Friday, December 31, 2010

Last Day of 2010


I didn't post yesterday because I had a haircut after work so I didn't get home until 6:20 and Steve was supposed to walk Tug but didn't because he got home after me. Then fixing dinner, eating dinner. And then we got to watching the movie A Beautiful Mind on one of the premium channels. I have seen that movie previously but it's a good one. The movie got over after 10:00. I didn't even get a chance to check email last night.


Looks like we've got about 4 to 5 inches of snow out there. The high temp today is projected at 6 above. I need to go get groceries today at some point. I'll be walking Tug very soon.


Lunch yesterday was spent at Kinko's, convincing them that my five copies of January's issue should not come to $82 but around the usual $20. Somehow, someone ignorant took my regular sized sack and rung it up after it was ready to go as 200 sheets. Dude, use common sense, does that sack look like it's holding 200 sheets of paper folded in half? My agitation level rose unnecessarily and stayed that way for a while.


I'll be getting going on the February issue this weekend. We don't have any plans for the New Year other than doing our stuff and relaxing. Maybe a movie but the theatres will be busy so we'll see. I need to do some cleaning and make Chex mix. :)


I finished the palette cleanser little romance and I may be going back to DEVOURED by D.E. Meredith or I may start to read something else. I'm not sure yet.


Everyone be safe this New Year's Eve. And have a very happy one!


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Aroooooo!


Another day down. Hoo boy. I felt kinda yucky this morning but it wore off as the day went on so hopefully it has passed me by.


I've sent out the January issue to the PDF subscribers this evening and will mail the printed copies tomorrow. I'll have to start February's issue this weekend.


We went to a new burger place for lunch today. OMG, I'm stuffed. I had the "Behemoth" which had fried cheese on it so it was crunchy and salty and gooey all at the same time. The fries were garlicky with parmesan on them. It was delicious. But I'm still full; maybe I'll have a salad later maybe for dinner.


Steve is out shooting. I've been on the computer and will read before bed. A big ol' storm has hit. We're expected to get 5 to 8 inches of snow and the temps tomorrow and Friday are supposed to be in the single digits. Hellloooo winter (again).


I've got to pay some bills here online so I'll sign off. Stay warm and cosy, everyone!


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Tron!


Oh how I loved that movie in the 80s. I am such a geek. We haven't seen the new one yet but I hope to. One can't have too high of hopes for it but I just wanna see it because I loved the first one so much.


Busy at work. I think I'm feeling a flu thing coming on. The signs are there. I shall not let it take over ... (crossed fingers).


I'm cheating on DEVOURED. I'm reading a romance to cleanse my palette. I just need something silly-ish and fun to zoom through right now. No, I'm not telling you what it is other than it's by Zoe Archer whom I've never read previously and has a dash of flavor of Indiana Jones to it.


Nothing on tv I think for me tonight so I'll probably read a bit and then rest as much as possible to keep away whatever bug is after me. Yay, it's a short week. My work buddy and I may be going out for lunch tomorrow to help us get through two more days. :) We may do salads or we may be bad and go to a new burger place that's getting good word of mouth.


Another cold front is heading our way with snow expected tomorrow and very cold temps on Thursday and Friday.


Steve's home. Gotta go.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Monday, December 27, 2010

Maximum security for an obviously very dangerous creature


Oy, work was trying at times. Even having only three days off, one gets used to eating and napping whenever one wants. And an adjustment to make when you can't do that at work!


So I'm reading DEVOURED and I'm being a little disappointed. The concept is interesting but the execution lacks focus. If the author stayed with the POV investigators it would be a stronger telling of a story but it's jumping all over the place. I'm really .... disappointed. And wish I could read something that just GRABBED me. Ah well. I'm almost tempted to start something else even though it would be in my interest, quantity-wise for the year-end total, to continue on.


Steve surprised me this evening and was home early and (ready for it) walked Tug. Whoa. Now THAT is a gift. Very much appreciated. I haven't told him yet that he'll have to do it again on Thursday because I have a hair appointment after work. But I love him for doing this tonight!


I don't think there's anything on tv for me but I haven't checked. I watched all three episodes of Sherlock this weekend and the ending of the third leaves ... a cliffhanger... and I'm not seeing yet that they've even started production on any more of them. Frustrating. But I'm glad I watched them and recommend them actually.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday, December 26, 2010

It's over already?


I finished THE BOOKSELLER'S SONNETS. I had hopes it would be a top ten book but it's predictability weighed it down. And it's angst. The concept was good: a lost diary of the daughter of Thomas More and a secret. And the Holocaust. But the execution of the concept... not so much.


I'm currently reading DEVOURED by D.E. Meredith. This is a debut historical mystery, perhaps series, set in Victorian England. Here is a description:




One of London’s first forensic detectives chases a grisly killer in this stunning debut mystery rich in period detail and sinister intrigue. London in 1856 is gripped by a frightening obsession. The specimen-collecting craze is growing, and discoveries in far-off jungles are reshaping the known world in terrible and unimaginable ways. The new theories of evolution threaten to disrupt the fragile balance of power that keeps the chaotic city in order—a disruption that many would do just about anything to prevent. When the glamorous Lady Bessingham is found murdered in her bedroom, surrounded by her vast collection of fossils and tribal masks, Adolphus Hatton and his morgue assistant Albert Roumande are called in to examine the crime scene—and the body. In the new and suspicious world of forensics and autopsy examinations, Hatton and Roumande are the best. But the crime scene is not confined to one room. In their efforts to help Scotland Yard’s infamous Inspector Adams track down the Lady’s killer, Hatton and Roumande uncover a trail of murders all connected to a packet of seditious letters that, if published, would change the face of society and religion irrevocably.

It was published in October 2010 and has 304 pages.


Here is an excerpt:


St. Bart’s Smithfields, London 1856

Professor Hatton lay slumped. His silhouette devoured by thrown shapes from an ebbing fire which was burning low in a grate. The morgue was completely quiet. And in its chasm, Hatton’s eyes were shut, shielding out the peeling walls around him. One lamp burned on his desk. He was still awake, but only just, exhausted by the great task before him, knowing his science, forensics, was forever in doubt.

“Professor Hatton. Open up, sir. There’s a carriage waiting. You are needed urgently, sir.”

He shuddered, gathered his thoughts, wondering what the dev il time it was, but knowing Monsieur Roumande must have gone home already. Hatton found his surgical bag. He took his hat, cane, and coat down from one of the meat hooks; opening the mortuary door, he stepped into a moonlit yard. Lantern light illuminated folding drifts as he tumbled into the waiting carriage. There was no need to find his pocket watch because a bell was chiming somewhere, three times, across the velvet skies of London.

“Good evening, Professor Hatton. My name is Inspector George Adams of Scotland Yard. Perhaps you’ve heard of me?”

Hatton looked at the man sitting before him, who thumped the roof of the hansom with his cane and lit a cigarette, offering one to him. Hatton shook his head, his eyes still bleary with sleep. The coach lurched towards the river, which was nothing more than a tapered line, soon lost in a swirling pall.

“All will reveal itself when we arrive in Chelsea. Are you sure you won’t join me, Professor? They’re Turkish, you know.” Hatton shook his head again. The Inspector shrugged.“ It could be a very long night.”

Hatton took note of his companion, saying, “Your reputation goes before you, Inspector Adams. I presume this is a medical jurisprudence matter?”

“Yes, Professor,” said the Inspector, stretching his legs out, partly enclosed in a gabardine coat. “It’s a case of the upmost sensitivity. But I’ve been wanting to work with you for some time now; I’m intrigued by your new science, Professor.”

Hatton nodded. He knew a little of this man, but Albert Roumande knew more. Hatton had many times heard his Chief Diener talk of Scotland Yard’s new celebrity detective, reading bits out of the papers about various cases.

To work with Inspector Adams? Hatton allowed himself a smile.

“As I said, I’ve followed your work with some interest,” continued the Inspector, in what Hatton guessed was an eastern drawl, not unlike his own accent once, when he was a boy, but this man seemed to relish in his drawn- out vowels, whereas Hatton had long since rubbed the edges off, keen to meet the requirements for a new professorship at St. Bart’s and a position of limited standing. But here was a man who clearly took no prisoners, nor apologised for what he was. A man to admire, then.

“I’m flattered,” answered Hatton. “Perhaps it is the series of articles in The Lancet you refer to? We are so misunderstood, Inspector. Forensics needs all the friends it can get, and I understand from my fellow pathologists that you are indeed a friend. So, I’m delighted to finally make your acquaintance.”

“The Yard is modernising. Look at me, for example. Do you think I would have stood a chance ten years ago? A lad from Cambridgeshire? An out- of- town Special? But I’m a regular working- class hero now, if you follow the crime pages. Although, don’t believe everything you read about me, Professor.”

The horse whinnied as they reached their final destination.


****************************

It has been a very good weekend. Steve and I exchanged gifts the morning of Christmas Eve and he seems to have liked his I gave to him. Yay! Small things but cool. I also liked what I received (including a gift card for my Kindle!). We have visited both sets of parents over the past couple days. Watched the Cowboys lose (big surprise). Today, we will just relax. I will finish the laundry and take Tug for a walk (probably very soon, he's getting restless). I finished watching the second episode of PBS Mystery's Sherlock and will view the last one today before it's gone tomorrow. And then it's back to work (another short week -- woot!).
Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas


Merry Christmas!


I think in all the craziness of living in these times we lose the meaning of Christmas. People are caught up in the materialism, the consumerism, the political correctness, the anti-religiousness, the politics, the take-sides, the obligations...


Christmas is the recognition of living in love. Not romantic love, not touchy-feely, kum-by-ya... Living in love is recognizing that we are all ... ALL...one in a state of striving to be better beings. Acknowledging that we are better by treating everyone AS WE WOULD WANT OURSELVES TO BE TREATED. Acknowledging a higher purpose to our thoughts and actions because they are one and the same. You can express your love by giving to others, helping others, sharing with others, whether in thought or deed.


Is Christmas forced on people? No, participate if you want. If you choose not to participate don't force others to bend to your non-participation because others have the right to choose to participate for themselves. Be in your own state of love to allow difference from yourself.


The opposite of love is fear in many different forms (hate, segregation, us-vs-them). A lot of people live in fear and don't recognize it. Have the freedom and the courage to live in not-fear.


So again, Merry Christmas to everyone. Celebrate the love in you.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Friday, December 24, 2010

It's beginning to look a lot like ... yeah, whatever


When it comes to watching things on tv, I'm a procrastinator. I just can't sit down and watch it when it airs. I guess I feel I have to do it on my own time (control issues?) or I have to let it simmer in the background of my mind before I'm ready for it. I don't know. So last night I watched the first episode of three of Sherlock on PBS Masterpiece Mystery. The full episodes are available to view online until December 27th. I didn't watch it when it was on tv because 1) I'm not a fan of Sherlock (unless played by Robert Downey, Jr) (sacrilege, I know, for a crime fiction lover) and 2) as much as I love the *concept* of Masterpiece Mystery and other crime shows on tv I usually find them boring and lose interest before it is half over. I don't have ADD or anything but either they are so predictable or move so slowly it's a waste of time when I could be reading. So anyway...


I watched the first episode, A Study in Pink. This is a "re-design" of the Sherlock story in that it is placed in contemporary London which right there makes you if not shudder then be very cautious. But I liked it. The casting was terrific and the best part actually. And the production values were very high. It also had stylized bits that let you know how Sherlock is making his lightening-fast thoughts. Again, I liked it a lot and over the next couple days I'll view the other two episodes before they're taken offline. I still hate sitting there watching something when I could be reading... but there it is.


