Season's... Readings?

Well hello, and season's greetings! There's never a time of year when I'm more psyched about a great book than late fall/early winter. It's a great protector against the elements. This time around I've chosen a second go at Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. This is possibly a fool's errand after my last ambitious undertaking, especially since my reading time has only dwindled, but it feels like the perfect read right now, even if it's only a chapter each night before bed. I had a Barnes and Noble gift card kicking around so I also treated to myself to Francesca Lia Block's Pretty Dead. It's no secret that I'm not a vampire novel enthusiast, but I am an FLB fangirl so I couldn't resist checking out her foray into the undead. I'll let you know my thoughts once I've had a chance to dig in.

As for my little avenger, we read Goodnight Moon, every night, and lots of Sandra Boynton these days. At six months and counting he's not quite as attentive as he once was, being that he's much more interested in eating the books than looking at them, but I figure if I keep at, the love of a good story will infect him one way or another. And that's why board books were invented, right?

Oh, and I'm writing again, which feels amazing. I won't lie, I still have to force myself to get started every day. But the butt-in-chair, no excuses, just stop talking about and get down to business already approach is remarkably effective. Once I'm immersed in what I'm doing, I always wonder what took me so long. So until my next lapse, it's full steam ahead.

Happiness abounds, and I hope the same is true for all of you.

Written material copyright Dawn A. Emerman 2010

Comments

[Girl Detective]

I really enjoyed my time with Jonathan Strange and Dr. Norrell. Once into it, I really liked the characters and the universe, and was sorry when it was done.

I'm pretty sure I can still recite the Boynton oeuvre by heart, even though we retired the board books some time ago. Snuggle Puppy was our go-to song for #1 when he was fussy, and he also was sometimes calmed by reciting Hippos Go Berserk. (Always felt sorry for those 9 working hippos, who did not, in fact, go berserk.)

[Jodie]

I hope Pretty Dead is good for you, love the cover and shallow combination of cover + author makes me want it. The love of a good story will get in there, that's the approach my parents took with me - just kept pumping in the books and they'll stick and they did.

Congratulations on starting to write again :)