Happy Halloween -- Some are more into the holiday than others...

Yes it's Friday!

I'm currently reading GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE GUNS by Toni McGee Causey. This is 2nd of 3 in series featuring Bobbie Faye Sumrall, a one-woman disaster area and accidental sleuth. Here's a description:

Bobbie Faye Sumrall is back, and this time she is being chased by the FBI, criminal elements in her own family, the Irish Mob, and Homeland Security, all of whom are convinced that she knows the location of a priceless cache of diamonds. With a little help from her friends, most notably sexy FBI agent Trevor and her ex-lover hunky detective Cam, Bobbie Faye manages to stay just ahead of the Grim Reaper as she leaves a trail of destruction in her wake while racing through once peaceful Lake Charles, Louisiana. Other denizens play a role in Bobbie Faye’s adventure—CeCe, the voodoo queen who owns the shop where Bobbie Faye works the gun counter; Francesca, her drama queen cousin; Aubrey, the high-school senior who sells “Bobbie Faye debris” on eBay; and local news reporter Reggie “Buzz Saw” O’Connor, who lives by the creed that if there’s no news, make some up.

It was reprinted this year and has 352 pages. Here's an excerpt:

Chapter One

Bobbie Faye Sumrall was full up on crazy, thank you very much, and had a side order of cranky to spare. The bank—citing the picky little reason that it didn't want to lend money to people who were routinely shot at—said no to a loan for a new (used) car. It wasn't like she'd ever been hit by an actual bullet, for crying out freaking loud. Immediately after that, she couldn't get an insurance company to give her a quote for a start-up business grant application she needed to turn in. (Three insurance giants had gotten restraining orders as soon as they heard who was calling.) (Wusses.) And then the FBI guy she'd been blistering hot and bothered about had dropped off the planet two weeks earlier, and geez, there was only so much rejection a girl could take. She needed to have one night, one measly little night, to sleep well. That wasn't too much to ask, right? Apparently, the Universe thought it was. Bobbie Faye and the Universe were like warring spouses locked in an eternal battle, trying to blow one another up rather than admit the other was savvier. (The Universe, by the way? A big fat cheater.)

Otherwise today, I've walked Tug (very windy out), trying to get rid of the cough that has stayed and stayed, and spent some time online doing a mystery scavenger hunt though I'd make a very bad detective because I don't know whodunnit.

Tonight on tv, I've got Say Yes to the Dress and that's about it. This weekend Steve and I will be working on getting rid of the last of the cold, I'll be doing some cleaning and laundry.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

A little bookish

I'm a little more than halfway done with the Charlaine Harris book. Harris is very good at world building. Next Tuesday is a good book release day: the new J.D. Robb (KINDRED IN DEATH) and the new C.S. Harris (WHAT REMAINS OF HEAVEN). Excellent! And I've got a gift card for Borders to play with ... mmm!

Looks like Masterpiece Theater on Sunday is going to show Val McDermid's PLACE OF EXECUTION. A fantastic book, it will be interesting to see if they can pull off successfully the visual media.

Tonight we've got Survivor to watch and maybe some of the World Series. I'm listening now to pandora.com, my Who channel, and I'm loving me some Beatles. Ahhhh, lovely lovely.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Trick or Treat a little early

I'm currently reading GRAVE SECRET by Charlaine Harris. This is 4th of 4 in series featuring Harper Connelly, a lightning survivor who can find bodies, and her stepbrother Tolliver, in Sarne, Arkansas. Here's a description:

Harper Connelly and her stepbrother Tolliver take a break from looking for the dead to visit the two little girls they both think of as sisters. But, as always happens when they travel to Texas, memories of their horrible childhood resurface. To make matters worse, Tolliver learns from his older brother that their father is out of jail and trying to reestablish contact with other family members. Tolliver wants no part of the man- but he may not have a choice in the matter. Soon, family secrets ensnare them both, as Harper finally discovers what happened to her missing sister, Cameron, so many years before. And what she finds out will change her world forever.