I also have a movie I need to watch this weekend from Netflix, Winter's Bone. This has been getting really good reviews and it's based on a crime novel by Daniel Woodrell. Briefly, "An unflinching Ozark Mountain girl hacks through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact." I don't know if Steve will want to watch it with me.


I need to do some cleaning today and work on the January issue. I am NOT going out into the retail world today. No freaking way. The energy would be fun if one HAD to be there but I don't have to. I did have to do some emergency Christmas shopping last night but that was done online, thankyouverymuch, that's what it's there for. :)


I think I'll wear purple today.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Christmas Eve Eve


Thursday evening! Bwa hahahahha! Made it! I left an hour early today because I had six hours of overtime in for the week so I could give up one of them and I thought it would be nice to walk Tug before it got dark.

I didn't realize that the Steelers play tonight on tv. I've left a message for Steve to maybe bring home something "fun" for dinner ...like pizza or sandwiches maybe? Hmmm?

Don't you hate it when you forget that you ordered a book and then suddenly one evening (five minutes ago) UPS pulls up to your house and knocks on your door and hands you a box from Amazon and you're saying "What the heck?" and you open it there's a book and you say "Oh yeah" ...???? I ordered DEVOURED by D.E. Meredith and spaced it. It's a debut histmyst set in Victorian England that looks good and is getting good reviews. It's like Christmas!

I also am getting the calendars that I ordered: Reading Women. Two of them from two different companies that feature paintings of women reading. I thought it would add a nice addition to my book cubicle at work. And I'm getting the 2011 Despair Inc calendar from ThinkGeek.com. Yes, I need three calendars in my cubicle because that is the only way I can really decorate ... other than my book posters and book clock. Just because.

Tomorrow I'll be doing the final touches to the January issue of Premeditated. We'll be having dinner at Mom and Dad's.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Take the picture already so we can clobber each other.


Another day of cranking out the work objects at the job. My buddy and I ran an errand at lunch and then ate at Taco Bell -- have you tasted the Verde sauce that comes in the packets. Loved it! I crave more. Num!


Steve has shooting tonight and I hope to get some reading done. I don't believe there's anything on tv tonight for me. I haven't gotten far into THE BOOKSELLER'S SONNETS but liking most of it. The irritating thing to me is the main chick and her wishy-washy attitude about having a non-Jewish boyfriend of three years. She's convinced that her family will disapprove of him because he's not Jewish so she's hiding his existence which isn't fair to anybody. I'm sure it will all come out that they don't care about that and only care if she's happy. But she won't communicate anything to deal with it. Argh!


Tomorrow is our Friday. Last day of a short week.... woot!


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Yeah. Uh huh.


I'm currently reading THE BOOKSELLER'S DAUGHTER by Andi Rosenthal. This is a stand alone novel. Here is a description:



A mysterious package from an anonymous artifact donor arrives on the desk of Jill Levin, the senior curator at a Holocaust museum: a secret diary, written by the eldest daughter of St. Thomas More, legal advisor to and close friend of Henry VIII. As Jill and her colleagues work to authenticate this rare find, letters arrive to convey the manuscript?s history and the donor?s unimaginable story of survival. At the same time, representatives from the Archdiocese of New York arrive to stake their claim to this controversial document, hoping to send it to a Vatican archive before its explosive content becomes public. As the process of authentication hovers between find and fraud, and as the battle for provenance plays out between religious institutions, Jill struggles with her own family history, and her involvement in a relationship she fears will disrupt and disappoint her family.

It was published in the US in September 2010 and has 412 pages.


It is cold today. I got a lot done at work and we're halfway through the week already. Yay!


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Monday, December 20, 2010

At least something's warm


I'm currently reading THE SUBTLE SERPENT by Peter Tremayne. This is 4th of 21 in series featuring Sister Fidelma a 7th century Celtic sister and legal advocate in Kildare, Ireland. Here is a description:


When the decapitated body of a young woman is found in the well of the Abbey of the Salmon of the Three Wells, Sister Fidelma travels to western Ireland in her capacity as an advocate of the Brehon law courts. En route to the Irish kingdom of Muman, she encounters a drifting merchant ship whose crew and cargo have evidently disappeared.

It was published in 1999 and has 320 pages.


Tonight/tomorrow morning is an amazing celestrial triple play: a full moon at total eclipse during the winter solstice has not occurred in nearly 400 years. Since Year 1 ... only find one previous instance of an eclipse matching the same calendar date as the solstice, and that is 1638 Dec. Rembrandt was alive. I LOVE history. Due to the amount of recent volcanic eruptions across the globe spewing up tonnes of dust into the atmosphere, scientists believe that instead of the usual orange/yellow tinge, the moon will adopt a red or brown appearance. If you think you'll miss the action, as both NASA and the Griffith Observatory will be streaming the eclipse live.
Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster


Sunday, December 19, 2010

Sunday Seconds - THE BOOK OF UNHOLY MISCHIEF

Sunday Seconds -- there are books that I would really love to re-read -- if I could make the time. Sometimes books have profound impacts on one's reading experience. Sometimes you just know these books could be even greater if you could go back and read them with again better understanding and life experiences under your belt. Sometimes books don't hold up the memory the second time around -- that's the risk. Sunday Seconds will be a cataloging of that kind of wish list.

*************************************************

THE BOOK OF UNHOLY MISCHIEF by Elle Newmark




It is 1498, the dawn of the Renaissance, and Venice teems with rumors of an ancient book that holds the secret to unimaginable power. It is an alchemist's dream, with recipes for gold, immortality, and undying love. Everyone, rich and poor alike, speculates about the long-buried secrets scrawled in its pages and where it could possibly be hidden within the labyrinthine city. But while those who seek the book will stop at nothing to get it, those who know will die to protect it. As a storm of intrigue and desire circles the republic that grew from the sea, Luciano, a penniless orphan with a quick wit and an even faster hand, is plucked up by an illustrious chef and hired, for reasons he cannot yet begin to understand, as an apprentice in the palace kitchen. There, in the lavish home of the most powerful man in Venice, he is initiated into the chef's rich and aromatic world, with all its seductive ingredients and secrets. Luciano's loyalty to his street friends and the passion he holds for a convent girl named Francesca remain, but it is not long before he, too, is caught up in the madness. After he witnesses a shocking murder in the Palace dining room, he realizes that nothing is as it seems and that no one, not even those he's come to rely on most, can be trusted. Armed with a precocious mind and an insatiable curiosity, Luciano embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth. What he discovers will swing open the shutters of his mind, inflame his deepest desires, and leave an indelible mark on his soul.

It was published in 2008 and has 400 pages. Turned down by a host of publishers and finally self-published as “The Bones of the Dead,” the novel attracted attention when its author, Elle Newmark, organized a virtual launch party, inviting thousands of online guests to enjoy music, “food for thought” and party favors including e-books on writing, Renaissance recipes and an interview with the Hall of Fame chef who inspired the book (and who happens to be the author’s father). Newmark ended up with both an agent and a deal with a New York publisher. Rich with the luxurious colors and textures of Venice, this book delights the senses and breathes fresh life into an age defined by intellectual revival and artistic vibrancy. A luminous and seductive novel, it is, at its heart, a high-spirited tribute to the fruits of knowledge and the extraordinary power of those who hold its key. In a world of violence and intrigue, who guards the truth?


*********************************

Today I work on the January issue of Premeditated. I didn't work on it at all yesterday because I'm in a good place on it to get done by next weekend. I was on the internet a bunch then ran some errands in the afternoon. It was actually a nice break. Later this afternoon, Steve will watch the Steelers play. I'm roasting a turkey breast for dinner tonight; just felt that would be good and something different and it would be nice to have leftovers for lunch this week. There may be a nap in my future. :)


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster


Saturday, December 18, 2010

Ain't that the truth


Finally! I've finished THE BONES OF AVALON by Phil Rickman. It just seemed like I was reading it for forever. The ending was good. Rickman's style is rather free-form so not necessarily something I'd recommend to everyone. The subject was good but the execution was ...different. I really like his Merrily Watkins series but that is more conducive to his style rather than a historical.


I get to choose something new now! I have so many possibilities that my mind will boggle but I love the freedom. :) I don't really have a new release "must read" but I do have some recent purchases that are "strong could reads" like the Barbara Hamilton book THE MARKED MAN, also THE BOOKSELLER'S SONNETS, Maureen Ash's SHROUD OF DISHONOUR. I also have new-ish releases on my Kindle such as Peter Robinson's latest, finishing S.J. Rozan's, A.D. Scott's debut, Tim Hallinen's first in series, and a few non-fictions. Or I could dive into my series reads that I've neglected for too long: Peter Tremayne, Deryn Lake, Bernard Knight, Michael Jecks, Kate Sedley, the most recent Louise Penny, David Roberts, Charles Finch, Kerry Greenwood, Alys Clare, and on and on. I could also add to the series reads stack by taking on new authors that I've been meaning to get to: pretty much all of the Roman authors: Davis, Saylor, Roberts, Downie; David Dickinson, I.J. Parker, Reed/Mayer, Chisholm, Mel Starr, etc. Or series that I've read maybe the first book or two of but never got back to although I've meant to: Pat McIntosh, Bruce Alexander, Rhys Bowen, Ian Morson, Caroline Roe, John Harvey (hey, what's a contemporary police procedural doing here?), Reginald Hill, Christopher Fowler .... And that's just crime fiction. Don't get me started on just plain historicals (Dunnett, Penman, Vantrease...). And most of these I actually already have on hand in the house. So you see my conundrum. :) And just listing the names here makes me happy. I'm a hopeless and happily addicted book addict.


It's pretty dark still this morning at 8-ish, or more like not bright out. Winter weather is in the air. I'm not sure what I'll be doing today. I'll do a little of Premeditated but that is actually a week or so ahead of schedule and I've got the usual house cleaning. But I may need to do a wee bit of shopping and it might even include going with Steve. I know, amazing that he doesn't really have any gun classes to help with today, isn't it? But he will sleep in which means I have time to get some stuff done like walking Tug and so forth. I might take him to the field so he can run freely for a bit. He's sleeping right now near me. He's definitely not a morning dog.


Gotta go get ready for the day. Have a lovely Saturday, all.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster


Friday, December 17, 2010

For Friday, I give you ... PUPPIES!!

The week, it is over. We made it.

Isn't it amazing that this is the last weekend before Christmas? It will be busy out in retail land, for sure. Glad I won't be there. :)

I really really really have to finish the Rickman. I'm { } close to finishing but I was just not able to do it in the couple days. This weekend, I promise to have something new listed. I tell ya, I hate it when I take too long with a book. It's like reading ADD.

Have a very good evening. See ya in the morning...

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Whoa


Some days are like that.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

I was going to write something snarky but just ... enjoy.


Busy day at work. This week I started working in a system that gives you many work objects each day to complete. A work object is an issue that is delaying paying a claim such as a discharge or school employment or availability, etc. One work object can represent one work object to be completed on a claim or many. As a fact finder, I have to complete the fact finding on all issues before sending it on to an adjudicator. This week I'm in a system that sends my many work objects a day. I pretty much have to be constantly working the work objects -- I may complete say 15 claims in a day but I'll also receive 15 more each day. Constantly juggling.


I really want to complete the Rickman book tonight. It's gone on too long. I've got about a quarter left.


At lunch, my buddy Tami and I went to lunch at the salad place (num!) and then went to the store next door for her to get a gift -- it's called Global Village and it's a nonprofit that has items from around the world. Then we hit the post office. A good time all around and much accomplished.


Tonight Steve has shooting. I will probably watch Survivor and then read. I'm waiting for my frozen dinner to cook and sipping a Baileys. Tomorrow I need to get groceries after work.


Can you believe Christmas is only slightly over a week away? The year has just flown. And then soon we'll be starting all over again. Weird.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

That is exactly how scary movies start, especially if you're female wearing a negligee.


It has been a long day. My brain and eyes are tired. I'm planning on dealing with dinner, read for a wee bit and then go to bed.


I was reading the lastest issue of Mystery Scene where Carolyn Hart has an article about "comfort reads" and how in tough times, people turn to comfort reads. And then they had a few people list what their comfort read is. And I also thought about it but couldn't come up with anything right away. Mysteries are necessarily the first type of book one thinks of for comfort reads. But I was trying to focus on that genre for this. I perhaps thought of something. There is a book that I re-read from time to time and while I don't think it's perfect or even perhaps an example of excellent writing, I like it a lot. THE DAUGHTER OF TIME by Josephine Tey.


I was also noting that it is getting close to time to list the top ten for the year. And I looked at what I've read in 2010 and found it pathetic. I've only read 57 books thus far. In 2009, I read 121 -- yes, I was unemployed for the majority of the time but I also wasn't reading 24/7. Fifty-seven books -- less than half of the previous year. How ... disappointing. And then I struggled to find more than five tops for a list of ten. The books I read for the most part were enjoyable but to be outstanding ...? About five. That, too, is ... pathetic. And I don't suppose next year will be any better and I want to read a lot more nonfiction. Bah.


With these happy thoughts, I bid you adieu for the evening.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Monday, December 13, 2010

Zombie kitty or too much caffeine?


Have to be quick tonight. Tug's walk took longer than expected -- it's rather sloppy out with rain and melting snow. And Steve wanted to chat when he got home so I'm now in between dinner getting started and done.


I finished THE PLAY OF PIETY by Margaret Frazer. I consider this book more of a transition story with Joliffe moving from player to player/bishop's operative. This is also Frazer's first book after a hardship break so I'm cutting her slack in the mystery department and just enjoy the visit with some favorite characters. I liked it very much. Now I'm back to the Phil Rickman.


I don't think there is really much for me to watch on tv tonight. Last night we watched the commercial-free tv premiere of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It was bad. It was so bad. Cringe-worthy. I am glad now we didn't see it in the theatre or I'd be mad that I spent movie-theatre prices for such a bad movie.


And I finished the foundation of the January issue and it's only the middle of the month! Now for the details and picking up any stray books.


Work was busy but a good busy. Back at it tomorrow. I hope it's not too icy in the morning.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Sunday Seconds -- there are books that I would really love to re-read -- if I could make the time. Sometimes books have profound impacts on one's reading experience. Sometimes you just know these books could be even greater if you could go back and read them with again better understanding and life experiences under your belt. Sometimes books don't hold up the memory the second time around -- that's the risk. Sunday Seconds will be a cataloging of that kind of wish list.

***************************************

THE CHRONICLES OF PRYDAIN by Lloyd Alexander


The Chronicles of Prydain (sometimes given as The Prydain Chronicles) is a five-volume series of children's fantasy novels by author Lloyd Alexander. First published from 1964–1968, the stories detail the adventures of a young man named Taran, who is awarded the honor of Assistant Pig-Keeper but dreams of being a grand hero, and his companions Princess Eilonwy, Fflewddur Fflam the wandering bard and king, a feral yet gentle creature called Gurgi, and a dwarf named Doli. Thematically the novels draw upon Welsh mythology, particularly the Mabinogion. The novels are not, however, retellings of those myths — a point Alexander himself makes in an author's note for THE BOOK OF THREE.



1. THE BOOK OF THREE (1964)
An assistant pig-keeper, Taran, and his companions race to defeat the war lord of Arawn.

2. THE BLACK CAULDRON (1965) — a 1966 Newbery Honor book
Taran and the companions struggle to destroy an evil enchanted cauldron.

3. THE CASTLE OF LLYR (1966)
Eilonwy is kidnapped and Taran leads a band to rescue her.

4. TARAN THE WANDERER (1967)
Taran, with his companion Gurgi, begins a bittersweet search for his parentage.

5. THE HIGH KING (1968) - Winner of the 1969 Newbery Medal
Taran and the companions wage a final battle against Arawn.


You can see where my love of fantasy came from; my love of "the quest." The basic elements of a hero's journey are there: an untried/unknowing hero who has some growing up to do, a need to save the kingdom, a girl, some comic relief sidekicks, a mentor figure, and evilbadguy who must be defeated, etc. I read these in grade school. This would be a good introduction for kids into the genre and then, as they got older, lead them into JRR Tolkien. I would like to re-read these someday to see if the story holds up to my memory.

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And now it is snowing. It won't be fun walking Tug but it can't be helped other than maybe taking him to the field to run around. I'm low on gas though in Moby. And yesterday, in the adjacent field someone was shooting at geese and had a loose dog. I hope they're not there today.


I got up the letter "M" in authors for January's issue yesterday. I hope to make good progress again today. The Steelers' game is on tv at 11 and the Cowboys are on tonight. We watched The Expendables on DVD last night. I think Steve enjoyed it more than I did -- it is a gun freak's heaven kind of movie. :)


I caved in and started THE PLAY OF PIETY by Margaret Frazer yesterday -- as reward for good work on Premeditated. This is 6th of 6 in series featuring Joliffe, a player in a group of traveling players in 15th century England. Here is a description:



In harvest time of 1436, Joliffe's troupe leader falls, leaving his players to find what work they can while he recovers. Joliffe finds work in a hospital where he unfortunately has to deal with Mistress Cisily Thorncoffyn, a widow expecting to be endlessly waited on for her mostly imaginary ailments. When patients begin mysteriously dying, Mistress Thorncoffyn loudly insists that someone is trying to kill her. With so many suspects wishing her ill, if not outright dead, Joliffe has no choice but to find out whose anger has turned to murderous hatred and whether-having missed their target-they mean to try again...
It was published in December 2010 and has 304 pages.


