K is for Killing - A to Z Challenge

K is for killing, particularly killing off characters. Do you get upset when a favorite character is killed off in a book? Sometimes it is necessary for the story, to motivate other characters and to keep things moving. But there are times that I mourn for these characters as if I really knew them. Come on, fess up. You know your were upset when Dumbledore died. When the series ended, and the big picture was revealed, it was shown to be a needed moment, but one that still made me sad. There are other times when these death carry a certain satisfaction, like when the evil villain or henchman dies. And there are still other times when the killing off is so necessary that it does not even register, like the start of a mystery or moment when things go from bad to worse.

The emotions these killings in stories cause are as widely varied as how they are killed. I trust the writer to lead me where they want me to go, and know that there is a reason they take the path they do. I find that if a story can make me feel anything strongly, good or bad, that it is a story worth reading. If a character killing is part of that, well I might not accept it gracefully at first, or even necessarily agree with the choices made, but I will respect the writer for the work that they have done.

When you need to write in a death of a character, or just want one to die in your story how do you handle it? Do you worry about readers being upset, or do you relish the upset it causes?

J is for Joy- A to Z Challenge

After yesterdays post, I needed to change focus a little. So today, J is for Joy. Joy might seem allusive, if you focus only on the big moments of joy. But, joy can be found every single day. I woke up this morning, which might not seem joyful at first glance, since per usual it was far too early. However, on waking I was able to get up, get my children and myself up, dressed, and fed.

My husband, children, and I are all healthy and able to be up and moving every single day. This is cause for joy, because there are so many that are lacking the most basic things that I take for granted- like the children that wake me every morning. There are people that long for children, a partner, a family. The fights the kids have each morning about breakfast might drive me to distraction, but we have enough resources for there to be choices. Some people do not have enough to eat a breakfast at all. Never mind the discussions about lunch, snacks, and dinner. All of the minor annoyances of each day include more little things that I can find joy in, if I just take the time to see.

I greatly dislike public speaking, but today I am joining with other parents and taking my turn talking about my job at my children's school. Instead of focusing on the trepidation I have about the situation, I should recognize the joy that I can gain from the fact that I have a job to talk about in during career month. I should take joy in the fact that I have the time and capability to do this, even though it does not instantly fill me with delight. I will take a moment and enjoy the joy it will bring my son.


I bet you can find joy in today too. And I bet I will get back to books and writing themed discussions soon too. Although finishing that book that I can not seem to read until after everyone is in bed will bring me great joy this evening, even as I work to find joy in each of the distractions.

I is for Infuriating, A to Z Challenge.

I is for infuriating.  What do I find so troubling that I am writing about it in the early morning? Well, many things, but in this case it is people. Not all people, but the mob mentality and people that refuse to respect other people. I am huge on respect, lack of respect is a sure way to push my buttons and infuriate me. I respect people until they prove to me that I should not, and then I will still treat them with the respect and courtesy that I want in return. It drives me insane when people treat others badly because of their appearance, beliefs, culture, or for no reason at all.  I do not care if we look different, if we think differently, talk differently, want different things, or anything of that nature. People are people, and underneath everything we are the same. The only thing that will change my respect level for you is how you treat yourself and others. If you show me that you have no respect for others, or yourself, then I am not likely to respect you in turn, but again I will treat you they way I want to be treated. Because that is what i want, and how my parents raised me.

The current culture has me wanting to kick people, but I won't. I respect others that have strong convictions and live their own lives by them. What makes me angry is when they insist that everyone else live by them as well. Yes, there are some things everyone should follow, like not hurting other people, but the specifics of when people do in their personal lives should not be up for public debate. I do not understand why one set of beliefs should hold sway over the way others practice religion or choose not to.

