MY PETITION TO GET A TIME-TURNER

SPRING CLEANING (a.k.a MY TO-DO LIST)

This is what I want to do...
1) Stop wearing flannel. (However, this is not up to me. March doesn't seem to want to act like spring this year. Just more winter. And more winter. And more winter...)
2) Get in enough running miles that when I run the 17-mile trail run in April that I foolishly signed up for last December, I won't want to roll over and die in the middle of the woods somewhere. (Again, a little warmer weather would help with this...)



3) Finish edits on the second book in my UNDER THE BLOOD MOON series, called HOW TO DITCH DEAD GUYS.
4) Finish a YA dystopian WIP I started last September, but haven't touched since December due to other writing commitments.
5) Tackle the mountains of books waiting in cupboards, stuffed on bookshelves, or stashed on tables that I need to start or finish reading.

Here goes the list (this is meant to embarrass me into action--feel free to criticize me for my slacking in this department and I apologize ahead of time if I spelled any of the author's names incorrectly, but this is a mega-long list, so the probability of that is high):

MY TBR (TO BY READ) PILE:




*** (# 1-7 are due to a book-to-movie reading and watching club I joined)

1) THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY by Richard C. Morais
2) THE GIVER by Lois Lowry
3) THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU by Jonathan Tropper
4) THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner
5) UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand
6) WILD by Cheryl Strayed

Somehow I don't think this movie will be as funny as LEGALLY BLONDE...what do you think?

7) SERENA by Ron Rash

*** (the rest are either due to my obsessive book-collecting nature, or from clearing out my parents' house, or for research purposes)

8) SHARP OBJECTS by Gillian Flynn, because I must read everything this woman wrote

This author's mind is a thrilling place to be...and creepy...and terrifying...you get the idea

9) UNDER THE DOME by the one-and-only Stephen King, who freaked me out so much in highschool that I threw one of his books across the room (sorry) screaming because deep water is creepy enough as it is, and then he had to go and make it ten times worse
10) LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel, yes, it's taken me forever to pick this one up
11) BRIDGET JONES MAD ABOUT THE BOY by Helen Fielding, but I'm not sure I would've grabbed this if I had known ahead of time that DARCY IS DEAD---NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! (At least, that's what I heard in a review I read after I purchased it.)

Jane Austen would be so pissed the author killed Darcy.

12) THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS by Grahame, somehow I've never read this one or at least don't remember doing so
13) ONE OF THEM by Pavlik, this was a book from my parents' shelves
14) THE LILIES OF THE FIELD by Barrett, also from my parents' old house
15) ERAGON by Paolini
16) THE FLEDGLING by Langton
17) SURPRISED BY JOY by C.S. Lewis, also from my parents, and I don't think Aslan is in it much (sigh)
18) INKHEART by Funke
19) THE ENGLISH GOVERNESS AT THE SIAMESE COURT by Leonowens, actually I've tried this one before but have a hard time with it

The musical THE KING & I is based on this book,
which is why I want to read it.
However, Yul Brynner isn't even mentioned in the book...bummer

20) OUT OF THE SILENT PLANET by C.S. Lewis, from my dad's shelves
21) THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS by C.S. Lewis, also my dad's book--methinks we both loved this author a little too much
22) THE SILVER CHALICE by Costain, this was my mother's book but I'm not sure she ever read it
23) MAY BIRD AND THE EVER AFTER by Anderson
24) CITY OF ASHES by Cassandra Clare, of course, but it's been so long since I read the first one that I may have to do so (or cheat by Wikipedia-ing it...naughty, naughty)
25) WAR AND PEACE by Leo Tolstoy, another book I suspect my mother bought because it was pretty
26) TORN by Amanda Hocking
27) HAUNTED WISCONSIN by Norman
28) G-DOG AND THE HOMEBOYS by Fremon, I've been reading gang-related books as research for my writing and it's so sad
29) RUN BABY RUN by Nicky Cruz, more depressing, gang-related reading
30) DEVIL'S FLOWER by Lisa Collicutt, my first e-book ever

I've said it before, but this cover is beautiful.
I'm lucky enough to have the same cover artist for my book.

I'M NOT PROUD OF THE FOLLOWING LIST...
BOOKS I'VE STARTED BUT NOT FINISHED YET:




1) MONUMENTS MEN by Edsel
2) WINTER'S TALE by Helprin
3) THE CROSS AND THE SWITCHBLADE by Wilkerson. Ever since I read a scene where it's mentioned that these gang members viciously tortured cats I've had a hard time continuing my gang-related research, but it's something I'll have to do. Just because I don't read about it, doesn't mean it isn't happening.
4) CLOAK by Gough
5) FORGOTTEN GARDEN by Morton
6) RUN LIKE A MOTHER by McDowell and Bowen Shea, who both are much more obsessed about running than I am, which at times makes me think I'm not trying hard enough, but I guess I just have enough other things in my life now
7) FALL FOR ME by K.A. Last
8) BEAUTIFUL CHAOS by Garcia and Stohl
9) SPOOKY WISCONSIN by Schlosser
10) and numerous witchcraft books I've collected to use as resources, but never read from cover to cover



So...can I please get a time-turner now? I really need one.



