Saturday, December 30, 2006
**** Sleeping with the Fishes by MaryJanice Davidson. Contemporary paranormal romance.
In the front of the book, MJD thanks her editor for keeping Sleeping with the Fishes from being "Betsy with fins" by suggesting the switch to third-person. But the truth is, you know what you're getting with a contemporary paranormal romance by MaryJanice Davidson, and you either like it or you don't. She has a very distinct voice that carries through regardless of the series (though her romantica does have a definitely different tone), and her heroines tend to have similar wisecracking voices.
In Sleeping with the Fishes, Fred is half-mermaid, and her life has just become way too exciting. It starts with her walking in on her parents having sex, which, even for a grown-up, is just too icky to contemplate. Then in short order, a mer-prince arrives and announces she's his queen; she gets a new mermaid-Barbie-clone intern; the fish at the aquarium where she works are on a hunger strike, demanding she play the Pet Shop Boys for them; a hunky new marine biologist arrives and actually sees that her hair is green, not the blue most people see... oh, and someone's dumping waste in the harbor.
It's a fun, fast read, full of humor and one-liners.... if I Love Lucy had fins, this would be the novel version. I'm looking forward to seeing these characters again.
...more
Categories: Books, 4stars, ParanormalRomance
Labels: 4 stars, books, ParanormalRomance
Young Miles by Lois McMaster Bujold. Science fiction.
This is an omnibus containing two novels and one novella, and is, if I understand correctly, the second according to the internal chronology of the Vorkosigan series. Thanks again to everybody who nagged me to read these. You were right.
- *****+ The Warrior's Apprentice.
The first Miles book. Apologies to Corrina, but I love Miles, even more than his mother. I am, however, mostly convinced that it was best that I read Barrayar before this one. I might have enjoyed Barrayar more if I'd already been acquainted with Miles, but understanding his earliest history made The Warrior's Apprentice more understandable initially. I think. Eh. It's degrees of excellent, not the difference between 3 and 5 stars.
At the start of the story, Miles is trying to uphold the Vor tradition as well as his parents' more democratic ideals by attempting to enroll in the service academy like everyone else, rather than allowing political pull to just give him a position in the military. He fails the physical test, which sets in motion events that end up with him leading his very own band of mercenaries.
I thoroughly enjoyed Cordelia's Honor, but The Warrior's Apprentice blew me away. It's definitely my kind of story. Impossible odds, humor, excitement, adventure, and a hero with serious disadvantages who gets by on his wits and a talent for leadership. Hmm. Sounds familiar.
- ****½ "Mountains of Mourning".
This is the novella. It's a murder mystery, set in the Vorkosigan universe, with Miles as the detective.
After the events of The Warrior's Apprentice, Miles has to keep a bit of a low profile, and he's sent as his father's representative to solve the crime when a woman claims her husband killed their deformed daughter, in accordance with tradition, but against the new laws. Deformed himself, Miles is the perfect representative to try the case and to demonstrate the reason for the new laws.
It's an engaging story, and the characters and world-building details are excellent. It was just a bit of a let-down after all the excitement of The Warrior's Apprentice.
- ***** The Vor Game.
Miles gets his first posting...as the weather officer at the nastiest training post on Barrayar. He runs afoul of the insane post commander, getting himself arrested saving trainees' lives, so he's reassigned, which sets in motion events leading to him rescuing the Barrayaran emperor and averting a major war, while staying a half step ahead of the people trying to kill him.
As I've come to expect, the characterization is complex and detailed, and the plot has more twists than a Christmas bow.
...more
Categories: Books, 5+stars, 5stars, 4.5stars, ScienceFiction
Labels: 4.5 stars, 5 stars, 5+ stars, books, ScienceFiction
Friday, December 29, 2006
**** Let There Be Suspects by Emilie Richards. Mystery.
I'm reeeeaaallyy behind here, so comments are going to be fairly brief for the next little while.
Let There Be Suspects is my first introduction to this author's mystery books, but the second book in this Ministry is Murder series.
Heroine Aggie Sloan-Wilcox is a minister's wife. Apparently, in the preceding book, she was involved in a murder investigation, so she's in a bit of hot water with at least some members of her husband's congregation. Her sisters are in town for Christmas, as is her mother Junie, whose free-spirit ways endear her to her family, but might cause a few raised eyebrows.
Still, Aggie's dealing with everything well, until her mother's "surprise" arrives: Ginger, their manipulative erstwhile foster sister. Ginger is immediately up to her old ways, but Junie seems oblivious... until Ginger is discovered, murdered, at the outdoor nativity scene, and Aggie's sister Sid is the prime suspect.
The characters are entertaining and vivid, and the resolution of the mystery was logical and satisfying. The setting was realistic, as were the family dynamics. Aggie's family is neither too good to be true nor so quirky that they're cartoonish. I particularly appreciated the portrayal of the small neighborhood church, as a nice change from the judgmental hypocrisy that shows up all too often.
I'm not sure how Aggie will fare over a longer series--it's a small town, and that's always tricky in a mystery series--you start thinking the town's a death trap. But for now, it's a fun, light read, and a nicely seasonal one.