Tug is whining at me to get going on the walk. Sigh. See ya later.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Saturday, December 11, 2010

But I'm a morning person...


It's a new day, so make way. I heard that one time on a workout motivational tape.


It's Saturday morning and I have much to accomplish. It is rather cold out, only in the lower teens. I'm only going to venture out to walk Tug.


I mentioned the two books I got yesterday. I can't read them yet but here's the summary of THE BOOKSELLER'S SONNET:




A mysterious package from an anonymous artifact donor arrives on the desk of Jill Levin, the senior curator at a Holocaust museum: a secret diary, written by the eldest daughter of St. Thomas More, legal adviser to and close friend of Henry VIII. As Jill and her colleagues work to authenticate this rare find, letters arrive to convey the manuscript's history and the donor's unimaginable story of survival. At the same time, representatives from the Archdiocese of New York arrive to stake their claim to this controversial document, hoping to send it to a Vatican archive before its explosive content becomes public. As the process of authentication hovers between find and fraud, and as the battle for provenance plays out between religious institutions, Jill struggles with her own family history, and her involvement in a relationship she fears will disrupt and disappoint her family.

It was published in September 2010 and 412 pages.


Nothing really on tv tonight other than Steve's favorite, Cops. We may watch the DVD of The Expendables. I've heard it's not great but maybe it will be mindless fun for a Saturday night or the subject of MST3K kind of fun. I always make comments at movies and shows. :P


Have a lovely Saturday.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Friday, December 10, 2010

I'm PKit'sjustmyinitials


When I woke up this morning, I was contemplating how I could somehow stay home. I had 5 hours of overtime at that point. I would only be missing three. But no. I was a good girl. I worked all day; I worked actually 9.5 hours.


After work, in exchange for Steve walking Tug, I ran errands. I had to get dog food at Pet Smart. Steve requested pop so I had to go Walmart which turned into adding some other things. Then I went to B&N to get Christmas cards. And a magazine. So I got home at 6 and immediately began dinner after putting away stuff. Now I'm in a lull of potatoes in the oven and waiting to put the cube steak on the griller. When I was at B&N, they were pushing their Nook very hard. And I was hearing a salesperson not only doing the hard sell but saying not especially nice and sometimes inaccurate things about the Kindle. I understand they're being competitive but there's room for both, people. If you have to slam the competitor to make the sale, you're not doing it right.


And guess what came today -- instead of Monday -- just in time to tempt me this weekend when I have to be working on the January issue? Yes. My order from Amazon and the book I've been dying for. Of course. So I have THE PLAY OF PIETY by Margaret Frazer and THE BOOKSELLER'S SONNETS by Andi L. Rosenthal. And I've really been trying finish THE BONES OF AVALON. Bother. I also received today a free book from an agent I was in contact with for an excerpt: A STITCH BEFORE DYING by Anne Canadeo.


Yay, it's Friday! This weekend I don't have anything planned except the usual stuff. Steve has a class to help teach tomorrow morning. The weather forecast is saying colder and possible snow but I'm not planning on going anywhere anyway. It's a hunkering down kind of weekend.

I love those. :)


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Friday Eve


Look at this, it's already December 9th and I haven't finished one book yet. I'm not doing at all well in the reading department. If I'm lucky I'll get two done this month. Maybe three. How anti-Bookeemonster. Where does the time go? I might be hitting the halfway mark of the Rickman novel. Maybe.


Steve stayed home again today. I think he's just run down. He goes goes goes and never takes time off and at some point it catches up to you. I wouldn't mind if he took tomorrow off too.


I'm going to do some checking out of the blogs I read and then I'm going to read for a little bit.


Good night, everyone.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster




Wednesday, December 8, 2010

I'm just big boned.


Oh the drama.


Steve stayed home most of the day from work because he's sick .... a cold it sounds like. He went in for a couple hours to finish a project but came home again. He even called in sick to shooting tonight. He has a slight temp and says he has a sore throat and feels achy and tired. So I'm glad he slept today and taking it easy tonight. However, as a man and you know how men are when they get sick. Sigh.


Tug of course, didn't buy the fifteen romp outside Steve let him have at some point in the day so I had to rush walk him but I found a loose dog in the driveway as I was getting started so I took her back to Steve to figure out where she belonged -- turned out to be up in the subdivision north of us. So Steve took her back. I walked Tug quickly and came across Steve as he was nearing home. To add to his illness, he says he had fallen on the ice but not hurt. So we get to the garage and as the door is coming down Tug decides to make a break for the outside which he's never done before really and got pinned underneath the door for a few seconds. No damage there either but Steve in his not feeling well-ness got mad at Tug so now Tug is being my little buddy.


I DON'T NEED ANYMORE DRAMA TONIGHT! I just want to have dinner, read my book, and then go to bed. That's it. It's not Friday tomorrow but I can deal with it. Though it feels like it should be Friday.


Please have a peaceful evening to which I will also make the attempt. Maybe with the help of a sip of Baileys.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

It's only Tuesday?


I am being very good and resisting getting THE PLAY OF PIETY by Margaret Frazer on the Kindle because I have it coming in paper .... next WEEK! Grr.... shipping. I could have it now... but I'm being good.... dammit.


Steve has a board meeting tonight so I'm a little rushed to get dinner ready so he can eat quickly and get going.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Monday, December 6, 2010

Monday schmunday.


Yeah, so it was a Monday. Not much to tell.


Yesterday was a happy football day in Madsen land. Dallas beat Indianapolis (!) in OT and the Steelers beat Baltimore. Yay! And I'm sorry, the official report -- at the time -- was that Ben R's nose "was bloody". No, it was laying on the side; that sucker was broken. And rather gross to look at. And we had pizza last night to have a fun food football night, too. Not a bad thing.