It was just published and has 320 pages. This series is interesting to me; it has a touch of woo woo in that because she was struck by lightening, Harper can find dead people. Never been done before or since in mystery books. I'm not a fan at all of vampires, so I've not taken up her Sookie books; I loved her Lily Bard series and wish that hadn't ended.

Here's an excerpt from GRAVE SECRET:

“All right,” said the straw-haired woman in the denim jacket. “Do your thing.” Her accent made the words sound more like, “Dew yore thang.” Her hawk-like face was eager, the anticipatory look of someone who is ready to taste an unknown food.
We were standing on a wind-swept field some miles south of the interstate that runs between Texarkana and Dallas. A car zoomed by on the narrow two-lane blacktop. It was the only other car I’d seen since I’d followed Lizzie Joyce’s gleaming black Chevy Kodiak pickup out to the Pioneer Rest graveyard, which lay outside the tiny town of Clear Creek.
When our little handful of people fell silent, the whistle of the wind scouring the rolling hill was the only sound in the landscape.
There wasn’t a fence around the little cemetery. It had been cleared, but not recently. This was an old cemetery, as Texas cemeteries go, established when the live oak in the middle of the graveyard had been only a small tree. A flock of birds was cackling in the oak’s branches. Since we were in north Texas, there was grass, but in February it wasn’t green. Though the temperature was in the fifties today, the wind was colder than I’d counted on. I zipped up my jacket. I noticed that Lizzie Joyce wasn’t wearing one.
The people who lived hereabouts were tough and pragmatic, including the thirtyish blonde who’d invited me here. She was lean and muscular, and she must have tugged up her jeans by greasing her legs. I couldn’t imagine how she mounted a horse. But her boots were well-worn, and so was her hat, and if I’d read her belt buckle correctly, she was the previous year’s county-wide barrel riding champion. Lizzie Joyce was the real deal.
She also had more money in her bank account than I would ever earn in my life. The diamonds on her hand flashed in the bright sunlight as she waved toward the piece of ground dedicated to the dead. Ms. Joyce wanted me to get the show on the road.
I prepared to dew mah thang. Since Lizzie was paying me big bucks for this, she wanted to get the most out of it. She’d invited her little entourage, which consisted of her boyfriend, her younger sister, and her brother, who looked as though he’d rather be anywhere else but in Pioneer Rest cemetery.


And this book, being woo woo, is suitable I think for the time of year: we're getting closer to Halloween of course. I've got a couple bags of candy -- last year we had so few kids come by that I decided this year not to go all out buying candy we may be stuck with afterward. The requisite scary movies are now showing on tv as well as documentaries about all things scary and haunted. I don't mind the docs but I've never been fond of scary movies. Yes, I've enjoyed the classics: Nightmare of Elm Street I believe I actually saw in the theatre when it was first released. Halloween with Jamie Curtis is a must. I liked Scream being so clever about the genre. But gory violent death just for the sake of gory violent death doesn't trip my trigger like it does the younger generation. Being that Hallween falls on a Friday this year, I imagine there will be more grown-up parties than kiddie stuff. I prefer to think of the old traditional view of the day -- All Hallow's Eve.

Tonight, Steve has pistol shooting at the gun club -- after tonight he can stay home and get better the rest of the week -- and I'll watch America's Next Top Model because "I love to watch beautiful skinny girls being criticized" (c). Otherwise, I think my cough is slowly getting better and I hope to read tonight and then sleep and sleep. :)

All right, off you go then ...

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Just a happy, good bookish day

I'm currently reading BED OF ROSES by Nora Roberts. This is the 2nd book of The Bride Quartet. Here's a description:

As little girls MacKensie, Emma, Laurel, and Parker spent hours acting out their perfect make believe "I do" moments. Years later their fantasies become reality when they start their own wedding planning company to make every woman's dream day come true. Florist Emma Grant is finding career success with her friends at Vows wedding planning company, and her love life appears to be thriving. Though men swarm around her, she still hasn't found Mr. Right. And the last place she's looking is right under her nose. But that's just where Jack Cooke is. He's so close to the women of Vows that he's practically family, but the architect has begun to admit to himself that his feelings for Emma have developed into much more than friendship. When Emma returns his passion—kiss for blistering kiss—they must trust in their history…and in their hearts.