...more
Categories: Books, 4stars, Mystery
Labels: 4 stars, books, mystery
Thursday, December 28, 2006
TT #34
I don't do New Year's Resolutions. I'm more of a New Week Resolution type of person. Every Monday morning is a chance to start over. Sure, I have long-term goals, but it really doesn't work for me to tie them to the new year. But the concept is fun, and I like the idea of periodically taking stock (obviously--I do it every week). So, with a hat-tip to Joshua James's Daily Dojo, here are:
that I have no intention of keeping
- I will get a Mom Haircut. I've been told for years that I'm too old to have long hair, and also that mothers are supposed to keep their hair short. The last time I was at a school function, about 90% of the moms had this identical haircut:
. Maybe I should get with the program. - I'll quit eating chocolate. Just as soon as I finish the dark chocolate Nikolaus I got for St. Nikolaus Day
, and the box of Godiva I got for my birthday 
, and the package of gourmet hot chocolate mix I found in my Christmas stocking 
. - I'll join a gym with glass walls
. Forget the fact that the gym on Miesau is close, and free. I need the motivation of a bunch of strangers being able to watch me work out. - I'll stop complaining about my Tiny Kitchen™
. - I'll keep my house spotless.
Cleanliness is next to godliness, after all. - I will start wearing sensible shoes
. No more shoes like this 
, no matter how incredibly cute I think they are. (also: hah!) - I will start watching sports, and insist that the rest of the family watch, too. Athletes make incredible salaries--it must mean that what they're doing is important enough for us to watch.
- I'll whittle down my TBR pile, and forego buying any more books until I don't have anything left to read.
- I will be strict with my kids. The fact that they're healthy, friendly, intelligent, and responsible is no reason to slack off. After all, they might start thinking for themselves, and then where would we be?
- It's come to my attention that being happily married is passe. I'll have to do something about that. Especially the sex. I understand it's supposed to be extremely rare and boring.
- I will clean out my closets and replace everything with clothes from Land's End.
- I'll start watching reality TV
. I'm not sure how I've managed this long without watching Survivor, American Idol, etc., etc. - I'll spend less time on the computer
and more time on the phone 
.
Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
- Twiga: goals
- what Caylynn got for Christmas
- Skittles: Hollywood Squares
- Jaci Burton: resolutions
- Chickadee's moved
- N. Mallory: goals
- Norma: New Year's finances
- Christine: writing goals
- She: Christmas goodies
- Laura: highlights from 2006
- Julia: Booking Through Thursday
- Racy Li: nameless ninjas and other curiosities
- Teena's week off
- Scribbit: Christmas surprises
- Tink: resolutions
- Candy Minx: random ramblings
- Doug: culinary abominations
- Allie: resolutions
- Michelle: the good and bad about Christmas being over
- what Sparky Duck got for Christmas
- Melody: Happy New Year!
- about The German Girl
- You're next!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Categories: ThursdayThirteen, AboutMe
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
birth order predictor
| You Are Likely A Fourth Born |
 At your darkest moments, you feel angry. At work and school, you do best when you're analyzing. When you love someone, you tend to be very giving. In friendship, you don't take the initiative in reaching out. Your ideal jobs are: factory jobs, comedy, and dentistry. You will leave your mark on the world with your own personal philosophy. |
Oh, good grief. This one's very wrong. I'm a firstborn. I am analytical, though, they got that right--firstborns aren't analytical? Huh.
Categories: AboutMe
Labels: quiz
Monday, December 25, 2006
Flashback: The Pervos
A post over on Balls & Walnuts reminded me of this story, and rather than hijack Doug's comments, I figured I'd post it here. What the heck--my schedule's all shot anyway.
Many moons ago, I was in the Army, in AIT (advanced individual training--this is where I met Carl, by the way). The course was 4 months long, and new classes came in every 6 weeks or so. Classes had about a dozen students.
Because we were stuck in reeeaaally old barracks--open bays, think Private Benjamin--as compensation, we got a lot more freedom than most trainees, and once classes were done for the day, we were cut loose until curfew, and there wasn't a curfew on weekends. There was beer in the day room, and we were allowed to wear civilian clothes.
The class just ahead of us named themselves The Pervos. For good reason. Evenings, they routinely dammed Salado Creek with beer cans. And you had to be careful if you were out walking in the wooded areas, so as not to trip over any drunk &/or copulating Pervos.
Weekends, we'd share cabs and go into town and stay in motels. Though, as we were all mostly broke, we didn't go much further than Austin Highway. The Pervos, being even more broke than the rest of us on account of all the partying, and also being, well, Pervos, all packed themselves into one room.
One memorable Saturday night, we stopped by their room on our way to Rocky's. It's early spring, but it's San Antonio, so it's hot, and it's a cheap motel, so the a/c wasn't working, and the windows were open. We pound on the door, and a couple of Pervos come out, but we're still waiting on a couple more. Finally go to the window, and there they are, in the middle of... well, I suppose it might have been a peculiar form of the Heimlich maneuver, except for being almost entirely unlike that other than the thrusting.
We ask when they'll be ready to leave, and after some discussion, they say they'll meet us there in a half hour or so. And the whole while, the sheet (thank goodness there was a sheet, even if it wasn't completely covering everything) is bouncing up & down, up & down.
Oddly enough, Carl and I, practically poster children for the program (the instructors loved Carl--me, they liked less well, because I kept him from getting the top score in the class), were honorary Pervos. We didn't get a fraction as crazy as they did, but they sure made AIT interesting, and we were sad to see them go when they graduated.
...more
Categories: AboutMe
Many moons ago, I was in the Army, in AIT (advanced individual training--this is where I met Carl, by the way). The course was 4 months long, and new classes came in every 6 weeks or so. Classes had about a dozen students.
Because we were stuck in reeeaaally old barracks--open bays, think Private Benjamin--as compensation, we got a lot more freedom than most trainees, and once classes were done for the day, we were cut loose until curfew, and there wasn't a curfew on weekends. There was beer in the day room, and we were allowed to wear civilian clothes.
