The Miry Wilds

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:40:15 GMT

It's Wednesday!

Angelmonster (2007), by Veronica Bennett. This YA novel focuses on Mary Godwin's romance with Percy Shelley (which began when she was 16) and how the stormy nature of their relationship influenced the development of her novel Frankenstein. A very gripping story, but it covers a period of many years and by the end Mary is way past her teens. At times it reads a bit like "and this happened, and then this happened" because so much time passes from one major scene to the next, and yet the author doesn't want to leave out the fact that Mary has three children and Percy has three breakdowns in the intervening period.

Cultivating the Rosebuds: The Education of Women at the Cherokee Female Seminary, 1851-1909 (1997), by Devon A. Mihesuah. This is a very readable history of the Cherokee Female Seminary in Tahlequah, Oklahoma -- a school patterned after the famous Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. I read this as research for my next story. See below for pictures from my recent trip to Tahlequah.

Breathe: A Ghost Story (2006), by Cliff McNish. Jack and his widowed mother move into a beautiful old farmhouse, and right away Jack senses the ghostly presence of the house's former occupants. This is a very original sort of ghost tale in which the author puts a new twist on old ideas of how ghosts come to be, how they move and sustain their energy, and where they go when that energy is finally sapped away. Suspenseful and hard to put down.

Deep and Dark and Dangerous (2007), by Mary Downing Hahn. Thirteen-year-old Ali is invited by her aunt to spend the summer in the family's lake cottage in Maine. Once there she and her young cousin Emma meet Sissy, a rude and manipulative girl who seems to have Emma under her spell. What does Sissy want, and what does it have to do with a tragic accident that occurred at the lake years ago? This book has a wonderfully creepy ambience and moved along quite well, but the ghostly atmosphere and suspense weren't sustained to the very end. As the characters resolved their conflicts, the tone lightened almost too much and the pace slowed. [And remind me never to show a ghost giving the "thumbs up" in a story that's supposed to be serious and creepy.] But really, I enjoyed this book.

Do you see a theme emerging in the last two? Yes, my new book will be a ghost story, so I'm reading all the YA ghost stories I can get my hands on. Any recommendations? Doesn't have to be YA -- anything ghostly will do!

Steve had a meeting in Tulsa last Friday, so the day before we drove to nearby Tahlequah to see the Cherokee Female Seminary building, which is now "Seminary Hall" at Northeastern State University. We wandered around inside for a while before Steve insisted I ask for more information in the Liberal Arts & Sciences office. I really hated to bother them, but the woman I spoke to immediately brought me a file with all sorts of goodies, including the architectural drawings for the building -- which she copied for me!!! She also gave me the names of an NSU librarian and archivist who know everything there is to know about the Female Seminary -- yay!

Isn't it beautiful? I can't wait to see it in the fall, ideally with a dark, cloudy sky.

The main entrance -- very imposing!

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:00:06 GMT

I am done with revisions for a while. Now I can tidy up the house, organize the office, and do more reading. Of course my TBR fiction pile is towering (why do I keep borrowing books from other people?), but I also plan to start some background reading for the next story. Yay! Starting research is the bestest of times in the writing process!

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party (2007), by M.T. Anderson. Octavian has a comfortable life in a very fine house. His tutors are Enlightenment scientists and philosophers. His mother is a beautiful princess who enjoys the attentions of many gentlemanly admirers. As Octavian grows older, however, he realizes that there are sinister forces at work in his household. He is part of an experiment -- and when the funding and impetus for this experiment shifts, his life changes for the worse. I don't want to give much more away except to say that this Revolutionary-era story of an African boy is fascinating and brilliantly written. But it struck me that I only connected to Octavian when the narrative shifted out of his very detached POV, and this was more than 2/3 of the way through the novel.

Thrones, Dominations (1998), by Dorothy L. Sayers and Jill Paton Walsh. After my recent marathon of the Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane DVDs, I was craving more, more, more. I tried to read this book long ago but must have gotten bogged down in the slow opening -- after all, the murder isn't announced until page 116. I quite enjoyed it this time around, perhaps because I know Peter and Harriet better after multiple readings/viewings of their adventures together. Not sure how much of this was Sayers and how much Walsh. Was Walsh working from an outline, or continuing an unfinished manuscript? I pretty much approached it as higher quality Wimsey fanfiction -- the only thing that really bothered me was that Peter wasn't his usual hyperactively hilarious self.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter (2005), by Kim Edwards. When his wife goes into labor during a blizzard, Dr. David Henry must deliver his own child. It's a boy, perfect in every way. What David didn't know was that his wife was carrying twins, and when he delivers a girl with Down Syndrome, he asks his nurse to take the baby to an institution. He tells his wife the baby died, thinking to spare her the pain of rearing a handicapped child that would most certainly die young. The nurse raises the baby herself, instead. And so we follow the two families -- watching while David's family falls apart because of the choice he made, and seeing Phoebe grow up in a loving home with a mother who advocates for the inclusion of handicapped children in public schools. Interesting concept, but to me the characters were flat and the story was bogged down by endless passages of unnecessary description.

The Magic Half (2007), by Annie Barrows. This cheerful little novel was recommended by Jeanne Birdsall (The Penderwicks) on her website. Miri, the middle child between two sets of twins, feels like something is missing in her life. When her family moves to an older house, she discovers the lens of an antique pair of glasses taped to the wall of her attic bedroom. She looks through the lens and travels back to the house as it was in 1935. There she meets a girl her age -- the twin she never had. This was a very sweet and magical romp!

Happy Birthday to lavidaessueno! May your year be filled with lucrative and breezy editing contracts, as well as lots of time for your own writing. Oh, and good health and happiness, too! Have a great day!

Eluding the glums

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:12:17 GMT

Steve is out of town until late Sunday evening -- yes, it's time once again for "boys' weekend." These days I get plenty of time to myself, so it's not so much of a treat anymore to be on my own. The glums might just get me. I plan to organize the house and work on revisions. And maybe watch some movies? Yeah. Any recommendations?

I managed to read FIVE books this week! All were MG/YA -- so it wasn't quite like reading five George Eliot novels in seven days -- but rest assured each was terribly clever and sophisticated in its own way. If you haven't read an MG/YA book in a while, you need to check out the newer stuff in these age groups!

Wee Free Men (2004), by Terry Pratchett. Nine-year-old Tiffany Aching, who has led a fairly ordinary life of cheese-making and sheep-tending, suddenly finds herself with the task of saving her baby brother from the Queen of the Fairies. Fortunately she is strong, stubborn, and has help from a multitude of little blue warriors -- the Nac Mac Feegles, or "Wee Free Men." A charming and cleverly written story. (Thanks caerwynx!)