I hold firm in the belief that I should treat other people with love and respect as long as it does not put anyone's well being at risk. If I believe that something will put myself or another in danger, then I will speak up and try to remove the person in danger from the situation. However, it is not my duty to judge others in their actions, beliefs, lifestyles. etc. It is my job to be the best me I can, and to love them. That means letting them live their lives, be true to themselves, and be happy. Just because our visions differ, it does not mean that their views are any less valid than my own, or anyone else's.

This is completely not where I wanted to go with this, I was set to write about cultural prejudices and got a little sidetracked. I will get back there latter this month, maybe for my P post. Because I want to mention a few books and how some people enjoy spending time looking for things to be offended by. Another day.

H is for Hope- A to Z Challenge

H is for hope. No story or even day, is complete without some level of hope. No matter how pessimistic I can be, or you might be, there is always a part of us that hopes that the worst we might be imagining does not come true. The same is true when reading a book or watching a movie. Even when everything seems to be building up to a catastrophic moment, you hope that your favorite character will come out on time, or at least survive. Sometimes it does not happen, just like in real life. But when we get to the last page, there is usually some level of hope that the future of the characters will be better, just like in real life. When we pack it in for the day, there is an innate hope that tomorrow will be a better day, even if we do not acknowledge it.

Hope is what keeps us, and the characters of any story moving forward. The hope that a solution will present itself, that a plan will work, that romance will turn out well, that a problem will be solved. Without that drive they would just sit around and complain. Granted, some characters do that to, but that was covered in my angst post on the 1st.

Have you ever reached the end of a book or movie that had an ending with no hope at all? A story that basically ended with the world over, or all the characters you cared about dead, or just with so much unresolvable that there is no way you can see for things to fix themselves? It is not comfortable moment or ending, and certainly not one I enjoying. It does have its place, and can be en effective ending to deliver a message. It is the very uncomfortable nature in the absence of hope that can make those moments or endings real to the reader.

I still prefer an ending that has a glimmer of hope, even if it is a dim hope. I like to end each day and start each morning the same way, with at least a glimmer of hope that the next moment will be better than the last. And that even when things are at there worst, there will be a moment in the future that is better.

G is for Glitter A to Z challenge

G is for glitter. Now in a blog about books, and my latest musings glitter might be a strange choice. But think about glitter. It is tiny, but can make everything sparkle. It can also make a huge mess and take forever to clean up. One glitter laden project or glitter spill can result in glitter being found through out a home or car for years, possibly longer. Emotions, ideas, inspirations, and habits can be the same way. Any of these things can alter and color your work, your very attitude for just about ever if you do not take evasive action.

Now, some of this can be good, much like controlled glitter use. The right amount can perfectly accent something and make it truly yours. It can also stay with whoever takes the time to enjoy your work or that encounters you, sending some of that glitter onwards. Your words, writing, smile, actions, work can continue on in those you encounter. Sending the thoughts and attitude you carry with you onto who ever they come in contact with next, and so on. Your creative writing or artwork can make someone think, and trigger them to talk about it or the ideas and feelings it triggered in them. A smile, or frustrated sigh, can change the mood of the next person in line, or the person waiting on you coloring the next few minutes of their lives, and the those of the people they come in contact next. So while writing a non fiction piece might not seem glitter laden, you could be helping someone achieve their own goals for the day, making them smile and passing on some positive glitter.

So use your glitter to advantage. Your sparkle can change the world, so lets all try to use it in a positive and productive manner. Unlike a small child, or two, with a shaker bottle of glitter and  glue stick run a muck.

F is for Friday Fun- A to Z Challenge

F is for Friday Fun. In all of our adult rushing about and trying to get everything done and in order, we often to forget to take some time out for good old fun. Even if we enjoy the work we do, or if you are like some of my oddball friends are soothed by cleaning, you still need to let loose and laugh. On Thursday I took a break from words that were frustrating me and took the kids outside to play. We had fun, we were silly, it soothed my mind like nothing else A good tickling match and round of zerberts followed  by relaxing for a bit and eating lunch had me in a much better place. It had the kids in a happier place too.

