Kate Warren

My summer vacation was made up of a great deal of noise, some funky weather, a lot of stress, watching rented DVDs on occasion, and best of all: reading!

I began the summer determined to finish two ebooks that I'd started reading while school was still in session, and promptly got distracted.  This is not a fault of the authors, or the novels in question.  I am truly looking forward to finishing both of them.  It's just that I forget to use my eReader and I don't like taking it with me around the house because the chances of the kids getting a hold of it and breaking it are pretty high during the months of June, July, and August.  So I turn to my trusty friends, the paperbacks.

I put in some Georgette Heyer time, reading Faro's Daughter, which was short, and The Foundling, which was less so.  Both lovely reads.  I've never yet been disappointed by Heyer.  But the real distraction, reading wise came by way of my mother.  I know, "blame the mom" is such a stereotype, but I'm sure when I explain what happened, you'll agree with me that it's all her fault.

Mom has been watching Game of Thrones on DVD, and was asking me questions about it.  I'm not certain if she forgets that I've never seen the show, or just thinks of me as so brilliant that I should be able to easily follow, predict, and explain plots of which I know slightly more than nothing.  Probably the latter.  Anyway, I happen to have a paperback copy of the first book in the series on which the TV show is based. Bought it on sale for my husband because he'd heard something about the TV show and thought it could be interesting.  He never started reading it, so I decided I'd give it a go and maybe be able to answer some of Mom's questions.  That's how I got hooked.  

It was slow going at first but at some point the addiction kicked in and I devoured the book.  Then I went to the library and got the second book.  I finished that one so quickly that on the next trip to the library I got books three and four!  Now I'm onto book five.  The sixth volume is supposed to be coming out in late October, so I won't be reading it for quite a while.  Though I may drop hints about Christmas presents. :o)

I'd heard of George R. R. Martin before but never read his work.  Now I'm a fan, at least of this series, called A Song of Ice and Fire.  It's effect on me is unique in that I can call up vivid images of what I think these places look like, but I have not pictured myself there as I have with, say Regency England.  I do not recommend beginning this series unless you are prepared to go through all of the available books back to back.  


The only other reading I can remember having done over the summer is a series called Ellie's People, by Mary Christner Borntrager.  I read and loved the series as a girl and now I'm reading them to my children who are equally enthralled by the stories.


List, if anyone wants it:
Faro's Daughter  and The Foundling  by Georgette Heyer


A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, A Dance With Dragons (currently reading)  by George R. R. Martin


Ellie, Rebecca, Rachel, Daniel, Reuben (currently reading to boys), and Andy (currently reading to daughter) by Mary Christner Borntrager


Looking back over my list, it seems awfully small.  But then my summers are awfully hectic.  It's amazing I get any reading done when the weather is hot.  


Next up on my reading list are finishing A Heart On Hold  by the lovely and talented Sarah Barnard, and a bunch of books about autism.  If I'm lucky I may sneak in some writing too.


What did you read on your summer vacation?  And what will you be reading next?


Kate

Because it's too early and not hot enough yet for the dog days. 

July has begun.  I don't know where June went, but Camp NaNoWriMo is on again.  I am attempting to participate once again, though with a much lower goal.  This is the second of the month and I have yet to write a word towards the 10,000 I am planning.

I wish I could offer some words of wisdom, sage observations, or witty remarks, but I'm not doing all that well lately with my fibromyalgia.  My internet activities have been sharply curtailed so that there are days I don't get beyond checking email.  So my time is spent with the kids, helping them as best I can, doing a bit of reading when time and headaches permit.  Finally saw Les Miserables and I almost immediately started rewriting the lyrics to form a condensed version.  I made a dress for my daughter out of an old t-shirt, and it didn't turn out too badly.  I've rearranged a few things in the house, but haven't made any major changes.  Oh, and I've designed the dream bathroom for when I win the lottery (note to self: might want to actually buy a lottery ticket once in a while, as this would improve chances of winning).