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy (2005), by Jeanne Birdsall. I LOVED THIS BOOK! And I'm not alone, for it scored the 2005 National Book Award, among other accolades. The Penderwick family spend their summer vacation in a delightful cottage in the Berkshire Mountains. Hilarity ensues. This Booklist blurb says it all: "Just the sort of cozy fare that's missing in today's mean-girl world." The book was pure magic -- I laughed aloud so many times and had a nice little cry at the end. (It made me want to re-read all my Edward Eager books!) I also cried when perusing the author's website, but if you're not a sentimental sap about pets, you'll probably be okay. ;)

Matilda Bone (2000), by Karen Cushman (author of one of my favorites, Catherine, Called Birdy). Orphaned Matilda, prissy and pious, reluctantly leaves her comfortable life at a manor to be fostered with Peg the Bonesetter. With nowhere else to go, Matilda must learn how to keep the shop and tend to patients. But her unusually thorough education leads her to doubt the folksy methods of illiterate Peg. What will it take to turn snooty Matilda into someone who respects knowledge and skill that comes from experience rather than formal education? I've seen reviews where the character of Matilda is criticized as unlikeable, but my own obsession with nunnish girls made me like her quite well!

Tennyson (2008), by Lesley M. M. Blume. When Tennyson Fontaine's mother runs away, she and her sister are sent to live with their aunt at Aigredoux, the once grand Louisiana plantation home that is now a crumbling wreck. During the day the girls are schooled in the ways of quickly snaring rich husbands -- the ailing Aigredoux needs an infusion of cash and the girls are its only hope. At night the house haunts Tennyson with detailed dreams of its past. Desperate to reach her mother and lure her home, Tennyson writes a story based on her dreams and sends it to her mother's favorite literary magazine. The scheme has unexpected results, of course. This gothic tale is beautifully written, but not altogether plausible.

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street (2008), by Jeanne Birdsall. Not quite as good as the first, but still a highly entertaining tale. I agree with this reviewer at Amazon.com that some of the magic is lost when the family returns to their everyday lives. But I do so love the Penderwicks and hope there are many more books to come!

I missed starsperse's birthday! HAPPY, HAPPY DAY! Actually, I already know that she had a fabulous time. I'm still reeling from the fact that she met Philip Glenister a few days back. Star, I should have asked you to ask Mr. Glenister if he would be available for Costume Drama Con!

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:45:35 GMT

OMG I am, like, having an 80s flashback!

Back in the day, my Frankie Says t-shirt was white. And oversized, of course. How did boys even know we had bodies back then?

I wrote many, many words today!

*happies*

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:50:35 GMT

Last night I saw a trailer for the CBS fall show Eleventh Hour starring Rufus Sewell. Yes, it's a remake of the British series starring Patrick Stewart, which I personally thought was dreadful. From what I've seen, this Bruckheimer version will not be an improvement (check out this preview and this reaction to a screening). Oh, Rufus! I will watch because it is you, but why must you torture me so? (Maybe he'll win the Tony this weekend and then be overwhelmed by offers for amazing film roles? Hmmm . . .)

Jane-Emily (1971, reissued 2007), by Patricia Clapp. Louisa and her niece Jane spend the summer at the grand home of Mrs. Canfield, Jane's grandmother. The girls are well entertained by the house and grounds, and both are charmed (though it takes Louisa a while to warm up) when young Dr. Adam Frost comes to visit. But the summer takes a dark turn when Jane claims the ghost of Mrs. Canfield's daughter is communicating with her. Emily was a spoiled and selfish child who died tragically at the age of 12. Jane thinks Emily reached out from the grave to cause the deaths of other family members, and now she wants Jane. This novella isn't truly terrifying, but if you like ghost stories you'll find it hard to put down. I also enjoyed the author's essay on her life and writing at the end.

The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets: An Enola Holmes Mystery (2008), by Nancy Springer. Dr. Watson has gone missing! Eager to investigate (it's in her blood, after all), Enola dons a disguise and pays a call to Mrs. Watson. While there she notices a very bizarre clue -- one she is certain her female-phobic brother will miss. Another delightful tale of Sherlock Holmes' baby sister. Hope we won't have to wait too long for the next one!

Bless Me, Ultima (1972), by Rudolfo Anaya. A young boy in post-WWII New Mexico comes of age under the guidance of Ultima, a wise and respected healer. I read this for book club and only began to connect with it during the last 100 pages when Antonio struggles to reconcile his strict Catholic education with the more magical and pagan belief system that is also part of his people's history. I appreciated the book, but did not enjoy it.

Murkmere (2006), by Patricia Elliott. When Aggie is hired as companion to Leah, ward of the Master of Murkmere, she expects to make enough money to better her station and support her beloved aunt. She's not prepared for the dark plots and mysteries surrounding moody Leah, the ailing Master, and the Master's scheming steward. This is a lovely gothic set in an alternate 18-19th century England where birds are worshipped (yes, it actually works) and martial law terrorizes the countryside.

Wed, 28 May 2008 15:39:14 GMT

The conclusion to The Andromeda Strain was kinda laughable. I mean, how could one take that whole thumb bit seriously? And how is it that in the middle of an epic biological warfare crisis, Benjamin Bratt and his lady friend find the time to run on the stairmaster and then pause for smooching? Anyone else watch?

Remember when I mentioned gardening over the weekend? Well, my thighs were killing me last night! I go the gym 2-3 times a week, but I never do squats because I HATE THEM. So now I am in pain. What a pansy!

What I've been reading:
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village (2007), by Laura Amy Schlitz. The '07 Newbery winner, by the author of the very charming A Drowned Maiden's Hair (reviewed here). Schlitz originally wrote these monologues to be performed by middle school students studying the Medieval Period (She is a librarian at the Park School in Baltimore). For the book she added notes and short background essays on life in the Middle Ages. This book brought history alive so beautifully and made me wish I was teaching just so I could use it in the classroom.

The Little White Horse (originally published 1946), by Elizabeth Goudge. Billed as one of J.K. Rowling's favorite childhood reads, recently recced by valancy_s, and soon to be a movie starring Ioan Gruffud and Dakota Blue Richards (Lyra in The Golden Compass). I thought I'd read this several years ago, but must have set it aside after a few chapters because of the twee. I was much more in the mood for it this time around. When her father dies, Maria Merryweather is sent to live with her uncle at the beautiful Moonacre Manor. She quickly falls in love with the Manor and all its inhabitants, both human and animal. But if she wants to live there happily ever after she must confront those who threaten Moonacre and do her part to resolve an ancient conflict. The story is full of magic and goodness and comfort -- even the scary bad guys can be trusted to keep their word!

