Faith! I don't know how you do it, but you keep me loving your Jane Yellowrock series, and it never gets stale.
Blood Trade brings in all those familiar elements...Jane on Bitsa, Beast-humor, Alpha males acting like alpha males...and still Jane gets the best of them...and the BEST of them. This latest story brings in a new form of vamp...ire, some really scary fights and lots of rotting dead bodies (and NO, I don't mean zombies...in the words of a friend "zombies are getting old...quit beating a dead horse and decapitate it already!"). It also has some amazing riffs on friendship, relationships and family--something I really love about Faith's books.
Part of what makes Jane Yellowrock such a great character is her deep need for family. She deeply and absolutely connects with her work partners, honors the elderly with all the old-fashioned traditionalism of her Cherokee heritage (as we all should), and pushes away the pain of wanting "kits" as Beast does so much. This novel brings much of that to the fore. Good things happen in the midst of some extremely terrible ones....and
EVIL FAITH leaves us knowing that more plot is on the way...
("We're not worthy...we're not worthy...thankyouthankyouthankyou)
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Aggression vs. Being Right
Anybody working in a public place will inevitably deal with someone obnoxious. These people used to utterly upset my day. I would stress...my heart raced, mouth dry, thoughts darting around...wondering "did I do something wrong and just didn't realize?" And yeah, sometimes my tolerance for the irretrievably dense is beyond miniscule...and I MIGHT say something slightly snarky...ya think?
BUT: Most of the time people come up to my desk already locked and loaded, ready for battle. Usually they know they've done something wrong--lost a book, kept it until it's weeks overdue or left it outside in the rain until it's a moldy mess--but it can't be THEIR fault...oh no. And if they act obnoxious enough, talk loudly, quickly, and aggressively enough...I'm supposed to give in.
Guess what...
Librarians aren't all pushovers. Yes, some of us are extremely passive-aggressive (meaning yeah, you'll get your way this time, but don't expect me to find "ANYTHING" you are looking for the next time you ask for help), but I'm not. I will give you every chance to find a way to fix the problem. I WANT people to be able to use the library--heck, maybe one day you'll learn not to be an a--wipe, but don't expect that looming over me, talking down to me, calling me "honey" or going to somebody else at the desk is going to make any difference. Astonishingly enough we have these things called "com-pu-ters" and we can keep notes that everyone at the desk can read as soon as we save them!
Man/Woman up. Admit you've made a mistake. We've all done it. I do it several times a day...and I've learned how to apologize, make it right and move on. I don't need to flagellate myself for my mistakes...and neither should you...and I won't do it to you either. Get over yourself. Fix it. Don't make excuses (unless your child really IS in the hospital or your house burned down). Like the Beatles song..."We can work it out."
BUT: Most of the time people come up to my desk already locked and loaded, ready for battle. Usually they know they've done something wrong--lost a book, kept it until it's weeks overdue or left it outside in the rain until it's a moldy mess--but it can't be THEIR fault...oh no. And if they act obnoxious enough, talk loudly, quickly, and aggressively enough...I'm supposed to give in.
Guess what...
Librarians aren't all pushovers. Yes, some of us are extremely passive-aggressive (meaning yeah, you'll get your way this time, but don't expect me to find "ANYTHING" you are looking for the next time you ask for help), but I'm not. I will give you every chance to find a way to fix the problem. I WANT people to be able to use the library--heck, maybe one day you'll learn not to be an a--wipe, but don't expect that looming over me, talking down to me, calling me "honey" or going to somebody else at the desk is going to make any difference. Astonishingly enough we have these things called "com-pu-ters" and we can keep notes that everyone at the desk can read as soon as we save them!
Man/Woman up. Admit you've made a mistake. We've all done it. I do it several times a day...and I've learned how to apologize, make it right and move on. I don't need to flagellate myself for my mistakes...and neither should you...and I won't do it to you either. Get over yourself. Fix it. Don't make excuses (unless your child really IS in the hospital or your house burned down). Like the Beatles song..."We can work it out."
Monday, March 18, 2013
What makes a person "Alpha"?
Today I was asked to enter nominations for alphas in my favorite kind of literature--urban fantasy. It took some thought, but I have definite favorites and finally worked it into the list below:
Jane Yellowrock/Beast (Faith Hunter)
Atticus (Iron Druid--Keven Hearn)
Acheron (Sherrilyn Kenyon)
Gin Blanco (Elemental Assassin--Jennifer Estep)
Smoky--(Otherworld Series--Yasmin Galenorn)
But what really struck me was the comments from other nominators--for the most part female--who questioned and made excuses for choosing women alphas.
