Bob Loblah

BLOG OF THE DAY (BOD): Petrona: Thinking and Linking about Books, Reading, Writing, Publishing, The Web and More. http://petrona.typepad.com. I found this one by clicking around on the web, jumping from site to site. I love doing that; it can take you to unexpected places or find gems like this blog.

The problem is that I get clicking and lose all sense of time and purpose (like now). I've been spending the last hour getting excited about the Internet again and finding things I want to follow and incorporate into my ePhilanthropy class next summer. There is just so much information out there.

Side note: I've been unfocused the last couple months (plus having to do that last class I had missed) that I haven't been able to work on *my* class. I think I'm coming out of the fog now. So much to do and perhaps if Regis doesn't doesn't pick up my class as a regular, I can use this info for my workbook/seminar. Postscript: I hope I get that Web Manager job. That would be so fun.

Yes, I read the romance book last evening and yes it was silly but now it's out of my way and I can get back to crime bwa hahhaa!

Reading now the fourth book of twelve in Deborah Crombies series featuring Duncan Kincaid, a Scotland Yard superintendent, and Gemma James, a sergeant, in London, England. Published in 1996, MOURN NOT YOUR DEAD does contain a crime to be solved but I think most readers who read the previous book (if you're reading this in order) are more concerned about Kincaid and Gemma's relationship as the last book ended with a showstopper. Here's a description from Publisher's Weekly:

Alastair Gilbert, a high-ranking police officer, has been bludgeoned to death in his home in Holmbury, and Scotland Yard's James and Kincaid are called in to aid the local authorities who, over time, prove to be both efficient and fallible. Suspicion immediately falls upon the fragile-looking widow, Claire Gilbert, who, along with her daughter Lucy, Gilbert's stepdaughter, discovered the body. Shrewd and methodical interviews with some of the town's citizens (the pubkeeper and his son; the vicar and doctor, both women; an engaging psychic) show that Claire and Lucy are held in high regard and suggest that more pertinent information might be found in London, where Claire's first husband had been killed in a hit-and-run accident some years earlier-a case in which Alastair had been an investigating officer.

I don't know what it is about these books, perhaps it is the skill and talent of the writer or maybe their worldbuilding, but the one finds oneself saying "I'll just start it" and then almost 100 pages later looking up and wondering where the time went. I think Deborah Crombie has a very loyal following, but in the general crime fiction arena, she's faded from view. I mean she's just THERE like Grafton, Muller, Peters, etc. Steadily cranking out quality novels year after year but not really causing a stir, if you know what I mean.

Worldbuilding is an under-used word in crime fiction. It is much bandied about in SFF because it is usually an obvious thing -- creating a world beyond what we know. But the essence of worldbuilding is creating a different reality from ours -- and that could be any fictional story. Wikipedia explains, "The goals of world-building are to create a context for a story. Consistency is an important step in the construction of a world, so it requires a foundation or baseline to provide the core concept of the setting" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldbuilding. Perhaps that is something that we as readers perceive subtly when we feel a story isn't working for us. We've picked up a flaw in the author's worldbuilding of the novel.

It's Saturday. And **cold**. It's not supposed to get much warmer than 16 degrees. Yesterday a storm front moved in fast; the temps dropped quickly and the wind was terrible. Snow put a half inch on top of the ice I think. So I don't think we're going anywhere other than The Walking of the Beast. I could happily play on the Internet all day, or read, or watch an episode of MI-5 or start Foyle's War episodes or maybe the next disc of Veronica Mars will show up today. So many diversions with which we surround ourselves.

How melancholy all of a sudden. I need to do some playing around in the social networks and read the email marketing book before it's due back. I should vacuum downstairs. Continue my alphabetizing project (oy, that's been on hold for too long), start listing the other books that should go on the used bookstore online....

Okay, I was a bad girl. I've been checking the Book Depository daily for the next Steig Larsson for it to show available and just did so I got it. No shipping charges from the UK which is AWESOME. Just a present to myself for whatever reason I think of: making it this long without success in job hunting and not cracking up; belated Christmas present; a New Year's gift; replacing the MI-5 season two DVD that got lost in transit; or simply just because I'm worth it. :) Don't feel guilty... don't feel guilty...

And because of that splurge, I'm definitely reading the Lauren Willig from the library and not buying it (note to self).

