2012

Happy New Year, Gentle Reader. May you not be eaten.

12 Days of Christmas - Redux

In this corner of the world, it is currently impossible to avoid game fowl attached to fruit crops. Sometimes, this alternates with spinning dreidel type music; Apprentice Writer has yet to hear any Divali or Kwanzaa music on the radio. Partridge-bearing pear trees dominate.

They also beg the question: what kind of person really thinks it's a good idea to prove his true love with a hen that speaks French or men in a hop/skip/jump competition?

Today, alternate suggestions from a trio of Canadians.

From Antonia Zerbisias, columnist with the Toronto Star :

"On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
A penthouse apartment,
A driver and a Beamer,
10 Botox treatments,
9 spa vacations,
8 maids a-cleaning,
7 Prada outfits,
6 Manohlo Blahniks,
more closet space,
4 Cartier watches,
3 French dinners,
2 Hermes scarves,
And a pug in a purse Gucci!"

If Antonia's tastes are too elevated, there is always Bob & Doug McKenzie (aka Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas of SCTV):

"On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
twelve dozen doughnuts,
...
8 comic books
7 packs of smokes
6 packs of 2-4's
5 golden tuques
4 pounds of back bacon
3 French toast
2 turtlenecks
and a beer in a tree!"

In Apprentice Writer's house, that would be a root beer.

If this is the season for the Gentle Reader to celebrate: many happy returns, and AW wishes you your preferred gifts, feathers included or not.

Book Activists Unite!

There are two kinds of people in world: those who are passionate about books, and everyone else.

Of the passionate group, there are also two kinds: those who pull back with glum sigh when bookdom is threatened, and those who take up (symbolic) arms in defence.

Mr. Bill Wrigley of Toronto is an engineer and bridge builder by profession, who appears to hold the motto, "When the going gets tough, the tough get building!"

In an early instance of toughness, he regarded his wife's 3000+ mysteries and apparently concluded that a bookshelf probably wouldn't do. Rather than harping on her to dissolve the collection, he built her a reading room with such features as secret doors and a button on one volume's spine which ignites the fireplace when pressed.

Apprentice Writer would have adored Mr. Wrigley for that alone. But!

He has now gone on to new heights of heroism. How, the Gentle Reader may ask?

Toronto currently has a mayor who won the election by promising to "Stop the Gravytrain" (i.e. eliminate wasteful spending at city hall). Once elected, he found there was surprisingly little actual gravy on the train. In order to fulfill election promises, he has embarked on an in-depth examination of city expenditure with a view to cutting/selling.

One of the culling candidates is the city library service, with some branches projected for outright closure and others "merely" looking at limitations like weekend closures (when user numbers have traditionally been highest). When literary giant Margaret Atwood protested, the mayor famously stated that he would probably not recognize her on the street.

Many Torontonians responded by forming unfavorable conclusions about a holder of Canadian public office who didn't know who Margaret Atwood is. Mr. Wrigley did something much more useful: he built a Little Free Library on his street.

It is open 24/7, operates on the principle of take one, leave one, and is carefully stocked with items that appeal to various age groups. It had its grand opening celebration this past weekend.

Mr. Wrigley considered inviting Margaret Atwood but decided he didn't want to make political statements.

Bravo, Mr. Wrigley, for this gem of an example of "Deeds, not Words", and for making your neighborhood more interactive and neighborhoody. Apprentice Writer hopes that in future there will be friendly competitions of who can build the most architecturally interesting Little Free Library in their town.

Health Promotion: INCENTIVE MUCH?

Usually, Apprentice Writer's Health Promotion posts take the form of something funny to create an immune-system boosting effect. Today, it will take the form of something humiliating to create an aerobic-encouraging effect.

See this gentleman? He is 100. And COMPETING IN THE TORONTO MARATHON.

That's right, the 'Turbanned Tornado', Mr. Fauja Singh, is not satisfied to sit on his sofa, reminiscing about days of yore and dispensing wise advice. Instead he has set a goal to achieve world records in a slew of running distances, and will most likely succeed as there are - surprise, surprise (not) - no existing world records for many of them for an individual of his age.

Apprentice Writer must confess that her admiration for Mr. Singh is, sadly, not entirely pure. It is tainted by disgruntlement. Because all the excuses she regularly applies as to why she is too busy to exercise pretty much expire of shame in the face of such just-do-it-ness.