The class just ahead of us named themselves The Pervos. For good reason. Evenings, they routinely dammed Salado Creek with beer cans. And you had to be careful if you were out walking in the wooded areas, so as not to trip over any drunk &/or copulating Pervos.
Weekends, we'd share cabs and go into town and stay in motels. Though, as we were all mostly broke, we didn't go much further than Austin Highway. The Pervos, being even more broke than the rest of us on account of all the partying, and also being, well, Pervos, all packed themselves into one room.
One memorable Saturday night, we stopped by their room on our way to Rocky's. It's early spring, but it's San Antonio, so it's hot, and it's a cheap motel, so the a/c wasn't working, and the windows were open. We pound on the door, and a couple of Pervos come out, but we're still waiting on a couple more. Finally go to the window, and there they are, in the middle of... well, I suppose it might have been a peculiar form of the Heimlich maneuver, except for being almost entirely unlike that other than the thrusting.
We ask when they'll be ready to leave, and after some discussion, they say they'll meet us there in a half hour or so. And the whole while, the sheet (thank goodness there was a sheet, even if it wasn't completely covering everything) is bouncing up & down, up & down.
Oddly enough, Carl and I, practically poster children for the program (the instructors loved Carl--me, they liked less well, because I kept him from getting the top score in the class), were honorary Pervos. We didn't get a fraction as crazy as they did, but they sure made AIT interesting, and we were sad to see them go when they graduated.
...more
Categories: AboutMe
Labels: about me
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Link of the Week #29
http://www.pandora.com/
Like having a really perceptive DJ with a huge selection in your office.
It's not just a radio station or MP3 site. You "Tell us one of your favorite artists or songs, and we'll create a station that explores that part of the music universe." Using their Music Genome Project, they analyze the various components of different artists or songs and then play songs that share the same characteristics. You can tweak your stations by letting them know when a song is either just right or all wrong.
The coolest thing is finding new artists, of course, and it's more reliable than just listening to the radio--the songs are tailored to your taste, and they always tell you the name of the song.
Categories: LOTW
It's not just a radio station or MP3 site. You "Tell us one of your favorite artists or songs, and we'll create a station that explores that part of the music universe." Using their Music Genome Project, they analyze the various components of different artists or songs and then play songs that share the same characteristics. You can tweak your stations by letting them know when a song is either just right or all wrong.
The coolest thing is finding new artists, of course, and it's more reliable than just listening to the radio--the songs are tailored to your taste, and they always tell you the name of the song.
Categories: LOTW
Labels: cool links
**** Seven Seasons of Buffy, ed. by Glenn Yeffeth. Non-fiction/essays
Seven Seasons of Buffy is an anthology of essays about... duh... Buffy the Vampire Slayer, written by, it says, "science fiction and fantasy writers." Except that the reason I even knew about this book is that one contributor is Jennifer Crusie, and she's not by any stretch of the imagination a science fiction or fantasy writer. Unless you're one of those terminal cynics who classifies romance as fantasy.
I started reading this back in November, one essay at a time between other books, and I'd initially intended to write something about each of the essays, but there are 22 of them, so it didn't take me long to change my mind about that.
Like any anthology, there are good essays and bad ones. The good ones took some aspect of the show and drew conclusions, and made me think, whether I agreed with them or not. The bad ones rambled on, more or less summarizing the series without actually making a point. Fortunately, there were more good ones than bad.
Of course, the essays that left the biggest impression were the ones that were well-written, but that I disagreed with. Like the one praising Tara. In principle, I agreed, but in the show, she got on my last nerve--I really dislike sad-sack, pitiful, depressed, martyr characters. Worse was the one praising Riley. I could follow the author's reasoning, but she lost me when she claimed that anyone who didn't agree with her was stuck in high school, and that real, adult, mature love was by definition, dull.
The best thing about this anthology is that it provides a lot of food for thought, and springboards for conversation with other Buffy fan(atic)s.
...more
Categories: Books, 4stars, nonfiction
Labels: 4 stars, books, nonfiction
Friday, December 22, 2006
Guest Blogger!
Chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken.
This is substantiated by an article published in the Sept/Oct 2006 issue of Annals of Improbable Research, titled "Chicken Chicken Chicken" by Dr Doug Zongker. This is not to be confused with Prof Jessica Winter's work titled "Pork Pork Pork". Bottom line: Not everything tastes like chicken.
This is substantiated by an article published in the Sept/Oct 2006 issue of Annals of Improbable Research, titled "Chicken Chicken Chicken" by Dr Doug Zongker. This is not to be confused with Prof Jessica Winter's work titled "Pork Pork Pork". Bottom line: Not everything tastes like chicken.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
TT #33
Yesterday was my birthday, and today we're going HERE (Google's English translation), so the fabulously insightful TT I was going to write about growing up/out/older will have to be postponed until some year when I'm organized enough to do it ahead of time. In its place, I'm offering other people's wisdom on the same subject.
- Inside every older person is a younger person - wondering what the hell happened.
- Cora Harvey Armstrong - To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am.
- Bernard Baruch - The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.
- Lucille Ball - It is better to wear out than to rust out.
- Bishop Richard Cumberland - The secret to eternal youth is arrested development.
- Alice Roosevelt Longworth - You grow up the day you have your first real laugh yourself.
- Ethel Barrymore - There are days of oldness, and then one gets young again.
- Katherine Butler Hathaway - For all the advances in medicine, there is still no cure for the common birthday.
- John Glenn - You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely.
- Ogden Nash - If you want to look young and thin, hang around old fat people.
