Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Total Randomness

I have a bunch of random, most likely useless, thoughts swimming around in my head and wanted to blog about some of them. Consider that your warning.

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First, like how totally awesome was that Super Bowl last night? Not only was it a fantabulous game, but the Patriots lost! Let's put it in perspective for longtime Bat Cave readers. You know how much I hate the Yankees? I hate the Patriots more. Yes, more. I know, it doesn't seem possible. But while I have a grudging respect for some in the Yankee organization (Jeter, Posada, Mariano, Bernie before they kicked his ass out the door), I hate, loathe and downright despise everything about the Patriots. It also doesn't help matters that my Buffalo Bills are in their division and have been stuck in Mediocre Hell. They're not even bad, they're just boring. Sometimes I think boring is worse.

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My reading has slowed to a crawl. It took me a week to read Yours, Mine...Or Ours? by Karen Templeton, a Harlequin-length novel for cripes sake. And I loved the book, so it's not like it was a slog or anything. No, just my real life is getting in the way. Work has been slightly chaotic because we're thisclose to opening a new library and it's been a total time suck.

Speaking of Karen Templeton, I downloaded a few more of her titles this weekend - A Husband's Watch, Baby Steps, Pride and Pregnancy. Here's an indication of how much I've enjoyed her last two books - I bought one title that has a satanic looking baby on the cover and another that features the "Whoops! We Had Sex Once And Now I'm Knocked Up" plot device. That's saying something folks.

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April 5th is just around the corner and that means it's time for Literary Orange. For those of you who live around Orange County, California, this event is worth checking out. It's a day filled with authors, discussion, book signings and food. I'm once again going to be moderating the romance panel discussion and I hand-picked all of the authors this year (Go Team Me!). Sylvia Day, Susan Squires and Mary Castillo will be joining me, which I think makes a wonderfully diverse group. Also for those who read outside of romance there's some other really great authors lined up. To name just a few - Elizabeth George, Janet Fitch, Stephen J. Cannell (the guy who gave us the A-Team y'all!), Larry Niven, Susan Vreeland, Earlene Fowler, and Denise Hamilton. Plus, you can rub elbows with me - The Super Librarian! Cost is $75 for the day-long event, but trust me, you'll make up that cost in the authors attending and the food. Last year there was an incredible amount of food. I might bring along an extra purse this year. Of course this also means I have homework reading coming up. I want to read more by Squires and Castillo, but I've never read Day before. Time to pull her out of the TBR...

7 comments:

AllyAnderson said...

Just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed this post. And the design. I know what you mean about taking a week to read a book. I hate when that happens. Then again, I usually end up staying up all night and then feel like a zombie the next day... hmm... Adding you to my blogroll.

Lori said...

Oh wow, Wendy. You have got to read Sylvia's books! What don't you have? If I can make it to the event, I'll bring it to you.

Wendy said...

Hello and welcome to Ally!

Lori: The only one I have is The Stranger I Married - but no worries! I've been buying her books for work, so I'll just borrow library copies to read :) Thanks for the offer though!

Cathy in AK said...

I have no animosity toward the New England Patriots, but I do have a life-long love of the NY Giants (I'm an East coast transplant), so yay NY! My husband secretly rooted for the Patriots (traitorous *bleep*) but only because he wanted the '72 Dolphins to get tumbled as the Unbeaten Season Kings. Don't know why, but it's no excuse!

I'm sorry I don't live closer to Orange County (or anywhere close to California, or the Lower 48, actually) or I'd drop in : )

Rosie said...

We are (mostly) happy about the Super Bowl...now we await the Super Tuesday results. Yikes!

Your event sounds intriguing. I almost picked up a Mary Castillo book today, but I'm trying (as I may have mentioned a time or two) to buy what I'm going to read right now. Besides I have a sneaking feeling I have some in a TBR tub. Heh, heh.

Lori said...

Dang - why can't you be my librarian?! My library would never ever ever have a Sylvia Day book. *pouting big time* Hell, they hardly even carry Suzanne Brockmann. Erotic romance? fuggedaboudit.

Wendy said...

Lori:
Don't be that impressed. My library system's romance collection could be a lot better. After years and years of a sub par budget, I'm still building up what I call a "core" collection. You can always find the BIG names (Nora, JAK, Brockmann, Crusie etc.), but I'm still playing catch-up with most of the midlist writers.....