On the Ruin of Britain, by Gildas, translated by J. A. Giles. This 6th century monk's rant about the downfall of Christian Britain is the earliest document mentioning the Saxon defeat at Badon Hill (a battle in which the British forces may have been led by a King Arthur sort of person). It's supposed to be a history, but Gildas spends most of his time lambasting the great number of people who are "daily rushing headlong down to hell." Kind of a funny read.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers (2004, 2nd ed.), by Renni Browne and Dave King. I bought this book after a few agents recced it, but never sat down to read it cover to cover until a few days ago. Wow. It's fascinating to read and bursting with great advice for writers in the revising stage. (I would advise you not to read it before you start a project -- you might be overwhelmed.) I really think it would be worth my while to create a rubric or checklist from it -- perhaps I'll share some snippets in the near future.

Madapple (2008), by Christina Meldrum. The buzz on this book totally sucked me in (Vanity Fair raves about a YA novel!), and I mostly enjoyed it. It's a hard one to summarize, though. Aslaug lives an isolated life with her mother -- she is well-educated and knows how to live off the land, but barely knows how to interact with other people. When her mother dies, Aslaug runs away from suspicious policemen and social workers to find her evangelist aunt and cousins living in a nearby town. Aslaug is soon captivated by her aunt's religious fervor and her cousin Rune's quiet intensity. Then something happens to Aslaug, and she doesn't know if it's a miracle or a crime. The first half of the book seemed to move very slowly, but then the pace picked up so much that it was over quite quickly and I was left wishing for a more detailed resolution.

My life as a couch potato

Tue, 27 May 2008 14:28:05 GMT

Hope everyone in the States had a lovely Memorial Day weekend. We were quite lazy -- went to see Indy and watched a lot of TV at home. I did some gardening and laundry and managed to work through a tricky scene in my ms (something I had to completely rewrite after doing research on location), but otherwise it was a weekend of indolence.

Tomorrow is a reading update, but for now I'll bore you with what I've been watching:

--Stay (2005) -- part of my Ryan Gosling film festival. A ghostly and surreal film. The stylized cinematography and editing would have made for good discussions in the film class I used to teach. I found it interesting but did not care enough to watch again after I knew what it was all really about.
--Master of the Moor (1994). I read the book in January 2007 and since then have been mildly intrigued by the thought of Colin Firth as the main character. The scenery was beautiful and Firth was quite good, but the pace was grindingly slow and the writers messed about with the story line. I can't really say that I enjoyed this.
--Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) -- yes, ever since watching Iron Man I've been searching about for all the Robert Downey Jr. films I've missed. This was a funny, sexy, action-packed film noir. RDJr was fabulous, but I expected that. What I didn't expect was for Val Kilmer to be so endearing. Great film!
--Indiana Jones and the blah blah (2008) -- hey, I liked it! Indy has always been pulp fiction, so I wasn't expecting anything particularly new or clever in the script. I expected action and fun, and that's what I got. Loved Cate Blanchett and thought Shia LaBeouf was good (I've had a not-so-secret secret crush on him since Disturbia). If you're feeling down about the Indy disappointment, read Ebert's effusive (& spoilery) review. It'll perk you right up!
--Steve and I also watched two Season 3 eps of Midsomer Murders yesterday and I was amazed by how much I'd forgotten. The characters were vaguely familiar, but I could NOT remember who the murderers were. My crap memory really comes in handy sometimes!
--Oh, and we watched the first ep of The Andromeda Strain on A&E last night. So far, so good. Some stiff acting on the part of the Wildfire team, but thankfully Benjamin Bratt gets most of the lines.

Oh no! Sydney Pollack died!

In other news, you might have seen that Oklahoma has been slammed with storms and tornadoes lately, but so far we've been okay. *knocks wood*

Belated wishes for a Happy Birthday go out to hollywdliz! I already know that she had a great day!

Wed, 14 May 2008 20:46:02 GMT

First off, belated birthday wishes go out to jedishampoo -- I hope you had a fabulous day!

My contest entries went out in the mail today. Big thanks go to elspethsheir and Brandi for their help. (Brandi -- if you're reading this, you really must get on LJ!) Now I desperately need to get the house and laundry in order before the next bout of writing.

I saw Iron Man this past weekend and it was awesome! I'm so happy Robert Downey, Jr. is drug-free and employed once more -- let's hope it sticks. This upcoming weekend is Prince Caspian and after that is Indiana Jones! Huzzah for summer blockbuster movies!

Speaking of movies, I finally watched the 1985 Room with a View! I quite enjoyed it. I hadn't thought I would like Julian Sands, but he turned out to be soooo much better than the actor from the Andrew Davies version -- appropriately gloomy in the beginning and only giddy and smiling once he realizes he's in love with Lucy. I particularly liked the scene when Cecil is reading from Eleanor Lavish's novel -- he's so playful before that, and then during the passage describing the embrace in the barley field, his face becomes quite ardent. (And silly me is wondering if George ever thought "Omg, Lucy has seen me naked!" I'm not exactly sure if he'd be embarrassed or excited by that thought!) The entire cast was marvelous, and I was particularly pleased to see a young Rupert Graves as Freddy. What a cutie with his flopsy hair! Yes, that is my oh-so-intellectual review. I'll just end it with a big thumbs up!

And for the grand finale:

What I've been reading:

Visions and Voyages: The Story of Celtic Spirituality (1999, reissued 2007), by Fay Sampson. Because I so impressed by Sampson's research in Nun's Telling (below), I sought out this book on the history of the Celtic Church in Britain and Ireland. It turned out to be a very readable account that confirmed much of what I'd already researched.

Morgan le Fay: Nun's Telling (1989, reissued 2005), by Fay Sampson. Part of a longer series originally titled Daughter of Tintagel, this is the story of Morgan le Fay's imprisonment in a nunnery at Tintagel, told from the point of view of Luned, a young nun who struggles to bring her pagan charge into proper Christian submission. What I loved most about this book was the historical detail on nunneries in late 5th century Britain -- Fay Sampson certainly knows the time period well. But I found the conflict between Luned and Morgan rather tiresome as it dragged on.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1963), by Joan Aiken. I'm sure I read some of Aiken's books when I was younger, but I hadn't heard of this one until I read this list of recommended books for children and young adults. (And after noticing it on that list it seemed that I saw mention of it everywhere!) The story is set in an alternate 19th century universe where wolves run rampant in the English countryside. Orphaned Sophia, living in poverty with her aunt in London, is sent to live with her cousin Bonnie at the stately country home, Willoughby Chase. Yes, there are wolves to contend with, but the real danger comes from Sophia and Bonnie's new governess, Mrs. Slighcarp. Sophia and Bonnie endure all sorts of abuse and deprivation at the hands of this wolfish female, including exile to a boarding school that makes Jane Eyre's Lowood School seem pretty tame by comparison! But the girls are clever and determined, and with the help of their rustic friend Simon, contrive to overthrow Slighcarp's reign at Willoughby Chase.

Skin Deep (2008), by E.M. Crane. Andrea Anderson is a loner -- disconnected from her peers at school and unable to compete with the television for her mother's positive attention. But when she is coerced into checking on her hospitalized neighbor's dog, everything changes. Andrea falls in love with Zena the St. Bernard, and before long develops a friendship with the dog's artsy owner, Honora Menapace. Her connection to Honora helps her to be comfortable in her own skin and more open to connecting with others. But the more Andrea opens up, the more vulnerable she becomes to the pain of losing those whom she loves. This novel is beautifully written and very moving -- highly recommended!

Help?

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:24:31 GMT

All you lovely scholars of Classical civilization (elspethsheir? Who else?) -- would you look at this fresco of Apollo and please tell me what the spiky things coming out of his head would be called? And what is their purpose? I can't seem to find any information on this particular piece.

I would be ever so grateful for your help!

Fri, 09 May 2008 15:31:59 GMT

I've been tweaking and tweaking the first few pages of my latest ms for a contest. What I really should do is set it aside for a week and come back with fresh eyes, but I've already missed the first deadline (meaning now I have to pay a larger entry free) and if I don't get it ready this weekend I will miss the contest altogether. Argh.

The good news is that I can move forward with the ms after this. It needs to be in solid draft form by July 31 because I am going to the SCBWI summer conference in LA (Eeeee!) and that seems like a good time to have it ready to go, right? I'm really excited to be going to this conference. I was so worried about finding a roommate because, as some of you can attest, I am a crazy light sleeper who goes bonkers when my roomies dare to even breathe loudly in the night. But after much equivocation (and some tears of on my part over the extent of the waffling) Steve finally decided to go with me. Registration is paid, the hotel is booked, and our plane tickets are purchased. Not sure how much time we'll actually get to spend together, but I'm sure he can occupy himself quite nicely in LA.

This will be my last conference/convention of the year. It's all just so expensive and therefore hard to justify when I'm making so little money. I need to make this one count, which means lots of work beforehand and a great deal of energy expended toward learning and networking at the conference itself. I hope to meet some of my f-listers there!

What else . . . I forgot to mention last post that Steve and I were delighted by the first installment of Cranford on PBS. What a stellar cast! Such amusing and poignant story lines! As I was telling elspethsheir, I haven't read the book for ten years and all I could remember was how frequently Dr. Johnson was referenced. This adaptation seemed much more complex, which made more sense once it was made clear to me that it's based on three of Gaskell's short novels. So, if it's languishing on your DVR/Tivo -- WATCH IT! If you forgot to record the first episode, you might still be able to make sense of it all if you jump in for the last two eps.

I've also been watching the first season of Shameless, which came to my attention when watching Craig Ferguson's interview with James McAvoy in which McAvoy revealed he met his wife (Anne-Marie Duff) on the show. Gosh, he's just so cute in it! But the show is not for everyone -- funny, but very adult and graphic. And I have to watch it with subtitles! More on that later.

Finally, I will share a photo of our new "lodgers" --

Doves nesting just outside our front door! Does that look like a mama and her baby? I haven't seen any babies lately, so I began to wonder if these two were mates and the nest contained eggs. Or did I miss the hatching altogether? Either way, it's rather nice.

ETA: as most of you know, the latest news on Brontë movies is that Ellen Page (of Juno) is set to play Jane in a new adaptation of Jane Eyre. (The world groans. Another adaptation? Ellen Page?) In better news, Natalie Portman has dropped out of Wuthering Heights (which, really, I think is a good thing) and Michael Fassbender is being approached to play Heathcliff! MICHAEL FASSBENDER! He's gorgeously intense, if perhaps a wee bit too old? Wait -- he's younger than I thought. He'll be perfect if actually cast. Let's hope. (More here)

Happy Friday!

Wednesday update

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:30:21 GMT

I've been a been a bit droopy of late. Struggling with revisions, not sleeping well, feeling sorta sick. I think I've regained the upper hand with the writing (maybe?), and I'm trying some dietary changes for the physical stuff. (Less caffeine, less chocolate, and no artificial sweeteners. *sob*)

We'll see.

This weekend is the OWFI conference and I'm in charge of the autograph party. Think good thoughts for me, please, 'cause I haven't done this before!

Man, I wish I had something more interesting to share. I'll leave you with:

Cut to the Quick (1994), by Kate Ross. Regency dandy Julian Kestrel helps young Hugh Fontclair home from a "gaming hell" and soon after is asked to be groomsman at the man's wedding. But early in his visit to the Fontclair's country home, Kestrel finds the body of a young woman in his bed. Could there be a murderer in the Fontclair family? Kestrel is on the case! de23 recced this long ago, and for some odd reason I couldn't get into it. Recently valancy_s sang its praises, so with these two women in mind I gave it another go. Not sure why it didn't grab me the first time around. Fine plotting, dialogue, characterization. The only thing I object to is the 3rd person omniscient POV where you get into several people's heads in one scene. I just find head-hopping rather jarring. But everything else is so good that it's easy to forgive this minor annoyance.

Millicent Min: Girl Genius (2003), by Lisa Yee. Millicent is only 11 years old but has already completed her junior year of high school and is enrolled in a summer college course. Her parents, eager to see her socialize with people her age, force her to join a volleyball team and tutor struggling 6th grade basketball jock, Stanford Wong. Millicent befriends the vivacious Emily through volleyball, but what will she do when Emily and Stanford take a shine to each other? And can she keep her promise to Stanford not to reveal that she's tutoring him? I have lots of girl geniuses on my f-list who would get a kick out of this charming middle-grade novel!

Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend (2007), by Carrie Jones. Belle has loved Dylan for years and the two have bonded in a profoundly intimate way. She feels she knows him completely . . . until the night he tells her he is gay. She can accept his sexual orientation, but struggles to forgive him for keeping it a secret. Can their friendship be salvaged? Will Dylan be safe when word gets out? Will Belle ever trust another boy again? Carrie Jones does a wonderful job of depicting a small town setting where everyone knows your business. Belle resents the spotlight placed on her emotional pain, but grows to appreciate the support that is offered in this sometimes claustrophobic environment. A very moving book -- and funny, too!

Have His Carcase (1932), by Dorothy L. Sayers. On a hiking tour of the English coast (somewhere in or near Cornwall?), Harriet Vane discovers a dead body on a deserted beach. When she sends a press release to the London papers (as a successful author of murder mysteries, Harriet knows the value of free publicity), Lord Peter Wimsey gets wind of the case and comes down to do a little detecting (and wooing). There are delightfully romantic moments in this novel, along with some funny bits where Peter fantasizes about doing violence to Henry Weldon, and I love any scene that involves Harriet writing or thinking about her fictional detective, Robert Templeton. BUT, there were too many scenes where Peter and Harriet were absent, the evidence of the mannequin and theatrical agent were rather tiresome, and I just skimmed the cipher chapter. This may be my favorite of the TV adaptations with Petherbridge and Walters (they cut it down very judiciously), but perhaps my least favorite of the Peter/Harriet novels. It's still very good, tho.

nearest book meme

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:12:17 GMT

I was tagged by viabloomington!

Grab the nearest book, open to page 123, find the fifth sentence. Then post the next three sentences. Tag five people and post a comment to viabloomington ( your taggees will post to me).

[Alright, I must disclose that the nearest book was actually the Lonely Planet guide to Wales -- the passage on 123 was, as you might imagine, rather dry -- so I fumbled around in the stacks on my desk and found this.]

From Exile by Denise Mina:

"She was still alive and having another day, losing herself in the problems of Jimmy and Ann and feeling all right sometimes. She looked at the people on the street and realized that the world must be busy with people who tried to kill themselves last night, people who woke up this morning, nauseous and disappointed, and had to go to work, living the afterwards. She thought of Pauline, and it struck her that suicide was never the definitive statement; it was an impulse, a comma, not a stop."

Rather dark, eh? But lovely.

I'm trying to find peeps who haven't done this already . . .

tagged:
dm_lunsford
de23
valancy_s
filthy_bonnet
inkstaind_stars

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:43:45 GMT

We filed our taxes on time. For the first time in many years, we did not file for an extension. Yay us!

My dad is coming to visit this weekend. How will I ever keep him entertained? Eeep!

I'm way behind on reading updates. Think I'll just switch back to Wednesday updates because I never seem to have my act together on Mondays.

Considering how long it's been since my last report, this is not a very long list:

The Namesake (2004), by Jhumpa Lahiri. Gogol Ganguli resents his name -- "Gogol" is not Indian, nor is it American -- it's the last name of a melancholic Russian writer and was never intended to be his official name in the first place. But it sticks, in a sense becoming a symbol of his awkward straddling of the divide between American and Indian culture. A quick and absorbing read, but Lahiri's collection of short stories, The Interpreter of Maladies (for which she won the Pulitzer), is said to be much stronger. Perhaps I'll get to it one of these days . . .

Pocket Full of Rye (1953), by Agatha Christie. An entertaining mystery involving poison and a nursery rhyme. Miss Marple makes a late appearance (more than a third of the way through the book!) to assist Inspector Neele with solving the crime.

A Room with a View (1908), by E. M. Forster. Lucy Honeychurch travels to Italy with her older cousin as chaperone, and at a Florence pension meets the eccentric and not-quite-respectable Mr. Emerson and his son George. And then . . . oh, I don't want to give anything else away except to say that it's a thoroughly charming and romantic book. Certain scenes nearly took my breath away!

The Dark Lantern (2008), by Gerri Brightwell. A Gothic suspense novel set in a 19th century London mansion in which everyone -- upstairs and downstairs -- seems to be hiding dark secrets. The story was interesting enough, but I didn't fall in love with the characters and therefore didn't really care how they ended up. (I did learn more about anthropometry and how it once rivalled finger-printing as a means of identifying criminals.)

Daphne (2008), by Justine Picardie. This novel alternates between 3rd person narratives of Daphne du Maurier and Alex Symington -- both interested in promoting the genius of Branwell Brontë -- and the 1st person narrative of an unnamed modern day scholar who is tracing their communications as she ponders a dissertation on du Maurier and the Brontës. The book was a lovely combination of Possession, The Hours, and Rebecca -- not really new or groundbreaking, but right up my alley and hard to put down. I bought it in England. Not sure when it will be available in the U.S.

A Curse Dark as Gold (2008), by Elizabeth C. Bunce. This is a beautiful re-telling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, featuring a strong heroine who has inherited a cursed woolen mill. While reading I was transported to a world that was magical and yet also gritty and realistic. Good stuff!

And now, having been inspired by my walks on the beach at Half Moon Bay, I'm re-reading Have His Carcase. *happy sigh*

Really?

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 03:24:01 GMT

I just watched A Room with a View (2007) on PBS.

That was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike the novel! ARGH! What was Andrew Davies thinking?

Poor Laurence Fox didn't get much of a chance to do Cecil right (what did he have -- five minutes of screen time?) and I did not fancy the actor who played George Emerson at all.

And where was my terrace of violets? *cries*

[I just read a review on imdb.com -- Mr. Beebe was picking up rentboys in Florence? Perhaps I was dozing off, but I think this was cut from the U.S. broadcast!]

Is it worth my while to rent the 1985 version? I saw parts of it long ago, but barely remember anything except for Helena Bonham Carter's big hair and the bathing scene where everyone's bits were flapping about.

Thoughts?

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 18:47:29 GMT

Our luggage arrived late yesterday morning. This means that I have my toiletries and camera back, as well as endless mounds of dirty clothes that need washing. So far I've done a really good job of playing with my camera and ignoring the laundry.

I uploaded my pictures and was very annoyed to see that my lens had a distracting smudge that I couldn't see on the LCD. Argh. It's not too noticeable in these photos, however.

Monday was sunny and clear. While Steve met with his committee, I walked the coastal path. This is a view of the hotel -- a beautiful place we never could have afforded on our own. Steve's unpaid committee work does have its advantages!