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Dinner/ It's a Saturday / Crombie

Last night's dinner at the Johnsons was lovely. I'd say about a dozen people showed up. And somehow it usually segregated into men vs women in groupings even while eating dinner. As you know, Steve goes shooting on Wednesday nights at the gun club of which he is pistol director. Over the year I believe they put some money in a kitty for this dinner at the Johnsons who've graciously volunteered to host it for two years now. With the petty cash they purchase steaks to grill and potatoes, etc., and the rest bring things like salads, deserts, and appetizers. Their house is beautiful; big open floor plan upstairs (I've not seen any other portion of the house) and very relaxed with music playing and people talking up a storm. We got there at about 6:30 and got home at 10. This is something Steve really enjoys doing and I don't mind at all.

Today, Steve is doing a couple projects outside the house so I don't expect to see him until this afternoon. I've been doing some cleaning; I'm having a fit of "ugh, this place is a mess" but I'm not tipping over into full blown "must clean everything" mode but rather it's been seeing a mess here and there and trying to do something about that little bit. For instance, I've got a huge stack of newspapers that need to be dealt with and there's empty plastic bottles here and there and my bedside table needs organizing, etc. It will pass soon as I give up to the hugeness of it and figure I'd rather be reading. :)

So I've got my second load of laundry in the wash and I've cleared the rooms for vacuuming but I thought I'd take a break and do this post and check some email. I need to go to Walmart for a couple items I couldn't get yesterday at Albertsons. I'll walk Tug around 3 or 4-ish. Maybe I'll get a nap in, too, since I didn't get one yesterday. Ah, so much to accomplish!

I'm pages away from finishing the Crombie and then I'll start the Connelly. I also have a text on being an Executive Director for an NPO that I'd like to get going on. I don't think there's a whole lot of tv to watch tonight but I did find on the Internet the full episode of Crusoe that I missed last night so I'll have to make time for that. The Penman at the library still hasn't had any movement from on order to in the building. It'll be coming up on two weeks soon since it's been released. Bothersome, but I can wait.

Tonight for dinner I'm planning taco salad; that's usually a guaranteed hit.

Update: finished the Crombie, ALL SHALL BE WELL. I don't know; maybe I'm a little disappointed. There was investigation of suspects going on but the ending almost seemed to come out of the blue even though there was mention of some of the things happening in the past but the perpetrator was never mentioned in any connection until the confrontation and accusation and confession It's a let down in a way. And I swear, if I read another reference to Gemma's "copper hair" I'll do something evil. Need a month or two before reading the next in series.

On to the Connelly...

Happy reading,
PK the Bookeemonster

090809

Sometimes I feel this war inside me. I love being very business like: reading the Wall Street Journal and understanding world topics, working on grants, start a business, and so forth. The other part of me wants to completely give in and live the life of a creative: to write books or at least write reviews of books that I read, be a film critic, sing, knit, etc. And there isn't enough time in a day after the job takes a chunk of your awake time to indulge in trying to make both happen. Or maybe I'm just not coordinated enough or just plain too lazy to make it all happen. But then I have this other problem: I don't follow through. That one is a biggie and always happens. I may even get started on a project but within a couple days I've gone off on another urge, another mood, and I just cannot make myself finish when I'm not feeling it anymore. It is very frustrating.

Work: oh I dunno, maybe I'll keep going on the PVP annual report and do things for the upcoming concert.

Reading: about halfway through THE BLACK PATH by Asa Larsson. It is good and actually flows pretty well for a translation. I don't know if I mind the flashbacks within the flashbacks of the background of the victim and who I suppose is the main suspect. There is actually less narrative of the police procedural than the background meanderings of some characters. Does this make the book more meaningful? More like literature? It is definitely a crime story: a woman is killed and the police are attempting to find whodunnit and motive. It doesn't seem that big but it is almost 400 pages in length and I haven't exactly been devoting a lot of time to reading lately. Also listening to SECRET SERVANT by Daniel Silva in the car. The deed has been done: the operation that Gabriel was uncovering just happened -- they got the girl. This will probably take some time to get through since I only listen to it while driving which is a little less than an hour a day. I suppose I should be glad that we live on the other side of town from where I work so that I have 25 minutes at a go to listen to the story.

TV: has some possibilities but I don't know if I'll commit. PBS's Frontline has an interesting documentary it looks like about the Iraq war. AMC is showing The Magnifient Seven, a great classic movie. A&E has The First 48 which I like because it is real crime solving. We'll see; I should read.

Otherwise, not much on the schedule for today. I'd like to stop by the library to pick up a hold and just get a being-surrounded-by-books fix. I have to have to have to work on the presentation for the MNA conference.

Back to reading: Once I finish the above, the next few up to read are all library books (oh my poor personal TBR that I want to read, they get so ignored). Michael Harvey's second in his PI series, THE FIFTH FLOOR, is due back the soonest. I've got another 14-day book that would probably come next if I read it, a debut called A CURE FOR NIGHT by Justin Peacock -- a legal crime fiction getting good reviews but who knows if I'll be in the mood? Then the next in a few series I'm following: SHADOWS IN BRONZE by Lindsey Davis, THE WATER ROOM by Christopher Fowler, and ALL SHALL BE WELL by Deborah Crombie. Of course, I'm following a LOT of series so that could fill out the year I'd bet. Ha! Yeah, I should read tonight; two solid hours would do wonders, 8 to 10 (if Tug settles down with me instead of against me).

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday 081008

Moving right along in August, aren't we?

Still dealing with a cold. Steve is experiencing the symptoms now as well. I foresee naps in our future today.

I'm doing clothes laundry and still have to vacuum at some point.

TV: Will try to remember to watch Masterpiece Theatre as they are showing a new Inspector Lynley episode. Interestingly, though the tv series veered away from the books they've included the death of Lady Helen and this show is touching upon the aftermath. Worth looking at. Watched the Cowboys play exhibition football a little bit last night. Couldn't watch much because they sucked against the Chargers. Thank goodness it's pre-season. They were so good last year I hope this is just the third-stringers and not indicative of the whole team.

Reading. Finished BLACK AND WHITE AND DEAD ALL OVER. I wound up skim reading the last part as the tone was getting a little wearing after a while. The killer was who I thought it was the instant he was introduced. Ah well. Now I'm reading the first Deborah Crombie A SHARE IN DEATH; the first novel of a series of twelve as of this year. I think I might have read this one many many many years ago but don't remember the details. I've pretty much ignored this series perhaps until now. The first line reads: "Duncan Kincaid's holiday began well." Here's the blurb:

Det. Supt. Duncan Kincaid, spending his vacation from Scotland Yard at a Yorkshire time-share along with several other guests, finds his holiday anything but relaxing. Immediately after he arrives at the elegant estate, he overhears a heated argument between the snobbish caretaker and her sarcastic assistant manager. Late that evening, the assistant is electrocuted in the Jacuzzi. To the consternation of Yorkshire police, Kincaid assumes an active role in the investigation, which becomes more urgent after two more deaths. Meanwhile, Sgt. Gemma James, a pragmatic single mother charmed by Kincaid's unpretentious demeanor and bachelor status, digs for additional clues in London.

The older stuff becomes the only TBR to pull from when confronted with so much ... "mediocrity" I guess may be the term. One has to find new authors of course (Samson and Franklin and Cain and other are very good and I'm so glad I found them) but sometimes you have to wade through a lotof dreck and I hate wasting time. Some authors last for a reason; they're good. So I'm reading Reginald Hill, Ian Rankin, Bill Pronzini, Ruth Rendell, PD James, Jonathan Kellerman, Ed McBain, Lawrence Block, Jane Haddam, Lindsey Davis, Archer Mayor, Rex Stout, Ellory Queen, Erle Stanley Gardner, Dorothy Sayer, Agatha Christie, and all my historicals, etc. Two wonderful things about reading these authors is that that they are great reads and there is a large back log of books. I could concentrate solely on this list and never run out of things to read for a long time. And then there is a list of not brand new but getting established new-ish authors that I need to get going on such as Michael Robotham, David Housewright and Marcus Sakey and all the Scandanavians. I could read more of the Robert Crais series for goodness sake, and the back list of Michael Connelly, Peter Robinson, John Harvey, Stuart Pawson, Christopher Brookmyre, Christopher Fowler, and probably now Deborah Crombie. And then there's the list of authors that I need to get caught up on and haven't read in a long time: Elizabeth Peters, Martha Grimes, Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky, Marcia Muller, Jan Burke all come to mind immediately. I could ignore all new releases and not want for reading material.

Here's the books I currently have on hold at the library:

BLACK TOWER by Bayard, Louis

COMPANY OF LIARS by Maitland, Karen

DEATH'S HALF ACRE by Maron, Margaret

DEVIL'S BROOD by Penman, Sharon Kay

FIFTH FLOOR by Harvey, Michael

GIVEN DAY by Lehane, Dennis

KEEPSAKE by Gerritsen, Tess

RED KNIFE: A CORK O'CONNOR MYSTERY by Krueger, William

SWEETHEART by Cain, Chelsea

TRIGGER CITY by Chercover, Sean

I took off the new Alafair Burke. Her last book disappointed me so I'm not in a rush for this one. Maybe I'll get to it eventually.

I remembered another one of my favorite quirky movies: Local Hero. Fabulous. So the list continues:
Local Hero
Lost in Translation
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
Strictly Ballroom
Brazil
Fargo
Gosford Park

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster