I haven’t written a lot lately because I’ve been super busy! I’m starting back at school, getting my teaching credential. It’s taking up a lot of my time. I’ll probably be swamped for the next year. Or two. Or forever. I’m also teaching Fiction Writing at the adult school in my town. I finished an eight-week course in the spring, and am doing a Creative Writing Workshop in July. Then I’ll teach an eight-week course called “Novel in a Month”…
I did a really stupid thing and signed up for a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) through the University of Iowa. It started on October 11, and will end on November 21. (See why I’m a bit insane?) If I spend time doing assignments and watching lectures for the MOOC, it’ll take away from my NaNoWriMo time. But I’m trying to do both! Like a crazy person! So far so good. I’m enjoying the class. I’m running a bit late…
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch I’m not sure how this book came to my attention. Perhaps it was recommended for me on my Audible list, or perhaps I found it randomly. With so many things going on in my life, sometimes it’s hard to remember how I come across things! I’m glad I did, though, this was a fun novel that had me intrigued from the start. It also gave me a lot of things to think about! Mental chewing…
NOS4A2 by Joe Hill I heard about this novel on the radio morning show that I listen to every day when I take my kids to school. And since I’ve had great recommendations from the show in the past, I put it on my Audible list. I gotta say, I’m glad I did. I really enjoyed this book. NOS4A2 is a supernatural suspense novel by a master of horror, Joe Hill. The story takes place over the course of a young…
Codex by Lev Grossman I found this novel when I searched for other works by Lev Grossman. I absolutely loved The Magicians Trilogy, and have read those books at least a few times each. So I figured I would love other works by Lev Grossman, and I wasn’t exactly wrong. I wasn’t exactly right, either. The title Codex refers to a medieval text that has been lost to time. Edward Wozny, an investment banker, has taken a new position with his…
The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey This is another title that they were talking about on my morning Radio Show. I should probably plug them every time. I love listening to Sarah and Vinnie on Alice at 97.3. They give the best book reviews! Whenever Sarah says she loves a book, I’m pretty much guaranteed to love it, too. And the fact that they’re local celebrities who promote reading is a big plus in my book.…
Over the past two nights we showed my daughters Back to the Future, and Back to the Future Part II. I was a HUGE fan when I was a kid. I wanted a Delorean. I thought Michael J Fox was a dreamboat. I practically worshipped Doc Brown. I wasn’t really surprised when my girls liked the films because they were a huge part of my childhood, but I was surprised when the girls LOVED them. My younger daughter can’t keep…
Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi I’d listened to Lock In by John Scalzi, because Wil Wheaton read it. I was a big fan of Wil Wheaton’s performances in the audiobooks of Ready Player One and Armada by Ernest Cline. (Both are excellent books, if you ask me. Super fun and highly entertaining!) So I searched for other books that WW had read, and found Lock In. It was a great book. When Agent to the Stars popped up on…
I’m slogging my way through Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by Seth Grahame-Smith. Most of my reading is done via Audible, and this is no exception. I have the book on Audio. I’m four hours in out of an 11 hour, unabridged reading of the title. Jane Austen’s classic has been enhanced by Seth Grahame-Smith, and is read by Katherine Kellgren. I wanted to read the book before . Confession: I hate zombies. I hate everything to do with zombies.…
My darling husband and I had a wonderful time last night at the California Academy of Science in San Francisco. Their Nightlife program, combined with SF Sketchfest meant that science was funny last night–for grown-ups only. The 21+ event was held at the California Academy of Science from 6 to 10pm, and included some pretty awesome guest speakers and comedians. (We took this picture outside of the “Africa Hall” because my younger daughter has a slight obsession with Giraffes. More…