Tuesday was cloudy and colder, but I love the dramatic sky. Under the seagulls you can see the rocky outcropping where I imagined one might find a corpse, if one were Harriet Vane.

My favorite photo. The sky is clearing up a bit.

After lunch Steve joined me for one more walk to the beach. Here I am, with my glorious Alfalfa hair, in front of the corpse rock. (Non-Wimsey fans are surely wondering why in the heck I'm obsessed with finding bodies on rocky beaches! You really must read Have His Carcase.)

Oh no, the corpse will be washed away!

A friendly dog wanted Steve to play fetch with her -- she was such an adorable little bundle of energy that I was sorely tempted to tuck her in my bag and run away.

I'm never flying again

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:52:34 GMT

Two weeks ago we dodged the American Airlines cancellation bullet when we flew through Chicago. Yesterday we took the bullet right to the chest, or perhaps I should say we took it to the gut, because the bleed-out certainly was slow and painful.

Our flight from San Francisco to Dallas was late, but eventually happened. Our 7:15 connection to OKC was cancelled, so we were re-booked for 9:15. That one was late boarding because the crew was late arriving, but we were reassured that everything was a go and finally we got on the plane.

We proceeded to sit on the plane at the gate for THREE HOURS. (We had no air-conditioning for the first hour and a half.) The problems: the plane had passed inspection earlier, but the paperwork had been lost. Once the paperwork was found, we were told there was another mechanical problem that needed to be fixed. Then THAT needed to be inspected. It didn't pass. The work was re-done. At the 2 1/2 hour point we passed inspection. At the three hour point, the flight was cancelled due to weather. (Heavy rains, tornados, flooding, etc. -- you might have seen it on the news.)

American put us up at a hotel (we finally got to bed at 2 a.m.) and booked us on the 10:15 flight tonight. We decided to rent a car instead. We got home late this afternoon. Our luggage is still en route, according to the baggage person in OKC. What a mess. But at least we didn't crash in a storm, right? And I know there are lots of people who were/are stranded for more than one night. Yuck.

In all the hoopla I missed ruralstar's birthday. I hope you had a great day, my friend! And today is nmissi's birthday! Best wishes to you! You both deserve lots of pampering!

Monday!

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:54:11 GMT

Saw Definitely, Maybe yesterday and quite enjoyed it. It has a Charlotte Brontë connection -- I love how bronteblog tracked all references to Jane Eyre in the reviews!

A Sight for Sore Eyes (1999), by Ruth Rendell. As a child Francine finds her mother shot to death in her own home. Her therapist, Julia, believes the killer will come after her and asserts that Francine needs extra supervision. When the girl's widowed father marries Julia, Francine's freedom is curtailed so severely that she might as well be under house arrest. Francine's boyfriend Teddy grew up ignored and unloved in a filthy home, and yet somehow developed a passion for beautiful things. When he meets Francine he wants nothing more than to keep her near and revel in her beauty -- and he'll stop at nothing to achieve this fantasy. I appreciated Rendell's characterization & plot structuring, as well as her use of irony, but I think I'll stick with the Wexford mysteries from now on. It's important for me to have characters to cheer for.

Hearts of Stone (2006), by Kathleen Ernst. Fifteen-year-old Hannah, whose father died fighting for the Union, suddenly finds herself head of the family when her mother dies. Forced to choose between dividing the family amongst the neighbors or making the perilous journey to find a relative in Nashville, Hannah and her siblings decide to leave their beloved home on Cumberland Mountain. The journey is fraught with peril, but their real troubles begin when they finally reach Union-occupied Nashville. I was really impressed with the author's exceptional use of historical detail -- by the end of the book it felt as though I'd lived through these ordeals right along with Hannah.
(dm_lunsford -- this is the one I wanted to recommend to you. I bet your Athenaeum friends and students would find it interesting.)

Garnethill (1999), by Denise Mina. Maureen's passion for her married lover is on the wane, but this hardly minimizes her shock when she wakes to find him murdered in her apartment. Soon Maureen is the prime suspect, and neither her history of mental illness nor her brother's drug-dealing activities help her credibility when she insists on her innocence. When the police can't seem to track down the real murderer, Maureen decides to do some detecting of her own. I literally could not put this book down.

Death Comes as Epiphany (1993), by Sharan Newman. Catherine LeVendeur is a novice at the convent of the Paraclete in 12th century France. When Abbess Heloise (yes, the one who loved Abelard) asks her to leave the convent in order to do some undercover detecting, Catherine (brainy, beautiful and headstrong) readily agrees. Charged with investigating accusations of heresy against the convent, Catherine discovers dark plots, family secrets, and . . . love. Entertaining enough, but Catherine was a bit too Mary Sue for my tastes and the author's tendency toward abrupt POV shifts began to annoy me.

Writing progress:

7851 / 10000 words. 79% done!

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:44:57 GMT

I am writing some really lame stuff these days. I know it'll get better during revision and I just need to soldier on to the end, but . . . it depresses me.

And I'm pretty sure I'll still have at least 5000 words to go even after I hit my goal of 10000.

Progress:

6037 / 10000 words. 60% done!

I have a couple of pictures to share -- they made me smile and I hope they'll do the same for you!

My mother-in-law sent me a tulip vase and $10 to buy tulips! Aren't they cheery? I sent her this photo as a thank you.

This is Cedric french kissing his alpine scratcher. When I give him a fresh insert and add the catnip, he just goes nuts.

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:24:32 GMT

A friend asked me this morning -- is "mushroom" a compound word? Why or why not? I gave her my answer, but would love for my f-list to chime in on this great controversy.

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of my first date with Steve. (Well, March 3 was when he first asked me to lunch. A day or so later we had a "real" date -- dinner & a movie.) Of course, Steve had to remind me of this anniversary. I'm impressed that he remembers such things.

In news of scary-happenings-that-give-me-a-heart-attack -- Cedric escaped today. I left him out on the back patio napping in the sun. When I checked on him twenty minutes later, he was gone! I guess he's not too fat to jump the wall, after all. I ran out in my t-shirt and socks to find him, then came to my senses and ran back in for my coat and shoes. (I had pants on the entire time, btw.) I looked and looked all over the neighborhood, panicking at the thought of him being run over by one of my senior citizen neighbors, but finally found him sniffing around next door. He tried to run away when I first called out to him, but when I got closer he seemed to recognize me. True to form, he came running when he saw I had treats.

When I brought him back inside he flopped in his box and looked adorably penitent, as you can see below:

Writing progress:

4166 / 10000 words. 42% done!

