Tag Archives: Reading

Excerpt Monday Information and Current WiP’s Blathering

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The sickness seems to be leaving me slowly, taking it’s sweet damn time about it. It’s made being productive very tough, so needless to say, I haven’t gotten much done on the writing front. But in an effort to help out with that, I’ve decided to start participating in Excerpt Monday, starting on on October 12th. Follow the link to find out more about it and come back here to my blog on Monday the 12th to see what I have. Hey, anything that will make Monday a better day is alright by me!

In the meantime, I’ve dug back into my sci-fi romance (lovingly (I think) called sci-mance by hubs) that is currently a 27K short. It’s not enough to tell the story I want, so it needs expanding. Espesically since I jotted a bunch of stuff down yesterday that altered the back history I had for the main characters. This one probably won’t be my usual word count level (around 90K), but it does need lengthening to properly tell their story. This, of course, comes about when I’m trying to work on the next book in the Rebirth series. Isn’t that the way it always happens? It’s like my brain gets opened up working on something and something else just slips its way right on in. I’m not one to juggle multiple stories like that either, just like I usually can’t juggle multiple books to read – one at a time please. It’s not that I can’t focus on multiple stories, I just like to give my full attention to whatever it is that I’m reading and/or writing.

I see the RT Convention is open for registration. I’ve been entertaining the idea of going, but not sure yet. Still waffling more towards the “no” side, but, so far, it’s been changing hourly. It’d be a nine hour drive for me as far as driving goes – so that’s the biggest deciding factor, well that and call me silly, but I don’t want to go by myself. Rather have someone I know with me so at least I’d feel a little more comfortable, since I’m not – oh who am I kidding? I’m not very social at all. Had that displayed right in my face earlier this week at a work function I had to attend (where I was getting an award no less). The VP of my whole division sat at the table with me and aside from introducing myself, I didn’t say a word during the meal. Can you imagine if I had to speak?

That’s something I really have got to work on.

Do You Follow Patterns or Run Around Willy Nilly?

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Patterns are a funny thing. Looking at my habits and such, I find that I write in patterns. I even read in them.

I’ve always been a reader, even in my youth. Being an only child, I found escapisim in books. They gave me friends that were realiable and would always be there no matter what was going on in my life. I vividly remember reading Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High books when I was in 5th grade. When I was sixteen, it was L. J. Smith’s Vampire Diaries series. And so begins the “series pattern”.

I, to this day, still love series books. I enjoy reading beyond just one book about the characters that I’ve grown attached to. Hearing their story and seeing how they handle events as their life unfolds as I turn the pages. Don’t get me wrong, single title books have their allure as well, and I would never turn my nose up to them, however, if I’m well into a series and I’m given a choice between a single title and the latest in a series, I’m going to choose the series book.

For an example, here are some of the series books I follow: The Hollows series (Kim Harrison), the Signs of the Zodiac series (Vicki Pettersson), the Night Huntress series (Jeaniene Frost), the ..In Death series (J. D. Robb), the Weather Warden series (Rachel Caine), the Dragonfire series (Deborah Cooke), the Jax series (Ann Aguirre), the Guardian series (Keri Arthur), the Outlander series (Diana Gabaldon), the Merry Gentry series (Laurell Hamilton), the Fever & the Highlander series (Karen Moning) and the newest series I’ve been reading, the Southern Vampire series (Charlaine Harris).

Now that I’m embarassed myself as to just how many books I read (’cause don’t forget, this is just the series books – that doesn’t even include the single titles I read from other authors) I’ve got stuff around the house to get to and errands to run.

Happy 4th of July to America!

What Do Vampires, Corruption and the Sharing of Reading Have to do With Each Other? Why Me, Of Course!

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Some time ago, I was accused of corruption. That is by no means a bad thing, at least in my opinion. Especially since this corruption correlates with reading. Really, how bad can that be if you get someone to read a really good book? I say it’s a win/win situation. I get to share a great book and the person I hand it off to gets a fantastic read.

Apparently, this corruption knows no bounds. My daughter has become my latest subject. I shall refrain from *evil cackles* – for now. But their bubbling under the surface, just to let you know. ;^)

Back when I was teenager, there was a very, limited amount of vampire fiction out there. We didn’t have Edward and Bella. Or the Morganvilla vamps from Rachel Caine. Or any of the countless young adult vampire fiction that graces the shelves of Barnes and Noble today. Hell, we didn’t even have Barnes and Noble then. At that time, my reading was confined young adult thrillers, where a vampire fiction or two was slipped in. Christopher Pike, Richie Tankersley Cusick and a few others of their like still have a place on my shevles, though the editions are discolored and battered from multiple readings; they are obviously well loved.

There was a series of books, and an author, whose writing I cherished at that time as well. L. J. Smith’s The Vampires Diaries. The Awakening, The Struggle, The Fury & Dark Reunion were the four books that were all published in 1991. Which put me around mid-teens when they were released. Stefan and Elena were my Edward and Bella as a teenager. Though, there are marked differences between the two – L. J. Smith’s vamps actually had fangs and didn’t glitter blindingly in the sunlight.

Being a fan of vamp fiction across the board today – I’ll read adult or young adult, so it seemed natural for me to read the Twilight series when it came out. My daughter devours books, just as I do (she read The Lord of the Rings series over Christmas break and then watched all the movies – complaining about the changes, just as most fans did) so I handed over the Twilight series, knowing that she would like it. Luckily, I’m still “cool mom” to her, so she took my advice, though still hesitant. I mean – Mom? recommending a book? Can only be so good, right?

Like I thought she would – she devoured it as well. Made me take her to the movie last year with her best friend and since the DVD came out today; I’m sure we’ll have it in our DVD library shortly. Here’s where the corruption comes in – she didn’t have anything to read Monday night before going to sleep. I had picked up the re-prints of The Vampire Diaries, so my 1st editions could have a rest so I figured this would be a good time for her to read them. I did make sure she understood that these vamps were nothing like the Cullens. Needless to say, she is already in the middle of book 5 (The Return: Nightfall) which was just released last month.

I chucked her the rest of L.J.’s books that I have and have no doubt that she’ll tear through them as well.

So – the corruption spreads.

Cue the evil cackles.

kateunderworldev