This was just published and has 358 pages. I don't read a whole lot of romance but Nora Roberts is a freak of nature talented writer. Her dialogue is the best and she creates worlds you want to be a part of and never want to end. Here's an excerpt:

Chapter One

Since details crowded her mind, many of them blurry, Emma checked her appointment book over her first cup of coffee. The back- to- back consults gave her nearly as much of a boost as the strong, sweet coffee. Basking in it, she leaned back in the chair in her cozy office to read over the side notes she’d added to each client.

In her experience, the personality of the couple— or often, more accurately, the bride— helped her determine the tone of the consult, the direction they’d pursue. To Emma’s way of thinking, flowers were the heart of a wedding. Whether they were elegant or fun, elaborate or simple, the flowers were the romance.

It was her job to give the client all the heart and romance they desired.

She sighed, stretched, then smiled at the vase of petite roses on her desk. Spring, she thought, was the best. The wedding season kicked into high gear— which meant busy days and long nights designing, arranging, creating not only for this spring’s weddings, but also next.

She loved the continuity as much as the work itself.

That’s what Vows had given her and her three best friends. Continuity, rewarding work, and that sense of personal accomplishment. And she got to play with flowers, live with flowers, practically swim in flowers every day.

This will keep me occupied today. My cough may be getting better -- I could almost sleep horizontal last night -- woo hoo! I took Tug for a quick walk this afternoon. The wind is just terrible out there but it is always like this in late October in Montana. I just didn't want to get too much of the cold wind in my lungs and have a relapse or anything. I must be well by Monday! Tonight, Steve has a committee meeting at the gun club (it never ends) and I'll watch Rehab: Party at the Hard Rock. That's about it.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Bah Monday!

Well, I continued my Anthony Andrews 1980s visit and watched another fave, The Scarlet Pimpernel last night. I'm somewhat holding off on a starting a book until tomorrow. The 2nd of Nora Roberts' wedding biz quartet comes out tomorrow and I plan on getting it. So for today, I don't know.

This cold is still kicking my breathing -- rattling, wheezing, unable to sleep laying down, coughing. And I think the thrush medicine is messing up my appetite. I don't really feel like eating but I do a little to keep energy up. Trying to drink lots. I should go steam again in a bit.

It is super windy today. I won't be able to take Tug for a walk today. Maybe I can get by with a car ride. He's sleeping right now after I let him out in the front yard for a bit.

Steve has another gun club orientation to help with tonight. I've got Lie to Me to watch on tv. Really, the only goal I have today is to get.rid.of.this.cough. Arghhhh!!!

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Autumn

Not much to report from the Madsen home this weekend other than this is a house of sickness. Oy. My cold is not going away as quickly as I'd like and Steve is fighting it now, too, though I don't think it's hit him as hard, thank goodness, at least he doesn't have my neverending cough. I went to the clinic yesterday because I've developed thrush (I'm susceptible unfortunately) and had to get medicine to combat that (the most disgusting concoction ever invented). So that's us. It's kinda nice out so I've got some windows open to air out the house. What we've got is not H1N1, just a bronchial cold.

I still haven't figured out what book mood I'm in so I'm not reading anything but I did watch one of my beloved miniseries on DVD -- Ivanho. Ahhhh, Anthony Andrews in the 80s -- and I'm not really into blonds. My template for good looking guys are tall dark and handsome. But Anthony Andrews in the 80s was just pretty -- Ivanho, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Brideshead Revisited, Sparkling Cyanide. And did you know, I'll bet you didn't, that he was asked to be Remington Steele but turned down the role leaving it open for Pierce Brosnan. Ivanho is one of my favorite stories; the DVD seems to be three movies in one: Andrews is in a romance and is basically recovering from wounds for most of the miniseries so he's laying around and wincing a lot but looking noble and brave as he loves Rowena but is hero to Rebecca, James Mason and Olivia Hussey are in a serious movie, everyone else is in a light comedy.

Yesterday was a really windy day; I watched at one point the neighbor's black cat chasing and pouncing on leaves as they skittered across their lawn which was rather amusing.

Have a good football, falling leaves Sunday ...

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster