be AUDacious

portrait of a reader

It's the first of the month, which means it's time to put up my reading list for the month. Looks like this is the summer of YA lit -- there have been so many great releases recently that my to-read list has grown exponentially.

That's one of the reasons why I love Goodreads so much -- it makes it easy to mark books that I'm interested in reading. Then I can just move those titles to my Notepad feature on my iPhone, and I've got a handy list to take with me to the library or the bookstore. I used to jot titles down on scrap pieces of paper, but that was just a mess, most of the time.

I also love how easy Goodreads -- and the internet in general -- makes it to interact with my favorite authors. I'll never forget the first time I blogged about a book and the author stopped by to leave a comment. The book was As Simple As Snow by Gregory Galloway, and I was so excited I knocked my chair over. I'm geeky enough that talking to the people who write the books I love to read is akin to meeting a movie star or famous athlete or something along those lines. In other words, REALLY FREAKIN' COOL. Since then, I've gotten comments and emails from a number of writers, and it never fails to make my day. (Check out my book reviews index page to see the books I've reviewed recently.)

(a glimpse at one of the sets of bookshelves in my living room -- plus a poster of the cover of one of my favorite novels ever -- please ignore the ugly walls -- we rent and haven't repainted yet)

Do you use any kind of internet program to track your reading? I know there are other sites out there besides Goodreads -- do you use one of them? What do you like / dislike about it?

Are you on Goodreads? If so, are we friends? If we aren't, why not? (You can friend me by clicking on the Goodreads blinkie over in my sidebar -- that will take you to my profile, where you can leave me a friend request.) Feel free to leave me notes about books you think I'd like, or to ask me questions about books I've read. I love to talk about the books I've read; reading has been my favorite hobby (it even tops scrapbooking -- can you believe that?) for as long as I can remember. Since kindergarten, at least.

I've always read a lot. And I do mean A LOT. A minimum of an hour a day, usually more. I never really realized just how much I read until I started keeping track of it last year on Goodreads. There were some challenges going on, and one was to set a number and read that many books in one year. I set 200 as my goal, and fell short by only 3. This year, I aimed much lower because work was going to be much busier -- 96 is what I set, and I've already knocked out 63 books. Looks like I made up some time, eh?

There's no real set method to the books I choose to go on my reading list each month. Basically, I grab what looks most appealing from my bookshelves and stack those next to my bed. Those are the books I pull from each month. Of course, I get distracted at the library and check out others, so the list isn't really set in stone. But it does narrow down the options a little bit.

And there are definitely options. I buy lots of books. I guess some women shop for shoes or new clothes or purses or home furnishings. I buy books. I can't help it. Right now, I think we have 7 full bookshelves in our house, and those are only the books I either haven't read or want to keep. I take 20 or 25 books to the used bookstore every couple of months and trade them out for new titles. Guess that's just one of those things that defines me as a reader...here are some others:

WHEN AND WHERE: I always have a book with me. Right now I have one that stays in the car -- it's got a format that makes it good for little bits of time, while waiting in line, for example. I always carry the book I'm currently reading in my laptop bag or my purse. In fact, I don't buy purses if they aren't big enough to carry a book inside. At home, I read either in my chair (a big overstuffed recliner) or in my bed. At least once a week, I go to bed early, like around 8:00, with Cami, and I read until midnight or so. 

HOW LONG: Like I said earlier, I always read for at least an hour each day. Normally that time is right before bed. Cami prefers that one of us still lie down with her, so she gets in bed with me and I read until she falls asleep. Then I'll get back up, work for a while, and go back to bed to read some more.

GENRES: I love YA literature -- if it has a teenaged protagonist, then chances are I'll enjoy it. I think that might be part of the reason why I loved teaching high school -- I just enjoy that age group so much. I also love fantasy -- but I'm not too big on the swords and sorcery stuff any more. I much prefer what's been termed "urban fiction" or "mythic fiction," where you take the real world and somehow Faery and magic find their way into it. I also like novels that retell myths or fairy tales, and I'm a fan of magic realism and speculative fiction too, in terms of genres. I also like nonfiction about architecture (Frank Lloyd Wright and the Arts and Crafts movement in particular), traveling, environmentalism, gardening, cooking, and anything craft-related.

FAVORITE AUTHORS: For YA lit, I think John Green, Laurie Halse Anderson, Marcus Zusak, and Scott Westerfeld are some of the best writers working in this field. For fantasy/speculative ficiton, I love Neil Gaiman, Tim Powers, Patricia McKillip, Jonathan Carroll, and Charles de Lint; these are the writers that I immediately go out and buy their new releases, in hardcover -- forget about waiting on the paperback version or even borrowing it from the library.

