2023 Reading Wrap Up

 



Well, this has been an interesting reading year.  According to Goodreads I completed 127 books but I know I read more than that but unfortunately lost track somewhere along the way.  The first six months I stuck to my TBR pile working my way through the books on my physical and virtual shelves.  The latter half of the year I dove into new to me authors and romance novels big time from contemporary romance to romantic suspense to multicultural romances. I also spent plenty of time enjoying comfort reads and revisiting older series written by Nora Roberts, Carrie Vaughn, Devon Monk, and Keri Arthur.  

Fantasy and science fiction stories took a close second, as well as a smattering of mystery, suspense, thrillers, literary, young adult novels, and non fiction. 

Discovered new authors along the way who tickled my reading funny bone such as Lucy Score with her humor and sensuality in her Knockmeout and Blue Moon series, or touched my heart such as Rebecca Yarros in the Last Letter with it's roller coaster of emotions. 

Made me think such as Akwaeke Emizi's You Made a Fool Out of Me With Your Beauty with it's rawness, angst, sorrow, love, and choices as well as Jodi Picoult's Mad Honey take on family, grief, love, and how it all relates to bees. 

Casey Blair's the Tea Princess Chronicles introduced me to a magical new fantasy world and the politics of princesses and dragons. 

Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis geopolitical thriller 2034 about the possibility of world war III and how technology plays a role. 

Haruki Murakami’s Novelist as a Vocation in which the man seriously doesn’t think he is a good writer, but shared his stories, his process, and so much more.

And the book that made me want to throw it across the room?  Claire North's The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August about a time traveler who committed suicide to move on to his next life. 

Stats wise, I read 

Romance 52 
Fantasy  22
Non Fiction 11
Young Adult 8
Historical 7
Series 8 
Mystery 7
Literary 4 
Science Fiction 4 
Steampunk/Gaslamp  4

Ebooks 82
Physical 48 

The majority of books I rated on goodreads were 4 stars with 17 five star reads and a few three stars.  I don't know why I didn't keep track of why I loved the book or why I rated it the way I did and resolve to do better in 2024 both here on my blog and on Goodreads. 

As for 2024, my shelves are full of both new to me authors and comfort reads to revisit, so my buying ban has officially started. I vow not to add any more new books, except for Nora Roberts and J.D. Robb Preorders to my physical stacks or download any freebies or kindle ebooks to my virtual shelf until the end of May.  I'll be tackling some of the chunky books that have been calling my name for a while now such as Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.  Plus I'm looking forward to completing my own 52 Books Bingo and Bookish Bookology.  

James M's super IDW Sonic review









 


















I'M BACK and I have a lot of catch-up to do now that I got issue 67 of IDW Sonic. I'm not gonna get into spoiler specifics, but issues 65-67 and the Halloween Special are amazingly good. I love the characterizations in each story, both stories provide so much fun, and the writing is excellent. IDW Sonic offers some fun stories to tell in the Sonic universe. And, while I kinda don't approve of SEGA making IDW canon, the comic is still fun. The Halloween issue is fitting for the season, even the ongoing arc has me intrigued silently. Mimic is a fun villain and seeing certain characters interact always provides for a good story. 9.8/10 to both. And that does it for my little review. See ya.

Book Review: Will It Be Allan Guillory

 



One of my neighbors wrote a book and we are all about supporting each other on our court so snapped up a copy as soon as I heard.  This is the book that spurred me to get up off my butt after becoming a couch potato due to breaking my ribs some time ago.  I'd put on weight, my blood pressure had crept up to the danger zone and I needed to do something about it.  

Filled with anecdotes of his own life, Allan makes you think:

"The only way that true growth occurs in your life is when you do something that you want to do. This is not unique to you, whenever anyone wants to change a belief that they have or action that they’re doing or not doing, it only becomes part of them when they genuinely want to do it."

One, you want to have to do it. Two if you do it often enough it becomes a habit.  It's all about thought patterns and perspective. Why you do what you do.  

"I am going to ask you to listen to your self-talk. I think self-talk is particularly important. The famous quote “if you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right” says it all. I want you to look at the “results” of your actions and not just the “process” of your actions."

So he encourages the reader to pick two or three things to work on which I did - the most important.  My health, specifically my blood pressure and my weight.  And I wanted to be able to keep up with my 93 year old father who is still actively involved in his community, still does 10,000 steps a day and has the bones of a forty year old. Which his doctor couldn't believe. 

"I didn’t say “do what you enjoy” I said, “enjoy what you’re doing”. Do you see the difference? I’m also not saying only do things that you enjoy. What I am saying is look at the “things you must do” and hate them a little less. If you need to do a task on a regular basis that you really don’t like, does not liking it help you accomplish it? I don’t think so, what’s your thought? Of the many things that you do every day put more things on your “enjoy list”. This might be a great time to put some notes in your notebook, what do you think?"


Instead of reading my phone while making breakfast, I started pretending I was cross county skiing, moving my arms, working off that upper arm flab. I began doing the treadmill every day, twice a day,  until I worked up to 3.5 miles a day.  Reading a book on my Ipad made the time fly by.  I added in yoga and two pound dumbbell weights to exercise my arms.

My weight and my blood pressure began to creep down. I didn't snack as much and my energy crept up.  

Okay, back to Allan's book.  Section one covers a wide variety of ideas from words and their meaning to health, wealthy, happiness, lifelong learning, and personal actions.  Section Two covers family and friends, marriage, and children. Section Three covers the world from racism to government control, to decriminalization of drugs and prostitution, to world population, to family planning.   

Section three is where he unfortunately lost me with ideas of reducing 75 percent of the world population, fishing, freshwater use, fossil fuel use among other things.  

The first half of the book is really helpful in getting you off your butt and involved in your own life and community.  The second half you have to take with a grain of salt. 

James M's review of IDW Sonic #63-64, the 900th Adventure and Amy's 30th Anniversary


I'M BACK! With a super review of the latest main IDW Sonic issues, the 900th special and Amy's 30th anniversary.

Starting with issues 63 and 64, all you need to know is that Mimic's infiltration of the Restoration as Duo has gone off almost without a hitch, but during a training mission, while Silver winds up in a life-threatening situation thanks to the shapeshifter, the time-traveling hedgehog sees Mimic flash his true eye color, then talks to Whisper about it, but their efforts to expose the sneaky traitor go awry with Silver pretty much booted from the Restoration. Meanwhile, Blaze is having a vacation on Sonic's world and hangs out with Sonic, then she meets up with Silver after she and Sonic visit a Sonic Unleashed location.