Friday, or any other day, deserves a break for a little bit of silly fun. Find something to do on this Friday to make you feel silly and laugh. Me? My silly Friday plans just might involve the kiddos and some Easter Egg decorating. Maybe. Or perhaps I will break out the paint, or play dough, or some equally insane project (or combination of projects) that will bring joy along with the inevitable clean up. Because the sheer fun and enjoyment will be worth it and make everyone in the house happy for a bit.

Sometimes I loose track of the fun and get caught up in the no's and details of the day and forget to have fun. This Friday, and hopefully every possible day, I will make my household a much more entertaining place and give in to the fun.

E is for expectations- A to Z Challenge

My E is for expectations. If you read my post yesterday (which I wrote on Tuesday and scheduled for publication) you know that I had big expectations for my day. Like most times you have big expectations, life steps up and can trough a curve ball. Instead of spending my Wednesday organizing, planning, and scheduling my time I spent it huddled in my bed savoring the dark and a bottle of Excedrin. Tuesday night a migraine crept up on me as a simple project turned into something much more complicated as I manned the busy children's desk for three hours. So Wednesday morning, instead of my expected free time, I just stayed as still and quiet as I could. Good times.

There are many other types of expectations we have for ourselves, our children, and our lives that seem to fall short. What soon to be parent had expectations of exploding diapers, sleepless nights, ER visits, and feeling like you will never be good enough to get it all done? None, every one of us might have known these things were a possibility, but thought our children would be perfect angels and sleep, eat, and potty train just like the experts say they should. Ha! I think none of these experts have ever had children of their own.

When starting school, any job, or joining any kind of group did you expect the grade school gossiping and whatnot that seems to invade any space that holds more than four personalities? If you are married, you expected the perfect wedding, honeymoon, and marriage. And you might very well have it, but I bet even the best of everything had at least one moment that did not meet your expectations.

The same is true in every king of creating or enjoying another person's creation. Reading a book that does not meet your exceptions is not always a bad thing, sometimes the surprise is a good thing. Same when you are writing and your characters or plot takes you somewhere you did not expect. Other art forms hold the same chance for wonderful surprises. Of course, there are the times when these breaks in expectation make you want to toss the source across the room. (I say that a lot, but have yet to actually do it, so don't worry too much). But anything that make you feel, good or bad, is worth reading, watching, looking at, whatever. That is what art it for.

Wow, that post veered off from my exceptions I built while I pondered it in the dark on Wednesday...

D is for Distraction- A to Z Challenge 2012

D is for Distraction, what is your biggest distraction when you are trying to work at home; writing, reading, or whatever your focus. I would say that the internet as a whole is my distraction. Checking email, playing on pintrest, tweeting, reading, and commenting. however, these things can also be used to promote my work and to learn things that I can use for future work, so more often than not I justify these distractions to myself, and sometimes do actually use them to my advantage. However, even my writing, crafting, and reading that I do at home and can consider work is a distraction in itself from my first and most pressing job, being a mom. This is why I try to schedule all of my distractions. I need to try harder at that.

I plan to do most of my writing and serious research for Wednesday mornings. Why? Because that is the one time that I am actually in my house alone. It is my day off from my part time gig as a librarian and both the kids are happily at preschool. You know what distracts me then? The desire to finish a book, to garden, the urge to seriously clean house, the time to grocery shop and run my errands- alone.

Needless to say sometimes I feel like everything is a distraction and I just cannot focus on anything. There are other times that I feel like I have it all balanced and I am super women. But I think all women are superwomen. The world expects us to be able to do everything, all at the same time. Often I find myself expecting the same from myself, hence the feeling that everything is more distraction than necessary, or that everything is vital and it is my lack that has me adrift. So today I will sit down and organize. I will set myself a schedule to avoid distractions and allow myself to focus more fully on each thing rather than bouncing between tasks. Unless.. Squirrel!

What is our biggest distraction and how do you handle it?

C for Creation; A to Z Challenge

C is for creation; creation of characters, plots, twists, music, illustrations, paintings and so on. How do you go about creating your art? Do you fly by the seat of your pants and just follow where the process takes you, do you plan and follow some strict structure, or do you fall somewhere in the middle?

I tend to be a seat of the pants kind of girl. I craft and write with a basic idea or inspiration in mind and just see where it takes me. It is in the editing and rereading that I fix things that do not work as part of the finished product. Whether it is a line of verse that does not flow well, and makes using as lyrics difficult, or a speckle of paint that disrupts what I have in mind, it is when I step back after the first rush of creating anything that I look at the whole thing. Sometimes it is the very mistakes, that speckle of paint, that really make the piece or inspire something else. I particularly find this true in creative writing and painting, much less so in essays and fact driven writing. Sometimes I find myself wandering off with no end in sight, and no real desire to find one. That is when I have to put something aside for a while and then come back with a more structured approach.

Please share your crafting methodology, your muse, your frustrations. Let us share our successes and frustrations, because we have all had some of each.

Books- A-Z Challenge 2012

Books is a pretty obvious chose for my b word, but I just could not help myself. Books are precious. They are windows into great knowledge, to imagination, to fantasy, to reality, to whatever you love, or even what you hate, or do not care about at all. When you open up a book you never know what you will find.

Covers, and even descriptions, can make you think you are getting a simple story, but you quickly find yourself lost in complexities that were unexpected. Sometimes the opposite happens. I think any book has value, as long as it makes you think and/or feel. Even if the feeling you have s the urge to throw the book across the room, because it has elicited a response. It is the books that leave me cold, with the 'blah' feeling when I am done that hold the least vale for me. However, even in those books you can learn something. Like how not to write books that will not hold the interest people like yourself.

Even in non fiction, you can be surprised by what you find. In Quiet by Susan Caine I discovered bits and pieces of myself in her stories. In Paradise Lust I found hope, humor, and heartfelt souls looking for the Garden of Eden. I am not usually a big non fiction reader, mainly because I read to escape to conflicts and chaos that can often fill day to day life. Usually my non fiction consists of children's non fiction or books about practical subjects like gardening of herbal remedies to expand my practical knowledge instead of getting lost in the pages. So when a work of non fiction catches my attention, I think it is really special.

The really wonderful things about books it that they can take you places. A group of people reading the same book will be able to discuss and share what they thought of the book, and how t made them feel, but everyone will get something a little different from each. Our worlds and perceptions are so colored by our pasts, hopes, and current stresses that twelve people with the same basic tastes in books can have twelves very different responses to a book. When the enter the world of the book, they can picture very different scenery and characters despite reading the same words. I think the same holds true for all forms of art. It is the wonder of getting lost in a world partially created by your mind, started by someone else's words, that makes getting lost in art so amazing.

Angsty anbout Angst; A to Z Challenge

Angst can be a wonderful story element, or it can be the downfall of a story. Since so many of us feel some level of angst while writing, or forced to stop writing to do something silly like cook, it is no surprise that angst makes its way into so many plots. Angst can be necessary to get a character thinking, or moving, and hence it is important. However, I do not want to talk about angst gone right, because to fully understand how it should be used, we need to look at instances where it has gone wrong, and how to avoid falling into the same traps.

I think angst often gets over or misused in romance and young adult novels, because these are moments that require heavy angst levels, right? Wrong. Yes, unrequited love, the horrors of adolescence, and joys of schooling do cause high levels of stress. I know my teen years were far from my favorite. However, no one needs to read a book that is at least held half in one characters head as they over analyze and doubt everything about themselves. There are situations where heavy angst does work, but it is far too common to go over the invisible line in the sand that I have no map to.

