Yes, I'm Keeping The Library In Business

OK, I polished off that last pile of books - yes, it's amazing what I can get done when I watch less TV - and am working my way through a new pile. Here's what I'm reading lately. What about you?

Not Quite A Mom, by Kirsten Sawyer is a slight but cute story about a young, wanna be TV star in L.A. who is given sole custody of a teenage girl when the girl's mother dies. She had been best friends with the woman in high school but was shocked to find she has been left the girl's guardian. It's mildly funny and mildly romantic, not great fiction but entertaining.

How To Lose Your Ass And Regain Your Life, by Kirstie Alley is an autobiography that is mildly entertaining, but that's about the best I can give it. It is written in a diary style and is rather disjointed and doesn't really explain enough about the things she talks about. But I still kinda liked it.

Helping Me Help Myself, by Beth Lisick caught my interest because it's a non-fiction book about a woman who is trying to make some changes in her life, so she buys every self-help book, goes to seminars, talks to life coaches - basically does everything she can to change her life and write about in a self-deprecating and supposed-to-be-amusing way. Unfortunately, I found this book so boring that I could only plow through about two chapters. There's too many books in the pile to waste my time on one I don't like.

The Navigator, by Clive Cussler is another rollicking adventure story about the men of NUMA (the National Underwater And Maritime Agency) who are oh-so-handsome and adventurous in their exploits. This time, they are involved with the wreck of an ancient Phoenician ship and a lost treasure. At one point Kurt Austin (Dirk Pitt is older and working at the agency - color me slightly saddened by this) has to bring his smaller boat up beside a huge, runaway tanker, scale a ladder up the side and arrive just in time to rescue the heroine. Be still, my heart.

Dedication, by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus is sort of depressing but sort of uplifting. I guess it depends on your perspective. Kate Hollis' old high school boyfriend is a major, major rock star and he has now appeared back in their hometown - just in time for Kate to confront him about leaving her without a word and taking the song his friends helped him write to make a million dollars, without giving them any credit. It's been 13 years and Kate has never forgiven him or gotten over him, but Jake is surprisingly receptive, surprisingly apologetic and Kate finds herself a part of his world, at least for a time. This is not your typical romance novel, even though my description makes it sound like that. I'd be interested to hear what you think.

Shadow Music, by Julie Garwood Do you like romance novels? Do you like WELL-WRITTEN romance novels? Do you like to read about the Scottish Highlands? Do you like a kick-ass heroine/princess who can shoot a bow better than her guards? Yeah, me too. Read this quote and then go get this book. Seriously.



Gabrielle hurried to catch up. "Father, you worry too much. I'll be careful as I have promised, so please quit your frown. Nothing's going to happen."



Two hours later she had to kill a man.

So. What are YOU reading?

Check out my Herald-Leader Blog today at: Top Ten Ways to Keep Your Sanity While Babysitting Your Grandson

Ten Literary Characters I Would Totally Snog

So, Veronica over at ToddledDredge had a post the other day with silly post titles she has spared us. Interestingly enough, several of us commented that we would actually like to read the one about ten literary characters she would make out with. Oh, Veronica. You sly little minx, you. You passed the torch on to those of us that made those comments. By NAME. And you created a meme. So, being put on the spot and anticipating the flood of readers this would result in (what? a girl can dream), I had to really think. Think about those times I read a book and just sighed longingly when I read about the main, sexy, male character. So, here you go. In no particular order. Those I would snog.

1. Jamie in "Outlander", by Diana Gabaldon. Oh, Jamie, you sexy Scotsman, you. Just one little peek under that kilt. What say ye?

2. Nick in "The Stand", by Stephen King. He was a deaf mute, but that's OK, Nick. You and I understand each other just fine.

3. Christopher Snow in "Fear Nothing", by Dean Koontz. He has xeroderma pigmentosum, but so what? We can have all kinds of adventures out of the sunlight. And he has such cool friends. However, I would have to learn to surf. Maybe Liz can teach me.

4. Nicholas from "A Knight in Shining Armor", by Jude Devereaux. Who doesn't like a time travelling guy? And one who is actually a knight? Well, I sure do. Take off that helmet, Nicholas.

5. Sam from "Metro Girl", by Janet Evanovich. Sam, Sam, Sam. Sigh. And I don't even like NASCAR. But you can rev my motor any time.

6. Alex from "When the Bough Breaks", by Jonathan Kellerman. Alex, you sexy psychologist/turned police detective helper. You are so mellow yet you can kick some ass.

7. Spenser from "Hundred Dollar Baby", by Robert B Parker. Former boxer turned private eye, he works out all the time. Take off that shirt, Spenser. Just let me see.

8. Stone from "Shoot Him if He Runs", by Stuart Woods. I didn't realize I had an affinity for so many cop-type characters until I made this list. Stone, even though you are actually a lawyer, you do enough investigating and kicking ass to turn me on.

9. Steve Carella from "The Big, Bad City: A Novel of the 87th Precinct", by Ed McBain. These books have some age on them now, but I still love them. The tenderness and love Steve feels for his gorgeous, deaf wife, Teddy, make him incredibly sexy.

10. And last, but certainly not least in any way. James Bond from "Casino Royale", by Ian Fleming. When I was in high school, I discovered the James Bond books tucked away in the Mystery section of our local public library. The library was in an old Victorian house and the mysteries were in a corner room with a window that overlooked huge, old, overgrown trees that brushed against the window when the wind blew. I found one of the old James Bond novels and curled up in a chair by that window. In one of the books was the quote "He let the tapes of her taut slip." I pondered over that quote. I thought about it. I took the book home and read it again and again. I knew that he was undressing her. I knew they were having sex. It just took me a while to interpret the British writing to correlate tapes for straps and let for undo. This is the first time I can remember reading about sex in a book and thinking, thinking, thinking about it. And about the tall, dark, handsome, sophisticated, kick-ass secret agent who was the hero.

This was long before the movies. When I finally saw the movies, I was disappointed. Sean Connery was a pretty good James, but the one in my head was much better. I could develop whole scenarios in my mind in which I was the bikini-clad heroine who would win his heart while drop-kicking villains.

I still like guys to kick ass in the books I read.

So, what about you? What guys do you like in the books you read? Let's hear about it. I'm tagging Liz and Lucy's Mom and Bio Girl and Phoenix and Nikky. And anyone else interested. Let me know when you post.

Books That Made A Difference To Me

Have you seen that feature in "O" magazine where celebrities talk about the books they have read that have made a difference in their lives? I read it every month and just CACKLE OUT LOUD at the books and authors they choose. Come on, now. Is one of your absolute favorite books REALLY a book by Ernest Hemingway and another by Philip Roth? Their lists always include classic books, books by authors I have never heard of, books that, frankly, sound extremely boring. Do they REALLY choose these books? They always have these completely deep, insightful things to say about the books also. COME ON. I'm not saying celebrities can't be intelligent, articulate, perceptive...OK, I am.

That's not really fair, since I am sure some are. I mean, some have actually graduated from Yale and other fancy-schmany places. But why don't they ask some average, normal people about books that have made a difference to them? Like ME?

And, now that I have said that, it would be very difficult to come up with a list of books that have made a difference to me. Because every single book I read makes a difference to me. I'm a ruthless reader. If a book does not grab me pretty quickly, I throw it aside and pick up another one. I always have a pile of books available. I visit the library every week and buy books as well. I read voraciously and omnivorously. I am not a slave to genre. Here is my criteria for a good book. It must tell a good story. That's it. It can be a Romance, a Western, a Science Fiction story, a Fantasy, a Mystery, or any combination of those, but it must tell a good story.

There are authors and titles in my head right now clamoring for attention and I am sure as soon as I exit from this post, I will think of more, but let me share just a few of my favorites.

Lightning, by Dean Koontz
Several of his books are trying to make their way onto this list and I would love to list them all because I think he is an author who makes his characters so alive that when you think about them later, you actually have to make an effort to remember if you read about them in a book or met them at a party. But this one is my favorite because I love time travel stories with all the many different outcomes that could result. The central premise of this one is a surprise to the reader, which doesn't often happen to me. I almost always figure that stuff out. Not this time.

Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
Another time travel story, but in this one, she travels into the past back to Scotland, though the standing stones. One of the most powerful love stories I have ever read, this is the first in a series and will keep you enthralled from the first page to the last with the story of Jamie and Claire.

Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella
Ernest Hemingway? Pah! I'm much rather read something that makes me laugh out loud. Chick Lit has gotten a bum rap from some other bloggers recently, but, like all genres, there is the good and there is the bad. This is the good. You will love Rebecca and all her adventures in shopping, money management and romance in this one and in the sequels to this book.

One For the Money, by Janet Evanovich
If you haven't met Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter and owner of the perfect big hair and hastily applied mascara, you have a treat in store. There's also several in the series, so once you are hooked, you can read them all.

Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand
And now one that is a little more serious. I discovered Ayn Rand in college and, although she does get a little wordy at times, I still love her characters and the stories she tells. I still think about events that happened in this book and it's been decades since I read it. And I want to BE Dagny Taggart.

The Stand, by Stephen King
I am faithful to Stephen and always read his new books, even though some of them make me...queasy. But my favorite is this one (although it was a close contest with The Talisman) because I love a story that pits good against evil and has great characters.

The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart
This is the first in a trilogy she wrote about the King Arthur legend. I love it because it tells the story of Merlin from the time he was a little boy and makes all the characters we have read about before, seem so very real.

OK, I'm going to stop. I could write and write and write about books, but there's a few you might want to check out. I think I'll just go read instead of writing about more. And so should you.

Harry Potter Is Next, My Friends! (Not A Spoiler.)

Striking A Spark

"No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting. She will not want new fashions nor regret the loss of expensive diversions or variety of company if she can be amused with an author on her bookshelf." — Lady Montagu, providing advice on raising her granddaughter, 1752

I had a book fair set up last week in the library. I have several book fairs a year, even though they are a great deal of work and hassle. The kids love them. And I always think, maybe, if I can get one kid to find one book that will ignite that spark, I will have succeeded. The spark I've been trying to ignite with all of them. The spark that will ignite a love of reading.

Some of them come to me with the spark. They have been read to by their parents, they have parents and other family members who read, they can recite Mother Goose rhymes and smile before the end of the fairy tale because they already know the end. They converse about Harry Potter and Lemony Snickett as if they were personal friends. They are happy when I hand them a new book I have found.

Some of them find the spark with me. They begin to read more and more, they come back to the library to ask for another book like the one I gave them, they look up in confusion when I turn off the light and it is time to line up because library class is over. They were lost in their book.

Some will never find the spark. Those are the ones who make me sad. They are the reason I have book fairs, keep reading aloud, keep recommending books, keep buying new books like graphic novels, keep trying and trying and trying. But some will never get it.

So I set up the book fairs. I unpack the boxes and make the displays and take the money and help them find books and then pack it all up again. It's a lot of work. But I'm looking for that spark.

And, sometimes I find it.