Getting Lost in Some Good Books

On Friday I participated in the Back From the Future Blogfest and one of the things I received from Future Me was a holographic eReader. (Note to all you technological types out there: Please get on this. I would like one for real.)

This got me thinking about which books I would like to Pagemaster the most.

I think I’d start by jumping into Deborah Harkness’ A Discovery of Witches. For one thing, I’ve never been to England, so this seems like a good way to see it. Plus, quite a bit of this book takes place in libraries, so if I start getting a little nervous are all the witches, vampires and demons, at least I’ll still be surrounded by the comfort of books. It seems like a good way to ease myself into the worlds of fiction.

Definitely want to see Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus. And with this eReader I don’t have to wait until nightfall. Take that reveurs!

However, in terms of magical worlds, I’d be very reluctant to read the Harry Potter books on this contraption. Mostly because I’m pretty sure if I ever made my way into Hogwarts, I wouldn’t want to come out. And I just don't think holographic food is going to be as life-sustaining as the real stuff.

I’d be completely willing to get Lost in a Good Book of Jasper Fforde’s. Access to all those literary characters in one place. Fantastic. But I’d go even if I wasn’t going to get the chance to see all of them. Why? Two words: pet dodo. And I’m sold.

Oooh, and Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time! The suburban world that young Christopher John Francis Boone lives in may not be that far from ones I’ve experienced, but I’m guessing as the book is written in first person that this mystical eReader would show it to me from Christopher’s point of view. And that would be more than worth the re-read.

And, of course, eventually I need to check out Dracula, one of my earliest introductions to Gothic horror. Mostly I want to see if it’s as gloomy and raining as I always imagine it to be. Seriously, pick up that book and thunder starts booming in my head.

Once again, I’m waiting on those of you more technologically minded than myself to figure this whole thing out. Until you do, I’m just going to keep running inside libraries during thunderstorms and hope to get knocked out.

After all, it worked for Richard Tyler.

Back From The Future Blogfest!

It’s the first Friday of the month and there is no Bad Movie/Good Party Theme.*

I know, I know, it’s a break from tradition. But there’s a good reason! At least, if you think getting a visit from much future self is reason enough to deprive you of your dose of cinematic aw²-ness.**

That’s right, folks, my future self. I’m a big fan of travel so I’m not too surprised that when Future Me figured out there was a way to time jump, she/I leapt at the opportunity.

And she/I was thoughtful enough to bring gifties! A whole shoebox full of things from the future. The year 2023 to be exact.

I figured it was unfair for me to have all these glimpses into the future, so I thought I’d share with you guys. Here’s what I got:

-          Blueprints to what appears to be a flying car.

o       Completely pumped about this. Looks like Hanna & Barbera were on the right track with their Orbit City predictions. 2062, we’re gonna be flying your way!

-          Something that looks like an eReader with a big green button.

o       Sweet baby monkeys…..When I press the green button the world of the story forms in hologram around me. I’m walking through stories!! And, yup, double checked, if you don’t press the button, you can still read the books like normal. 

-          Mumford and Sons album (2022)

o       Still sounding strong!

-          Another Firefly movie

o       *Swoons dramatically, then begins belting out “The Ballad of Serenity.”*

-          Picture of book with my name on the cover.

o       *Runs down the street yelling to people a la George Bailey at the end of It’s A Wonderful Life* Of course, leave it to Future Me not to let me see what I’d written. Now, I’ll have to think of it all on my own. Also, pumped to see that you can still get paper books in 10 years.

-          Note that says “You got the library.”

o       The only library coming to mind is the one from Beauty and the Beast. And if that’s the one Future Me is talking about, I may just throw up right here. But in a totally good way.

-          Family photo

o       Look at everyone, smiling all cheesy. Love it. Oooh, some unfamiliar faces. No names on the back though. Guess I’m just going to have to keep an eye out.

-          And judging from the size of this box, I’m guessing Future Me has a pair of pretty awesome boots.

o       May not say much about the future, but I’m certainly pleased with the thought.

Turns out I’m not the only one getting futuristic shoe boxes. Suze, Mary, and Nicki have more of the details on these mysteriously awesome occurrences.   