I am very sorry to report that the local bookstore is closing.  The owners have been great friends and supporters to me in my writing.  There are many who will miss having a bookstore, myself among them.  This is the second, or perhaps third book store the area has lost.  Makes me wonder if our town just isn't big enough, or big enough on reading.  A sad happening regardless.

Switching to a more pleasant topic, for the upcoming holiday we'll be having a small cookout.  My husband will try out his new (used) grill and I will provide the potato salad and balloons stuffed with colorful confetti in lieu of fireworks.  We will also watch 1776, as has become our yearly tradition.

Here's to all my friends across the internet: writers, readers, artists of all kinds, and those who just like cruising websites.  Hope you're all having a wonderful summer.  And to those in America, have a safe and enjoyable Independence Day.

Kate

The lovely, talented, and brilliantly fun Angela Quarles has nominated me for the Booker Award.   This award targets literary and book-centered blogs.  The rules are simple: I post my top five books of all time; post the Booker Award icon; and nominate other bloggers to do the same. 

Sounds easy, right?   Well you try narrowing down decades of reading into just five books that have had the biggest impact or your life.  Or just five favorites.  Or just the first five that come to mind.  Well, maybe that last approach wouldn't take me very long.  Anyway, I suppose I'll end out with a combination of those three categories.  Here goes...

1. The Holy Bible.  This book has to be number one because it's been part of my life since before I could read.  No it doesn't have cute illustrations like my favorite children's books.  It's not what you'd call light reading.  And I'm not likely to pick it up for entertainment or a laugh, but it has undoubtedly had the biggest impact of any book on my life.  A large part of who I am is due to the influence of the Bible.  

2. The Complete Novels of Jane Austen.  Is that cheating, do you think?  It's one book but it's six novels plus Lady Susan.  Best combination of human nature observation, wit, and all around brilliance you could find.  My favorites are Pride & Prejudice and Northanger Abbey.  I've always been a fan of stories set in times past, so Jane Austen was a natural choice for my favorite author.  Oh, and I volunteer to verbally skewer anyone who calls Jane Austen the mother or Chick Lit.  Her novels were labors of love and brilliant contributions to literature, not forgettable stories about urban 20-somethings obsessed with sex and shoes--though now that I think of it, Mary Crawford would fit nicely into a Chick Lit novel.

3.  Gone With The Wind.  Yes, I've read all 1,024 pages of this American masterpiece.  A snapshot of a rotten time in the history of our nation that shows myriad things that got left out of the history books.  Margaret Mitchell's talent gave us the most complex and misunderstood main character of all time.  The tendency is to dismiss Scarlett O'Hara as simply a spoiled southern belle, when in fact she is far more layered and fascinating.  Here is a woman who is strong and intelligent in a time when those exactly qualities are frowned upon by the society in which she lives.  She takes on responsibilities that would daunt more experienced individuals, spends so much time in the moment and so little on introspection that by the time she figures out who she is and what she wants, it's too late.  Tragic and all too real.  Of course there's a plethora of other characters as well.  The novel isn't just about Scarlett.  If you haven't read it before, you might want to give it a shot.

4.  The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.  Douglas Adams is hilarious.  And brilliant.  There's really not much else to say.  Fantastically entertaining book.

5.  The Little House Books.  Ok, if the Jane Austen one wasn't cheating, this probably is because it's not even a compliation.  I loved these books as a child and I still love them now as I read them to my own children.  The stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder's life in pioneer-era America will never go out of style because they are real and highlight the spirit that enabled people to go into the wilderness and carve out an existence when the odds were against them, and they could have been much more comfortable back east.  We struggle against different challenges now, but we still struggle; and those of us who are lucky have our faith and the love of family to see us through, just as Laura did.


