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Thursday, December 4, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Catching up!
I can't believe it's December already. Oy vei, where does the time get to?
Actually, I do know where it gets to. It gets everywhere. Messy thing, time.
I spent about half of my October down in a little place called Hitchcock, Texas. My dad owns a mobile home park down there, and we went down to sort out some business things, and take a look at the mess left behind by Hurricane Ike.
I've got to say, it wasn't pretty. I think the nation at large has already kind of forgotten Hurricane Ike, but the repercussions in the area are still visible everywhere you go. Dad and I took an aerial tour of Galveston, where the hurricane did the most damage, and it was unbelievable. Our pilot pointed out huge areas that looked like nothing more than washed-out sandbanks, that used to be covered in homes. They haven't just been beaten up or ripped apart, they're utterly gone.
To give you an idea of what's left...
It really wasn't the hurricane itself, but the surge afterwards that left so much destruction. The water rose up to 22 feet at its height, leaving some enormous ships in ridiculous places. It'll take a lot to get them back in the water where they belong.
More businesses are opening daily, thank heavens, and activity on the island was going up noticeably even between our two trips there, but there are still a lot of boarded up shops...
And shops that need more than boarding up...
'And let's not forget the large piles of trash and debris that can be found along the road everywhere, even higher north than Hitchcock, where we were staying. I didn't get a chance to touch these photos up, but you can just see a weathered American flag in there.
Strangely enough, for me, a California girl, the saddest sight was that of the palm trees. Palm trees tend to be associated with surf and sun, and kind of gain a flippant connotation because of that, I guess, but growing up on a street that has a line of palm trees over a century old visible right from my front window, they start meaning a lot more to you.
Palm trees are tough old things, and they're built to last. That's why they thrive in places where other trees don't have a chance. But these trees in Galveston had been submerged in salt water for days. Their bark was peeling off in big chunks and they were clearly dying. That pretty much broke my heart.
Actually, I do know where it gets to. It gets everywhere. Messy thing, time.
I spent about half of my October down in a little place called Hitchcock, Texas. My dad owns a mobile home park down there, and we went down to sort out some business things, and take a look at the mess left behind by Hurricane Ike.
I've got to say, it wasn't pretty. I think the nation at large has already kind of forgotten Hurricane Ike, but the repercussions in the area are still visible everywhere you go. Dad and I took an aerial tour of Galveston, where the hurricane did the most damage, and it was unbelievable. Our pilot pointed out huge areas that looked like nothing more than washed-out sandbanks, that used to be covered in homes. They haven't just been beaten up or ripped apart, they're utterly gone.
To give you an idea of what's left...
It really wasn't the hurricane itself, but the surge afterwards that left so much destruction. The water rose up to 22 feet at its height, leaving some enormous ships in ridiculous places. It'll take a lot to get them back in the water where they belong.
More businesses are opening daily, thank heavens, and activity on the island was going up noticeably even between our two trips there, but there are still a lot of boarded up shops...
And shops that need more than boarding up...
'And let's not forget the large piles of trash and debris that can be found along the road everywhere, even higher north than Hitchcock, where we were staying. I didn't get a chance to touch these photos up, but you can just see a weathered American flag in there.
Strangely enough, for me, a California girl, the saddest sight was that of the palm trees. Palm trees tend to be associated with surf and sun, and kind of gain a flippant connotation because of that, I guess, but growing up on a street that has a line of palm trees over a century old visible right from my front window, they start meaning a lot more to you.
Palm trees are tough old things, and they're built to last. That's why they thrive in places where other trees don't have a chance. But these trees in Galveston had been submerged in salt water for days. Their bark was peeling off in big chunks and they were clearly dying. That pretty much broke my heart.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Permutations
I'm down in Texas at the moment, helping out with family business stuff. I've brought six books with me and already finished three. Problem? Perhaps. As you may have caught from my previous entry, I'm currently working my way through the Jane Austen books, as well as the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde, and just in the last couple of days I started reading The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. Now, if you've read all of these books, or know enough about them, you might see where I'm going with this. If not... let me enlighten you.