* Check back next week!
**Awful & awesome.

Not-So-Guilty Pleasures: The Lisa Basso Edition

Hey folks!

We've got more Not-So-Guilty Pleasures! *Does a little sitting-at-the-computer dance.*

Today's victim, um, guest, is Young Adult author Lisa Basso (that's her! Right over there -->). Her debut novel, A Shimmer of Angels, was released just last month (Congrats Lisa!). In addition to typing her fingers to the bone, here is what's got her obsessed:

I try not to let anything that makes me as happy as these five items let me feel guilty at all. Life is all about balance and fun. Work hard play hard, you know? I'm a firm believer that trying new things and being open to new experiences is important in life, but that doesn't mean we have to get rid of our first loves. Here are a few of my dear loves. 

1.   Tea. I used to be a coffee drinker, not very long ago. It was my only vice. For those of you who aren't addicted to caffeine like it's crack (and I'd really love to meet someone that doesn't drink coffee/tea/caffeinated beverages), switching from coffee to tea doesn't sound like such a huge deal. Trust me, it was. There was no rabid twitching, blacking out, or homicidal rages (though how cool would that be if there was?), but there was an inherent sadness inside of me that only that sweet little coffee bean could cure. This lasted only for a week. Then it was like coffee never existed. Tea was my savior. Tea was soft, gentle, and gets me to work. It sounds more like a wife. Let me try this again. Tea was hot, steamy, and always ready for me. There, now that sounds better. Long story short, I like tea. :)

2.   DVR. For me, there has been no better invention in the last five (or so) years than the precious digital video recorder. It does for me what a VCR and blank tapes used to (yes, I took my TARDIS and went back there), it makes sure I never miss one of my favorite shows. Now I wouldn't say I watch a lot of TV, but there are certain shows that I would be crushed if I missed. The Walking Dead, Project Runway, The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, Arrow, Community, The Big Bang Theory, Glee, Modern Family, Two Broke Girls, How I Met Your Mother, Castle, and newer favorites The Following and The Carrie Diaries. Okay, so maybe I watch a little more TV than I should, but let me explain that my DVR is always full. I don't remember the last time it was less than fifty percent full. Constantly playing catch-up is fun though.

3.   Gaming. Sorry in advance, this one's going to be long, my friends. My PlayStation 3 is one of my favorite possessions. I don't have anywhere near enough time to play as much as I'd like, but every few days I manage to sneak in an hour or so of gaming awesomeness. 

One of my current obsessions is Lego Lord of the Rings. Really, anything Lego does it for me. From Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Harry Potter. They are all good, clean fun (which is way different from most of my not so guilty pleasures). You feel like smashing something? In Lego games, you can. And they turn to coins. So fun and doubly rewarding. 

Borderlands 2 is classified--are you ready for this?--as a first action role-playing first-person shooter. Um, anyone else get the chills? No? Just me, huh? Borderlands 2 is different, immersive, and ass-kicking awesome. Need I say more?

Alice Madness Returns, a take on Alice in Wonderland where Alice is insane and tries to uncover what really happened during the fire she might have started that took her home and her family. Her hallucinations are the different levels of a gritty, crumbling, violent version of Wonderland. I've played this one through several times already. It's one of those games that doesn't get old.

Anything with the Call of Duty title. While it took me a while to get into the first person shooter, I am now a dedicated fan. Shooting people in the face to take out some aggression. No one can create anything better. 

Except for maybe Dead Island. You play as one of four interesting characters stranded on a resort island during a massive zombie outbreak. You're given blunt objects like bats, paddles, and hammers, guns, and sharp objects like knives, sickles, and katanas. All to kill zombies with. Plus you can stomp on their heads! The ultimate bonus. With a new Dead Island game due out in June, I'm brushing up on my zombie slaying skills now so I won't be out of practice. And P.S. I am zombie apocalypse prepared.