How many times have you read a book and gotten so annoyed at one character's angst about how the love interest, appearance, weight, alignment of the stars, or other obsession will ruin their lives. It often makes me want to throw my book, or whatever I am reading a digital book on, across the room. One much beloved teen novel comes to mind, where one little miss spends the hole series mooning over a guy. (I will admit that I loved the whole series when I first read it, but after all the hype and looking back I just want to shake her and somehow unread the last book.) Angst should be a tool to motivate the characters. It can be used to get them thinking so that their thoughts are shared with the reader, but some action should follow the thoughts.

Stories about real women; women with curves, glasses, social status, or other assumed imperfection often run into the same issue. There is so much inner dialogue, or even external dialogue bemoaning the issue at hand that I just want to scream at them to do something about it. While there are some issues that hold no solution, there are still things they could do to improve their lives or at least their confidence. Again, I want to kick the characters and tell them to just get over it already and move on.

I have no magic bullet to fix this common issue. However, my rule of thumb is that if a conversation with a friend, sibling, coworker, or even your own internal dialogue followed the same path at that is laid out in the story makes you slap happy then there is too much angst.

And so ends my angsty rant about angst in fiction.

R is for te Real You

Everyone talks about being 'real'. About being your true or real self, and how that is the best way to be. While I certainly agree that no one should be lying about who they are, or pretending to be something they are not, who is the real me? Sometimes I feel like I have several different mes. The daughter, the sister, the wife, the mom, the singer, the drummer, the librarian, the reader, the writer.. and so on. Even in some of those titles there variations. In something as simple as book love there are very different aspects to me. I have a degree in literature, so as one might expect I have a sincere love for the classics. But I also have a deep and abiding love for what others would consider fluff- great romance novels, science fiction, urban fantasy, mysteries, and the bad versions of all of the above that are so bad that they are amusing. I also have a huge appreciation for children's literature and young adult fiction. It is tremendously hard to write a great picturebook- getting a whole story in under forty pages, with only one or two sentences on a page, while still being entertaining and original? Not easy!! So what is my real favorite? All of the above, depending on the day.

The other aspects of myself are just as layered, or at least it seems that why when I try and pin down the real me. I can get it down to four or five of me.. but not one comprehensive me that fits all of my interests, feelings, and activities. Maybe I have issues, but I rather enjoy the ability to shift and change to fit into the very different parts of my life easily. But if I had multiple personalities for real they would not be aware of each other. right? Right??

Do you ever feel the same way? Like there are several different yous that take turns being the 'real you'?

W is for Writing

W is for the why's, where and how you write. Do you write for the money (ha!)? Do you write because you love it? Because you have ideas and thoughts in your head that you just NEED to get out? Because you want to share a piece of yourself with others? Or for some other completely unrelated reasons?

I write for a combination of these reasons. I write because I enjoy it. Because I love to read and learn and want to share the things that I think others might want to know, or books they might want to explore for themselves.A little money for my efforts will always be accepted, of course, but that is not my motivation for my writing. I write to keep myself thinking, challenged and growing as a person. Sometimes I fear that my mind has melted to the same state as my young children, and writing helps my exercise my mind and keep it going. I feel the need to be doing all the time. I always have an article, some creative writing or idea for something floating around in my head waiting to make its way out. I usually also have at least one book on my 'currently reading' shelf, a crafty project and something else going on too. Trying to stay sharp- lol.

Some people have very specific ways that they write. An office chair and desk, music or complete silence, something consistent that they use to frame their mindset while writing. Me? not so much. Generally I am writing articles about books, life and gardening while in my living room being a mom. My netbook balanced on my lap or arm of the couch depending on how crazy the kids are being. When the weather is nice, my spot often switches to outside in a lawn chair between helping the kids refrain from killing each other and scaling the magnolia tree. I love it when I can write outside.My background noise is most often children's music or television as well as my kids- I can quote those Leapfrog videos from beginning to end. And despite some frustrated moments of having come up with a perfect phrase and not being able to get it written right away- I would not trade my time with my children for anything.

