I have been sick since Thanksgiving. Went to work Tuesday and perhaps should not have. My brain is still partially mush and I am high on Robitussin DM MAX (Because I am NOT kidding around with dang cold. None of that min stuff for me.) Oh, hey, look!
Yours Truly: Jane!
Jane Austen: Good morning. Is it morning? Do you know the date?
YT: Yes, but I’m not telling you on account of you might be shocked how long it’s been since the last time you were sitting around yakking. By the way, it’s your birthday tomorrow.
JA: It is? How lovely. Thank you so much for mentioning my special day–
YT: Right. Special day. Before we talk about your fav cake and shit, can I ask you a question?
JA: (looking a bit shocked) Of course.
YT: You had doors in your house back in the Regency, right?
JA: Certainly.
YT: Good. What did they look like? Because I need to know. I’m trying to write this scene—
JA: You’re an authoress? What a coincidence. I too–
YT: Yes, but only if we define writer as someone who procrastinates any actual writing until there’s nothing left of her soul except panic and the need for caffeine, sugar and cocoa butter and who when she’s freaking hyped up on the stress with like smoke coming out of her ears before she actually gets decent words on the page, finally does something you could call writing. Sort of. Does that sound familiar to you at all?
JA: I think I’m getting a call. (Digs in her reticule.)
YT: They didn’t have cell phones when you were writing. So listen, about Regency doors. I have this scene where the hero and heroine are in this room and they’re alone, but one of them wants to leave, I can’t decide who yet, but that doesn’t actually matter. The point is whoever tries to open the door, when they do that the handle falls off and they get temporarily stuck only I don’t know if they had door knobs back then.
JA: Door knobs?
YT: Crap. Did they have door knobs? Do you know who invented the door knob? Because actually, when I Google, the results are unclear.
JA: Google?
YT: Yes. Google. A search engine.
JA: But it’s misspelled.
YT: INORITE?
JA: I beg your pardon?
YT: Door knobs, Jane. Concentrate.
JA: Perhaps there were door knobs as early as 1820 but I can’t be sure because **cough** I was not alive in 1820.
YT: I’m thinking I may have to email the Antique Doorknob Collectors of America or buy one of their books, but I don’t know which one to get. Ack!
JA: Americans collect doorknobs?
YT: Some of us are obsessed. OMG! Look at those doors and hardware. So pretty!
JA: Oh Em Gee?
YT: I’m swooning. Look!
JA: Where is my vinagrette?
YT: You know what I really hate?
JA: Spanx?
YT: Pictures that look exactly on point that have no date. Seriously. There should be a rule that whenever you post a picture of something old you’re REQUIRED to say what date the really old thing was made. You can’t just say, Victorian, or 19th century or back in the olden days. There should be a rule that you have to GIVE THE YEAR!
JA: Could we go back to talking about cake?
YT: Sure. If you want.
 |
| Pegasus Cake |
Happy Birthday, Jane!
JA: Who’s Emma?
PS. Was I supposed to do a contest thinggee? OK. Comment and I’ll figure out a prize. Not cake, though.
Happy New Year!
This year has flown by–my son started middle school at a new school (in)conveniently located at the end of Coney Island in Brooklyn, I began a new job, my first time in an office in almost ten years, I have a wonderful agent who is working hard on our behalfs, I got to see friends at RWA National this past summer, plus had the delight of having Risky Carolyn visit (note to Carolyn: The Pop Tarts store closes down today for good. Sorry.).
And there was media of all sorts; as is usual, I buy in a timely manner, but I don’t necessarily read in a timely manner. So on my TBR pile is The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook, The Black Prism by Brent Weeks (hardcover, no less!),and N.K. Jemisin’s The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, to name but three of the highly anticipated (by me and others) books I own, but have not read.
So what did I read? I did read a lot, and some of the books actually did come out this year. I devoured Anne Stuart‘s House of Rohan series. While I don’t think these are her best, they are still pretty awesome, and I love Stuart’s heroes–usually beyond ruthless (also, Ruthless is one of the three titles in the series).
I read the first Cara Elliott, To Sin With A Scoundrel, and adored it. It’s really lovely when your friends write books you love, even if you weren’t friends with the author. I kept up with the J.R. Ward Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and started her Fallen Angels series. Yes, there are massive flaws in the books, and no, I don’t care. I love Ward.
Ilona Andrews Edge series began this year, and it’s an entry in what I think is a new genre, rural fantasy. It’s set out in the Louisiana swamps, and has lots of magic as well as gators and unpleasantly murky water.
Elizabeth Hoyt‘s Wicked Intentions was really good, I have been a Hoyt fan for awhile now, but this surpassed my expectations. Didn’t hurt the hero was right up my particular alley.
Sarah MacLean‘s Nine Rules . . . and Ten Ways . . . were both fun and yet substantive, with really lively characters and a deliciousness imbued throughout the whole book.
Um . . . I’m realizing I read a lot, since I’ve barely skimmed the reading surface. I also devoured more of Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher, started Suzanne Collins‘ Hunger Games trilogy, Eileen Wilks‘ Lupi series, Jo Nesbo, Larissa Ione, Carolyn Crane‘s Mind Games, and a whole bunch more.
In music, I fell in love with The XX, Nikki And Rich and Miike (sic) Snow.
This is the year I discovered actor Tadanobu Asano, with whom I am currently obsessed, and also the year I got to see Richard Armitage in MI-5. Le swoon.
I’m looking forward to more glorious fun in 2011. Happy New Year!
Eek, the year is almost over and there’s still so much to do …
OK, stuff this year. I know I read lots of books but what were they?
It was something of a banner year for Jude Morgan fangirls since he had two books out, and like Amanda I loved his retelling of the Bronte story, A Taste of Sorrow (the UK title), and while I thought A Little Folly wasn’t as strong as Indiscretion, it was intriguing if a little disappointing on the first reading. A second reading though left me feeling happier about it.
I dipped a toe or two into the Romance Waters and absolutely recommend my buddy Miranda Neville‘s latest, The Dangerous Viscount, which is funny, witty, and smart (and has a virgin hero if your socks are rocked by that sort of thing).
Another buddy, Lorelle Marinello, had her debut book out, Salting Roses, this fall. Now normally if I encounter the term southern women’s fiction I run a mile. But this was my buddy’s book and besides she mentioned me in the credits, and I bought it. I read it. I loved it. It’s smart and mercifully free of cliches and beautifully written. Go get it right now!
I’ve just finished Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby, which is wonderful, about aging and families and rock n roll and sharks washing up on English seaside beaches in 1964 and all sorts of great stuff. I also have just read the first Sookie Stackhouse book after becoming very irritated with True Blood, and I loved it. It’s one of those examples of a book that when it was translated to a visual medium lost the nuances and verve of the narration (and as cute as Anna Paquin is, I think her character is considerably watered down for TV). What a great voice!
Talking of TV, a couple of great UK imports arrived on BBCAmerica this year: The Choir, which is a series about conductor Gareth Malone going into unlikely places and getting people to sing, particularly those who can’t/won’t/don’t, inspiring me to do it in my own town (I’m still looking for more men, btw). And also Law & Order UK which is fabulous–full of angst and moral ambiguity and cups of tea and starring Mrs. Fanny Dashwood (Harriet Walter) as the Gov.
This is the year in which I decided I didn’t like Heyer much any more (sorry, Carolyn, though I’m keeping an open mind) but I became a great admirer of Stieg Larsson’s Girl… series, and finally got to see the movie of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, riveting to me, confusing to my husband who hadn’t read the book. Months after everyone else did I also saw Young Victoria. But the best film of the year for me (other than the last five minutes) was An Education, screenplay by Nick Hornby.
I spent a lot of time this year reading about and researching Austen, and discovered Laurie Viera Riegler‘s wonderful Confessions of a Jane Austen addict, and I intend to buy the sequel, Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict very soon.
I have a couple of Xmas presents to look forward to, At Home by Bill Bryson and the annotated Pride and Prejudice, both too big and heavy for the commute which is where I do most of my reading.
But the highlight of 2010 was that this was the year in which I reached out to old friends and although we have been dreadful about keeping in touch since, I know that great gaps will not take place again.
Happy new year, everyone, and may 2011 be filled with great books and great friends!
Alix Rickloff’s winner of a signed copy of EARL OF DARKNESS is……….Louisa Cornell!
Louisa, we have your address. Expect a book soon!
The Riskies