Wendy, Where You Be?

Wow, so I haven't blogged in like a week.  Part of reason for this is that I don't have a whole lot to talk about at the moment, and the other part was that I really enjoyed my long holiday week.  So what have I been doing other than blogging?  Here it goes:

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RWA in NYC is right around the corner, which means it's time for Wendy to do her once-a-year shopping extravaganza.  Although this year I was given the direct order by My Man to spend some serious coin.  When we went on vacation recently to Northern California, he discovered just how sad my wardrobe is.  I might have mentioned here before that I am missing the Shopping Girl Gene.  I just don't like to shop.  It's exhausting, and I can never seem to find anything I like.  But this year my plan of attack was different.  OK, so it was My Man's plan of attack.  I went out with Lil' Sis.  Super Genius Brother In Law was put on Lemon Drop babysitting duty, and off we went.  I'd hit one side of the store, Lil' Sis the other, we'd both grab a pile of clothes, and then we'd hit the dressing room where I'd try on a bunch of stuff.  And what do you know?  It worked.  I got some great bargains, some great clothes, and a bunch of cute outfits to wear and look cute in while I'm in NYC.

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My Man and I have been on a Good Lord We're Fat diet and exercise kick since about March.  He has lost 25 pounds.  Me?  Yeah, not 25 pounds.  And while you can't go by women's clothing sizes which are seriously eff'ed up - I've lost some weight.  If you're to believe the slacks I bought, I'm down one size.  The dresses I bought?  Two sizes.  Seriously, why isn't women's clothing sized like men's (you know, by measurement, which would actually make sense)? 

Oh yeah....vanity. 

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I've been watching a ton of baseball.  Yes, I'm well aware that the Cleveland Indians (seriously, WTF?!) have the best record in the American League, but my pick?  The Boston Red Sox.  And I feel dirty just for typing that.  Yes, Yankee fans, I'm well aware you're currently tied with them for the lead in the AL East, but if Boston can keep their stuff together, I just don't see anyone else beating them for the AL crown.  They're good.  Scary good.

Notice I don't mention my Tigers anywhere in that last paragraph.  Color me cynical.

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Over the weekend My Man and I finally watched The King's Speech.  I have a theory that Hollywood is turning out so much crap, that when a halfway decent movie finally slips through the cracks, it tends to get way over-hyped.  Now don't misunderstand me, it's a good movie.  But worth all the hype?  Uh, not sure.  I will say it's a "quiet" movie.  So I could see some viewers not being all that enthralled with it.  I really enjoyed it though.  I was a British history major in college, so it flipped that switch pretty hard for me.  I particularly enjoyed both Guy Pearce (who kinda looks like King Edward VIII) and Helena Bonham Carter.  If I had one complaint?  They could have done a better job of ironing out the political "stuff" in the movie.  My Man had to pause the movie so I could explain to him why Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin resigned.  Of course he knows next to nothing about British history, so there you go.

The 2nd Annual RWA Blogger Bar Bash!

Where?: The Atrium Lounge at the New York Marriott Marquis (the conference hotel)

When?:  It's so nice, we're doing it twice!  For you early arrivals, Monday June 27 @ 7PM to uh, whenever.  A repeat performance will happen Tuesday June 28 after the Literacy Signing to uh, whenever.

Who?:  The only reason I call this the Blogger Bar Bash is because I'm a sucker for alliteration.  Anyone is welcome to attend.  Readers, Bloggers, Published Authors, Not-Yet Published Authors, Editors, Agents, Fabio, Cowboys, Sheikhs, Virginal Secretaries, Navy SEALS, Werewolves, Vampires (but keep those fangs to yourselves!), Sailors on shore leave etc. etc. etc.  If you're not registered for the conference and only attending the Literacy Signing?  Hey, stop on by!  No conference registration required for these wing-dings.


Why Then?:  If this is your first time attending RWA, you won't understand this yet - but the later in the week it gets, the more brain-dead you'll become.  Trust me, it's just going to happen.  We'll have two gatherings to snag as many people as possible.  The Literacy Signing tends to "signal" the official start of the conference, and as the week wears on dance cards start filling up with other commitments. 