What about you? What are your reading habits? And finally -- I know, I know, what's with the questions today, huh? -- would any of you be interested in doing a reading round robin or some type of reading club? There are a number of YA series out right now that cross over into science fiction/fantasy that I'd love to get a reading group going for...any takers? Leave a comment and let me know!

(my favorite bookstore ever, City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco CA -- I get to go back in just a couple of weeks!)

ETA: Just saw this post by Blair about a related topic and thought I'd link to it for you. Enjoy!

fun new products in the shop this week

It's a big release day in my store at {we are} storytellers -- I've got two new kits, a journaling class, and a set of word art for you -- and they're all 25% off for the next 48 hours! I know you're going to love them, so let's get right to it!

Beachside Bungalow collaboration with Leora Sanford

On the Road

Travelogue word art

July W.O.R.D. 2009

And just in case you need a little extra motivation to pick these items up, here's plenty of eye candy to enjoy!

by Mel

by Steph

by Renee

by Andrea

by Angelia

by Bec

by Ginger


by Jackie


by Leora


by Sue


by Erica

by Jaime

by Lori

by Jen

by Amy

by Becky

by Mel

prayers please

If you are looking for the Letters & Words Challenge, just scroll down. Remember, today is the last day of the BOGO Template sale at {wst} too!
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ETA: I just heard the wonderful news. The surgeon went in to do the biopsy on Jessica today and found NO CANCER. He can't explain it -- on Friday, there was cancer; today, there is none. Thank you for your prayers -- it is obvious that they worked. God is truly amazing.

My heart is heavy today; this morning I got some sad news about a former classmate. She's having a biopsy this afternoon to confirm the diagnosis of an aggressive form of breast cancer. She'll also get a port placed and have body/brain scans to see if the cancer has spread beyond the breast tissue. She has a great husband and two lovely kids, who are the same age as my children. Unfortunately, she and I aren't as in touch as we used to be; since we moved to Murray, we hear less from friends and family in Clinton. But that doesn't stop my heart from aching for her and for her loved ones; this is something that no one should have to experience. Please, if you pray, include Jessica and her family in your prayers today.

In addition, if you are willing, please consider purchasing the iHope kit or making a donation to Emily and Angela's team for the Cleveland 3-Day walk. 100% of the proceeds go directly to this wonderful cause, so that women like Jessica can get the treatment they need, so that families like hers get the information and support they need, so that a cure can be found. Information on how to purchase or donate can be found at the end of this post. As an added incentive, the list of sponsors giving away prizes if you participate has grown tremendously -- gift cards, all-access store passes, custom kits and more!

Letters & Words Challenge 4: alpha outlines

Thanks to everyone who played along last week. You can find a quick sneak of the submitted layouts here.

This is a technique that I've used over and over, on paper layouts, hybrid layouts, and digital layouts. You can fill the outline of a letter with more words, with different textures and colors, or with photos. I've pulled some samples from my own portfolio, plus I've gotten some digi friends to do samples as well.

from Gabi

by Lisa

by Liz

To participate this week, just do the following:
1. Create a layout using the outline of alphabet letters.
2. Post your layout in a gallery or on your blog.
3. Leave a comment on this thread, linking to your layout.

Layouts are due by midnight EST, Friday, July 3rd, 2009.

cover songs

I'm not a huge technogeek, but there are times when advances in technology -- even small things -- can make me really happy. As I've mentioned before, I have to drive a lot for work; most of the schools I work with involve a four-hour round trip each day, which adds up to a lot of time spent in the car.

That adds up to a lot of time spent scanning radio stations in search of something decent to listen to.

But not anymore. Motor pool -- the transportation department at the university where I work -- has a number of cars that feature a cool little bit of technology that makes my commute so much more enjoyable.

Hello Sync, I think I love you.

All I have to do is take the USB cord for my iPhone and plug it right into the USB port on the car's dashboard and voila, I can listen to my iPod during the entire trip, using the car's speaker system and controls. It definitely made my last trip for work (800 miles in 5 days) much more enjoyable.

Since I upgraded to the iPhone, I find myself listening to music much more than I used to. I like that I'm able to take it with me and everything fits in my pocket; I used to listen to CDs in the car, but I hated the storage options and ended up listening to the same one over and over. With my iPhone, though, I'm listening to old favorites and discovering new ones, and that's making me quite happy right now.

