Reading

A Year in Reflection: 2013

~ Shara ~ 7 Comments

Every year, I struggle to believe that it’s already over. I remember when I was a child, when my year was structured into definitive patterns: school, break, vacation, etc. Now the months just slide on by, because every day of every month is marked with more of the same. Work, eat, sleep, repeat. When I was compiling addresses for Christmas cards this year, I always felt at a loss when people asked what I’ve been up to lately, because for me, the answer is, the same old thing. I don’t look at my life as anything interesting or exciting, and as a result, when people ask what’s up, all I do is shrug, you know?

I realized, a few days ago, that such a response is somewhat disingenuous of me. Because while my life is not filled with the crazy ups and downs (we don’t have kids, we’re not having marital difficulty, we’ve not moved or had major job upheavals, etc), there are things I should be really, really proud of this year, things that are worth talking about. So I thought I’d share them here, with you.

1) I retired the book blog. It was a bittersweet event, but one I knew needed to happen, because it was a major source of anxiety for me, and I found I was getting more and more jaded by the books I read, rather than simply enjoying them for what they were. Looking back, I’m very proud of all the work I did there and the community I fostered, but I don’t regret closing it. I can’t believe I found the time to read so much or write so many reviews. But that’s because I’ve filled that time with other things.

2) I’m slowly getting over my cooking-phobia. It’s a running joke in mine and my husband’s families: I don’t cook. I can do a few things, sure, but any more than those few things I’m likely to screw up somehow (like the time I put the Hot Pocket in the microwave without its cooking sleeve). My husband and I have a handful of things we argue about, and cooking is one of them. However, ever since I discovered the Andes Mint Cookie recipe, I’ve been starting to branch out and getting a wee bit more comfortable in the kitchen. Mostly cookies, and cake-mix cookies at that. However, I’ve also tried a few glazes for salmon, and of the meals we usually make, I started helping out more and have gradually gotten to the point where, if need be, I can do it myself. I know I need to branch out even more, but this year’s been a good step.

3) I’ve actually developed an exercise regimen and I’ve stuck to it. Mostly. The spring got me walking again, and my employer’s walking initiative kicked my motivation into competitive mode so that I can reach and pass 10,000 steps a day. Not only did that get me walking daily, but it also got me on the elliptical every morning before work for 30 minutes. The walking initiative is over, and with the time change and colder weather, walking is on the back-burner until the weather warms up again, but I’ve kept up the elliptical, which is something of an amazing accomplishment for me. I’d like to find something to complement it next year, and that’s going to take some digging, but working out on a regular basis has been an amazing thing, not because I love exercise or anything, but because I’ve kept it up (we won’t talk about the recent holiday gorging on sweets or the days I’ve been skipping due to my cold, no sir).

4) While I can’t talk specifics, we reached a great milestone at work, and as a result, I was treated to an all-expense paid trip to St. Louis to visit headquarters and attend some fantastic sessions to keep upping my game at work and sessions that I could also apply to my own personal life in terms of, well, just being better. Learning how to undo negative thinking and trying to take more positive routes isn’t something that’s done overnight, but trying to take the more positive route in my head instead of the negative one has been really helpful and uplifting. I find myself more cheerful and less stressed. That doesn’t mean NO stress. I’ve had a few late nights at work where it felt like everything was piling up on me, but the difference is before, I would’ve gone home with a migraine, and now I’m not. This is something I’m still working on, but that trip to St. Louis taught me a lot about myself and my job and what I want to accomplish, and that’s a good thing.

5) This is more nebulous, but I realized I’ve got to stop compartmentalizing my life. I’ve always treated my life like a little kid treats their dinner plate: things must not touch! So I had college friends in one box, writing friends in another, family in another, my interests in a billion different ones, and so on and so forth. Do you know how draining it is trying to be one person for each of things things, rather than embracing it all and saying if you don’t like it, fuck it? Seriously. Growing up, I groomed myself to be the kind of person that is accommodating and to be what other people want and expect. And to some extent, that’s a good trait to have (especially when you work with the public on any level), but everywhere else, it’s exhausting. I shouldn’t be apologetic for my interests, no matter how disparate they appear, and I need to stop living in the mind set of “One day, when I grow up, life will be THIS.” Fuck that. I’m 33 years old and living life NOW. What, exactly, am I waiting for? It’s time to take who and what I am and take the cards life’s given me and play the best hand possible, rather than waiting on the magical winning hand that’ll give me the ever-elusive jackpot. And on that note:

6) Like Minute Maid’s slogan says, “Put good in, get good out.” Where I live often gives me a crushing feeling of isolation. None of the people I would call good friends or even best friends are local, and all the writing events or readings I would love to attend aren’t even remotely local, which means in order to visit the people I love, or attend the events I want to, I need to travel, which costs vacation time and money, both of which are not limitless. As a result, I’d find myself feeling bruised and chafed when friends would talk about things they did on Facebook, things I would’ve loved to do but I wasn’t able to (or wasn’t invited). But I realized: what do I expect? I’m not reaching out to these people, I’m not making my interests or wants or desires known. I’ve let my relationships go stagnant, so how can I expect them to include me when I’m probably just an occasional reminder on a Facebook page? I have to start putting myself out there. I have to start re-cultivating these relationships. I have to stop looking at my local friendships as less superior and embrace the time I have with these people, because while I am an introvert by nature, I require a healthy dose of social interaction. In person, online, whatever: put good in, get good out. Time to stop looking in and start looking out.

