Posts filed under 'Books'
We’ve talked a lot about books lately. Well no surprise with this bunch as its a subject near and dear to all our hearts. And over in the Workshop they are currently discussing character development and the importance thereof in writing a story. And Jenny and Bob have both talked a lot about characters lately on their respective blogs as well. It got me to thinking about books I love and why. And yes folks, Bob and Jenny are right (big surprise) … its all about the characters. This is a lot of why I love to reread, in fact. Because I get to revisit those characters and for me its like spending time with old friends.
When you read like I do (and maybe like you do as well) you get sucked into that story (if its good) and you are going through everything right along with the character. When I read Linda Howard’s SON OF MORNING I am right there with Grace St. John, on the run from the bad guys who killed my husband and brother. By the time Grace finally gets to rest, I’m exhausted! When Em in Jenny’s TELL ME LIES says “my daddy’s dead” I mourn too. When I read Stephen King’s CELL and I get to the end where Clay is handing the phone to his son, my heart is in my mouth. Time and again I’m pulled into the feelings right along with the characters. *sigh* Now that’s good writing.
Which is why I really hate it when I read a book that is well written with a great plot – in fact, a damn good book – but I have to slog my way through because I just don’t like the character. Its not so much that the character is badly drawn because that’s not always the case; I just get tired of spending so much time with them. A lot of authors seem to invest their characters with a lot of angst. Admittedly the angst is sometimes valid: the character is the victim of rape, or has lost a child or faced some other tragedy. Well geez of course they aren’t going to feel snarky. But you know its just not what I’m looking for in a book. I don’t want realism, I want to be entertained. This is strictly a personal preference, not a judgment call. When I read I want to laugh, I want a vicarious adventure, a puzzle, a wild romance … yeah, that would be vicarious too.
So I’ll stick with books where good triumphs over evil, where the characters find HEA, where little old ladies solve mysteries that baffle Scotland Yard, big-haired Joisey girls become bounty hunters, film directors fall in love with green berets, a planet floats through space on the backs of 4 elephants, a tough ass-kicking NYC cop of the future can end up with a gorgeous Irish gazillionaire, ordinary women can kick some serious bad guy butt, and a conman is taken in by a family of art forgers. That world is so much more fun than this one.
March 10th, 2007
The first book I remember that made an impression on me was Caddie Woodlawn. Amazon says it’s still available! Author: Carol Ryrie Brink wrote it in 1935; a Newbery winner. The story takes place in the mid 1800’s, Caddie and her brothers have red hair. There are Indians. She’s not girly girly, and she doesn’t allow those around her to treat her as second class. Caddie gets to the other side of the river by walking through it, putting her clothes on top of her head. Her father repairs clocks and teaches her how.
I was probably 8 or 10. Oh, how I wanted red hair. The Indians were ok. Going across the river was wonderful, but repairing clocks. Oh, my! She didn’t settle for being “just” a girl. This was an enlightment for me in an age where mothers stayed home, washed, ironed, cooked, and wore aprons.
Years later Clairol helped me have auburn hair for a year. I never learned to repair clocks, but am pretty mechanically inclined. I’ve reduced more than one man to quivering knees who tried to put me down.
So, what was your first favorite book? Why? How did it shape you? How old were you?
March 2nd, 2007
My sister visited this weekend. Well its not this weekend that you are reading this, but rather this weekend that I am writing this. But it seemed like a good topic for the Grill so you’re getting it now. Well not NOW now; its actually later. But its now for you. Are we clear on that? And what does that have to do with my title, you may be asking yourself.
I have a LOT of books. I freely admit that I am a book hoarder. Not every book I’ve ever read, but if its one I have really enjoyed, or an author I’m particularly crazy about … you might have heard of one or two of them … I have to own the book. Yes its an expensive hobby; but hey I don’t do drugs, smoke, gamble or drink to excess. Hey, I said to excess. Anyway, I deserve to have some vice, right? And its not like this one hurts anybody. See I knew you guys would understand. Also, they are mostly not laying around cluttering things up. Mostly. Okay a few have found their way to unexpected places, but most of them are on shelves and fairly well organized. Grouped by author (though not necessarily alphabetically) and somewhat by genre. Considering the volume of books I have I think that’s pretty danged good.
So back to my sister. I guess you could call her a minimalist. She detests clutter. Nothing wrong with that. The thing is, my books drive my sister buggy. I don’t know why since they aren’t in her house and aren’t laying around cluttering things up … mostly. But its not clutter anyway, its BOOKS. Also, as I said, they aren’t in her house so what’s the big deal? But she never misses an opportunity to nag me about getting rid of all my paperbacks. The hardbacks she grudgingly considers acceptable. But the paperbacks she considers trash. Huh? I was talking to a friend earlier today (that’s my today, it would be a few weeks ago for you) and, as she pointed out, the content is no less for the difference in covers so what’s the big deal? Some of these I’ve had for many years and are like old friends. Some may even have monetary value; but that’s not the point.
I had this flash, a vision of the future after I’m gone, and it worried me. I saw my sister cleaning off my bookshelves with a garbage bag at her feet. *shudder* So I emailed a friend of mine (a different one; yes, I have another one) and told her I was going to will all my books to her to keep them out of my sister’s hands. Even if my friend doesn’t elect to keep them, she’ll at least respect them. I may distribute a few to other people as bequests (so be nice to me), those people who I know will understand what the books mean to me. But the important thing is to keep the books safe. That was this morning (once again, this was a few weeks ago for you). This afternoon (a few weeks ago) my friend emails me back to say that she’s honored although she’s not sure she could read them all in three lifetimes. Well, I’ve read them all in less than one lifetime (assuming its going to last a bit longer) and anyway, its not like she has to deal with it NOW because, hey, I’m still here. I just want to know that my old friends will have good homes and I trust her.
I know we all read, but who else ‘collects’? Do you have a system? Do you have some ‘old friends’?
Discuss. Whenever.
February 10th, 2007
There’s a forum elsewhere that is discussing, Queen of Swords, by Sara Donati, AKA Rosina Lippi, over the next number of weeks. She asked me to be the moderator (Don’t even ask whether I’m qualified!). Rosina writes both contemporary romances and historical adventures with romance thrown in. Queen of Swords is the fifth novel of the Wilderness series. It takes place in New Orleans in 1814 and 1815 during the War of 1812 (I didn’t name the war!). It’s written so that you don’t need to read the previous 4 first.
Historical novels rarely are funny like Crusie’s romances are; so don’t expect contributors to have the CB craziness. Over there I have a different alias, unpronounceable, only 5 letters long since Blooger wouldn’t let me have it at J&B’s.
With J&B starting up their 2007 Online Writing Workshop, this might be a good opportunity (Hint! Hint!) to delve into a different genre from theirs for comparison. Some of my questions will have to do with Rosina’s purpose in doing things for the sake of structure, foreshadowing, character developing (arcs, I hope), and POV. Of course, many questions will be more mundane.
So why invite you all? On accounta you all are really literate in a writerish sorta way and could make some fine contributions. And, no, I won’t be deserting the CB Bar & Grill. You can take a peek without registering (you’ll be a GUEST), but must register in order to add comments. http://tiedtothetracks.com/forum/, then to Sara’s Stuff: The Wilderness Novels, then to Queen of Swords: discussion group.
Joining in after the study has already begun is not a problem since I designed it so that people could join in later and begin at the beginning or the middle or the end. (She blushingly pats herself on the back and makes a curtsy.)
Why such a web name? The forum started when Rosina’s contemporary novel, Tied To The Tracks first came out.
If you’re interested, check out Queen of Swords from the library; a lot interested, Amazon lists at $18.
January 5th, 2007
I couldn’t remember whether we had a tagline or not. Changed the blog name, but that’s about it. I’m going to leave the rest of the design up to you. Delete or change this post when you can so that I know you got in okay.
Edited to add all categories so that we quit getting the error when choosing a caategory from the sidebar. – Bryan
September 20th, 2006
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