When it comes to music, one of the things I love most are cover songs. I think it just rocks when a band I love takes a song I enjoy and covers it, especially in a live show -- it's just so much fun. So I thought I'd put together a little collection of some of my favorite covers for you. Enjoy.


Goldfinger: 99 Red Balloons
A punk version of the 80s classic -- I absolutely love it. Especially when the bass line kicks in.

Ingram Hill: Solsbury Hill and Suspicious Minds
The YouTube versions are all live versions shot with someone's digital camera from the audience, so the quality is quite low. However, if you'll scroll on down, Ingram Hill has a number of great clips where they've covered some fun songs in their studio, like Amy Winehouse's Rehab, Beyonce's Single Ladies, and Katy Perry's I Kissed A Girl. These guys are a lot of fun; I've seen them in concert twice and really enjoyed them. They're a young Memphis band, and I'll admit that some (but not all, since I do love the song) of the appeal of the Suspicious Minds cover is watching lead singer Justin get his groove on -- it's minute mark 1:26, if you're interested. *grin*

Graham Colton: No Myth
This is off his newest CD; it came on while I was on the road, and I was just so excited to hear it -- havne't listened to this song in forever. (I couldn't find his version online, so I linked you up to the original Michael Penn version). Graham is a really sweet guy; I have a picture floating around on our home server of me and him taken several years after a concert in Baton Rouge; he opened for Better than Ezra, and I was really impressed with his talent and just how genuinely nice he was.

Better than Ezra: Love is Stronger than Death
This is just a beautiful song -- again, the quality is not perfect, but I love it still. I've seen BTE in concert something like 10 or 12 times, and they always add a few fun covers to their sets. Some of my favorites include Madonna's Don't Tell Me mixed with Outkast's Ms. Jackson, Beck's Debra, and Bill Wither's Use Me.

Rage Against the Machine: Ghost of Tom Joad
I'm a big RATM fan, even though they are radically different from a lot of the other music I love. Just a great song about a character from one of my favorite books.

Jewel: Have a Little Faith in Me
She did this cover for the movie Phenomenon, and I think her version is just beautiful.

Sarah McLachlan: Blackbird
I've enjoyed the entire I am Sam soundtrack, but this song is one of my favorites.

I'd love to hear what some of your favorite cover songs are; I'm always looking for new additions to my list. Leave a comment and let me know!

book review: Wintergirls

taken from Goodreads:

"“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia’s descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery. "

I think Anderson is one of the most talented YA writers working today; her novels tackle important issues, and they do it with a poetic rawness that really hits you right in the gut. This novel is no different -- it's disturbing, it's heartbreaking, it's impossible to put down. The story is told from Lia's point of view, which is a perfect choice because it allows you to see just how warped her perspective has become. As a parent, this was probably the most disturbing part of the book -- seeing what Lia thinks of her parents as they struggle to keep her alive.

Anderson uses several stylistic devices in her novel, and that's probably been the most contested aspect of this book, based on the reviews I've read. I think they work, but a lot of readers seem to think that they are unnecessary and something of a pretentious affectation. To me, though, they add another layer to the story, another way of seeing all the ways in which Lia' thinks her world has changed and the ways in which her illness has changed her world.

I'm the mother of two girls, and reading this novel just broke my heart. I can't imagine watching my daughter go through something like this, and being helpless to help her until she decided she truly wanted that help.

I think this ranks right up there with Speak, which I believe is one of the best YA novels written.

BOGO

It's Super Savings Day at {we are} storytellers, which means that for the next 48 hours, all templates in our shop are BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE! I offer three different template lines for you to choose from:

12x12 scrappers will want to pick up my Journaling Jotters line; there are currently 16 different templates available. Here are a few of my recent favorites, all packaged together in one great bundle:

I also have a line of 8.5x11 templates, perfect for those of you who love the rectangle, not the square; they're called Letter Layouts, and you'll find 7 different templates in my shop. Here's one I love:

My third line is one that I've just started -- it's for those of you who love to fit a lot of words and photos on your pages, so I've given you a two-page spread with plenty of room. This line of templates is called Storytime Spreads, and I've got two options currently available:

Volume 1

Volume 2

The best part about this sale -- okay, aside from the BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE part -- is that a purchase of $7.00 (which will net you 6 templates, as most are priced at $2.99) means you can add this gorgeous kit, "Starry Night," to your cart as well.

A few of my CT members scrapped with the kit, and I was even able to put a quick layout together.

by me

by Jen

by Lori

book review: bog child

taken from Goodreads:

"Digging for peat in the mountain with his Uncle Tally, Fergus finds the body of a child, and it looks like she’s been murdered. As Fergus tries to make sense of the mad world around him -- his brother on hunger-strike in prison, his growing feelings for Cora, his parents arguing over the Troubles, and him in it up to the neck, blackmailed into acting as courier to God knows what -- a little voice comes to him in his dreams, and the mystery of the bog child unfurls. "

I'm of mixed minds about this novel. On one hand, it is beautifully written, with several stunning descriptive passages. Dowd has a real knack with dialogue too -- though I was struck by how foreign the rhythms of the prose is here. I could tell that this wasn't a novel written by an American. The characters are all well-drawn and quite engaging.

But there were enough small issues that overall, I have a hard time wholeheartedly recommending this novel. The italicized passages from the perspective of the bog child, while obviously imagined by Fergus, seem unrealistic; the language and the dialogue in several instances didn't mesh with the Iron Age setting. Also, Fergus seems unreasonably knowledgeable about everything surrounding the bog child; obviously he's intelligent, but the focus in his schooling is on physics/medicine, so it kind of comes out of nowhere. Also, I felt that the missions that Fergus is sent on -- with the twist at the end -- serves to cheapen the struggle Fergus has with the political issues going on in the novel. And the ending -- I really didn't see that coming, and I thought it was sprung on the reader out of nowhere.

But the ending redeems itself in many ways too, with beautiful writing and moving details. Dowd, the back flap reveals, died from cancer before this book was published, and I think that knowledge adds another layer of emotion to the final chapters. Reading this book was sort of a seesaw experience -- I was caught up in the story most of the time, with the exception of those few places that pulled me back out. In the end, though, I think Dowd creates a moving portrait of a young man and a country struggling to grow up and gain independence.

book review: Backup

taken from Goodreads:

"Let's get something clear right up front.

I'm not Harry Dresden.

Harry's a wizard. A genuine, honest-to-goodness wizard. He's Gandalf on crack and an IV of Red Bull, with a big leather coat and a .44 revolver in his pocket. He'll spit in the eye of gods and demons alike if he thinks it needs to be done, and to hell with the consequences—and yet somehow my little brother manages to remain a decent human being.

I'll be damned if I know how.

But then, I'll be damned regardless.

My name is Thomas Raith, and I'm a monster.

So begins Backup, a twelve thousand word novelette set in Jim Butcher s ultra-popular Dresden Files series. This time Harry's in trouble he knows nothing about, and it's up to his big brother Thomas to track him down and solve those little life-threatening difficulties without his little brother even noticing."

I picked up the first book of The Dresden Files about a year ago, on a whim. I'd seen mention of the TV series on the SciFi network, and the books had been mentioned numerous times on one of my favorite book blogs, the Endicott Studio Scuttlebut (which has always been my go-to place for the latest in fairy tales, speculative fiction, and mythic/urban fiction, along with tons of great artwork and music). I've enjoyed the books; Butcher writes with a strong, distinctive voice, plenty of wisecracking humor, and lots of action. The books are a touch formulaic, but that's common in serial work and it doesn't bog the storyline down or keep you from connecting with the characters.

So I was really expecting to enjoy this novella, even though at 70 pages it would only take about a half hour of reading. The fact that it was about Thomas -- Dresden's vampire half-brother -- meant that another layer would be added to the overall story line, and we'd get a different perspective on everything that's been going on. Plus, I've always enjoyed Thomas's character -- he has surprised me more than once in the series. Like I said, this was something I was definitely looking forward to, which is why I basically stalked our public library until it was available.

Unfortunately, I was just disappointed. Really disappointed.

The story starts off promising; it's told from Thomas's point of view, and I think Butcher does a great job of keeping Thomas's voice from sounding too similar to Harry's voice. (That's something that concerned me at first, just because I imagine that Harry's voice is pretty much a dead ringer for Butcher himself -- although I have no clue if that's actually true or not).

As for plot, there's not a whole lot that goes on here; there's a decent fight scene, and the whole thing is accompanied by a lot of introspection, as well as a few italicized passages where Thomas's demon (the part that makes him a vampire) speaks as well. It's a short story, though -- I wouldn't even go as far as to classify it as a novella, which is what it is "officially" being termed.

My biggest issue is that the last three chapters -- about 13 pages -- end up being a rushed mess. It's as though Butcher got about 3/4 of the way through and thought "Oh shit, I've got a twelve thousand word limit on this -- better wrap things up!" It lacks the depth and voice that were present in the first 3/4 of the story, and I'd go so far as to say that Harry, when seen only through his dialogue and actions, rather than inside his head (like the other novels in the series), is a much weaker character here, almost to the point of being a mockery of himself.

Of course, this puts me in a small minority -- from the looks of it, most of the other Butcher fans on Goodreads thought this was a fantastic addition to the storyline. For me, though, it was just too weak in many ways. (I think the graphic novel that Butcher has done is actually a much stronger story to add to the Dresden Files).

Subterranean Press, which offers up great collector's version and small press runs from some of my most favorite authors, has put together a nice edition for this story, though I wouldn't spring for it unless you are an avid fan. Artist Mike Mignola put together a great watercolor sketch for the cover, but his interior drawings are much weaker -- the style is the same, but the evident marker strokes just make it look amateurish, in my opinion.

10 Things

I have a new series of items in the sidebar called WHAT'S GONG On. If I'm having giveaways, contests, sales, or other events on my blog, you'll find the info in that section. I'd love to know if you prefer announcements to be listed there, or at the top of daily posts (like I've been doing -- and like I'm doing right now.)
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I have an insane amount of bookmarks on my browser. Every so often, I have to go through and edit them. Sometimes I mark items because I'm using them as visual inspiration for a project; other times I'm looking to make a specific purchase; and then there are those I mark because they are just so lovely. I had one of those editing sessions just the other day and so I thought that instead of just deleting them all, I'd share some of them with you.

These, then, are 10 things I'm loving right now.

1.Simple Scrapper
I don't even remember how I came across Jen's blog. I think maybe it showed up as one of the recommended blogs in my blog reader; regardless, I bookmarked it right away and I come back to it on a daily basis. I particularly like the layouts she posts as inspiration in the sidebar, and right now she's got a fantastic weeklong series of posts going on about finding your own style.

2. Dagmar's gallery
Dagmar was one of the first scrappers I "met" online; we had both tried out for (and failed to make) a design team, and we commiserated together. We worked on a couple of projects together, and even made the switch from paper to digital at about the same time. Her layouts are sheer gorgeousness; she's got an eye for pattern and detail that I just love. Every time I look at her gallery, I'm inspired to make something.

3. Labour and Wait Products
It has taken me a while to really come into my own as far as home decorating is concerned. I've moved through a couple of different periods of styles/tastes, but what I seem to come back to is a mix of modern/simple and vintage/country. The items in this shop appeal to me, because they are all simply made, with clean lines and minimal fussiness; they have a strong sense of utility, and their beauty lies in that sense of usefulness. Here are a few items I would love to have:

4. Jamaica's vintage paper pillow

I would LOVE to own this pillow -- I just adore the mix of patterns, particularly the grid papers and the text patterns. And the splashes of orange -- just lovely!  Of course, pillows aren't the only lovely items that Jamaica makes either; I'm in love with these mini-albums too!

5. this cabin

It has been incredibly hot where we live, with a heat index all week long of 102+. It makes me dream of living somewhere else, somewhere much farther north (although my husband adamantly declares that we are as far north as we will ever get) -- somewhere perhaps like the Pacific Northwest, where there is ocean and mountains and small shingle-sided cabins. Yes, that sounds about right.

6. Jen Jockisch's portfolio
This girl works color and pattern with such freshness! This is another gallery I browse on a regular basis when I'm looking for inspiration. (And her layout photos are always staged so beautifully!)

7. toying with the idea of designing my own fabric
Someone posted a link to this blog, because they loved the colors in the quilt pictured. After nosing around on her blog for a bit, I discovered that she's designed her own fabric lines. Ever since I started designing papers (I sold two lines -- here and here -- through Dream Street Papers, in fact), I've toyed with the idea of turning some of these designs into fabric.

8. Nicole's kitchen and library

My guess is that just about everyone in the blogosphere is familiar with Nicole's blog, Making it Lovely. I actually came across her library in a magazine spread and tore it out to tuck in amongst my other "house inspiration" pieces. Later, I came across a link to her blog on gluestickgirl's blog and was so pleased when I found that she was responsible for the library I loved. The color scheme is so lovely in both rooms, and she's another one of those people who has a knack for little details, like these:
 

 

 

9. this blanket -- I love the different sizes and the mix of colors. Learning to crochet is on my list of things to-do -- while the knitting has been put away for the summer right now, I think that a small crochet project might be nice to take with me to San Francisco

10. These pictures: they sum up much of what life has been like in the past week -- working in the garden, playing with a new lovey (it's a pink google -- how funny!), and enjoying a new purchase filled with flowers.