Hitting the Books

Alright, folks. So I had a whole "I'm back from college" post planned full of poetic verses about how much I love school, how summer presents a new beginning, la di da di da...

And then I realized that no matter how much I labored over that post, I still hated it, and I should really just jump back in to be blogging about actual stuff. So let's talk books, shall we? I do ever so love books. I don't read enough of them for fun at school, since every time I have a window of free quiet time I'm like guess I should be studying ho-hum study study study. However, now I am free! Blissfully free to read whatever I please (more or less), whenever I please (within reason), wherever I please (with some minor limits). It is my goal this summer to read as many books as possible and chart my experience here. I read over every meal I have alone and on every car ride, so hopefully even with work and whatnot, I can get quite a few under my belt before next semester!

I'm storing some of Em's stuff at my house since she lives across the country and she was kind enough to let me borrow the books I'm keeping for her. I've successfully read Snow White and Rose Red (now re-printed as The Shadow of the Bear), Black as Night (also a first edition, now re-printed and edited), and Waking Rose, all by Regina Doman. I had read another one of Regina Doman's books a few years back and honestly did not like it. I still don't care for it, to be frank. The Catholic elements felt fake and I was not a fan of the characters nor the plot -- too far-fetched. However, I decided to take a chance on these three books, all of which share the same characters and form their own little trio within Doman's larger fairy-tale series. Let's just say I'm impressed, and may or may not be experiencing a little bit of character separation anxiety since the four main characters were my constant companions for the past week or so.

First, pros. The characters in these books are wonderful. As for female heroines, the quiet and timid Blanche paired with her outgoing, colorful sister Rose make for a good balance. They are a healthy blend of strong, gentle, and feminine. Male characters Bear and Fish are both solid, consistent characters, although I am totally biased towards Fish. He's the best part of the whole series. Plot-wise, the books were very clever in their adapting old Grimms fairy-tales to the modern world. There were a few plot twists I did not see coming (primarily in Black as Night). Catholicism was woven into the book rather than tacked on. One of my greatest pet peeves is Christian books that stick God on at the end to magically resolve inner conflicts! Oi. So annoying. Another pro was the dialogue, which improved steadily with each book, and was quite good in Black as Night and Waking Rose in particular. In my opinion, while Snow White and Rose Red was an enjoyable read, the latter two books were the ones that really showed Regina Doman's talent for writing a very natural narrative. Also, she wrote one of my favorite comebacks ever:

"I took a few nursing courses at the community college, but I'm not sure I'm going to keep it up."

"Why not?" Brother Matt asked.

"She's trying to get an M.R.S. degree," Leon said in a loud whisper.

Indignant, she raised her eyebrows at him. "My mother didn't raise me to be a fisher of men," she said.

Unto the not-so-good things. Among the cons would be the occasional bit of flowery prose. Some of these parts might have been edited out in a later edition, so take my words with a grain of salt. Sometimes the identity of "the secret bad guy" could be a tad predictable, depending on the book. Also, there were a few corny parts, more so in the first book than in the others. Other than that, I have minimal complaints. The books proved to be the perfect way to unwind from a long school year of serious reading material and to segue into a summer full of stories. If you're interested in reading these books for yourself, links to Goodreads are here, here, annnnnnnnnnd here.

Next up, I've started Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. So far it has been an excellent and enlightening read that extends to various topics, from cultural changes to education and beyond. I cannot wait to finish and tell you all about it. It's a smashing read and even though I'm not finished, I would highly recommend it to anyone, be they introvert or extrovert.

Images: one, two

Oh, what a beautiful morning!

If you really must know, I had the pleasure of seeing Ally, Marlene, and Athena from Charlie and Me over the weekend. As you can imagine, much silliness ensued. There may or may not have been light saber fights involved.

Anywho, Ally gave me a lovely idea! She told me she had gotten up early, made herself a cup of tea, and given herself some time to write. I decided to do the same. I gathered up my favorite Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati mug, the ingredients for a perfect cup of Earl Grey, as well as Ally's graduation gift to me. (This is my cue to gush about how AWESOME my present is.)

Ally got me some "unblockers", or "inspiration dice for writers and storytellers" by Palimpsestic. According to the tag, "these dice feature words and phrases torn directly from a used and abused 1962 copy of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen". Let me just tell you, these things are so cool. They're covered with all sorts of great, story-worthy words ("influence", "horrid man", "young ladies", "conjecture", "evening", etc.)! I tried rolling them all at once, then tried a single roll. I got the word "listen", and next thing I knew I was jotting down character and story ideas at light speed! If you want your own pair, go to http://palimpsestic.etsy.com. (No worries -- I didn't peek, Ally!)