So, we'll begin with Thursday Next. She is currently (I'm reading book 3--The Well of Lost Plots) a Jurisfiction agent, or rather, a member of a team that enforces the law inside of books. Jurisfiction agents have to travel from book to book by means of a great library that has containing in it every version of every book that has ever been written, AND ever will be written. (Obviously they have shelves full of my stuff!) The Librarian is the Unitary Authority of Warrington Cat--formerly known as the Cheshire Cat.
That would of course be the Cat from Alice in Wonderland--which The Looking Glass Wars is deviated from. Here, The Cat, as he is simply called, is a deadly assassin with nine lives--who can, on command, change into a harmless-looking kitten.
Jurisfiction headquarters is also located, by the by, in an unused ballroom at Norland Park--yes, the Norland Park, from Sense and Sensibility. And just which Austen book do you think I'm reading at the moment?
This really isn't as confusing as it sounds, I promise. I'm well able to keep them all straight in my head. But it has raised my attention about the kinds of stories I gravitate towards. While there's always a place for something new that you haven't encountered before, I find myself just as interested (if not moreso) in looking at stories I thought I already knew, examined in a different light. Sometimes radically different.
Despite it's awesome tagline--"Fantasy just declared war on reality"--I didn't think I'd particularly like The Looking Glass Wars, because I'd gotten the impression that it was an adultification of Alice in Wonderland, something like what Wicked did to Wizard of Oz, which I have to confess I just couldn't buy into at all. Extending the Oz metaphor, I'd say this is actually turning out to be something more like the Sci-Fi channel's Tin Man, a just as fantastical reimagining as the original. And while it's very, very different, it also pays a lot of respect to the original work, which is something that, as an author, is very important to me. I'll get more on a full review when I've finished it, which I don't think will be too long. This is one dang good book.
So, we'll begin with Thursday Next. She is currently (I'm reading book 3--The Well of Lost Plots) a Jurisfiction agent, or rather, a member of a team that enforces the law inside of books. Jurisfiction agents have to travel from book to book by means of a great library that has containing in it every version of every book that has ever been written, AND ever will be written. (Obviously they have shelves full of my stuff!) The Librarian is the Unitary Authority of Warrington Cat--formerly known as the Cheshire Cat.
That would of course be the Cat from Alice in Wonderland--which The Looking Glass Wars is deviated from. Here, The Cat, as he is simply called, is a deadly assassin with nine lives--who can, on command, change into a harmless-looking kitten.
Jurisfiction headquarters is also located, by the by, in an unused ballroom at Norland Park--yes, the Norland Park, from Sense and Sensibility. And just which Austen book do you think I'm reading at the moment?
This really isn't as confusing as it sounds, I promise. I'm well able to keep them all straight in my head. But it has raised my attention about the kinds of stories I gravitate towards. While there's always a place for something new that you haven't encountered before, I find myself just as interested (if not moreso) in looking at stories I thought I already knew, examined in a different light. Sometimes radically different.
Despite it's awesome tagline--"Fantasy just declared war on reality"--I didn't think I'd particularly like The Looking Glass Wars, because I'd gotten the impression that it was an adultification of Alice in Wonderland, something like what Wicked did to Wizard of Oz, which I have to confess I just couldn't buy into at all. Extending the Oz metaphor, I'd say this is actually turning out to be something more like the Sci-Fi channel's Tin Man, a just as fantastical reimagining as the original. And while it's very, very different, it also pays a lot of respect to the original work, which is something that, as an author, is very important to me. I'll get more on a full review when I've finished it, which I don't think will be too long. This is one dang good book.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Booking Through Thursday, and a meme
I've been pointed to a weekly book meme blog, called Booking Through Thursday, by shinyshiny, a Twilight fan/knitter friend of mine, and I thought the meme she did on her blog looked fun, so I'm giving it a whirl! Depending on how their questions, I might make this a weekly ritual.