Why A Bar?:  Because I'm a lush.  There, I said it.  Actually, the reason is that I'm a terrible planner and hostess.  I like "low key."  No need to plan, no snacks to buy, no booze to stock up on.  Plus, a bar pretty much has everything.  Munchies if you want them.  Booze if you need want it.  Non-alcoholic offerings if you're a teetotaler.  There should be something for everyone.

Lastly: This is a relaxed affair.  If you can only stop by for a few minutes?  That's fine!  If you want to hang out for a couple of hours?  That's fine too!  I know how busy some folks are during this week, so feel free to come and go as you please, as other commitments/appointments/invitations come up.  No pressure, only fun!  A chance to connect some names with faces prior to all the hoopla getting underway.  I hope to see a bunch of you there!

(Please feel free to tweet this, post it on your blog etc.  Let's get the word out!)

Wanted: Friends To Lovers Historical Romance

So while I was away on my vacay, Barbara sent me a message on Facebook.  She's got a hankering for the ol' Friends To Lovers trope, but she wants it in a historical romance.  She asked me for suggestions, and still suffering from Vacation Brain, the only two I could conjure up were Courting Miss Hattie by Pamela Morsi and Goddess Of The Hunt by Tessa Dare.

What I usually do is direct people to the Special Title Listings over at All About Romance, but in this case their Friendship List is a bit of a catch-all, and kind of slim compared to their other lists.  Don't get me wrong, it's a good starting point - but I'm thinking there just has to be more out there.  Which is where you, gentle Bat Cave readers, come in.  So.....

What we're looking for (because I lurve this theme too!) are historical romances (and only historical romances) that feature the friends to lovers theme.  That is when the hero and heroine start out as "just friends" and through the course of events, that friendship blossoms into true love (or twu wuv).  Fire away in the comments section!

You Are Here

OK, so maybe you weren't here.  But I was here.....

Just back from a quick vacation trip to Northern California.  Which would be why there was nothing but radio silence from me during TBR Challenge Wednesday last week.  Now it's time for laundry, and playing catch-up.  Back to real life starting tomorrow.

House Of Wax

I had a history professor in college who loved to teach fiction as part of his curriculum.  Sadly, for me, since he taught British history, this meant I had to slog through more Charles Dickens than any one person should have to.  But I did read some good books, and there is some benefit (I think) in making history more palatable for people through the medium of fiction.  Yes, it's history, it's the past, but real people lived it.  Real people were effected by it.  And real people were left to pick up the pieces.  Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran is a perfect illustration of this.

The book opens in 1788 Paris, where Marie Grosholtz (she ain't Tussaud yet) is doing what all smart businesswoman before and since have done.  She's conspiring to drum up publicity.  She pulls strings and soon the royal family is visiting her Uncle's Salon de Cire, where Marie's amazing wax sculptures of famous (and infamous!) figures are on display.  It's through this visit that Marie's work catches the eye of King Louis XVI's sister, Princess Elisabeth.  She wants Marie to tutor her, and so she shall.  Even though there are grumblings and unrest in the streets, an affiliation with the royal family will mean more prestige and more money for the Salon de Cire.

However, the fortunes of France are swiftly turning.  Bad weather and bad harvests have left people desperate and hungry.  Soon there is revolution, and with it, comes chaos.  Men who demolish the monarchy, with promises of better things, instead bring tyranny, unspeakable violence, and turmoil.  In the midst of it all is Marie, straddling two worlds.  One as a favored tutor to a member of the royal family, and the other as a member of her Uncle's household where he hosts revolutionaries like Robespierre, Camille Desmoulins and Marat in a weekly salon.  As her Uncle says during the course of this story, they are neither revolutionaries or royalists - they are survivalists.  And that is exactly what Marie does - she survives, and in spectacular fashion.

I'm a pretty typical American - which is to say what I know about the French Revolution can be summed up in how it relates to American history.  The French supported us during our Revolution (admittedly because it pissed the Brits off to do so), and when their own Revolution happened, we left them to it.  Partly because we still had problems of our own (starting up a new government takes some time - who knew?) and partly because we ended up horrified by the turn of events.  Revolution beget Terror, Terror beget the guillotine, with tens of thousands of people dying.  It was anarchy.  It was chaos on a very grand scale.