My creative writing tends to wait until the younger set is in bed. A glass of wine and going back and editing the beginning of my novels in progress and trying to decide how to wrap each one up tends to go better for me at a desk. No kids, cats or television. Music is a yes, though no set soundtrack for me- it depends on the day and my mood.

What are your writing why's and wherefores?

Y is for Yummy

Y is for Yummy. There are many things than can simply be described as yummy. This time of year my favcorite are the Cadbury Mini Eggs... yummmm. I love those things. But my search for the bag of said treats at work last nigh set off a discussion of food in epic proportions. Other favorites vary through out the wold of chocolate, but I do love some salty foods as well. A hand full of chex mix will satisfy me every time. Fried chicken is my other less than healthy love, especially if mashed potatoes and gravy might come with.  By 7:30 we were all very hungry. What did we end up taking about and craving? Tomatoes and cucumbers fresh from the garden. Simply cut up in a bowl with a splash of italian dressing. Gosh, now I'm drooling again.

I miss having an acre garden chock full of goodness, which is what I had as a child. My days on that farm spoiled me rotten. I cannot eat a tomato bought in a grocery store. It needs to be fresh from my garden at best, from a farmers market at the very least. Any fruit or vegetable tastes better when you know exactly where it came from, and what was used to help it grow and stay healthy. I am already craving the rewards from the garden that has done very little but regrow some grass and sunflowers. I want my yummy, yummy veggies.

What food makes you say Yummy? Everyone has one that triggers at least an internal yummmm.

W is for Weeding

W is for weeding. Weeding is a necessity in life, one that most of us do not enjoy. I am not just talking about in the garden either. Libraries weed out material that does not circulate or is no longer accurate or is damaged to the point that it can not circulate. People weed clothes out of their wardrobes that they either cannot or will not wear again. We weed out activities, people, thoughts and other things that are either unnecessary or sometimes downright toxic from our lives. The process is sometimes painful, but it is something that helps the rest of our lives remain healthy and flourish. Just like the weeds can strangle the vegetables or flowers in your garden, the extraneous things we need to remove from our lives can make our minds and hearts weak and fragile. We need to get rid of the weeds in our gardens, and the rest of our lives, in order to reach our full potential.

While there is a certain satisfaction of ridding yourself of the unwanted and unneeded things in life, sometimes it is still hard to acknowledge those things and say goodbye to them. Weeding a garden can be backbreaking work; leaving you sore, dirty and tired. The same holds true for other forms of weeding. However, if we keep up with the weeding, do a little every day or as we notice the unneeded creeping in, then the process can be much easier and almost relaxing. Actually I find weeding my garden, or sorting clothes to remove items that can go to goodwill, therapeutic. Particularly when I know the items that I am removing from my garden or closet can go to good use, the weeds to compost and the clothes to goodwill.

The mental weeding can be much harder. Getting rid of anger, guilt, fear, resentment and relationships that are toxic can be much more difficult that the more tangible forms of weeding. However, these mental or emotional weedings can be even more important. While physical weedings can improve your life in a notable fashion, ignoring your inner weedings can cause much more trouble than ignoring the physical. So, today I am going to find a quiet time and make sure that I have not been ignoring my inner weeds. I am going to look at my heart and mind to make sure that I am up to date yanking out those inner issues and get to work with dealing with whatever I find. Join me?

V is for Victory

V is for Victory. I like to honor the small victories, and have a bizarre tendency to ignore the big ones. I celebrate the victory of both children sleeping through the night with a nice cup of tea or coffee. The victory of them both being asleep by 8 with a dish of ice cream or other suitable treat for myself. I celebrate finishing one crochet project with starting another. I celebrate a successful garden or growing season with planning my next one, and enjoying the fruits of my labor. I try to revel in the little things, because even when the big stuff goes wrong the little victories can still persist. They can keep me going when the rest of the day has me wishing I could curl up in bed and hide.