- Jim Eason - Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
- Unknown - If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.
- Abraham Sutzkever - Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
- Mark Twain
Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
- Twiga: wishes
- Caylynn: Weihnachten
- Tink: Yule
- Skittles: gadgets
- Carmen: prices
- Laura: rants
- Shannon: December 21
- N. Mallory: decorations
- ANC SweetNSassy Gal: 2006
- Candy Minx: searches
- Julia: Booking Through Thursday
- BeccaLynn: to do list
- Doug: college
- Melody: Tang Yuan
- You're next!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Categories: ThursdayThirteen
Labels: TT
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
birth date quiz
Some weeks I have trouble picking which quiz to post on Tuesday. Not this week.
..... *blinks* ......
Oh... I get it. It's opposite day over at Blogthings. There can't be any other explanation for this, because this is wrong, wrong, wrong. I'm incurably optimistic, and I'm the least emotion-driven person I know. I'm not vicious, but "warm-hearted" isn't at the top of the list when people try to describe me--it's not even close. And trouble controlling my emotions? Not even during PMS week.
I need to show this to my husband. He's been having a rough couple of weeks, and I think he needs a good laugh.
Categories: AboutMe
| Your Birthdate: December 20 |
 You are a virtual roller coaster of emotions, and most people enjoy the ride. Your mood tends to set the tone of the room, and when you're happy, this is a good thing. When you get in a dark mood, watch out - it's very hard to get you out of it. It's sometimes hard for you to cheer up, and your gloom can be contagious. Your strength: Your warm heart Your weakness: Trouble controlling your emotions Your power color: Black Your power symbol: Musical note Your power month: February |
..... *blinks* ......
Oh... I get it. It's opposite day over at Blogthings. There can't be any other explanation for this, because this is wrong, wrong, wrong. I'm incurably optimistic, and I'm the least emotion-driven person I know. I'm not vicious, but "warm-hearted" isn't at the top of the list when people try to describe me--it's not even close. And trouble controlling my emotions? Not even during PMS week.
I need to show this to my husband. He's been having a rough couple of weeks, and I think he needs a good laugh.
Categories: AboutMe
Labels: quiz
Monday, December 18, 2006
Theory # 34: Readerly Theories--The Usual Romance Heroine
Version 1: Physical Appearance
Oooh, it's Monday! I actually remembered to come up with a Smart Bitches Day post!
This is not so much a theory as a question/complaint.
I just read a romance novella (Lori Foster's "Christmas Bonus") that made a point of the heroine having small breasts. And it struck me, because that's Not The Usual Heroine.
Sure, there are romance heroines out there who are small-breasted, or who are voluptuous, curvy, well-rounded... what we look into our mirrors and call "fat." But they're notable for their rarity. The Usual Romance Heroine looks quite a bit like an actress, except that she's usually shorter than most actresses, who tend to be tall (at least from this vantage point).
She's almost always "too thin," and her breasts, improbably, are "too large." Even if it's not specifically spelled out, at some point in the book, the heroine will need to borrow someone else's clothes, which will invariably be too tight in the bust and too loose in the waist and hips.
And particularly in historicals, she's usually so short that she barely comes up to the hero's sternum, yet she has "long legs." It's also likely that she has "too-full lips" and "too-large eyes".
I'm not a very visually-oriented person, so a character's physical descriptions tend to be background noise to me... unless I'm bashed over the head with them. And when I read the same description in book after book after book, it finally sinks in. It's to the point now where I either get seriously annoyed, or start laughing when I read about another Usual Romance Heroine. The laughing comes when I try to envision this paragon. Mostly, she ends up looking like a comic book heroine, or any generic actress with about half her torso removed (to account for simultaneously having long legs and short stature).
And don't get me started about how much it squicks me to have the heroine be child-sized compared to the hero. I have old friends--a couple who are vastly disparate in size. She's a few inches under 5 foot; he's a few inches over 6 foot. And she still comes up to the middle of his chest, not just to his sternum.
I'm not going to complain about the rarity of fat heroines. That's been done ad nauseum. My question is why are romance heroines described like this? These are books that are, in the vast majority, written by women and for women. Do women really find the boy-with-balloon-breasts physique appealing or easy to relate to? Do the authors think this is what will most appeal to readers, or is it what most appeals to the authors?
I suspect (ah, I knew I'd come up with a theory sooner or later) that it's partly the result of using actresses, with their skinny celluloid-friendly bodies, breast implants, and collagen-injected lips as placeholders, and partly the desire to emphasize the hero's... er... heroic proportions and ability to protect. And maybe there's a bit of authors buying in to the Hollywood image as being The Standard for beauty, or thinking that readers do.
I'm not all that satisfied with that theory, however, so if anyone has a better explanation, I'd love to hear it. Seriously. I'm begging you. Wondering why heroines are described like this pulls me out of the story every time while I think about it and try to come up with a reason. And while it might not completely spoil my enjoyment of a book, it certainly interferes with it.
In the meantime, I'm happier with vague descriptions of heroines, or characters in general. That's against prevailing wisdom, I know, but we all have different tastes--I can't be alone in preferring to add my own details to a general description, can I?
...more
Categories: Theories, Reading, SBD
Oooh, it's Monday! I actually remembered to come up with a Smart Bitches Day post!
This is not so much a theory as a question/complaint.
I just read a romance novella (Lori Foster's "Christmas Bonus") that made a point of the heroine having small breasts. And it struck me, because that's Not The Usual Heroine.