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:09:01 GMT

This week I've been taking my laptop out of the house in an attempt to get serious writing done. (Otherwise I am so easily seduced by the Internet -- "Hey! I wrote a sentence! Now I can reward myself with an hour of surfing!" Argh.)

The first day I went to Barnes & Noble. Sure, they don't hand out coupons like candy, but the atmosphere is conducive to writing. That is, until the tutoring session begins at the next table. Undergrads are so loud!

The last two days I've spent at Borders. But what's with the people in the cafe watching videos at full volume on their computers? Can't they see I have serious work to do? My iPod didn't even begin to drown them out. After packing up my stuff in a huff (not that they noticed), I found a table in the fiction section. That was quite nice for a while, but I felt rather exposed when people walked behind me to scan the shelves. Were they sneaking a peak at my screen? Were they snickering? (It's silly and paranoid, I KNOW, but I would sneak a peak! And probably snicker! It doesn't help that I have to jack my font up to 200% in order to read it without getting a headache.)

Where do I go next? Anyone have a suggestion? I'd like a quiet spot where I can drink tea. (That rules out the public library, but not the university library. Hmmm . . . parking is always a problem on campus. And they don't actually sell hot beverages in the library.)

Where do you like to do your writing?

Progress update:

3167 / 10000 words. 32% done!

I'll leave you with some helpful writing tips from Elmore Leonard. I point in particular to #s 3, 4, 8 and 9. #5 is staring at my LJ and not liking what it sees. (!!!)

Progress!

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:51:43 GMT

I am caught up with writing contests and grant applications for now. The next contest I'm thinking about entering has a May 1st deadline -- that's ages away, right? So for the next few weeks, I'll focus solely on finishing the current WIP.

I stated earlier that it's going to take somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 words to finish the 1st draft. And, if you remember, I decided to post word progress updates in the hope of publicly shaming myself into reaching that goal. Here's where I stand at the moment:

2036 / 10000 words. 20% done!

Yay?

Other things:
--On Tuesday I bought this at Borders with my 40% off coupon. Eeeee!

--Steve and I have been watching season 1 of Dexter through Netflix. I loved the first few episodes, then there was a lull in which it didn't seem nearly as amazing anymore, but now after "Circle of Friends" and "Shrink Wrap" I am totally sucked in again. Those of you watching the 2nd season now -- is it still good?

--Have any of you Mac using writers out there seen or used Scrivener? It looks really cool, but I'm wondering if I need something that complicated. The tutorial sorta blew my mind. Probably best to wait until I'm starting a new project, eh?

--elspethsheir is compiling The Mystery List, so those of you who love the genre and have some all-time favorite authors and titles, please leave a comment with the details at her LJ.

I need a new writing icon. Has anyone seen a cool one with an image of a computer keyboard?

Updates and such

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:50:18 GMT

For the first time in many days, I have the house to myself.

Steve got sick on Thursday -- a very bad cold. He doesn't get sick often, but when he does he reverts to mewling infancy. I don't mind tending him, poor sweet baby, but it is exhausting. Especially when you have an OSCAR PARTY to plan and host.

This Oscar party was our third offering for the law school's auction benefitting the Women's Resource Center at OU. Faculty are supposed to offer activities, the students bid, and proceeds go to the Center. (Some of you might remember that we had a Sound of Music party in '06 -- which was a surprising success -- and a James Bond party last year.)

It was a bit challenging to clean the house and prepare for this party mostly on my own. Steve helped with brainstorming the games and was able to stand on his tottering legs for a few minutes to help with decorations. But mostly he just slept.

The party itself was . . . fine. I always angst about these things and could not sleep afterwards for worrying about whether they had fun or thought it was worth their money, etc. I worry over each little thing I said or did and think what a relief it would be to NEVER do this again. But really, I think it went well. It wasn't as lively as in the past, mostly because Steve wasn't quite on form as host (still recovering from his illness) and it was Sunday so the kids were conscious of having class the next day.

Anyway, it's over. Steve seems to be on the mend. I can move on with my life now.

Quick reading update
The Love Knot (1999), by Elizabeth Chadwick. elspethsheir recommended the author to me, seeing as I tend to write historicals, so I hied me to the library for this one. Set in the 12th century during the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda (the same period as the Brother Cadfael novels), this book features the struggles of Catrin, a widow trying to make her way as a midwife and healer, and Oliver Pascal, a disinherited lord who is fighting on Matilda's side in hopes of one day regaining his lands. When these two meet, the sparks fly, but of course there are many obstacles along their path to true happiness. Excellent historical detail and some pretty steamy encounters.

The Case of the Left-Handed Lady: An Enola Holmes Mystery (2007), by Nancy Springer. I was so charmed by the first book in the series that I continued on. In this book, Enola has set up her investigation agency, posing as assistant to the fictitious Dr. Ragostin. In her first case, she must search for a missing young lady while at the same time fending off her brother Sherlock's investigations into her own whereabouts. A fun frolic.

The Master Butchers Singing Club (2003), by Louise Erdrich. This is the epic tale of Fidelis Waldvogel, WWI survivor and master butcher, who relocates his family from a small village in Germany to North Dakota. Delphine Watzka, daughter of a drunk and hopelessly tied to a man who can't seem to love her properly, goes to work for Fidelis' wife, Eva. The two women grow close, and when Eva becomes ill, Delphine realizes just how much her fate has become interwoven with that of the Waldvogels. Enthralling story.

Viewing update-- When Steve wasn't sleeping, he wanted to watch movies, and how could I not indulge him? We watched:
Transformers -- loved the explosions and special effects, but kinda hated it when the autobots started talking.
Michael Clayton -- excellent suspense. Enjoyed it, even if it didn't quite knock me out. (I'm not sure about Tilda Swinton getting the Oscar. She was great, as always, but was she really THAT amazing?)
The Departed -- Woah. I kinda fell in love with Leonardo DiCaprio. Seems like someone on my f-list said the same thing after seeing it last year (who was it?), and I was all "yeah right, I just can't go for Leo." But! He's AMAZING in this film.
No Reservations -- the one with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart in the restaurant. With the kid. So painfully contrived. Bleh.
Serenity -- We own this movie, but ran across it on Cinemax and got sucked in all over again. (Our defenses were down after having recently watched part of the SciFi marathon of Firefly.) *hugs this movie* I cried a lot, and it was very cathartic after the stressful weekend.