Also, I found a webpage that said this at the top while searching for some background info for my writing.

• Is there a novel in every person?
• Are there stories that have never been told because they seemed unimportant?
• What is the value of the lives of people who will never be famous or have their biographies written?

 BIG QUESTIONS. Questions that maybe I'll answer some day.

So! Moral of the story: Writing in the morning is great, and it's even better with tea.

"Super-heated infusion of free-radicals and tannin, just the thing for healing the synapses..."

My mug. <3

Seasonal Confusion

My sister and I are recovering from a bout of what we'll call seasonal confusion. See, we just spent three days at the beach, and it was COLD. Now I see why the place was practically deserted... Nobody goes to the beach in early June. The ocean is almost as cold as Steven Moffat's heart.

The man DRINKS our TEARS, people. He's cold.

Due to this aforementioned seasonal confusion, I found myself lacking the typical summer cravings (watermelon, strawberries, hamburgers, ice cream, etc.) So when we visited The Bookend Cafe, I did not order a summery drink. Oh no. I ordered an iced pumpkin spice latte. And let me tell you, it was delicious. Totally worth the caffeine headache.

This place was adorable. If you ever visit Delaware, I would highly encourage you to drop in. The combination of coffee, tea, and used books had me on Cloud Nine. The place is super cute and I would love to hang out there every morning, sipping a beverage while I write a best-seller. Unfortunately, I didn't end up purchasing a book, although a few volumes were highly tempting.(HIGHLY tempting. But with college coming, I'm minding my funds and hoarding my Barnes & Noble gift cards.)

Isn't this display *darling*!?

I did my best to read and write while I was at the beach. I got some in, but not as much as I had hoped. Lots of time was spent on the town and at church. The time I did get to myself, I found incredibly hard to write during. I really am stuck this time, guys. So stuck that I'm beginning to fear I'll never get unstuck. I'm Pooh Bear stuck. I'm throwing words at a wall and they aren't sticking. I'm desperate. I need an idea so badly I could cry. Oh bother!

Poor Pooh. :(

I just can't seem to find the story I want to tell. Believe me, I'm praying about it. When I find it, I'll be sure to let you know. Until then, I'll keep writing sweet nothings and wishing for rain (more specifically, brainstorm-induced rain, a.k.a. ideas).

Another summer reading suggestion for you guys. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. Super adorable and perfectly refreshing as a summer read. Take it to the beach with you --- Maybe you'll experience clearer skies and warmer waters!

Welcome, Summer

Ladies n' gents, I just graduated on Friday. *cue the fanfare* So much has happened that would be of interest to you readers out there. For example, I won the Great Expectations Award at valediction. My English teacher gave the most amazing speech, wherein I was compared to Austen heroines and presented with so much Pride & Prejudice merchandise I nearly imploded with joy. There was another Darcy encounter (see here and here). It will probably be the last. (Maybe there will be other Austen hero encounters in the future?) We had to sit next to each other for extended periods of time, and I attempted conversation, and... Well, it went something like this conversation, minus the sexual tension. It was just full of AWKWARD.

I also failed epically at defending Matt Smiths' portrayal of the Doctor within the same time frame. Eleven, I am sorry... so sorry.

The night after my graduation, I had this moment with my mom:

 

Since then, I've been alright. Lots of partying, eating, dancing, running around, swimming, being generally crazy. Summer is lovely, and I had forgotten just how wonderful it is. I've been going on my daily walks and making plenty of fun plans, and I'm even leaving for the beach tomorrow! Doesn't that sound like fun!? 

The beach is going to mean lots of writing time, as well as reading time, which I am looking forward to. I have no project to speak of. I intend to join my friend Ally over at Charlie and Me with her plans to having a Write Cleanse experience. Other than that, I'm winging it!

Please pardon my online absence; I've been veryvery busy and I had a lot to do, and I didn't have a minute to explain it all to you. I hope to have plenty of fresh, summery stories to share with you when I get back from vacation! Until then, enjoy the start of this magical season. Read at every chance you get. (In case you're wondering, I'm enjoying a borrowed copy of Percy Wynn: Or Making a Boy of Him.) My first summer recommendation for you all would have to be In the Kingdom of the Fairies: A Memoir of a Magical Summer and a Remarkable Friendship (find it here). My mother read it to my sisters and I when we were young and we devoured it.

I'll let you know when I'm back from vacation. There is a possibility of going to a used book/coffee/tea shop, so wish me luck!!!