Ooh. Ah.

I finally updated my book list. There's still more to be put up, though, like 10-15 more books. Gah. I'm so far behind.

I've pretty much given up on writing longer reviews in this blog. I think I shall have to change it to just discussing books, or literary themes, whenever (if I ever) have the chance.



links

Don't fuck with the Brontes, Hollywood. Please.

Michelle Williams as Charlotte Bronte. Why, God, why? I mean, seriously, people. Yes, she was fairly good in Brokeback Mountain, almost enough to replace my hatred of her from the Dawson's Creek days, but Charlotte freaking Bronte?

I fucking hate Hollywood casting agents. Then again, that's what I said when they cast Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice and that turned out... not to be as terrible as I had predicted.



movies casting

Give away!!!!

Does anyone want a copy of Bite by C.J. Tosh? I got it at Borders in the bargain section for $3.99, thinking it looked interesting. When I started to read it, however, I realized there was a reason it was $3.99. I just thought it was poorly written drivel, couldn't get through the first ten pages.

There's an excerpt on the Amazon page, and other reviewers seemed to like it, so if you think you're interested, leave a comment with your email and let me know. It's a trade paperback, unread, excellent condition. I'll send it to you for free, all you have to do is reimburse me for the shipping and handling.

I only have one copy, so first come, first serve.






books, free books, give away

Some free verse...

Poetry that obviously wouldn't fit in at my haiku blog. Just your basic, angsty free verse.


"A List on My Condition"

Winter
Chapped lips
Dry skin
Chafed elbows
Frayed scarves
Stained sweaters
Snow-crusted gloves
Black ice in the driveway
Coldness all encompassing
Emptiness in my heart



"After Failure"

I’ve forgotten how to rhyme.
I’ve lost what rhythm I possessed.
My smile’s fake as Velveeta cheese
And I can’t remember the last time that I did my best.



"every beautiful cliche"

Building in my stomach
This feeling of explosion
I’m waiting to find my launching point
Rocket to the fucking sky
I wanna be every beautiful cliché
But the day ends
The night staples me to my body and
I’m just boring me
Wishing on my proverbial star



"Skaters"

Death spiral
On the ice
I’m watching
From my living room
In pink monkey print pajamas
As they jump and spin
Throw and fall
Again.



"Untitled Run-On"

I’m trying to write this essay and I don’t know what it’s about/
presidents and pressure, spontaneous combustion and me/
I’m putting back slashes at the end of these lines/
for no particular reason except that I like the words back and slash/and that then I can string things together into sentences the don’t quite make sense like sleeping cows standing up and little boys peeing in the bushes/I’m a cheerful insomniac back slash slash back back slash/writing my little poems pretending to be some kind of fucking///
artist


poetry

The best Valentine's Day present ever!

So, yesterday, in my post about my book addiction, when I was listing my new acquisitions, I forgot the best one. My mom, who is the coolest mother ever, got me my heart's desire for Valentine's Day: my very own copy of How to Be A Pirate,

the sequel to the hilarious children's book, How to Train Your Dragon, which I do not have my own copy of, if you're looking for birthday present suggestions. ;)

books, children's books, Valentine's Day, gifts

My name is Marcia, and I'm an addict.

A book addict, that is. Seriously, I have a problem. I buy more books than I can read, I get more books out of the library than I can read, I can't walk past a book store without going in, I can't return something to the library without getting at least ten books out.

It's getting out of fucking control!!!

Books I bought in the Syracuse Borders on Sunday (different town, different selection):
Calamity Jayne by Kathleen Bacus
Crimson City by Liz Maverick
Ghosts in the Snow by Tamara Siler Jones
Heart On My Sleeve by Ellen Wittlinger
Sexy by Joyce Carol Oates


Plus as if my "problem" weren't bad enough, I'm so busy with my internship, and getting caught up on work from last semester, and getting ready for my 21st birthday party, and hanging out with my friends, that I am hardly home and hardly have time to read at all. It's February 15, technically, (I haven't gone to bed from the 14th yet) and I've only read 10 books this year. That's a measly, pathetic total for me.

And the review situation is worse. I have this shiny new review journal and I've reviewed nothing! I'm afraid that by the time I finally do get around to reviewing the 9 books I've read but have yet to review, I won't even remember what the hell they're about, which could be a major hindrance to the review process. Aaargh!

Anyway, in the meantime, I did update my list of books I've read with here, but I didn't even do mini-comments like I used to. As a reviewer, I suck.

On the writing front, my Creative Writing professor from last semester emailed me asking me to submit something to the literary magazine, and I want to do some kind of really cool experimental essay, but I sit down and all I can write are weird blog entries and fucking half-assed, bad haikus. I'm creatively bankrupt. I haven't even written fanfiction, or participated in fandom at any level, in forever. I miss it like hell, and every time I get the precious moments to watch one of my shows, I'm bombarded with story ideas, but I just don't have the time, the energy, or the inspiration to throw myself back into it.

I just... gah. I don't know.

Of course, all of this could just be exacerbated by the fact that it's fucking Valentine's Day, and I'm alone, and I spent all day working my ass off for what amounted to pretty much nothing.

Wow. This was just going to be a quick entry, but then I got going and going and going. Shit.

I'm off to sleep now. Or try to write something profound, or at least decent.


books, reading, writing, time management, creativity, whining

Lula has a face!

I interrupt our regularly scheduled programming (okay, so there hasn't been any regularly scheduled programming because I'm so far behind on my freaking reviews) with this post.

My mom and I were watching American Idol last week, I believe, or was it the week before? I can't recall. And when the now-infamous Rhonetta Johnson came on, my mom said, "Oh my God, it's Lula!"

And indeed, Rhonetta looks much like what I always imagined Lula, the oversized former prostitute of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, would look like.

Check it out:





So my point is this: If they ever make that Stephanie Plum movie, they should consider casting Rhonetta as Lula. And who knows? Maybe she can act better than she can sing. *snorts*


Rhonetta Johnson, American Idol, Stephanie Plum books, book characters, Lula, Janet Evanovich

Review: Hot Six by Janet Evanovich

Title: Hot Six
Author: Janet Evanovich
Copyright 2000


From the back cover:
Hot Day

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is faced with her most daunting task yet: bring in the mysterious former Special Forces agent Carlos Manoso (aka Ranger). He's the man who taught her everything about fugitive apprehension, and Stephanie knows she will be testing her skills against the master. But if she does catch him, she's not so sure she can turn in her friend--- even if he's wanted for murder...

Hot Night

And if this isn't enough to keep her up at night, Grandma Mazur is crimping her sex life by moving in with her and keeping her from getting any action from her cop boyfriend, Joe Morelli. Now, with her love life messing with her head, two threatening goons on her tail, and three corpses--- so far--- it's getting a little too hot for Stephanie, whose search for Ranger is bringing her dangerously close to the wrong side of the law...

Hot Six



My Review:

Hot Six is the sixth book in Janet Evanovich’s series featuring Stephanie Plum, the lovable New Jersey lingerie buyer turned bounty hunter. The book is fun, fluffy, and literally laugh out loud funny. If you’re not comfortable laughing hysterically in front of strangers, I wouldn’t recommend reading this one in public. For fans of the series (that would be both my mother and I, amongst countless millions), it’s another thoroughly delightful installment. New readers will doubtless find it enjoyable as well, but I don’t think they will be able to enjoy the full experience without the back story of the previous books.

Grandma Mazur moves in with Stephanie in this book, much to my delight and Stephanie’s horror. Grandma Mazur reminds me a lot of my own maternal grandmother in ways it is probably best not to elaborate on, for the sake of family pride. Let’s just say they’re both, ahem, spunky. Grandma is hands down my favorite character in the Stephanie books, and the more there is of Grandma, the happier I am.

This book also introduces us to Bob the dog. Bob is hilarious. I’m also, I’m unashamed to say, a dog person, so I was delighted to meet Bob. I was just telling my puppy, Cordelia, that all books, TV shows, or movies, are improved by the presence of a dog. (She agrees.)

Anyway, this is not a very complex or hard-hitting review. Suffice it to say that I loved this book, as I have loved all the Stephanie books that came before it, and as I will (according to my mother) love all the ones that come after it.

My Grade: Definitely an A+!



Coming Soon: Reviews of Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie, The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman, The Professor's Daughter by Emily Raboteau, and Faking It by Jennifer Crusie. Plus that Brokeback Mountain discussion, and possibly posts on various topics that I've been contemplating. Also, I did start yet another blog, Finding Myself OMG, which should hopefully prove enlightening, or entertaining, or both.

Also? (Haiku!)

I was going to post this in the "What Is Up" post, but I totally forgot, and then I remembered, and was going to edit it in, but I figured this deserves a post of its own.

I started another blog, Measuring My Life in Haikus. Basically, I've decided to write a haiku every day and am going to post them there. Should be fun times for the poetically inclined. ;)

What Is Up

Hmm, so yes, it's been like a week (okay, a week and a day) since I started this blog, and I still haven't posted anything. Damn. First I had a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad stomach flu for like five days, and since then I've just been alternately busy and lazy.

I've started my review of Hot Six by Janet Evanovich. I also want to do a post on Brokeback Mountain, which I saw on Friday, and my thoughts on the movie and how it compares to the short story (which rocks, too).

So yeah. That Hot Six review will definitely be up later today. Not that anyone is reading this blog yet. Hee.

Coming soon to a blog near you...

Hi, my name is Marcia, but you, dear reader(s), may call me Mar. I'm just getting this blog started, but hopefully I should have it happily under way in the next few days. It will feature book reviews, various posts on reading, and also some of my thoughts on the writing process. Perhaps I will even post a little bit of my own poetry, fiction, or essays on occasion.

So, yes. I'm off to go format this blog and things of that nature. Once I get that done, the next post will either be a book review of Hot Six by Janet Evanovich, or a little bit more of an introduction to me.