We also watched Stargate Atlantis (yay for Michael and Beckett!), and Torchwood "Adam" (hmmmm . . .). I've pretty much had it up to here with the melodrama in the latter. I don't really care about Jack's childhood on ~~Tatooine~~, ~~the Welsh coast~~, wherever it was. And I've had enough of Ianto's crybaby face to last me for ten seasons. So make it stop! [Of course, I will continue to watch! I'm nowhere near the giving up stage.]

Now -- on to the gym and then some writing. The progress bar awaits!

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:47:04 GMT

I'll fess up first thing that I do not have an updated word count for my progress bar. BUT, that doesn't mean I haven't been busy. I've been working hard on the revisions for a grant application and just sent out the synopsis and first chapter to others for critique. (My critique group and dm_lunsford have already offered so much useful feedback on that first chapter, so I must thank them (*hugs*), and now elspethsheir has bravely offered to look it over.)

Other writing things:
Shannon Hale, author of The Princess Academy, Book of a Thousand Days, and the adorable Austenland (among other things), recently blogged about a New York Times book reviewer who said some snotty things about writing for young readers. Here's her post, with quotes from the review. Some of you already know how it yanks my chain when people look down on children's and YA literature as somehow "lesser" than adult fiction -- Shannon addresses this issue in an eloquent and entertaining way.

The Author2Author ladies are offering a book giveaway! Check it out! (Sorry, I should have linked to this earlier.)

Tea things:
Omigosh! dm_lunsford sent me the most fabulous tea cozy! I love this one because you don't have to bother with strapping it on and tying strings and such. You just set it on top. And it really keeps that teapot warm!

Those in the know -- is this a more old-fashioned style of tea cozy? I ask because in the play Rock 'n' Roll, a character living in the 70s (?) wears a similar tea cozy on her head after chemo makes her hair fall out. I like the thought of wearing a tea cozy on one's head, for some reason.

Oh, and the cozy also came with a tea wallet, which I immediately filled with bags of Tazo and Mighty Leaf tea and tucked away in my purse. I am now prepared for any tea emergency!

The weekend
Now I need to stop goofing around. Time to clean the house and get packed for our weekend in St. Louis with de23, gateslacker, _leigh_leigh, dombede and their various spouses and kidlets. I'll post pictures upon our return!

And P.S. -- the new Indiana Jones trailer has really set my heart to fluttering!

Tea, give me strength!

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:35:02 GMT

I have a new favorite tea -- French Breakfast from Mariage Frères (purchased at The Cultured Cup when dm_lunsford was in town). I am so excited to wake up in the morning because I know this tea is waiting for me! Très délicieux, to be sure.

In other news, I have been slacking way too much with writing. I've been spinning my wheels over the same 10-30 pages, revising for various contests and grants. Man, I hate writing synopses and bios and statements of purpose. Bleh. I need to finish the manuscript draft, but haven't written anything new in ages. So, this is my proclamation: Today I am officially kicking myself into gear. I need to have a solid draft before we leave for the UK on March 17 and I'm estimating I've got about 10000 words left to go. I found a word count progress meter and I'm going to keep track of this publicly -- if I have to shame myself into finishing this thing, so be it!

Here goes:

0 / 10000 words. 0% done!

Seriously, that's a sad sight. I need to get to work!

Monday reading update

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:54:58 GMT

Once again, I've let three weeks go by since my last reading report.

The Princess and the Hound (2007), by Mette Ivie Harrison. As a child, Prince George learns he has the magical ability to communicate with animals. This ability must remain a secret, however, because people in his kingdom are executed for having it. Determined to be a proper heir to the throne, George agrees to a betrothal with the princess of a neighboring kingdom. But something odd is happening between Princess Beatrice and her treasured hound, and it may have something to do with the magic George has been repressing all his life. I really enjoyed this story for its portrayal of George's struggles to overcome grief and fear to become a compassionate and thoughtful leader.

What I Was (2008), by Meg Rosoff. Rosoff's How I Live Now is one of my all-time favorite YA books. This "adult" novel (categorized as such because the narrator is looking back on his youth rather than recounting it in a more immediate way?) was not quite as compelling. It reminded me so much of A Separate Peace -- the narrator, a lonely outsider at an English prep school, becomes somewhat obsessed with a free-spirited boy who lives on his own by the sea. There's an interesting twist, but I'm not sure the ending was enough payoff after all the build-up.

Five Children and It (1902), by E. Nesbit. I read this at valancy_s's suggestion and found it much more charming than The Enchanted Castle. In this book, five children discover a sand fairy during a summer visit to the country. The fairy begrudgingly grants them one wish a day and, of course, all manner of havoc ensues. I did find myself wishing that at least one of their wishes had been carefully thought out -- I suppose the wings came closest, but . . . I really wanted them to all sit down and think it out together. Oh well.

The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon (2000), by Richard Zimler. I could not finish this wretched book, and only two other people showed up for book club. We spent a good hour trashing it and then chose something from Louise Erdrich for next meeting. (So this one doesn't officially count in my tally.)

The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery (2006), by Nancy Springer. I knew of Springer from her Arthurian tales (I am Mordred and I am Morgan le Fay), so when I saw that she has a series about Sherlock Holmes' much younger sister, I simply could not resist. On Enola's fourteenth birthday, her mother disappears. Soon thereafter our worried heroine meets her brothers Sherlock and Mycroft for the first time in almost ten years. Unfortunately, they seem less concerned for her mother's safety than she does, so Enola takes matters into her own hands. Such fun!

Birds of a Feather (2004), by Jacqueline Winspear. Maisie Dobbs, a private investigator working in post WWI London, has been trained to use intuition and empathy in her detective work. In this novel she is hired to track down the runaway daughter of a wealthy grocer. But the more Maisie investigates, the more connections she finds between the missing woman and three other women who have died under mysterious circumstances. A well-crafted story, and yet sometimes I find it hard to like Maisie. She's so stiff and proper and so far (in the two books I've read about her) has no endearing quirks.

A Severed Wasp (1982), by Madeleine L'Engle. Katherine Forrester, internationally renowned pianist, retires to a quiet existence in New York City. But her old friend Felix, a retired bishop, won't let her rest on her laurels. He insists that she give a benefit concert for the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and won't take no for an answer. Through the cathedral Katherine meets a great assortment of people. She also learns of some disturbing goings-on that remind her of traumatic events from her own past. It took about 150 pages for the conflict to get off the ground in this book, but I was glad I stuck with it because the rest of the story was quite engrossing. It probably would have made even more of an impact if I'd read A Small Rain first.

Birthday wishes go out to econopodder! Hope you're having a lovely time!