October 11, 2009 • 5:00 am 7
Rarely do I read Norwegian literature, particularly not that of medieval life in those times. Throw in a strong female character and woman writer with a Nobel prize in literature. Well, I’m in.
Filed under: Literature, The Sunday Salon
August 30, 2009 • 9:38 am 6
I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I did not mean to break away from blogging so much lately. My workdays have been incredibly long and I haven’t had time to sit down and write a quality post. But that is all going to change! We have submitted our revised draft of the upcoming novel and the pressure is off!
August was a good reading month for me, even if it was not as good of a blogging month. I managed to read seven books – which added up to 2,028 pages!
I’ll fill you in on my August and coming September exploits on time, promise!
How has your August been? Are you gearing up for the school season?
Filed under: Literature, The Sunday Salon
August 16, 2009 • 10:58 am 1
I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m in the fiction business… I work as an editor but also as whatever else is needed of me. And boy is something incredibly hard needed of me.
I haven’t been blogging for almost an entire week, as I’ve been searching around for an author for our next book. I need someone who can handle an incredibly complex storyline and who is known for their impressive character development. The piece is going to be a young adult feature – but we hope it is something that adults will also enjoy.
Know any writers that fit that bill? Which of their work would you recommend that I read?
Filed under: The Sunday Salon
August 9, 2009 • 5:00 am 7
Northern California is a living and breathing dream. I’ve spent the last week enjoying Mount Shasta, the tiny towns nearby, the hammock out on the deck and the lakes. Today, I make my way home – to Seattle – in what will be a ten hour drive filled with amazing podcasts and hopefully my boyfriend will want to listen to my Murakami book with me (from the beginning).
I have been working during my vacation but that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying myself. Aside from swimming and hiking and exploring, I’ve managed to finish four books. And I’m very proud of that. I’ve only written up a review for Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer but I have almost all of the other reviews written up in my head (and in my trusty journal!).
For August, I’ve already gotten four books read and hope to keep that going. How has your August been so far?
Filed under: Literature, The Sunday Salon
August 2, 2009 • 7:51 am 6
Greetings from the City of Mount Shasta, California. My boyfriend and I drove for ten hours yesterday from Seattle, Washington all the way down to Mt. Shasta, California. And as you can see from the picture below, the view of the sunset alone is worth it. (This picture was taken from the porch of our house).
After waking up from a very refreshing night of sleep, I’ve spent my morning reading everyone’s posts from yesterday and today.
On our way down, we listened to all of my back-logged book-related podcasts (such as my very favorite Books on the Nightstand podcast). I think slowly but surely, I’m going to convert my boyfriend into a blogger. As we listened to the podcasts, we both found quite a few books that we are coveting. And luckily for us, there is a small but quaint bookstore in town where we both hope to find some of those treasures.
I hope to the rest of my day is spent reading on a sailboat or in a hammock on the porch looking out at Mt. Shasta. Being on vacation sure is tough!
(the view from the other side of the porch)
Filed under: Literature, The Sunday Salon
July 26, 2009 • 5:00 am 10
I’m not joining another challenge, I said to myself a few months ago. I’m barely keeping up with the ones I’ve already promised myself to, I said to myself a few weeks ago.
And then comes along the Harry Potter Reading Challenge. Right when my boyfriend and I decided to read through them again. And that is how I get myself into trouble. (For those who also have too many challenges on their plate and are absolutely not wanting to join another one, this one starts on August 1st)!
Reading in general has been going amazingly well lately. It helps that my job requires that I keep up with the times – and that I feel amazingly guilty for not keeping up with my challenges. Writing reviews on the other hand, is what I plan on doing all of today so that in the upcoming week I do not fall behind.
I’m currently working my way through Henry Miller’s scandalous Tropic of Cancer. What are you reading on this lovely Sunday?
Participate in the Sunday Salon here.
Filed under: Literature, The Sunday Salon
July 12, 2009 • 5:00 am 10
I don’t spend much time talking about myself. Regular visitors know the basics and a few extra things here and there about me. I want to take the time to talk about yesterday. Every July 11th, my family and I spend watching the news extra carefully. This July the 11th marked the fourteenth anniversary of the genocide that occurred in Srebrenica.
Srebrenica is a town in Bosnia and Hercegovina. During the war that happened in the nineties, over eight thousand people were killed in a town that was supposed to be U.N. protected. They’ve erected a memorial center in Srebrenica, and graves for those killed during the massacre. However, this year was more painful than any before it. There were about four hundred and thirty bodies buried today, that were identified over the last year. Most of the people found and identified were children under the age of sixteen – whose only crime was being of a different religion. Of the eight thousand people killed, we’ve only located and identified half of them.
I am not from Srebrenica myself. But I was born and raised in a town not more than two hours away. When we went to Bosnia two years ago, we took the time to go to Srebrenica, and spend the day there. We heard from the women whose lives were spared. They talked about their families – what it felt like not to have a place to go visit their lost loved ones. I don’t know that I’ve ever cried so hard. The woman that we talked to was on television today… talking about how hard it was to live your life waiting for July 11th. They still haven’t found her sons.
It has been years since the war ended but I don’t want anyone to forget. I want people to learn about what happened because the women of Srebrenica are still suffering fourteen years later.
If books and reading can do this, please add a book to your list. It is painful to hear the events of what happened but it is the truth. It happened. It shouldn’t have.
And the only way that I know how to help in any way, is to tell others in the hopes that they will be moved enough to seek out information from others or from me.
Please don’t forget Srebrenica.
Filed under: Literature, The Sunday Salon
July 5, 2009 • 10:52 am 5
Sitting on the beach, watching three different firework shows across the lake marks probably my most ideal fourth of July. When one show ended, you could easily turn to watch the next. And of course, the people sitting around you were shooting off their own fireworks. It was an experiment in immersion. I hope everyone else had a great Independence Day!
Post-fireworks, I’m joining into the Bloggiesta of one (more technically the Bloggiesta of Two). J.S. Peyton is taking a second Sunday to get through stuff and I also really need to get things done on the blog. So here is my list.
Filed under: Literature, The Sunday Salon
June 28, 2009 • 5:00 am 9
I’ve finally joined the world of the elite blogger – I updated to Google Reader this week! I have to tell you, if you haven’t yet switched over, stop reading this and go now. It is the most practical and time-saving thing I’ve ever encountered. As you post, it shows up like emails, and I can click on the post to the page and comment or whatnot. It’s amazing.
I feel like I’m, you know, a few years late to the Google Reader party. But better late than never.
This week also marks my intesive foray into young adult fiction. I currently work for a company whose books are mostly targeted for that audience… and I don’t actually read as much YA as I should. My boss gave me a few books to read, but I’m trying to seek out books on my own.
I found a copy of The Hunger Games. I’ve been hearing nothing but wonderful things about that series. I’ve also heard great things about the Mortal Instruments series by C. Clare.
Are there any others that I’ve missed out on? They don’t have to be series, but just, books for a YA audience that are splendid and superb?
Participate in the Sunday Salon here.
Filed under: Literature, The Sunday Salon
June 21, 2009 • 5:00 am 6
Say hello to not only a graduate but a woman with a job! I’m going to gush for a moment because I feel like I’ve gotten my ideal job – and from what I understand, that is highly unusual right out of university. I work for a small fiction company – we pitch ideas to big publishing companies – who then give us advances so that we can write them. My job is to create those pitches – help create the storyline, chapter samples, descriptions of the book world, etc. I get to work hard and be creative all day. And it is heaven. And now I’m going to stop gushing and get to the reading bits.
I”ve finished two books over the last few days. Herland, which I mentioned, and a book fresh off the printing press called Personal Effects: Dark Arts. I’ll elaborate on both in their respective review posts because they both deserve a full review. I do want to say that it felt great to read two five star books back to back – I feel like I’ve gotten into a reading rhythm again.
And with that new rhythm comes rapid turnover of books: I’m halfway through Perfume by Patrick Suskind. I have to admit that I did not think I would enjoy it this much. It speaks of the upbringing of a man who would become a serial killer, a has-been perfumer, and of the historical times that contain both of these true characters.
It reminds me strongly of The Devil in the White City – which had the murder aspect to it, and the very appropriate historical detail. It seems like an odd combination, murder and history, but it has the effect of total immersion – it provides readers with a world that is absolutely plausible.
Perfume also reminds me that I’ve completely neglected my reading projects! Why does it remind me? It is a translated book! I think that Frances Evangelista’s “Lost in Translation” challenge is the only one I’ve been making any progress on, sadly! But any progress is good progress.
I’m compiling a book list of books that I own that meet challenge requirements. We’re already halfway through the year and I”ve got a long way to go before I’m caught up.
Anyone else feeling the challenge pressure or simply want to share what they’ve been reading lately? 
Filed under: Literature, The Sunday Salon