Hoping to the 900th Adventure, lets discuss what is going on, this special issue is a celebration of how there have been over 900 English Sonic comics (counting the late Archie Sonic series and its spin-offs) over three decades since the 1st Sonic game hit shelves. As for the plot of this, it involves a McGuffin we haven't seen in ages. Remember the Warp Topaz that Doctor Starline had until near the end of the Metal Virus arc? Its back and Sonic has to get rid of it before bad stuff happens. And since this is the 900th Sonic comic, you'd almost expect multiverse shenanigans with past Sonic comic characters returning. Nope, its all set within the world the comic takes place in. And by the way, one of the writers for the story is legendary Sonic The Comic writer Nigel Kitching. Yup! HE'S BACK! 

As for Amy's comic? This year marks 30 years since Sonic CD dropped and Amy made her appearance... in the games, she actually debuted in a Sonic manga before CD was made. And what does the special have in store for her, it's set in the Classic era and she has an adventure where she saves Sonic and some of his friends.

Both IDW Sonic comics have been quite alright, Ian Flynn, Evan Stanley and the other writers have done well and SEGA puts out real good Sonic content. The blue blur is truly back on top of the world with no signs of faltering again and I guess we have Sonic Team's heavy involvement with these projects, especially the comics, and the success of the Sonic movies to thank for that. 63 and 64 get solid scores of 8.9/10 and 9.5/10. Amy's issue gets a 9.9 and the 900th special... gets a 7. I don't hate it, but it was good and it could have been bigger, y'know.

See ya next time, folks.

-CVGWJames










James M's review of IDW Sonic issue 62

 


Real late, but here we are, IDW Sonic the Hedgehog issue 62. I was so busy. But here's my review of the issue. First, a summary.

Following the events of Urban Warfare, Amy Rose travels to Angel Island to give Knuckles an echidna statue that Rouge found in Eggman's city, nice to see two of the "core four" Sonic characters interacting. And meanwhile, Clutch the Possum recruits Mimic the Octopus and comes up with a plan that involves him infiltrating the Restoration and the new Diamond Cutters that Tangle formed during the Urban Warfare story arc.

What is my opinion of this issue?

It wasn't bad at all, it was quite alright. Amy and Knuckles have really good chemistry and are great friends, just as Sonic, Tails and Knuckles are great friends, seeing Angel Island now and then is good and its great to see and know that Knuckles' job of guarding the Master Emerald is still relevant. The art style from the drawing and colors in this issue is still fantastic & captures the Sonic-y feel well. I like the two plot threads going on, a bit of a light-hearted breather on Amy and Knuckles' end while we have shadiness and intensity with the plot of Mimic infiltrating the Restoration. Writing with this issue is very decent and the dialogue is always interesting to read.

9.9/10. Another hats off to IDW and SEGA/Sonic Team for working well together to deliver this issue.

See you next time for the next IDW Sonic review, fellow fans.








James M's review of IDW Sonic issues 59 - 61












 






KA BOOM! 

Finally, we're back in IDW Sonic territory, reviewing the last three issues in the "Urban Warfare" arc. And they are good, stunning art, fine writing from Evan Stanley, and epic action all around. And with great writing comes great characterization, Shadow the Hedgehog is one of the highlights as he is little less of what he was in his prior IDW Sonic appearances. 

And, oh man, when Eggman has the Shadow Androids come down, the ultimate life form does not hold back. 

And the conflict was up the wall, especially with the battle scenes and how things were playing out with Eggman's city using those fake Chaos Emeralds. And Tangle, Whisper and Lanolin were in trouble with the mad doctor using a machine to imprison them at one point. And during the final battle, Shadow the Hedgehog had a moment to shine as he used Chaos Control to warp away the fake emeralds while Eggman's city went down for good.

IDW Sonic the Hedgehog comics are on the mark, telling good stories and having supervision from the Japanese team doesn't hurt. The story has come a long way since it started five years ago and there is an upcoming story about Amy visiting Angel Island. 

Evan, you and Ian deserve a 9.5/10 for this arc. Thank you, IDW. See you next time, folks.

-James M


James M's quick review of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)





 




Welcome, folks. A few years ago, we sat down to review the long-awaited Sonic the Hedgehog movie. And now, we finally discuss the sequel, released no less than two years after the first film's debut, at a time when Sonic's popularity is soaring high once again thanks to the success of the first movie and its sequel.

For those who wonder what the story is, I will give you the rundown: After the first film, Sonic is living in Green Hills with Tom and Maddie Wachowski. However, after the hedgehog's adopted family go off to Hawaii to attend the wedding of Maddie's sister Rachel and her fiancée Randall, the evil Doctor Robotnik (played by Jim Carrey) returns with a foe to be reckoned with; Knuckles the Echidna. Sonic soon meets Tails and they embark on a quest to get the Master Emerald, a great source of power, before Robotnik and Knuckles do.

This movie is just as epic as the first film with more action and more Easter Eggs to the franchise's long history, making it another love letter to the Sonic brand, from the games to the cartoons and comics. And there is a treat for the Sonic fans at the end of the film during a mid-credits scene, and that treat is the appearance of Shadow the Hedgehog.

Oh yes, Shadow is in the Sonic Cinematic Universe and will have a major role in Sonic 3 (2024), let us hope he has character development and certain powers are hands off with how he is handled. The movie did well at the box office despite mixed reviews, just like the first film, and a Knuckles spin-off show is in development for Amazon Prime's Paramount Plus streaming service. Sonic 2 is an energetic and engaging film all the way to the end, deserving of a ten out of ten. Hats off to Jeff Fowler, Tim Miller and Tobey Ascher for their hard work. Thank you, good filmmakers and SEGA/Sonic Team.

And with this short review done, I take my leave. Adieu, folks.

-James M


James M's review of The Water Horse -the book and the movie-


 








Greetings good friends, I am back to finally review something I've been itching to do for some time. We are finally reviewing... The Water Horse (by Dick King Smith) and it's adaptation The Water Horse: Legend of The Deep (2007).

Published in 1990, the book is set in 1930s Scotland and revolves around young Angus and his family finding an egg that hatches into a mythical creature known as the Water Horse. They wind up keeping the newly-hatched creature for a time, despite the mother wanting to get rid of it, and name him Crusoe, after the legendary sailor Robinson Crusoe. After the creature grows to a considerable size, they set it free in the Loch at the end of the story after it has learned to fend for itself.

The book is beautifully written for it's time and tells a fantastical story about the bond between a family and a magical creature, Dick King Smith's writing is by far just as special as other writers' works. The book will not be forgotten and I happily give it a 9/10. Now, onto the movie, which is quite different from how things unfold in the book.

Starting off sometime in modern-day Scotland, a pair of tourists see the Surgeon's photo in the bar and an old man (played by Brian Cox) offers to tell them the story of how it happened, which is where the movie truly begins.

The story picks up in Scotland in the 1940s during World War II, Angus MacMarrow is living with his mother Anne MacMarrow (played by Alex Etal), his sister Kirstie and a pair of housekeepers and a cook. Angus' father went off to fight in the war and never returned, even with Angus believing that he will return. One day, Angus is digging around on the beach when he finds an egg (even though it was Kirstie who found it in the book) and brings it home where he puts it in his father's toolshed. The egg hatches into a mysterious creature that Angus finds during a stormy night.

The following day, British troops led by Captain Thomas Hamilton (David Morrisay) arrive at the MacMarrow household to set up shop and Angus names the strange creature as Crusoe. The MacMarrows are soon joined by a handyman named Lewis Mobray (played by Ben Chaplin), who starts cleaning out Angus' father's toolshed. Crusoe explores the house and encounters Sgt. Strunk's bulldog Churchill, who chases him and winds up making a mess. Crusoe takes up residence in the bathroom and is discovered by Kirstie, freaking her out until Angus calms her down.

Lewis eventually finds out about Crusoe after coming to fix the bathroom and explains to Angus that the creature is a Water Horse, a creature that wasn't supposed to be real as it was a legend from the Celtic past. He then helps Angus make sure his mother doesn't see it, especially as she doesn't allow Angus to have pets. One night, the soldiers are invited into the house for dinner, only for complications to arise when Crusoe escapes and is chased by Churchill, who winds up ruining the dinner when the chase leads into the dining room. Luckily, nobody sees Crusoe, which still proves to be trouble when Anne tells Lewis to collect Angus and send him to bed.

Lewis finds Crusoe in the fountain after growing several feet, prompting him and Angus to set him free in the Loch. Not long after, a pair of fishermen see Crusoe while fishing. Meanwhile, Captain Hamilton, deeming Lewis to be a bad influence, begins training Angus with his mother's permission to make a soldier out of him. However, Angus runs away after a while to visit the Loch and sees Crusoe, who has grown immensely since Angus last saw him, leading to Crusoe taking him for a ride until they encounter a net and return to the dock. However, Sgt. Strunk sees Crusoe while looking for Angus as Churchill runs towards the Loch just as Crusoe sees the Water Horse again.

Angus returns home and tells Lewis and Kirstie about his adventure with his mother overhearing them laughing and thanks Lewis. Hamilton, from a report by Lr. Wormsley, learns Lewis was in the Royal Navy and was honorably discharged. The fishermen who saw Crusoe discuss what happened at a bar and begin making plans to catch a photo of the creature, while Lewis, who has attended the bar before, overhears them talking (but does nothing until later for some reason).

The following day, Captain Hamilton takes Anne, Angus and Kirstie to the hill to show them the anti-German submarine battery (including a gun he calls Victoria) and declares they'll be firing in the Loch. To simplify things, Angus panics and attempts to stop them, earning the annoyance of his mother, who holds him back. Angus then tells her about The Water Horse and that he could get hurt. Um, Angus, I know you're in a panic, but you're leaving out very important details.

Anne is having none of it and irritably tells Angus enough is enough, stop the nonsense and let the soldiers do the work. Kirstie attempts to convince their mother and Angus rushes in to stop the soliders, earning Captain Hamilton's ire. The captain sends Angus and his family home, telling Anne the boy needs discipline. And I'll tell you now, if Angus had screamed to Hamilton there was a Water Horse in the Loch during his efforts to stop them (and if he had successfully stopped them), he would have been slapped by his mother and gotten a lashing, he would've also been yelled at too. Heck, Hamilton would be even more angry and, maybe, Angus would've put Crusoe in more danger for telling the soldiers, especially since Sgt. Walker (who hunted a deer at one point) would be interested in hunting the creature.

Regardless, the soldiers fire the gun in the Loch and Crusoe narrowly avoids the artillery fire. The fishermen, irked by what happened, set up a replica of Crusoe and photograph it, declaring "we'll be rich". Poor Angus is sent to bed at six every night for a month as a consequence for his actions on the hill, not even Kirstie is able to convince Anne the truth. One evening after the events on the hill, the photo of "Crusoe" in the paper attracts Sgt. Strunk's attention and tells Wormsley and Walker about the creature, which sparks Walker's interest in hunting the beast.

Kirstie lets Angus out of his room and he heads down to the Loch with Lewis, who wants Angus to get Crusoe to safety. Angus calls out to his friend, who doesn't initially appear. However, when he does, Crusoe attacks Angus, already shell-shocked by the bombardment. Yup, Crusoe kinda thinks Angus attacked him. Angus reminds Lewis that he told him to put Crusoe in the wild and Lewis remarks he didn't know they'd shoot at him.

Meanwhile, Strunk, Wormsley and Walker hunt for Crusoe, who attacks Churchill and then attacks the boat. During the attack, Wormsley radios the house that they're under attack. Crusoe upturns the boat and Hamilton soon receives the report just as he's talking with Anne to apologize for his actions, Hamilton thinks the Germans are attacking and tells Anne to get his children into the cellar, only for Kirstie to tell her mother that Angus has gone down to the Loch.

Down at the Loch, Crusoe attacks Strunk and Angus attempts to get Crusoe to calm down while Walker tries to shoot the creature, only for Lewis to interfere and the gun to do nothing. Angus slips and loses consciousness, which gets Crusoe to save his friend. Angus dreams about his father, Charlie, telling him to look after the house while he's away. Angus regains consciousness just as his mother and Hamilton arrive, Angus tells his mother he was only trying to save Crusoe and Lewis is about to explain, only for Anne to overhear Strunk telling Hamilton about "the monster" and Hamilton questioning what he's talking about.

Cue Anne ranting about everybody going mad and that there's no monster, even accusing Lewis of filling Angus' head with "tales of sea creatures and magic". Darn it, Anne! Luckily, she notices Crusoe and believes Angus, who tells her the brief rundown that he "raised him, right out of an egg". Okay, Anne, now that you believe Angus, maybe you can redeem yourself by, I dunno, helping your son protect Crusoe!

The millitary starts bombarding the Loch and Angus hops on Crusoe, riding him through the chaos. Anne, Lewis, Kirstie and Hamilton figure out that Angus is trying to get Crusoe out to sea and Hamilton attempts to contact the artillery unit, only for the weather to cause complications, prompting the group to take a boat. The unit soon spots Crusoe and, due to the rain, mistake him for a German sub, opening fire on him. The net is soon raised and Angus parts ways with Crusoe, heading to the boat where his family and Hamilton are.

Crusoe makes a charge towards the net just as one of the soldiers gets a closer look at the creature, right before the Water Horse jumps the net and, due to how big he is, winds up crushing it, which then sets off a chain reaction that decimates the artillery guns. At sunrise, as he sits on the shore, Angus accepts his father is gone before he and his family watch Crusoe head out to sea. In postwar Scotland, the old man finishes the story saying that the creature came back to look for Angus, who never saw him again, while some people claim to have seen it over the years.

The tourists thank the old man, who is then revealed to be Angus MacMarrow himself, what a twist, eh? As the tourists leave, a mother calls out to her son William, who is on the beach and finds an egg akin to the one Crusoe hatched from, indicating that Crusoe has died. Many years earlier, Lewis told Angus there could be only one Water Horse and, when one grows old, it leaves a single egg and dies, meaning the new Water Horse is born an orphan. Crusoe's egg begins to hatch and the film ends.

What can I say about this film? It was quite good. I don't plan on watching it again, but I will say it wasn't too bad. Even with all the creatives liberties it took with the story, changing the timeframe of when it takes place, and some potentially questionable choices, the film was well-received when it came out. 

In the years after I first saw it, my opinion has been mixed, especially considering that whole bit of the film with the guns and Anne refusing to believe Angus. I saw this back in 2010 while mother and I were reading the original book and looking back on it, I'll say it did alright and I can forgive the movie's flaws that I didn't think much of. David Russel and his crew handled it well. The Water Horse: Legend of The Deep was an extraordinary adaptation and I suggest that you go watch it if you want to, the film had such well-executed drama, decent pacing, good acting and special effects and is worthwhile.

Water Horse, I am sorry for judging you. And I can forgive your characters, especially Anne MacMarrow. Thank you, everyone. 9.5/10. See you next time, people.

-James M

James M's review of IDW Sonic issues 57-58



 

Finally back, just in time for IDW Sonic issue 59 releasing, to review issues 57 and 58 of the IDW Sonic run as it covers the Urban Warfare arc. Issue 57 sees Sonic go into Eggman's city with Tangle, Whisper and Lanolin the Sheep on a mission to take it down and things go south when the girls wind up in some pocket dimension and Sonic has trouble facing Eggman's robots, leading into issue 58 where he teams up with Tails and Amy and then they team up with Silver and Blaze while the other girls work out how to get out of their current predicament. And then, Shadow, Rouge and Omega show up to trash Eggman's forces. 

The complete Team Dark is back!

Both issues are extremely good and Shadow appearing after so long is also welcome, what makes his return more welcome is that Evan Stanley took to Tumblr to confirm that SEGA has dialed back their restrictions and gave the IDW team "clearer and more workable guidelines". 

And this is when Shadow has a prominent role in the new Sonic Prime show, despite not appearing much in the first eight episodes of the series. The future of Sonic looks promising, especially with the characters returning to their former glory, even though some folks have doubts Shadow will be portrayed the way we expect him to be portrayed despite Evan's assurance that things have cleared up.

9/10, IDW is really nailing it and their Sonic comic licensed by SEGA is super cool! Plus, this series is getting closer to 75 issues and will make it to 100 within a few years. Sonic is truly back on the map with a successful game, a good TV show, a great comic series and a successful film franchise and its all thanks to the first Sonic film that dropped in 2020, giving all sides of Sonic the boost they need. 

These issues have superb art and real cool writing from Ian Flynn, who steps aside to let Evan write the rest, mostly due to Shadow's presence in the story and the fact Ian is likely suffering issue 19 trauma.

See ya later, folks!









James M's review of IDW Sonic Scrapnik Island Issue 3 & 4

  












Greetings fans. Sorry I took so long, but I'm finally doing a review of the final two issues of the Scrapnik Island, which is very intense. So, what's the plot?

Simple. Mecha Sonic, whom Sonic tried to bond with while on the island of Scrapniks, went rogue after a battle with Mecha Knuckles and captured the blue hedgehog we know and love. His plan was to take over Sonic's body and use him to leave the island. Tails and the good Scrapniks caught on to what was happening and launched a rescue mission, which went south a little as Mecha Sonic took out the Scrapnik forces and sent Tails into a trash compactor. 

After that, he then initiated his plan to hijack Sonic's body with some scrapped Eggman mind tech, which then went wrong as the Scrapniks attacked (which also led to a Super Mario Bros Z/Dragon Ball reference as Mecha Sonic threatened to crush them). Sonic and Mecha battled, which led to them winding up in the Death Egg's trash incinerator. But unlike a certain two-part Sonic anime where Metal Sonic died, Sonic saved Mecha Sonic with help from Tails and the Scrapniks. As everyone breathed, we got an interesting moment where Mecha Sonic was happy. However, his attempt to take over Sonic's body led to their minds being linked and, as Mecha Sonic was feeling happiness, Sonic teared up.

That's right, SEGA finally let Sonic shed tears (for the first time in ages too, unless the movies count). And according to the story's writer, Daniel Barnes, SEGA gave his team all the freedom with the story and Daniel was able to fulfill his vision for Scrapnik Island. Back to the story, Sonic and Mecha Sonic part on good terms with Sonic and Tails flying off in the Tornado with Mecha staying behind on the island to look after the rest of the Scrapniks. 

For a Sonic miniseries revolving around sci-fi horror, this was great and seeing SEGA allow things such as the usage of Mecha Sonic, a Classic Sonic character, and Sonic shedding tears (even though they weren't his own) makes a fan happy, especially in a time where the Sonic brand is experiencing success after success following the release of the first Sonic movie. 

Sonic truly is back and SEGA is slightly easing up on their many restrictions, even though Sonic will always be their property and they'll have some guidelines in some shape or form. However, I'm getting off-topic. Daniel Barnes' writing was really nice and this isn't the first time a Sonic comic has tackled the idea of an island populated by scrapped Badniks, Archie Sonic did it first with the Island of Misfit Badniks and the usage of Mecha Sonic further solidifies the recent merging of Classic and Modern back into one with the Classic games being canon proper again. The art was real good too, helping to sell the eerie atmosphere and there were a lot of fun moments throughout the arc.

Also, fun fact, the story takes place between the Overpowered Arc and the Urban Warfare arc in the overall IDW Sonic timeline. Quite somethin, eh? I once again salute the IDW crew for their great efforts in delivering a quality Sonic the Hedgehog story worth reading and making fans happy. See you later, everyone, CVGW out!




BW8: Storytellers

 


It's book week 8 in our 52 Books quest and this week is all about Storytellers and all those lovely books they have created for our pleasure: narratives, myths, memoirs, drama, poetry as well as the world of fiction. From the classics to the contemporary writers of today there is a wide variety to choose from.

Growing up, my brother was the one who told the most magnificent stories, whether he was retelling a Monty Python skit, relating an event that happened, or telling us about a book he’d read. We would hang on his words, groaning or laughing as he told a tale, astonished by the details, even if he’d only read or heard something once. I was never great at oral storytelling, maybe because it was difficult to get an word in edgewise with my large talkative family.  Today, the role has been taken over by my husband and son, both who have Eidetic memories,  remembering everything that’s ever happened in their lives. Which can be great, unless it’s something stupid you wish they’d forget. LOL!    I prefer writing, taking my time to remember, exploring thoughts and phrases, seeing the words on the page.

I finished the non fiction historical arctic exploration thriller Against the Ice by Ejnar Mikkelsen. grit and determination it took for the two men to battle against the elements through hunger and strife as they persevered in their quest to recover the notes of prior explorers is amazing. Not something I would have ever chosen to do. (Book 18)

Finished Vicki Myron’s memoir about Dewey: The Library Cat which is so much more than just about the cat, but the town of Spencer and the people who live there. (Book 19)

And The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by new to me author, Shauna Robinson. Maggie has always been a non conformist, trying to find the fun in her jobs, planning special events and parties. She's between jobs again and offers to help her best friend who is about to have a baby by running her bookshop for her. Little does she know, the Bell River Literary Society has strict rules which means she has go underground and behind their backs to help the book store stay afloat. . She also enters into a budding romance with a guy who follows the rules, which makes it even more difficult. She enlists the aid of the local businesses and how they managed to keep it a secret so long is beyond me. (Book 20)

I’m currently in the midst of  James Rollin’s Fantasy novel The Cradle of Ice in which the characters have crash landed in a place where it’s virtually impossible to escape from. What will happen next?

Devon Monk’s book of 22 fantasy/sci fi short stories A Cup of Normal which are far from normal and very entertaining.

Haruki Murakami’s Novelist as a Vocation and the man seriously doesn’t think he is a good writer, but shares his stories, his process, and so much more.



BW7: Amari, Writers, and Eve

 

It's book week 7 in our 52 Books Quest and this week is all about Pablo Neruda. As I was meandering about the internet I came across Meanderings and Muses (Don’t you love that name) Odes to Common things. And wouldn’t you just know it, I fell down a rabbit hole.  Found The Examined Life’s article on Pablo Neruda’s Sublime Poetic Wonder at Meaning and Utility in Everyday Things.   Then stumbled upon Interludes where his poetry inspired  The Music of Poetry – Pablo Neruda: Odes to Common Things.   Yes, he even penned An Ode to a Book, but I liked his Common Things better.

I finished Amari and the Night Brothers which was a wonderful middle grade story in which I kept forgetting Amari was only 12 years old. She was mature for her age, continually bullied and not believed because of the type of magic she had. But she was bound and determined to find her brother who’d disappeared under mysterious circumstances.  (Book 15)

Also finished Writers and their Notebooks which has been sitting in my shelves for quite a while and would dip in from time to time. Finally read it from cover to cover, highlighting and annotating. Will be copying highlighted portions in my notebook at some point. So many writers, so many different ways to use a journal. I have discovered that one journal, a catchall for all my thoughts, ramblings, and stories works for me. Many thanks to Diana Raab and the many others for sharing their thoughts. Will be working on all the questions at the end of the book.  (Book 16)

Finished J.D. Robb’s Encore In Death, # 56 in the In death series. Don’t know why this series is comfort food for my soul but it is. Have read most of the series several times. Guess I enjoy diving into the lives of all the characters as well as the mystery of murder. Eve’s mind is fascinating. Her love for Roark is ever growing and it was interesting seeing how this particular murder made her appreciate their relationship even more. (Book 17) 

Diving into James Rollins The Cradle of Ice, the 2nd book in his Moon Fall series.

“To stop the coming apocalypse, a fellowship was formed.
A soldier, a thief, a lost prince, and a young girl bonded by fate and looming disaster.
Each step along this path has changed the party, forging deep alliances and greater
enmities. All the while, hostile forces have hunted them, fearing what they might
unleash. Armies wage war around them.

For each step has come with a cost—in blood, in loss, in heartbreak.

Now, they must split, traveling into a vast region of ice and to a sprawling capital of the world they’ve only known in stories. Time is running out and only the truth will save us all."


BW6: Sleuths and trouble is afoot.


 

It's book week six in our 52 Books Quest and this week's subject is Sleuths, continuing with our Agatha Christie theme. 

I'm currently reading three books right now. 

My sleuth is a twelve year who wants to help her brother in the children’s fantasy Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston which is quite good

“Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good.

So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton—if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.

Now she must compete for a spot against kids who’ve known about magic their whole lives. No matter how hard she tries, Amari can’t seem to escape their intense doubt and scrutiny—especially once her supernaturally enhanced talent is deemed “illegal.” With an evil magician threatening the supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she’s an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t stick it out and pass the tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton.”


as well as the non fiction arctic historical fiction adventure Against the Ice by Ejnar Mikkelsen

“Ejnar Mikkelsen was devoted to Arctic exploration. In 1910 he decided to search for the diaries of the ill-fated Mylius-Erichsen expedition, which had set out to prove that Robert Peary’s outline of the East Greenland coast was a myth, erroneous and presumably self-serving. Iver Iversen was a mechanic who joined Mikkelsen in Iceland when the expedition’s boat needed repair.

Several months later, Mikkelsen and Iversen embarked on an incredible journey during which they would suffer every imaginable Arctic travail: implacable cold, scurvy, starvation, frostbite, snow blindness, plunges into icy seawater, impossible sledding conditions, Vitamin A poisoning, debilitated dogs, apocalyptic storms, gaping crevasses, and assorted mortifications of the flesh. Mikkelsen’s diary was even eaten by a bear.

Three years of this, coupled with seemingly no hope of rescue, would drive most crazy, yet the two retained both their sanity as well as their humor.

