Joanna Wylde's World

Weekend at a monastery

2009-05-17T09:11:00.000-07:00

I spent this weekend on a retreat with my mother at a monastery. I can't begin to explain how restful it is, although I ended up skipping most of the sessions because they were pretty boring -- and lest you think I'm some sort of heathen who can't appreciate the gifts placed before you, I can assure you that they really are boring. I've been coming here for six years. This isn't typical.

Anyway, among the many joys of spending a weekend in retreat at a monastery is the opportunity to do a LOT of writing. Yup, yours truly is feeling most accomplished today. I have a new story called "No Regrets" that's in edits, and I just finished up the latest round. Some of you may have heard that one of our editors at Elloras Cave recently lost her 19 year old daughter under tragic circumstances. Quite a few of the authors have come together to write stories as fundraisers for the family, and this story will be a part of that. I'll post an excerpt for you as soon as it's fully edited...

In a couple of hours I need to head home, but I've really enjoyed my time of rest. For those of you in the science fiction set, I am at the same monastery that was featured in "Dies the Fire" by S. M. Stirling. He changed it around a bit, but it's completely obvious to anyone who has been here and knows the geography that this is the place he was writing about. I wonder if the sisters know that he wrote a book featuring their home?

Finished "Diamond Star"

2009-05-13T06:10:00.000-07:00

It was good. I wrote earlier on the blog that the hero annoyed me, and I have to admit that didn't change. But ultimately the book did push the overall series story forward, as well as giving valuable hints about characters we've met in previous books. It's not the ideal book to start the Skolian Empire books with, though. I think you'd just be lost and confused because it doesn't stand alone all that well.

Enough of that. I'm continuing to work on Price of Power, the book that never ends. It keeps getting longer on me, which makes me wonder if the editor will cut the hell out of it. Entirely possible. Will be interesting to see what she thinks...

Theme song for the day: Kim Wilde by Charlotte Hatherley

Revisiting "This Time Forever" by Kathleen Eagle

2009-05-11T05:45:00.000-07:00

I was going through my old books the other day and rediscovered "This Time Forever" by Kathleen Eagle. It originally came out in 1992, and it's a wonderful book. It's the story of a cowboy who is convicted of a murder he didn't commit, his time in prison, and his eventual release. It's quite a bit more complicated (includes a nurse and a baby), yet somehow manages to sidestep every romantic fiction stereotype. It's a romance, but so much more. It's one of those books that just captures you and holds you until you finish.

My copy is getting sort of yellow and brittle, but I'll be keeping it a lot longer. Kathleen Eagle is a hell of a writer.

Saw "Star Trek" last night

2009-05-10T10:01:00.000-07:00

It was surprisingly good. Lots of action, very cute actors, great pacing. Of course there were big plot holes. Massive plot holes. Holes you can drive starships through...

Still, it was fun and not a huge waste of time and money :)

Of course, I'm really excited for the new Terminator movie. "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" has gotten me all ready for it, although I wonder how it will fare in comparison to the series. There's so much character development in the show, and I'm not sure the movie will be able to hold its own. You can only blow up so much shit before inserting some plot to hold everything together. On the other hand, the Terminator movie plots have always been able to mess with my reality.

More on "Diamond Star"

2009-05-07T05:51:00.000-07:00

I'm about two thirds of the way through the book now, and it's bothering me. The ongoing theme of the book is that the protagonist's family treats him like a whiny baby -- the entire premise is that he's trying to break free and be his own person, not their creation.

The problem I'm having is that he really is coming off like a whiny baby to me and it's driving me crazy. (Note: the book is well-written enough that I'm still reading it. I love Catherine Asaro's Skolian books, and having a new one to read and pick apart is better than crack.)

I'm really hoping that there's going to be a turn around at some point where he grows up, although it's getting a little late in the book... On the other hand, I once read a wonderful book by David Feintuch called "The Still" where the protagonist is the whiniest, most annoying twit in history. I almost threw the book across the room (several times) before realizing that the author HAD to make him that annoying to show the depth of his transformation (which was a two-book process). I'm hoping that's the case here.

Anyway, buy Catherine Asaro. Particularly buy her science fiction because it's good. Just don't buy this one first... get into the series before you try "Diamond Star." I think you'll like the others better.

Started "Diamond Star" by Catherine Asaro last night

2009-05-06T05:47:00.000-07:00

This is the latest in her Skolian Empire (science fiction) series, which has really hooked me from the start. I love the depth of her writing and the magnitude of her vision. When you read a Catherine Asaro book, you really do get the impression that the universe is a BIG place.

This latest book is a bit disappointing so far. Asaro is a fluid writer and I'm not having any trouble falling into the book. But the basic premise is that one minor member of this might space dynasty builds a career as a rock star on earth. I guess there are two things about this that I'm not liking as much. One, the premise seems pretty light and fluffy compared to the other books she's written in the series. That being said, it's unfair to box her in as a writer. Sometimes a person needs to write something a little lighter.

But what's really bothering me is that it just sounds funny to have this amazing science fiction society function just like our modern rock industry. It seems out of date to me, which is kind of scary... Sure, she's updated the concept of the album with "virts" and "vids", but they're still being sold in big stores that are essentially a Tower Records. Somehow that doesn't seem like the direction the industry is moving. Seriously -- when was the last time you bought music in album form in a brick and mortar store? There's also a lot of slang that seems very forced to me. Overall it's more like reading "Bye Bye Birdie" in space than the kind of fabulous science fiction I'm used to from this author.

That being said, it's still a good book. I'm enjoying reading it, and I think Catherine Asaro is a goddess. The woman can really write, she has amazing vision, and she's put together her series in a blessedly non-linear way. She's definitely way, way beyond most writers, so I feel comfortable saying that "Diamond Star" is still better than the majority of the books out there. It's just not what I was hoping for from her...

Still doing revisions

2009-05-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I need to add another 500 words of sex or foreplay to the work in progress, per my editor.

Hmmm... so many options!

Back from a weekend of fun

2009-05-04T06:56:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend visiting with family, and it was damned hard to get up this morning to do my writing. I'm working on edits to "Gladiator's Prize," a novella for Elloras Cave set in my Saurellian world. I just need to add in about 500 words and it will be ready for the next round of edits. Hopefully I'll be done by tomorrow!

I didn't get much reading done this weekend, but I did manage to start "Doomsday Can Wait" by Lori Handeland. I loved "Any Given Doomsday", so this one was on the buy list from the very start. So far it hasn't completely caught me up, but I've also been pretty scattered and busy every time I try to read it. I'll let you know more when I get further into the book.

Theme song for the day: 1 2 3 4 by Feist

Heading out for a few days :)

2009-04-30T05:39:00.001-07:00

I'm heading out of town this afternoon to go visit family I haven't seen in waaaaay too long! I can't wait, although I also feel that inevitable fear that I won't have constant internet access.

Is that the first sign that you have an addiction problem???

Perhaps I shouldn't think about that too much. Last night I started reading "Columbine" by Dave Cullen. It examines the massacre at Columbine High School, including a lot of information about the boys who did the killing. It's hard to describe this book without resorting to cliches. The writing isn't perfect, I think the author's style is a little hard to take at times. He's trying so hard to write compelling nonfiction that it seems a bit forced. But none of that changes how compelling and difficult it is to read about these kids who were so messed up and the horrors they perpetuated... and they aren't that different from some of the kids I went to high school with.

I don't want that for my kids, and I have absolutely no idea how to protect them from high school. Such a bizarre, creepy and unpleasant institution!

Anyway, sorry I don't have something perkier to talk about. The book is amazing, but not light going!

Finished "Smooth Talking Stranger" last night!

2009-04-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

This is Lisa Kleypas' new book, and it kicks ass. I was really impressed by the emotional depth that she managed to convey, and her heroine was anything but typical. It really started off as a classic secret baby story yet she turned the entire stereotype on its ass. Instead of giving in the to temptation to just follow the formula she created something all new, and I loved it.

I really like Ms. Kleypas' new direction with her contemporary fiction. I loved her historical stuff too (several of hers are all time favorites of mine), but the contemporary stuff just seems to have an extra dimension. I can't wait to see her next one!

Theme song for the day: Paper Planes

Interview with Christine Lagarde on Jon Stewart last night...

2009-04-28T05:32:00.000-07:00

This was a really good interview -- Jon talked to the finance minister from France, and she had some great things to say. Still a hell of a fun interview and very funny. .. but also full of insight and information (you can see it on hulu)

On another note, I started Lisa Kleypas' "Smooth Talking Stranger," and am enjoying it so far. She's continuing on the path she's started with her contemporary, coming of age books... Fun, sexy, but also a little deeper than some of what she's written in the past. Or maybe it just feels deeper because it's modern people dealing with modern dilemmas?