Moran does an exceptional job of bringing that chaos to life.  The story of the Revolution is told through the eyes of the author's fictional depiction of Marie Grosholtz, the enormous trials she faced, and what she had to do to keep herself, and her family, intact.  What she loses, what she gives up, and ultimately how she triumphs through it all make for one hell of a story.  This was one kick-ass woman.  A woman ahead of her time.  A woman who, once she becomes a Madame, was smart enough to get it in writing that what was hers was still hers and not her husband's (how she managed to pull this off the author does not explain, but seriously?  You go girl!  We're talking the 18th century folks!  The 18th century and the chick had a pre-nup!).

I'm not doing this story justice.  I suspect some readers may find the ending a bit rushed given the careful unfolding of the first half of the story, and the romance readers among you will probably not be happy about a pivotal decision Marie makes (but hey, the author can't tweak that much history), but I don't have the heart to quibble.  I was too riveted.  This is a big departure for Moran, whose previous three books were all set in ancient Egypt, and here she captures a slice, a turbulent moment, in world history.  Because let us not forget, the Revolution beget Napoleon as well.

Grade = A

TBR Challenge 2011: Make-Believe Marriage

The Book: Wife For A Week by Kelly Hunter

The Particulars: Contemporary romance, Harlequin Presents, 2007, Out of Print, Available as eBook!

Why Was It In Wendy's TBR?:  Many moons ago, in the comments for some post here at the Bat Cave (and no, I can't remember which one!), someone recommended Kelly Hunter to me.  I want to say it might have been a fellow Harlequin author?  Anywho, I'm a category romance ho, but HP is a line I have trouble navigating on my own (I like Alpha heroes, I do not like jerkwad Neanderthals), so I'm always open to recommendations for some good ones.

Review:  Nicholas Cooper needs a wife.  He's getting ready to close a business deal with an influential Hong Kong businessman, but the last time he was in town?  The man's very sheltered 18-year-old daughter threw herself at him.  Nicholas needs this deal to go off without a hitch, and in a moment of panic tells Daddy and Daughter he's married.  Now he's expected back in Hong Kong, and this time he's to bring along the wife.

Enter Hallie Bennett.  Nicholas meets her at a shoe store where she's serving time, saving money to go back to school.  Before you can say "meet cute," she's agreeing to help Nicholas out of his jam in exchange for an infusion into her Back To School Fund. 

First things first, readers need to get past the set-up to be able to buy-in to this story.  Nicholas and Hallie are strangers, and he's "known" (more like bantered) with her for all for a couple of pages before he pops the question the business proposition.  I was able to roll with it, mostly because I like the ol' pretend wife/husband/engagement trope and also because the dialogue in this story is positively delightful!  It's funny, it's charming, frankly it was the right book to find me at the right time (just as I'm coming off a dreadful reading slump).

The sizzle is appropriately sexy, and like all scenarios of this ilk, readers know that the "just business" arrangement between our couple is doomed to failure.  Also, while the story opens in London, the bulk of this tale takes place in Hong Kong, and the author writes the setting with plenty of flavor and color.  I also really appreciated that the author didn't go down the well-worn (and annoying) path with the teenage daughter.  She's not a shrew or spoiled, petulant princess - she's just a sheltered young woman looking for a way out.

What didn't work so well for me were a couple of elements that I felt were tacked on.  Namely, Hallie's...uh...sexual experience (or lack thereof).  Frankly, the disclosure of how many lovers she's had (or hasn't had) felt unnecessary and out-of-place.  Like the author had to fill some Old Skool Category Romance Quota.  There's also a suspense subplot that comes into play during the latter half of the book that just felt....silly.  My eyes started rolling...excessively.  This is a shame, since I really did find this story quite delightful in the early chapters.  Hallie and Nicholas have plenty of sizzle, coupled with a hinted at secondary romance featuring the 18-year-old sheltered daughter, it should have been more than enough to keep a 180 page Presents title chugging along to the finish line.