4.   Baking. A weird one after you've just found out my slightly maniacal side, but hear me out. Sugar, butter, and maybe a sprinkling of chocolate. It sounds like a Paula Dean cooking show, doesn't it? I first started baking as a little girl with my Mom in the kitchen. As a teenager I developed a love for chocolate chip cookies (and the dough that made them). The problem was the store-bought dough and cookies aren't even in the same league as homemade, and since my mom worked a lot, I realized if I wanted them I would have to make them. In the last few years, I've turned to baking during stressful times. It's become a release for me, plus it yields yummy goodness. I have a few tried and true recipes that I never deviate from like carrot cake and chocolate chip cookies, but I love trying something new and I have tons of baking cook books. As a matter of fact maybe I'll try a new recipe today!

5.   Books. Okay, I know I'm a writer this may seem like cheating, but I've always loved books. Everything about a book stirs something warm up in my stomach, from the stores that carry them, to the stunning front covers, and, of course, the beautiful words inside. I love reading almost as much as I love writing. I also love visiting bookstores, big chains, smaller yet amazing indie stores, and everything in between. Yes, I have even been known to browse the grocery store book isle (every time). I also order loads of them online and I buy ebooks. I have shelves of real books, too. Sometimes I even get lost just looking at each individual book spine on my shelves while deciding which one to pick up next, then I look up to find nearly an hour has passed. Addicted? I think so.

Thanks Kelly for having me today! 

ABOUT LISA M. BASSO

Lisa M. Basso was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She is a lover of books, video games, animals, and baking (not baking with animals though). As a child she would crawl into worlds of her own creation and get lost for hours. Her love for YA fiction started with a simple school reading assignment: S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. When not reading or writing she can usually be found at home with The Best Boyfriend that Ever Lived ™ and her two darling (and sometimes evil) cats, Kitties A and B.

Still hankering for more info on Lisa?
Lisa M. Basso Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Lisa-M-Basso/340213186037936?fref=ts
Lisa M. Basso Twitter: http://twitter.com/LisaMBasso
Lisa M. Basso Website: http://lisa-basso.blogspot.com/  

And her book?
Goodreads A SHIMMER OF ANGELS: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13572197-a-shimmer-of-angels
Goodreads Lisa M. Basso: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3201662.Lisa_M_Basso  

How Do You Read?

Do you like to look at the words or do you absorb more when someone else is reading and favor audio books? If so, are there consistent parts where you find your mind wandering? 

And if you like to look at the words yourself do you skim? Pore over every word? Or is it a mix?

I used to think I was a pore-r, but over the years I've realized that's not entirely accurate. I know this because as an avid re-reader, I almost always discover something new on the second go-around. Some little piece of magic that didn't quite register the first time.

Rarely though is it dialogue. Regardless of genre, conversations between multiple characters or between a character and his/her self is always something I focus on. Probably because conversations are something I find interesting in my off-the-page life. Or maybe because dialogue is something I like to read aloud when I have the chance and that just makes it harder to miss. Seriously, try it. With voices. It's awesome.

But regardless of the reason, I must declare myself a mixer. 

So, what are you?

Mental Reset

Do you have a default song in your head?

I tend to frequently get songs stuck in my head. Last night it was “I’m Gonna Be” by The Proclaimers. A good, fun song, to be sure. But once it latches on to your brain stem, it’s nearly impossible to shake it off.

And because I’m a little bit mean, I’m going to try to put it in all of your heads as well:

You’re welcome.

But, back to the point – lots of songs get stuck in my head. Some more than others. For days, I will have the same melody playing in circles in the old brain pan. And when I finally manage to oust them, they almost inevitably turn up on the radio. The tunes of Cee Lo and Carly Rae Jepsen haunt me.  

There are some days however, where my brain is quiet. No music. Just peaceful silence. Which is wonderful, until I decide that I’m bored with it and would like a little music. And suddenly….nothing. For all my love of songs, I can not come up with a one.

This deafening quiet tends to last just under the longest minute ever and then the music comes through again. But in these situations, it is almost invariably the same song that pops into my mind first.

“Colors of the Wind.”

Yup, the song from Disney’s Pocahontas.

I have no idea why. Sure, I liked that movie as a kid, but it wasn’t my favorite Disney film. I’ve been in numerous musicals. I’ve listened to countless CDs. My inner musical library is not too shabby.