Anyway, this one is a twist on the "secret baby" plot without being formulaic at all. I'm about halfway through, and will give you a full report when I finish. Here's what Publishers Weekly says about it:

From Publishers Weekly
Ella Varner grew up with a troublesome mother and an insecure sister, but she has managed to come out of it reasonably sane, with a good (if vegan) boyfriend, Dane, and a job as an advice columnist. All of this gets turned upside down when her sister disappears and sticks Ella with her newborn, Luke. Determined to find Luke's father, Ella tracks down a likely suspect—millionaire playboy Jack Travis. The encounter results in Travis and Ella unexpectedly engaged in an irrepressible attraction. Meanwhile, Ella grows fond of baby Luke and fears what will happen when Tara returns. As Ella grapples with conflicting desires, she learns some important lessons about love and trust. Though Kleypas has trouble breaking her male characters out of archetype and the arc is familiar, Ella's familial dysfunction distinguishes her from other heroines, and her self-awareness draws her out of a stereotypical shell. This will please romance fans, even if it hews a bit too closely to genre conventions. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A change of writing schedule...

2009-04-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been trying to write at night, and it's getting progressively harder to get anything done. I'm just too tired at night... So starting tomorrow, I'm going to try and get up really early to write. It will be interesting to see how it goes, because I'm not a morning person. On the other hand, when I wrote "Price of Pleasure" I got up at 5 am every morning to write.

It will be interesting to see how it goes.

I just got finished with three days of guest blogging at Desert Island Keepers Romance, which was a lot of fun. I gave away several books and got to meet some great people. Thanks everyone, for all the wonderful support!

Jo :)

Today is my last day at Desert Island Keepers!

2009-04-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

I've been guest blogging at Desert Island Keepers since Thursday, and giving away books every day! Come on over and visit if you want to enter the contest :)

All kinds of fun over at "Desert Island Keepers" today!

2009-04-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

For the next three days I'll be the "Desert Island Keepers" guest blogger. Among other things, I'll be giving away FREE BOOKS!!! Click here to join the fun :)

Jo

I can't wait...

2009-04-22T14:55:00.000-07:00

... for "Doomsday Can Wait" by Lori Handeland. Loved "Any Given Doomsday." It's set for release on April 28 -- woohoooo!!!!!

First watermelon of the season!!!!

2009-04-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

Not that this probably interests any of you, but we cut into the first watermelon of the season last night, and it was heavenly....

I take watermelon as proof positive that God exists.

Them song for the day: "New Soul" by Yael Naim

Sent in a revised copy of "Gladiator's Prize" today...

2009-04-19T18:50:00.000-07:00

Here's the blurb (it's a work in progress, so be kind!):

Admiral Saul Darius is a warrior, trained to fight and take what he wants—and he intends to possess the lush, sensual woman he’s spotted in the arena stands.

The last thing Master Engineer K’rilla d’Pecoraio is a lifemate. But when a battle-hardened gladiator claims her as his prize, she finds herself in a war of her own—surrender to his will or fight to save the world she holds so dear. She’s on his ship, at his mercy, completely under his power…

Or so he thinks.

Ann Aguirre kicks ass!

2009-04-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't blogged for a long time, but I read a fabulous book last night by Ann Aguirre -- Blue Diablo. It's a great urban fantasy set in Mexico and Texas, and I'd have fallen in love with it just for the food descriptions. But in addition to that, she's got great tension, lots of action, interesting characters and it's not stupid. That last part is important, because it seems like more and more of the urban fantasy I read is stupid.

Or maybe I'm just getting jaded...

Anyway, I got Blue Diablo from the library, but then I was forced (FORCED!!!!) to go to the bookstore and buy all her backlist. She's got two science fiction books out, and I'm halfway through the first one, Grimspace. It's good, too. Not heavy SF, but more like heavy futuristic. Well, better than most futuristics. It counts as real SF, but it's also fun and romantic and I really like the main character. She's kick ass while staying human, which is different. I'm sort of tired of kick ass heroines who are so far beyond me in every way that they might as well be Terminators.

Of course, there's another blog discussion. I'm soooo ready for the next Terminator movie! Although it will be hard for the movie to follow the Sarah Connor Chronicles, because they've had so much time to develop the story.

Enough blabbing.

Theme song for the day: Comfort Eagle by Cake

Your prayers are needed...

2009-01-25T10:50:00.000-08:00

Martha Punches, my first editor and a wonderful woman, has suffered a family tragedy. Her daughter is very sick and needs all the prayer you can give her. Please pray for Lara, and pass her name along to anyone else you know who might pray for her.

Thanks,

Jo

My favorite phrase:

2009-01-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

Non-malignant.

Life is good!

Watching the Inauguration

2009-01-20T11:16:00.000-08:00

I find it amazing to watch the peaceful change of power that took place this morning. I'm even happier that it was Obama who was elected, but even watching Bush take over from Clinton in 2000 (and trust me, I'm still pissed about that election) was amazing.

The most inspiring part for me is thinking about George Washington, who could easily have refused to step down. He could have declared himself king, which is what all the precedents indicated, but he didn't. He cared more about his country and his ideals than power, and I believe in that. I really do.

When I was younger I had the unpleasant experience of finding myself under arrest in a second world country. Then I was deported. It's a terrible thing to find yourself in a place without a functional constitution. I know our country is deeply flawed, and places like Guantanamo Bay don't help. But honestly, it's better here than in so many places. We are very wealthy, fortunate people. We should never take that for granted.

My prayer for the new administration is that justice will be served, both here and abroad. Hopefully this will be a new time for human rights and personal responsibility. Back to writing about books and writing tomorrow...

"Warprize" by Elizabeth Vaughan

2009-01-18T12:04:00.001-08:00

I read this book last night in one sitting -- really a great writer, and soooo worth buying. The heroine is strong without being a superwarrior, and she isn't stupid. Yup, NOT TSTL.

Thank God.

Here's what Booklist says:

Even though she is the daughter of a king, Xylara refuses to wait idly for a marriage that will benefit the Land of Xy and so becomes an accomplished healer, a useful skill when her country is drawn into war with the Firelanders. Even though her half brother, the present king, does not want her treating the enemy, Xylara feels she must--both for the honor of Xy and for simple humanity. When her brother suddenly surrenders to the Firelander Warlord, Xylara is stripped of all her possessions and sent to the conqueror as a slave referred to as "Warprize." As Xylara learns to live with the masterful Warlord, she begins to understand the very different social structure and beliefs of those she has seen as uncivilized. Vaughan's brawny barbarian romance re-creates the delicious feeling of adventure and the thrill of exploring mysterious cultures created by Robert E. Howard in his Conan books and makes for a satisfying escapist read with its enjoyable romance between a plucky, near-naked heroine and a truly heroic hero.

Diana Tixier Herald
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Well, after crowing yesterday...

2009-01-17T10:15:00.001-08:00

...I failed to make my 1000 word quota. Brilliant. I was just wiped out last night and went to bed really early. On the bright side, I did most of the weekly grocery shopping, so I have less crap to deal with today...

I did start reading a new book last night by Cory Daniells, a romantic fantasy that I'm liking very much so far. I'll post about it when I finish. It's part one of a trilogy, pubbed back in the 1990s, but it's still in print, and seems to have a following. I need to go to her website and learn more about what she's written.

Theme for the day:
Chemical Bomb by the Aquabats

Writing so far for this year...

2009-01-16T09:39:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm doing pretty well, been hitting a steady 1000 words a day. I'm finishing up "The Price of Power," and expect to get it done by the end of February. That should make my editor happy... they've been waiting for it for a little bit too long!

Last night I read a good chunk of "Mistborn: The Final Empire" by Brandon Sanderson. I loved his debut novel, "Elantris," and so far Mistborn is not disappointing me. It's the first of a trilogy, so hopefully his early promise will bear out...

Here's what Publisher's Weekly has to say:

Sanderson's eerie second fantasy (after 2005's Elantris), set in a mist-haunted, ash-ridden world, pits Kelsier, "the Survivor of Hathsin," against the immortal Lord Ruler's 1,000-year domination of both the Great Houses and their serflike "skaa." Through Allomancy acquired in the Ruler's most hellish prison, Kelsier can "burn" 10 metals internally, fueling superhuman powers he uses to assemble rebels in a loose plan to destroy the nobility, the empire and the Lord Ruler himself. Kelsier uses Vin, a street urchin with the same Mistborn powers Kelsier possesses, to infiltrate the Great Houses' society, where she falls in love with philosopher prince Elend Venture. This mystico-metallurgical fantasy combines Vin's coming-of-age-in-magic and its well-worn theme of revolt against oppression with copious mutilations, a large-scale cast of thieves, cutthroats, conniving nobles and exotic mutants. The fast-paced action scenes temper Vin's interminable ballroom intrigues, while the characters, though not profoundly drawn, have a raw stereotypic appeal. (July)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Like "Anathem," this is well worth the money spent...

Back on again!

2009-01-15T14:20:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone -- the holiday season was busy as all hell, and then I got sick for about three weeks. Lovely. Oh, and we had over 100 inches of snow in about two weeks.

Seriously.

What's up with this shit?