But you know what?  Those issues aside, I really did enjoy this book.  I've been in a slump, and Hunter's knack with dialogue really had me devouring this story in record time.  It was charming, funny, and I was amused for a goodly portion of it.  It's not love at first sight, but I'm very happy I have a couple more of her books in my TBR.

Final Grade = C+

Gabbin', Glitches, Batman Sighting, and TBR Challenge

Today's my turn in the rotation over at Access Romance Readers Gab.  Today's topic du jour is Who Likes Short Shorts?  Yeah, that old Nair jingle had absolutely no effect on me.  Feel free to thank me for the ear worm in the comments section.

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As many of you are probably aware of, Blogger went kaboom on Friday, wiping out a bunch of posts in the process.  The one post that seemed to be effected here at the Bat Cave was my review for Donna Alward's latest Harlequin Romance.  I was able to re-post it, but alas lost the comments in the process.  I feel bad about this - since I don't want anyone to think that I go through my comments and delete them willy-nilly.  I don't.  I delete spammers, and that's it.  So if your comment got sucked into the Blogger black hole (I think it was just Donna, Victoria, and Lauren who were effected!), I'm sorry.  For once, it was not the fault of my shoddy technical skillz.

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In This News Is So Awesome I Don't Know Where To Begin department - some moron dressed up as Batman was arrested in tiny Petoskey, Michigan after bystanders reported to the cops that he was hanging from the roof of the local hardware store.  Apparently the culprit is a local kook, and well-known among Petoskey's boys in blue.  Seriously folks, stuff this wacky can only happen in Northern Michigan.  Well, and in Southern California.....

Many thanks to the coworker who sent this to me.  Just....awesome.

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For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you know I tend to clog up my stream on TBR Challenge Wednesday by posting links to the reviews from challenge participants.  Alas, I'll be traveling later this week - so no clogging of the Twitter stream.  Remember, if you're interested in following the challenge, you can find all the links to all those participating on the information page.

The Problem With Dead Chicks

When I signed on over at Heroes & Heartbreakers, I also signed on at their sister site, Criminal Element.  Same sort of set-up, just instead of waxing poetic about romance novels, CE tackles crime novels (mystery, suspense, thrillers, what have you).

My first post has gone live.  It's all about Nancy Drew and the proliferation of dead chicks in the genre.  Why not head on over and check it out?

Reminder: TBR Challenge For May

For those of you participating in the 2011 TBR Challenge, a reminder that your commentary is "due" on Wednesday, May 18. 

This month's theme is Marriage Of Convenience, Arranged Marriage, or Pretend Engagement.  Any variation on marriage themes will do.  Remember, the themes are completely and totally optional.  If these themes don't interest you, or there's nothing lying around in your TBR, please go off the beaten path.  The themes aren't as important as digging something (anything!) out of your TBR Pile.

It's also not too late to sign-up.  If you are interested in doing so, or just want to learn more about the challenge, please see the information page.

Don't Cry For Me Argentina

Honeymoon With The Rancher, the latest release from Donna Alward, features character-types that haven't worked for me in the past.  On the surface you've got the pampered, spoiled princess and the grouchy Alpha male determined to knock her down a few pegs.  The difference with this story is that the author takes us well beyond those first initial, and extremely superficial, impressions.  Even as both characters jump to conclusions about each other on their first meeting, you can also see the light behind their eyes.  The "Ahhh, there's more here than meets the eye" kind of light.

Sophia Hollingsworth is perfectly coiffed, manicured and polished, and was all set to marry Mr. Upwardly Mobile when she catches him in bed with his mistress.  The worst of it is that Mr. Not-So-Right didn't see anything wrong with this.  Sophia was a means to an end.  A young, vibrant, stylish bit of arm candy to hang on the arm of Mr. Upwardly Mobile.  This splash of cold water leads Sophia to do something impulsive.  Namely go on their planned honeymoon in Argentina alone.  But when she arrives, she gets more than she bargained for.  Namely a working ranch with one sexy cowboy in residence!