But every time: “Colors of the Wind.”

So, am I alone, or does this happen to other people? Do you have one random song that is always the first to pop into your head when you decide it’s time to do a little singing?

And, finally, in deference to my inner voice:

I’m all for walking in another’s footsteps, but I think grabbing bear cubs 

is an action that should be included in this song.

The Devolution of Character

I saw the new Die Hard movie this weekend. And it was fun. Lots of action, some one-liners. What you generally expect from a Die Hard movie.

But the entire time I watched it, all I kept thinking was: I miss John McClane.

Back when we first met him in 1988, he was a real, fleshed-out character. He had fears (air travel, his family’s safety, loss of his own life) and desires (reuniting with his estranged wife, seeing his kids, still being alive come Christmas morning). He said the wrong thing, a lot. And every time he did, he knew it. He wasn’t thoughtless, he was just stuck in a rut and finding it difficult not to run at the mouth.

He was certainly brave and tough and so forth, but he didn’t always just run into situations guns blazing. He didn’t stop Gruber & friends from killing Mr. Takagi and he couldn’t stop Ellis from talking himself into a corner he couldn’t get out of. In both these situations, McClane showed himself to be truly torn by his decisions and inability.

He talked a big game, loading the talk with expletives. But his rampant cursing wasn’t a way to prove his toughness or a glib approach to death, it was his way of dealing with the fact that he was freaking the frick-frack out. As was shown a number of times, he was scared. And it was the fact that he kept going in spite of this fear, more than any of the high octane stunts or number of bad guys vanquished, that made McClane a hero.

He got hurt, repeatedly, and acknowledged that. Sure, it was less acknowledgment than a real-life person might show, but as he pulled the glass out of his feet and limped for the rest of the movie, you knew he was feeling it.

Despite not being great at verbalizing it, he cared about his interpersonal relationships. Most especially in the case of his wife, but also a couple of others he met along the way. He and Argyle, the limo driver, quickly bonded. And though they don’t actually meet each other until the last five minutes of the movie, McClane and LAPD sergeant Al Powell manage to form a more touching friendship than is often portrayed in such films.

As the franchise has grown, so has the size of the groups that McClane has been asked to protect – from an office of hostages to, in essence, the world – taking his story from improbable to impossible. And though with all these misadventures I could understand an individual becoming desensitized over time, I just don’t think the John McClane ’88 would ever stop caring to the point that John McClane ’13 has.

Gone is his conflicted reaction to the loss of live by innocent bystanders. Now he drives over them in their cars. He wanted so badly to reconnect with his wife in the first movie that despite it not being a romance, it can be seen as a love story in some ways. The stated desire to patch things up with his son here, is just that, stated. It’s a plot point and an excuse to get him to Russia, but no real weight is given to that storyline, making what could have been touching moments just seem like an obligatory nod to there having to be something in his life past blowing things up.

Not that he’s at any risk from these actions.

There is no fear of his mortality here, for him or the audience. The stunts have gotten bigger, but the threat of death hasn’t. There’s no need for us to root for him anymore because there’s no chance of anything actually happening to him.

When I watched the first movie, I knew he wasn’t going to die. He couldn’t. And I was fine with that, because I also knew it wasn’t going to be easy for him. Now, forget about broken glass in the feet, McClane throws himself through windows, falls down buildings, hangs off of helicopters and shrugs it off. The blood he is covered in seems more unrealistic that that which was shown in the first movie, because McClane shows absolutely no reaction to it past occasionally wincing as though his muscles were a little sore from a particularly strenuous day at the gym.

Now, I’m going to be completely honest here and say, if they make a sixth one of these, despite my frustrations here, I will go see it. Not simply because it’s a habit, but because I continue to hold out hope that at some point the indestructible John McClane will go into retirement and let the human McClane come out and play.

He was a character I could get behind.

Sympathetically Awkward

Roomie sent me this link this morning. Because she gets into work before I do and like to leave me “Happy Friday” messages.

Because she’s awesome.

Anyway, it got me thinking about things in books that make me feel the same level of awkwardness as the situations mentioned in that article.