Sure, there are romance heroines out there who are small-breasted, or who are voluptuous, curvy, well-rounded... what we look into our mirrors and call "fat." But they're notable for their rarity. The Usual Romance Heroine looks quite a bit like an actress, except that she's usually shorter than most actresses, who tend to be tall (at least from this vantage point).
She's almost always "too thin," and her breasts, improbably, are "too large." Even if it's not specifically spelled out, at some point in the book, the heroine will need to borrow someone else's clothes, which will invariably be too tight in the bust and too loose in the waist and hips.
And particularly in historicals, she's usually so short that she barely comes up to the hero's sternum, yet she has "long legs." It's also likely that she has "too-full lips" and "too-large eyes".
I'm not a very visually-oriented person, so a character's physical descriptions tend to be background noise to me... unless I'm bashed over the head with them. And when I read the same description in book after book after book, it finally sinks in. It's to the point now where I either get seriously annoyed, or start laughing when I read about another Usual Romance Heroine. The laughing comes when I try to envision this paragon. Mostly, she ends up looking like a comic book heroine, or any generic actress with about half her torso removed (to account for simultaneously having long legs and short stature).
And don't get me started about how much it squicks me to have the heroine be child-sized compared to the hero. I have old friends--a couple who are vastly disparate in size. She's a few inches under 5 foot; he's a few inches over 6 foot. And she still comes up to the middle of his chest, not just to his sternum.
I'm not going to complain about the rarity of fat heroines. That's been done ad nauseum. My question is why are romance heroines described like this? These are books that are, in the vast majority, written by women and for women. Do women really find the boy-with-balloon-breasts physique appealing or easy to relate to? Do the authors think this is what will most appeal to readers, or is it what most appeals to the authors?
I suspect (ah, I knew I'd come up with a theory sooner or later) that it's partly the result of using actresses, with their skinny celluloid-friendly bodies, breast implants, and collagen-injected lips as placeholders, and partly the desire to emphasize the hero's... er... heroic proportions and ability to protect. And maybe there's a bit of authors buying in to the Hollywood image as being The Standard for beauty, or thinking that readers do.
I'm not all that satisfied with that theory, however, so if anyone has a better explanation, I'd love to hear it. Seriously. I'm begging you. Wondering why heroines are described like this pulls me out of the story every time while I think about it and try to come up with a reason. And while it might not completely spoil my enjoyment of a book, it certainly interferes with it.
In the meantime, I'm happier with vague descriptions of heroines, or characters in general. That's against prevailing wisdom, I know, but we all have different tastes--I can't be alone in preferring to add my own details to a general description, can I?
...more
Categories: Theories, Reading, SBD
Labels: reading, sbd, theories
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Link of the Week # 28
I've never sat on Santa's lap--I never believed he was real. And I never took my kids to the Santas at the mall, either, but it's a big tradition, maybe a rite of passage. It's supposed to be fun and exciting, and the source of a cherished holiday photo.
But a lot of kids apparently don't think so. Maybe when parents see this:
the kids are seeing this:
It's magic. That would account for the terrorized kids in these pictures:
Scared of Santa
http://www.southflorida.com/events/sfl-scaredsanta,0,2245506.photogallery?index=1
...more
Categories: LOTW
But a lot of kids apparently don't think so. Maybe when parents see this:
the kids are seeing this:
It's magic. That would account for the terrorized kids in these pictures:
http://www.southflorida.com/events/sfl-scaredsanta,0,2245506.photogallery?index=1
...more
Categories: LOTW
Labels: cool links
Friday, December 15, 2006
Friday's Mini Poll #12
We picked our daughter up at the airport this morning. She's a cute, tiny little thing--21 years old, 5'2", and maybe 95 pounds soaking wet. So she looked pretty darn pitiful after the long flights. She only slept 4 hours the night before her Thursday morning flight from San Antonio to Detroit, then only dozed for an hour on the plane from Detroit to Frankfurt last night. She crashed in the car, then when we got home about 10:30 this morning, she went directly to bed, and she's been there ever since. (It's 6:00 p.m. now)
So that makes 12.5 hours of sleep in the past 3 days.
Tomorrow, she's planning on chaperoning a field trip for her younger brother to an amusement park (yeah, bad timing, I know--if she's feeling too crappy, Carl will go in her place).
So here's my question:
...more
Categories: Polls, AboutMe
So that makes 12.5 hours of sleep in the past 3 days.
Tomorrow, she's planning on chaperoning a field trip for her younger brother to an amusement park (yeah, bad timing, I know--if she's feeling too crappy, Carl will go in her place).
So here's my question:
| |
...more
Categories: Polls, AboutMe
Theory # 33: Relationships that Work, or Those Romance Novels Aren't Too Good to Be True
Version 1: Spin
It seems that lately, I've been bombarded with people complaining about their relationships. Maybe all those holiday lights illuminate our loved ones' faults, or maybe with all the holiday stresses and the days getting shorter, we're expecting more from our relationships. Whatever it is, it's put me in a smug and preachy mood. Or, to put it more charitably, it's made me want to share what insights I've gained over 22+ years of a successful marriage.
Granted, I have The Perfect Husband. Perfect for me, at least. And it's tempting to just bask in the glow and pity everyone who had to settle for second best. But wonderful as he is, I can't really believe he's that unique. And much as I'd like to, I can't take the credit for making him that way. So why am I happy while my friends are complaining? It's all in how you look at things.
Ever have an assignment in school where you had to look at the same object or event from different perspectives? Or a debate class where you had to argue both sides of a question? It's that sort of thing. It's like politics, and putting a spin on things to make your side look good and the other side look bad.