“What tomes are waiting patiently on your shelves?“
So, so, SO many. I'm attempting to read or reread my entire library at the moment, partially because I can't really afford to buy a whole lot of new books. But the main ones that are definitely in the queue to be read at the moment:
- all of Jane Austen, minus Pride and Prejudice which I just finished, and Northanger Abbey, since I'm reading that one now.
- The rest of the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde (I'm currenlty on 2, there are five).
- Jane Eyre
- The entire Anne of Green Gables series.
And last weeks, cause I can.
What was the last book you bought?
River Secrets by Shannon Hale
Name a book you have read MORE than once
I'm a chronic re-reader. How about I name the most recent? Pride and Prejudice. Well over half of this year's reading list is made up of re-reads, though.
Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?
Unquestionably I'd say I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg. It's difficult to explain the how, but when you get to the end of the book, and Deborah's defeating her illness, you feel somehow like you're achieving something, too. It's fantastic.
How do you choose a book? eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews
Recommendations, what I know of the author, and yes, I do fall for a good cover sometimes.
Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?
Fiction. I can't help myself. I'm a lover of writing itself, and fiction writers tend to care more about the craft than non-fiction ones, though of course there are all kinds of exceptions to that.
What’s more important in a novel - beautiful writing or a gripping plot?
I sway more towards writing. But I can't read three hundred pages of nothing happening, either.
Most loved/memorable character (character/book)
I'm going to be my very nostalgic self and say Anne Shirley here. She's still everything I want to be, smart, sassy, bold, and genuine.
Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?
I don't have a nightstand. But you can check out my current reads in the sidebar. :)
What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?
The last book I finished was Pride and Prejudice, about a month ago.
Have you ever given up on a book half way in?
Once or twice. Nothing memorable enough for me to give you the title.
This turned out being a little repetitive, but eh, that's okay. :)
“What tomes are waiting patiently on your shelves?“
So, so, SO many. I'm attempting to read or reread my entire library at the moment, partially because I can't really afford to buy a whole lot of new books. But the main ones that are definitely in the queue to be read at the moment:
- all of Jane Austen, minus Pride and Prejudice which I just finished, and Northanger Abbey, since I'm reading that one now.
- The rest of the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde (I'm currenlty on 2, there are five).
- Jane Eyre
- The entire Anne of Green Gables series.
And last weeks, cause I can.
What was the last book you bought?
River Secrets by Shannon Hale
Name a book you have read MORE than once
I'm a chronic re-reader. How about I name the most recent? Pride and Prejudice. Well over half of this year's reading list is made up of re-reads, though.
Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?
Unquestionably I'd say I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg. It's difficult to explain the how, but when you get to the end of the book, and Deborah's defeating her illness, you feel somehow like you're achieving something, too. It's fantastic.
How do you choose a book? eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews
Recommendations, what I know of the author, and yes, I do fall for a good cover sometimes.
Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?
Fiction. I can't help myself. I'm a lover of writing itself, and fiction writers tend to care more about the craft than non-fiction ones, though of course there are all kinds of exceptions to that.
What’s more important in a novel - beautiful writing or a gripping plot?
I sway more towards writing. But I can't read three hundred pages of nothing happening, either.
Most loved/memorable character (character/book)
I'm going to be my very nostalgic self and say Anne Shirley here. She's still everything I want to be, smart, sassy, bold, and genuine.
Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?
I don't have a nightstand. But you can check out my current reads in the sidebar. :)
What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?
The last book I finished was Pride and Prejudice, about a month ago.
Have you ever given up on a book half way in?
Once or twice. Nothing memorable enough for me to give you the title.
This turned out being a little repetitive, but eh, that's okay. :)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
A few orders of business...
Sorry I've been lax in the updating lately. Not that it's anything new, but life is a bit insane. Edits are going pretty well, new scenes are popping up, plus, I'm headed up to Seattle on Sunday, so lots of preparation is needed for that. I really need to finish this outline so I can have a couple of people look it over for me, and yet today was spent mainly in errands and picking my sister up from the airport.
Most importantly of all, though, I could not spend another day without telling you about the release of Isabelle Santiago's double-novella, Cinematic Royalty and Dark Hollywood Nights, now available at Freya's Bower, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble!
Cinematic Royalty
Dark Hollywood Nights
As a personal note, if you've ever wanted to get sucked into a black and white movie with Katherine Hepburn or Cary Grant... here's your chance, ladies and gents. The period is so beautifully recreated in these novellas, and everywhere you look are lively, funny, sexy, smouldery, wonderful characters. Don't miss this one!
Most importantly of all, though, I could not spend another day without telling you about the release of Isabelle Santiago's double-novella, Cinematic Royalty and Dark Hollywood Nights, now available at Freya's Bower, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble!
Cinematic Royalty
Charles Witmore is used to celebrities. As owner of the grand Winmont Hotel in Los Angeles, he has seen them come and go more times than he can count. But the experience is altogether different when silver screen starlet Bridget Phillips walks into his life and crashes into his heart. He's absolutely starstruck. Her beauty is exactly as majestic as has been rumored, but he wonders about the many claims laid against the woman, who seems to be so shrouded in mystery.
Initially claimed by prejudice, he sees nothing more than the ice princess she presents, beautiful and stone cold. But, the more time she spends at his hotel, the more he begins to see there is more to her facade than meets the eye. Soon, she becomes the object of his affection, and in an amusing ploy, his two best friends, Betty and Eleanor, and his cute assistant Tessa, set up the matchmaking scheme of a lifetime.
But will Bridget's dark secret keep Charles from his happily ever after?
Dark Hollywood Nights
Alexis Grant's only job is to keep the prestigious Winmont Hotel running smoothly while her cousin, Charles Witmore, enjoys his honeymoon. The only problem: things begin to fall apart the moment he leaves. The pompous Chase Branton, who's determined to get access to one of her off limits celebrity clients, doesn't help. Can she keep it together long enough to earn a managerial position of her own, or will a high profile death cause all of her dreams to shatter?
As a personal note, if you've ever wanted to get sucked into a black and white movie with Katherine Hepburn or Cary Grant... here's your chance, ladies and gents. The period is so beautifully recreated in these novellas, and everywhere you look are lively, funny, sexy, smouldery, wonderful characters. Don't miss this one!
Monday, September 15, 2008
What draft am I on again?
Does it still count as a first if you haven't filled in holes, but are going through and editing? I've always wondered that. I suppose it has to, because it's not in a completed form at all... I'm still working on that.
My edits are nowhere as extensive as Mr. Orwell's up there, but I've been organizing my manuscript so that it's at least fit to be seen by a good friend of mine, and that has brought some deep edits about, especially to the opening chapters. Little moments that I wrote when I first started this thing, that were not quite in character, or that just didn't feel as good as the rest of the writing.
Isabelle reminded me that some distance can be a great thing when it comes to editing, and she's been proven absolutely right. The last time I tried to edit the first chapters I'd been looking at them so much that I didn't know what to do with them at all. Now I'm got a lot more room to pick them apart as they should be, which should help me with some of those gaps I have left anyhow.
Also... the blog has had a bit of a facelift, thanks to some help from thecutestblogontheblock.com. Trying to extend the summer, maybe? Maybe...
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Remembrances
I haven't really done a 9/11 retrospective before, but I kind of feel as if I should today.
I was in my junior year of high school. I went to Seminary—a sort of Bible study class (I'm LDS)—every morning before high school. And I mean every morning. I was that girl with perfect attendance (which I eventually messed up in December of my Senior year, btw, because a friend of mine got on Jeopardy) and so I was up and learning things while most of my friends were still sleeping, lucky them. So it was on the way home from the church, on my mom's car radio that my brother and I first heard about what was going on on the East Coast. It's significant to me, for some reason, that I was coming straight from a church activity when I first heard about this.
The details were fuzzy, though. We'd heard that a plane had gone into one of the Twin Towers, but that was really all we knew up to that point. We went to school surprised, but not particularly shaken. Of course the more details we heard throughout the day, the worse things got.
What I think was interesting was that officially, the teachers weren't supposed to tell us anything. The idea was that they wanted to keep us calm, and somehow in the highest rounds of legislation (AKA the principal—perhaps even the District Leader?) had decided that that would be achieved by giving us no information whatsoever. Thankfully the teachers knew us—and trusted us—better than that, and did their best to keep us informed on the progression of things.
I was fairly numb most of that day. I spent a lot of time holding onto my friend Russ' desk, because he was the most solid thing in close proximity, and he was in most of my classes. Some people had strange and utterly inappropriate reactions to the news, but such is life. There were a lot of whisperings of war and of the draft, and my ever-logical mind was going down a list of my brothers' and guy friends' names, listing off reasons why they might be able to escape the draft—flat feet, bad backs, no depth-perception, too old... It wasn't that I didn't want the country safe... I just wanted my friends safer.
The only person I personally knew who was in the Towers that day, was the older brother of a friend of mine who I'd grown apart from, and that was especially strange. We had a lot of awkward air between us, and I don't think I ever told her to her face that I was sorry for her loss. That her brother, who used to give me rides home from school once in a while and left a legacy of local community work, was an amazing person who won't be forgotten.
9/11 is being pushed around and stretched in every way possible by politics lately, especially thanks to the upcoming elections, but personally, what I'm thinking about today is the community spirit that was everywhere after the fact.
I was in my junior year of high school. I went to Seminary—a sort of Bible study class (I'm LDS)—every morning before high school. And I mean every morning. I was that girl with perfect attendance (which I eventually messed up in December of my Senior year, btw, because a friend of mine got on Jeopardy) and so I was up and learning things while most of my friends were still sleeping, lucky them. So it was on the way home from the church, on my mom's car radio that my brother and I first heard about what was going on on the East Coast. It's significant to me, for some reason, that I was coming straight from a church activity when I first heard about this.
The details were fuzzy, though. We'd heard that a plane had gone into one of the Twin Towers, but that was really all we knew up to that point. We went to school surprised, but not particularly shaken. Of course the more details we heard throughout the day, the worse things got.
What I think was interesting was that officially, the teachers weren't supposed to tell us anything. The idea was that they wanted to keep us calm, and somehow in the highest rounds of legislation (AKA the principal—perhaps even the District Leader?) had decided that that would be achieved by giving us no information whatsoever. Thankfully the teachers knew us—and trusted us—better than that, and did their best to keep us informed on the progression of things.
I was fairly numb most of that day. I spent a lot of time holding onto my friend Russ' desk, because he was the most solid thing in close proximity, and he was in most of my classes. Some people had strange and utterly inappropriate reactions to the news, but such is life. There were a lot of whisperings of war and of the draft, and my ever-logical mind was going down a list of my brothers' and guy friends' names, listing off reasons why they might be able to escape the draft—flat feet, bad backs, no depth-perception, too old... It wasn't that I didn't want the country safe... I just wanted my friends safer.
The only person I personally knew who was in the Towers that day, was the older brother of a friend of mine who I'd grown apart from, and that was especially strange. We had a lot of awkward air between us, and I don't think I ever told her to her face that I was sorry for her loss. That her brother, who used to give me rides home from school once in a while and left a legacy of local community work, was an amazing person who won't be forgotten.
9/11 is being pushed around and stretched in every way possible by politics lately, especially thanks to the upcoming elections, but personally, what I'm thinking about today is the community spirit that was everywhere after the fact.
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