Anyway, I read an amazing book during Christmas called "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson. It was amazing, but strangely enough I have tried reading two of his other books and I haven't enjoyed them at all so far... Anyway, here's what Publisher's Weekly says:

From Publishers Weekly

In this follow-up to his historical Baroque Cycle trilogy, which fictionalized the early-18th century scientific revolution, Stephenson (Cryptonomicon) conjures a far-future Earth-like planet, Arbre, where scientists, philosophers and mathematicians—a religious order unto themselves—have been cloistered behind concent (convent) walls. Their role is to nurture all knowledge while safeguarding it from the vagaries of the irrational saecular outside world. Among the monastic scholars is 19-year-old Raz, collected into the concent at age eight and now a decenarian, or tenner (someone allowed contact with the world beyond the stronghold walls only once a decade). But millennia-old rules are cataclysmically shattered when extraterrestrial catastrophe looms, and Raz and his teenage companions—engaging in intense intellectual debate one moment, wrestling like rambunctious adolescents the next—are summoned to save the world. Stephenson's expansive storytelling echoes Walter Miller's classic A Canticle for Leibowitz, the space operas of Larry Niven and the cultural meditations Douglas Hofstadter—a heady mix of antecedents that makes for long stretches of dazzling entertainment occasionally interrupted by pages of numbing colloquy. (Sept.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Now, I really loved "A Canticle for Leibowitz," and if you enjoy that kind of truly time-spanning writing, I think you'd like it a lot. It's only out in hardback, but it's well worth the money -- and I'm CHEAP, trust me. Close to a thousand pages, which I read in two days.

Yup, it's that good.

Anyway, that's my suggestion for the new year!

What a weekend!

2008-12-16T17:51:00.001-08:00

I hate a horrible weekend -- my poor neighbor died of a heart attack on Saturday night, and I was there holding his wife while it happened. It has been really rough...

Hug your loved ones, you never know when they'll be gone. He lived a good life, and I was honored to know him.

So hard to find good books...

2008-12-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

... I've been a bit spoiled lately, because I've had a run of great books to read. But now I've been high and dry for about three days, and it's driving me crazy. I cannot believe how hard it is to find books that satisfy me as a reader.

I just wish I could walk into a bookstore and have the right book glow at me, or something. Wouldn't that be nice?

Head cold from hell...

2008-12-04T20:22:00.001-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted recently -- I've had a horrible head cold, and survival has been my first priority. Still not sure how that's gonna work out...

"Princep's Fury"

2008-11-30T14:33:00.001-08:00

This was truly a great book, in a series that just gets better. Jim Butcher is a wonderful writer, and knows how to keep readers turning pages. Princeps's Fury was no exception, and I enjoyed every moment of it. If you're a fan of the Codex Alera series, you'll enjoy it. If you haven't tried them yet, be sure to start from the beginning. This book doesn't stand alone.

Not too much else to tell everyone -- I had a great holiday weekend with the family, and just finished my final big deadline (fundraising) for the year, which kicks ass. I am always really busy during the month of November, but this year I managed to get everything done and still complete 30,000 words for NaNoWriMo. Pretty exciting for me :)

Happy holidays to everyone!

Jo

Just got my hands on the new Jim Butcher!!!

2008-11-26T19:17:00.001-08:00

I am a true Jim Butcher fan, I love just about everything the guy has ever written. Tonight I got my copy of "Princeps Fury," which is the latest in the Codex Alera series. Can't wait to read it, although I'm forcing myself to write at least 1000 words before I get to crack it open...

Good thing I have a head cold. Otherwise I'd probably end up spending the whole damned night read it.

New Order Gem... Live in New York, 1981

2008-11-24T20:37:00.000-08:00

I saw this video on youtube and it just made my evening... had to share...

Pretty rough stuff, but incredible. So different from what the song became in the studio.

Life lessons...

2008-11-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

You must never, ever use vanilla coffee creamer to make macaroni and cheese.

Trust me.

The Constant Princess, by Philippa Gregory

2008-11-23T10:39:00.000-08:00

I finished this book last night, and I have to say I was pretty disappointed in it. I love Philippa Gregory's books, even though they often play fast and loose with history. That doesn't bother me much... But this had to be the worst of hers that I've read. The characterizations seemed to really go out on a limb, and even somewhat contradictory to some evidence we have. Not only that, I felt like she painted a very unpleasant pictures of Katherine of Aragon, and it didn't really match what I know of the woman from my own studies... (I have a history degree and did my senior project on the education of upper class Tudor women, so I actually do know a little about the subject). To top things off, it's really just a story about Katherine's early years, and I think her later years should have been explored, too.

Having said that, it's still better than most of the books out there, and I don't think reading it was a waste of time at all. It's just not in her usual league. My favorite of hers is "The Boleyn Inheritance," primarily because it really explores the character of Anne of Cleves, who is a very interesting and quietly strong woman. It also had the best hypothesis I've ever heard as to why Henry hated her so much.

On that note, here's what Publisher's Weekly says about "The Constant Princess":

As youngest daughter to the Spanish monarchs and crusaders King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Catalina, princess of Wales and of Spain, was promised to the English Prince Arthur when she was three. She leaves Spain at 15 to fulfill her destiny as queen of England, where she finds true love with Arthur (after some initial sourness) as they plot the future of their kingdom together. Arthur dies young, however, leaving Catalina a widow and ineligible for the throne. Before his death, he extracts a promise from his wife to marry his younger brother Henry in order to become queen anyway, have children and rule as they had planned, a situation that can only be if Catalina denies that Arthur was ever her lover. Gregory's latest (after Earthly Joys) compellingly dramatizes how Catalina uses her faith, her cunning and her utter belief in destiny to reclaim her rightful title. By alternating tight third-person narration with Catalina's unguarded thoughts and gripping dialogue, the author presents a thorough, sympathetic portrait of her heroine and her transformation into Queen Katherine. Gregory's skill for creating suspense pulls the reader along despite the historical novel's foregone conclusion.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Finished Elantris!

2008-11-22T12:49:00.000-08:00

This was a great book -- truly as good as all the reviews it got. I was really amazed by the complexity of plot and characterization, and the author did a wonderful job with writing both male and female characters.

Really left me feeling a sense of awe, and no small amount of jealousy!

I can't wait to get into more of his writing. Oh, and at more than 600 pages, you get a lot of bang for the buck, too!

My newest cover!

2008-11-21T18:33:00.000-08:00

I got the cover art for "Catherine's Awakening," which is my first historical. I'll post a blurb and excerpt as soon as I have all the information. Right now they're looking at publishing it on December 26, but that's always subject to change...

A fun blog worth visiting!

2008-11-21T18:32:00.000-08:00

Check out http://saturdayeveningromance.blogspot.com/

They are posting all kinds of romance excerpts, including one of mine! Go visit, and see if you find anything fun to read :)

"Elantris" by Brandon Sanderson

2008-11-20T09:08:00.000-08:00

I started reading this book yesterday, and it kept me up way too late last night. It's a fantasy about a place where people can "die" from a horrific disease, but they keep on living. It's also a wonderful political fantasy, with lots of nuance that still manages to be a very compelling read. I highly recomend it, definitely worth the cover price! Here's what Publisher's Weekly says about it:

Starred Review. Sanderson's outstanding fantasy debut, refreshingly complete unto itself and free of the usual genre clichés, offers something for everyone: mystery, magic, romance, political wrangling, religious conflict, fights for equality, sharp writing and wonderful, robust characters. The godlike inhabitants of Elantris, once the capital of the land of Arelon, have degenerated into powerless, tortured souls, unable to die, after the city's magic inexplicably broke 10 years earlier. When the same curse strikes Prince Raoden of Arelon and he's imprisoned in Elantris, he refuses to surrender to his grim fate and instead strives to create a society out of the fallen and to unlock the secret that will restore the city's glory. Meanwhile, Princess Sarene of Kae (Arelon's new capital), who was betrothed to Raoden sight unseen, believes her intended has died. Officially declared his widow, she must use her political savvy and wit to protect Kae from malevolent forces without and within the city, chiefly Hrathen, a leader of the creepy Shu-Dereth faith, who aims to either convert Kae or destroy it within three months. The intrigue and excitement grow steadily in this smoothly written, perfectly balanced narrative; by the end readers won't want to put it down. As the blurb from Orson Scott Card suggests, Sanderson is a writer to watch.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

2008-11-19T19:30:00.000-08:00

I've always been a Terminator fan, although I don't really care for violent action movies. All the shooting just gets boring after a while... But the Terminator movies really stood out to me, because they're so creepy and they make you think about all kinds of things.

I'm loving the Sarah Connor Chronicles, because it takes the best of the movies and leaves out a lot of the endless action scenes. There's action, but there's far more emotional and psychological stuff going on, and they're doing their best to mindfuck you with all the implications. The best part? Fox puts it online in streaming video, making it easy to watch at my convenience. We have a DVR, but I can't watch that show in front of the kids, and I work after they go to bed.

I'm actually doing the vast majority of my TV watching on the computer these days. I don't really have time to watch unless I'm doing something else, like cleaning or cooking. With the computer I can take the shows with me around the house. In fact, the computer has so replaced the TV that we're getting rid of our satellite when the contract is up in January.

Life is good.

Well, I guess the LKH miracle was too much to hope for...

2008-11-19T17:26:00.000-08:00

...Because apparently "Swallowing Darkness" is the end of the Meredith Gentry series, and it really didn't go anywhere.

What a waste of time.

I miss LKH's earlier writing, because she was soooo damn good! What happened? Maybe she needs to take a break or go in a completely different direction.

This is what I get for having hope. Thank God for the library!

It's a Laurell K. Hamilton Miracle!!!!

2008-11-17T22:38:00.001-08:00

I'm 121 pages into the new Meredith Gentry book, Swallowing Darkness, and there hasn't been a sex scene yet at all, let alone an orgy!

