Been Awhile But I’m Still Here

It’s a brand new year. What is everybody reading?

With the new movie “I,Frankenstein” coming out, I decided to re-read Dean Koontz’s “Frankenstein, Book One Prodigal Son”. It has been about five years since I read this book. There was a lot I didn’t remember about the book. Dean Koontz is such a great storyteller. The way he writes this book is from several different view points. It seems like a lot is going on, sometimes too much to keep up with, but it is all happening at the same time. Each character’s view is vital to getting the story across. I can see why he had to expand it past the trilogy it was first intended for.

It starts with “the Monster” alive after 200 years and living in a Tibetan temple. He receives a letter from a trusted friend with a news clipping verifying that his maker, Victor Frankenstein, is still alive and has set up shop in New Orleans. Victor has figured out a way to create a “New Race” to infiltrate and exterminate the “Old Race” when he says it is time. This first book deals with a serial killer that is harvesting body parts to create the perfect woman and a rogue in Victor’s New Race that is trying to find what he is lacking in himself. The cops that are working the serial killer case in the end have to believe the unbelievable to save themselves and all of humanity.

This is a very interesting take with a modern twist on the Frankenstein legend and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even the second time around. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting a new take on an old story. I started the second book last night. Stay tuned for the review on the second book in this series.

The Two Unluckiest Robbers….

I wish I could have been a fly on the wall the day the bank was robbed. From what I have been able to gather from the hostages and employees it was something out of the Twilight Zone. Let me enlighten you with the info that has been told to me.
At about 10:00 am on Monday two men entered the bank. They were wearing masks and had guns. They told everyone to get on the floor, not to move or they’ll shoot, yada yada typical bank robber mantra. I swear there must be a handbook somewhere that they all follow. Anyway, one of these two guys grabs the manager (because we all know the manager has all the keys, etc.) and takes him to the vault. The other guy must have drawn the short straw because he got to babysit the people in the lobby. While this is going on two more guys with guns enter the bank. I can only imagine the look on the babysitter’s face as the two new guys walk in. These guys must be reading from the same book as the first guys (and also not very observant) because they start to recite the same “get down on the ground” speech. It was at this moment the guy getting the money out of the vault walks out, money and manager in tow. He yells at the new guys that they were already robbing the place. One of the new guys says that since they have superior fire power (first guys just have blocks, new guys have semi-autos) they were taking the money. The first guys laugh and say “Try it!” All four men draw their guns and aim at each other. A voice says “Why don’t you guys split it?” No one cops to saying it. All four robbers laugh at the suggestion then go back to aiming at each other. No one moves for what I was told seemed like eternity. Then one of the guys twitched and all four opened fire. They all drop to the ground dead as the police show up. The police grab a bull horn to tell the robbers to come out when the door opens. The six people that were held at gunpoint come out with their hands up yelling that the robbers were inside. The cops run up to them and are told the robbers are inside dead. The cops are flabbergasted by the story that is told. The coroner comes to take the bodies away and the employees go about the task of putting away the money that never made it farther than the lobby.
Guess it just shows that robbers need to have a network of some kind in order to avoid this situation in the future.

What book or books do you re-read?

Cover via Amazon

I have heard this question often. I sat down and thought about what book always draws me back. The conclusion I came to was not just one book, but a Trilogy brings me back to its pages over and over again. It is The Circle Trilogy by Nora Roberts. These books have everything you could want in a good read. From time travel to dimensional travel. From vampires to warlocks and witches. From dragons to shape shifters. All packed into three little books along with Nora’s signature wit, humor and romance. I’m as giddy as a school girl when I read these books. You get drawn in right away and you never want to set them down. At the end you feel like you have run a marathon with these characters.

Now I pose the question to others: What book or books do you re-read?

“Time keeps on slippin, slippin….”

My apologies. I have been busy writing and cleaning a spot in the garage for the ’67 Firebird. There was a nagging thought that was screaming in the back of my brain for about a week. Finally I consented to write it down and it took that as an invitation to reach through and make a proper introduction. I have an interesting story brewing. The Firebird is a project car that we have to retrieve from California during Easter weekend. We are very excited about getting started on that little project.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Country Valentine (Photo credit: .bobby)

Today I reflected back on the best Valentine’s Day I ever had. It was in 2009, rigt after my husband and I got together. That year the 14th fell on a Saturday. So the day before, Friday the 13th, my soon to be husband brought red roses and ballons to my work. The ballons said Happy Valentine’s Day with a line through “Valentine’s” and written above it “Friday the 13th”! It was great. His buddy (we all happened to work together) said, “Wow you really know her.”

Since then we haven’t done much on Valentine’s Day except exchange cards and he sent me flowers the year he had to be out of town. He is a wonderful man and I feel very lucky to have him.

Keyboard vs. Pen and Paper

English: QWERTY keyboard, on 2007 Sony Vaio laptop computer. Français : Le clavier QWERTY d’un ordinateur portable Sony Vaio de 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tapping a Pencil (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Does the computer take away a writer’s connection to the story? Is it a little impersonal?

I have struggled to connect with my writing. I realized that I was going about it all wrong. I write my best when I sit down with a pen and a notebook and just let the words flow. For me using the computer feels like the story should be final draft material, what you use when it is all finished. So I have gone back to that notebook and pen (or rather pencil). I have one in my office, one next to my bed, a small leather one in my purse and a few more stashed for future use. When I write long hand it feels like the pencil is an extension of my mind and when I use a computer I feel disconnected. I’m sure other writers will say the computer has made them faster or better at their work. It has hindered me. Even now, writing this post, I’m compelled to edit practically every line because I’m typing. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve hit the backspace key just in these 150 words! There may come a day when I can sit down at my computer and belt out a story in nothing flat like I can with a pencil and paper, but it won’t be in the near future.

Fairy Tales

Monument to brothers Grimm on the market place in Hanau. (Hessen, Germany) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With the release of the new movie “Hansel and Gretel”, yesterday’s writing prompt from NaNoWriMo was to rewrite a classic fairy tale into a new genre. What would Cinderella do in a dectective story? How would Snow White be as a mob boss for the dwarves that put out a hit on a rival gang? It got me thinking hard about this prompt. I happen to have the complete works of the Brothers’ Grimm. I started reading through it yesterday. I haven’t come across one that hits that certain twang on my writing bone yet, but I’m sure it’s in there.

Game of Thrones

I found out that the producers of the HBO series “Game of Thrones” are going to split up the third book into 2 seasons. I’m not quite sure how that is going to work. Maybe I’m just not remembering the book very clearly. Time to re-read “A Storm of Swords” I’m thinking. I was hoping to be able to see the wildfire in action this season. The end of the book with the ginormous chain that comes up out of the water and the wildfire burning on the water would be a sight to behold. Now I must wait another year. *sigh*

One thing that has perturbed me about last season is that they left out the “Frog Eaters”. The Reeds are pivotal in Bran recognizing and developing his “sight” that he has. They are also the ones that get him through the wall to go see the old gods. The Reeds should have been in the show.

What are sister’s for?!

Back in October, I told my best friend (she’s like a sister to me) that I was moving to another state. My husband’s company relocated us. He was moved into a position that will make what he knows in the company more well-rounded and he will be a better candidate for advancement later on. It was a good move, career wise, for him. My friend became extremely mad at me. She said that I was abandoning my family and ripping my daughter away from her school. My family and friends were very excited about our move and my daughter wanted to leave her school. She was picked on incessantly and her school was filled with spoiled rotten brats. My friend and I have not spoken since November and today is her birthday. I will be the bigger person and wish her a happy birthday. I really wish she could be happy for me. I don’t know what I can say to make her see this move as a good thing. We have been friends for almost 30 years. That is a long time to just throw away. I’m sure she’ll come around eventually, but it may take a while and I miss her.

Wow, Just Wow!

kim harrison powells (Photo credit: theNerdPatrol)

I finished “Ever After” last night. I am so glad she finally hooked up Rachel & Trent! Well, I’m sure there will be ups and downs for them, but its off to a good start. And seeing Al drunk was classic! I loved the way she got Trent, Rachel & Al to work together at the end. I can’t wait to see what happens with the demon/elf relationship and if Dali lets Trent be the first Elf to come & go in the ever-after. I mean he did help save the ever-after so that should count for something. And he’s going to keep the demon babies alive. We shall see. I’m sure the next book will be about Rynn Cormell wanting his soul back since there was that little scene between him, Ohem & Rachel about Nina & Ivy. That would be the logical next step in the closing of the series. I can’t wait. I do really hope that at the end of everything Kim lets Trent & Rachel be together without that horrid woman Ellasbeth in the picture! Maybe that could play into the demon/ef relationship thing. The Elf society was gunning for Trent to marry Ellasbeth because it would unit the clans, so to speak. But if there will be peace between the demons & elves maybe the better relationship is with Rachel! Oooooh, I hope that’s where Kim goes with this. Grrrr, I don’t want to wait for the next book! I hate waiting!