Book Week 48 - what happens when we combine u and v

Book Week 48

Photo courtesy of AZRainman

My... this year has flown and we only have five weeks left.   Are you close to making the goal of 52 books?  Did you have fun reading or discover some new to you books, some amazing reads or just enjoy some old favorites.   Are you ready to do it all over again in 2011?   It's that time of the year to start thinking of new goals and challenges.  Where will 2011 take us?  It will be interesting to find out.
 

I'm combining U and V this week, since I just looked at the calendar and realized if we were going to end the year with Zest, Zing, and a Zowie, I needed to adjust a bit.  What begins with U or V?  Lots of things, but I decided to go with a random word and see what popped up in the book department.  The random words I picked are 'undertow' and 'violin.'   Some very interesting books popped up which I've added to my wishlist. 

Sue Grafton's Undertow from her A-Z Mysteries

Elizabeth Bear's  Undertow

Mary Daheim's Saks and Violins

Michael Romkey's Vampire's Violin

Pick a U or V word at random and see what interesting books you discover.

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Book Week 47 - T is for Thanksgiving

Courtesy: John (Puzzler 4879)

~Happy Thanksgiving~

For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped,
For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb,
For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land,
For the cunning and strength of the workingman's hand,
For the good that our artists and poets have taught,
For the friendship that hope and affection have brought --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the homes that with purest affection are blest,
For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest,
For our country extending from sea unto sea;
The land that is known as the "Land of the Free" --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
Author Unknown

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Link to your reviews.  If you have multiple reviews, link to your blog with (multi reviews) after your name.

Book Week 46 - S is for short story

Book Week 46

What do you do when you have a long list of things to do?  Do you rush through it or take your time, giving each individual thing your full attention, before moving on to the next.  Some days I have a tendency to race, other day's I plod.  I'm plodding through my long list today.

I'm currently taking a Short Story Class for my Bachelor's degree.  Short stories include myths, biblical stories,  lais, Fabliaux and fables, folktales and Fairy tales.  Just read a very interesting short story called "The Lottery" by Barbara Jackson.  A quick read, but one that makes you stop, think, go back and read it again, think some more.   It was written back in 1948 for the magazine, The New Yorker.  The response to the story was very negative.  Many people from around the world, couldn't believe the magazine would even publish such a story.  However, many people wanted to know if the story was true, and where these lotteries were being held.  The author was astounded.  She had quickly written the story and it needed little editing.  Just something that came to her mind. 

If you haven't read it before, take a look.  Tell me what you think about the story and your reaction to it? 

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Link to your reviews. If you have multiple reviews, link to your blog with (multi reviews) after your name.

Book Week 45 - R is for rootless random ruminations

The woman in the picture, standing on the pier, looking off into space. This is me, this saturday evening as I sit, think, ponder and work on my Nanowrimo novel. Bit of random things flow through your head sometimes as you write and you don't know whether it's you, your subconscious or one of your make believe characters creating spillage in your brain. Writing is an interesting process. There is are two quotes which says it all

"There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein."  ~Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith

"Ink and paper are sometimes passionate lovers, oftentimes brother and sister, and occasionally mortal enemies." ~Terri Guillemets

Sometimes it flows and other times it's like pulling teeth.  During the times you feel like pulling teeth, is when the distractions win and earn your attention.   Decluttering becomes a favorite past time, then wandering about the blogosphere is another. So what did I find in my random wanderings in life and on the blogosphere that start with R.

Two new books released this week by the queen of romance herself - Nora Roberts.  The fourth book in the bride Quartet: Happy Ever After and the latest in the In Death Series by her alter ego J.D. Robb "Indulgence in Death."   As you can imagine I sat down and read both right away.   And this evening, while perusing my TBR pile looking for something to engage my mind for a few minutes during some down time,  I picked up Robin Hobb's "Dragon Keeper," book one in the Rain Wilds Chronicles.  I started reading and quickly got lost in the story. 

I won it several months ago during a giveaway at Literary Escapism.  If you haven't checked out Jackie's site yet, you should.  She does Fantasy and Paranormal reviews with lots of giveaways and links to all the authors.  Her latest newsletter just came out so hurry over and check it out.  Whenever I'm on her site, I have to have another browser open to Barnes and Noble Ebooks store, because invariably I'll find something I just gotta have now.  :) 

My most recent find - Allyson James "Stormwalker" and "Firewalker."  Sometimes the covers are just so amazing, they attract my attention.  Of course, it helps that the story sounds good and the excerpt is the icing on the cake that makes me buy it.   Sometimes I don't know whether the NOOK is a blessing or a curse.  They make it so easy to buy and download a book.  *grin* 




Well back to working on my story which just happens to fall in with this week's R theme since it does after all start with R - Red Thief.   Here a picture I drew of the cover.   Notice anything odd about the picture?    Let me know if you find it.   

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Link to your reviews. If you have multiple reviews, make it easy on yourself and link to your blog with (multi reviews) after your name.