This book is good -- it has a plot, it seems to be going somewhere, and it's not just all about the sex. I've been so disappointed with her writing in recent years, because she used to be so incredibly good. This one gives me new hope, and I'm really glad I bothered to pick it up (at the library -- haven't been paying good cash for LKH for a while now, sadly...)

So, if you like the LKH of old, I offer you hope! Swallowing Darkness is actually worth reading.

Now, to read some more... Hope I haven't jinxed it ;)

Karen Marie Moning's "Faefever"

2008-11-17T17:05:00.000-08:00

I have been reading Moning's work for a while now, and she's always been pretty good. I started on her "Fever" series a while back (there are three books now, the most recent just out in hardcover) and they just keep getting better. I stayed up last night to read Faefever in one sitting, and it was worth every moment. When we hit the end I almost screamed, I was so frustrated and ready for the next installment.

You have got to read these books. Here's the amazon.com product description (I didn't snag the Publisher's Weekly review, because I didn't think it really caught the spirit of the book at all!):

The New York Times bestselling author of Darkfever and Bloodfever returns to Dublin’s Fae-infested shores in a bold, sensual new novel. Hurtling us into a realm of seduction and shadows, Karen Marie Moning tells the enthralling tale of a woman who explores the limits of her mysterious powers as she enters a world of ancient sorcery—and confronts an enemy more insidious than she could ever have imagined.

He calls me his Queen of the Night. I’d die for him. I’d kill for him, too. When MacKayla Lane receives a torn page from her dead sister’s journal, she is stunned by Alina’s desperate words. And now MacKayla knows that her sister’s killer is close. But evil is closer. And suddenly the sidhe-seer is on the hunt: For answers. For revenge. And for an ancient book of dark magic so evil, it corrupts anyone who touches it.

Mac’s quest for the Sinsar Dubh takes her into the mean, shape-shifting streets of Dublin, with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into a dangerous triangle of alliance with V’lane, an insatiable Fae prince of lethally erotic tastes, and Jericho Barrons, a man of primal desires and untold secrets, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind, and soul.

As All Hallows’ Eve approaches and the city descends into chaos, as a shocking truth about the Dark Book is uncovered, not even Mac can prevent a deadly race of immortals from shattering the walls between worlds—with devastating consequences.…

GO BUY THIS BOOK! Okay, go buy the first two (Darkfever and Bloodfever) first, and THEN buy this book!

Okay, I don't think it's right to get political on a writing blog...

2008-11-16T09:26:00.001-08:00

...But Loose ID Publishing is planning a special celebration of marriage for all in the coming months. In light of recent election events, I think it's timely and totally appropriate. I won't be writing a story for this event, because it's coming together quickly and I don't have time. But I wanted to publicly declare my support for marriage as a civil right.

To the entire queer community -- you deserve the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as everyone else. You have my support and respect!

PS -- For the record, I think the government should get out of marriage business all together. If we only had legal civil unions and left "marriage" to churches, everyone would be better off. The problem seems to be with using the same word for both a legal contract and sacramental state... Just my humble thoughts.

Theme song for the day: "We Are the Champtions" by Queen

KB Covers kicks ass!

2008-11-15T15:20:00.000-08:00

Well, I just got my new KB Cover for my laptop keyboard. I've been using these for about a year, because for some reason I kill keyboards. I type hard, for one, and I usually drink stuff while I'm working.

It's not a good combo.

Anyway, KB Covers are these great silicone overlays that keep your keyboard alive, but they aren't all stiff and weird like most keyboard covers. They're worth their weight in gold, but when I ordered one for my new laptop, it just didn't seem to fit. I contacted their customer service, and they offered me some advice, but it still wasn't working for me. In a display of fantastic customer service competence (we're talking e-mail replies on Sundays and the like -- I'm sure that Eric is sick and tired of hearing from me by now, but he always wrote back), they authorized a return of the old cover and shipped out a new one. They even assured me that if the new one didn't work, I could return it, too.

The good news is that the new one fits beautifully, and while I have no idea what the problem was with the old one, their products overall are fantastic. I can't recommend them highly enough for people who are keyboard idiots, and I'm in a position to know.

So -- buy a KB Cover if you need a keyboard cover. They kick ass, and they're even pretty cheap. Lots cheaper than a new keyboard, especially on a laptop...

Theme song for the day: Song 2 by Blur

15,500 words

2008-11-13T21:30:00.000-08:00

The novella is finished, but I'm editing it and I expect it to go to about 18,000 words. Maybe a little longer.... I know that NaNoWriMo is not about editing, but I have to make sure it's readable before I move on to another project. I'd like to get it submitted in early December, and it needs a couple more edits first.

I've also started on putting together a new plot snowball for "Price of Power." I know the book, have the characters, and actually have a ton of it written, but I think it need to do it to really figure out how to seal the ending. When I started it, I was still a seat of the pants writer, but that doesn't really cut it for me any longer. Too hard to hold all the plot elements together.

Anyway, I am no longer sure that I'll be able to finish the novel by the end of the month, but I am pretty sure that I'll hit the NaNoWriMo goal of 50,000 words. I think that's good enough for me at this point, seeing as I broke it into two separate projects.

On another note, I found out that Catherine's Awakening (the western I wrote this past summer) will be coming out right after Christmas. I'm still waiting on cover art, but as soon as I have it I'll be posting that along with an excerpt.

Theme song for the night: Pretty in Pink

Testing out Open Office

2008-11-12T21:19:00.000-08:00

Well, I decided to try out OpenOffice on my new laptop, seeing as it seems the socially responsible (and frugal) thing to do. I love the idea of software that's being developed by users all around the world -- very cool stuff, and I support the project. Unfortunately, it keeps crashing whenever I try to open one of my files. Another file opens easily, but I can't see any of the comments, and it won't allow me to highlight the "notes" section on the view menu.

This, combined with the fact that the type seems pretty fuzzy, has put me off OpenOffice for now. I did go on their forums and learn that the fuzzy type could be fixed, but I didn't understand the fix and I guess I'm not worried enough about it to try. I'll stick with MSWord for now...

Blech.

Thank God for Scrivener -- at least I only need Word for editing things!

In honor of a very special woman who passed away today...

2008-11-12T09:50:00.000-08:00

JULIAN OF NORWICH
(by Sydney Carter)

Loud are the bells of Norwich and the people come and go.
Here by the tower of Julian, I tell them what I know.

Ring out, bells of Norwich, and let the winter come and go
All shall be well again, I know.

Love, like the yellow daffodil, is coming through the snow.
Love, like the yellow daffodil, is Lord of all I know.

CHORUS

Ring for the yellow daffodil, the flower in the snow.
Ring for the yellow daffodil, and tell them what I know.

CHORUS

All shall be well, I'm telling you, let the winter come and go
All shall be well again, I know.

Loud are the bells of Norwich and the people come and go.
Here by the tower of Julian, I tell them what I know.

CHORUS

All shall be well, I'm telling you, let the winter come and go
All shall be well again, I know.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

By Sydney Carter
Copyright Stainer & Bell, Ltd.
On "All Shall Be Well Again", FSI-96

Well, I finished the novella!

2008-11-12T08:04:00.000-08:00

It feels good to get it done... Or rather, to get the first draft done. Now I'm on to the "Price of Power", which will complete my Saurellian trilogy. Wooohooo!!!!

NaNoWriMo checkin...

2008-11-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

I'm up to about 14,000 words. Still working on what was supposed to be a short story that turned into a novella, but when that's finished (tonight or tomorrow) I'll dive into finishing the Price book. Could be worse!

Theme song for the night: Temptation by New Order

Once Bitten, Twice Shy

2008-11-09T13:27:00.001-08:00

This is the first in a series by Jennifer Rardin, and I finished it last night. It's the story of a CIA assassin (Jaz Parks) who works with a sexy vampire. It's kind of a smart aleck book, without too much plot (okay, a pretty contrived plot -- think espionage for dummies.), but it was a fun read. It's a trade paperback, and if I'd paid for I'd be disappointed. Fortunately I found it at the library, so I'll probably continue the series.

If nothing else, it has great cover art. And Rardin certainly doesn't take herself too seriously, which is refreshing... "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" is like one of those jello cheesecake instant desserts. It's not real cheesecake, but it's still fun to eat.

Here's what Publisher's Weekly had to say (never hurts to have more than one opinion!):

Rardin fuses spy girl with vampire slayer in this entertaining but derivative debut. Jasmine Jaz Parks, a martial artist turned vampire-hunting government agent, is assigned to protect top-notch operative Vayl, a 300-year-old vampire on the side of the good guys. As Vayl helps Jaz to hone her supernatural abilities and she tries to keep from falling for his Romanian charm, they track down a dirty senator in cahoots with Mohammed Khad Abn-Assan, a terrorist who's making plans for a Red Plague spread through vampire-to-human contact. Rardin delivers all the paranormal touches that fans of Hamilton, Harris and Whedon enjoy, and Jaz's jittery narration amuses, but the fang-filled plot, replete with action licks and paranormal theatrics, will have trouble standing out in this overcrowded field. (Oct.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Backup" by Jim Butcher

2008-11-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

I read this little novella last night and really enjoyed it. It's a sort of "day in the life" of Thomas Raith, who is wizard Harry Dresden's half brother. It's a great little story, although if I'd bought it I'd be really pissed... It's about 12,000 words long, and it was published as a stand-alone hardback for $20. WTF??

