For those of you who have never lived with a kitteh, this is not an expression you ever want to see on a little furry face. Trust me.

Go visit ICHC why don't you?

...can it be August?? Oh yes, my little friends...August is right around the corner. Now, lets ponder together. Is there anything exciting happening in August? Something to do with books, maybe?

Oh. Now I remember...Force of Nature is released in August! Not that I'm excited or anything. Me? No, just a normal level of expectation. It could be a book by any author I like, really. What difference does it make that it is the newest book by one of my favorite authors? And that my very favorite supporting character has a major role? Who cares? *trying to look nonchalant*



Speaking of Suz news - she won a charity auction and is having dinner with Joss Whedon!!! Talk about my dream dinner - yowza!!

In the meantime, as I linger in a HP7 hangover, I've been re-reading old faves. I can't seem to make myself pick up anything I know won't be as excellent as HP7 (so that's practically everything). Although, I did pick up the new SSE by Jessica Bird (aka JR Ward). Love her! So I think I'll go read that. And since tomorrow is my day off (W00t!), I can read as long as I want. So there!

What's everyone else really, really looking forward to, bookwise??

ETA: I find my Snoopys hypnotizing...

Labels: book stuff, silliness, Suz

Well, peeps, I just finished HP7 and it was excellent! The potential for nitpicking was huge, of course, and satisfying everyone seemed unlikely but she did it! I can't see how anyone but the pickiest of nitpickers could fault the final installment of Harry's story. And even then, they will be grasping at straws, says me.

I say that she brought everything to the exact close it needed. She answered all the nagging questions and kept us on the edges of our seats (or sofas or beds or wherever your choice reading spots might be). I laughed in places, cried in places, was scared for our friends and enjoyed their triumphs with them.

There aren't enough stars or plusses to give this one, peeps.

If you haven't read these books - for crying out loud, what are you waiting for?!

ETA: There could be spoilers in the comments. Be warned!

Labels: 2 cents, book stuff, HP

...since soon teh interwebs will go silent in response to the fabulousness that is

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

What exactly is a hallows?? According to Merriam-Webster online:

Hallow - Pronunciation: \ˈha-(ˌ)lō\;
definition 1: (Function: transitive verb) (Etymology: Middle English halowen, from Old English hālgian, from hālig holy); to make holy or set apart for holy use; to respect greatly
definition 2: (Function: noun) (obsolete : a saint, a shrine, or a relic); Hallow as a noun has been rarely used for the past several hundred years and is considered obsolete except as a component in words such as Halloween and Allhallows. It is not listed in most dictionaries but has been added to this database because of the renewed interest in it sparked by the publication of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

See, peeps?? Even our friends at Merriam-Webster have been sucked into the HP madness! LOL

I don't think my copy will arrive until Monday so that means I'll be avoiding TV and online news for fear of the dreaded spoilers between now and then - and afterwards, too, until I finish. I don't watch TV news, so that's no big deal, but I do read the news online usually. Well, that stops today! I know they're lurking out there wanting to ruin everything but I won't let them. *shifty eyes*

Last person to go offline and read turn off the lights, please. ;-)

ETA: I got mine today (Saturday)!!! W00t!!!!!

Labels: book stuff, HP

So, I might have mentioned how much I love and am oddly addicted to I Can Has Cheezburger. But I don't believe I have mentioned that "lol" language is creeping into my brain. I'll be going about my *sarcasm* fabulous workday */sarcasm* and something will trigger a lol-speak caption in my brain. "my ass...let me show u it", for example (not in a stripper way, before anyone asks). ;-)

Some examples, you say? Absolutely, says me!









Anyone else have this problem? Anyone? Anyone?? Bueller???

All lolcats from ICHC, of course.

ETA: There is an article in TIME about ICHC, even. Click here!

Labels: lolcat, silliness, web stuff

Well, a friend and I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix this afternoon. I always try to remind myself not to expect the movie to be like the book and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. It didn't work this time. I was disappointed. It isn't that the movie was awful or anything...but there was so much missing.

They took the longest book and made the shortest movie - and anyone who read the book could tell there was a lot of stuff left out. I know they have to edit the books down. I get that. But at least condense the story! It seemed like lots of exposition was cut to allow for a few special effects set pieces. I would rather have had the exposition, personally. The parts they left in were done quite well and the film looked good - except for the centaurs who continue to look like freaky half-done amateur animation. Why won't they let ILM do all the special effects??!?!? WHY?!

On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised by how much the kids' acting has improved. Yes, they have been slowly improving from the beginning but it seemed like a huge leap forward this time. They really are growing up. *sniff*

So, in conclusion, should you go see the movie? Yes, if you're a fan of the series. Do you need to rush out right now? Not so much.

Who else has seen it??

**ETA: So, near the end of the movie when one of the characters (who has been in deep denial) finally admits that You Know Who is back, the guy sitting behind us goes "DUH!". LOLOL

Labels: 2 cents, entertainment, movie

Oh yeah...


*clickety to listen*

Yup, peeps. It's that time again - the time when all the lucky peeps are hanging out at RWA and hobnobbing with all the authors (and getting free books! *sob*). Well, those of you who are stuck at home and have to go to work (*SOB*) can join me in my misery. Although, RWA is in Dallas this year and if anyone tries to set foot outside the hotel they will either melt from the heat or get washed away by the rain, depending on Mother Nature's mood. 'S all I'm sayin'.

Labels: book stuff

So, I was looking at the upcoming releases (making my list, you know - wow, I hope Penguin appreciates my business) and I started noticing some of the covers. No, no, no - not in a bad way! Just seeing the variety and wondering about it. I know everyone has different tastes and different things appeal to different people but... Let me show you what I mean. BTW, I'm not linking to the authors because I'm too lazy - you're web savvy peeps. Use teh Google!

I tried to pick some of each genre and a variety of publishers (I thought - darn those Penguin imprints) from well-established authors. Anyway, here we go:

Historicals -

the good
          

the so-so
     

the bad
     

Now, I admit, Jo G's cover is fine, in theory, but what was the marketing department thinking? What customer are they trying to attract?

Onward! The contemporaries/paranormals -

The good
         


the bad (there seems to be no in-between)
         

Which come from same publishers, you ask? From the Penguin family: Emma Holly, Jo Goodman, Nalini Singh, Lora Leigh, Candice Hern. From Harper Collins: Stephanie Laurens, Suzanne Enoch, Rachel Gibson. From Simon & Schuster: Loretta Chase, Karen Hawkins. From St. Martin's: Cheyenne McCray, Jenny and Bob, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lisa Kleypas. The Susan Grant book is from Harlequin (isn't the guy's back fabulous??).

I had more examples but I got tired. ;-) It really is just the luck of the draw (no pun intended), isn't it? At least the bad covers weren't horrifically bad (and there are plenty of places you can find the bad covers to mock discuss).

Some random thoughts -

> I prefer the headless covers, personally. I don't need an artist's (usually completely wrong) version of the lead couple. Apparently, I'm not alone. Yay!

> The marketing decision to do the duet of Suzanne Enoch stories (one historical and one from her contemporary Sam & Rick series) in a single volume was brilliant, says me.

What do you think about the state of covers today, peeps? Any exceptional examples to share (good or bad)?

Labels: 2 cents, book stuff, covers

Oh, yeah...it's
FIREWORKS!!!



Happy Fourth of July, peeps!!

What?? Everybody has a fourth of July...it just isn't a holiday for everyone. ;-)

Labels: holiday

...July is:
National Ice Cream Month



Go forth and celebrate!

Labels: holiday, silliness

...I got your "Disney friendly" right here! :-p




Filled with sweetness and light, that's me!! LOLOL

Labels: cartoons, cyber friends, silliness