WOW, come on..REALLY? You read about kick-ass females, fighting demons (both real and mental), spinning katana swords, ordering big tough soldiers around and in general making plans and taking names when necessary. And you wonder if it's OKAY to name a female alpha?
Beast would cough a guttural roar in amusement and then knock your girly girlness to the ground! Jane would shake her head, snap her fingers and tell Bruiser to explain it to you...
Gin Blanco would look at you sadly, pull out a meat cleaver and whack up some yummy barbeque, then suddenly appear behind you ready to take out your spleen if necessary.
I DID name 3 of the 5 male alphas...but mainly because my favorite character in Iron Druid is Atticus...but even he knows when to bow to a goddess, and speaking of, Acheron is probably the most powerful character of the group IMHO, and he spent thousands of years saying "yes dear" to a goddess--and now to his wife. And Smoky...well, I think he's more alpha than his wife, Camille, but she has him wrapped around her finger with good sex and a deep need to protect her. So, even the alpha males have strong female influences that make them who they are.
Never ever think that women cannot be Alpha. One of the strongest marriages I know is between two people---both Alphas at work--who manage to work together, each Alpha as needed. I'm the boss at work...and I know that somebody needs to make the plans, organize the situation, be the leader and be the one who takes the heat when something goes wrong. THAT is a good alpha! And women are just as good at it as men.
MEOW ya'll.
Jane Yellowrock/Beast (Faith Hunter)
Atticus (Iron Druid--Keven Hearn)
Acheron (Sherrilyn Kenyon)
Gin Blanco (Elemental Assassin--Jennifer Estep)
Smoky--(Otherworld Series--Yasmin Galenorn)
But what really struck me was the comments from other nominators--for the most part female--who questioned and made excuses for choosing women alphas.
WOW, come on..REALLY? You read about kick-ass females, fighting demons (both real and mental), spinning katana swords, ordering big tough soldiers around and in general making plans and taking names when necessary. And you wonder if it's OKAY to name a female alpha?
Beast would cough a guttural roar in amusement and then knock your girly girlness to the ground! Jane would shake her head, snap her fingers and tell Bruiser to explain it to you...
Gin Blanco would look at you sadly, pull out a meat cleaver and whack up some yummy barbeque, then suddenly appear behind you ready to take out your spleen if necessary.
I DID name 3 of the 5 male alphas...but mainly because my favorite character in Iron Druid is Atticus...but even he knows when to bow to a goddess, and speaking of, Acheron is probably the most powerful character of the group IMHO, and he spent thousands of years saying "yes dear" to a goddess--and now to his wife. And Smoky...well, I think he's more alpha than his wife, Camille, but she has him wrapped around her finger with good sex and a deep need to protect her. So, even the alpha males have strong female influences that make them who they are.
Never ever think that women cannot be Alpha. One of the strongest marriages I know is between two people---both Alphas at work--who manage to work together, each Alpha as needed. I'm the boss at work...and I know that somebody needs to make the plans, organize the situation, be the leader and be the one who takes the heat when something goes wrong. THAT is a good alpha! And women are just as good at it as men.
MEOW ya'll.
Now go vote before the end of March!
http://vampirebookclub.net/alpha-showdown-2013-nominations/comment-page-4/#comment-23073
Monday, March 11, 2013
Pirates (and not the cool Jack Sparrow kind)
Anybody out there love a good bargain? Yeah, pretty much all of us...BUT, what if you knew that your bargain came because somebody stole from someone you admired and cared about (or anybody, really)? Today I discovered Fantasticebooks.com where I can download ebooks from such amazing authors as Faith Hunter, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Suzanne Collins...for as little as 1.50! SO amazing...WOW...
so not cool
They don't have permission to do this. You can kind of tell that it's from a foreign country that doesn't normally speak English: awkward phrasing, a different way to list prices (1.5=1.50) and possibly because if it came from the U.S. there would be lawyers streaming in from every side to turn them into chum.
Don't use them. It's not worth it. We have these wonderful things called PUBLIC LIBRARIES, and guess what? You can download eBooks through your local library--for Free. If you don't mind trying the odd new author or a short work...even Amazon will drop freebies on your Kindle. And if you don't mind spending time in a bookstore (and who wouldn't?)...you can visit Barnes and Noble and read the books for free--at least the first few chapters--by just starting up your Nook and looking for them.
Another great option is checking out publishers' websites. Baen Books (who publishes Larry Coreia,author of the Grimnoir Chronicles--if you haven't read them, you should) provides a bundle with older titles for you to download and keep, again, for free, a new one each month.
And if you love Faith Hunter...check her home page. She's great about giving first chapters, odd outtakes and short stories. Other authors do it too. Heck, I had a great few days reading about Nora Robert's vacation in Greece--she posted every day about the beautiful scenery, gorgeous Greeks and amazing food. It was fun. And free.
Wouldn't you rather your favorite authors made enough to keep writing new stuff? Wouldn't you rather help your local library's circulation (so they can stay in business too)? Wouldn't you rather not help people who steal from the creative beings who make your reading so much fun?
Let's stop giving our booty to the pirates.
so not cool
They don't have permission to do this. You can kind of tell that it's from a foreign country that doesn't normally speak English: awkward phrasing, a different way to list prices (1.5=1.50) and possibly because if it came from the U.S. there would be lawyers streaming in from every side to turn them into chum.
Don't use them. It's not worth it. We have these wonderful things called PUBLIC LIBRARIES, and guess what? You can download eBooks through your local library--for Free. If you don't mind trying the odd new author or a short work...even Amazon will drop freebies on your Kindle. And if you don't mind spending time in a bookstore (and who wouldn't?)...you can visit Barnes and Noble and read the books for free--at least the first few chapters--by just starting up your Nook and looking for them.Another great option is checking out publishers' websites. Baen Books (who publishes Larry Coreia,author of the Grimnoir Chronicles--if you haven't read them, you should) provides a bundle with older titles for you to download and keep, again, for free, a new one each month.
And if you love Faith Hunter...check her home page. She's great about giving first chapters, odd outtakes and short stories. Other authors do it too. Heck, I had a great few days reading about Nora Robert's vacation in Greece--she posted every day about the beautiful scenery, gorgeous Greeks and amazing food. It was fun. And free.
Wouldn't you rather your favorite authors made enough to keep writing new stuff? Wouldn't you rather help your local library's circulation (so they can stay in business too)? Wouldn't you rather not help people who steal from the creative beings who make your reading so much fun?
Let's stop giving our booty to the pirates.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Finding a Vein of Gold--Jane Yellowrock
Finding a new author with a good series is a bit like being a gold miner and finding a new rich vein of ore. Thanks to my friend Beth Bostic, I discovered Faith Hunter and her Rogue Mage series...a great post-apocalyptic (but not in the way you might think) trilogy set in the Appalachian mountains. Interesting characters...an unusual magic set up...great characters you actually CARE about. Really great.
Then I found Jane Yellowrock. Kickass tough chick who just happens to be a cougar shifter, Jane is SO much more than your typical "I can change into nifty animals." She has an alter-ego. Beast lives in Jane's heart, pads through the corridors of her thoughts, funny, sad, fierce and fiercely HERSELF, I think of Beast as another character, albeit, one that can only find the physical when Jane allows it (usually).
Jane is complex...even without the added layer of Beastly-ness. Guilt rides her--for things that she can't control--for people she cannot always protect--for lives lost. She doesn't like herself much.Good thing Faith loves her and convinces us to love her too, with other characters who may want to strangle Jane, but always show affection, annoyance and often, love. I look forward to her nicknames for the tough guys in her life. I appreciate the connections she's making with her native past. I wonder what she (and Beast) will get into next.
Add to this the Asheville connection--YAY! First Laurell K. Hamilton, now Faith Hunter have found Asheville!--which gives me a little thrill every time Jane makes her way here, I wish more that Faith could come and do a book talk. :) (hint, hint)
If you've never heard of Faith Hunter and you read urban fantasy--consider her now. First book in the series: Skinwalker.
Take a look. You won't be sorry.
Then I found Jane Yellowrock. Kickass tough chick who just happens to be a cougar shifter, Jane is SO much more than your typical "I can change into nifty animals." She has an alter-ego. Beast lives in Jane's heart, pads through the corridors of her thoughts, funny, sad, fierce and fiercely HERSELF, I think of Beast as another character, albeit, one that can only find the physical when Jane allows it (usually).