I got up to the Gs I believe in the January issue yesterday. I need to work on some apps ASAP this week.


I don't really recall anything on TV tonight and I believe we're just gonna do leftovers for dinner. Gotta do it. Yesterday I had to re-read the last half of the last Harry Potter book to refresh my memory on how it ended. Tonight maybe I'll read the Rickman ... or a nonfiction. Sigh. I know. I'm all over the place.


I got up early today and worked out. I plan to do it all week. I've just got to make it a regular step in my getting ready routine each morning.


Have a lovely evening, everyone.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Sunday Seconds - The Deryni series by Katherine Kurtz

Sunday Seconds -- there are books that I would really love to re-read -- if I could make the time. Sometimes books have profound impacts on one's reading experience. Sometimes you just know these books could be even greater if you could go back and read them with again better understanding and life experiences under your belt. Sometimes books don't hold up the memory the second time around -- that's the risk. Sunday Seconds will be a cataloging of that kind of wish list.

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The Deryni series by Katherine Kurtz


The Deryni novels are a series of historical fantasy novels. The series is set in the land of Gwynedd, one of the fictional Eleven Kingdoms. Gwynedd itself is a medieval kingdom similar to those of the British Isles of the 10th and 12th centuries, with a powerful Holy Church (based on the Roman Catholic Church), and a feudal government ruled by a hereditary monarchy. The population of the Eleven Kingdoms includes both humans and Deryni, a race of people with inherent psychic and magical abilities. Throughout the course of the series, relations between humans and Deryni result in ongoing political and religious strife that is often interconnected with the individual lives of the main characters. While the plots of the novels often involve political, ecclesiastical, and military conflicts on a grand scale, they are counter-balanced by details of the characters' personal lives. Neither race is depicted as inherently "good" nor "evil", as both humans and Deryni are depicted as protagonists and antagonists at various points of the series. Additionally, the novels often depict the characters engaging in various forms of magic, and such scenes vary in importance from minor events to significant plot points.



Publication Order of the Deryni Novels:
The Chronicles of the Deryni
The Legends of Camber of Culdi
The Histories of King Kelson
The Heirs of Saint Camber
King Kelson's Bride
The Childe Morgan Trilogy



The Chronicles of the Deryni
DERYNI RISING (1970)
November 1120: Kelson Haldane must protect his crown from a Deryni usurper.
DERYNI CHECKMATE (1972)
March 1121: Alaric Morgan and Duncan McLain face the wrath of the Holy Church.
HIGH DERYNI (1973)
June 1121 – July 1121: Kelson Haldane attempts to repair an ecclesiastical schism on the eve of a foreign invasion.

The Legends of Camber of Culdi
CAMBER OF CULDI (1976)
September 903 – December 904: The events that inspired Camber MacRorie to lead the Haldane Restoration.
SAINT CAMBER (1978)
June 905 – January 907: The struggles of Camber MacRorie to protect the throne of Cinhil Haldane.
CAMBER THE HERETIC (1981)
January 917 – January 918: An anti-Deryni backlash sweeps through Gwynedd, threatening the lives of every Deryni in the kingdom.

The Histories of King Kelson
THE BISHOP'S HEIR (1984)
November 1123 – January 1124: An old political conflict threatens to erupt once again.
THE KING'S JUSTICE (1985)
May 1124 – July 1124: Kelson Haldane leads a military campaign to put down a rebellion
THE QUEST FOR SAINT CAMBER (1986)
March 1125 – June 1125: A tragic accident befalls Kelson Haldane during a religious quest.

The Heirs of Saint Camber
THE HARROWING OF GWYNEDD (1989)
January 918 – August 918: The Deryni desperately try to survive the persecutions.
KING JAVAN'S YEAR (1992)
June 921 – October 922: Javan Haldane struggles to secure his throne.
THE BASTARD PRINCE (1994)
May 928 – December 928: Rhys Michael Haldane must defend his crown from a foreign invader.
The Childe Morgan Trilogy
IN THE KING'S SERVICE (2003)
Summer 1082 – November 1091: Donal Blaine Haldane seeks a Deryni protector for his sons.
CHILDE MORGAN (2006)
December 1093 - March 1096: Kenneth and Alyce Morgan prepare their son Alaric for his future role.
3rd To be released


Other novels
KING KELSON'S BRIDE (2000)
June 1128 – August 1128: Kelson Haldane faces the plots and intrigues of the Torenthi royal court.


You can see why I love these. All the elements that I crave are there: politics, court intrigue, religion, historical, and a touch of fantasy. I had not realized, though, that Kurtz had published the first one in 1970. Wow. I guess we should be glad for as many as we have here but I still wish for more. I have at least the first three in a box somewhere but I really should obtain the entire series and I would love to read them again now that I am older. I believe I started these in junior high, around the time I was also reading DUNE. Now THIS is what SFF can be. And what I can't really find in today's SFF books.


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We went to see the new Harry Potter movie last night. They are wisely doing this is two parts because the storylines are just too big at this finale. The bad thing is also that they're doing it in two parts because now we have to wait until summer for part two. This movie was 2 1/2 hours long so you can see how much is there. I liked it a lot. I've, of course, read the book so I knew what was going to happen though I had forgotten some details. You'd need to dedicate a chunk of time but it is amazing to watch all the movies back to back to see how the kids have grown. Also amazing are all the fantastic British actors in these movies. I think actually one of the tv channels has been showing the movies back to back this weekend.


Today, I've got to work on Premeditated, do clothes laundry, and walk Tug. It was foggy last night and early this morning. Now it's clear and sunny but very cold. Steve might be going shooting with our neighbor this morning.


