Secret Libraries

I love it when I discover a place that's a big secret from everyone around it - especially when it has to do with books... then it makes me feel kinda special to know of its existance.

Well, I found this link to the Secret Libraris of New York City.  And now I've seen the photos, I really, really want to go and visit them all... especially the ones I have to be a member of to get into... as it's the most amazing thing to see something not many others do, isn't it?

Anyway, I'll let you in on the secret too now... and then it's not going to be a secret is it?  Until my next post, happy reading.

Secret Libraries of New York City 

What Star Wars Taught Us

Movies can teach us great things.  They can teach us that sharks have a really bad temper and can scared the crap out of us.  They can teach us that you can become the belle of the ball when the snob at a ballroom dancing studio gets into a car accident and hot guy you've wanted your whole life needs a partner; and he picks you!  Movies can teach us a lot about space too... like there's some really ugly aliens out there that can scare you horribly; and yes nobody in space can hear you scream.  And then, there's Star Wars... it's taught writers all kinds of things about writing.  As people who love to read, would you like to know about how writers get into their writing?  

Sure you do!

So, here's the list of 8 things that Star Wars taught writers about their craft.  I read it and thought it was great, funny and pretty true.  Until my next post, happy reading... and writing...!

The Essentials

Have you ever wondered where certain words we use everyday came from?  A good part of our language is derived from Latin, Spanish and a few other languages all mixed in together and handed down through a few thousand years.  This is why our parents and grandparents went and took up Latin, German and other such languages when they went to school and were found to have great vocabularies and then wondered why we don't - seeing we don't have the same lessons taught to us in our high schools.  

However, literature has given us some great words that have made it into our dictionaries and our everyday life.  Have you wondered which ones?  Well, I found out on the Huffington Post... and here they are!

Words From Literature 

Until my next post, happy reading!

Christmas/NYE Reads

Over this time of year, no matter where you are in the world, it's always a good time to get in and catch up on your reading.  So, what did you get into?  
As for me?  There was no internet or WiFi to speak of because within the day of me arriving at Brunswick Heads, the free Wifi at the caravan park dumped itself.  Not fun at all!  But it gave me a chance to jump right into the books I took along to read.  And with one paperback book and two on my iPod, I was set to have a good time reading.

'The Life of Pi' is now showing at all the cinemas around the world; however, I wanted to read it first.  I know that sounds like a silly thing to do, but I love to read something before it's been turned into else by a director and screenwriters; before they miss what the author has been trying to tell us all along.  So, I got to read plenty of this book just before turning out the light.
Then, on my iPod, I had 'The Origin of Species' by Charles Darwin.  What a book it is so far!  I do recommend you read the introduction; as it sets up the book for you and he juxtaposes back to the intro all the time throughout the text.  But it's a wonderfully written piece of work; and at over 1,000 pages, I'm glad it's on my iPod and not in real book form or it would seem too much to read.
Another book on my iPod I have is 'Dream Pyschology' by Sygmund Freud.  I've always wanted to read some of his works; and what better works to read than his dream analysis?  I have admired this man for years and now I have a chance to understand him better through this wonderful work; and seeing there was no television, and even less entertaining radio shows around, I had a good chance to sit down by the Brunswick River and read.  In fact, everyone I saw on holidays did exactly that in the afternoons with a cup of coffee or tea by their side.  What a way to enjoy a balmy, afternoon in the shade by the river!  Sitting and reading a book!  Nothing like it!  Until my next post, happy reading!   

Book Blogs

Okay, this sounds really confusing, but do you like to read book blogs?  I don't mean blogs that are about book reviews, I mean blogs that have books written into them?  I run two such blogs and they've got a small number of followers - and any number of looky-loos who just drop in to have a read once in a while.  So, do you read book blogs and enjoy reading an unknown author's written works?  If so, let us know of some of the blogs you all follow and read.  Here are my two.

Fry Nelson: Bounty Hunter 

Okay, this one is of novella/short stories.  But please do start with Chapter One - Initiation (book 1) and go from there otherwise you won't know what's going on; as it juxtaposes back and forth between the stories from time to time.  I have had some great feedback from this blog from people all over.

You Can't Go Back: And Other Impossibilities  

This one is of vampire romance and other mixed stories from time travel, weirdness and darkness I've only thought of while traveling around on holidays, had nightmares about (and thought would make a great story and found they did) and anything else I can think of to write... these are the odds and ends of the 'what if...' situations that run through my brain from time to time.  And yes, I did get published.  But it's fun to read the collection of stories here; and I will be adding to them soon as well.

I hope you guys enjoy these two blogs for your reading pleasure.  But do let us addicted to reading just about anything know of any blogs you've discovered where an unknown author has put their work on a blog to entertain the masses.  Until my next post, happy reading!  

Last Night In Twisted River by John Irving

This book begins with a death of a young man named Angel who drowns. The first few chapters are well-written.  I love how the characters fit in well with each other, the feelings that are put across are brilliant!  I love it right up until around chapter four when John Irving began repeating himself every half page.  

There is something about books that John Irving writes that make me want to attempt reading them again and again.  Now, I have never completed one of his works; and it's because around a third way through, something happens in the writing I lose interest.  I'm not sure if it's because of the way he writes, the way the story has twisted around or how I'm feeling at the time, but I don't see the whole story the same way as I did three pages ago (even though I go back and re-read it, it changes in the same place; I see where it has changed).

So, I'm afraid to say, this is another of John Irving's works I've been unable to complete.  The other one was 'The World According to Garp' which was turned into a fantastic movie, but the book was something I couldn't fathom.  I guess it's each to their own.  Until my next post, happy reading!

Currently Reading

I've got my nose between the pages of a book again - yay!  And I'm darn proud of myself!  It did take a while to find the right book to take my interest; and it was an author I normally find an absolute yawn!  'Last Night In Twisted River' by John Irving is a book I bought two years ago for my birthday when a friend posted me a QBD gift voucher.  I took my time looking at the books to buy and knew that if I thought the storyline was good, I was likely to enjoy it; and I do.  I'm reading up to 30 pages in about an hour each afternoon, so I should get through this very thick book quickly.

The next one is a light, funny, quirky romance novel I won on Romance Bandits (you can find the link to this site on the sidebar) titled 'Death, Taxes and a French Manicure' by Diane Kelly.  It's about a Dallas IRS agent who is under cover with a partner when she falls for a suspect who is very hot, sexy and ... yes, he's hot for her too.  However, she doesn't want to get too close in case he's more than just a suspect and ends up being jailbait.  But he is very sexy!  Will she be able to keep her hands off him?  Let's hope so!  I read this one when I want to have a good giggle and relax before I go to sleep at night as John Irving's book is chock full of information I'd rather read in the afternoon and Diane Kelly's light, fun romance is something to enjoy and relax with.  

So, what have you been getting your nose into lately?  Do drop by and leave a comment letting us all into your reading habits.  Until my next post, happy reading!