It’s amazing really.

I’m at home. Generally alone, behind the closed door of my room, completely the opposite of the center of attention. And yet, as I read certain scenes, I find myself burrowing under my pillows to get away from the sense of severe discomfort.

I’m nervous laughing. Trying to look away, but lacking the ability.

I’ve just showed up to take a test and realized I didn’t study. Asked to take center stage, while knowing I don’t know any of the lines. Stood up to give a presentation only to find that I am completely without clothing.

Except all I’m really doing is holding a book.

The biggest culprit for evoking these feelings of overpowering awkward-osity? The public declaration of love scene.

I’ve read a lot of romance novels and at least fifty percent of them have such a grand gesture. Some setting chock full of people (and sometimes a microphone) where the hero or heroine can lay themselves bare before all within earshot. And everyone acts like it’s just so romantic.

And, yes, in certain stories it really works. But you know how some people are sympathetic criers? I feel sympathetically awkward. So, rarely do I read such a scene, no matter how well written, where I don’t have a short Robert DuVall in Newsies moment.

“Go home! Go home to your mothers and your fathers! Go home!”

*Buries face in pillow. Peeks up, sees awkwardness still waiting. Laughs uncontrollably. Goes back to reading*

Also making my list of Things That Make Me Feel Like I’m the One Being Stared At?

-          Any time a character has to take part in a performance he or she has not prepared for.

-          Any time a character is trying to act “cool.”

So, what makes you sympathetically awkward?

*Note: If you’ve found yourself in real-life awkward situations lately, I would suggest using this survival guide.

Not-So-Guilty Pleasures: The Shannon Duffy Edition

Today, I would like to welcome Young Adult and Middle-Grade author, Shannon Duffy. Her newest book, Gabriel Stone and the Divinity of Valta, was released earlier this month. You should a million percent go check it out.......but not before you read about what she had to say about her Not-So-Guilty Pleasures:

Okay so guilty pleasures here we go. Drumroll please. Okay, no drumroll necessary. 

*Clears throat.*

1.     I love reality TV. Like, I mean I love it a lot. As in I love them so hard I’m obsessed. You name the reality TV show and I probably love it. Whether it’s Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, X-Factor, Survivor, or the Bachelor/Bachelorette, I’m in. I love the real drama of it all and getting to hear the stories of people etc. Hubs and I even went to a live taping of Dancing with the Stars and X-factor last year in L.A. Loved it!

2.     MAC makeup. 

     I have far too much of this stuff than one person really needs, but I love all the colors and experimenting with all of their cool stuff. I even took a couple of makeup lessons at MAC. (Not that I’m so great at putting it on, but it was fun)! I recently got a new vanity installed in my bedroom, and it took me several hours to line up my MAC stuff in the drawers. Check out the top drawers. 

3.     Wearing my pajamas all day while I write. 

     How luxurious and…ahem…lazy? IDK, but with coffee in hand and especially when the words are flowing, I’m one happy girl.

4.     Diet Coke with lime. I think it’s safe to say I’m addicted to the stuff. Pour it in a tall glass chocked full of ice, and my eyes spring with glistening tears of satisfaction at the first sip. Yes. It’s that good. In fact, I think I’ll go and get one right now. 

5.     Voluspa candles. 

    This is a new guilty pleasure. Guilty because they’re a bit pricey, but I’d like to have them all over the house. They smell so good it’s divine! I recently bought four different scents. 

ABOUT SHANNON DUFFY

Shannon Duffy grew up on the beautiful east coast of Canada, and now lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and son, Gabriel. She’s mom to one boy, and several pets. Shannon loves writing, reading, working out, soccer, and the sport of champions-shopping. 

Want to know more about Shannon?

Shannon Duffy Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ShannonDuffyLit 

Shannon Duffy Website: http://www.shannonduffylit.com/

And, of course, you want to read more about her books: 

Goodreads GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15841297-gabriel-stone-and-the-divinity-of-valta
Goodreads Shannon Duffy: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3873156.Shannon_Duffy

Finding Your Creative Space

Where are you your most creative?