AW is left with one question: why in the world doesn't Mr. Singh have a Nike endorsement deal????

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. (Yet) death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life's change agent."

(From his commencement address to a college graduating class in 2005, in which he remarked on having himself dropped out of college)

How many aspiring writers like this one have been influenced, to larger or smaller degree, by this man's creativity?

Countless.

RIP Mr. Jobs.

Health Promotion: TOURIST COMPLAINTS

The Association of British Travel Agents published a list of most ridiculous complaints received from clients upon their return home from abroad. A few of Apprentice Writer's favorites:

"No one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled."

"On my holiday in Goa, India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry."

"We booked an excursion to the water park, but no one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes."

"It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It only took the Americans three hours to get home."

"I was bitten by a mosquito. No one said they could bite."

"We bought Ray-Ban sunglasses for five Euros from a street trader, only to find out they were fake."

"I compared the size of our one-bedroom apartment to our friends' three-bedroom apartment and ours was signficantly smaller."

"The beach was too sandy."

And finally, AW's favorite British tourist complaint: "Too many foreigners now live abroad."

AW applauds the British Travel Agent Association for providing such an educational report, and eagerly awaits the reports of any other national travel agent association.

Car Culture & the Law

True Story #1:

A mother and small child cross the street on foot to catch a bus and are hit by a car driven by a man who had been drinking, was on painkillers, mostly blind in one eye, and had a previous conviction for a hit-and-run accident. Result?

The mother was convicted of vehicular manslaughter of her toddler and faced the possibility of three years in prison. The car driver meanwhile served six months.

Apprentice Writer imagines that in most places, reaction would be atomic level "WHAT?????"

In Marietta, Georgia, USA, where this story took place, however, this astonishing end result apparently makes sense (at least, to the members of that jury). Looking a little deeper into the situation creates greater unease: the mother and son were black, as are most of the public transportation users in the town described as mostly white and affluent. She was convicted by an all-white jury who held her accountable for not crossing at a designated crosswalk thus "causing" the death. The saving grace was that the judge ultimately transformed her sentence to community service and payment of a fine rather than actual jail time.

AW's thoughts: There is a scene in the old Eddie Murphy movie "Beverley Hills Cop" when the hero is thrown through a plate glass window of a skyscraper lobby by security guards and subsequently arrested by police. When he incredulously asks why, they state that he is accused of trespassing. He is so astonished at the backwardness of this, feeling that he is the clear victim rather than the perpetrator, that he goes on to ask whether a person struck by a car in that town would be arrested for jaywalking.

In the movie, the scene was played for laughs because of the blatant absurdity of the situation. It is chilling to see a true life scenario turn out this way. Has car culture really reached such a level that pedestrians are not only viewed as "the enemy" to drivers, but considered to bear the lion's share of responsibility to ensure that they don't get in the way of "rightful" users of the road (no matter how physically or chemically impaired)? Is this some new variation of social Darwinism, where it is considered someone's own fault if they don't have the means to own a car and that's that?

AW hopes not. She also hopes that this case could become a catalyst for people not just in Marietta to take a look at the economic and ecological cost of getting around in daily life and take action that promotes transportation in a more co-operative rather than confrontational way. Because discouraging rather than encouraging use of public transportation and forms of healthy transport like walking or biking? Is so five steps backward. Especially at time when greenhouse gases and lack of exercise are at crisis levels.

True Story #2: A woman gets in a car, drives to school to drop off her child, swings by the grocery store, and is arrested.

It must have been a stolen car, right? Or she was driving erratically and endangering others? Or didn't have the right papers with her?

Incorrect. It was her family's vehicle, she had a licence, and followed traffic rules. So what did she do wrong? Be born female.

Once again, cue the atomic level "WHAT????" from most places.

In Saudi Arabia, however, where this story took place, this astonishing end result apparently makes sense (at least, to the lawmakers). Manal al-Sharif, a Rosa Parks of sorts, chose to make herself a lightning rod for the rights of women to drive themselves, and posted video of herself defying the ban of female driving to Youtube. This has launched a mini Saudi Arab spring of other women in that country doing likewise, with outrage and threats poured upon them as a result for supposedly threatening Saudi culture, traditions, and morals.

