feel this crazy need to run around the house screaming at the top of my lungs, but I can't do that. *sigh*

I wasn't going to write about this on here, but I'm struggling to figure something out. I have an opportunity to do something (I will not say what), but I'm not sure I want to. It's difficult to put into words what this opportunity is, but let me put it this way. It's something I've wanted to do for a LONG time, but now that I have the opportunity, I'm chickening out. It's too personal, I guess. I dunno, it's something I'll have to figure out on my own.

Well, I'm off. Going to write for a bit *crossing fingers* and then I'm off to bed! Have a great nite, everybody!

Squee!

I won, I won, I won! Yup, I won a copy of an Eve Kenin/Eve Silver book over on Kristie J/Katie(babs) blog. Whee! I love Eve Kenin, but haven't read any of the books she's written under Eve Silver, so I'm very excited!

Today has just been really lazy. I woke up around noon, spent some time talking to my mom, watched some neighbor kids play with firecrackers and basically did nothing. *sigh* I'm horrible.

Oh and I read Running Wild by Sarah McCarty. Can I just say she makes werewolves very sexy? Mrowr!

I'm going to go write now. Have a Happy 4th of July!

This Song Always Makes Me Want to Cry (this version specifically)

Argh! And Other Things

Ya know, I set out to write my book in a specific way. My heroine would come from a loving family, have a great past, etc. Ha! I just started Chapter 3 (again) and she totally changed her history on me! Argh! Well, at least now I know my female shifters body chemistry is definitely different than human. *sigh*

I'm Tired...Again

Man, this not sleeping thing is getting old. *sigh* It's the heat. The humidity. The overall blahness that is my life at the moment.

Oh well, it's the start of my 4-day weekend and I'm going to enjoy it. :) I plan on getting up at a decent hour tomorrow and cleaning. I plan to scour my room from top to bottom and have it spotless. Not only that, but I'm taking before/after pictures and posting them on here to humiliate myself and to try to figure out how on earth I keep this room clean. It's pathetic. *eye roll*

I did a really bad thing today. I edited. Yes, I did. I did it totally on purpose, because after the second chapter I think Wil's Story just fell flat. After Sarai read it she said there's no action. So, I'm trying to start Chapter Three with a bang. Well, more like a poof, but you get the idea. Previous sexin' maybe? I had a thought, I'll write it out and then send it to Sarai & Tracy. See if they like the new twist.

This is what I hate about writing. I tend to second-guess myself all the time. I'll have a new thought pop in my head and then try to figure out what's stronger: the first one that I did off the cuff or the second one where I had a chance to think it through. Do any of you writers go through this or is it just me? *headdesk*

I love the thought of this story. It has so much potential and I'm trying to just follow it through. I'm having a horrible time keeping my inner editor's mouth shut. Anyone have any suggestions on that one too? Help! :)

Well, this ended up being more a of a whine-fest than I expected. :P Over on the DIK, we have Evangaline Anderson. She's really nice and funny. I like nice and funny. :)


*Edited to add* Oh and if y'all could do me a super big favor and pass good vibes my way? I have an interview for a different position next week. I've applied for it before and didn't get it, but that's b/c it was already promised to someone else. If I plan on buying a house in the somewhat near future, I need a better paying/more hours job and this one suits my skills to a "T", so good thoughts would definitely be appreciated.


Thank you & have a Happy 4th of July (if you're in the States)

Ha!

Your Reading Personality: Serial Reader!
Start quiz
You may read a lot or a little, but either way you're a publisher's dream, because once you discover a favorite writer you stick with him/her through thick and thin and eagerly await the next in the series; but even you need to discover some new blood from time to time!


This isn't 100% correct, because I find new authors all the time...it's just that when I find a writer I love, I love them. :)

*Yawn*

Man, I can barely keep my eyes open. *sigh* It's been really, really muggy for almost a week and I am sick of it! I hate to sweat, so it's been especially miserable.

Yesterday I stopped at B&N (surprise, right?) and bought Caine's Reckoning by Sarah McCarty. It was excellent! :) I gave it an A-, which is an excellent grade, I'm thinking. Sarah is so nice. She shows up on Lisabea's blog every now and again and she's also part of our DIK blog, so that's cool. I love approachable authors. They make reading all the more fun. :)

Speaking of B&N (I'm rolling my eyes as I write this), my family and friends always seem shocked by the fact that I don't know a stranger. I can be at a mall, standing in line at the grocery store, whatever and if someone is standing behind me I'm not afraid to engage them in conversation. Well, yesterday and today I was at B&N and ended up talking to three different women. I talked one girl into a Lisa Kleypas (Dreaming of You...I know, it's just so good), The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason (book pimp), Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh ( I am SO bad) and Monkeewrench by PJ Tracy. Yeah, weird grouping but whatever. Anyway, all 3 of the ladies I talked to asked for my blog, so I gave them my review one. How crazy is that? So, I've earned more royalties for more authors. I'm thinking I should ask for my share??? Ha! Well, I wouldn't say no. he-he

Because I was reading Caine's Reckoning, I didn't get any work done on my WIP. I'm so pathetic. *sigh* But, the book was so good! :)

Just as a quickie, I wante do thank MK in advance for her help. It's so nice knowing someone based in the place I'm writing about. :) Makes it easier to ask questions. Mine were really vague though. It was basically an "what would you do, live in, etc. if you lived in the DC area?" kind of thing. I'm sure I'll think of really intelligent questions somewhere along the line, but I'm still only on the first draft. I won't be sending anymore of it to anyone (sorry Tracy & Sarai) until I've got more. I was bad and sent them the first three chapters. I just wanted to see if they liked it and if I should continue on. I guess the best way to say it was I needed an ego boost.