Any decent marriage can look like a romance novel, if you put the right spin on it. And spinning it right, even to yourself, leads to being happier in the relationship, which in turn makes the relationship better. It's not a matter of hiding your head in the sand and ignoring real problems. It's a matter of focusing on the positives.
The irony is, when you focus on the negatives, a few things happen: you see more negatives, you create more negatives, and in all the sea of negatives, true problems get lost.
If you're looking for things to complain about, you'll find them. And the more you look, the more you'll find. And if you complain to your spouse about every little thing, they're going to come to the conclusion that there's no pleasing you, so why bother trying?
Ever look up at a clear night sky, somewhere away from city lights? It's awfully hard to pick out specific stars. It's the same thing with negatives in a relationship. Focus on them, and the fact that you haven't had a meaningful conversation since 1998 doesn't stand out much more than the dirty socks on the floor. But if you focus on the positives--add some overcast or city lights--only the most important ones stand out.
The same goes for positives. Look for them, focus on them, and you'll see them. And when you tell your spouse about them, they'll be more likely to repeat them, and to do other things they hope you'll like. Positive reinforcement. Psych 101. Sounds manipulative, but so is negative reinforcement, with much less appealing results.
Case in point. We had a lunch date yesterday. Yes, that's a euphemism. We did go out for lunch, to my favorite Indian restaurant, no less, but the... ahem... main course was taking advantage of an empty house and having sex without having to worry about being quiet and staying behind the locked bedroom door. In the middle of things, he stopped and pointed out all the things he likes about my body. It was effective, to say the least. And, avoiding TMI territory, it benefitted him, too, because one good turn deserves another, after all.
I've said similar things before (just click on "relationships"--it's one of my favorite topics), but I think it's important enough to repeat. Friends often tell me how lucky I am to have such a great husband/marriage, and I agree, but it's also because that's how I spin it. Maybe because my parents' marriage fell apart, and sucked before it did, part of my self-image is having a successful, happy marriage. Maybe it's pathological and if I were saner, I'd be bitching as much as everyone else. Eh. If it's a choice between sane/normal and happy, I'll pick happy and nuts.
Huh. Ever start writing, think you're going in one direction, then discover you've gone in a completely different direction? I thought I was going to write about men that actually talk, but it turned out to be about spin. Go figure.
...more
Categories: Theories, Relationships
It seems that lately, I've been bombarded with people complaining about their relationships. Maybe all those holiday lights illuminate our loved ones' faults, or maybe with all the holiday stresses and the days getting shorter, we're expecting more from our relationships. Whatever it is, it's put me in a smug and preachy mood. Or, to put it more charitably, it's made me want to share what insights I've gained over 22+ years of a successful marriage.
Granted, I have The Perfect Husband. Perfect for me, at least. And it's tempting to just bask in the glow and pity everyone who had to settle for second best. But wonderful as he is, I can't really believe he's that unique. And much as I'd like to, I can't take the credit for making him that way. So why am I happy while my friends are complaining? It's all in how you look at things.
Ever have an assignment in school where you had to look at the same object or event from different perspectives? Or a debate class where you had to argue both sides of a question? It's that sort of thing. It's like politics, and putting a spin on things to make your side look good and the other side look bad.
Any decent marriage can look like a romance novel, if you put the right spin on it. And spinning it right, even to yourself, leads to being happier in the relationship, which in turn makes the relationship better. It's not a matter of hiding your head in the sand and ignoring real problems. It's a matter of focusing on the positives.
The irony is, when you focus on the negatives, a few things happen: you see more negatives, you create more negatives, and in all the sea of negatives, true problems get lost.
If you're looking for things to complain about, you'll find them. And the more you look, the more you'll find. And if you complain to your spouse about every little thing, they're going to come to the conclusion that there's no pleasing you, so why bother trying?
Ever look up at a clear night sky, somewhere away from city lights? It's awfully hard to pick out specific stars. It's the same thing with negatives in a relationship. Focus on them, and the fact that you haven't had a meaningful conversation since 1998 doesn't stand out much more than the dirty socks on the floor. But if you focus on the positives--add some overcast or city lights--only the most important ones stand out.
The same goes for positives. Look for them, focus on them, and you'll see them. And when you tell your spouse about them, they'll be more likely to repeat them, and to do other things they hope you'll like. Positive reinforcement. Psych 101. Sounds manipulative, but so is negative reinforcement, with much less appealing results.
Case in point. We had a lunch date yesterday. Yes, that's a euphemism. We did go out for lunch, to my favorite Indian restaurant, no less, but the... ahem... main course was taking advantage of an empty house and having sex without having to worry about being quiet and staying behind the locked bedroom door. In the middle of things, he stopped and pointed out all the things he likes about my body. It was effective, to say the least. And, avoiding TMI territory, it benefitted him, too, because one good turn deserves another, after all.
I've said similar things before (just click on "relationships"--it's one of my favorite topics), but I think it's important enough to repeat. Friends often tell me how lucky I am to have such a great husband/marriage, and I agree, but it's also because that's how I spin it. Maybe because my parents' marriage fell apart, and sucked before it did, part of my self-image is having a successful, happy marriage. Maybe it's pathological and if I were saner, I'd be bitching as much as everyone else. Eh. If it's a choice between sane/normal and happy, I'll pick happy and nuts.
Huh. Ever start writing, think you're going in one direction, then discover you've gone in a completely different direction? I thought I was going to write about men that actually talk, but it turned out to be about spin. Go figure.
...more
Categories: Theories, Relationships
Labels: relationships, theories
Thursday, December 14, 2006
TT #32
As we're getting to the end of the year, it's only natural to look back at the past. Okay, so I'm busy today and don't have time to think of anything fancier, but it sounds good, doesn't it? I remember when I first got on the internet. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like things have changed. Everybody's savvier, and I find I actually miss the
Remember all those urgent warnings? About 1 cell phones making gas stations explode or 2 drug needles in pay phone coin return slots or 3 fake perfume salesmen in parking lots? Who didn't think twice after receiving one or twenty of these warnings?
And then there were the truly alarming ones, like the 4 kidney thieves, 5 roach eggs in tacos, or 6 snakes in playground ball pits. They didn't seem very realistic, but you knew that the person who sent you the warning was truly concerned for your safety.
We got all up in arms about the prospect of 7 emails being taxed and 8 people growing bonsai kittens and diligently searched the subject lines of our email for the 9 dozens of virus warnings we received every week.
I haven't received one of these in years.
It wasn't all bad news. That 10 Nieman-Marcus cookie recipe was a great and tasty way to get back at big business. There was always the promise that you could 11 get something for forwarding email, even if it was just a cute animation. And who could forget the scores of 12 inspirational stories?
Sure, I got annoyed about the 237th time I was urged not to let my kids play in ball pits at fast food restaurants, and I never did make those Nieman-Marcus cookies (the recipe looked like ordinary chocolate chip to me--not my favorite), but there's something bittersweet about us all growing up.
Sorry this isn't a fancier TT--our daughter's arriving tomorrow for the holidays, and I need to clean the toilets, do some laundry, and we really ought to clean the car's battery terminals and polish the bumpers before the trip. Fortunately, we've got a case of 13 Coca-Cola, so we're all set.
Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
Note: if you're having trouble leaving a comment, post as "anonymous" and include your URL so I can link you.
- Melody: New Year's Resolution
- Doug: disquieting statements
- Deanna: Christmas wish list
- Caylynn: Christmas wish list
- Julia: Santa Baby
- Chrissie: in the holiday spirit
- Tawny Taylor: gifts for romance writers
- Colleen Gleason: Spamalot
- Christine: holiday specials
- Shannon: origins of Christmas
- Carmen: Christmas wish list
- What's in Skittles's purse
- Tink: Christmas decorations
- Kukka-Maria understands more than she lets on
- Murphy has nothing on N. Mallory
- Jaci Burton: A Christmas Story
- Annie: Christmas characters
- Norma: the un-TT
- Candy Minx: comments
- Michelle: Christmas movies
- Angela/SciFiChick: upcoming movies
- Chickadee: random
- Tanya: traveling
- Scribbit: gifts kids can make
- what ANCSweetNSassyGal wants to be when she grows up
- Jenny Ryan: gifts from Archie McPhee
- You're next!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Categories: ThursdayThirteen
Labels: TT
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
***** Black Ice by Anne Stuart. Romantic suspense.
Wow. I'm a fan of Anne Stuart, but a fairly new one, and I'd been trying to get her backlist before reading the newer books, so the most recent book I'd read was from 1999, and it was a novella. Still, I had faith enough in her older work and in the recommendations of friends who've been raving about her to have bought Black Ice when it first came out. I could have used this book for last month's TBR challenge, too.
Chloe Underwood is a young American woman living her dream--sort of--in Paris. Her job translating children's books doesn't pay much, but it's keeping her in Paris, as long as she has a roommate, so it's enough for now.
When that roommate begs Chloe to take her place as a translator at a meeting of food industry executives (unknown to them both, they're actually arms dealers) at an estate in the French countryside, she's reluctant, but agrees, thinking that if nothing else, she'll get a weekend in the country out of it.
Unfortunately, things don't quite work out that way. Almost immediately, she overhears a suspicious conversation in... German, I think it was, or Russian--anyway, it wasn't French or English, and realizing it would be imprudent at the least to admit she overheard and understood, she pretends to be limited to French and English rather than the several languages she actually knows.
This backfires, however, for undercover assassin Bastien, who sees through her clumsy attempt at hiding her knowledge, so he immediately suspects she's a fellow operative. The only question is, whose side is she on?
From then on, it's nonstop tension with Bastien working on several fronts, trying to complete his mission, trying to figure out who Chloe is and what she's there for, and, to his chagrin, saving her life when the others decide she's too great a risk, at which point his goal becomes to get her out of the country and then complete his mission.
Black Ice is gritty and dark, and mostly lacking in romance genre conventions. The action scenes are reminiscent of those in the better (read: less silly) James Bond movies, and Stuart doesn't hold her punches. Bastien isn't a sweet, gentle man, kind to children and puppies, who just happens to have an unusual job. He's cold and ruthless and deadly. Since it is a romance novel, after all, Chloe does crack his hard shell, but it's not easy or typical.
Despite how harsh the story can be, or maybe because of that, there are some sweet, amusing moments. Like when Chloe, trying to shrug off her growing feelings for Bastien, tells him she has Stockholm Syndrome, and he tells her that Stockholm Syndrome is a myth.
I almost forgot Chloe. Understandable, I suppose, with such a vivid character as Bastien around. Chloe is young, and in way over her head, but she's not stupid. She realizes from the start that things are not as she was led to believe, so she does what she can to confirm her suspicions, then tries to leave. She keeps her head, for the most part, and is realistic as someone of her age and background--not perfect, but not TSTL, either. What impressed me most about Chloe is that she doesn't blindly trust Bastien, either.
The ending caps off the story perfectly. Both Chloe and Bastien have changed because of their experiences together, but they're still recognizable, still the same people.
Black Ice is not your typical romantic suspense novel. There were several places in the book that made me blink and realize just how common those romance or romantic suspense genre conventions are, because I'd fully expected the cliche and didn't get it. Which, of course, made me love it even more.
I'm not going to stop collecting Anne Stuart's backlist, but I think I'll start putting her newest books in my Barnes & Noble shopping cart, too.
...more
Categories: Books, 5stars, RomanticSuspense
Labels: 5 stars, books, RomanticSuspense
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Got this one from Corrina:
Categories: AboutMe
| Your Theme Song is Back in Black by AC/DC |
 "Back in black, I hit the sack, I've been too long, I'm glad to be back" Things sometimes get really crazy for you, and sometimes you have to get away from all the chaos. But each time you stage your comeback, it's even better than the last! |
Categories: AboutMe
Labels: quiz
update
Since I posted here about the LRMC Holiday Ball, I thought I'd post a quick update.
We decided on the black dress & the suit--no big surprise, really. It was just as well--there was only one person at our table in uniform, and he's used to being unique. We had a good time--the program had a nice mix of the funny and the sentimental, and the food didn't suck too horribly. Better, the people we were sitting with were people I enjoyed spending time with. And the music was by the Air Force Band, which was really cool.
Categories: AboutMe
We decided on the black dress & the suit--no big surprise, really. It was just as well--there was only one person at our table in uniform, and he's used to being unique. We had a good time--the program had a nice mix of the funny and the sentimental, and the food didn't suck too horribly. Better, the people we were sitting with were people I enjoyed spending time with. And the music was by the Air Force Band, which was really cool.
 |
Categories: AboutMe
Labels: about me
Monday, December 11, 2006
***** Becoming Americana by Lara Rios. Chick lit.
Becoming Americana is a sequel of sorts to Becoming Latina in 10 Easy Steps (#11). It takes place several years later, when the young Lupe Perez we met in the first book is grown up and working on making it out of the old neighborhood. She's a student at UCLA and volunteers at The Vibe, a center for at-risk teens.
It's not easy. All she wants is to keep her head down, finish school, and get out. But when she helps a fellow student after a mugging, it leads to an article in the school paper making her sound like a heroine and an All-American success story--Bad Girl from the Barrio Makes Good--giving her celebrity and leading people to view her as a type, not a person. To top it off, her professor wants her to write her thesis on Americanization, so she's thinking about what it means to be American.
The story follows Lupe as she escapes her brother; moves in with Nash, The Vibe's director, who she's had a crush on for years; starts to date Will, the student who wrote the article; and has to make a choice between a great job and finishing school.
It's full of emotional ups and downs, gritty realism, love, heartbreak, acceptance, and betrayal. I shared her pain at the decision to leave her family; and I shared her dilemmas of Nash or Will, school or the job. Through it all, however, what Lupe wants is what we all want: to be accepted as ourselves. She made some mistakes and some good choices, and ultimately, everything turned out for the best.
Normally, I complain about epilogues. Not this time. This epilogue was the end of the story--it wouldn't have been finished without it. There's an exception to every rule.
I thoroughly enjoyed Becoming Latina in 10 Easy Steps, but I liked Becoming Americana even better. Because Lupe's past is darker, the story is darker, but it's also full of life and hope.
...more
Categories: Books, 5stars, ChickLit
Labels: 5 stars, books, ChickLit
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Link of the Week # 27
For those of you who don't have snow yet:
http://www.zefrank.com/snowflake/
Make your own snowflake
Categories: LOTW
http://www.zefrank.com/snowflake/Make your own snowflake
Make your design, then set it to rotate in 2D or 3D. Pretty.
Categories: LOTW
Labels: cool links
**½ Deck the Halls. Comedy.
Directed by: John Whitesell
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Danny DeVito
Haven't I seen this movie before? The obnoxious new neighbor, the feud between neighbors, the neighbor with so many Christmas lights you can't sleep, the guy who ends up destroying his own house in his fight against someone else, etc., etc.
Deck the Halls takes a tried-and-true plot (or rather, a combination of elements from tried-and-true plots) and adds absolutely nothing new. The performances were fine, and it had funny moments, but it was also absolutely predictable, which was a huge distraction from the comedy. It's hard to be amused when you know exactly what's coming next.
There's a bit of an attempt to make the movie about both men trying to find meaning in their lives, but there's nothing really character-specific in it, and it gets lost among the cliches.
I love holiday movies, but this one won't make it into my collection.
...more
Categories: Movies, 2.5stars, Comedy
Labels: 2.5 stars, comedy, Movies
****½ Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. Romantic comedy.
Directed by: Frank Capra
Starring: Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur
After seeing the remake, we turned to Netflix for the original. And as usual, the original was head-and-shoulders above the remake, and made the remake seem pretty pointless.
The plot is the same--Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper) unexpectedly inherits a fortune from an uncle he'd never met, then goes to the city to take care of the legalities.
Babe Bennett (Jean Arthur) is a tough newspaper reporter who poses as sweet, innocent Mary Dawson to get the scoop on him.
But instead of a crooked board of directors, there's a greedy cousin, and there are no over-the-top silly jokes. It's still funny, but it doesn't resort to idiocy to accomplish that. Really made me wonder why Hollywood seems to think that only slapstick is funny lately.
It did take me a while to warm up to Gary Cooper in the role. I'd only ever seen him in macho roles, so this mild-mannered character seemed rather odd to me--I'd expected something more like Jimmy Stewart from It's a Wonderful Life. Not that he didn't play the role convincingly--it was just my expectations that were off.
...more
Categories: Movies, 4.5stars, RomanticComedy
Labels: 4.5 stars, Movies, RomanticComedy