Jane is complex...even without the added layer of Beastly-ness. Guilt rides her--for things that she can't control--for people she cannot always protect--for lives lost. She doesn't like herself much.Good thing Faith loves her and convinces us to love her too, with other characters who may want to strangle Jane, but always show affection, annoyance and often, love. I look forward to her nicknames for the tough guys in her life. I appreciate the connections she's making with her native past. I wonder what she (and Beast) will get into next.
Add to this the Asheville connection--YAY! First Laurell K. Hamilton, now Faith Hunter have found Asheville!--which gives me a little thrill every time Jane makes her way here, I wish more that Faith could come and do a book talk. :) (hint, hint)
If you've never heard of Faith Hunter and you read urban fantasy--consider her now. First book in the series: Skinwalker.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Making connections
The more time I spend on the computer filling blank screens with my erudite words and clever sayings (IMHO) the less time I spend actually TALKING to my friends and family. I am afraid. Right now I know one of my friends is home (she just posted on Facebook) and I would love to talk with her--make plans for lunch or whatever! Instead, I'm worried that I will disturb whatever she is doing and instead I send her cute pictures and silly things that other people made to keep us amused.
I think we all need more "face-TIME" and less "FaceBOOK." More meeting spaces and less MYSpaces. Guess what! If you don't have an actual conversation with someone--you can honestly think you are the smartest and best in the world--WHICH YOU ARE (as long as you are sitting alone at a computer).
People are worth getting to know. Computers can be an aid, but shouldn't replace that. It is unfortunate when I see one of my friends (who was always best in groups of one or two anyway) become a regular crowd-pleaser...as long as she is on the computer. Real life gets harder and harder as she goes. Why should she live the inconvenience of having to deal with live friends who might argue with her (and can't be turned off), might tease her (without a smiley face), or even stay later than she wants--without a TTFN "click" being possible?
Kind of pisses me off.
And at work...when I see 40 people sitting side by side--each in his or her own world? Makes me wonder if they EVER make friends that they can actually hug or have dinner with. Emails are great, but they shouldn't take the place of cards and letters. Letters require you to think. They can be beautiful...and it's YOUR beauty that makes it happen...your artistry at work. Letters give you the time to decide--Should I really send this?
Maybe this isn't catty enough...but I suggest everyone get off the keyboard and go find someone to talk with.
I think we all need more "face-TIME" and less "FaceBOOK." More meeting spaces and less MYSpaces. Guess what! If you don't have an actual conversation with someone--you can honestly think you are the smartest and best in the world--WHICH YOU ARE (as long as you are sitting alone at a computer).
People are worth getting to know. Computers can be an aid, but shouldn't replace that. It is unfortunate when I see one of my friends (who was always best in groups of one or two anyway) become a regular crowd-pleaser...as long as she is on the computer. Real life gets harder and harder as she goes. Why should she live the inconvenience of having to deal with live friends who might argue with her (and can't be turned off), might tease her (without a smiley face), or even stay later than she wants--without a TTFN "click" being possible?
Kind of pisses me off.
And at work...when I see 40 people sitting side by side--each in his or her own world? Makes me wonder if they EVER make friends that they can actually hug or have dinner with. Emails are great, but they shouldn't take the place of cards and letters. Letters require you to think. They can be beautiful...and it's YOUR beauty that makes it happen...your artistry at work. Letters give you the time to decide--Should I really send this?
Maybe this isn't catty enough...but I suggest everyone get off the keyboard and go find someone to talk with.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Kids and Cats
Okay, so everyone thinks that it is SO cute to see a little kid holding a kitten up by it's front legs "showing" it to the camera. Everyone is an IDIOT. Cats don't like it any better than you would. And what is the point of giving a kid a kitten without teaching him or her how to handle cats? Kitties are not DOLLS. You can't leave kids alone with them and expect it to end well.
I bring this up because a friend of mine just told me a horrifying tale. A well-meaning woman got her two hellion darlings a nigh-defenceless little kitten. Then left them alone in a room with it. When she came back the little kitty had a broken neck. Of course the boy is crying...his TOY is dead and can't be fixed.
And after explaining how sorry he was--her first thought--"Maybe I should get an older cat next time."
Oh, please DO. Preferably one with sharp fangs, long claws and a bad attitude. You have to TRAIN THEM YOU MORON!!!! And I don't mean the cats.
And if they don't learn--it's a good sign you will be morgaging the house one day to bail them out for murder.
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