Fortunately, I was able to borrow my cousin's copy, so I didn't feel gouged. I won't give away any spoilers, but it reveals a whole new subplot in what's going on in Butcher's universe, and gives Thomas and his sister, Lara, a powerful new role. Cool stuff, and if you're a fan of the Harry Dresden stories, you'll be missing a key element of the overall power play if you don't read it.

PS -- It's illustrated, although not a whole bunch. I have to say, the pictures did nothing for me. They didn't resemble anything that made me think of Butcher's writing. I don't know what they were thinking of...

Pumpkin spice chai latte...

2008-11-06T12:37:00.001-08:00

OMG.

I'm in heaven.

Fascinating biography I'm reading...

2008-11-05T09:48:00.000-08:00

I started "Marie-Therese, Child of Terror" last night. She was the daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Among the interesting tidbits so far -- Marie Antoinette was a big proponent of breast-feeding. Of course, back then all babies were breast fed, but not by their mothers. She urged women to nurse their own babies, particularly women of the upper classes, and even provided special stipends for women who cared for their own babies.

Funny stuff, hmmm? Here's what Publisher's Weekly said about the book (for the record, I disagree with their comment about plodding prose -- I couldn't put it down last night!):

What was the fate of Marie-Thérèse (1778–1851) after the beheadings of her parents, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette of France? Nagel, professor of humanities at Marymount Manhattan College (Mistress of the Elgin Marbles), relates the dramatic highs and lows experienced by the woman known as Madame Royale. Her uncle, the Austrian emperor, wanted her to marry his brother, when she escaped from the Temple Prison at age 17 after three hellish years. Instead, she endured a loveless and childless marriage to her Bourbon cousin the Duc d'Angoulême, but became the close political ally of their uncle, Louis XVIII, whom she joined in his peripatetic exile and saw in his triumphant return to France in 1814 as king. Marie Thérèse survived the 1830 abdication of her father-in-law, Charles X, and died in exile. Known for her kindness and wit, she also endured persistent rumors that she was not the real Marie-Thérèse and the constant threat of abduction and assassination. Nagel's highly detailed and sympathetic account competently fills in historical gaps, but, unfortunately, is hampered by plodding prose. 16 pages of color illus; map. (Apr.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Don't forget to VOTE!!!!!

2008-11-04T08:39:00.001-08:00

For all my readers in the US -- our ancestors fought and many died to give you this right. Don't blow it off!

Another 2000 words down...

2008-11-03T20:59:00.000-08:00

NaNoWriMo is going well so far! Sadly, the short story I started for promo purposes is turning into a novella, although a very short one. It's damned hard to write a good short story!

Pretty good yesterday!

2008-11-03T08:08:00.001-08:00

I did about 25oo words, which is a lot for me. It's still on that short story, but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to finish it up today. Then I'll be hitting "The Price of Power."

If you're interested in writing at all, you should google national novel writing month and check out their website. Lots of cool stuff there. The guy who started it wrote a great book called "No Plot, No Problem." I really got a lot out of it, although I have to admit that I am now a plotter... I used to write by the seat of my pants, but I find that plotting helps keep me from getting stuck. I don't always stick to the plot, though. Here's a review I found of the book:

From the Library Journal:

Every November, tens of thousands of people sign up for National Novel Writing Month and attempt to write a 50,000-word novel. Baty, the brains behind this competition, has produced an uproariously funny motivational manifesto so readers can get a leg-up in his race or in the larger publishing game. The key is to lower your expectations "from 'best-seller' to 'would not make someone vomit,' " says Baty, who maintains that stress and a deadline are important parts of writing. Aimed at the nonserious, with an emphasis on summoning creativity and having a life-changing experience, this original approach will appeal to anyone up for a challenge. -Library Journal

Question from a reader...

2008-11-02T14:52:00.001-08:00

I got this question from a reader today, and figured I might as well share the answer with all of you! Here's what she wrote:

Question:

I was just re-reading Price of Pleasure and Price of Freedom and as much as I loved the two stories, I must say that I still come away disapointed that neither Jess nor Calla knows of each other's fate. Calla knows her brother escaped and is somewhere alive in space but doesn't know his circumstances. Jess still thinks Calla is dead. I have not yet read all of the Federation series, but of what I have read so far, there is no mention of the two ever reuniting. Will this ever happen?

Answer:

Thanks so much for writing to me -- I love hearing from readers, and it's so exciting that you found the characters compelling enough to want to know more about their story. This is the best answer I have to offer...

I have a large plot arc that connects all the books, but it will only be revealed as we explore the Saurellian universe further. I can tell you that Calla has another role to play in the overall plot, and that Dani is heavily involved, too. To be honest, I haven't decided yet if Calla and Jess will meet again, but I have a lot of territory I haven't covered yet, even in my own head. The one reason that they might not be able to meet up again is the sheer scope of the stage -- the Empire and the Federation are huge, and I don't want to stretch the believability of the story beyond reason by having too many coincidental things happen. If they found each other, it would have to be a huge coincidence, even if Calla is actively looking. Bear in mind that Jess is an escaped slave on the run. He's not going to be broadcasting his location to anyone.

But I have had a number of readers who really want them to find each other, so I will promise this -- if I can find a believable way to make it happen, I will. Or perhaps their children will. I can promise you that both find happiness with their chosen mates, and I don't have any dark endings planned for either of them.

2,000 words down!

2008-11-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

I started off the month right, writing 2,000 words yesterday. Unfortunately it wasn't on my novel, but on a short story in my Saurellian series. It's a fun, quick write that I've only got about two thousands words left on, and I wanted to get it out of the way.

Last night I read the first half of a fabulous book called "Mad Kestrel" by Missy Massey. I really liked it -- a quick, good read that rolls right along. There's a hint of romance, and Kestrel is a heroine you can't help but like. She's strong and smart without being perfect. Gotta love it!

Here's a descriptions:

From Publishers Weekly
This rollicking debut combines swashbuckling sea adventure, fantasy and romance with great success. Kestrel was born a Promise, a child with magical talents, and as such sought by the Danisoban mages who control all use of magic. After the Danisoban Brethren kill her parents, Kestrel survives as a street urchin and tavern maid before running away to sea. The sea cancels Danisoban magic, but Kestrel soon learns she retains her untrained ability to command the weather. She signs on with Capt. Artemus Binns, only to see him arrested for piracy and hauled away. Kestrel promptly sets sail in pursuit and finds herself in the middle of a civil war between the Ageless King of the Danisobans and his treacherous and ambitious son, Prince Jeremie. Massey's world building can be a little sparse, but there's enough spirit of adventure to carry Kestrel (and the reader) past the occasional plot hole, with plenty left over for sequels. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Our troops in Iraq

2008-11-02T01:49:00.000-07:00

I just got an email from my uncle in Iraq -- what a trip, that someone can be fighting in a war so far away, yet we can send emails and communicate in an eyeblink! It really gives family a way to be there for a loved one, although I would imagine it might make things harder for them, too. I feel weird writing about my daily, boring life when I know he's dealing with so many challenges.

Sure gives a new perspective when you're considering whining about something stupid!

Anyway, he's in a containerized housing unit, which seems to be a shipping container set up like a little house. He has internet and tv, which just blows me away! This is his second tour over there, and I know that the first time he was there he spent a lot of time being bored out of his mind. I hope he continues to stay bored -- the last thing I want is for his life to get too exciting...

Regardless of how you feel about the war, please keep all our soldiers in your thoughts and prayers.

National Novel Writing Month!

2008-11-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

As my personal challenge this month, I am going to finish "The Price of Power," which people have been waiting for FOREVER. Okay, since 2003, anyway. Damn....

I have it about half written, and have had a hard time getting back into it after taking several years off to have kids. But I'm going to finish it this month come hell or high water! No excuses! I'll post here and let you know how the project is going.

Song for the day: Theme from Rocky

*giggle*

"The Coldest Kiss" is now available!!!

2008-10-30T10:00:00.001-07:00

Check out www.loose-id.com to buy it, or go to my website to read an excerpt :)

So, I've been trying to post...

2008-10-30T09:59:00.001-07:00

... but blogger keeps giving me error messages. Consider this a test!

New laptop!

2008-10-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I ordered a new laptop today... I'm excited, but also rather appalled at the expense. Scary shit.

On a completely different note, I adore "Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles." I always loved the movies, just thinking about all the time travel and the paradoxes. Dark and wonderful stuff...

Anyway, I guess that it's been picked up for the full season. Good news for those of use who love science fiction. Almost makes up for the loss of "The 4400."

Soundtrack for the day: Little Shop of Horrors

Death of a laptop

2008-10-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

It is with much sadness that I announce the death of my trusty laptop... It's gone through a lot, including being dropped and having the spine shattered two years ago. My husband spent an entire day rebuilding it with old parts from another laptop and it lived through that. I guess I can't complain too much!

Wish me luck as I go hunting for a new one... Damn, they're expensive!

Thanks everyone!

2008-10-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

I had a great time chatting with Cara Carnes last night at Romance Reviews Today -- thanks to everyone who showed up, and congratulations to Patti, Jennifer and Jolene, who won signed copies of "Asking for It."

