Terri's Favorite Fictional Character --- Girl at the Window

Whenever I have a hankering for a well written review by someone who I admire and respect, I head on over to Terri's blog, Alexia's Books and Such.  I'm pretty sure I've been following her blog from the very beginning, though I could be off by a week or two.  I don't remember what brought me to her blog, but I've been grateful for it ever since.  Terri has become a good blogging friend, someone who's opinion I will take to heart. She has shown me nothing but kindness, and I thank her for it.  And for this post, she is breaking a boundary that has not been crossed before on this blog.  She is charting new territory when it comes to Favorite Fictional Character posts, and I have a feeling it's territory I will be visiting myself someday.  So please go by her blog and say hi and great job.

This is a Salvador Dali painting, most commonly known as "Girl at the Window."

Seems an odd choice for a Favorite Fictional Character post, doesn't it? A moment in time captured in a painting. An unknown character with an unknown story. How can this be a Favorite Fictional Character? Glad you asked!

When Ryan asked me if I'd be interested in doing one of these posts for him, he said that there were no limitations on where the character could come from and that books, movies, TV shows, poems, songs, or even artwork were all on the table. Artwork? Color me intrigued! And what better artwork to feature than one of my favorites?

I found a poster of this piece many years ago, lying on the floor, at a warehouse sale. Had no idea who he artist was or the title, but I knew that I had to have it!  It "spoke" to me (plus, it was blue and I knew it would look good in my bathroom).  It quickly became my favorite poster!

As you might have guessed from my avatar, there's something about staring out a window that I love....the longing for what's out there....wanting to explore new horizons...wondering if the grass is really greener over the next hill? I have spent plenty of time staring out windows over the years, so I identify with this unknown girl.

I love this picture. Who is the girl? Is she longing for far horizons? I think that she's been at the window for awhile and didn't just stop by to check the weather, as she looks like she's settled in. See how she's leaning on the sill and one of her legs is bent? Like she's shifting her stance to find a more comfortable position. Like she's spent hours at that window....

I think that she certainly qualifies as a FFC, in that I'm able to come up with my own stories for her. Has she had a rough day and wants to escape? Is she just a daydreamer? Does she have itchy feet and longs to travel? I see all of that....and more. Am I nuts and it's just a girl standing at a window? Can you feel her longing? What do you see when you look at this picture?

Guest Post At The Christmas Spirit

My good Friend Michelle of The Christmas Spirit, and tons of other blogs, asked me to come by and talk about some of my favorite Christmas Cards, Edward Gorey fans will love my choices.  Please come on by and check it out.

Peanuts or Romance? Why Pick Only One!

Can I just say I think it's really funny of me to write about something I haven't done yet.  It's now day 5 of my staycation, and I have no clue what I'm going to do.  I would like to say that I will sit back, relax and take it easy, but I'm pretty sure that won't be what I do.  Today will probably be the day I get caught up on the house cleaning I avoided the day before.  I may end up doing laundry, always a good time.  For that matter I may break down, fire up the computer, log into my blog and write a review or two that are due later this week.  Either way, I'll probably start getting myself ready for returning to work on Thursday.  I love my job, so by now, I'm probably itching to get back to it.  Though I do understand the need to step away from it for a few days and recharge.

Today, I would like to turn the blog over to a blogger that I'm had pleasure of knowing from almost the beginning, and if I had a long lost sister out there, Michelle would be her.  Michelle of The True Book Addict, and about a million other blogs, has truly become one of my favorite people on the face of the planet.  She is an amazing blogger, writer, mother, and friend who has the energy of a hundred other people going at full steam.  She juggles more than I can ever fathom, and she never drops a ball.  I admire and respect her and I hope we stay friends for years to come.  Now that I'm done gushing about her, go on over to her blog and say hi.

I'd like to thank my good friend, Ryan, for having me as a guest today.  Now, since it's summer, I thought I would share a bit of nostalgia from the summers of my past.  When I was a preteen, and in my early teens, I went through a period of habitual summer reading.  Summer used to be my favorite season (until I moved to the South with the sweltering summer climate) and I looked forward to it every year.  My main focus in the years I mentioned above was getting plenty of sun and doing lots of reading.

My first order of business was to pull out my set of Peanuts books by Charles M. Schultz.  I had the whole set and they looked just like this image.  The books were full of the comic strips that Schultz wrote and I would spend hours reading these and laughing my butt off.  Snoopy never failed to crack me up.  I usually managed to read the whole set every summer and, you know what?  I still have this entire set.  My mom saved them and they have been enjoyed by my sister's kids and now mine.  Who knows...maybe I'll get them out this summer and bring back a tradition.

My other young adult summer reading habit is a bit strange to me now because I really have not had much use for romance novels for a very long time.  But back then, I had a thing for....Harlequin Romances.  Eek! I'm serious.  I had a stack of those books (I think I ordered them from a book club or something...they had one back then) and I used to read at least one or two of them every summer.  I guess I was like other girls that age.  Full of romantic ideas and illusions.  Not that I'm faulting anyone that still enjoys the romance genre, but, in my case, what a difference a number of years has made.  Now I'm just a cynical old adult.  I found this cover image and it is exactly like those books I used to read all those years ago.  When I look at that cover, it brings back memories of myself as I soaked up the sun on the patio, reading away in my romance novel, and dreaming of my future Prince Charming.

What was your summer reading habit when you were young?

Aliens Invade, Summer Vacationers Beware!

I was thinking of going to Chicago for days 4 and 5 of my vacation this year, but I decided a few weeks ago that I really didn't want to drive and flying is really not my thing.  It's not that I hate flying, I just can't say as I enjoy it either.  There was always the train route but it leaves from Newton, KS (just north of me) at two in the morning and I really don't want to stay up that late just to catch a train.  If I was going to go for a longer period of time, it may have been worth it, but for two days, I'll skip it as well.  So for day four, I'm still in Wichita, KS and by now I'm probably doing everything I can to avoid cleaning the house.  I'm not one that really enjoys down time, though when I decide to do it, it always sounds like a good idea.  So today I may drive up to McPherson to visit my old college and take in lunch at the Main Street Deli, best broccoli and cheese soup in a bread bowl I've ever had. And since I've gone that far, I may drive up to Lindsborg to visit Coronado Heights.  What, you guys have never heard of it?  Well supposedly, it's the hill that Francisco Vasquez de Coronado gave up on his journey for the Seven Cities of Gold.  There is a castleish structure on the hill now, but the view is amazing.  It's another place I haven't been to in a while, so a trip may be in order.

Now I hope the post title didn't make you guys panic too much.  Aliens really aren't invading, at least not that I know of.  But the title does foreshadow the post you are about to read.  Yvette of in so many words... was gracious enough, though I'm sure she has no other way of being, to step up and write a terrific post about one of her favorite summer movies.  Now for those of you who don't know Yvette, let me tell you that she loves her movies.  Her blog is one of those that is a feast for the eyes every time I head on over.  Besides being a book blogger, Yvette posts movie reviews (especially older movies that deserve the recognition), and has an art feature that I never miss.  Her blog is one of those that even if I'm tired and just worked a 13 hour shift, I know that I will be perked up by her newest post.  I'm pretty sure that if you visit her blog today, it will quickly make your list of favorite blogs.

Last year Ryan asked me to do a guest post on his blog while he was away living it up on holiday. I was only too happy to help. I must not have done a bad job because he’s asked me again this year and here we are. The theme is summer in any way shape or form so, I’m writing about what is to me, the quintessential summer movie: INDEPENDENCE DAY starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum and directed by Roland Emmerich.

 ‘On July 2^nd, they arrive. On July 3^rd, they strike. On July 4^th, we fight back.”

I’m not usually a blockbuster kind of gal (most especially a ‘let’s see how many ways we can destroy the earth’ type of blockbuster), so my liking for this movie continues to amaze me. But summer is the season for blockbusters and 1996 was no exception. At the urging of my daughter, I reluctantly went to see INDEPENDENCE DAY and damn if she wasn’t right: it’s a terrific movie. I was completely won over by Will Smith and the rest of the exceptional cast. Most especially the occasionally odd-seeming Jeff Goldblum, a quirky actor with his own unique screen presence and Bill Pullman whose ‘white bread’conservative look served him perfectly as the hesitant President of the United States who eventually shows his mettle and helps win the day.

I’m actually surprised that here it is, 2012, and so far no sequels forthcoming, but maybe that’s just as well - turns out though that a re-mastered 3-D version of the original film will be out in theaters in July of 2013. Just recently found that out online.

When I think of Will Smith in his original television show, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, it’s still hard for me to imagine how he morphed into this larger than life leading man in one of the more iconic movie extravaganzas ever made. But there he was (and still is) – up on the screen, a commanding presence owning every scene he’s in. It is his insouciant charm, I believe, which makes Smith such a likable actor.

 The plot: When aliens decide to colonize earth, death and destruction follow. The aliens’ powerful space ships flash death-dealing rays which turn everything in their path into gigantic fire balls. The end of the world as we know it seems all but a done deal. These aliens are as different from us as we must appear to the earth’s insect population. They are definitely not E.T. nice guys.

The exceptional and truly rapacious special effects showing the aliens’ destructive powers are very well done, frighteningly so. Particularly good is the blowing up of the Capital and the White House – two events guaranteed to raise the ire of even the most lackadaisical American movie-viewer. I admit it, my hair stood on end. I mean, how DARE they!? And over the July 4^th weekend, too.

The President and his advisors barely escape with their lives but unfortunately, the President’s wife (played by Mary McDonnell) isn’t as lucky. Just when all hope is lost and it appears as if most of the population of earth will be burnt to a crisp even while the few pockets of humans that remain frantically try to come up with a workable defense – in steps Jeff Goldblum’s character, David Levinson, a disgraced scientist turned cable technician who thinks outside the box and can’t help getting in trouble because of it. He’s figured out a way to stop the invasion if only he can convince the authorities. His theory is a bit silly and simplistic, but what the heck, it sounds good and what have they got to lose?

He’ll need the help of a fearless pilot to fly the alien ship lying in stasis in, of all places, Area 51 – that mysterious western site where it is rumored the government has secretly stashed a space ship. Guess what – it’s true, at least, in this script. That’s where the President and his remaining cabinet and advisors head and where we run into a crack-pot, wild-haired, loony-toons scientist played by Brent Spiner – ex Lieutenant Data on Star Trek, The Next Generation.

The fearless pilot is, of course Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith), who volunteers to man the alien ship. He and David will have to dock with the giant mother ship (she controls the alien forces) and slip the mother a mickey. Basically, that’s it. Of course, there’s a lot of impressive footage of jets flying about and being blown up as convoys of air force pilots make futile attempts to fight the aliens with conventional weapons. Even the President - once a pilot always a pilot - flies into the fray. But the build-up to the final KAPUT is nail-bitingly impressive and even, in spots, oddly amusing.

INDEPENDENCE DAY is a lot of fun, the humans are likable, the aliens are not. It’s all preposterous but perfectly in keeping with the idea that summer is for flip flops, blowing things up and popcorn.

Now that I’ve written this, I’m suddenly in the mood to watch INDEPENDENCE DAY yet again. Time to adjust my movie queue.

Sheree's Top 5 Australian Summer Memories

Well, it's official, it's day three of my vacation and I have nothing planned so far.  Since it's the midway point of my vacation, I'm hoping I'll take it easy, but I get bored really easily.  I will probably end up going to the flea market at some point in time.  I don't know if many of you know this but the Sedgwick County Zoo is one of the highest ranked zoos in the United States and attracts around half a million visitors each year.  It's been a few years since I've been there, it's only about 10 minutes from my house, so I'm thinking it may be on my list of things to do today.  I'm sure that no matter what I'm doing, I'll enjoy myself.

I'm sure that as soon as you saw the title of this post, you knew who the wonderful guest blogger was.  For most of you, Sheree of The Eclectic Reader needs no introduction.  Sheree is one of the reasons I'm so grateful for what the book blogging community has done to enrich my life.  In what other forum would a guy from Wichita, KS, dead center of the United States be able to connect with such a passionate mother and reader in Brisbane, Australia?  This community has allowed some wonderful relationships develop between people who never would have otherwise never met.  I know I don't need to say this but I think Sheree is one of the kindest bloggers who always has a nice thing to say and can put a new blogger at ease.  I think she is amazing and I would hope that you guys, if you don't already know how great her and her blog are, to go on over and say hi.

I was delighted when Ryan asked me to guest post on Wordsmithonia while he’s enjoying a much needed summer holiday. Woohoo, permission granted to wreak havoc and swing from the chandelier do a civilised post on his blog and here I am Pina Colada in hand. 

 Being winter in Australia (the season I loathe) I’m in serious need of a dose of sunshine and warmth and as my fairy godmother is neither fairy-like nor godmotherly (I think she took her mean pills) and refused my Tahiti vacation request the next best thing is My Top 5 Australian Summer memories

1.      BBQ’s

Summer is BBQ season and despite all the international throw-another-shrimp-on-the-barbie advertising, in Australia it’s just not a barbeque without snags (sausages). A sausage in bread with or without onion and tomato sauce is standard fare at any Aussie BBQ. And it’s just not summer or a BBQ without flies. I honestly don’t know why it is we insist on having BBQ’s at the height of summer … are US flies particularly sticky or is that a talent reserved only for Australian flies? Flies that stick in your eyes (and in little kids snot) or flies on steroids and if you’ve ever had one of those fly up your nose (in search of god knows what) you’ll know exactly what I mean. They say you aren’t a true blue Aussie until you’ve swallowed a fly … I am, I have and I can tell you I fervently wished as I gagged (you never know where their feet have been *see Open Air Cinema section below*) coughed and raged indignantly that I was anything but.

Back to the BBQ … does anyone feel like eating now?

2.     Coconut Reef Oil

This is one of my favourite summer smells, I immediately think of white beaches, swaying palm trees and the new Old Spice man glistening in coconut oil

 … oh where was I

Coconut oil replaced good old cooking oil or baby oil as a means of turning glow-in-the-dark white skin to beef jerky. As a teen it was the ‘done’ thing to baste oneself in cooking oil and lay in the sun rotating, front, back, side, side … repeat, baking complete when you’re the consistency of crispy bacon . With increased skin cancer awareness, the Oompa-Loompa look surged in popularity, glow-in-the-dark white became the new tan and SPF was added to coconut oil. I wonder if they make scratch and sniff thingies to feed my coconut smell addiction? J

3.     Beaches

We really do have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world in Australia and for many Australians beach culture is very much a part of our lives. Our lifeguards and volunteer surf life savers do a fantastic job keeping Aussies & visitors safe on our beaches. What more could you ask for – sun, sand, surf, and for the most part the scenery isn’t bad.

4.     Water Fun

Set up the sprinkler in the back yard, add a giant length of plastic and a bottle of dishwashing liquid and you’ve got a  home-made water slide and hours of fun for kids and the young at heart. Or my favourite, the sprinkler going full pelt under the hills hoist clothes line, hang on tight swinging round and round in the water spray. And when you get your bottom smacked for making the clothes line sag and squashing the family dog as you land (not that I’m speaking from experience) you decide the stinging bum is worth one more go.

 With drought and water restrictions now very much a part of everyday life in many parts of Australia, home-made water fun is a thing of the past. We now have water theme parks; double the fun, safer for pooch and the sting is one to your wallet.

5.     Open Air Cinema

Only open during summer. Pull up a bean bag, deck chair, a patch of grass, picnic rug. BYO picnic, bring your favourite take-away or grab a typical movie treat on-site. Furry friends can see a movie too however disruptive canine guests will be asked to leave and unwelcome ‘deposits’ are frowned upon. In the case of untended deposits the offending pooch and owner will be evicted from the cinema without a refund (ok I made that last bit up but it sounds like it should be a rule and I mean … think of the flies!! *refer to BBQ section above*)

Ryan I hope your holiday is full-on R&R and you return refreshed and ready for anything.

So who’s got a favourite summer memory to share?

Teddyree aka Sheree

The Coast of Maine Looks Good This Time of Year

So what am I doing on my second day of vacation you may be asking, of course you may not be, but I'm going to tell you anyway.  Well more thank likely I got up a little earlier than I would have preferred so I would be able to take in the farmer's market that is less than 10 blocks from my house, but never get to visit. I'll have perused the stalls picking out some produce and hopefully this wonderful cottage cheese bread that is to die for.  I may pick up some fresh pasta, depends on what they have this time around.  After the market, I'll be visiting the Wichita Art Museum, which believe it or not, has one of the largest collections of American art in the country.  Admission is free on Saturdays, and I never miss a chance to go.  As far as the rest of the day goes, who knows.  I may go visit my favorite graveyard in town, no judging, and read for a bit.  I may go shopping, though at this point in time that holds no appeal to me.  I guess I'll just take the day as it comes.

In the meantime, I would like to introduce (though I doubt introductions are needed) to the wonderfully brilliant Sheila of Book Journey.  What can I say about Sheila that most of you don't already know?  She is one of the friendliest bloggers I have ever had the pleasure to come across and when I think about the stalwarts of this community, she is one that comes to mind every time.  When I first came across her, within my first month of blogging, and realized she was from MN, my home state, I started following her.  Her blog quickly became one that I looked up to and though I'm not sure I asked her a ton of questions, I'm sure I asked a few, and she never brushed me off.  She answered them and gave me helpful advice when I needed it.  Three years later, I'm still following her blog, and I'm pretty sure I won't stop anytime soon.  So when you are done reading her wonderful summertime book recommendation, head on over and say hi.

Greetings readers of Wordsmithonia!  I come in peace…..

LOL

Of course I come in peace!  It’s summer my FAVORITE time of year!  I love to be outside on my deck reading, inviting friends over to grill, biking, rollerblading, boating, hiking, going to the cabin…. Did I mention I LOVE Summer?

When Ryan shot me a message asking if I would do a guest post while he took a little break and my subject was “summer” I jumped at the chance.  He pretty much left the “what” up to me.  I could write about summer activities, a book, a movie, a song....

I decided immediately I wanted to talk about a book.

Many years ago I read a book that screams summer…. It is called The Summerhouse by Jude Deveroux and to this day it is one of my all-time favorite books.  The Summerhouse is about 3 girls who meet at the DMV when they are 16 and discover they all share the same birthday.  The girls are all from very different backgrounds, but build a connection through this encounter.

Now, flash forward and the girls are all turning 40.  Their lives have not turned out as they had dreamed.  Leslie’s dream of marrying the perfect guy is pretty much snuffed out when she realizes that “perfect guy” is having an affair with his much younger assistant.  Her two children are snots and don’t even acknowledge she exists.  Where did that young strong willed girl she used to be go?

Ellie is a writer, but recent happenings in her life and a nasty court battle coming up has left her unable to focus enough to write a word. 

Madison was on the straight track to becoming a dancer, her long lean limbs were perfect back in high school…. But a call from an ex fiancé who was in a serious accident and left wheelchair bound pulls her off track and she instead becomes an exhausted full time care giver for an ungrateful man who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and believes the world needs to cater to him.

Ellie, who owns a cottage in Maine, decided to invite the other two women, who she has not spoken to in years to celebrate their birthdays together.  She sends out the invites, not knowing what to expect, if they even remember her, and is pleasantly surprised when both accept the invitation.  

The three women meet in Maine and over an evening of wine and horduerves catch each other up on how their lives have turned out, and not for the better.  The next day, while exploring the town to find gifts for one another, each separately receives an invite to a Madame Zoya’s future reading.  As a hoot, the girls decide to go and check it out. 

Madame Zoya offers this:  “What if you could go back to a point in your life when you made a decision that led you one way that set your life’s course.  What if you could go back to that moment in time and choose differently… how would your lives have turned out?”

Each of the girls is put into a trance that takes them back in time for two weeks to that moment they chose and the book shares their “new life” as it would have been.

In the end, each has to make a decision….

1.   Stay with what they have and keep the memory of what could have been.

2.   Choose the life they just envisioned by taking that road not traveled, but then everything changes from that moment on, if you had kids in this life, you no longer do… all your memories from this time are gone…

3.  Stay with what they have and erase the memory of what could have been

This book was amazing… if you have ever thought of the “what if”, I think you will love this book.  We read it for our book club in 2003 and we had one of our best discussions ever over the topic of if we could go back, what would we do differently, what time did we say no and it should have been yes?  

I highly recommend you find this book, a spot on the beach, a lawn chair, your deck, a hammock, a boat…. A spot in the sun, and spend a little time with Leslie, Ellie, and Madison.  I think, I will do the same.  

(I was going to link my review to this book, but realized, I have never reviewed it since I started blogging…. I think perhaps it is time)

Enjoy your time of relaxation Ryan!  And readers, The Summerhouse by Jude Deveroux… my summer book selection I recommend for you. 

Books to Beat the Heat

Well today is the first day of my vacation, and more than likely as you are reading this, I'm in the process of getting my brakes fixed.  Not the best way to start of a vacation, but it's the first time I've really had the TIME to get it done.  Not good since my break light and service light have been on for over a month.  So needless to say this will be a long day.  To top it off, I'm not one of those people that can just drop the car off and come back later, I have to stay there.  It's almost like a compulsion with me.  To pass the time, I will be bringing at least two books.  So wish me luck and send warm thoughts that this won't cost me an arm, a leg, and an ear.

So while I'm twiddling my thumbs at the mechanic, I thought I would let one of my favorite bloggers give you some reading suggestions that will help you beat the heat.  I'm pretty sure this is going to be another scorcher of a summer and anything that helps take the mind of the heat is more than welcome.  Simcha of SFF Chat is one of those bloggers who I would miss if either one of use stopped blogging.  I would have to find a way to keep in touch with her.  She is an amazing writer whose reviews are often times better than the book.  I know I can count on her to guide my reading in the right direction and that I would never regret picking up a book she recommended.  Speaking of, I still need to read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  I promised her I would read it last summer and I still haven't done so.  I promise it will be done by the end of the year though.  So please stop by her blog when you leave here and say hi.

Everyone has a different idea as to what makes a book a good summer read. For some it's a lighthearted romance and for others it's a fast-paced thriller.  As for me, I think a good summer read is one that helps me forget the scorching desert heat outside by transporting me somewhere nice and cold.

Here are few suggestions of great books to help you cool off this summer, in no particular order.

Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin:  I had read this book during the hottest time of the year and the scene in which Genly Ai and Estravan trudge through a blizzard was so descriptive that I was practically shivering.   This is a great book to keep handy in case your air-conditioner ever breaks.

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu:  "The Snow Queen" is one of my favorite fairy tales and this modern retelling about a girl who travels through a frozen land to save her best friend  is a great summer read for kids and adults.

Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton:  I haven't had a chance to read this book yet but it's high on my list of things to do. It takes place in a world in which it's citizens are preparing for an ice age. It sounds like now would be a great time to read this book.

Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox:  While I'm not particularly fond of swimming I do enjoy a good memoir and I've always wondered what it would be like to go to Antarctica. In this book Lynne Cox writes about her life and her experiences swimming the Bering Strait and the Strait of Magellan, which she was the first to do. She then swam a mile in the waters of Antarctica.

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder:  Sometimes it's fun to curl up with a favorite book from your childhood and this account of the Ingalls' struggle to survive a difficult winter will provide a great distraction from the summer heat. It might even leave you tempted to turn on the heat, just because you can.

 Double Black (A Ski Diva Mystery) by Wendy Clinch:  Since I know that Ryan enjoys reading mysteries I decided to include one on this list even though I usually stay away from them. But this story, about a grad student dropout who finds a dead body while living as a ski bum, sounded like enough fun to even tempt me to pick it up. I haven't done so yet but this book is high on my list and  now seems like an excellent time to read it.