The Steelers play tonight and it'll be broadcast. Steve also has the finale of his zombie show to watch (ugh). I would love to do some reading. Of course, now that the Harry Potter movie has stopped in the middle of the story I had to dig out the book and I may have to do a re-read of the last half of the book. (sigh) I just don't make much progress in current reads, do I?
Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Saturday, December 4, 2010

See, that's why I have a dog.


I was successful in exchanging the boots at Cabelas and even got a heckuva lot of money back because the new ones were on sale. They were actually less than the gloves I purchased on Thursday (very good mega gloves). Woot! I gave them a test drive when I walked Tug today and I think they will do very well.


I completely zonked last night pretty early so I did not get much reading done. However, it looks like there's nothing on tv for me tonight or tomorrow night so maybe I can make headway in THE BONES OF AVALON these evenings. Or, wouldn't it be nice to go see Harry Potter at the theatre?


It smells good in the house. I've got chicken and cream of chicken soup going in the crock pot. Steve will have chicken ala king and I will have chicken and dumplings. Good cold weather stuff.


I've started the January issue of Premeditated. I've been only able to put in about an hour on it, mostly doing the set up things so tomorrow I'll be more productive on it.


Looks like Margaret Frazer's THE PLAY OF PIETY is going to be released in trade size. Interesting. Of course, they can boost the price on it doing it that way. There's always been rumors that more books would be going the way of trade size but I'm hoping most publishers resist it. There's just something nicer and more convenient about the paperback size.


Sorry this is being so blah lately. I'm just not finding the time to read as much so I'm not going through them as quickly. Perhaps I should drink a cup of coffee in the evenings so I'll stay up later. Sleep .... reading .... tough call.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Friday, December 3, 2010

Bad Kitty


Work was frustrating today. Part of our network kept going down so it was difficult to accomplish anything. But I was productive when I could be and I've gotten my workflow items down to one object -- a good thing because on Monday I'm being added to the "injector" which means I'll be getting dozens of work objects daily. I know that's probably all in a foreign language to most but basically my work load is going to expand exponentially on Monday. Oh boy.


I've been reading some nonfiction lately but today, during a downtime of the computer and I'd already cleaned my cubicle, I got back to THE BONES OF AVALON and I'm hooked again. I was so tired yesterday that I crashed by 8:30 I think. So not much reading done this week. Maybe I can do some tonight.


This weekend I've got to start the January issue of Premeditated. I already have a list of releases found in the main so I can get going but I'll to do a deeper search to pick up any stragglers. If I remember correctly, there are about 65 new releases next month.


For December, I only have one I'm interested in, Margaret Frazer's A PLAY OF PIETY. That comes out this Tuesday. I've got it coming from Amazon, in paperback.


I got new snow boots yesterday at Cabelas but I'm going to have to do an exchange. I love everything about them except the tops rub my legs at lower calf level, giving me a blister. I gave them another test run after work and I don't think there's anything to do to remedy it -- it is the structure of the boot itself. I hope I can find something very similar that are ankle high. What a bother to have to do it but for such an investment, I can't have them hurt.


I'm making marinated cube steak and onion soup potatoes for dinner tonight. I got a new crockpot at Walmart yesterday ($20!) that is bigger and I can put in the dishwasher. Woot! I'll put it to the test tomorrow for dinner I think.


Okay, off you go...


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, December 2, 2010

How about a learner's permit? Concealed carry? Library Card?


This will have to short (I know I know they all are) but I'm exhausted. Ran errands after work: got much needed snow boots, gloves, and tennis shoes, then got groceries at Walmart. Did not walk Tug, the poor baby. But I let him play outside in the much-desired front yard while I unpacked Moby, took him for a quick spin in Moby, and then Steve got home and had to fix the garage door of a next door neighbor and he let Tug roam around. So maybe it has been the next best thing to walking.


My feet hurt but I'm pleased with my purchases. These have been necessary things for quite a while.


Nothing on tv for me tonight. Last night, Ann won America's Next Top Model. Yay! They picked the right one!


There's another winter storm warning starting tonight so tomorrow traveling will probably be yucky but at least it is Friday. I'm ready for a weekend, for sure.


If I'm lucky, I'll get a chance to do some reading tonight before nodding off.


Have a good evening!


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

And spit...


Steve is off shooting tonight so I have a Stouffer's lasagna in the oven and I'll watch (finally) the season finale of America's Next Top Model (because I like to watch skinny beautiful girls being criticized (c) especially when I'm eating bad things). I was wrong about last week being the finale -- it was a stoopid review episode. Bah. Anyway, go Anne! She has a terrible walk but maybe her photos will win the day.


I read mostly mysteries but when there's a book giveaway I come across I'll let ya know. So I know about one in the romance category. Harlequin is doing a 22 day advent calendar, each day featuring a different author who is giving away stuff and then ultimately Harlequin is giving away a Kindle. The website is http://www.michellewillingham.com/advent.html. I think it's a cool idea and crime fiction should steal it. We should at least know all about stealing.


Well, at least it's getting closer to the weekend ... slowly... (sigh). I suggested to Steve that maybe we could go to the Harry Potter movie tomorrow night (avoiding the busy weekends) but we'll play it by ear and see how the day goes. If that doesn't happen then I need to get groceries, get new snow boots and new tennies. Goodbye paycheck. :) But actually rather necessary things.


Now that I'm unwinding and relaxing here on the couch -- and the half inch of Baileys hasn't hurt -- I'm getting rather tired. I'll probably watch the show, warm up in the shower, read for a bit, and then it's off to sleepy time.


And to end on something bookish: if you haven't registered at www.netgalley.com, you should. There are free digital ARCs available of some good (and some not so good) books there, including mysteries. For instance, there is the upcoming Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear, a new one by Ray Banks, Daniel Woodrell, Mark Billingham, Lawrence Block (a new Matthew Scudder!), Michael Kortya, Karin Fossum, and others.


Have a good night!


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster