Tag: Miscellany Page 142 of 175

2018 Independent Bookstore Day

I didn’t celebrate Independent Bookstore Day in quite the same way I did in 2017. Last year, we went to Rediscovered Books, bought a couple of books and then went elsewhere and adopted a dog. This year, we went to Rediscovered Books — played a game (which got me a Blind Date with a Book) — bought a couple of books and chatted with an author.

Altogether less expensive, and I didn’t have to talk in a higher-pitched voice — not even once.


Yeah, I clearly need more practice at taking pics like that. Anyway, I grabbed The Vinyl Detective – Written in Dead Wax by Andrew Cartmell (mostly because Ben Aaronovitch talked a lot about the books on Twitter and whatnot). My Blind Date is with Fonda Lee’s Jade City, described as “Fantasy/Adult” and “The Godfather but with magic” (or words to that effect). And then I also purchased — and got signed — the new version of Devri Wall’s Venators.

Back in 2016, I read and blogged about Devri Wall’s The Wizard’s Heir and Venators: Through the Arch, and she was nice enough to answer A Few Quick Questions for me. We got to chat about why there’s a new version of the book, when to expect the next in the series, and what not. My wife, who actually thinks about things other than books, suggested getting a picture (ever the rookie, my fingers are covering the title).

As part of the game at RD, I had to take a couple of pics, I might as well throw them up here. One task was to take a picture of the bookstore — here’s the rare empty spot today (filled up seconds later). Another task was to take a photo of a Non-Fiction book with a great cover. I don’t know that I’ll read Best Before: The Evolution and Future of Processed Food, but that’s just a great cover.
      

Saturday Miscellany – 4/28/18

I think the busy season at work is over — only worked 8 hours yesterday (we’ll not talk about the days before), so hopefully that gives me more time to focus on things here. But this is another small list of odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to Charlie De Luca for following the blog this week.

Independent Bookstore Day 2018 – April 28!

You like books, right? Otherwise, why are you here? You like bookstores, too, right? Nothing against Barnes & Noble or any of the dozens of great online booksellers — but there’s nothing like a good Independent Bookstore. Staff who know their wares; possibly get to know your tastes; care about books, writing, etc.

(and better for the local economy than chains, too, but that’s out of my wheelhouse to discuss)

Basically, they’re great resources, community centers, and places to spend your money. To celebrate/promote them, 400 Indie Bookstores around the country are celebrating Independent Bookstore Day this Saturday. Go, check a local store out — see the exclusive items just for the day. If you’re in Southwest Idaho, Rediscovered Books in Boise is the place to go (there are a couple of other decent shops in the area, but not as good, IMHO).

Happy (Belated) Shakespeare Day!

There was some sort of mis-communication between me and the good people at Invaluable so this is going up a day late (totally my fault). I didn’t even know that Shakespeare Day was a thing (but of course it is). Still . . . no matter what day it is, this is fun:

Happy Shakespeare Day! What better way is there to celebrate the life and legacy of William Shakespeare than looking back at some of his most famous insults? You are in luck, because Invaluable created a Shakespearean insult generator just in time for Shakespeare Day. The generator includes 70+ of Shakespeare’s snarkiest insults from his most famous works. Whether you wish to insult a friend, enemy, or your significant other, one of these insults is guaranteed to be perfect!

Here’s a couple of samples:

Saturday Miscellany – 4/21/18

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

    This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:

  • Born to the Blade by Marie Brennan, Cassandra Khaw, Malka Older and Michael R. Underwood — a serialized fantasy novel from a heckuva group of writers, I’m almost done with episode 1 and it’s a strong start. Look into this one.
  • The Real-Town Murders by Adam Roberts — I’m not even going to try to sum this up, click the link to get more info, and then probably go buy it somewhere.

Misc. Notes 4/19/18 (a.k.a. Real Life(™) is Interfering with Blogging)

There are 3 books that I really wanted to talk about this week — and so far, I haven’t. I’ve got 1/3 (maybe less) of a post about Steve Cavanagh’s The Plea written, but I just don’t have time to finish it in time to post; I think sleep deprivation might be the best way to write about the insane (and insanely froody) Jimbo Yojimbo by David W. Barbee — but that’ll have to wait (alas); and lastly Life Begins When The Kids Leave Home And The Dog Dies by Barb Taub is going to be fun to talk about.

I got Noirville, the short story collection in the mail today from Fahrenheit Press — it looks great. I’m sure the stories are as nifty as the book they’re printed in.

I was reminded yesterday that I hadn’t started, much less posted about, a particular book this month. I’d totally forgotten I’d agreed to it. Which makes 3 more books I have to read this month (plus three from March I ran out of time for). If only I wasn’t in the middle of the busiest month of the year at work. I have to learn how to say no . . . but there’s so many good-looking books out there, it’s so hard to say anything but “yes.”

Lastly, Luca Veste’s The Bone Keeper is chillingly cool. I’m hoping to get to post about it next week (and hoping to finish reading it …well, probably about the time this posts).

Saturday Miscellany – 4/14/18

Worked over 50 hours this week (including today), there were only a few hours of that where I wasn’t going full steam ahead. Which meant I came home and pretty much collapsed. Leaving drafts for posts on multiple books in mid-stream. Next week will likely be the same, but I’m trying to get things done. Did manage to read a bit — some very strong stuff, which helps tremendously.

Anyhow, here are the odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

    This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:

  • The Fairies of Sadieville by Alex Bledsoe — Apparently, April is a month of good-byes. First, the Iron Druid. Now, the Tufa. This is one of the best series I’ve read the last few years — now, you can read them all. Do so.
  • Madam Tulip and the Bones of Chance by David Ahern — Madam Tulip makes a movie in Scotland and, shockingly enough, becomes embroiled in murder and mayhem. I thought it was plenty of fun, as you can read here.
  • Skyjack by K. J. Howe — Kidnap and Ransom specialist, Thea Paris, is back in this tale of secret armies, skyjacking, divided loyalties and impending doom. Here’s my post about it.

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to savageddt for following the blog this week.

Saturday Miscellany – 4/7/18

Another week of small lists. Small, but packed with goodness.

Here are the odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

    This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:

  • Scourged by Kevin Hearne — This is the big one of the week, er, month for me. I’ve been an unabashed fan of this series since the release of Hounded, and devoured this finale. UF readers will want to look for this one (and many probably are). Will be posting about it soonish.
  • School for Psychics by K. C. Archer — this looks like a variation on a common theme — secret school for people with extraordinary abilities (Brakebills, Hogwarts, Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, etc.) — but with an intriguing take.

Pairing Potent Potables with your Perusals of Prose

I was kicking myself last evening for forgetting to get some Tullamore Dew to go with my reading of the last of the Iron Druid Chronicles, Scourged. I’ve been meaning to try the stuff ever since the Widow MacDonagh kept going on about it in the first couple of books, and it seemed like a fitting companion as I bid farewell to the series.

It got me thinking: what other books/series have an obvious beverage paring?

Harry Dresden’s a big Coke guy, well, that and Mac’s ale — which is sadly, fictional, or it’d be my go-to. Zaphod Beeblebrox’s Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, and the Ol’ Janx Spirit used to make them are likewise fictional. Ditto for Nero Wolfe’s favorite beer, Remmers. Just about everything that Atticus drinks after book three is fictional — and borderline supernatural, no?

On the whole, I have different tastes than Robert B. Parker’s characters (and can’t afford Hawk’s preferences). Spenser has guided me toward a beer or two that I liked, but there’s no drink you can point at and say — that’s Spenser (or Jesse Stone). Tres Navarre was a big Shiner Bock drinker, and at least one of his books contained a recipe for a (supposedly) fantastic margarita (which was tasty, but not really better than any other one). Just about everything that John Rebus drinks is local for him, which makes it impossible for me. Harry Bosch and Elvis Cole don’t have a signature drink that I can recall.

On the less intoxicating side, there’s Archie Goodwin’s milk, Jack Reacher’s coffee (although, who needs caffeine while you’re reading Lee Child at his best?), and Jane Yellowrock’s tea (I don’t think I could drink it the way she does).

When I started writing this, I figured I’d be able to come up with a decent list of drinks to go with various series, but I seem to be coming up pretty short. Sure, there’s James Bond with his “cold water with a dash of gin and dry vermouth. . . [he’s] is ordering a weak martini and being snooty about it.” But that’s too easy (and I haven’t read anything about him since high school). How about you all?

March 2018 Report

So, here’s what happened here in March. It wasn’t a great month — lots of stuff at work distracted me, some sickness, and whatnot threw me off. There were 7 books I didn’t get to that I’d either planned on or committed to read. Neither of which is something I enjoy doing. Hopefully April is all about catching up.

Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to:

Mr. Neutron Madam Tulip and the Bones of Chance Burn Bright
4 Stars 4 Stars 3.5 Stars
Greek Mythology: Beyond Mount Olympus Nils Cuts His Nails – The Scissors Game Don't Ever Look Behind Door 32
2 1/2 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars
My Little Eye Vernon the Vegetarian Lion Tricks for Free
4 1/2 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars
Volume 9: Sermons to the Church Everything is Normal Skyjack
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars
An Ill-Fated Sky Secular Jewish Culture Wires and Nerve, Volume 2
4 1/2 Stars 3 Stars 3 Stars
Good Guys            
3.5 Stars            

Still Reading:

Christianity at the Crossroads            

Reviews Posted:

Book Challenge Progress:

Angel's Guilty Pleasures Wires and Nerves, Volume 2: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer, Douglas Holgate (link forthcoming)
Good Guys by Steve Brust (link forthcoming)

Mr. Neutron by Joe Ponepinto
Nils Cuts His Nails – The Scissors Game by Nurit Zvolon, Rotem Lots-Zaiden
Vernon the Vegetarian Lion by John Hughson, Ali Smith (link forthcoming — I thought I’d written it up by now)
Everything is Normal: The Life and Times of a Soviet Kid by Sergey Grechishkin
Secular Jewish Culture by Yaakov Malkin, ed.

Mr. Neutron by Joe Ponepinto
Greek Mythology by
Nils Cuts His Nails – The Scissors Game by Nurit Zvolon, Rotem Lots-Zaiden
Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32 by B.C.R. Fegan, Lenny Wen
Vernon the Vegetarian Lion by John Hughson, Ali Smith (link forthcoming — I thought I’d written it up by now)
Everything is Normal: The Life and Times of a Soviet Kid by Sergey Grechishkin
Secular Jewish Culture by Yaakov Malkin, ed.

Nothing here . . . whoops. I’ve gotta get moving on this one.

How was your month?

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