My next book should be another dose of septuagenarian fun with The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman and I have no idea what my next audiobook will be, I’m not feeling incredibly inspired by anything I”m seeing.
I’ve seen this on various blogs, but can’t seem to find the creator, so I can’t credit them. I’d like to if anyone knows who did it. I saw this first at Read to Ramble, put it on my “do this tag list,” and promptly forgot about it. Then I was reminded of it on Witty and Sarcastic Book Blog—and it took me over a year to get around to it. I liked the category she added so I used it, and seconds before hitting “Publish” decided to add one of my own.
Also, just for fun, I added the music videos. Might as well sample a bit of the tunes we’re talking about, right?
What’s My Age Again – Blink 182
At what age did you discover your love of reading?
I’ve talked here before about the family vacation where I was such a pain in the keister that my parents had to stop and find a place to get me a couple of books so I’d be tolerable to be in the car with (Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective and Sugar Creek Gang: Screams in the Night—unleashing my Mystery/Detective obsession), which is when I was 7. But I’d been reading like crazy before then, I just didn’t think about it as a thing.
All Star – Smash Mouth
What is your favorite genre?
Is anyone expecting me to say anything but Mystery/Detective/Crime? It’s no contest, really, as it’s never less than a third of what I read in any given month.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Deep Blue Something
What’s your go-to reading snack/drink?
I don’t think I typically snack while reading—probably occasionally, but not enough to have a go-to snack (if this were a TV Tag, on the other hand…). A go-to drink? Probably water, I guess, really just whatever is witin reach. Coffee, hot tea, even a beer or a single-malt.
I don’t know that there’s one book that I’d always recommend—not in a “one book to rule them all” sense, anyway. It varies based on who I’m talking to, their interests, and the genre we’re talking about.
But…I guess Jane Eyre, The Golden Spiders, Early Autumn, The Name of the Wind*, Ender’s Game, Red Rising, Dead Beat, The Rook, Dawn Patrol, Kings of the Wyld would likely top the list of fiction. On the non-fiction front, it’d likely be How the Irish Saved Civilization, Christianity & Liberalism, The Bruised Reed, How to Think, or The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction.
* Unless I think they’re going to be someone who whines about book 3.
I’ve never understood the appeal of RHCP—so I used “Bedrock Anthem” instead.
…Baby One More Time – Britney Spears
A book or series you have read more than once?
If I actually responded to this prompt, it’d turn this tag into the longest post I’ve ever done. Every title I listed after the last prompt would work here.
Tearin’ Up My Heart – N’Sync:
A book that broke your heart to finish?
Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World’s Worst Dog by John Grogan. Nothing else needs to be said.
Crush – Jennifer Paige
Who was your first bookish crush?
I don’t know, really. This is a topic I always stumble on in these tags. Maybe Sally Kimball? Turtle Wexler or Eilonwy, daughter of Angharad (and so on) would be likely candidates, too. Yeah…Eilonwy is probably it.
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
A book that you read as a teen that you still love today?
Well, there are just so many. I’m not sure if that says that my tastes are adolescent. It just might. Jane Eyre again, the Gideon Oliver series, The Oathbound Wizard, Magic Kingdom For Sale-Sold!, I think I was a teen when I read the bulk of the Fletch and Flynn novels. I’m sure I could go on, but who’s paying attention at this point?
Hurt – Nine Inch Nails
What book do you love that deals with heavier subjects?
This is another question that could end up with too many answers. I’m going to limit it to Dennis Lehane’s Gone, Baby, Gone. This was my introduction to Lehane and the series and it hit me like a ton of bricks—I distinctly remember a couple of years after it was released my wife and I renting the audiobook for a road trip from a truck stop (a practice I’d all but forgotten about until I started this sentence), and both of us were on the verge of tears and laughing at each other for being self-conscious about it. There’s child abandonment, addiction, child abduction, police corruption, and while dealing with those topics (and others) honestly—it’s exciting, gripping, and frequently fun.
Superman’s Song – Crash Test Dummies
What’s your favorite superhero book?
It’s Superman! by Tom De Haven. This version of Superman’s origins, set in the 1930s, felt like the perfect modern take on the classic version of the hero. It felt 100% Golden Age Superman and completely fresh at the same time.
As usual, I’m not tagging anyone in this—but I’d like to see what you all have to come up with.
October in a nutshell: 31 books, 8,079 pages (or the equivalent), 3.5 average—even with more 3 Stars than I’ve had in a dog’s age. All the 3s make me feel better about things, I’ve wondered if I was being too free with 4’s lately. All said, I’m pretty satisfied with this month—I’m terrified by the number of things I haven’t written about, though. I should read some bigger books to help me catch up.
That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon: Gated Prey by Lee Goldberg—the third Eve Ronin novel continues to impress. I had a little to say about it earlier this week. Better Off Dead by Lee Child and Andrew Child—Reacher in the Southwest—that’s all I know, more than I need to know to pick it up. Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest—Priest’s new series featues travel agent who’s an “inconsistent psychic” and a Police Detective working on a cold case. Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan—Riordan leaves his mythology-based work for a contemporary 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Color me curious.
The wheels have really come off of my plans for the week–boh in terms of writing and reading. Real Life can be such a drag, you know? But we’re at the mid-point, and hopefully, I can recover a bit. And if not? At least I’m spending some time with these good books that I’m about to talk about in this WWW Wednesday.
Wow, I’m about 2 hours behind schedule for the day…so I’m not going to try to come up with anything to lead off this week’s post.
Well, maybe a little…I tend to share a meme or something like that with these posts, just stuff I stumble upon. This week, author R.T. Slaywood created one that made my day–had to be used (as self-aggrandizing as it may be).
That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon: It’s a Wonderful Woof by Spencer Quinn—The first (novel-length) holiday Chet and Bernie book is a great bit of fun. I enthused about it recently. Best in Snow by David Rosenfelt—Andy’s dog, Tara, literally digs up a new case for him in this holiday themed novel. I talked about it a little a couple of weeks ago title by soandso—The eBook release of the Audible Original. Shining Smith #2 features a road trip, a handful of battle scenes and some surprising character developments. I had a little to say about it earlier this week. The Last Time She Died by Zoë Sharp—first in a new series has a heckuva hook. Not one I can do justice to in a sentence or so, better just click the link. Dust & Grim by Chuck Wendig—half of the reason I’m interested in this book is to see how Wendig can write for MG audience. The other half is that it takes place in a monster mortuary—which just sounds fun.
I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to Carol who followed the blog this week. Don’t be a stranger!
Would you ever consider dressing up as a book character? If so, which one?
I guess it depends on what the dressing up is for. Halloween? Nah, it’s not my thing.
But sure, I’ve thought about cosplaying at various conventions as a book character (and would probably only do that rather than TV/Movie character). I could probably pull off a Tolkein-esque dwarf or maybe one of the guys from Saga in Kings of the Wyld. I’d actually planned an Arthur Dent cosplay for a local convention that ended up getting canceled, and was pretty close to coming up with an Ebenezar McCoy (from The Dresden Files) costume for Day 2 of that con. Maybe one day…
Prepping for these WWW Wednesday posts can sometimes cause me a little headache. For example, when I finished my most recent read, I didn’t know what to read next. I have a shelf-and-a-half of TBR books staring me in the face (plus a couple of handfuls on my e-reader), and I do want to read them all, just not now. I picked 3 or 4 that I would want to read after my next one, but I wanted something else for now. Does that make sense? In the end, I went with something that will get me closer to finishing the While I Was Reading Challenge for the year—and it turned out to be just the right choice. Still a mystery, but different in tone, structure, and approach than anything I’ve read in years. A good palate cleanser.
Not quite a slump, but it’s as close as I’ve been to one in ages. Shall we get on with with it?
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
Easy enough, right?
What are you currently reading?
I’m reading The Case of the One-Eyed Witness by Erle Stanley Gardner—fairly sure this is the first time I’ve read this one (and if not, it was pre-1995, so it might as well be—and I’m listening to Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo, Kathleen McInerney (Narrator) on audiobook, time for more mayhem in Amish Country.
that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case: Obituary: Gary Paulsen—I didn’t read as much of Paulsen growing up as I could’ve (looking over his bibliography, even then it would’ve been a monumental task), and haven’t read him since. Still, sad to see a giant go. The 20-page rule: how much time should you give a devastatingly boring book?—One notorious response to this got Twitter all excited this week. I wish I’d heard Billingham’s original remarks–I’ve heard him on several podcasts in the last couple of years and it’d have been really entertaining. I’m not in 100% agreement with him, but sure can’t say he’s wrong. Advanced Book Search—a fun little poem paying tribute to local bookstores (Hat tip:Raven Crime Reads). Filling Your Bookshelf With Joy—one reader’s tips on selecting the books to display Embracing the DNF: 3 Reasons It’s Okay to Read Something Else—FanFiAddict’s David S. might have the most succinct post on this topic. Is a Balanced Reading Life Important?—I’ve never considered this question
Episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to: Under the Radar SFF Podcast—Blaise Ancona launched this podcast this week, focusing on works that are ” lost, forgotten, or need a bigger audience.” I’ve listened to 2 of the episodes so far. I think this is one to keep an eye on.
That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon (apparently this is actors turned writers week): Fan Fiction by Brent Spiner—”A Mem-Noir: Inspired by True Events”. It’s a fun, self-deprecating, comic crime novel. I talked more about it last week. Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You by Misha Collins—Honestly, I probably wouldn’t bother with this given my general apathy toward poetry, but my daughter is his number 1 fan (well, she’s tied with roughly 1 million people for that title), so I kinda have to.
I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to doggydogguy and Shannon K Sexton who followed the blog this week. Don’t be a stranger!
We spent our vacation last week on the Oregon coast and ended up visiting a few towns, and somehow found myself in a bookstore in each place—shocking, I know.
Robert’s Bookshop
The first shop was Lincoln City’s Robert’s Bookshop (although the sticker on the book I bought said “Bob’s”, so maybe they’re not that formal). It’s a small place with a good mix of new and used books. And it is packed. Their website says they have 1.64 miles of bookshelves! And there isn’t a wasted centimeter on them—you want to look behind the front-facing books because they’re just covering up others on the shelf behind them. From the floor (literally) to the top of the shelving units is nothing but books. Narrow aisles ensure that every available space is taken up with a book. The Case of the One-Eyed Witness by Erle Stanley Gardner—I haven’t read a Perry Mason book in…decades?…and I don’t think I’ve ever read this one. It’s a used copy from the 1960s and in fantastic condition. I had to restrain myself—I could’ve walked away with a couple of handfuls of these. If I lived in this general area, this would be my store. The way the shelves are just crammed with books makes it clear that they’re about selling books—everything else is second place.
Nye Beach Book House
On Wednesday, we wandered into Nye Beach Book House in Newport. It is pretty much just that—a block or so away from Nye Beach, and it’s a house. The retail space takes up three or four rooms (probably depending on your definition of “room”), and covers your typical genres. Most of the books were used—in good condition but used. There was a small section of new releases, with a larger percentage of small press (maybe self-pub, too, I didn’t spend too much time investigating). The staff (owner?) was friendly and helpful—and there was a (and quiet) little dog running around, too. I picked up a gently used copy of The Big Over Easy, because I’m determined that I’m going to become a Jasper Fforde fan.
Books ‘n’ Bears
The last stop of my Book Shop Tour was Books ‘n’ Bears in Florence. A wonderful, spacious shop specializing New & Used Books and Stuffed Bears. It’s an interesting combination to be sure, but the stuffed bears did look good on the shelves. I was a little confused by some of the shelving choices—for example, a lot of things that normally would be shelved with Mysteries were in General Fiction, etc. I’m guessing that had more to do with the shelf space available for “genre fiction” more than anything. There was a decent amount of newer releases, but the majority of the stock was used. I had a hard time finding something I was in the mood for—plenty of things to choose from, I should stress—and was set to walk out with just a nice used copy of Burning Bright by Nick Petrie and then just before I walked to the cash register, out of the corner of my eye, I see a hardcover Looking for Rachel Wallace by Robert B. Parker on a shelf that needed a stepstool to reach (I’m not used to stores having shelves that high). Any store that lets me leave with a first edition Parker is a fave.
Three Days, Three very charming bookstores—each with a distinct flavor. Yeah, I said I’d shop at Robert’s primarily if I lived in the area—but honestly, I wouldn’t be a stranger at any of these places.
(and a few things others wrote)
that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
Episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to 