AW's thoughts: Are Saudi men truly such fragile flowers that their self-worth is threatened by a woman going to the grocery store herself? Seriously. How is something so banal emasculating or interpretable as an attack on the superstructure of an entire culture?

It isn't, of course, as is proven by the multitude of countries where women have been driving for generations without the existing culture falling down around everyone's ears. AW hopes that as evidence of the non-catastrophic results of women driving builds, laws will come to reflect that.
Bravo to the women of Saudi who decided that enough was enough, and put themselves forward to create progress for themselves and the next generation.

Aching Heart

Japan - please, please push through. Your calm, grace, and dignity in the face of unthinkable odds are an example to us all.

Libya - please, please hang on. Your devotion to the ideals of democracy, equality, and achieving your aims in the face of rabid tyranny is a shining light to us all.

We are with you in thought, spirit, media, and hopefully donations.

Valentines Day

In honor of all things romantical....

and, P.S. :
Bravo, Egypt. May your love affair with democratic ideals remain unextinguished.

Yes, Please

First Impression: Ho Hum
Second Impression: Where have you been all my life??????????

One supposes the happy bookcase owner would have to select very heavy books else they'll all go flying whenever the secret chamber is revealed....

Motivation Level Today

Non-Book Review: RANDOM CINEMATIC THOUGHTS

This year, the only nominee Apprentice Writer saw before Oscar made his annual picks was 'Up' - a thoughtful, entertaining, unexpectedly sad movie but well worth watching - so instead of glee or outrage at who took home the little naked golden men, here a collection of one sentence dispatches on movies that had the word 'comedy' attached in some form or other.

In Bruges Misbilled as a comedy, but after getting over that this was a gripping, offbeat, terrifically well-acted film that creates a frenzy to visit Bruges and a suspicion that Colin Ferrell's eyebrows are angling for a thespian career of their own.

The Brothers Bloom The kind of film that shouts 'Quirky!', starts out funny and ends up melancholy, Adrian Brody has never looked more soulful nor Rachel Weisz more dowdy but they work well together, especially in the best scene of all: double vehicle accident judging.

Imagine That Memo to Eddie Murphy: Roping in Thomas Haden Church and playing loving dad to an impossibly cute little girl DOES NOT make everyone forget you had to be forced by court to provide support for your own child - it makes the epic #reallifefail more glaring, and underlines that 'Invictus' should probably remain unwatched by this viewer due to anticipation of spending the whole time in disbelief that IRL Morgan Freeman plays the icon of ethics, Nelson Mandela.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past Lacking interesting dialogue, convincing acting and with a take on a familiar concept that was supposed to be fresh but fell flat, this bit of celluloid is best appreciated as an opportunity to ogle Matthew McConaghey, Jennifer Garner, and newcomer Daniel Sunjata; no need to turn on the volume.

Little Miss Sunshine Finally saw this extraordinary film with the stellar Toni Colette and Greg Kinnear and an out of character but utterly convincing Steve Carrell, and can't say enough good things about how smart, uncontrived, and engrossing the whole thing is. Every character thrown into personal crisis but somehow managing to emerge somehow triumphant, brilliant metaphor of increasingly decrepit bus, bullseye criticism of child beauty pagents by making it so clear that a 'regular' child has no hope in such competition and by taking that philosophy to the extreme to show a slippery slope. Yes, this is more than one sentence, but this film deserves more, and this viewer urges anyone who hasn't seen it to do so.

And then come back and share whether you agree or not!

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Library Writer in Residence Programs

Any Gentle Readers out there also aspiring writers?

Apprentice Writer's suggestion of the day for you:

Investigate whether your public library runs a Writer-in-Residence program.

The Toronto Public Library does, and the current author holding the position is Deborah Cooke, also writing as Claire Cross, also writing as Claire Delacroix. Her oeuvre includes historical romance, chicklit, paranormal, fantasy, and dystopia. Her residence program includes panel discussions with industry experts to which the public is invited, blogging about various topics related to publication, and perhaps most enticing for us amateur scribblers, a manuscript critique opportunity (first fifity pages).

The author currently holding the position for the Richmond Hill Public Library is Barry Dempster, whose oeuvre includes poetry, short stories, and novels. His residence program includes a series of workshops, and also the tempting manuscript critique opportunity (first ten pages and synopsis).