However, the victories and occasions that other people seem to celebrate I just shrug over and move forward. When I get kudos for anything work, writing or singing related I generally just shrug it off. For as much as I want to do well, and want other people to enjoy or appreciate my hard work, I somehow also do not want to be the center of attention. I want people to think well of me, but in the long run I guess it is not all that important to me. I write, sing, etc because I love it and like to think I have something to share. I am glad that people read what I write, and hope that they like it. And while I want people to read my material, and greatly appreciate any income it brings, most of the time finishing and publishing something is often victory enough for me. I want to sing well when i perform, but more so because I want to do well for me than because I think that the audience will know if I flub something. I know very well that small mistakes, and even same huge ones, can go completely unrecognized in a music performance. When all else fails you can always claim that it was a new arrangement of the piece you were really doing. I am not sure if this makes me a better writer or performer, but I like to think that my love of what I am doing will reign victorious, rather than my lack of technical perfection.

What does it take for you to consider something a victory? How do you celebrate?

S is for Silliness

I have been miss cranky pants the last few days, so I have decided that a little silliness is in order today. So, I did my serious stuff before even getting dressed this morning. Cleaned the living room and kitchen bright and early this morning. I think that was just to offset my need for a fun day today, and the fact that last night my supervisor and I got a serious case of the sillies right before library closing time.

I declare the rest of today Silly Friday. I will not stress about anything. I will be silly with the kids. Play outside (if the weather warms up as bit) and just enjoy the sunshine today. I do want to get some work done (I need to finish two books and write the related reviews), but only as a side line to silliness. If it does not all get done today everything will still be here Saturday, and Sunday and Monday and so on. Not the best attitude to turn a profit, but everyone needs a day off for silliness. Since I'm home with both kids and a pile of work it really is not a day off of anything, but I can sneak in as much silliness as I can to remain sane. Tomorrow is a library work day, so I can afford some silly today. Yes it is Good Friday, not really a day meant for fun and giggles. But I am going to anticipate Easter and just enjoy my day.

How do you celebrate a sunny silly day?

R is for Reading

Read, read, read.I have been a big reader since I was little. Family stories have me reading independently at four or five, but I honestly do not remember whether this is simply family exaggeration or the truth. Maybe a combination of the two. However, I was always reading well above my grade level in school, so there could be some level of truth to the stories.

I am very glad that my two and four year old children already love books, and I spend a good portion of every day reading with them. My four year old loves to find and/or build words. His favorite television shows are not about trucks or trains; rather they are about words, letters and counting. I am glad that the love of reading, books and learning will be passed on to another generation. My mom instilled the passion in me, and I am glad that my kids are already showing signs of the same love of reading.

I will admit, and say quite loudly, that most of my reading is not what anyone could call educational. I do read some non-fiction about the people and things that I have some interest and passion about. However, a paranormal romance, urban fantasy, or anything else that is entertaining and distracting from my life is more than welcome. I avoid reading anything that is talked about and read by a large number of book clubs. I read Twilight before the hype, same for Harry Potter and the Stephanie Plum series. I do not want to read a book simply because Oprah has stamped it with her approval, but rather because I really want to discover what happens to the characters and the story on the pages interests me. I prefer to stay with authors that I trust, genres that entertain me, and the occasional book that simply intrigues me by title, cover or summary.

I have access to a wide variety of books, and have diverged greatly over the years. When I was in high school and college I was reading classic mysteries and current science fiction. There were quite a few historical romances tossed in the mix to. Then it was classics and high literature, partly because I was working on my literature degree. Then cooking and gardening related magazines and books as I struck out on my own. Then wedding related items, then baby related items and back to romance and paranormal. Now, I really try to shake things up and read a variety, but keep going back to my favorite authors to follow up on the series' that made me love them.