How crowded are your bookshelves?

- Ann M. Noser

I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT I LIKED THE MOVIE BETTER

It's a horrible, terrible thing to say--but it's still true.
I just got done watching the Masterpiece Theater beautiful, magical version of:

This is the 2011 version. It's fanTABulous.

I loved it, loved it, loved it.
But I have to confess that I didn't even want to watch it at first.

Why? Not because I don't like Dickens. I think he's a genius. He does an amazing job of introducing so many memorable characters in a book, then twisting their lives upside down until they all have connections with each other, and then still surprising you with a remarkable ending.

Not because I don't like Masterpiece Theater, because I really, really do.
I love Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House, Daniel Deronda, Emma, and so on.

Wait a minute... This doesn't look like the X-files.

So why should Great Expectations be any different?
Why was I so reluctant to watch it?
I'll tell you--because back in high school and college, when I read a freak ton of classic novels, I couldn't stand Great Expectations. I felt it was Dickens slowest book. I didn't like any of the characters. They were either mean to Pip or else they did stupid things.
And by "they" I mean just Pip.
I'm really sorry to all you Pip fans. I know he's the hero, but he lived in a fantasy world and didn't pay attention when he should have.

No, I don't sparkle--even though I look a lot like Edward Cullen.

But this miniseries was wonderful. Every single minute of it. This time around I rooted for Pip, despite his stupidity (it doesn't hurt that the actor did such a fine job and was adorable). I admired Joe. Hated Pip's sister (I wanted to smack her until somebody else actually did. Then I felt bad. Whoops. Semi-spoiler. I'll say no more.) Jaggers was cool. Even Magwitch was cool, in sort of warped way at first and then... once you got to really know him, he was even better. (And kudos to Dickens. Gotta love his choices for character names: Pip, Jaggers, Magwitch, Miss Havisham--how did he ever think of these great, classic names?)

Forget the file. Just get me some more of that cake.

But as both a writer and a voracious reader, it just seems wrong to say... uh, sorry...
I like the movie better.
To redeem myself, watching this miniseries makes me want to reread the original book.

So well done I want to watch it all over again tonight.

Maybe I missed something the first time around.
Hmmmm. Come to think of it, I sort of felt the same way about E.M. Forster's Howard's End. Again when reading every classic novel I could get my hands on, I first devoured Room With a View and then got stalled on this one. Felt like it took 3 days to read a page, when normally I'm a speedster.

But consider the movie. Of course, pretty much any movie with Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson is bound to be a winner, but...

Love, love, love you two together.

Maybe I should read both these books again.

Okay. This isn't true. I just wish I went to Hogwarts.

GILLIAN FLYNN, I WANT TO PICK YOUR BRAIN

DARK PLACES, a review

I want to know, want to know, really really want to know (okay now I'm just mimicking Lyle from the book) how does GILLIAN FLYNN make me care so much about characters I don't even like?

good and creepy

I really didn't like Libby Day--at first. She's a shoplifter, pick-pocketer, and feels so darn sorry for herself. She's exhausted with life, and makes me want to give her a spanking. Afterwards I'd probably make her a sandwich or something, because I'd feel bad about it, but still--she needs a good spanking. Do something with your life, woman!

I realize I'm supposed to feel sorry for her. Her family was viciously murdered, and she helped put her older brother in jail for the horrific crime. But I can't excuse just how apathetic she is. It's weird how it happens, but I'm so glad when someone gives her a mission in life: find out if your brother really did it, and--if not--then who did?

At this point in the book, Libby just comes to life, and I start to like--even admire--her. Weird. Where did that come from?
.
SUCH A WHIRLWIND. Yes, fine, it's all caps. And it should be. Putting down this book is like coming up for air, almost painful at times. You just want to read. More. Faster and faster and faster. And then it's kind of relief when it's over because--at least for me--I feel rather guilty when I get so into a book because I might sort of neglect my family a little bit. (Laundry? What's that? Sure, you can play video games. What do you mean you want supper?)

Gillian Flynn, you are the coolest.
If I was 12, I'd join your fan club.
Then again, maybe I shouldn't be reading your books if I was 12.

For the record, I'm much more satisfied with the ending of this book than with GONE GIRL (even though I think that book is kick-ass as well--the ending just confused me).

I think Gillian Flynn is amazing. A crazy-good writer. And maybe just a little insane. (awkward grimace)

This is me. Well-read. Dangerous.
Okay, maybe not as dangerous as Gillian Flynn.

And I can't wait to see the movie. I envision some dark music in the back ground, sort of a Nine Inch Nails feel to it. But I kind of hope they downplay some scenes, or at least do them off screen. (if you've read this, you can probably guess what I'm talking about, and if you haven't I certainly don't want to spoil things for you.. so go find out for yourself)

So looking forward to this.