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Long Time Gone
Oct. 20th, 2009 11:16 amIt's been a while, my friends. I was exiled to Valparasio, Indiana for several days, but I'm back now. I did have internet access, but I mostly stayed off the grid in favor of reading and hanging out with Mason and his grandma (who we went to visit). I read all of Amy Thompson's THROUGH ALIEN EYES and enjoyed it tremendously. When I posted about it on Facebook a bunch of folks chimed in to tell me they liked her other two previous books as well (VIRTUAL GIRL and COLOR OF DISTANCE.) I'm going to see if my library has those, as I found her writing style very... comforting (?) I don't know how you describe that, but there are some writers who have an authorial voice that carries with it an emotional peace or something that makes reading their words an act of relaxation. That's not always true with people who get labeled "stylists."
For instance, I checked Cherie Priest's FATHOM out of the library and, while I'm enjoying it, it's a slower, munchier read for me... if that makes sense. I have to chew the words a bit before they're absorbed. I don't think that's a fault of the book, but it just makes it harder for me (and my mild dylexia) to whip through it the way I did Thompson's book.
So I started a back-up, lighter book: Sharyn McCrumb's BIMBO'S OF THE DEATH SUN which is, among other things, a send-up of science fiction writers and readers, in particular fandom and cons. The book has dated quickly, alas. (For instance, I'm not sure many APAs exist any more; I contributed once or twice to one of the last remaining ones, lo' those many years ago, Siobhan Murphy's APAgraphia.) I know that Ms. McCrumb has faced a lot of critique (and praise) from fans over the years, but I just don't have the requisite funny bone that finds overweight people inheriently funny, which she seems to. It's kind of a Garfield/Jim Davis kind of humor that has never worked for me, alas. I do think she's perfectly nailed many SF folks, particularly certain authors... so it still has good moments. I may have to quit, however, if there's yet another "isn't it so funny because she thinks s/he's sexy/hot and s/he's so fat" moments.
Anyway, I probably won't have too much time for reading in the next couple of days since my editor finally got revisions for HONEYMOON OF THE DEAD back to me and wants a pretty tight turn around. With vacation (and a dead laptop), I'm a bit behind. Though, while at Uncle's today, I picked up Jo Walton's HALF A CROWN, which I have yet to read, and about eleven GOOSEBUMPS books for Mason.
Poor Mason. After out long car trip back from Indiana he got terribly sick on Monday. There was wretching and diahrrea and a lot of "read to me!"s (which is a sure sign of sickness, since he's usually quite content to read to himself.) Ever since late afternoon yesterday, everything seemed to have worked itself out so we sent him off to school today. I felt bad because his teacher had asked me to be a chaperone for the field trip they went on yesterday and both Mason and I had to miss it. They went to Afton Apples, which is one of our favorite, and yesterday was gorgeous. I even managed to get a bit of my own yard work done too.
We had our meeting with his teacher about library privledges and both Shawn and I were surprised that it came down to something very simple. Mason's teacher didn't want to be held responsible for letting him come home with something we'd find objectionable. When we said we'd happily take responsiblity for reviewing the books he brought home (and that we'd put that promise in writing,) suddenly all was good. Mason will now be allowed to take out whatever he wishes from the library. Hooray.
I suppose teachers have had to deal with countless screaming parents who accuse schools of promoting Witchcraft by allowing kids to read HARRY POTTER that they've gotten into this sort of defensive, preventive mindset, I don't know. Mason's teacher seemed pleased that we regularly check to see what Mason is reading and that we wouldn't hold her responsible for anything he might bring home with "mature content."
At least it's problem solved. We also talked over his pull-out program (where he gets to read with the advanced 2nd graders,) which he's enjoying tremendously (though he did complain to me a bit that they haven't gotten to do much reading yet... but for Mason any hour without reading is too little.)
I wish I hadn't misplaced/lost the cord to my Gateway laptop. It's one of those that has a hex/round plug and no one seems to have a match. Luckily, one of my fellow Wyrdsmiths has the exact same computer and cord so I can potentially borrow that one when I need access to the harddrive. Sitting in front of the "big computer" to write is a huge pain.... literally, in the neck. Ah well. There are solutions on the way, I think.
Hope you're having a good day!
For instance, I checked Cherie Priest's FATHOM out of the library and, while I'm enjoying it, it's a slower, munchier read for me... if that makes sense. I have to chew the words a bit before they're absorbed. I don't think that's a fault of the book, but it just makes it harder for me (and my mild dylexia) to whip through it the way I did Thompson's book.
So I started a back-up, lighter book: Sharyn McCrumb's BIMBO'S OF THE DEATH SUN which is, among other things, a send-up of science fiction writers and readers, in particular fandom and cons. The book has dated quickly, alas. (For instance, I'm not sure many APAs exist any more; I contributed once or twice to one of the last remaining ones, lo' those many years ago, Siobhan Murphy's APAgraphia.) I know that Ms. McCrumb has faced a lot of critique (and praise) from fans over the years, but I just don't have the requisite funny bone that finds overweight people inheriently funny, which she seems to. It's kind of a Garfield/Jim Davis kind of humor that has never worked for me, alas. I do think she's perfectly nailed many SF folks, particularly certain authors... so it still has good moments. I may have to quit, however, if there's yet another "isn't it so funny because she thinks s/he's sexy/hot and s/he's so fat" moments.
Anyway, I probably won't have too much time for reading in the next couple of days since my editor finally got revisions for HONEYMOON OF THE DEAD back to me and wants a pretty tight turn around. With vacation (and a dead laptop), I'm a bit behind. Though, while at Uncle's today, I picked up Jo Walton's HALF A CROWN, which I have yet to read, and about eleven GOOSEBUMPS books for Mason.
Poor Mason. After out long car trip back from Indiana he got terribly sick on Monday. There was wretching and diahrrea and a lot of "read to me!"s (which is a sure sign of sickness, since he's usually quite content to read to himself.) Ever since late afternoon yesterday, everything seemed to have worked itself out so we sent him off to school today. I felt bad because his teacher had asked me to be a chaperone for the field trip they went on yesterday and both Mason and I had to miss it. They went to Afton Apples, which is one of our favorite, and yesterday was gorgeous. I even managed to get a bit of my own yard work done too.
We had our meeting with his teacher about library privledges and both Shawn and I were surprised that it came down to something very simple. Mason's teacher didn't want to be held responsible for letting him come home with something we'd find objectionable. When we said we'd happily take responsiblity for reviewing the books he brought home (and that we'd put that promise in writing,) suddenly all was good. Mason will now be allowed to take out whatever he wishes from the library. Hooray.
I suppose teachers have had to deal with countless screaming parents who accuse schools of promoting Witchcraft by allowing kids to read HARRY POTTER that they've gotten into this sort of defensive, preventive mindset, I don't know. Mason's teacher seemed pleased that we regularly check to see what Mason is reading and that we wouldn't hold her responsible for anything he might bring home with "mature content."
At least it's problem solved. We also talked over his pull-out program (where he gets to read with the advanced 2nd graders,) which he's enjoying tremendously (though he did complain to me a bit that they haven't gotten to do much reading yet... but for Mason any hour without reading is too little.)
I wish I hadn't misplaced/lost the cord to my Gateway laptop. It's one of those that has a hex/round plug and no one seems to have a match. Luckily, one of my fellow Wyrdsmiths has the exact same computer and cord so I can potentially borrow that one when I need access to the harddrive. Sitting in front of the "big computer" to write is a huge pain.... literally, in the neck. Ah well. There are solutions on the way, I think.
Hope you're having a good day!