What do you read? What do you avoid?

Q is for Quiet

I had a few moments questing for a q word, and I decided to go with one that I do not get to appreciate very often, quiet. Any parent out there knows that the moment you want ten minutes to finish a book, do some dishes, hear a news story or simply have a quiet moment you will be desperately be needed for something. Be it food, beverage, refereeing or something completely unexpected, the only thing you can depend on is that it happens just as you are wrapped up in something.

Do not get me wrong, I love my kids. They are insanely smart, incredibly cute and a constant source of comedy (just ask anyone from our church or my son's school). But, there are moments of consternation as well as pure love and enjoyment.In fact, the moment of quiet which inspired this post can late today. I was sitting in the rocking chair with my two year old, who just wanted to snuggle in the chair to fall asleep. My son was already snoring away in his bed, and my husband is still off playing poker with some friends. All the tvs were off, my daughter was dozing off and the cats were doing battle downstairs, but far enough away that it was not too loud. And I started thinking about how hard it seemed to be to simply achieve a quiet, safe moment and how wonderful those snugly moments are.

This week I'm reading a nonfiction book about a variety of people taking very different quests in search for the Garden of Eden. I really want to read this book- but every time I get into it there is a juice or potty or wrestling emergency that must be dealt with. I finally started a crochet project for myself, a sweater with a neat panel in the center of the front and back, and the same holds true. as soon as I fall into that nice, steady rhythm I am needed or someone must sit on my lap. Perchance I do not enjoy the quiet enough when in my office at work, because I desperately seem to be searching for it at home, when I can not find it. If the house is quiet... then I know there is trouble. The longer the quiet, the bigger the trouble. Yet, I seem unable to quit the quest for quiet.

P is for Public Library

P is for of my favorite places on Earth, the public library. Where else can ANYONE have access to computers, the internet, reference assistance, a variety of movies and audio books,programs for children and adults, playspace for the young children, newspapers and periodicals, people to offer reader's advisory and so many books! The BOOKS people!! So many to choose from, and if the one you want is checked out you can put a hold on it and they will coll (or email) you when it is ready for you. If your library doesn't own it (and it is not brand new) they can get it for you from another library. All of this for FREE unless you return something late. Where else do you get this kind of service? I will never understand the people that do not utilize at least one public library, because you can use any one in your state for free as long as you get a card for the town you live in first.

Public libraries have been my home away from home since I was very young. I can still remember the cool circular window I used to sit in and read as a child. Unfortunately that window disappeared in a renovation to allow for more book space, but I loved that window. I loved my childhood library so much that four towns later and more years than I care to mention I now work in the same library I spent my Elementary School years in.

I will never understand the push to limit funding to libraries and the services they offer. People use the library to search for and apply for jobs, for access to things they might no longer be able to afford to buy for themselves. A place to stay warm/cool/dry in bad weather, a safe place to lose themselves in the written word, or just have a quiet place to sit and think. There is just something wonderful about a library. A feeling of peace, but maybe that is just me. I spent two hours working at the children's desk yesterday. First day of school vacation with programs and everything going on. Even in the chaos surrounding me, it seemed peaceful. Not quiet, but still somehow peaceful.

How much do you love your public library? If you haven't been there in a while, go for a visit and remind yourself how wonderful they are, because if federal and state government funding keep shrinking they will be less wonderful in the future. For instance, if Connecticut stops funding for the CCAR program, Connecticut residents can say goodbye to inter library loans, returning books to libraries other than where they came from, and any other service that involves transporting materials between libraries.
Check out your library, join their friends organization, and support them through advocacy to the local government if you want to keep them. Most are already running on minimum staff and budget. If you complain that they do not have enough copies of your favorites, then it is probably because their budget has been slashed to the point where they CANNOT afford to buy more than the bare minimum of desired materials.

I will now climb down off my librarian soap box and get to reading down the stack of books and my collection of galleys awaiting me.