I've been so dried up in the writing part of my life for so long now that I almost forgot I am a good writer. It's one of those confidence things. My self-confidence level has always been pretty low and sometimes I just feel like I'm not good at anything. I keep trying to remind myself that I am good at a lot of things. I just need to keep telling myself that. Maybe one day I might actually believe it.

Well, I'm off to write. I'm really, really tired tonight, so I might be going to bed early. I got off work at 5 (I was on the phones for an hour and had 4 phone calls if that tells you anything) and spent an hour and a half chatting away in the romance section, so I'm trying to do something productive now. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Nite!

The Top 100 (cuz all the big kids are doing it)

I'm being lazy. Basically, highlight the ones you've read. I've read...not that many. *sigh* I'm not all that into classics, I guess.

1. Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5) by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the €Chamber of Secrets (Book 2) by J.K. Rowling
5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3) by J.K. Rowling
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4) by J.K. Rowling
7.The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
8. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) by J.K. Rowling
10. 1984 by George Orwell
11. Pride and Prejudice (Bantam Classics) by Jane Austen
12. The catcher in the rye by J.D. Salinger
13. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
14. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
15. The lord of the rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
16. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
17. Jane Eyre (Penguin Classics) by Charlotte Bronte
18. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
19. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
20. Animal Farm by George Orwell
21. Angels & demons by Dan Brown
22. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
23. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
24. One Hundred Years of Solitude (Oprah's Book Club) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
25. The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, Part 1) by J.R.R. Tolkien
26. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
27. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
28. The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Part 2) by J.R.R. Tolkien
29. The Odyssey by Homer
30. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
31. Slaughterhouse-five by Kurt Vonnegut
32. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
33. The return of the king : being the third part of The lord of the rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
34. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
35. American Gods: A Novel by Neil Gaiman
36. The chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
37. The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy by Douglas Adams
38. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
39. The lovely bones: a novel by Alice Sebold
40. Ender's Game (Ender, Book 1) by Orson Scott Card
41. The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, Book 1) by Philip Pullman
42. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman
43. Dune by Frank Herbert
44. Emma by Jane Austen
45. Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
46. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Bantam Classics) by Mark Twain
47. Anna Karenina (Oprah's Book Club) by Leo Tolstoy
48. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
49. Middlesex: A Novel by Jeffrey Eugenides
50. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
51. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
52. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
53. The Iliad by Homer
54. The Stranger by Albert Camus
55. Sense and Sensibility (Penguin Classics) by Jane Austen
56. Great Expectations (Penguin Classics) by Charles Dickens
57. The Handmaid's Tale: A Novel by Margaret Atwood
58. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
59. Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt
60. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
61. The lion, the witch and the wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
62. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
63. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
64. The Grapes of Wrath (Centennial Edition) by John Steinbeck
65. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
66. The Name of the Rose: including Postscript to the Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
67. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
68. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
69. The complete works by William Shakespeare
70. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
71. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
72. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
73. Hamlet (Folger Shakespeare Library) by William Shakespeare
74. Of Mice and Men (Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century) by John Steinbeck
75. A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics) by Charles Dickens
76. The Alchemist (Plus) by Paulo Coelho
77. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
78. The Picture of Dorian Gray (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (Barnes & Noble Classics) by Oscar Wilde
79. The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition by William Strunk
80. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
81. The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, Book 2) by Philip Pullman
82. Atonement: A Novel by Ian McEwan
83. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
84. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
85. Dracula by Bram Stoker
86. Heart of Darkness (Dover Thrift Editions) by Joseph Conrad
87. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
88. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
89. The amber spyglass by Philip Pullman
90. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (Penguin Classics) by James Joyce
91. The Unbearable Lightness of Being: A Novel (Perennial Classics) by Milan Kundera
92. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
93. Neuromancer by William Gibson
94. The Canterbury Tales (Penguin Classics) by Geoffrey Chaucer
95. Persuasion (Penguin Classics) by Jane Austen
96. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
97. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
98. Angela's Ashes: A Memoir by Frank McCourt
99. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
100. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli



Most of the books I read in high school as required reading (Fahrenheit 451, anyone?). I just read all of the Jane Austen books, so I'm happy about that. The Iliad and The Odyssey I read in Freshman English. I had a teacher who was obsessed with Greek Mythology. We spent on month on Romeo and Juliet and spent the rest of the school year learning nothing but Greek Mythology. I think that's one reason why I still love it to this day. :)

Whoot!

Okay, so I got over the procrastination thing and got my butt in gear. I even got myself side-tracked looking up the long-haired guy in those William Lawson commercials. His name is Nico Vandersmissen and he's Dutch. Hotness! Of course I can't find any stills of him, though he kind of fits the visual I've got in my head of Gideon. Yup, Gideon is the name of my hero. I like it. It fits him. *sigh*

So, do you want to know how many words I got down on paper (or Word as the case may be)? Over 3000! Thank goodness I type fast. My mind was just going a gazillion miles an hour. It kind of hurts, actually. :)