Tomas Mendoza takes one look at Sophia's stilettos and thinks he's knows exactly what sort of woman he's dealing with.  He tries to explain to her that there has been a fire at the ranch, and that her reservation was canceled, but the stubborn piece of fluff won't budge.  At an impasse, and with his business partners who normally deal with the guests away on vacation, he agrees to let her stay on until they get back to sort out the mess.  But he warns her it's not going to be Club Med, thinking maybe that will get her out of his hair.  Little does he know.

This story is very heavy on internal conflict.  In fact, it's all internal conflict.  Sophia has spent her whole life being told what to do, what to wear, and what sort of life she should aspire to.  She's almost like a packaged product, right down to the fake smile she plasters on her face when she arrives on Tomas' doorstep.  Taking her honeymoon trip was completely impulsive, a childish way to get back at her traitorous fiance', but when she's honest with herself, she knows she's taking this trip to find herself.  She doesn't know who she is.  Being at the ranch makes her feel one part useless and two parts silly, but in a way it allows her to confront herself.  Who is she and what does she want?

Tomas became a partner at the ranch because it was a place to hide and lick his wounds.  He's still hiding away from the world, abandoning the life of privilege that he grew up in, but the ranch does bring him peace.  It's the one place that truly feels like home to him.  That said, he's got a mountain of baggage and self-blame that he's been lugging around with him.  Hiding out in the middle of nowhere allows him to not deal with any of it, until Sophia shows up with her smile, her innocent determination, and dang if he's not attracted to her.

Given the nature of the internal conflict (namely Tomas') I suspect some readers will wish this was a longer story - in order to be "convinced" that he's really moved on and is ready for Sophia.  Also, there is a fairly short time frame in this story (about a week), that might have some readers balking.  It all worked well for me though.  If this story were much longer, I think all the internal angst would just be way too exhausting, and even with all the baggage, I really do think that Tomas and Sophia will find happiness together.  I also appreciated how Sophia's inexperience in some matters (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) was handled.  It didn't feel like a forced trope here.  More a part of who she was, a by-product of what her life had been like and the uncertainty she felt about herself before coming to Argentina.

This is really a lovely story with a wonderful sense of place.  I loved the exotic feel of the Argentina country-side, and the angst-fueled internal conflict kept the tension running high between the romantic couple.  An enjoyable, one-sitting read.

Final Grade = B

Note to Harlequin's Art Department: I really do like the idea behind this cover, but honestly?  If that guy is Hispanic I'm the bloomin' Queen of England.  Just sayin'.

The Gateway Category

I have a new column up at Heroes & Heartbreakers today.  I've already written about my lurve of category romance, and how awesome-sauce the Harlequin Romance line is.  Today's topic du jour?  Harlequin SuperRomance.  Or as I like to call it - The Gateway Category.

Go on over, and take a gander.  And hey! Get some book recommendations for your trouble.

The King, The Priest, The Knight, And The Mystery Woman

Here's a fairly useless factoid, before doing time in graduate school to earn my library degree, I slogged through four years of undergraduate work where I earned a degree in history.  My specialty (such as it was) was British History.  Yes, the girl who loves westerns got a degree in British History.  That being said, despite four years of my life given to this task, I'm pretty much clueless on those wacky Brits pre-Henry VIII.  Which sort of helps explain my reaction to Kris Kennedy's latest book (and her first for Pocket), Defiant.

England is in turmoil.  King John isn't exactly a warm and cuddly sort, various barons are threatening civil war, and the Magna Carta is on the horizon.  Knee deep in all of this is Jamie Lost, our hero, and one of the king's most trusted knights.  John has sent him on a mission to find Father Peter of London, rumored to be back in England after many years living in exile.  The problem being that there are quite a few people running around who want to find Father Peter - including our heroine, Eva.

Eva owes her life to Father Peter, and cannot for the life of her understand why the man came back to England.  The problem is that England is not safe for Eva, nor for her young traveling companion, teenage Roger.  She takes one look at Jamie and knows her mission will not be easy.  This is a hard man.  A scary man.  And they both want the same thing - Father Peter.

Reading Defiant is an exercise in patience, and I suspect it's going to divide readers.  With Kennedy's previous two medievals, I strongly recommended them to not only medieval fans, but to general historical romance lovers as well.  Defiant is just as strong (if not stronger) in terms of "history" - but that said, it's a very medieval-y medieval.  There's a lot of medieval political intrigue, two-timing, back room dealing, and the author writes it out in drips and drabs, leaving a small trail of bread crumbs for the reader to follow.  This is good, because it saves us from a mind-numbing info-dump, but it's not so good for those readers (uh, like me) who might not be entirely up on their medieval history.  This was not a book I was immediately engaged in.  There are a lot of unanswered questions early on.  The author does get around to answering them, but it takes time.  Again, it saves from the info-dump, but readers are going to have to stick with it to get to the pay-off.

Now that being said, not all historical romances being published these days feature the depth, breadth, and sheer amount of "history" in them quite like Kennedy's work does.  Readers hungry, and at this point probably desperate, for actual "history" in their historical romances will probably be more than willing to exercise patience.  Yes, the author does tweak a few details to make her fictional story work, but this is still a book with a very strong sense of place (and lengthy author's notes at the end - which I lurve).

The romance is also a bit of an exercise in patience.  One has to remember, Eva and Jamie are at cross purposes for the vast majority of this book.  They both want the priest, but for totally different reasons.  Not to mention that Jamie is loyal to King John, a man Eva does not think highly of (to put it mildly).  So readers should expect quite a bit of animosity and bickering.  Now, it's certainly amusing animosity and bickering, but it also means it takes a good while for the reader to see, and buy into, a romance between these two people.  On that score, I found this to be a second half book.  The lack of truth telling, the lies by omission, after a while it gets to be very exhausting.  However by the halfway point, while not everything is out in the open, there's enough on the page to get me to believe a happy ending will work.

This wasn't an entirely easy read for me, and it's not my favorite of Kennedy's work, but I can still appreciate it for how special it is in a lot of ways.  Medieval fans should rejoice, and those of you looking for something different, something with some actual history to back it up?  Yeah, when was the last time you read about the Magna Carta in a romance novel?

Grade = B-

The Month That Was April 2011

Lemon Drop: Well...look who has come crawling back.

Me: Yes, dear.  Auntie Wendy is done pouting and she's back now.

Lemon Drop:  ::sniff:: It's about time.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to get work in this town?  And Mommy was downright unreasonable when I suggested that I needed to find another venue.  My adoring public cannot be expected to go without me while you're off on some "hiatus."  But Mommy was adamant.  Some nonsense about being busy.  Ha!

Me: My niece, the diva.  Do you think you could dial it back for a few moments while I talk about what I read last month?

Lemon Drop:  Maybe.  Just so long as you promise me you'll pull it together Auntie Wendy.  Mommy is always telling me that nobody likes a fussy girl. 

Me: Getting scolded by a one-year-old.  This might be a new low for me.  Anywho....I only read three books last month.  I thought for half a second that I must have missed adding something to my spreadsheet, but turns out - I didn't.  Three measly books.  Geez Wendy, get a grip.


Title links will take you to full reviews:

Collision Course by Zoe Archer, SciFi Romance, eBook, Carina Press, 2011, Grade = B-

• Heroine on wrong side of the law is enlisted to help military outfit recover hijacked spaceship and rescue the pilot, presumably taken hostage.  Going with her on this mission is their best pilot, the hunky hero.  Nice space opera action, and plenty of sexy sizzle.  If you're looking for a quick, sexy read with a scifi backdrop - this one is worth a look.

The Goodbye Quilt by Susan Wiggs, Women's Fiction, Mira, 2011, Grade = B-

• Mother who is having a hard time "letting go" is driving cross-country with her teenage daughter, dropping her off for her freshman year of college.  I'm nowhere near the target demographic for a story like this, but the author packs in enough "truth" here that I think women who can relate will relate in a big, big way.

Montana Wife by Jillian Hart, Historical western romance, Harlequin Historical, 2004, Grade = B

• After her husband's death, and with wolves circling her front porch, heroine enters into marriage of convenience with handsome, hard-working hero.  Lots o' angst, and a nice attention to historical detail.  I had a few quibbles regarding the villain and one of the heroine's sons, but other than that, a good solid read that I yanked out of Ye Olde TBR Mountain Range.

Lemon Drop:  Three books?!  You only read three books Auntie Wendy?  Heck, Memaw read four books while she was visiting you, all within a 48 hour period.  No wonder you have a TBR that can be seen from space.

Me: I know. I would say I'm going to do better in May, but so far the outlook is not so good.  In fact, I should be reading right now instead of typing up this blog post.

Lemon Drop: Now, now - let's not be too hasty.  Remember....my adoring public.

Me: Oh well, how could I forget?  It's a shame you're lacking in the self-confidence department kiddo.

Happy Mother's Day

We never wore helmets while riding our bikes, and the only one of us who maybe had a car seat was Lil' Sis - but at least Mom kept us away from the Drano.

Ahhhh, the 1970s.  Back when safety wasn't just optional, it was unheard of.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mommies out there!

Derby Schmerby

WooHoo! No Hitter!!!!!!!

And he didn't cough up El Perfecto Game-o until the bottom of the 8th inning.  This is the second no-hitter in Justin Verlander's MLB career.  Final score 9-0.

The Hiatus Is Dead, Long Live The Hiatus

I know, that was quick.  But the truth is darlings, that I missed you.  And I missed this blog.  I think I've been blogging so long that it's burrowed into my blood stream like a virus, and I just can't shake it.  Which is confirmation that I have no life.  And I can't seem to shut-up.  I'm thinking neither of these attributes are worthy of pride - but whatever. 

• Besides the fact that I missed my blog (and all you happy people!) is that it's looking like the dust isn't going to settle at work for a while.  When and how are still big ol' mysteries.  At least to me at any rate.  And since I've never been a big fan of hanging around in limbo, I've decided that I need to stop wallowing, pick myself up, dust myself off, and get on with it already.  I've got stuff to do.

• In super shiny happy news - the Big Sis, who occasionally comments here, has landed a new job.  A new job that she actually ::gasp:: wants!  Woot!

• I'm in a reading slump.  Come hell or high water, I'm determined to break out of it this weekend.  I've got too many flippin' books waiting for me.  I don't have the time to pussyfoot around.

• Rumble in the Bat Cave this weekend!  My hapless Detroit Tigers are playing My Man's hapless Toronto Blue Jays.  Given that My Man is only about a 2% Jays fan these days, I don't suspect there will be blood shed.  If anything, I might have to talk him into watching the games with me. 

• We've watched a couple of halfway decent movies this week.  Conviction was really quite good.  I seem to have this mental block when it comes to Hilary Swank.  I see she's in a movie, and I just have no desire or inclination to see it.  But then when I do?  My hand is forced somehow?  I end up liking said movie.  Go figure.  Last night we watched The Tourist, with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.  When that movie came out in theaters I remember reading a lot of super bad reviews for it, and honestly people - what the hell?  Was it great?  No.  Was it gawd-awful terrible?  No.  Maybe my tolerance is high since My Man watches a crap-load of movies (trust me, I know what a bad movie is, and I've seen more than my fair share) - but it was what it was.  Decent popcorn fare.  I'm not going to say drop everything and rent it tonight, but when it hits cable, trust me....you can do a lot worse.  Waaaaaay worse.

• Speaking of My Man, we have plans to take a long-weekend-style vacation soon.  Just get away for a few days, unwind, and spend time together.  Hopefully we'll both survive the experience.

• RWA in NYC is coming up fast.  You know, that wee lil' romance writers conference where yours truly will be honored as the Librarian Of The Year?  (I'm still going with the group head injury theory.  It's the only possible explanation I have).  I've got major stuff to still take care of.  Business cards, a presentation at the Librarian Event, RSVP'ing for various wing-dings, and scraping together some kind of Blogger Bar Bash (the 2nd annual!).  Stay tuned for details.

So yeah, I'm back.  It might take me a few days to get my sea legs under me, but it's full steam ahead.  Onward and upward!