For me, it's almost always a place where I'm supposed to be doing something else.

Back when I was in school I lost count of the number of exam questions that prompted the following internal monologue:

I remember this. I know I remember this. We talked about it that one class. I remember because that was the day I came up with that story about the space traveling sisters. Man, I love that story. Couldn't stop writing it the whole time the professor was -- Oh. Damn.

Now, the second I step into a meeting? The wheels start turning. A training of some sort? The creative juices start a-flowing.

But I wrestle back the flood - leaving myself little notes that look like the ramblings of a madwoman - and do my job, ignoring the annoyed voices of the characters I'm thwarting.

They're always there when I go back, even if they try to snub me for awhile.

If I'm looking for a less inconvenient surge of creativity, I do one of two things - Bring my notebook to a restaurant or take a long drive.

The restaurant is for when I'm trying to get plot down. Not bringing a computer ensures no Internet distraction. And the location provides enough background noise that my mind doesn't try to fill the silence with the most annoying song I can think of, but is spread out among enough conversations that I'm not interested enough to listen to anyone. I've tried the TV at home as my background. No dice. I find myself walking away from the table to the TV, mumbling, "Well, does she say yes to the dress? Does she??"

Plus, restaurants serve food. A million points for them.

The car is for dialogue. I like to hear all sides of the conversations out loud. And doing this alone in a car greatly lessens the chance of someone breaking out the butterfly net. Generally, it just looks like I'm on a hands free. Thank you modern technology!

Bluetooth - Masking my mania since 2009*.

So, those are my creative hotspots.

Now I want to hear about yours.




*When I first got a hands free phone and realized the life-changing implications regarding the normalcy of having full conversations alone in the car. 

Sandcastles in the Sand....and on the Page

I got some more writing done this weekend (Woo!) and I realized that my writing style has a lot of similarities to the building of sandcastles.

If you were like me as a kid, you spent considerable time constructing your sandcastle. All morning, sometimes. Painstaking attention would be paid to every detail. The height of the turrents. The number of windows. The placement of the drawbridge. And, of course, the depth of the moat. Not to mention the creatures who would be tapped to infest this particular watery defense. Alligators were always a favorite. But what about piranhas? Or sea serpents?

A lot of thought had to go into this.

The people of this kingdom were happy. They felt secure inside those walls, even if someone of them knew that dark dangers lurked just outside.

Life was good.

I would put the finishing touch on the last wall and feel an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

Followed almost immediately by an all encompassing need to destroy.

So, I would trade rolls, happily shifting from creator to destroyer. I was the evil giant, the sorcerer’s army, the witch’s cyclone. No matter what evil form I took, there was one thing that was for sure: that castle didn’t stand a chance.

But seeing as I’ve never been able to shake my belief that good wins out in the end, I would never completely destroy my creation. Maybe I would leave one crumbling tower, or a rickety drawbridge. Maybe the castle was taken down, but the moat was left untouched, allowing the truly courageous to brave the beasts it held in an attempt to get away from the falling bricks and mortar.

Let’s face it. I was no Dread Pirate Roberts. There were always some survivors.

And they always took me done in a stunning display of heroics. Needless to say, my ocean side death scenes were nothing short of inspired. More than once I think I threw in the Wicked Witch’s “What a world! What a world!”

The people were once again victorious, but rather than bask in that triumph, they immediately started to rebuild. Because that’s the way things worked. They got knocked down. You dealt with the knocker-downer. And then you worked to put them back up.

Just this weekend, I realized that I write the same way. The characters are never as safe and secure behind their walls as my castle people were, but they’re doing all right. And I work hard to build their world up, providing them with the breaks needed to make their lives better. But just when they think they’ve got it all figured out, I trample in there like the unruly giant of my youth. I start crushing everything I can find and those poor souls scramble to take me down.

Now, I haven’t gotten to the end of this story yet, so I can’t say anything about their success or failure for sure.

But, in keeping with tradition, my money’s on them.

And for all you folks not particularly interested in writing or the construction/destruction of sandcastles, I offer you this, in the hope that it will make today’s blog visit worthwhile: