Saturday Evening Ramblings

I cleared out the apron of my driveway this morning. That's always such a nightmare of a job since the city comes by and plows all the yuck from the road...snow, ice, salt...into the apron. And I'm really running out of places to put the snow. In the eight years I've lived in my house, I've not had to shovel this much ever! And we still have to get through February and maybe March. My dad, bless his heart, came over and cleared my sidewalks with his snow blower. Typically I have the "God put it there, God can take it away"mentality when it comes to snow, but God -or Mother Nature - is having a great laugh at my expense this year! My dad said their saying maybe another big hit on Monday? I sure hope not!

I've been remiss in discussing my attendance at Frost/Nixon. I have season tickets to the "Broadway Series" here in Cleveland at the Cleveland Playhouse Theater. Each season has one play in with the musicals. This year's play was Frost/Nixon, and Corey asked me to talk about it. First of all, the acting was fantastic. Stacey Keach did an extraordinary job as Nixon...at least as far as my knowledge can appraise. The music made me laugh. I kept thinking an episode of Charlies' Angels was going to pop up on the video screens. But, it's apropos! Having been born in 1974, I felt a little in the dark. I wanted to have more background to better understand the play. I realized at that point that my history courses in school didn't really ever make it to the Nixon era. All in all, it was a top-notch play. I highly recommend seeing it if you have the opportunity.

Anyway, let's talk books. I was reading this article from the New York Times. It's a rather interesting article. My niece and nephew don't really access books online, so I don't have much to compare it to, but I do know that reading is a snuggly time for us when we read. My nephew likes to either cuddle up right next to me or sit on my lap. And at bedtime with both of them, we hunker down on the bed and share stories. And it's so essential. That's the first step in making reading a fun, special experience in a person's life. Plus, it's fun for ME, too!

Corey, at The Drowning Machine put this next topic in my head a couple days ago and I haven't been able to get it out, so I'm going to talk about it here and put it in YOUR brains as well! He was reading Declan Burke's blog post (do you think this will ultimately make the blog rounds even though it isn't a meme?) about what you would re-read if you knew you were going to die:

For simplicity’s sake I’ve kept it to one book per author, and the idea is that the last book on your list is the book you’d most like to die reading, if you had to die reading.

To wit:A long, long time in the future, in a galaxy far away, the doctor says, “Sorry, but you’ve only got a month to live.” What ten books would you re-read in your last month?

What immediately came to mind for me was Pride and Prejudice and To Kill a Mockingbird. I know those would definitely be on my list. I commented to Corey that I would pick books that made me laugh or made me feel good when I read them, but as I contemplated it more and more I wasn't so sure. I started to think I wanted to reread books that were monumental to me, had some kind of real impact on me, and those weren't necessarily the ones that made me laugh (i.e., A Prayer for Owen Meany - o.k. many parts made me laugh, but the conclusion wasn't an "everyone feels great" kind of book). But, you know, the ones that really "getcha" when you've turned the last page. Pat Conroy's Lords of Discipline fits in that category as well. I've since added Mind Scrambler to my list. I think I want to be buried with that one actually; if there's any chance of taking something with me to the next life, that's what I want to take. In my living room, I don't keep very many books, but I have a small shelf of books and it is filled with Shel Silverstein's poetry and short stories, plus my Dog-Ear Mutts collection - those are the books I choose to display for all my visitors. I'd definitely need a Shel Silverstein book on my list. And I think I'd have to have The Mouse and the Motorcycle on my list. When I think back on my childhood, that's one of the very first books I ever REALLY LOVED. So, I'd definitely re-read that one.

So, at this point my list DEFINITELY includes these books:

1. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
2. To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
3. Mind Scrambler (Chris Grabenstein)
4. Where the Sidewalk Ends (Shel Silverstein)
5. The Mouse and the Motorcycle (Beverly Cleary)

I'm still contemplating the John Irving and Pat Conroy - and Ken Kesey. I, like Corey, would probably also need to have a Charles Dickens on my list. He was hugely influential in my love of reading and English literature. As a matter of fact, in our book club meeting the other night, since we had read a time travel book, someone asked where we would want to go if we could time travel. My immediately thought was Victorian England, I want to meet Charles Dickens (plus, I figured if I timed it right I could jet over and meet Mark Twain at the same time!). But, the reason I hesitate to put a book on my list just yet is that there are still a few of Dickens' books I want to read, so that title may change. At this point, it would probably be A Tale of Two Cities, but Oliver Twist would be a contender, too.

By now you can probably see why I've been contemplating it for several days. I over-analyze, I know. But, now it's YOUR turn! What would you read if you had a month left?

Fault Line - Barry Eisler

Just when attorney Alex Treven is about to close a big patent deal for an encryption program, the software designer is murdered and the individual in the patent office reviewing the patent dies mysteriously. Alex begins to think he may be the next target. Is he just being paranoid or is there a conspiracy? To be on the safe side, he contacts his estranged brother Ben, who unbeknownst to Alex is a trained assassin for the U.S. government. When Ben reluctantly comes to Alex's aid, old family wounds are re-opened and new ones emerge.

Fault Line is my first novel by Barry Eisler; I am not familiar with his John Rain series. Fault Line is an entertaining novel with a dark setting and themes, but there was nothing about it that "wow'ed" me. The plot was focused and tight, so the action moved fairly quickly but was predictable.

The characters struck me as being flat and stereotypical. There was no point that I felt any real connections with the characters. And at several points in the novel, I was waiting for Ben to beat on his chest and yell, "me Tarzan; you Jane." Both brothers also struck me as extremely egocentric.

The blurb on the back cover from the Chicago Sun-Times says that "Eisler is one of the most talented and literary writers in the thriller genre." So, I was waiting for the "literary" element to come into play, but I didn't ever experience anything in this novel that would make me classify it as a literary thriller.

I felt the strongest element of the novel was a look at the ethics of the government assassin, but in the whole scheme of the novel, that theme didn't seem to play as big of a role as maybe it could have.

I would probably place this book in the category of a good beach read.

Fault Line will be released by Ballantine Books in March of 2009.

A Polygamist? Who Me?

Today I'm stealing ideas from the Read Street blog over in Baltimore. They reported on this Publisher's Weekly article about the type of reader relationships you have.

Alison Morris says she's identified these three types of polygamist readers:

1. The Whimsical Polygamist: you dip in and out of multiple books at once -- whichever strikes your fancy or fits your whim anytime, anyplace.
2. The Placebound Polygamist: you read multiple books simultaneously but each in its own locale -- say, you've always got one book you're reading at home, one you reserve for your workplace lunch break, and another that's the sole domain of your subway ride.
3. The Noncompetitive Polygamist: at any one time you are reading one fiction book and one non-fiction book, or some similar combination of multiple books that does not involve reading two books of the same type at the same time.


I guess if we're being technical I have to admit to being a polygamist, BUT...at the same time, I could say I'm a monogamous READER and a polygamist LISTENER (which is essentially what Morris says she is). I typically will only ever have one book that I'm reading at a given time. But when you throw audio books into the mix, I always have one in my car and then usually I am also listening to one either on my stereo, on my mp3 player or both. The exception to this is, like Dave Rosenthal over at Read Street, I had to read multiple books while I was in college. I usually didn't take more than two lit classes in any one semester, but it still amounted to a lot of reading.

All in all, I like to really digest my books. I'm often conversing with the characters in my head when I'm not in the midst of the book, so it would start to be too confusing if I had too many characters floating around at the same time. And I wouldn't be able to put as much thought into what was going on, how the characters were developing and how everything connected. As Trish over at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'? has recently pointed out, it's the introvert in me.

Plus, I'm a slow reader. I have the endurance, but golly am I slow. So if I had two books going at the same time, it would seem like forever for me to accomplish anything reading. You'd be waiting a month for ONE review!

So what about you? What kind of reading relationships do YOU have?

Authors on the Web

Happy Chinese New Year everyone. I learned today that I was born in the year of the tiger. The tiger's horoscope isn't great for 2009, but it isn't horrible either. I guess it's kind of like the state of the economy right now, I just have to hang on and weather what comes this year, huh?

The New York Times reviewed John Grisham's new book, which I will probably at some point read. The review makes it sound like it's good Grisham, but already-done Grisham. So, it isn't really high on the priority list.

So, I was reading this article today; yes, I'm a bit behind. The story of my life. Anyway, I was reading this article and wondering what folks thought about all the technology that is starting to be associated with books: the websites, blogs, book trailers, etc. I have to say that, personally, book trailers don't do a whole heck of a lot for me. Now, on the other hand, short movies that tell me a little more about the author or about the world of the character, those I like. For example, Linda Fairstein has done a couple movies now and she herself has taken the viewer on a little sight-seeing expedition of the settings in her Alex Cooper novels. I enjoyed that. Likewise, Robert Crais has also taken folks on a tour of Elvis Cole's LA, and he's done short interview-type movies where we learn a little more about him. But the trailers that have "actors" representing the characters. I don't care so much for those. It's kind of like having a movie spoil your imagination's creations. Know what I mean? For me the trailer is the book jacket...or maybe a sneak peak at Chapter 1.

Now, websites and blogs, those I enjoy. I like learning more about the authors I read. I use the sites for reference, especially when I'm trying to figure out the order of books in a series. If I hear about an author from someone, I'll usually go look up his/her website. I also use the authors' sites to find out about their book releases, book tours, etc. And before someone says it, I'm merely a fan, not a stalker! ;)

But all in all, this technology is just another sign that the face of publishing as we know it is changing, evolving. Time had an article about just that thing. I guess it's inevitable, and we'll always try to fight change in one way or another - we humans are stubborn like that. I think as long as I'm alive there will still be good old fashioned books, which I'm grateful for. But eventually, it won't be the standard anymore, just like oral story telling still exists but it isn't the standard - at least not in our culture.

But, I digress, let's put the idea of ebooks and whatnot aside, what do YOU think about the book trailers and author websites and blogs? Any that you really like and would recommend people check out? Any really unique elements that you absolutely love? I have to say one of my favorite things are Craig Johnson's "post-its." Instead of a formal newsletter, Craig sends little "post-its" to your e-mail with updates and the most WONDERFUL anecdotes. Absolutely love it! And I love to follow Alafair's blog. She has great stuff to share, especially about her dog, Duffer! And Thomas Holland just has fun pictures at his site. They're hilarious. I love his sense of humor!

So, share with us. Let us know where the cool sites are! Happy Reading - in your books and on the web!

More Creativity from Hallinan

Tim Hallinan has this week's guest blogger, J.T. Ellison, up early. It's a fascinating post on creativity, I'd highly recommend checking it out. I love the analogy with asking for directions.

I'm embarrassed to say Ellison's books have been sitting in my TBR pile, I just haven't made it there yet. I plan to, though. I even have the first one on the "high-priority" shelf - along with about two dozen others.

Isn't it a wonderful problem to have so much wonderful stuff to read?

The Redbreast - Jo Nesbø

When Norway's crime squad wants to quietly remove Harry Hole from the public's - and especially the press's eye - they promote him to investigator with the POT (Security Service) to essentially push paper around. In the process of pushing this paper around, Harry finds himself assigned to watch a neo-Nazi who escaped prison on a legal technicality and that assignment leads Harry into a serial murder case that has ties to World War II Nazis.

Jo Nesbø's The Redbreast is a complex novel involving two plots - one present-day Oslo, Norway, one World War II Eastern Front - that creatively swerve around, over and under each other for about 400 pages and then collide to create a spectacular conclusion. Each time the plots come close to each other, the reader moves a little closer to understanding the outcome, to solving the case. And THEN the plots twist. Right up to the end Nesbø is throwing twist after twist into the fold, which keeps the pace quick and the action sharp. This is a long book in page numbers, but those pages almost turn themselves. And don't get lazy reading this one; there are no lulls or unimportant parts.

The characters who inhabit this novel are rich and multi-dimensional. I've heard many people complaining about the cliché alcoholic cop. Harry Hole is a recovering alcoholic, but he doesn't fit any of the clichés. His relationships with others is probably what builds his character the most. When he leaves the crime squad, he is also leaving his partner and confidant, Ellen. Harry's relationship with his sister also helps to define him. He isn't a rebel or a maverick, and while he, at times, is on the outside looking in, he actually wants to belong. He desperately wants that light on his answerphone to be lit up when he comes home.

One of the elements I found most stunning about this novel were the various parallels of man to nature. The body of the novel presents various elements of nature, but the bookends are references to birds. Ellen presents the dilemma of the redbreast early in the novel:

'It's a rare bird, the redbreast...Ninety per cent of them migrate south. A few take the risk, as it were, and stay here...the ones that stay do so in the hope that it will be a mild winter, right? That may be OK, but if they're wrong, they die. So why not head south, just in case, you might be wondering. Are they just lazy, the birds that stay?...if it's a mild winter, they can choose the best nesting places before the others return...It's a calculated risk, you see. You're either laughing all over your face or you're in deep, deep shit. Whether to take the risk or not. If you take the gamble, you may fall off the twig frozen stiff one night and not thaw out till spring. Bottle it and you might not have anywhere to nest when you return. These are, as it were, the eternal dilemmas you're confronted with.'

And the book ends with a look at the wagtail:

A bird strutted in front of them, wagged its tail, pecked at the grass and kept a watchful eye open.

'Wagtail,' Harry said. 'Motacilla alba. Cautious chap...Our Small Birds...I read in the bird book I mentioned that no one knows why wagtails wag their tails when they stand still. It's a mystery. The only thing we know is that they can't stop...'

The imagery these two analogies present is stunning, and their purposes multi-faceted. They obviously are presenting themes in the novel but they also work to create foreshadowing. The novel ends on bit of a mysterious note, one that makes the reader suspect that we haven't heard the last of Harry Hole. And that's a good thing in my opinion.

Last Car to Elysian Fields - James Lee Burke

Last Car to Elysian Fields is the thirteenth book in James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux series. In this installment, Dave is on his own. Alafair has gone off to school and his third wife, Bootsy has died. When his friend Father Jimmie Dolan is threatened because his actions are making the wrong people angry, Dave tries to throw some interference.

Dave also begins to look into the mysterious disappearance of a old blues singer, Junior Crudup, who went into Angola prison but never came out, nor did he die according to any prison records. And between these two story lines, Dave ends up face-to-face with an IRA assassin, kidnapped, and suspended.

Many series will be stale by book thirteen, but James Lee Burke somehow manages to keep Dave and Clete from ever becoming old or cliche. I listened to this book on audio read by Mark Hammer, and as I've mentioned before I do not think there is a better match of reader and book. Experiencing a Dave Robicheaux novel read by Mark Hammer is something every crime fiction fan should indulge in at some time, even if you're one of those people who believe you don't like listening to audio books. This is a purely magical experience. Hammer's gritty sound coupled with his seemingly natural ability to nail all the dialects is amazing in and of itself. But when you couple it with his interpretation of Burke's words and themes, the experience becomes heavenly. In this book alone, Hammer has the regular southern dialect of the main characters but he also seamlessly alternates to a thick Irish brogue and an Italian mobster accent. A "failure to communicate" is a common occurrence in Dave Robicheaux novels, as the reader will find through the repetition of the single word "what?" Through Hammer's voice, you can hear confusion from this word, you can hear frustration, you might hear anger. But that simple word is the best example of how Hammer interprets the novel, he NEVER just reads the novel.

Burke, of course, is well-known for his distinct talent at developing setting, the Louisiana bayou setting. But his characters are also exquisitely developed in each novel. One of the elements of his writing that keeps me coming back time after time is the uncanny way Burke evokes both loathing and sympathy from me for almost every character. He can create a revolting antagonist, but there will be some point in the book where I feel sorry for the poor sap. It never fails. And I end up asking myself, "why do you feel sorry for this guy?" And then my brain is in overdrive, and I devour books that ignite that process inside me. The books that make you look beyond the black and white and see all the gray that's really there. Dave Robicheaux, Burke's protagonist, is not always a likable character. And Burke challenges his readers to reach deep down inside and make a connection with this man. I think this particular book points that challenge out rather explicitly through the character of Castille LeJeune who repeatedly tells Dave that the meaning of his literal words is eluding LeJeune.

Clete Purcel is one of my favorite characters in crime fiction, but I don't think I'd ever want to know him in reality. I sure wouldn't want to get on his bad side. But what reader can resist Clete's witticisms? Or his undying devotion to Dave? And Helen Soileau's sarcasm is equally entertaining. These two characters do a lot to lighten the heaviness of Burke's tone.

James Lee Burke manages to do what few authors can, he manages to make me believe that each book I read is better than the one before it. That is an amazing accomplishment!

Michael Stanley Pays Tribute to Poe

So, I was tickled to find out today that the Baltimore Sun would like to print a comment I left on their Read Street blog in the paper on Sunday. They asked folks to comment on what Barack Obama's inauguration means to them. They made a note that they were looking to publish some of the comments, but I wasn't really expecting for that to happen, I simply wanted to leave my thoughts on the subject since it is important to me. Then when Dave Rosenthal contacted me today, I was taken aback. I think more than anything I am elated that my thoughts on this monumental event will be recorded somewhere in history.

AND THEN, I made another Twitter botch - I tweeted, "I'm ticked that the Baltimore Sun wants to print my comments about our new president." Yeah! Way to go, Jen! Amazing how much a simple typo like that can change the whole meaning of a statement, huh? So, I corrected myself. I'm tickled...tickled...tickled. Thank you Read Street and the Baltimore Sun!

I also have to share with you that Read Street is recognizing Poe's birthday this week. And in recognition they have several people guest blogging, including Michael Sears and Stan Trollip - you know the writing team of Michael Stanley (too cool). You can go here to check it out. I'm giving you the main link because there are several guest bloggers you can check out, but also sandwiched in between is a post on the Inauguration Poem. Their post is much kinder than mine, so I wanted to provide you with that viewpoint as well. Just because I didn't care for it doesn't mean that everyone didn't or that there's anything wrong with the poem. It just didn't strike that "right chord" with me. They also brought up a point that I wondered about personally. They mentioned that she had the toughest time slot...right behind Obama's speech. Would I maybe have liked the poem more had it not followed the emotional, dramatic, powerful speech of my new president? I'll have to go back and check the poem out again later. Maybe my view of it will be different if I read it and it isn't following such a magnificent speech.

I'll leave you tonight with this link. It is a book trailer for a children's book called Change Has Come. It looks like it is a beautiful book; I just wonder why they didn't wait until after the inauguration to put it together. Regardless, enjoy!

Off and Twittering

So, I'm still on a high from yesterday's inauguration. Even the Chief Justice's botch couldn't bring me down. I thought the musical contributions were fantastic. The poem, o.k. I think I was expecting something more, though. And maybe it was simply her reading. Anyone else not particularly care for her reading?

Anyway, it was a wonderful day, and I so appreciate my employer. They had the broadcast set up in our large meeting room for people to be able to watch. Very classy!

I'm up and twittering now...or is it tweeting? This lingo is a bit beyond me yet. I've made silly goofs, like sending a "tweet" to everyone when I meant to send it to one person...or sending a "tweet" twice because I didn't see it add to my list. Silly stuff. But, I'm starting to get the hang of things. I've downloaded the "TweetDeck" so I don't have to have Twitter open in my browser all the time. That's rather nice.

So, if you'd like to keep up with my little tidbits on Twitter, you can find me at

http://twitter.com/jenforbus

More importantly, though, if you twitter, let me know. The last few times I tried the "find friends" option on Twitter, it wasn't working. I don't know if you're out there. Authors, are you keeping folks apprised of what you're doing on Twitter? Please let me know where you are so I can stay up to date.

In the meantime, I'll try to minimize my silly goofs!

And I want to leave you with this awesome quote that was in Shelf Awareness yesterday. I think with the new president's inaugural address, this is befitting:

"Well, I own a bookstore, and when kids come into contact with books, I see them loving them. But I think we have to be a little more passionate about getting books to children--which includes putting books in our own hands. I see a lot of parents not reading, but instead spending hours and hours on computers. It sends a strong message to kids that books are not important. The book is still the best transportation device to take us through time, to new worlds and ideas. Once you've tasted it, it's hard to give it up. I think we just need to give kids more opportunities to taste it."--Peter H. Reynolds, children's author and illustrator, co-owner of the Blue Bunny bookstore, Dedham, Mass., and co-founder of educational media firm FableVision, in a Boston Globe interview.

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Happy Reading!

Must Read Novels

O.k., so I always read these lists, but I never really like them...those "books everyone must read before they die" lists. One of the main reasons I don't ever like these lists is because for some Godforsaken reason Ulysses ALWAYS ends up on the list. If I were making a list of books I think people should stay far, far away from, Ulysses would be at the top of the list followed immediately by Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man. Now granted, I had to read it for a class in college and the professor was so incredibly horrible that I dreaded going to class - only lit class I ever dreaded. But even if I hadn't had that bad experience I still would not have liked the book - I think Joyce is cut out more for the "ole boys network." The point of all this rambling is that reading is a personal experience. And what I should read before I die isn't necessarily the same thing that EVERY person should read before they die. I think the idea is ludicrous. However, I still end up reading the lists. Here is one from The Guardian. I looked at the section that highlighted Crime Fiction - there's three parts to it. It's actually kind of interesting to look at; they try to span all sub-genres of crime fiction. There are a handful on the list I've read, but far more that I haven't. Some, I have no interest in ever reading (Stephen King), some I've had on my TBR list now for awhile (Raymond Chandler). I was kind of surprised not to see any Ross Macdonald...maybe I overlooked him. I also didn't notice any Conan Doyle; kind of strange. Mark Twain and William Faulker appear but Edgar Allen Poe does not. Again, a little odd. Of course I have a personal bias for Robert Crais and believe L.A. Requiem should be on any list of crime fiction, but that's my "personal experience." I was, however, a little shocked not to see Robert Parker on the list. And again, my personal experience coming in to play here, I think James Lee Burke is one of the greatest living American writers, period, so I would definitely have him on my list of recommended crime fiction reading.

But again, I don't think any one list suits every person. So, I thought maybe you all could help me to build MY list. You've been reading my reviews, and getting an idea of what I appreciate and what I'm not so thrilled with. What would YOU recommend I put on my list and why do you think I'd find it worthwhile to read before I die? I'll try to put together a list of 100 that I need to read before I die.

Alright, you're turn...tell me what you think!

Blogiversary Winners!

I'm very excited to announce the three winners for the blogiversary book giveaways.

The copy of A Carrion Death will go to Steve Weems from Arkansas.

The first copy of Tilt-A-Whirl will go to Peter Guzzo from Ohio.

And the lucky winner of the signed copy of Tilt-A-Whirl goes to Deidre Durance from Georgia.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered. Congrats to all the winners!! Here's to another fun year of books. Thank you for sharing books with me!!

Time and Again - Jack Finney

Jack Finney's Time and Again is a science fiction novel originally published in 1970. The book's protagonist, Simon Morley, is invited to be part of a "top secret" government experiment. He cannot be told what the experiment entails unless he agrees to partake in it, but agreeing to the experiment means giving up his present job, home, life, etc, for an indefinite amount of time.

Simon agrees to be part of the experiment, which turns out to be time travel. The first part of the project involves being immersed in the culture of the time "Si" is going to visit. He needs to be aware of what exists in this time and what doesn't, what types of clothes people wore, what books and newspapers they read, etc. Once he has completed this phase then he is ready for actual transport to New York City in 1882.

I have to admit up front on this review that I have never been a fan of fantasy fiction. In many ways you can call me a "doubting Thomas" because I have problems with plots that expect you to just "believe." I tend to be very logical and scientific in my thinking, so I require rational explanation in order to "buy in" to the concept of time travel. Time and Again's plot, however, requires the reader to just "believe."

Simon's character is directed to "observe, don't interfere" when he travels back in time. And he regularly reminds himself of this, yet so many of his actions I would classify as "interference" and I couldn't understand how he felt he was justifying his behaviors.

And at one point in the novel, the scientists indicate that another participant's time travel resulted in a man not being born. However, they felt this was inconsequential as the man was inconsequential. I found that extremely bothersome. I was also a bit doubtful about their approach to confirming that the time travel trips didn't alter history, but again, the novel is expecting the reader to simply "believe."

I did find Finney's treatment of the scientist group very interesting. They initially start out with the goal of just observing. But as they achieve success with each trip, they want to push the envelope to see how far they can go with the experiment. And this of course calls into question ethical boundaries.

Simon is a likable character, and the plot includes a minor mystery that Simon finds himself wrapped up in during his trips to 1882. And the element I enjoyed the most about the novel was its historical look at New York City in 1882. The book is definitely not without merit. But for this "doubting Thomas" there was too much I just had to "believe" and too much I questioned to make it a real winner.

My One Resolution Word

So, I decided on my resolution. Corey from The Drowning Machine and Michael from Lazy Thoughts from a Boomer both gave me great ideas for my resolution word. Thank you both for your talent...and compliments! I decided I want this to be a year of action, so I'm go to choose a verb, and ENDEAVOR is going to be my word.

endeavor (as a verb) 1. to exert oneself to do or effect something; make an effort; strive 2. to attempt earnestly; try.

However, because I'm wordy...I can't ever really do anything with one word, just call me verbose...I want to develop my endeavors....so let's make an acrostic and start out with ENDURANCE because by golly, it's going to take endurance for me to endeavor...thank you very much, gentlemen!

E..ndurance
N..ew
D..istinctive
E..volution
A..esthetic
V..ibrant
O..riginal
R..isky?

Risky? Me? That might be a challenge for me, but I'm going to make an earnest attempt! ;) Oh lord, I think I'm getting a big head!

O.k., so I'll put my little acrostic over in my side bar and when I start to get dull and boring in '09 just remind me of my resolution!

And now I'll remind YOU that you have two more days to enter the drawings for one of two copies of Tilt-a-Whirl or a copy of A Carrion Death. So don't delay on that if you're interested in winning.

I'd also like to let you know that Alafair is recruiting some help. She ran into a conflict with her book title and needs to come up with a new one. Stop over to her blog and offer a suggestion if you have one!

Linda Fairstein has a new look on her blog and with her new look is a new contest where you can win a copy of Lethal Legacy (which I reviewed last week). You just need to share with her your favorite things about libraries.

As for me, I'm off to check out a link that Michael left for me so I can figure out this Twitter thing. I'm going to endeavor to be risky and try something new for my blog...this Twitter! :) Have a great weekend; if you're up north by us, stay warm!

Happy Reading!

Edgar Award Nominees

A big congratulations to all the Edgar Award nominees. I feel at a loss because aside from T. Jefferson Parker's short story from The Blue Religion, I've read nothing on the entire list - which is surprising because I read some phenomenal books this past year. Well, I guess I can't offer much commentary on the nominees and their works, but congrats to them nonetheless!

twying to twitter...

Hi all! Wanted to let you know that I'm going to try out this Twitter thing. You can find me here:

http://twitter.com/jenforbus

if you'd like to follow. I'm still learning the ins and outs, so be patient while I do silly things! :)

Contest Reminder

Just a quick reminder to get your entries in for the blogiversary celebration book give-away. Don't miss out on a chance to win one of TWO copies of Chris Grabenstein's Tilt-A-Whirl...with one lucky winner receiving a SIGNED copy...and one copy of Michael Stanley's A Carrion Death! Both excellent crime fiction, both series debuts. You have until this Sunday to get your entries in!

I'll be back tomorrow to reveal my final decision on the resolution word for 2009 - provided I don't freeze between now and then!

Stay warm and happy reading!

Life's Simple Pleasures

When I get home from work and I'm basically plowed OUT of my driveway - the city has plowed the crap into the apron of my driveway so I can't pull in - it usually puts me in a rather foul mood. So, I had to shovel this evening. Which in the whole scheme of things probably isn't all that bad. They are calling for more snow tonight, so maybe this shoveling will prevent me from having to shovel before work tomorrow. I hope so anyway.

But, the real reason I'm talking about the shoveling foul mood is because in times like this, I remind myself of life's simple pleasures: a mug of hot chocolate, reading on my porch swing on a summer day, snuggling with my furry friends, a card or letter in my mailbox (not bills or junk mail), waking up naturally instead of to a jolting alarm, fishy kisses with my nephew, reading stories with my niece...these are all things that make me smile and appreciate.

Something else that I truly appreciate is listening to one of James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux novels read by Mark Hammer. I have listened to quite a few audio books now and these are far and away my favorites. The poetry of Burke's writing coupled with the gritty sound of Hammer's dead-on dialect causes a feast for the senses. Right now I'm listening to Last Car to Elysian Fields. Driving the last few days has been pretty nasty around here, but having this audio book has just had the most calming effect. I climb in my car and turn on the ignition and feel like I'm transported to another place and time. It is truly one of life's simple pleasures.

I'm sad that the readings won't continue since Mark Hammer passed away almost two years ago now. But, I'm thankful for the legacy he left behind in these recordings. I'm going to be keeping my eyes open in the off chance one should possibly show up in a used book store. Not especially likely, but stranger things have happened. These are books I would luxuriate in no matter how many times I listened to them. Life's simple pleasures.

Good Newwws...

Good Newwws, little fat buddy. Oops, sorry. Little 80s moment there. But, you know how Roscoe was always so excited to tell Boss Hogg his "good newwwws"? Well, that's the kind of excitement I have right now!

This morning I received an e-mail from Chris Grabenstein who so generously contributed another book to the giveaway! He's contributing a hardcover, first addition Tilt-A-Whirl that he will sign for the winner! Let me borrow from my friends Mary and Tom Holland and say, "bless his heart!" How wonderful is that?

So, that means now we'll have THREE winners to celebrate the blogiversary! Pass the word; get those entries in! And thank you, Chris, for your generosity! It makes this blogiversary extra, extra special!

In other good news, if you haven't read this article from the New York Times, it's an uplifting article and hopefully not just a statistical blip. And this article points out a big thing for me now that I have my young nephew, Ryan. It is so important for adult males to be reading and setting the example for young males. They need great role models in this. They need to see that reading is cool, it's empowering. My nephew sees his father and his "papa" (both of whom he idolizes) reading regularly and he so loves his story times. That's the example we need to set for our young people. It excites me that our President-elect is a reader and attention has already been called to that fact.

Let's read everybody!

Giveaways to Celebrate a Blogiversary!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday dear Jen's Book Thoughts

Happy Birthday to you!

Yes, it's been exactly one year today since all the fun started! Now, many books and almost 5,000 hits later, here we are! So, let's celebrate. Only with this celebration, we're giving gifts to YOU!

I have a hardcover copy of Chris Grabenstein's Tilt-A-Whirl and a hardcover copy of Michael Stanley's A Carrion Death to give away. Both of these books were in my favorite reads list for 2008, and I'd like to share them with you in celebration of this blogiversary.

Both books are the series debuts. Tilt-A-Whirl is the first book of the John Ceepak series (my review). Book number five, Mind Scrambler, is going to be released this June. A Carrion Death is the first book in the Kubu Bengu series (my review). Book number two, The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu, will also be released this June (in the U.S.).

So, what do you do if you'd like to win one of these books? Well you get your name put in the drawing, that's how. If you are interested in Tilt-A-Whirl, send me an e-mail here, with "Tilt-A-Whirl" in the subject line. Include your snail mail address in the e-mail (sorry, but only U.S. addresses will be eligible for the drawings). If you are interested in A Carrion Death, use the same e-mail address and put "A Carrion Death" in the subject line. If the e-mail link doesn't work, you can type it in with forbyone (at) yahoo (dot) com. You may enter both contests by sending two e-mails, but you will only be eligible to win one of the books.

If you would like to earn yourself an additional entry, you can post about this giveaway on your own blog and let me know. OR if you don't have a blog, you can send an e-mail to five or more friends telling them about the giveaway (make sure you cc: me on the e-mail).

I will take entries through January 19th and then announce the winners on January 20th.

This is my thanks to you for helping to make my blog such fun for me. I love your e-mails and comments - keep them coming. I look forward to breaking some new ground with you all in year two!

Happy Reading!

The Big Day is Tomorrow!

So, tomorrow is the 1st blogiversary for Jen's Book Thoughts. I was looking back at some of the early posts. Whoa! This blog has sure come a long way in one year! And hopefully, I'll look back next year and think the same thing! :)

But, to give you an early heads up, I'm having a special celebration tomorrow, so make sure you check back! It'll be fun!

In the mean time, you might want to mosey over to Tim Hallinan's blog. He's got the second post in his creativity series up today. It features Stephen Cohn, and boy could I relate with what he said about "Uncritical Outpouring"!

Or you can check out this article. Libraries just continue to be a positive energy! It's all about having the power of knowledge, and what better place to find it than in the library?

Happy Reading!

A Dangerous Affair - Caro Peacock

Caro Peacock's A Dangerous Affair is the follow-up to A Foreign Affair. Liberty Lane is adjusting to life on her own in Victorian England. Her father has died and her brother is away working for the East India Company. Liberty teaches music lessons to make her living, obviously not a well-to-do living. But, she is able to luxuriate in her morning rides on her beautiful horse Rancie, a final gift from her father. Even this joy she knows she will soon have to part with because she will not be able to afford Rancie much longer.

Daniel Suter is a close family friend. So when he is completely devastated by the arrest and conviction of his love, Jenny Jarvis, for a murder Liberty is convinced Jenny is innocent of, Liberty sets out to prove Jenny's innocence. But time is short. Liberty has about two weeks before they will hang Jenny from the gallows.

From page 1 of A Dangerous Affair, I felt as though I was stepping back into a Dickensian London. The novel opens in the jail cells of the Old Bailey with Daniel and Liberty having to pay off the gaoler to gain admittance to see Jenny following her trial and conviction. Daniel and Liberty obviously don't fit in, but they also appear to be of higher stature than they actually are, thus introducing a major theme of the novel: appearances.

The relationships of the characters in this novel have a hint of Dickens in them as well. There are of course the shallow characters focused solely on money and position; they were devoted to material possessions. But for those who valued the people in their lives more than money, there was completely selfless devotion; no false appearances. Sometimes an attempt at such devotion in characters can come across as forced, unbelievable, but Peacock's development of her characters made this devotion occur perfectly natural.

Liberty is a wonderful heroine. She's making the best of the situation she's been forced into by fate. She's a smart character and while she'll test the boundaries of propriety at times, she doesn't behave contradictory to society's mores. She does find them quite silly at times, but she isn't the rebel.

I have to say I was most taken with Amos Legge who works in the livery stable and takes Liberty out riding on Rancie. His position allows him to be "in the know" on all the gossip of London's wealthy. There is a slight mystery to Amos, but his devotion to Liberty is his most attractive quality. Another rather intriguing character is Lady Silverdale, a woman of wealth, but not deceiving appearances. Her devotion is to her family and her science. Lady Silverdale likes predictability, which science provides her, but her family deprives her of!

The depth and dimension of Peacock's characters makes Victorian London come alive on the pages. And her poetic language builds the stage on which they perform:

...my spirits sank at the solidity of the walls holding Jenny and the flimsiness of hope...the courthouse had been rebuilt in my grandfather's time - but it felt as bleak as if centuries of misery were climbing out of the ground and up its walls, like damp stains.

And perform they do. The plot is full of twists and turns, and I was definitely in the dark until almost the very end. Peacock gives the reader clues along the way, and you know they are clues, but how those clues fit together is the ultimate puzzle.

A Dangerous Affair is a romantic look at selfless relationships. I wasn't ready for A Dangerous Affair to end, but the conclusion led me to believe that this isn't the "end" for Liberty Lane. I'll be keeping my eyes open for this fascinating "problem solver" to resurface again in the future.

A Dangerous Affair will be released in the United States January 27, 2009, by Avon (an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers).

Blood Trail - C.J. Box

Blood Trail is the eighth book in C. J. Box's Joe Pickett series. In this adventure, someone is hunting elk hunters in Wyoming. The first couple killings appear to be hunting accidents, but when a man is hung and gutted like prey, the police, the state game warden, even the governor take an active role in finding this human hunter. And their first step in solving the heinous crimes is to call in Joe Pickett.

The stakes are raised in the investigation when an anti-hunting advocate, Klamath Moore, travels to Wyoming to make sure EVERYONE knows what is going on. Because of his stance on hunting, Klamath Moore becomes a prime suspect in the case. He may not be the shooter, but is he pulling the strings to make all of this happen and further his cause?

This was my first foray into C. J. Box's Joe Pickett series (and thus my first "new to me" author for 2009). I wasn't aware that Blood Trail was the most recently published book, it was simply the one I could borrow on audio book from my library. The audio book was read by David Chandler. I enjoyed his rich voice, but was a little less than impressed with his approach to the dialects of the characters.

The plot of Blood Trail may sit differently with different people depending on their own personal viewpoints of hunting. However, I found Box's approach to the subject quite impressive.

The plot contained several elements that I thought could have been cut. I didn't see the purpose in the small segment of Joe's daughter writing letters to "The Falconer." I continued to wait for it to play a role in the outcome of the plot, but it never did. And a female character, Stella, was evidently in a past storyline. She reappears in this novel, but doesn't seem to have any kind of significant role in this novel.

There are quite a few characters that sound as though they were prominent in previous books, so this is probably a series that is best read in order for the full effect. It did not, however, keep me from enjoying the book.

I like the character of Joe Pickett probably due largely to the fact that I admire his philosophy on many issues that were present in this novel: child rearing, city-living, hunting, etc. I also appreciated that he is an intelligent man, but not an Einstein. He can use his experience, his instincts, his knowledge but that doesn't mean he's going to have all the answers one hundred percent of the time. Joe is capable of compassion and empathy. He doesn't come across as a hardened, heartless character.

Usually when I listen to an audio book, exact quotes from the book don't stick with me. However, this book was an exception. Much like what it is describing, "musical peanut butter" will stay with me for a long time. Box uses this phrase to describe a song that sticks in your head and you can't seem to shake. This book was the first time I ever heard that concept named as such, and I laughed out loud in my car at how apropos the term was.

Overall, Blood Trail was an enjoyable reading experience. I'll definitely be looking into the other books in the Joe Pickett series.

Leather Pants?

I'll often check on my stats and look at what people are googling to bring them to me. Many times I've thought, "how did MY blog come up on a search for THAT?" But never have I reacted as incredulously as when I read this google search in my stats:

"What type of glue to use when heming leather pants."

Maybe it was the fact that hemming is spelled wrong? I decided to back track to figure out why. Here's the entry on Google that brought this surfer to me:

Jen's Book Thoughts: October 2008
And the idea of the leather pants, the orange fur coat...he definitely stands .... like the glue...keeping all the pieces together when times turn rough.
...jensbookthoughts.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html - 252k - Cached - Similar pages -

And here's the post that most of it comes from. It actually takes my October posts as a whole to amass leather, pants and glue. I was thankful I didn't have hemming misspelled somewhere!

So that all leads me to one more question. And note: I'm not ungrateful for anyone visiting my blog, maybe I can grab a new reader this way. But if you were looking for a way to hem leather pants, what exactly about that Google entry would entice you to click it?

Maybe what I should start doing is checking the topics that are most often Googled and somehow embed those words in my posts! ;)

The one thing I know for sure is that we won't be doing any sewing around here! I'm a crafty person, but the sewing machine and I never really managed to get along. So, I have no recommendations for glue to use when hemming leather pants. I'm sure the folks at JoAnn Fabrics could help you, though!

Happy Reading everyone!

Technology and the Book World

I tend to be a fan of technology. Very little intimidates me and I'm usually willing to try new things. I remember growing up and getting our very first VCR. I can't remember exactly how old I was, but I was the one programming the clock so it wouldn't blink 12:00 all the time. I think I remember hooking it up to the television as well. Even to this day, I'm often over at my parents' house showing them how to do something on the computer or fixing a new electronic device they bought.

In college I was all about the Internet and e-mail, and it was nothing like what we have today! When I taught I constantly looked for ways to integrate technology into my classes. I am a fan of technology.

I've mentioned before that I have nothing against the new e-readers that are coming out. If I could afford it, I might even have one myself. It'll never replace the print book for me, though. As long as they keep making them, I'll ALWAYS own and read print books.

BUT, here's the device that I don't think I'll ever use to read my books...the cell phone. It absolutely baffles me that people would want to read on their cell phones. When I first heard this I thought, "wow! They worked so hard to make phones small, are they going to start making them bigger again?" Now granted, I don't like using my phone for what it was originally created to do, so that doesn't help, but I still don't understand WHY? The biggest argument for using a cell phone to read seems to be that people don't want to have to carry around another device. Interesting logic. I think I'd make the sacrifice. After all, I don't know about all YOUR phones, but the screen on my phone wouldn't hold many visible words. I'd constantly have to be scrolling or something. And that's if I wanted to sit and stare at that little screen long enough to read anyway.

Here's another difference for me, though. The book would be at the top of the priority list of things to carry around. If I was going to cut something out, it would be leaving the PHONE behind. I refuse to be tied to the thing anyway.

I spend a lot of time on the computer for work; my job is to coordinate online learning opportunities. I then come home and spend time on my computer for my blog and to maintain e-mail. It is such a refreshing break from all those screens to just sit back with a book that has words printed on paper and not on a screen.

Who knows, maybe years from now someone will point at this post and say, "ha! Jen, you said you'd never read a book on your phone and now you do." However, I think I'll have to use the phone for what it was actually created for first...I'm the member of our family who used 2 - yes, I said 2 - "anytime minutes" in a full month. Heck, I don't have time for that thing! I'm too busy reading! ;)

Have a great weekend everyone! I may be snowed in here in NE Ohio, but I have plenty of excellent reading material, so all is good! Happy Reading to you!

Thursday's This and That

This is almost becoming a regular thing..."Thursday's This and That." But I have a few fun things to share with you. The first comes from a newsletter I received this morning from Michael Stanley. June 2nd will unveil the new Kubu novel here in the United States. This book will be called THE SECOND DEATH OF GOODLUCK TINUBU. Definitely looking forward to that release. There will be some more fun news about Kubu here on my blogiversary, so make sure you check back on Monday!

I read a daily e-mail called Shelf Awareness, and I discovered this blog through that. I found Tom Campbell's commentary pretty interesting. It was in response to this article from the New York Times. I have to agree with Tom on the end of selling books. It really isn't worth the trouble for me to try to sell books I don't want anymore online. I usually either give them away, take them to a used bookstore or sell them in a garage sale. Tom's post about people lying about what they read is pretty good as well. Can't say as I've lied about what I've read lately, though.

I'm checking fairly regularly over at the L.A. Times site. They are supposed to post the authors attending this year's book festival this month. Hopefully it will be soon. I can't wait to see.

And finally, a great post by Lesa about the importance of libraries in this economy. It's a great post for all non-librarians.

Have a wonderful Friday and happy reading!!

Your Library is Your Portrait

Yesterday I posted my review of Lethal Legacy by Linda Fairstein. Today I wanted to use something from that book as a post topic. In Chapter 24, Linda use a quote from Holbrook Jackson: "Your library is your portrait." Ironically, as Mike Chapman so acutely points out, the character who makes reference to this quote is the same one who owns the book made from dried human skin. This is why I love Linda Fairstein's work!

Anyway, I had to sit and ponder this quote - because I have a lot of time for pondering, you know! And I thought about the portrait I paint with the books I read. I think the books I read paint more of a portrait of the part of me that is locked inside...the part I've never wanted to let out. The part that wants to rebel. I've always been the "square." Remember Huey Lewis's song, "Hip to Be Square"? My theme song! I didn't break the rules - I still don't break the rules. I don't like confrontation, but I can work up a darned good argument in my head over issues I'm hot about! It's in there - the rebel is. I think that's why I'm critical of the weak female characters, the "damsels in distress." I gravitate toward the strong characters who make a statement. That's who I WANT to be! And I love the "outcast" characters, the ones who don't necessarily care what the "rights" and "wrongs" are according to the masses. Now, that's not to say I like the characters that seem to lack emotion. I like the characters who are willing to do what they believe is right despite common opinion - Joe Pike...Lincoln Perry...Win Lockhorn...Spenser...and especially John Ceepak. He's the one who people mock because he's the "square," but he does what he truly believes is right (hmmm, you know I'm reminded of someone else from literature who is like that - Atticus Finch?). And what draws me to Ceepak more than the others is that he doesn't have to break the rules to do what he believes is right - he gives me hope! Of course Ceepak is much better with confrontation than me, but I'm still working on it.

So, that's the crime fiction section of my library. We musn't forget the sappy romantic that is buried somewhere deep down inside there, too. Because on my shelves you will find George Eliot, Jane Austin, the Brontes, Dickens...no modern romance, though. I much prefer the classics...the white knights, the Mr. Darcys. *sigh*

And of course, there is the part of my portrait that includes my love of intelligent humor! The original American stand-up comedian - Mark Twain - fills my shelves. As does Ken Kesey and John Irving - well, select John Irving anyway. Nothing feels better than a good laugh. And many of my modern crime fiction favs also have a talent with intelligent humor.

The non-fiction on my shelves fills that nagging part of me that always feels the need to KNOW stuff. It doesn't even have to be earth-shattering stuff. I just like to LEARN!

I'm beginning to feel like my portrait is a Picasso abstract...



so many colors, so many layers, so many facets. It's a good thing there are so many different kinds of books.

So what does YOUR portrait look like?

Lethal Legacy - Linda Fairstein

Tina Barr, a conservator of rare books and maps, is discovered bound and drugged in her apartment with the suspect fleeing the scene in a fireman's gas mask. Assistant District Attorney Alex Cooper is called to the scene to discover if Tina was sexually assaulted in the attack. And when Tina refuses to cooperate and disappears, Alex is directed by District Attorney Paul Battaglia to find her. Alex does find Tina. She finds her dead in Bryant Park.

The search for Tina's murderer and the man who assaulted her in her apartment leads Alex, Mike and Mercer to the halls, tunnels, and secret rooms of the New York Public Library where they find "bibliomaniacs" willing to kill for their books. The only question is, "which one killed Tina?"

Reading a Linda Fairstein thriller is like taking an intimate look into a section of New York City. Every book focuses on an intriguing element of the city, and Fairstein takes you into the depths of that element to see it as you've never seen it before. Lethal Legacy is no different. In this Alex Cooper novel, Fairstein takes you not only in the New York City Library structure but into the history of the library as well. Being a bibliophile myself - not quite a cut-throat bibliomaniac, I don't think - I was absolutely mesmerized by this amazing institution. I finished the book feeling as though I'd not only been entertained but educated as well.

I was astounded to learn that books have been bound in human skin, anthropodermic binding. I had to look up some information on that subject after Wallace Mercer picked up Johan Krauss's inquest record that had been bound in the skin of the murderer from that very inquest. As Mike Chapman so acutely describes it, "It doesn't get much creepier than that."

I was also tickled to learn about Patience and Fortitude, to delve into the actual library history with the likes of John Jacob Astor and James Lenox. The entire institution is amazing and beautiful and in Lethal Legacy, quite deadly.

The characters in this series have always been among my favorites. In Lethal Legacy, a new character is introduced into the fold, one who would make a great addition to the regular crew. Shalik Samson is a twelve-year old street kid whose sarcasm and attitude fit perfectly with Mike Chapman's. And of course, Fairstein is true to form with the extensive, intriguing suspect list. As Mercer so aptly describes it:

"The whole damn crew is freaky...You got a sister-brother act that's as ugly as anything in Greek mythology, a too-nosy neighbor whose DNA winds up in an important piece of crime scene evidence, a one-armed guy who lives in the chapel of an old cancer hospital, a library executive who lied to Alex the first time they met, the most successful map thief n recent times now on parole, and a young turk with books bound in human skin who was so anxious to be wheels-up that -- "

Who knew a place as quiet and distinguished as a library could house enough murder and mayhem to be the perfect setting for a thriller novel? Linda Fairstein definitely outdid herself in Lethal Legacy. It was the perfect kick-off read for me in 2009. I highly recommend it!

Lethal Legacy will be released by Doubleday on Febrary 10, 2009, and is available now for pre-order.

The List is Long Already

I was over perusing the Amazon Top 100 list for 2008. Actually they have two - one is an editor's pick list and one is a buyer's pick list. I only looked at the top 28 in the editor's pick list and then thought I better stop before I end up overwhelming myself yet again. In the top 28, though, I was reminded that I still desperately want to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson). That one is pretty safe because I have a copy sitting on my high-priority shelf as I type. The other book I was reminded of was Lush Life (Richard Price). I don't have a copy of Lush Life. I added it to my "to read" shelf over at goodreads.com, but that shelf is getting a little overwhelmed, too. So much so, a lot of those books I forget about. Rarely do I have time to go back and go through the whole list to remember what I put on there. Every once and again when some time opens up in my audio book schedule, I go through the list and try to find some of the titles on audio book that my library has, but that's about the extent of my viewing of that shelf. So, I decided I'm going to make a list that will be my "hope to read in 2009" list. I'm sure that list will also grow out of control, but maybe I'll cap it. I'll cap it at 125. If I get to 125 and I want to add a book, I'll have to take something off. I don't know if that will work, but I'll surely give it a try. In the meantime, I'm off to finish book number one for 2009. Have a nice night and happy reading!

One Word?

Laura Lippman has a post over at her Memory Project blog called "The Return of the One-Word Resolution Challenge." She chose one word to summarize her year's resolution. In 2008 she had STRETCH and for 2009 she's choosing VENTURE. Great words, don't you think? Of course, that's probably why she's the award-winning author and I'm not. And blasted my book about the 100 Words That Make You Sound Great isn't in at the library yet! But, I think I'd like to have a word for my 2009 blog resolutions. Stretch or venture would both be great; however, I simply can't be a copycat. That's very poor taste.

Here are some of my thoughts and you all can give me feedback on what you think. I could use CELEBRATE because I do like to celebrate the books and authors and readers. I could also use GROW because I would like my celebrations to be the cause of growth for both me and my blog this year. EXPLORE - new opportunities for the blog, new opportunities for me, new authors, new books by authors I already know, new blogs and bloggers.

What do you think about these? Do you have some other ideas for me? Please share them! I want this to be a GREAT resolution word. I'll keep it up in the right column all year to remind me of my goal all year long.

On January 12th, JEN'S BOOK THOUGHTS will celebrate ONE year of blogging. Holy Cow! Has it really been that long? So, on the 12th, I'll announce what the chosen word will be for my year number two. Let the suggestions begin....

A Couple Finds to Share

I have a couple fun book-related finds to share today. First deals with one of my "must read" series - the Alex Cooper series by Linda Fairstein. For those who don't know, she has a new Alex Cooper novel set to release in February. Despite dealing with some rather rough road personally last year, she still managed to provide her fans with a new installment. What a woman!

I have learned a lot about the NYC geography and famous locales through Linda's books. When I visited NYC in 2006 there were several times we'd come across a building and I'd say, "oh, that was in Linda's book! I read about that place!"

Lethal Legacy (I'm reading it right now) deals with the NYC Public Library...what better setting could a bibliophile hope for? I'm having a blast learning about it through the book! Anyway, Linda put together this little video that talks about the library and its connection to Lethal Legacy. I enjoyed it and wanted to share it with you, too.



And in addition to that cool find today, I was sent a link to this blog that is written by Charlotte Hughes. Maybe some of you are more familiar with her. I hadn't heard of her before this, but I was laughing hysterically at some of the posts she has on her blog. The humor might be more appreciated by women than men, but it's still funny. Check it out if the desire so strikes you. I'll be adding her blog to the ones I follow regularly. I can use a regular laugh to lighten the day! I'm betting I'll also be adding one of her books to my TBR list.

I hope you had fun ringing in the New Year, and here's to a happy 2009!

Happy Reading!

Let's Wrap Up December

Alright, let's close the books on December so we can get this new year started! My reading was a little lighter with the holidays. I fit in eight books to finish off the year.

On audio book, I listened to:

Trip Wire (Lee Child)
Dirty Secrets Club (Meg Gardiner)
In a Strange City (Laura Lippman)
Thunder Bay (William Kent Krueger)

Physical books I read included:

Face of a Killer (Robin Burcell)
Deadly Appraisal (Jane Cleland)
Mind Scrambler (Chris Grabenstein)
Sunrise (Jacquelyn Cook)

And I'm digging in to some new books already for January. Hope you enjoyed your December reading and are looking forward to a great line-up of books for 2009.

Happy Reading!

Thunder Bay- William Kent Krueger

When Cork O'Connon is called to the bedside of his elderly friend Henry Meloux, it seems as though he may be dying. Henry wants Cork to find his son, a son he's never even seen. Henry, an Ojibwe medicine man, sense that he has a son and that his son needs him.

Henry gives Cork a woman's name, and soon Cork O'Connor finds himself headed to Canada to find a famous recluse by the name of Henry Wellington. People who are reclusive, don't want to be found, and neither did Henry Wellington. By the time Cork and Henry Meloux finish the journey of locating Wellington, Henry Meloux's story emerges.

I listened to Thunder Bay on audio book. It is the seventh book in the Cork O'Connor series. Normally I don't start at this point in a series, but I couldn't obtain any of the earlier books on audio from my library. The audio was read by Buck Schirner, and I enjoyed listening to it.

What I found with this book was that there wasn't anything in either extreme for me. There wasn't anything that stood out as magnificent and nothing that stood out as bad. It was simply an enjoyable book. I didn't make any great connections with any of the characters, but they were decent characters. I'm not sure if this is a case where I would have had more connection had I started reading earlier in the series.

I think the subplot with Cork's daughter probably could have been eliminated altogether. It seemed to be more of a distraction from the main plot than adding to it. The main plot tended to be a bit on the predictable side and this is definitely a slower plot. The action is not edge-of-your-seat-type action. I mean, we're dealing with a 90ish year old medicine man and his 70ish year old son here. Not a lot of speed at those ages.

I'll definitely follow up with this series, but it won't be one I have to read immediately.

Sunrise - Jacqueln Cook

Sunrise is the first book in a historical fiction trilogy. This first installment focuses on Anne and William Johnston from Macon, Georgia, starting in 1849 and moving through the Civil War and Reconstruction. Unlike many Southerners during this time, Johnston made his fortune in through the railroads and banking. He also played a significant role in the Confederate Treasury Department during the Civil War. Anne was a Cinderella character of sorts. Anne's mother died when she was young, her father when she was 19. And while her stepmother, also her aunt, wasn't cruel, Anne still felt on the outside of things. When William Johnston asked her to marry him, she wasn't in love with him, but she agreed nonetheless. The two managed to find a great love for each other, and this book centers around their lives, their families and their close friends.

I am a sucker for historical fiction, and especially that which takes place during the United States' Civil War. There is something about this time period that always manages to suck me right in.

The characters that populate this book are fascinating people, but what I found while reading was that I wanted more. I wanted more dialogue and I definitely wanted more detail. There is very little dialogue in the novel and I believe what is there was drawn from actual letters. I think this book would have been sensational if Cook would have taken what actually existed and developed it according to her imagination and what she knew about the actual people. So much of who a character is grows from their interactions and conversations with those around them, especially when relationships are as important as they are in the lives of these people.

There were many times when I would start to grow excited about something that was going on. I would be waiting for more detail to come along and then the plot would jump ahead a couple months or a year or so. I would continually think, "but I want to know more!" The lack of detail and dialogue prevented the characters from having much dimension. And they had so much potential. I believe that because I never desired to just give up on the book. I still wanted to find out what happened with everyone.

So, overall, it was a quick read, but it definitely left me wanting more from the book. I found a lot of what was there to be superficial, and I think that's because it just seems to magically happen. Very little of the development leading up to actions is present making it harder to believe it's genuine.

Being Creative

Timothy Hallinan has started a "Creativity" series over on his blog today. He's hosting a series of guest bloggers who will all address the topic of creativity. Christopher West is his first guest blogger and already he has my creative juices churning. I've started getting my mind in gear for how I can make my blog better this year and make myself a better blogger!

Christopher's post isn't about blogging by the way. It's directed at EVERY person because each person has creativity according to Christopher; it's just a matter of where your creativity lies.

It's a great post. Take a minute or two to check it out.

http://www.timothyhallinan.com/blog/?p=320#more-320

Meanwhile, I'll be back later to post the reviews for the last two books I read in '08 and do the December wrap-up.