Book Binge

Where have I been? You've been pondering that, haven't you? Besides being busier than nine kinds of hell...I've read.
That's right.
I have pushed cleaning to the side and actually read.
Ah...bliss. I've probably read a dozen books in the last week. If not more. I've read all but three of the Carpathian books by Feehan. I read all of the J.R. Ward "Brothers of the Black Dagger" books. And all I have to say in reference to the Black Dagger books is...GO BUY THESE BOOKS! Now.
I've read P.C. Cast's Parthelon series. I LOVED the first two...Goddess by Mistake and Goddess by Choice. Don't miss these. But the second two just didn't have the spark the first two did.
I reread Jacob by Jacquelyn Frank. And I'm really going to be excited when I get my hands on Gideon (the second book in the series). Um...figuratively speaking. *grins*
I also read a couple of non-fiction.

But here's the surprise...and my internal editor was doing cartwheels...each and every book had at least one mistake in it. *holding hand up* I swear.
I know one of the non-fiction books referred to "sheer power" as "shear power." I'm quite sure that scissors or other cutting utensils had no bearing on the phrase.
In one of the Black Dagger books...the sentence in quotes had "heard" spelled as "herd." And I believe it was Goddess by Mistake that had an error in it that only an Oklahoman would have caught. The heroine refers to an Oklahoma restaurant as "Bram's." And as we all know...here in the heartland...it's "Braum's." I, myself, put the ice cream and burger place in Perfect Timing.
And just to make sure that's what she meant...I emailed P.C. (Wonderful, gracious woman...by the way.) She assured me that-yes. It was supposed to be Braum's.

Mistakes happen, my lovelies. No matter how many hands your precious book passes through...mistakes happen. I could pick my first release to shreds, but I won't. Because it's part of me. It's part of the process. And I think it deserves to stand on its own merits.

Another reason I decided to give myself a reading frenzy was to increase my vocabulary. My phrasing. My sense of perfectly proportioned writing.
Reading someone else's work is a great teacher. A tool to use. As long as you don't take the other author's words as your own. That's a hanging offense around here. And I'll bring the noose. Just so ya know.

On a completely unrelated subject...my chickens rock. Oh yes. *grins* Yes, they do. We have a rather large lawn to mow. And oldest and baby chicken pitched right in. Middle chicken took care of the house stuffs.
We went swimming this last weekend. Watched movies. It was great. And I absolutely refuse to think about the fact that school starts in two months.
Well, okay. Except for the days when I want to strangle them. Then I clutch the fact tightly to my chest while whispering the Lord's prayer.
Grins*

Monday didn't happen

I didn't stand on my feet seven hours out of eight yesterday. We weren't bombarded with customers. My hip didn't throb (and it still isn't) from the constant going and doing. We weren't shorthanded. I didn't take *ahem* several ibuprofen. Nope. Uh uh. Refuse to even go there.
Monday didn't happen.

Today? Much better. I'm still keeping my mental block up so I don't harm someone, but other than that...SO MUCH BETTER!!!

And for the reading/writing part of my program...picked up Christine Feehan's "Dark" (Carpathian) series. And I've enjoyed most of them. There's a recurring theme (okay, several). But my romantic little heart just goes pitter-pat for the whole "lifemate" business.
That's what keeps those romantic little books flying off shelves. *nodding*

What have you read lately that struck a chord?
Grins*

Literary disappointments

I realize that most readers have stacks upon stacks of TBR (To Be Read) piles.
Quite frankly...I'm not one of them.

I will pick up a "hot" author. You know the ones of which I speak: Christina Dodd. Lisa Kleypas. Christine Feehan. LKH. Authors in the genre which I write.
And then I sit down and read. Once.
And the Christina Dodd I picked up...I didn't get to the second chapter. Does this mean she's not a great author? Not at all. But she's not suiting my reading right now.
And heaven knows...with my time at such a premium...I don't have time to jack with stuff I know I'll simply slog through.

There is nothing more disappointing than sitting down with great anticipation with a book and then closing it ten minutes later and knowing you will NEVER get those ten minutes back.
Rather inhales.

I used to be able to read anything and everything whenever I wanted. But it's just not possible any more. I've become pickier (MUCH) in my chosen selections. And when they don't measure up...the authors don't get another chance.

If you write...make your seventh book as fresh and exciting as your first. Make us love the characters. Enjoy the plot. And embrace the whole experience with every part of ourselves.
Don't become lazy. Don't tell yourself you'll do better next time.
Because if there are readers like me out there...there won't BE a next time.
Grins*