Indeed, what may have saved them was their refusal to become as desolate as their surroundings…”


Plus a dusty book: A collection of essays in Writers and Their Notebooks edited by Diana Raab in which I’ve been highlighting and annotating because there are so many meaningful snippets.

“This collection of essays by established professional writers explores how their notebooks serve as their studios and workshops—places to collect, to play, and to make new discoveries with language, passions, and curiosities. For these diverse writers, the journal also serves as an ideal forum to develop their writing voice, whether crafting fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.”

Some include sample journal entries that have since developed into published pieces. Through their individual approaches to keeping a notebook, the contributors offer valuable advice, personal recollections, and a hearty endorsement of the value of using notebooks to document, develop, and nurture a writer’s creative spark."

January Reading Wrap Up!

 


January has been an interesting reading month with an interesting assortment of books from magical realism to steampunk, to romance, to urban fantasy, to historical fiction, plus two non fiction writing books for a total of 4519 pages  which on average is 150 pages a day.  

1Q84 was a chunky read at 935 pages and took me most of the month to finish.  Write for Life was the shortest but was meant to be read in six weeks. However, I just kept reading because I was ready to implement her suggestions rather than wait.  I managed to clear 5 dusty physical books and 1 dusty ebook from my shelves and discovered six new to me authors.  


 After Dark - Haruki Murakami, (Magical Realism, Japan, 256)

“Time moves in it special way in the middle of the night.”


You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty -  Akwaeke Emezi,(Romance, e)

“For a moment, there was the scream of tires and the mad chime of broken glass, the soft petals of white lilies, and a clod of dirt breaking apart in Feyi’s hand, but she brushed it all aside like smoke. “Single,” she’d said in return, stepping right into his personal space. He smelled of rain and bergamot.”


Clockwork Angels - Kevin Anderson and Neil Peart (Steampunk, dusty, e)

"In another few weeks, he was going to have to put his dreams away on a high shelf. It didn't seem fair. All his life he had followed the rules. He had done what was expected of him rather than what he wanted; every day mapped out, every event scheduled; every part of his existence moving along like a tiny gear in an infinite chain  of other tiny gears, each one turning smoothly, but never going anywhere."

 

Black Orchid Blues - Persia Walker (Mystery, 20’s Harlem, dusty, 270)

“If he’s the kind of man I think he is, the kind who sees you for what you are, who you are, and still wants you, then never let him go. Sam”


Kitty and the Midnight Hour - Carrie Vaughn (Urban fantasy, reread, e)

“To be a DJ was to be God. To be a DJ at an alternative public radio station ? That was being God with a mission. It was thinking you were the first person to discover The Clash and you had to spread the word.”


Who Need Enemies - Keri Arthur (Urban Fantasy, Australia, e)

“Maggie waved a gnarled finger in my direction. “Mention one word,” she said, voice sharp but grey eyes twinkling with merriment, “and I’ll curse your sex life for the next year.” I snorted. “Curse away. It can’t get any worse.” She shook her head. “How can a siren have such a pathetic love life?” “Because I’m a siren who can’t actually sing, remember?”


Kitty Goes to Washington - Carrie Vaughn (Urban Fantasy, reread, e)

“That we have purpose for being who we are, and what we are, though we may not always know it.”


The Blue - Nancy Bilyeau (Historical Fiction, England, dusty, e)

"Amiability has never been counted more important in a woman's character than it is today." 


Write for Life - Julia Cameron (NF, Writing, 208)

"A well executed outline resembles a train track with each entry a tie."


1Q84 - Haruki Murakami (Magical Realism, reread, 996)

"1Q84 - That's what I'll call this new world... Q is for Question mark. A world that bears a question. Like it or not, I'm here now, in the year 1Q84.  The 1984 that I knew no longer exists.  It's 1Q84 now. "


A Swim in the Pond in the Rain - George Saunders (NF, Masterclass, dusty 432)

“The Russians, when I found them a few years later, worked on me in the same way. They seemed to regard fiction not as something decorative but as a vital moral-ethical tool. They changed you when you read them, made the world seem to be telling a different, more interesting story, a story in which you might play a meaningful part, and in which you had responsibilities.”


The Winter Lodge - Susan Wigg (Romance, e)

“We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face.”


Absolution by Murder (#1 Sister Fidelma - Peter Tremayne (Historical Fiction, 664 AD, dusty, e)

"Whenever there is a conflict of opinion, then human tensions rise and give way to fear. I do not think we need to worry. There will be much posturing during the verbal conflict. But once we have reached a resolution, then all will be forgotten and forgiven." 

BW5: Mini Reviews: Saunders, Wigg, and Tremayne!

 


It's book week 5 in our 52 books quest and the author of the month is Agatha Christie. I've been bouncing around the list, instead of reading chronologically, and currently have Why didn't they ask Evans?, Mystery of the Blue Train, and Sad Cypress in my reading stacks. 

Read Agatha Christie 2023 Motive and Methods February's readalong challenge is Partners in Crime, from one of her Tommy and Tuppence short story collections.   Which I don't have in my stacks and will have to wait until my buying ban is over. :(

The Royal Reading Room recently covered Agatha Christie during their Christmas Interlude which including a video discussion between Vaseem Khan, Dreda Say Mitchell, Robert Thorogood, and James Prichard on the Legacy and Life of Agatha Christie which was quite interesting. 


I finally completed George Saunders A Swim in the Pond in the Rain which has been sitting on my shelves for quite a while. I finally applied myself and got into it.  Saunders analyzes 4 Russian Authors and their short stories:  Antov Chekhov’s In the Cart, The Darling, and Gooseberries; Ivan Turgenov’s The Singer; Leo Tolstoy’s Master and Man and Alyosha the Pot, and Nikolai Gogol’s The Nose.  All the stories were good and The Nose made me laugh, Tolstoy made me cry, and the rest of the stories made me think.  I annotated the heck out of In the Cart and disagreed with Saunder’s view of The Nose. I didn't think it was a walking nose, but someone who had his nose, but I could be wrong and Saunders may be right. I'll have to go back and reread it again.   What I enjoyed most of all was Saunders and his analysis which is something I always had a hard time doing in literature class.  The symbols and analogies, the how’s and why’s. And his tips on writing were invaluable.  And as with all writing books, like Stephen King as well as Ray Bradbury, once I read how they write, I wanted to read their books.  Will be adding George Saunders to my reading list.  (Book 11) 


Cleared my palate with an angsty romance:   Susan Wigg’s The Winter Lodge, #2 in Lakeshore Chronicles series. She's grieving the loss of her grandmother when her house catches on fire which prompts the reappearance of Chief Rourke McKnight whom she'd been avoiding after a certain night together 4 years prior when they through her husband and his best friend was killed overseas. (Book 12)

I also finished Peter Tremayne’s first book in his historical fiction Sister Fidelma series – Absolution by Murder - set in 7th century Ireland and was quite good.  Also the sister was a member of St Brigid at Kildare which is grand since today is St. Brigid’s day.  It was quite interesting to read the history about the Synod and the differences between the Roman and the Celtic churches. I liked Sister Fidelma and will probably read more of the series. (book 13)


I'm in the midst of several books again. I heard it described by someone,  I can't remember who at the moment, who described it as an omnivorous reader, devouring more than one book at a time. I think I like that description better. 

I'm currently reading 2034 by Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis, an alternative geopolitical thriller about the next world war in 2034 between America and China in the South China Sea.  It is really good and scary.  China has developed cyber warfare and are  refusing to back down from their possession of the South China Sea They have technology that wipes out all electronics and communication so the U.S. battleships keep getting destroyed.  Which means the U.S. needs to go back to analog tech which some of the commanders are  totally against because they love their technology.  But the president is also threatening to go Nuclear which has caused a pause in the action. (Book 14)

I'm dipping into an anthology of fantasy short stories by Devon Monk with A Cup of Normal.

Non fiction wise,  I’m not done with Haruki Murakami yet so reading Novelist as a Vocation as well as Writers and their Notebooks edited by Diana Rabb. I'm enjoying Writers, better than Novelist at the moment.   Plus the historical set in 1910 - Against the Ice - by Ejnar  Mikkelsen which is an arctic survival story.  

 


  

Book Ten: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami


It's been exactly 10 years since I first read Haruki Murakami's 1Q84.  I remember loving it then. Now, I don't remember much at all. I didn't love it, but enjoyed the bizarre magical realism.  The story is about two characters who never get together until practically the end of the story.   Both characters, Tengo and Aomame are flawed, far from perfect, and find themselves in odd situations. 

 Aomame, stuck in a taxi on a gridlocked expressway,  climbs down the emergency escape ladder on the side of the expressway in order to get to an appointment in time.  Thus begins her journey into the surreal. 

"1Q84 - That's what I'll call this new world... Q is for Question mark. A world that bears a question. Like it or not, I'm here now, in the year 1Q84.  The 1984 that I knew no longer exists.  It's 1Q84 now. The air has changed. The scene has changed. I have to adapt to this world with a question mark as soon as I can. Like an animal released into a new forest, in order to protect myself and survive, I have to learn the rules of this place and adapt myself to them."

Tengo is pulled into a scheme to rewrite a story written by a 17 year old girl about a girl, the death of a goat, and the 'little people,' and his life is forever altered.  

Murakami has a tendency to have the characters repeat themselves over and over and over again, but with each reiteration, you're pulled in just a little bit deeper in to the weird life of the characters which is full of symbolism with cats, and crows, and owls, and death. It's full of  mystery and romance, with much to do about a cult, as well as a literary conundrum, in which Leoš Janáček Sinfonietta plays a big roll in the fusion of the alternate world.  It's bizarre, but a good bizarre to say the least, but well worth reading once or twice in your lifetime. 

 

 
 

Book Nine: Write for Life by Julia Cameron


 

Julia Cameron's Write for Life is an inspirational and useful book full of  warm and cozy essays, filled with tidbits on nature and her dog Lily, as she provides the gentle keys to writing.  I didn't take 6 weeks to read as I wanted to find out all she had to offer, sooner than later. 

She begins with the beneficial reminder that morning pages are essential in letting your words flow on the page, artist dates are needed to fill the well as it empties, and walking helpful to your  health and imagination.  

"Morning pages train us to take risks. They dare us to move outside our comfort zone... They are a tough love friend. They challenge us to change our size, to become larger, more daring... They urge us to be more honest, to take action where action is needed... "

You aren't being negative, "You're ventilating the negative feelings, not increasing them."  And in the pages, "we face our demons, and when we do, we find we have room for new and positive endeavors."

I found the morning pages to be beneficial over the years in working out problems, both with my family, and with my characters. I stopped doing them again but committed to taking them up once again. True story. This past week I set my alarm to go off 15 minutes early so I would have time to write before work, and found myself getting to work 10 minutes late. Good think I'm the boss.  LOL!  

After your morning pages, she recommends setting an easy daily quota of two to three pages, and 'laying tracks', slowly and steadily from a to b to c.  And schedule your writing by your mood rather than the time of day and grabbing time, rather than waiting for the big chunk of time that you're never going to find.  

I went through my current WIP and figured out if I revise two to three pages five days a week, the revision will be done at the end of August. 

I highlighted quite a bit and took copious notes, talking to myself on the page, setting her advice in my head.  She also provide useful advice for how to outline and revise your story once the first draft is finished, which brings clarity. 

"A well executed outline resembles a train track with each entry a tie."

Which I really need to do, rather than relying on the outline in my head. I need to see the visual reminder to make it concrete and make better progress. 

Although The Artist way is wonderful,  Write for Life is a shorter version, told through wonderful essays which reiterates some of the ideas including synchronicity, crazy makers, toxic friends,  patience, and asking for guidance.  Well worth reading. 


Nonfiction, Writing Life, 181

James M's review of IDW Sonic issue 56

 








Hi, folks. Sorry about the delay, but so much was happening. 

Now, I am back with my thoughts on issue 56 of IDW Sonic, the finale of the Imposter saga as written by Evan Stanley. The main story follows Sonic, Tails, Eggman and Metal Sonic battling Surge and Kit in Doctor Starline's lab after tracking them there, Surge is using Eggman's Dynamo Cage and the power of the Wisps to give herself a fighting chance against Sonic while Kit does his best to help her, but despite the rogues' efforts, Sonic and Tails defeat them, Starline's lab collapses and the good guys part ways with Eggman to return the Wisps to Whisper.

I know, I gave a brief summary, but this issue was one blast of a finale and was a real fun read like the others. It was fantastic, very fantastic and I love Evan's writing, even the art is expressive with the action scenes. Issue 56 may not be my favorite issue, but the Sonic comic has been really amazing from the start, regardless if it's not as super awesome as Archie Sonic was during it's decades-long run. Hopefully, IDW can continue to be engaging and epic in every way it can with good writers and perfect storytelling.

Honestly, IDW Sonic issue 56 gets a 9.5, it was so good and the IDW crew cares so much about Sonic and his friends and the lore just as SEGA does. Good luck, guys, and take care.

-James. M

Book Eight: The Blue - Nancy Bilyeau

 


I finished the historical fiction novel The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau, a new to me author.

First sentence:  Amiability has never been counted more important in a woman's character than it is today." 

"In eighteenth-century London, porcelain is the most seductive of commodities; fortunes are made and lost upon it. Kings do battle with knights and knaves for possession of the finest pieces and the secrets of their manufacture.

For Genevieve Planché, an English-born descendant of Huguenot refugees, porcelain holds far less allure; she wants to be an artist, a painter of international repute, but nobody takes the idea of a female artist seriously in London. If only she could reach Venice.

When Genevieve meets the charming Sir Gabriel Courtenay, he offers her an opportunity she can’t refuse; if she learns the secrets of porcelain, he will send her to Venice. But in particular, she must learn the secrets of the colour blue…

The ensuing events take Genevieve deep into England’s emerging industrial heartlands, where not only does she learn about porcelain, but also about the art of industrial espionage.

With the heart and spirit of her Huguenot ancestors, Genevieve faces her challenges head on, but how much is she willing to suffer in pursuit and protection of the colour blue?"


I really wanted to love this story, but didn't. She was way to amiable. I felt like the main character was a victim of circumstance, never growing, naïve, going along while every one else around her – the men – solved the problems. It is the 18th century after all.  The latter half of the story was a disappointment with Thomas being the one that did all the heavy lifting, so they could have their happily ever after.


Dusty, new to me, historical fiction, ebook. 


BW4: Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, and Writing, Oh My!

 


Happy Chinese New Year! It's book week four in our 52 books quest and this week is all about the Year of the Rabbit. 

“Rabbits are known to be incredibly witty, outgoing, well-spoken, creative, empathetic, thoughtful and meditative; the water element of 2023 means this year will bring even more introspection, peace and hope… It’s a season to hone into your imagination, intuition and instincts. With artistic inspiration as a focal point, the rabbit encourages you to fill your heart and soul with hobbies and crafts. Poetry, painting, making music—any activity that instills inner harmony will reign supreme.”  Stylecaster – Cam Zhang

Good thing I’m in a creative mood this year.

I love following rabbit trails and have been following a lot lately on Instagram with posts about books and bullet journaling and writing and books, books, and more books, and a little bit of self help thrown in, along with a smattering of celebrities. Which brings me to the point of this post – we’re going to dive down a rabbit hole this week and read something with or about or symbolizes rabbits this week.  No, it doesn’t have to be an actual rabbit.

While reading Julia Cameron’s Write for Life this week,  I was reminded of the story, The Tortoise and the Hare with Cameron reminder that writers should take it slow and easy and not race ahead. “Slow and steady wins the race.”

I’m still working my way through Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 (80%) done. As well as The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau (45%).  On my second reread of Julia Cameron’s Write for Life and writing down all the stuff I underlined.

More Kitty Norville with Kitty goes to Washington in which she goes to Washington to testify before a senate house hearing and gets herself into a mess with the nasty senator and more vampires. (book #7)

The suburban has been loaded with multiple bags of books: fiction, nonfiction, and a bunch of homeschool books to take the friends of the library.  Have been going down memory lane culling through all the homeschool memorabilia – what to keep, what to get rid of.  We may be able to fit the car in the garage by the end of the month.  Woot Woot!

BW3: Perfectionism and Procrastination and books! Oh my!


 

Happy Sunday! It's book week three in our 52 books quest and this week's mission is to read something with Blue on the cover or in the Title. 

This past week I finished Black Orchid Blues which was icky, and needed a brain bleach after finishing it so I reread Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn.  I can see I'll probably end up rereading the whole Kitty Norville series this year, now that I've finished the first. 

I rarely give up on books once I start them, but unfortunately had to give up on Rebecca Roanhorse's Black Sun.  The first chapter was cringe worthy, then it got more confusing from there. There is a character who is referenced as xe or xir or iktan interchangeably, within the same sentence, within the same paragraph, within the dialog,  which not only confused the heck out of me, but was annoying as well. I couldn't follow the discussion because it kept throwing me out of the story. The rest of characters are equally unfathomable. Unfortunately I wasn't enjoying the story, so decided it was time to give up. I enjoyed Roanhorse’s Trail of Lightning, this one not so much.

So I turned to Keri Arthur’s stand alone book Who Needs Enemies which was good. I like her writing. The poor character was battling trolls through out the story. She had remarkable recuperative powers. LOL! (Book #6)

Got through vol 1 of 1Q84 and now onto vol 2. It’s not at all like I remembered it.  I think I mixed it up with Wind Up Bird Chronicles. 

Time for something different. I pulled up dusty ebook The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau which is a historical fiction novel about a character finding out the secrets of making porcelain and the color blue.  Enjoying it so far. 

I'm also reading Julia Cameron's Write for Life which has prompted me to think about perfectionism versus procrastination. Is perfectionism the same as procrastination? Which came first, the chicken or the egg?  Do I procrastinate with my writing because of perfectionist tendencies?  Am I really a perfectionist or do I just have a tendency to procrastinate.  I do like to have huge chunks of time to write, rather than grab small chunks, so as she suggests, I need to grab those moments and write. 

Do I overthink the story to the detriment of the story, to the detriment of my imagination. Probably. I've been avoiding my story, avoiding revising and finishing it. Why, I don't know. Writer's block or procrastination?  I know the minute I open the document, I'll change the same darn sentences for the millionth time until I warm up and wonder why I'm not making progress.

Cameron would say, as she says multiple time in Write for Life as well as The Artist's Way and all her other books, to take it to the page. Do your morning pages and figure it out.  Which I will, when I find the time. LOL!  Just kidding. I've done morning pages off and on over the years and they've helped me work out all kinds of problems.  

It's interesting because last night I watched a zoom conversation between Jayne Anne Krentz and J.T. Ellison and although they are seasoned writers, they go through the same self doubt with the beginning of every story.  So I guess it never goes away, you just power through it. Time to through my inner critic, my doubting Thomas in a box and lock him up, and back to the morning pages I go...

Life wise, we continue to clear out the garage and I've been going through all the years of  homeschool curriculum and household records as well as all our stored books. . Deciding what to keep and what to let go.  All of it is bringing back lots of memories, and working through the good, plus the bad which isn't always cathartic.  More of a reason to do morning pages, so I can work it out of my system.  On the good side, have been 'finding' a lot of books that I want to reread and even rearranged our shelves in the house to accommodate a few. Shh, don't tell hubby.