Now for the fun part.  I hereby nominate the following bloggers:

Jes Langan 
Donna Cummings
J.M. Blackman
Teresa Cypher
Kate Meader

In these troubled times we readers can suffer.  As income declines and prices go up we are forced to rethink our spending habits and forego some luxuries.  Of course, being a reader, I don't consider books to be a luxury so much as one of life's necessary small pleasures.  So while I wouldn't put books ahead of food or shelter, I would put them above a lot of other things.  I don't go to the movies very often.  I don't buy a lot of clothing, shoes, or jewelry.  I don't play the lottery.  But I always have a few spare dollars for books.

Now I know a lot of us are facing financial crunches for various reasons.  I have four young children and a disabled husband.  I know all about worrying whether or not there is enough to last til the end of the month, putting off purchases until next month (and next month usually turns into next year).  I don't get to buy nearly as many books as I'd like.  I've been stretching my book dollars for years and I will likely need to continue doing just that for a while yet. 

My mother always asks me how I manage to get such great books without spending a lot of money.  I'm going to share with you my top tips.

1)  Buy used.  That's the main thing for me.  As a writer it pains me to deprive other writers of a share of the sale price for used books, but I try to make up for it by telling others about the books that I loved so that I am at least giving the authors free publicity.  This isn't to say I don't buy new books as well, I just buy more used than new.  If you don't have a bookstore in your town, try Goodwill.  If you don't have a Goodwill either, see tip 2.

2)  Check with your library.  They often sell books that aren't being checked out anymore or are duplicate copies.  The prices are generally low and the money goes right back into the library, so while you are increasing your private book stash you will also be helping the community.

3)  Garage sales.  I have yet to buy an actual garage at one of these, but I've gotten some great books.

4)  Let it be known to all both far and near that you will take any books people don't want anymore.  I've gotten books from friends, neighbors, the occasional relative, even the local Freecycle group (Freecycle is a nationwide movement to reduce waste by giving unwanted or no-longer-needed items to others in your area rather than just throwing them away.  Go to Freecycle.org for more information.)

5)  If you are so fortunate as to own a working eReader of any kind, pay attention to which books are coming out that you know you will want to read, those by favorite authors for example.  Often there will be a special price for a limited period of time after the release.  Follow your favorite authors online so that you can enter giveaways for their books. 

6)  Watch for sales.  When I go to Goodwill they always have a reduced price for items with one sticker color or another.  Since everything there is used anyway, I give preference to the books with the sale color stickers.  EBooks sometimes go on sale as well.

7)  Prioritize.  Budget for your books.  Give yourself a set amount each month that you can spend indulging your habit for the written word.  If you know you've only got $10 left for books this month, you will weigh your choices more carefully and be far less likely to purchase something that will just be taking up space in your home or on your eReader.  The best part about this is that if you don't spend the full amount of your "book budget" this month, you are allowed to carry the extra funds over and add them to next month's amount.

8)  Treat yourself.  By being carefully frugal with your usual book buying you can afford to indulge sometimes in a brand new, full-price book.  Make sure it's by an author you love so that you won't regret spending the money now rather than continuing to save up for a first edition leather-bound copy of Moby Dick.

That's all for this week.  I apologize for not posting yesterday.  It was a busy day.  I'll see you all on Sunday.

Kate

For those of you who are shocked: get your mind out of the gutter and learn to spell!  

Yes, it's true.  I have joined the legions of people who own eReaders.  I recently purchased a used Nook.  A first generation one, to be exact.  This does not mean that I have abandoned the printed word.  In fact I have yet to put any books on the Nook but I have turned it on and changed the wallpaper.  

I've had the honor to win an eBook copy of Lord Midnight by Donna Cummings and that will be the first eBook I will read on my Nook.  I'm very much looking forward to reading it, as I've been following Donna's blog and she's both talented and funny.

Last night I attempted to upload the cover for Bridging The Gaps onto the Nook.  Today I can't find it.  Did I put it in the wrong folder?  Does it have to be attached to an eBook for me to see it?  So much for me to learn.  Technology and I are not the best of friends.  Anybody have any tips for me?