June Book Buys!

This month, I've been pretty good in the way of buying books, with only two to add to my collection.  And I made sure that I really wanted them; instead of just plunging in and thinking I might read them at some point in my life.

So, I guess that was good for my budget.

However, it was my iPod downloads that are getting a little too much.  I downloaded four!  And three of them were free, whereas one of them was a gift from Paul D. Dail.

Okay, the books I purchased were 'Assassin' by Tara Moss, which I bought from QBD Garden City for a very cool $9.99 on 15, June.  I bought it only days after I downloaded 'Fetish' by the same author (and only downloaded this book when I heard on Facebook that it was going to be on iBooks on iTunes for free for this month only... so how could I resist?).  Then, I purchased, just last Wednesday, 'Waiting: The True Confessions of a Waitress' by Debra Ginsberg.  This book caught my eye at Eclectea on Queens Parade at Brighton while I visited this great store.  I spent a hours there and spent some of my money there too... what fun!  
Other books I downloaded this month were:  'The Imaginings' by Paul D. Dail.  This one would have cost me money, but I wrote a favourable review about another book of his and he gave me a book voucher on Smashwords for this - his new book - and now I'm reading it; and so far it's great!
I also downloaded my own published book titled 'Graveyard Shift' by Lynda Parker (yes, my RL name), which was published on Bibliotastic two years ago and is free to download... I'm hoping to get in and write another book for this place when I finally get my head around some good work; probably some flash fiction or other work, I'm not sure yet.
Then, I found another free book while I was at my brother's house - soft reading really while I rested up last week after my surgery - titled 'Finding Pride' by Jill Sanders.  This was off iTunes iBooks.  It was a free book and I'm about 400 pages into it; with about 500 pages to go.  However, it's not really that long, I've made the print bigger as my eyesight sucks.  And it's a first book of a trilogy too... so I'll be looking out for the other two if I like this one once I finish it - if not, I won't read them. 
So, these are my sinful reads and purchases this month... do tell what you've been buying and reading this month.  Until my next post, happy reading.

The World Remembers Richard Matheson

It hasn't been until today that I have read that we have lost a wonderful writer from this world: Richard Matheson aged 87 on Sunday.  This brilliant author and screen-writer was one who could creep out anyone with his 'what-if' premises and a lot of his books and stories were turned into films with front-running actors playing the best parts in them.  He drew a lot of his storylines from real-life events as well as made-up stories.  His best-known story, which was turned into a film, was 'I Am Legend' which was one of his earlier stories.  He also wrote the book to 'What Dreams May Come' and 'A Stir of Echoes' both of which became films with Kevin Bacons and Robin Williams playing the lead roles respectively.  
From boyhood, he was a veracious reader he graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and he served in the Army in Europe in WWII, where another book came from, 'The Beardless Warriors'.  He also wrote a long list of other books and stories as well to shock and scare, all with the 'what-if' idea imbedded firmly in the plot and outline of them all.
And Mr Matheson was also a busy television writer as well.  He wrote for 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents','Star Trek' and especially for 'The Twilight Zone', for which he wrote more than a dozen episodes, including the classic 'Nightmare at 20,000 Feet', where William Shatner starred as a passenger who spies a gremlin which is on the wing bent on crippling the plan.

In The Telegraph, where I'm getting most of my information for this post, I spotted a quote from Stephen King, where he e-mailed a quick note on Tuesday on Matheson, that he "was a seminal figure in the horror and fantasy genres, as important in his way as Poe or Lovecraft." he continues to say in his statement: "He fired my imagination by not placing his horrors in European castles or Lovecraftian Universes, but in American scenes I knew and could relate to. 'I want to do that' I thought, 'I must do that.' Matheson showed the way." 

Richard Matheson is survived by his wife, who he married in 1952, his two sons, two daughters, seven grand-children and two great-grand-children.

The Midday Movie

I've been doing a lot of reading and a fair bit of taking it easy since my surgery.  However, the main thing I've been doing is watching the midday movie during the last few days while I'm knitting away here on the lounge.  Not only has my healing gone faster, but I've watched two movies which were taken from books; rather successfully too.
The first one was 'Confessions of a Shopoholic' which was taken from a book of the same name by Sophie Kinsella.  This book was set in the UK and yet the movie was set in New York City; however the transition was almost seamless.  But I think if the movie had been set in London, it still would have had the same impact and the same humour as it did as it did when it was set in NYC.  I enjoyed the book completely and found it hilarious - even though it's not the usual book I'd normally read; and Sophie did hit the nail on the head with everything to do with being a shopoholic.

The next movie I watched was yesterday. It was 'The Small Voice' set in the UK; and filmed in Wales in 1949 in black and white; and the book was by Robert Westerby.  And even though it was an old film, some of the actors were a little stiff in their portrayal of some of the characters; however, it was a great storyline.  I enjoyed it completely and loved how it flowed.  And despite it only having three stars, it really should have had four as it was filmed about something none of them could see, and yet, everyone had - a conscience.  And the best thing about this movie was that there were three or so other sub-plots that were all tied up at the end of the movie which didn't go until 2pm, and yet it still had advert breaks.  

So, have you come across any movies that were made from books that were just as good as the books - or made the transitions as seemlessly as possible?  Or have the directors and screeenwriters missed - and still miss - something that authors are trying to get across?  Well, until my next post, happy reading.

Been Healing and Reading

From what you guys have read in the post below, I've been in hospital.  Yep, day surgery at Greenslopes Private Hospital; a great hospital here in Brisbane.  I had a cyst removed and am now recovering from keyhole surgery.
This doesn't mean I'm not reading.  On the first night, I could barely keep my eyes open, but then I did get a few pages of 'The Wastelands' by Stephen King read before my brain told me - ordered me - to close up shop for the night.
But over the last few nights, I've been zipping through about ten pages a night.  So long I'm comfortable, I'm not going to feel the pain of my stitches while I read.  There's still some back pain I'm dealing with but that's just small stuff compared with the shoulder pain I had when I arrived home (which really was horrible).  
So, I'm still reading and getting onto this computer and surfing the net when I can.  But I might not be on here as often as you hope over the next day or so as I'm hoping to be recovering more and resting more than computing and surfing.  But don't worry, I'll be back soon enough to let you all know what I've been doing in the reading and writing world.  And I hope to hear from you guys too.  Until my next post, happy reading!

This Week's Posts

This week might be a little light on with my posts.  The reason being is because I'll be in hospital on Tuesday for day surgery at Greenslopes Private Hospital.  Now, it's nothing bad, just minor stuff to prevent any pain from occurring in the future (which I've been suffering with for some years now). 

So, I just thought to let you guys all know about this just in case I'm not in here posting live this week.  I'll be posting here tomorrow, but might not be until later on this week.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Pulling Into This Port - The Answers!

Okay!  A couple of days ago, I was talking about the hook to a book that keeps us here; the first line.  And then, I dropped in eight first lines with their books and authors in a jumbled mess and left you guys to it to figure out which belongs to who... so, how did you go? 

I didn't see too many attempts; so I take it you either found it too easy or didn't know any of them.  Never mind, I'll supply the answer to them now!

'They're out there.'
One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

'First, in my spare room, I swivelled the bed on a north-south axis.'
'The Spare Room' by Helen Garner

'The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn.'
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

'It was a a pleasure to burn.'
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

'He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.'
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway

'Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.'
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - A trilogy In Four parts by Douglas Adams

'The primroses were over.'
Watership Down by Richard Adams

'Hapscomb's Texaco sat on US 93 just north of Arnette, a pissant four-street burg about 110 miles from Houston.'
The Stand by Stephen King

So, how did you go?  How many did you guess right? All eight?  Or just a few?  Now if you didn't get any of them, don't worry, it's okay, I had a few people on Facebook who didn't know any of them either... but they took a good guess too.  But the ones I have read out of these are:  'The Stand', 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to Galaxy - the Trilogy In Four Parts', 'Old Man and the Sea', 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', 'The Spare Room' and 'Fahrenheit 451'.  However, it's been a few years for a couple of them, so I've forgotten the first lines of them; not that I'd remember them anyway.  Well, until my next post, happy reading!

Not Just Any Port In A Storm

Okay, reading is something of a passion for everyone here.  But I've found that it's not the book cover that attracts me to read the book I've chosen, it's the opening line... the hook that pulls in my interest and makes me stay to read the rest.

So... I'm going to play a little game with you guys.  I'm putting up a list of first lines and with authors below it and the title of the books next to the authors and I'd like you guys to figure out which books they came from.  Yep, this is going to be fun as I chose some books I've read and some I haven't.

'They're out there'

'First in my spare room, I swivelled the bed on to a north-south axis.'

'The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn.'

'It was a pleasure to burn.'

'He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.'

'Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.'

'The primroses were over.'

'Hapscomb's Texaco sat on US 93 just north of Arnette, a pissant four-street burg about 110 miles from Houston.'


'The Spare Room' by Helen Garner 
'The Stand' by Stephen King
'Fahrenheit 451' by Ray Bradbury
'The Picture of Dorian Gray' by Oscar Wilde
'One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' by Ken Kesey 
'The Old Man and the Sea' by Ernest Hemmingway
'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams 
'Watership Down' by Richard Adams

Okay, I'll be here in a day or so to let you guys in on who's books fits in with which first lines... good luck! And this is just for a bit of fun!  Until my next post, happy reading! 

Neil Gaiman's Most Personal Book Ever!

Neil Gaiman is famous for some of the greatest stories and books around.  He's entertained us from all angles and through everyone's eyes; from the young to adults. 
However tonight, I've been hanging out on Google looking for some interviews for you all to look at and read when I came upon one from the Telegraph about his latest book.  This book is going to be his most personal he's ever written, and I've found the interview to it which was only written a day or so ago.

Neil Gaiman's Most Personal Book 

Until my next post, happy reading.

Most Collected Books

Collecting books is something of a weakness.  As you've all most probably read at some point, I've got quite a collection of books - nudging toward the 1,000 number mark - and I'm still somehow finding places for the books I keep on buying and acquiring from all over the place.

However, there are certain books and authors I just find an absolute pleasure to collect.  When friends and family drop around to my place - which isn't very often, and it should be more often as a few of them do like it here but it's so tiny - they find the book collection one very big attraction.  I've had people say it's a very claustrophobic experience, while others have forgotten how small my office is and just jumped in spotting a book they've not read since they there at school and pulling it off the shelf.  After they've marveled at the book they ask me where I got it, how much it was and if I've read it.  Most times, there's stories that go with the books and how I get them; and also most times I haven't read the books they're handling.  This really stumps my family as to why I have a book in the first place: why have a book if I'm not going to read it immediately?

I will read it, but not right now.  There's others to read at the moment.  

But I do have a few collections of certain authors around this tiny room.  There's Stephen King, JRR Tolkien, Robin Hobb and a couple of Richard Dawkins' books.  These authors have their own shelves and I've tried to keep them together - which is really hard - but it's worth it when a friend asks me if I have a certain book of Stephen King's and I can look at his shelf and say if I do or not.  
The funny thing is that I'm often asked if I keep my books in some kind of order.  And even though it looks quite messy, I actually do.  I make sure it's nice and tidy to look at, and I know where everything is; and once somebody knows where things are, they can see my messy madness of organisation in my bookcases... who needs the dewey system when you have the Mozette system... hehee.. but then, there's other ways of organising books too.  

So, how do you organise your books?  Do you have a big enough collection to organise into sections of subject, author or colour of the book cover?  Or is you collection in a big mess?  Or is it in an organised mess like mine?  Until my next post, happy reading.

Busy Making Other Plans

Yep.... life has been happening to me in a big way.  However, I've been reading in spits and spurts, don't worry.  
Over the weekend, I arrived home from house sitting to find one of my fish had died... and within 24 hours, the other fish also died.  So, I have an empty fish tank and no cute little fishies to feed and look at.  A sad time for me as these fish have been a part of my house for about 2 1/2 years.

But I've been reading a fair bit.  I loaned Mum my copy of 'Nosebleed' by Ged Maybury and she loved it!  She said it was hilariously funny and she loved the feel of the book.  I'm so happy she enjoyed it as much as I did.  
I've been reading 'The Imaginings' by Paul D. Dail and am up to page 200 in that book.  It's a cool book and I'm waiting with baited breath of what's going to happen next!  Right now, he's got me in a mountain cabin, in a massive storm and there's people who have just arrived to stay at the cabin.

I'm also reading 'Graveyard Shift' by Lynda Parker ... and for those who don't know it, that's my book.  I wrote and published it on Bibliotastic at Christmas 2011 and have been meaning to get myself a download of it - seeing it's free - and now I can read it at my leisure.  I've spotted a few typos in it but I can live with them... knowing I can do better next time.

Otherwise, I'm not reading anything else really.  I'm working on some art for my new bedroom suite and working on cleaning up my house for the next couple of weeks; as it's not the tidiest it's been.  So, what have you been up to?  Have you guys been reading anything interesting worth sharing?  Are you studying where you have to read certain material?  If so, let us know what kinds of books you have to read.  Until my next post, happy reading!