Apprentice Writer had the good fortune to have her manuscript excerpt accepted for critique by Ms. Cooke, and spent an excellently helpful hour in the resident writer's library office, high above the North York public performance space and beneath Mel's Bells (an inside joke for Torontonians - Mel Lastman was a mayor of North York, a Toronto burb, and the library is in the same tower as the former North York City Hall which is crowned by a bell tower). Ms. Cooke provided a large amount of micro- and meta- comments about Apprentice Writer's manuscript, and the question of what to do with it now that it's complete. The most memorable of which was "This is good," and "You are not wasting your time," to AW's great relief.

Apprentice Writer now has renewed energy to work through another revision, and see the many-times-read words with fresh eyes. More importantly, she has completed (!) her query letter for sending out into the cold, harsh world of publication reality. Report forthcoming.

If you'd like the opportunity to speak with a Toronto-based author, editor, and/or literary agent, consider attending the public lecture tomorrow night. For info as well as a link to Ms. Cooke's blog, click here.

For info on the Richmond Hill program, click here.

At best, you could receive specific, helpful input on your work. At least, you would spend time with authors -who remain, in AW's opinion, some of the smartest and most interesting people anywhere.


m.

Visualize This

Apprentice Writer is part ninja, part monkey, part stairmaster cyborg.
What on earth, you say?

AW will tell you.

Or more accurately, Chris Baty will tell you. The father of the global phenomenon of National Novel Writing Month (which outgrew the 'National' adjective many years ago) sends pep talks to the tens of thousands of participants at strategic times. The most recent such motivator urged lagging participants (that would be AW, not those credibility-challenged imbeciles whose wordcount bars changed color to signify 50k achieved on Day 2) to write in thousand word sprints, imagining a staircase of a thousand steps.

Adieu, Gentle Reader. AW has laced up her running shoes and is set for (keyboard) exercise.

Peace on Earth

Today is Blog Blast for Peace Day in the blogosphere.

Bloggers from all over the world are sending their desire for peace into the universe today. Join us by visiting the hundreds of bloggers taking part in this beautiful event.

Just CLICK on Blog Blast for Peace and you will discover
a world where hope reigns,
hands reach across the globe in friendship
and voices rise in glorious harmony.

NOVEMBER APPROACHING: Insanity Warning

Last days of October.

The Gentle Reader knows what that means.

NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH.

Yes, Apprentice Writer has signed up for the '30 Days of Literary Abandon' again, armed only with a snippet of an idea culled from, of all things, a newspaper article announcing the kickoff of a restaurant critic's new food column, and the story of how he and his first guest met. That's all that was needed to commit to writing 50,000 fresh new somehow-or-other connected words. No plotpoints, no character outlines - heck, no character names! - none of that. It's the month of writing dangerously, after all.

Even better, last night AW attended a coffee-house get-together (what in the world would literary types do without coffee-houses, those Boardrooms of the vocabulary rich and wallet poor?) of fellow Wrimos in York region. It was a mixed bunch: male, female, student, day-jobber, midlifer, married-with-kids, not-yet-dating. All with two things in common.

Tendency to laugh a lot (there was many a sidelong glance from other patrons, and the occasional barrista).

Eyes shining with the light of excitement at their utterly unique, kick-ass literary idea that each could not wait to plunge into. Atomic koalas? Time travel philosophy? Quest in the BC interior? Leprechauns? Innercity ecocults? Brunch journalism? You bet.

We all signed our NanNoWriMo contracts ("..pledge to leave our work unmolested by Inner Editors...to let our innate creativity and brilliance free rein...." etc.) and planned to meet again in a week's time so as to bolster fading enthusiasm and brainstorm plot stoppages.

AW will be working on her Nanovel most Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings between 9:30-11:15 at the Richmond Hill Central Library on the second floor at one of the south-looking solo window tables. If you like - please join her.

Or join the overall insanity: www.nanowrimo.org
Wrimos of York region have a thread on the 'Forums: Canada: Ontario: Elsewhere' board.

Whither Romantic Social Media?

Recently, the following rmantic fiction grogs (group blogs) gave notice of final curtain:

The Soapbox Queens (group of authors)

Romance Vagabonds (group of aspiring authors/readers)

Love is an Exploding Cigar (group of authors)

Romance Novel TV (group of reader/reviewers and guest authors)

In the blogosphere's natural course of events, blogs come and blogs go. Nothing new about that.

What struck Apprentice Writer this time was the question: what led these faithful bloggers to close shop, and more interestingly (is that a word?) - have they really departed to have more time for writing or other personal projects, or is this another sign of the rising dominance of the almighty Twitterverse? Have blogs and grogs concentrating on, say, fantasy, mystery, or litfic gone through similar changes?

*ponders*

Book Blogger Appreciation Week, 2nd Edition - Day 3

Today is meme day. Play along or leave your preferences in the comments!

Do you snack while you read?

Absolutely. Tea and a piece of the latest baking venture.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

Color me horrified.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?Laying the book flat open?

Dog ears make me cringe and laying the book flat ruins the spine, so I bookmark with whatever is to hand - grocery receipts, overdue notices, elastic bands....

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Both, but my fiction-to-non ratio is about 4:1

Hard copy or audiobooks?
Just now venturing out into audiobooks. A friend swears it is the miracle incentive to exercising.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?

Used to be a chapter reader, now tend to stop at the point when I suddenly wake up again after having fallen asleep, a sign I should go brush my teeth and call it a night.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?

If the computer and trusty Dictionary.com is closeby, right away. Most recent: 'matutinal', from Georgette Heyer's 'No Wind of Blame'.

What are you currently reading?

Always have a half dozen going on simultaneously:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society (lit fic, for my bookclub)
No Wind of Blame (period mystery)
Seduced by a Stranger (Gothic)
Julie & Julia (memoir)
Highland Rebel (historical romance)
Wife of the Gods (contemporary multicultural mystery)
Harry Potter #2 (with my son)


What is the last book you bought?
The Flower Poet from A-Z

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
At breakfast, after everyone else is shipped off to school or work, and as last thing in the day.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
It's all good!


Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
Yann Martel, Jasper Fforde, Loretta Chase, Lindsey Davis, Margaret Atwood, Lawrence Hill


How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
Any way they stack neatly under my bed, so usually by size.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week, 2nd Edition - Day 2

Today is devoted to interview exchanges between bookbloggers who likely did not know of each other before this year's BBAW event.

Apprentice Writer was twinned with Raidergirl, blogging out of the beauteous Prince Edward Island, and this was our first introduction to each other!

Here's what Raidergirl had to say in response to AW's
questions:

1. How did the name Raidergirl come about?
I liked how people online had a handle, so when I started at livejournal, I wanted a name to represent me. The high school I teach at, and graduated from, has the nickname 'raiders' so since I am a raidergirl through and through - the only high school I've been at ever, it seemed perfect. That reminds me, tomorrow is Raider Day at school - I must dress in red and white.
Explained like that, the name makes total sense. I had had visions of Lara Croft, Tomb Raider, and suchlike.....

2. What type of genres to you read/review?
I always enjoy mystery series, and general fiction - from around the world and from home (Canada.) I also like the prize winners, but that may be my love of lists as much as anything. I won't turn down chick lit, but I don't read it all the time. What ever books fit in the RIP Challenge are my favorite - mystery, suspense, horror, spooky.
Another RIP participant! Just got started with the gothic novel 'Seduced by a Stranger' which is seriously creepy (in a good way) and looking forward to dark fantasy 'Corambis', Book 4 in the Doctrine of Labyrinths series.


3. Which genres do you read more/less of compared to five years ago?
I never used to read classics, but I'll try them a bit more often; translated books is a whole new area; and it may not be a genre, but I read a lot more newly released books compared to five years ago. I never used to buy books at all.
Ref: Translated books - if you like reading challenges, there's another lovely one wherein readers tackle Japanese literature.

4. What are your five favorite books of all?
1. Anne of Green Gables
2. Bridget Jones
3. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
4. I Want to Go Home by Gordon Korman
5. Evening Class by Maeve Binchy
Hmm. Suspect that PEI dwellers who don't list 'Anne of Green Gables' as their #1 choice might be taken to a remote location, far away from Lucy Maud Montgomery memorabilia stores, and shot!

5. Ever read a book in a language other than your mother tongue? Which language? No, the only language I know any bit about is French, and 9 years of French in school certainly didn't make me able to read a book. Maybe a menu.
Haha!

6. Apart from your own country, is there another part of the world that you especially enjoy reading about?
It would have to be Great Britain and Ireland, from many different eras - Victorian, wartimes, modern day. I guess I'm a bit of an Anglophile.
Agreed! Of course it helps that there is such an incredibly rich literary body out of the UK. Maybe something to do with all that rain, and having to find ways to occupy oneself.

7. Which literary character do you wish you could be yourself? Do you wish could be your love? Do you wish could be your business partner?



8. A book you loved most other people hated, and vice versa?
I loved The Bone People but I understand how other people might not like it - it must have been perfect time, perfect place for me.
Two books that I did not finish: On the Road by Jack Kerouac and There Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Huston, both of which are classics and have lots of fans.
That point about perfect time, perfect place for any given reader is a good one. Probably applies even more so to movies - you have to in the right mood for certain kinds of movies or it doesn't work even a little bit.

9. Favorite book-turned-into-a-movie? Favorite movie?
Favorite movies: Braveheart, Dead Poet's Society, Mary Poppins

Favorite book turned into a movie - Bridget Jones' Diary, Harry Potter movies, and while I've only seen it once a few months ago, Fight Club might make the list in a few years. It takes time to make it onto my favorites' list.

10. How many blogs/grogs do you visit regularly? What are your three favorites?
I have a little over 100 blogs in my google reader. Three favorites? That's tough. I'm thinking if everyone updated, the first three I'd look at, even though I'd read them all eventually would be, at the risk of offending everyone, ...nope can't pick three. I could maybe pick 10.
100 regularly visited blogs ! o'O

The thing is, as I thought about this, is that my favorite blogs are more about the people, the friendships that I've made. I like getting a little update from pals, regardless of what they write. The friends you don't need to talk to every day but still fall into a conversation so easily.
Well said, Raidergirl

11. The blogosphere seems to thrive on brouhahas (I love that word). What's your philosphy: "Leap in and share your views", "Don't comment personally but lurk to see what happens", "Can't be bothered with that kind of silliness" ?
How timely! I mostly can't be bothered with that kind of silliness, but I do lurk occasionally, after the fact, and see what happened. (I can be a bit nosy.) The little area of the blogosphere I tend to inhabit is pretty drama free and I like that.

12. Do you have an IRL book club in addition to blogging? Why or why not?
Just our little Ramona book club - me, my daughter and my mother. There's a profile of us here.
I'd like to be in a book club, but it's not something I've found in real life. In some ways, blogging is easier, because it is on your own time, and you don't have to meet at the same time. Much more convenient for everyone to add their opinion when it is convenient.
Last year, a group of us friends from high school tried to have a book club, but it was so hard to meet regularly, and it evolved into dinner out and exchanging books to read, which was a pretty good book club all in all.
An intergenerational book club - what a lovely idea! And dinner plus book exchange could work well, too - especially if the discussion takes place later online.

13. Ever met another blogger?
I did! Two summers ago, Booklogged was planning a trip to the Maritimes, and I sent her some ideas of places to visit. We met and had a lovely meal before she and her husband went to watach Anne of Green Gables the Musical.I was a little nervous, but she was wonderful, and we have a great connection. I hope she'll come back to visit PEI someday.
I have not yet cybermet Booklogged, and will do so as part of the BBAW celebrations.

14. Best thing about blogging?
Making friends with like minded people, sharing good books and getting recommendations, thinking more about my reading,
Agreed!

15. Most anticipated upcoming book?
There are so many books around to read, that I hardly notice books that are coming out. I'd look forward to a new Maeve Binchy if she was writing a new book, or Sophie Kinsella. I did order Catching Fire as soon as it was released, but that was a much for my son as for me.

Thanks for stopping by, Raidergirl!

Gentle Readers - you can visit Raidergirl at
http://raidergirl3-anadventureinreading.blogspot.com/

The Big Show at Hearts 'R' Us

This past weekend saw the culmination of another Rita ceremony at the Big Show among the professionals in the genre that gets no (literary) respect: romance. 2000+ romance writers descended upon Washington D.C. to celebrate, network, and reward themselves for another year of hard work, and in many cases, success: in a dismal publishing environment, books with romantic content saw sales increase.

And how did Apprentice Writer's predictions go about who would walk away with the Oscar equivalent in the subgenres she's been known to meander?

Let's see:

Best First Book
Her One Desire by Kimberly Killion (historical)
No Good Girls by Jean Marie Pierson (light women's fiction)
Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs (YA paranormal)
Passionate by Anthea Lawson (historical)
Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas (historical)
Strangers in the Night by Kerry Connor (category)
The Secret Soldier by Jennifer Morey (category, suspense)
Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley (light women's fiction)

The only title in this cross-section of genres which AW read was 'Private Arrangements' and she loved it with such passion and conviction that she was all set to be 100% certain it deserved the Rita. Then - she learned of 'No Good Girls' and 'Your Roots are Showing', two books set to resurrect smart chicklit, and was torn; perhaps there should be a Rita each for best first book, historical division and contemporary divisions? Then - she learned that 'Passionate' is partly set in Tunisia. Northern Africa! How cool and unusual and deserving of being encouraged! Even greater tornity. All for naught: the winner was 'Oh.My.Gods.' Somehow, AW doesn't feel an overwhelming desire to rush out and buy it. Not fair to the book, but it is the victim of AW's unfulfilled anticipation. That's the way the whimsical reader cookie crumbles.


Contemporary Single Title Romance
No Good Girls by Jean Marie Pierson
Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson
Out of Time by Samantha Graves
Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs
Sweet Talk by Susan Mallery
Tall Tales and Wedding Veils by Jane Graves
Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber
Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley

AW has not read one of these titles. Not one. It gets worse: she has not read a single one of these authors, period. Perhaps time to do something about that? Maybe start with the winner, 'Not Another Bad Date'?


Historical Romance
Duchess by Night by Eloisa James
In Bed with the Devil by Lorraine Heath
Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas
Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas
The Edge of Impropriety by Pam Rosenthal
The Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne
To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt
Where the Heart Leads by Stephanie Laurens

This looked to turn into a cagematch for AW's affections, with 'Private Arrangments' and 'The Spymaster's Lady' going at it head to head. Given her enjoyment of the 'Desperate Duchesses' series, had she managed to read Book 3( 'Duchess by Night' ) by now it could well have become a three-way fight. AW has never really caught on to the huge fan-love for Elizabeth Hoyt's work, or Lisa Kleypas, or Stephanie Laurens, and has not read Lorraine Heath at all. And in the end, it was another unknown-to-her author and story walking away with the prize: 'The Edge of Impropriety'. Stunningly beautiful cover, though.


Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
Last Dance at Jitterbug Lounge by Pamela Morsi
The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
The Paper Marriage by Susan Kay Law
The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
Tribute by Nora Roberts
Where Serpents Sleep by C.S. Harris

One can almost hear the Gentle Reader saying, "But in this category, AW, your very own after all, you must be 100% well-versed and knowledgable!" The reply Gentle Reader would receive is "Nope. Have not read a single one of these titles, and what's more, authors." Shocking, indeed. Exactly what HAS Apprentice Writer been reading all year??? Obviously, works that fly below, beside or above RWA's radar.

This great little list of titles has the pedigree to push to the top of the TBR. AW wonders whether the other authors contemplated whether it was worth attending the ceremony when they learned they were up against Nora Roberts, whose 'Tribute' won the prize.


Regency Historical Romance
Duke Most Wanted by Celeste Bradley
Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn
My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne
The Dangerous Duke by Christine Wells
The Edge of Desire by Stephanie Laurens
Three Nights of Sin by Anne Mallory

Of these titles, AW has read the twin to 'Mr. Cavendish, I Presume' (which she has been told more than once is exactly the same book), 'My Lord and Spymaster', and 'The Dangerous Duke'. She enjoyed all three. If pressed for unimaginable reasons to choose only one, she'd have to go with the Bourne title - and lo and behold 'My Lord and Spymaster' won! Hooray! Huzzah! Hip, hip!

Tally
So let's see: of five categories, AW correctly predicted a grand total of ONE.

Perhaps she should shelve any notion to earn her future living as a bookie.

GENTLE READER - thoughts on wins? Losses? Which of the many AW has not read which she really should pick up?