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst:  In this retelling of an old Nordic Fairy tale a young woman journeys across the arctic in search of her missing mother who had been taken away when she was a baby. There is also a romance with a talking polar bear.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis:  It seems that this book manages to slip into almost every book-list that I make, but that's because it's a wonderful book suitable for nearly any occasion.  And summer is the perfect time to slip into a magical world locked in perpetual winter by an evil witch.

Cold Magic by Kate Elliott:  If you could use a bit of cooling off then some cold magic might do the trick. This steampunk novel was one of my favorite reads of 2010. It's got magic, adventure, spunky heroines and one handsome, if overly-haughty, cold mage. I think I'll be rereading this one.

Blog News & Vacation Plans

I've been meaning to tell you guys about my upcoming staycation for a while now, but I've been so busy getting other stuff done, that I totally forgot about it.  Not the vacation part, just telling you guys about it.  This year I am taking the 22nd through the 27th of June off.  Which means no responsibility, no work, no brain power used at all.  I already have some of my activities planned, but we will see what I end up doing.

 Now for what that means for the blog.  I don't take a lot of time off, which I think I need to make more of an effort to do, so when I do, I tend to stay away from the computer.  And as much as I love this blog and love you guys, that most especially means stay off the blog.  I don't want to do anything that even remotely smells like work, and sadly, writing posts smells like work.  Now the blog won't go quiet for those six days though.  I asked some great bloggers to write up a post on anything subject that screams summer to them. So for five days, you will be treated to some interesting posts. 

You may have noticed that I said for 5 days you will be blessed by some great guest posts.  Well what about the 6th day then?  I'm so glad you asked.  I didn't decide to take that day off until after I had already lined up the guest bloggers, so on Wed. I will have my last FFC post for the month.  And speaking of FFC (Favorite Fictional Character) posts, I have invited another 9 of my favorite bloggers to feature their favorite characters during the months of July and August.  I've already received some of them, and I'm really excited for the characters I've seen so far.

So I hope you guys come back over the next week and see what your fellow bloggers are up to.  

Now while I'm gone, I will be thinking of you guys.  I haven't quite decided what I'm going to do yet, but my three year blogoversary is coming up next month.  I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do to celebrate, but I'm sure a giveaway will be in order.  I'm thinking I'm going to include a book or two along with some mementos of my staycation.

Have a great week and I'll see you guys when I get back!

Sheila's Secret Garden Read-A-Long

You know those books you buy or pick up somewhere, but still pay for, that you have languishing around your shelves for years and years, and you feel bad about it?  Come one, you know what I'm talking about.  We all have them.  They are books you want to read, but for whatever reason, other books tend to grab our attention.  Finally, I have the perfect excuse to dust one of those books off and find out the skinny on it.

The lovely Sheila of Book Journey is hosting a read-a-long of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett during the month of May.  From what I can tell it's pretty informal, but there are prizes!  So if you want to join in, which I hope you will, go ahead and visit her sign up post to learn all the details.

I Have A Guest Post At Wag The Fox

Gef, over at Wag The Fox, asked me to review one of my favorite monster movies.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do at first, but after lots of thinking, I went with Brotherhood of the Wolf.  For those of you not familiar with it, it's a terrific French movie with lots of action and a great cast.  Please go on over and read my review of it.

BBAW Interview Swap: Angie From Angieville

One of the best things about BBAW is that I get to add new (to me) blogs to my reader and meet some great bloggers for the first time.  One of those bloggers, Angie of Angieville, will be the first one added this year.  Even if I don't have time to do any of the other posts, I always sign up for the interview swap.  It's always fun to get to talk to someone I don't know.  Thanks to BBAW I'll be a regular in Angieville now.

1. What got you into reading? Have you been a book lover all your life or did it happen later on?

Quite simply, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe got me into reading. Both my parents have always been avid readers, and they encouraged reading in the home and read to me all the time as a kid. And I, well, I humored them. I'm not proud of this. But I didn't really seek things out on my own as a very young girl. My imagination just wasn't fully engaged until my aunt sent me the Chronicles of Narnia box set for my tenth birthday. I read the first book on a transatlantic flight to Sicily, where we were moving, and nothing was ever the same again. I didn't even get past the dedication before I was a goner. And it's been books, books, books ever since. 

2. What inspired you to start your own blog? What do you like the most about blogging?

My husband is tech savvy, and somewhere around five years ago or so he mentioned that I should start up a blog. I had only the vaguest notions of what they were at the time. I asked him what in the world I would do with it, and he shrugged and said, "What about a book journal?" I thought it was a great idea, and for the first couple of years, the blog was merely a personal record of the books I read (and re-read) each month, with accompanying thoughts and images. Then I started reading other book blogs and--once again--my imagination became fully engaged. And the blogging took off accordingly. 

As for what I like most about blogging? That moment when someone I don't know comments or emails or tweets me to say they read the same book and they felt the same way. It's like they reached out and took my hand in the dark. I never tire of the thrill and I don't think I ever will. 

3. Has your taste in books changed through your life? Have you found yourself reading books you might not have when you were younger? Or are there books you loved in the past and now you can't imaging why?

I guess I'd say my taste has broadened as I've gotten older. I don't think I've ever really turned my back on books or genres I used to like, which is why I'm a serial re-reader. Nothing is as comforting as characters and words you know and love. No one welcomes you home like they do. But I definitely have started reading books I probably wouldn't have when I was younger. These would include books that previously scared me off, specifically horror or romance novels. Though I still read on the tame end, I'm sure. My husband is a die-hard Stephen King fan and finally broke down a couple of years ago and shoved a copy of It into my hands, begging me to read it. I took a deep breath and dove in and what a book. I was unprepared for how much I would love those seven kids and the wonderful writing. I'm so glad to have the book blogging community to tell me what I'm missing out on and to egg me on to try new things and fall in love with new characters and new words and add them to my beloved bookshelf.

4. This is a totally subjective question. What elements do you look for in a book? What makes a book a "good read"?

Two things: I connect with at least one character. And the words are right. And you're correct--it's utterly subjective. The characters I connect with and the words I love are not necessarily the same ones for anyone else. Whether or not the words are right is  a matter of my own taste and aesthetic criteria. My reasons will perhaps not be the same as others'. Occasionally I will connect with a character, but the narrative doesn't do her or him justice, and the book and I don't click. And it has happened that the prose is beautiful but the characters are empty for me, so the book and I don't click. But when those two elements meet--the results are sublime and I will read it through to the very end. Every time. 

5. What book has most influenced the way you see life and your role in it?

My life has been broadly influenced by all kinds of literature. But when I think of the novel that has most influenced the way I see life, I have to go with Middlemarch by George Eliot. It's difficult to overstate the effect it had on me when I read it in grad school. I still remember my throat tightening with emotion and wonder at the way she was able to capture the human experience in such quiet, crystalline moments. It changed me, brought focus to my academic pursuits, and is one of the books of my life. 

6. Other than reading, what do you do for fun? Are you a adventure seeker or do you like something a little closer to home?

I love good food, good music, and traveling to new places. Preferably all three together. 

7. I love the idea of your Retro Friday meme.  I'm a huge fan of older books and I try to read as many as I can.  What made you start the meme?  Was there an older book that you feel in love with that got you hooked on the idea of reading older books instead of the constant stream of new ones?

Thanks! I was looking for a weekly meme to start up on the blog, and I kept coming back to the fact that I spend a huge chunk of time re-reading old favorites when I could be reading newly published works. But I wouldn't want it any other way. In fact, I don't think I could stop it if I tried. I'm baffled by people who don't re-read. How can they not long to go back and spend time inside their favorite stories again? And so I thought, hey, why not review some of the old ones on a regular basis? Maybe it will spark some interest in some under-the-radar books. Maybe I'll even get to talk about them with others who've read and loved them, too. That's how Retro Fridays was born.

8. What are some little known facts about yourself?

Ha! Well, here's one little known (and literary) fact about me. In lieu of having the birds and the bees talk, my mother decided to hand me a copy of Lady Chatterley's Lover and call it good. And, honestly? After reading that book, I had no questions left. 

Thanks for having me!

If you are even a little bit curious, head on over to Angieville to read my answers to her questions.