I'll also be sending a free copy of "The Coldest Kiss" to Fedora as soon as it's released.

Thanks again for chatting!

Jo

Come chat with me tonight!

2008-10-22T07:43:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to invite you to come and chat with me tonight at Romance Reviews Today. I'll be visiting with author Cara Carnes, and we'll both be giving away some fun prizes. The website is romrevtoday.com -- just click on the chat button on the left side of the page. It starts at 6 pm Pacific time, and I'd love to see you there!

Jo :)

Update on that release...

2008-10-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

"The Coldest Kiss" is being released on Oct. 28, not Oct. 21. Here's the blurb:

Nobody dies tonight.

The words trauma nurse Summer Kelly finds written in the steam on her bathroom window make no sense, and they disappear as quickly as the phantom lover of her dreams. How could she know that Death himself has fallen in love with her? And how could she resist him? He's perfect in every way, from his incredible physique to the slightly-tilted slant of his exotic eyes.

He'll make her body sing, leave her begging for his touch, and all she has to give up to be with him forever is... her life.

This is my first release with Loose ID Publishing. Check out my website for a free excerpt!

Come chat with me at Romance Reviews Today on Wednesday, Oct. 22!

2008-10-19T13:08:00.000-07:00

I'll be chatting at www.romrevtoday.com with author Cara Carnes to promote my two newest releases, "The Coldest Kiss" and "Asking for It." It's at 6 p.m. Pacific time, and I'll be giving away a free book. Cara tells me she has a "naughty gift basket," which has certainly caught my attention...

Hope to see you there!

Jo :)

New release: "The Coldest Kiss"

2008-10-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

I have good news! On Tuesday, Loose ID publishing will release "The Coldest Kiss," a short story I wrote for Halloween. Here's the blurb:

Nobody dies tonight.

The words trauma nurse Summer Kelly finds written in the steam on her bathroom mirror make no sense, and they disappear as quickly as the phantom lover of her dreams. How could she know that Death himself has fallen in love with her? And how could she resist him? He’s perfect in every way, from his incredible physique to the slightly-tilted slant of his exotic eyes.

He’ll make her body sing, leave her begging her for his touch, and all she has to give up to be with him forever is… her life.

It’s time for Summer to decide -- will she accept the Coldest Kiss?

You can check out an excerpt on my website, www.joannawylde.net.

Haiku for the mother in her 30s...

2008-10-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

Perky boobed young thing
yapping on her pink cell phone
minivan waits, bitch.

More...

2008-10-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

Too quiet upstairs
Mommy talks on the phone. Damn.
Poo poo makes good paint

Editing haiku

2008-10-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

Editing sucks ass
like sinking into quicksand
where's my fab book tour?

Release date!

2008-09-30T09:39:00.001-07:00

My newest story, "The Coldest Kiss," will be released on Oct. 21 by LooseID Publishing. I'll have an excerpt and cover posted for you as soon as I get back the line edits :)

Three new releases to announce!

2008-09-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

Good news -- my short novel "Be Careful What You Wish For" has been released by Pocket Books as part of an anthology. The book is called "Asking For It," and it's on sale right now in bookstores and online. Check it out, and let me know what you think :)

Also -- I have two new contracts to report. I'll be releasing a short story called "The Coldest Kiss" through LooseID publishing in October. I'll also be releasing my first historical, "Catherine's Awakening," through Elloras Cave in the coming months. No firm date on that yet, but the contract is signed and sealed, and the book's in editing.

More later....

Jo

New style manual

2008-08-20T20:35:00.001-07:00

Elloras Cave, my publisher, just sent out a new style manual to all the authors. I really enjoyed reading it (yes, I'm a nerd), and just wanted to share a quote they put in the back:

"My books are water; those of the great geniuses are wine -- everybody drinks water"

Mark Twain

Hell, if it's good enough for him...

I am old...

2008-08-16T20:06:00.001-07:00

I never, ever get carded and they constantly ask me if I need help out at the grocery store. I had a single gallon of milk. WTF????

More on Scrivener

2008-08-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

I continue to use this writing program, and am starting to wonder how I ever lived without it. It's so intuitive, and lets me break things down into manageable chunks. I imported my work in progress, "The Price of Power," last night, and immediately saw some important changes that I hadn't caught before.

Much easier, and cheap, too. Only $40 for the program!

Not much else to report today. I'm still waiting on title approval for that western novella, after which I can start on the editing process.

Theme for the day: Sweater Song by Weezer

Olympic Opening Ceremonies

2008-08-10T18:51:00.000-07:00

Wow, that was pretty amazing. Just watched it last night, and I was pretty impressed. The most amazing thing? The way the guy lighting the torch ran around the arena in the air. It's incredible to me, just how strong he was. The Chinese did a hell of a job.

My parents visited China 19 years ago, just a few months before the Tiannamen Square massacre. I know China has a long way to go, but they really have accomplished a lot since then. Will be interesting to watch them in the decades to come.

I hope we stop selling debt to them. Fuckwit politicians.

I have no life. Seriously.

2008-08-09T12:25:00.000-07:00

I have been very excited this week because I got a Hoover Floormate, a vacuum/mopping machine for hard floors. My whole house is hard floors, and I was sick and tired of mopping it. This thing is great, and incredibly easy to use. And the best part? I got it for free from a friend's mother who doesn't need it any more. Ah.... perfection....

Now, I fully realize how pathetic it is to be this excited about cleaning my floors. But I have two kids and two dogs, and the place is a wreck even when I clean every day. It gives me one small area where I can exercise a little control!

Now for a writing update -- I am back to working on the Regency, and am still working on getting a contract signed for the western I wrote. There was a timing issue, so it be released in September, but it will be released. I'll tell you all about once I get title approval and the contract signed. Heck, I'll even throw up an excerpt!

Jo :)

"The Margarets" by Sherri Tepper

2008-08-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading this book, and it's pretty good. I love Sherri Tepper's books, but I have to say that a lot of the earlier ones are pretty man-hating. I can understand where that anger came from -- she's an author born well before the feminist revolution, and has an agenda. She's against patriarchy and ecological exploitation. In previous books she's made the men the bad guys to the extreme, but this book seems more rounded and humane. She holds humanity corporately responsible, rather than blaming the men. And not all the men are bad.

This is good. I can see why so many feminist writers were angry, but that does not reflect my world. The men in my life are good men, people who support and love me, and who don't need to boost themselves by pushing me (or any woman) down. I'm very thankful to be part of a post-feminist revolution generation. I honor the women who came before me, and appreciate the battles they undertook on my behalf. But I don't have their anger, because they already took away the cause...

Speaking of generational things, I just re-read Linda Howard's "A Lady of the West." This is a pretty good romance, still a page turner after all these years. It was written in 1983. It really is dated, though. At one point the hero hits the woman across the face, bruising her. They are married. It's not treated lightly (she's very angry and separates from him, and he feels very guilty), but it's definitely not something I was happy to read. Ms. Howard's early books are pretty dated (lots of angst over virginity, etc.), and I suppose the characters were true to their time period.

Still, I have trouble keeping someone as a romantic hero onces they've hit a woman.

Enough for today...

Scrivener

2008-07-31T19:42:00.000-07:00

I am using a new word processing/manuscript organizational software that kicks ass. It's called Scrivener, and it's only available for Macs. It's wonderful -- allows you to move all different kind of text blocks around in really cool ways, as well as letting you see the flow of the work in a nice way. MUCH more manageable for big projects than Word.

I have looked at other writing programs before, but they seemed to be really heavy on "guiding" the writer through different writing elements, etc. This doesn't fuck with my writing at all. It just does whatever I want it to do... It's developed by a working writer, and it shows.

Oh, and you can download it for free for a month. To license it is only $39.95. How cool is that?

Theme song for the day: Dancing with Myself

The Lost Boys

2008-07-30T18:53:00.000-07:00

It's pathetic to admit, but I saw the other day that there is a new Lost Boys movie and I'm ridiculously excited to see it. I loved The Lost Boys when I was a kid, adored it. The only thing that kind of scares me? I saw a pictures of Corey Feldman in the trailer, and he looked exactly the same. Unchanged. Very creepy.

This led me (in a frenzy of procrastination) on a search through Wikipedia and ultimately to the official Corey Feldman website. Now, here's the amazing thing. There's still all kinds of forums where Corey Feldman fans fight with Corey Haim fans. They take it very seriously. They flame each other.

Wow.

And I thought I had no life...

Theme song for the day: "Cry Little Sister"

Faithless blogger...

2008-07-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

That's what I am. I haven't been blogging, and to be honest I haven't been writing enough, either. I fell into a bit of a summer slump, for which I blame my husband. No particular reason -- I just like to blame him for everything ;)

So, today I was watching some TV, and I caught a trailer for a new "Lost Boys" movie. I loved "The Lost Boys" passionately when I was a kid. I was soooo in love with Jason Patric and Keifer Sutherland. I couldn't help myself, I had to go check it out online.

The weirdest thing? There was a clip of Corey Feldman, and he looks exactly the same as he did as a teen. Exactly the same. Fuckin' weird. I was more than a little creeped out, and I ended up at his official website where I discovered that he was in a reality show called "The Two Coreys." It was like some kind of bizarre time warp, and I had one of those surreal moments when I was forced to face just how messed up the human race is.

On the bright side, the nostalgia surfing eventually led me to Billy Idol, and I'm now listening to his "Greatest Hits." When I was in jr. high, my entire school got called in to a special assembly because we had chanted the alternative chorus to "Money Money" during a dance. My kids were dancing to the same song when hubby got home, and I found myself offering to fix dinosaur chicken nuggets for dinner....

And thus life comes full circle.

I'll be better about blogging. I promise. Although I think I'm going to have to let Corey Feldman and his official fan site (including forums) behind me. Sometimes you just can't go back.

*snicker*

Janet Evanovich, again

2008-06-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

I'm reading "Lean Mean Thirteen" by Janet Evanovich, and remain in awe of her ability to write endlessly amusing fluffy stuff. I've read all the Stephanie Plum books, and I'm not tired of them. I don't know why -- I usually hate puffy stuff like this. No angst, no darkness burning. No deep thoughts. Just delightful characters that keep coming up with weird and quirky ways to surprise the hell out of a reader.

I'm heading out for my annual retreat at a monastery with my mother this weekend, and I can't wait to get out of town. Haven't had a break in a long, long time... I'm just excited to sleep in a room all by myself with no kids, dogs, etc. to wake me up. And nobody who needs anything from me. I'm tired of giving, I'm ready to be a little selfish :)

Sherri Tepper's "The Family Tree"

2008-06-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy Sherri Tepper's books, but this one stunk. Actually, 99% of it was fantastic -- but the ending was soooo bad that it sucked away the earlier goodness. It is a engaging science fiction story that plays out in both modern time and 3000 years into the future. It has some great plot twists, and it certainly keeps you reading. But at the end you discover that the entire book is predicated on some pretty stupid assumptions, ones that I simply cannot believe. And thus an engaging read turns into a wallbanger. GRRRRRRR....

In other news, I haven't been writing the last couple of days. Been feeling a bit under the weather, and now I'm trying to catch up. On the bright side, I accidently took two Mucinex D extra strength (double the healthy, normal dose), which has me hopping around like a frog. I guess it's just my way of participating in northern Idaho's meth culture -- they're twelve hour capsules, so at least I'll have the energy to get a ton done today! And on the bright side, poison control said not to worry about it, just don't take any more.

What a morning!

Theme for the day: Mother's Little Helper

Nerd girls

2008-06-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

Last night my husband was making fun of me -- I was sitting on the couch surfing on my laptop while watching Battlestar Galactica. It's true. I'm a nerd, and have been for a long time. But I read a really interesting article in Newsweek this morning (http://www.newsweek.com/id/140457/page/2) that made me appreciate that title a little more. It's a good thing to be nerdy -- for one thing, nerds seem to make more money. Or a lot of them do.

One of the interesting things about being a nerd girl is that my husband is nerdy, too. And so are all my friends' husbands. I guess it gives us all something to talk about. Anyway, I don't have any further deep thoughts, just thought the article was really interesting. Kinda goes to show that times have changed!

Jack McDevitt - fun science fiction (no romance)

2008-06-07T11:11:00.000-07:00

Last night I stayed up until past midnight (dear heavens!!!) reading "Cauldron" by Jack McDevitt. It was a fun book -- sort of space opera about exploration to the center of the galaxy. Not hard science fiction, and the whole thing seemed a bit overly optimistic, but I really enjoyed it.

This morning I looked it up on Amazon.com, and found it got mixed reviews. Apparently it is the climax of a whole series, although I certainly didn't have any trouble picking up the story without reading the others. A lot of readers found it anti-clamactic, but I guess I hadn't invested enough time in the rest of the series to feel that way. And there were a lot of goofy things and plot holes... but on the other hand, I stayed up and read the whole thing in one sitting. He must have done something right!

I don't have anything to share on writing this morning, as I spent the past several hours doing work for my other job (writing grants for a cancer agency). I do have a few thoughts for you on donating money.

Don't give money to an charity you know nothing about. The best place to give your money is a place where you are involved, and where you have a chance to really see what they're doing with the funding. I've worked for a lot of places over the years, and just because someone has a slick fundraiser doesn't mean they're the best investment for your giving. I love the agency where I work, and have been with them for six years. Every penny goes to the people who need it, and I wish I could say that was the rule in non-profits.

In my experience, it's the exception.

You work hard for your money, and there are many places it's needed to help people. Don't waste it on a place where it won't go to the people who need it most.

"How I Write" by Janet Evanovitch

2008-06-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

I picked this book out at the library the other day, and am enjoying it. I think Janet Evanovitch is a great writer. I don't usually like books like hers. Too light, too silly, too bouncy. Blech. Yet there's something about her writing that just keeps me reading, because it's so damn fun.

My husband even likes her stuff, which is saying a lot. He doesn't like anything (reads nonfiction almost exclusively). Yet we can listen to her books on CD when we're in the car and he laughs out loud. He particularly like Grandma Mazur and Lula the hooker. Hell, who doesn't?

Speaking of books on CD, I'm listening to "Anansi Boys" by Neil Gaiman, which is also pretty good. He's a strange author -- his books are so simple, yet really beautiful. Well, this one really isn't beautiful, it's just moving along, but some of them are. I really liked "Neverwhere" and "Stardust" was fun, too. They didn't change my life, but they kept me entertained.

I'm finding lately that it's harder and harder to find books I really want to read. I think craft is a huge part of this -- so much of what gets published is just really clunky. The verb tenses throw you off, or the changes in POV. It throws me out of the story, and I start editing in my head. I know, people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones... But it just goes to show, craft really counts. More than almost anything else, I think, because craft is the foundation of everything else you do.

Theme song for the day: "A Day in the Life"

Back in town!

2008-06-04T12:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't written for a few days -- we were travelling and visiting with family. It was tons of fun, but it's really good to be home. The worst part? One of the kids got sick in the car on the way back. You haven't lived until you've spent seven hours driving with a puking baby...

On the bright side, the car seat covers are washable :)

I didn't do any writing while I was gone, too busy visiting with people. I did read the "Shadow of the Giant" by Orson Scott Card, which was very good. It's part of his "Ender" series, which starts with Ender's Game. That book is one of the most brilliant I've ever read, although the rest of the series is very good, too. It's not on the same level as the first, though. It knocked me on my butt.

Anyway, it's a modern science fiction classic, and for good reason. Not a touch of romance in it, but I like to read different types of books. More tomorrow!

Planning for a career

2008-05-29T09:24:00.000-07:00

I have been reading more and more about successful writers, and it seems like most of them work with goals and a formal plan. I've had goals for years, and even something of a plan. But last night I spent several hours with a writing friend putting together a more formal outline for my writing career (and hers -- the process is mutual).

As some of you may know, my background is in journalism and grant writing. As a grant writer, you learn early on that a program that is not well thought out rarely succeeds. I decided to apply the same type of planning tools to my writing career that I use when working with a non-profit agency.

Thus I'm putting together:

Goals
Short Term Objectives
Long Term Objectives
Work Plan
Measurement/Accountability system

So far we've identified goal, and are starting to hammer out objectives. The hardest part, of course, is the follow-through. I'd like to have a one, five and ten year plan by the time I finish the process. I suspect it will take a couple weeks to put together, so I'm not putting off any of my writing projects to work on it. Hopefully it will help give me focus not only on my craft, but as a marketer and career writer.

Theme song for the day: Bittersweet Symphony

Revisiting "Price of Power"

2008-05-27T19:51:00.001-07:00

Well, as my more devoted readers know, in 2002 I started a trilogy about the Saurellian Federation, my own private science fiction universe. I wrote two books in the trilogy (Price of Pleasure and Price of Power) as well as another novel and oodles of novellas, but before I could finish the third I got pregnant and took time off to have a family.

Now I'm back at work, and my publisher has suggested (politely) that I should consider finishing Price of Power. So I'm working on it, and it's very interesting to restart a project after so much time off. I had 36,000 words written when I stopped, and I'm going over them to determine how much I'll keep. I've never lost touch with the story or the characters, but it's interesting to me how much my writing has changed in the intervening years. Hopefully for the better?

What I'm noticing the most is the use of verbs, and how many sentences seem too passive. I'm fixing those, although it makes me wonder whether my new insight is actually a change of style, or just the time and space to see what I've written more clearly. I do know that if I had the chance, I'd love to revise my earlier works. Of course, with that logic, nothing would ever get finished.

I'll be working on Price of Power all next month, having tabled the Regency for a while. It's grown so much in scope that I need the time to do more research anyway, so that works out pretty well. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy playing in the Saurellian universe. I already have new stories spinning through my mind. Too bad they take so much time to write!

Memorial Day

2008-05-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

I would like to offer thanks to all the men and women who have given their lives to provide me with freedom. I am particularly thankful to three grandfathers who fought in WWII, an uncle who fought in Korea, my father who fought in Vietnam, and my cousin and uncle who have been and will be fighting in Iraq. They both re-deploy this summer.

Regardless of your politics or opinion of our country's military policy, please honor these brave men and women who risked everything to protect our way of life. Some were wounded, and all carry psychological scars. In my family, two of them lost their marriages. Everything we take for granted is possible because they (and thousands of other brave souls) were willing to stand on a line and protect us.

I grieve for all the sons and daughters who never came back, I grieve for their lost accomplishments and their lost children, and I grieve for the family members who will never see their loved ones again. Please don't let their sacrifices go unacknowledged, even if you protest this war we're currently engaged in. Save your anger for the policy makers, and offer the troops the love and support they need desperately.

More on writing tomorrow -- somehow just didn't seem very important today.

Books that don't behave

2008-05-25T11:47:00.001-07:00

I've posted several times about my WIP, which is a regency novella. Well, over the past week it's bloomed into a full-blown novel. This is really strange to me, because this is the first story I've ever really thoroughly plotted out ahead of time. I did the snowflake plotting method (which kicks ass, by the way) and really felt like I knew exactly what would happen.

Now I find myself in the middle of a novel, redoing all my careful planning and plotting. The funny thing is that I was worried that the plotting exercise would kill my ability to be spontaneous. Not at all -- what it has given me is the ability to make a major change mid-course in a controlled way. I'm going back and revising my plotting, and I have a great "map" of scenes to follow as I calculate the needed changes.

Just goes to show, there's always something new to learn about writing.

Theme music for the day: RaveTrax Radio (online stream)

A great grocery surprise -- "The Darkest Kiss"

2008-05-24T15:03:00.001-07:00

I was picking up some groceries last night and discovered Keri Arthur's newest, "The Darkest Kiss." I really enjoy her writing, which has romantic overtones but certainly isn't genre romance. The series features Riley Jensen, a werewolf/vampire who has become a reluctant guardian, policing the supernatural world.

She's an interesting heroine, and I'm not always sure I like her. What's fabulous about her is that she's written like a man. Like James Bond, almost. She gets to have sex with multiple men, and it's not always about emotions. Sex is part of who she is, and she refuses to be judged for it. I'm not sure I've ever read another author who is so matter-of-fact about sexual equality (at least in the bedroom), with Riley even going so far as to sleep with men to get information for her job.

And she's lauded for it, not judged. Well, at least not judged by the people who count. There is some tension with men she dates, and understandably. But she's definitely not the "bad guy" for being who she is.

Of course, the most important thing is that the books are a great read. I have trouble putting them down, although I was tired enough last night that I stopped reading at 10:30. It was a force of will -- I wanted to read the whole damn thing in one sitting.

Anyway, the Riley Jensen series is as follows:

"Full Moon Rising"
"Kissing Sin"
"Tempting Evil"
"Dangerous Games"
"Embraced by Darkness"
"The Darkest Kiss"

Check them out!

Worked like a fiend yesterday

2008-05-21T07:53:00.001-07:00

No reading at all, sadly. I did manage to write about 2000 words on the Regency manuscript, revise the synopsis for that other story I sold, and I also wrote a grant for a small cancer agency. I also cooked dinner for a group of friends, cleaned the house (cleaner was out sick), did laundry and even managed a shower.

I am woman, hear me roar! Or maybe whimper?

Completely unrelated to writing, I saw a very interesting web video. The URL is http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=133_1210305250 (you'll have to cut and past, I don't have a real link for you), and it's about an internal homeland security checkpoint. The thing that I find so fascinating about it is not so much the video itself (although it's interesting to watch, and eye opening), but the comments associated. Essentially, a man is pulled over by immigration. They ask him his citizenship. He holds his camera on them and repeatedly asks if he's being detained and whether he's free to go. In the end, they let him go. The whole point is to show that they don't have the right to detain him without cause. You do have to feel a little sorry for the immigration agent, who handles herself well.

The comments following it are mixed, but a repeating theme is along the lines of "fucking liberals." That doesn't make any sense to me -- isn't keeping the government out of the lives of private individuals more of a conservative principle? I live in a very conservative place (northern Idaho), and it's about as anti-government as you get. Ruby Ridge is only about 40 miles from my home. To me, the stunt seemed pretty conservative, not so much liberal.

I'm not sure I have a strong opinion on this, I just thought it was noteworthy. And the video is worth watching.

A quote for the day from Kurt Cobain: "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you."

Why do I have to clean my house....

2008-05-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

... for the cleaners? I have someone coming by today to clean my house. Yes, I know this is a luxury, but I work about 3/4 time and only have child care for 7 hours a week. You do the math.

Anyway, I have spent three hours picking up my house so it's clean enough for someone else to clean. This frightens me, as on Sunday morning it was perfect. It's like my family is a wrecking crew. A crew I have to feed.

In other news, I have a tentative sale made to be published in October/September. I don't have the contract signed yet, so I won't give you the title and publishing details. Good news, though, and I'm very excited. This the western I told you about (not my normal thing at all, but I swear it's still a Joanna Wylde book!). More details and an excerpt in days to come :)

Theme music for the day: Mother's Little Helper

Kresley Cole -- Goddess?

2008-05-19T01:58:00.000-07:00

I've been up half the night reading Kresley Cole's "Dark Needs at Night's Edge."

Wow.

This book is hot. Amazingly hot. Incredible sexual tension. Empowered heroine. Sexy vamp hero who isn't all annoying. Did I mention the sexual tension?????

I've read several of her other books in this supernatural series, but this one is the best so far. I picked it up at the grocery store this afternoon while purchasing many boring food items (all healthy, almost all on sale -- I need to get out more). This book has convinced me that I must erect a small shrine to Ms. Cole and offer sacrifices of liquor and chocolate to her on a regular basis, in the hopes that she'll keep writing.

Of course, she has a lot to answer for. I have a meeting in about six hours, and no sleep. I'd hate her for it if I wasn't so busy trying to teleport my way into one of her books. Evil bitch.

Anyway, if you like dark, hot urban fantasy/paranormal, I suggest you drive immediately to a bookstore and buy "Dark Needs at Night's Edge." I still have a hundred pages to go, but trust me. It was worth the money for pages 236-264.

O.M.G.

5,000 words yesterday!

2008-05-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I managed to get caught up on my monthly quota, and then some. Really intense writing day yesterday, working on the Regency. It may very well turn into a book on me, as it was already pushing the boundaries of a novella. I've plotted it out very carefully, but yesterday I stumbled into a gang war, and a whole bunch of unplanned external conflict. I'm loving it, but now I'm off the map again and not quite sure what happens next.

Fortunately that's just a subplot, so it won't throw me off too much. It is going to make the story a bit longer, although I'm still hoping to finish it this month. Didn't read much yesterday, for obvious reasons, but I did start a wonderful book from 1970 or so called "Shopping in Style," which catalogues the growth of the London suburbs through commerce. It goes from the Restoration through Edwardian times, and I'm really enjoying it.

Theme music for the day: Joan Jett

"Plum Lucky"

2008-05-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

Well, for all my good research intentions yesterday, I ended up getting sucked into "Plum Lucky" by Janet Evanovich. The woman is a genius, there's just no escaping it. I hate funny books. I hate light stuff where the sexual tension is barely noticeable. I hate everything about her style of writing, yet it's so damn good I can't help but laugh out loud when I read it. I keep turning the pages until it's finished, no matter how dirty the kitchen is or how tired I get.

If I could be Janet E. when I grow up as a writer, I would. Unfortunately, I don't think I have that style of writing in me. My fall-back position is to be Grandma Mazur when I'm old. I think that would kick ass. Or at least it would be entertaining, and I really like the idea of driving my kids as crazy as they drive me.

So I'll write more about McMafia tomorrow, assuming I get back to it. I need to write 2300 words today to catch up to my quota, which I don't think will be a problem. I'm on a roll right now and things are looking good with the regency.

Writing theme song for the day: "All I Want is You" by U2

Yum....

Started "McMafia" last night

2008-05-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

In my never-ending quest to be productive without being too productive, I started reading "McMafia" last night, by Misha Glenny. It's ostensibly research for my sequel to "Be Careful What You Wish For," which has been out from EC for a while now, and which will be released by Pocket Fiction in October.

The sequel is called "Be Careful What You Dream Of," and it tells the story of Valzar, a character many readers wanted to hear more about.

Anyway, back to McMafia. It's about global organized crime, and so far it's very, very interesting. The writing seemed a little choppy to me, but fatigue may have played a role in that. I was wiped. I'm reading about the fall of communism and how former state organizations (police, secret service, etc.) moved right into private enterprise. Interesting to me was the concept that for many of these people, there wasn't a clearly defined line between legal capitalism and organized crime. And I guess it makes sense -- they had no history, no tradition of the boundaries of capitalism. Hell, even in our country that can be dicey.

Good book. I'll keep posting on it.

"Raising the Stones"

2008-05-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

Finished Sherri Tepper's book "Raising the Stones" last night, and it was really good. A very spiritual book about strange "Gods" that appear on a lonely farm planet. These Gods don't make demands, they just help everyone get along nicely. Those who aren't open to the influence, those who truly crave violence, just decide to leave sooner or later.

This is very threatening to a number of fanatics, and the bulk of the book is about how hatred drives people to do very strange things to each other. It's also about the rejection of hatred, and along with it the dogmas of rigid faiths.

So I guess it's a book about faith but not religion. There's also a strong, anti-patriarchy note running through it. Despite all this deep content, it's a damned good read. I've stayed up way too late two nights in a row to finish it, and I don't regret it one bit. I'm very picky about what I read, and about 80% of the time I don't even finish books. I just lose interest. This one left me longing for more, and I can't wait to discover if she wrote more in this series.