7) Part of that “put good in, get good out” philosophy is something I’m attributing to myself as a writer. Last year, I finished the crap-draft of a fantasy novel that, in 2014, I’m going to sit down and really hammer into shape. But for 2013, I’m close to finishing a prequel novel to my thesis novel (code name Telepathic Soulmates for those of you who are following up on that). The prequel wasn’t originally going to be an actual novel, but it’s kind of turned into that. I would kill to have it done by the end of the year, but that means I probably shouldn’t be writing this blog post, because I’ve got a decent chunk to churn out if I want to meet that deadline. Regardless, I’ve been happy with my progress this year. I’m starting to take myself a little more seriously as a writer, and I’m trying to look ahead about what I want to accomplish, when I want to accomplish it, and how. The Telepathic Soulmates world is a big one, and I realize it’s not something I want to rush out, because I’m still making discoveries that are molding and shaping the world and its characters. That’s why I’m going to polish the fantasy novel (code name: Magic Elves) next year so that I’ll have something to shop around that isn’t my precious, you know? Also helping shape my writerly frame of mind is the weekly podcast Writing Excuses (15 minutes, because you’re in a hurry, and they’re not that smart–>that’s their slogan. If that doesn’t make you want to listen to the podcast, I don’t know what will). If you’re a writer of any sort (hobby, amateur, want-to-be-professional, whatever), start listening to this puppy. It’s free, and it’s worth it.

8) On December 30th, my husband and I will celebrate our 15 year Together anniversary, and our 5 year wedding anniversary. That’s right: we got married on our ten year dating anniversary. The plan, provided this cold I’m fighting doesn’t get in the way, to go to our favorite fancy-pants restaurant and enjoy good food and good drinks. But 15 years together without killing each other is an amazing thing, and hell, so is five years married. We’ve got each other, and we’ve got the cat. Things are good.

9) I got off the pill. Women know of what I speak. While the hubby and I aren’t trying to have children, being on the pill for so long was doing things to my hormone levels that frankly wasn’t good for me mentally. I’ve been off the pill since June, and that, combined with the exercise and various tweaks I’m making to my diet, have me feeling far, far better, which makes everyone happy.

10) No list is complete without 10 items, right? So last but not least, I’m trying to be more decisive. It’s not that I wasn’t before, but you remember what I said about being accommodating? It’s a bad thing when you’re doing it all the time, or when you think your wants aren’t as important, or you feel like you shouldn’t have the things you want for whatever reason (but namely reasons that are all in your head and involve you punishing yourself). So to that affect, I’ve been trying to be a bit more assertive in the little things: if I want something (for dinner, to listen to on a car ride, to watch a particular movie), I say so. If I definitely don’t want something, I say so. It doesn’t mean I get my way every time, but at least I’m making a clear declaration, you know?

BONUS ITEM: I served on a jury for the first time this year, on a murder trial no less. It was fascinating, and if you missed my break down, you can read all about it here.

That’s my 2013. There were other minor ups and downs, but nothing to expound upon here (though I could put up a post from my cat’s point of view of the year. That would be mighty entertaining). I’ll probably try and put up a post about what I hope for 2014 or what I look forward to, but that’s gonna have to wait. Right now, I’ve got laundry to do, reading to do, and a book to finish writing.

How was your 2013? What was your biggest accomplishment? Any regrets? Things that you want to make better?

2013 Epic Book Sale: Round One

~ Shara ~ 6 Comments

EDIT: 1/2/2014: ROUND ONE OF THE BOOK SALE IS NOW CLOSED

If you ever followed me back during my book reviewing days, you know that, off and on, I would host a book sale in order to clear off some non-existent shelf space (non-existent because I pretty much have NONE, and when you have over 1500 books, that’s a problem). Well, it’s that time again, only THIS time, I’m getting more and more ruthless about what I’m letting go of. I’m not getting rid of only stuff that I disliked or found okay: some of the stuff I’m selling I actually REALLY liked, or outright loved. But I have to sit back and ask myself if there’s a high likelihood of me re-reading something, and if the answer is no, do I really need to keep it around to take up space?

The answer in most cases is no. There’s a reason I’m moving to digital.

At any rate, what I’m presenting beneath the cut are the available books for sale. This is round one. A second round will happen when I’ve had the chance to REALLY dig through my closet and get into the Tupperware boxes that house the rest of my collection.

Here are the basics:

Prices per book

Mass market paperbacks: $1.00
Trade paperbacks: $3.00
Hardcovers: $5.00

Shipping

I will ship to U.S. and Canadian addresses only. I am located in the U.S., so if you are in Canada, please note that shipping will not be any less than $10.00; in fact, it’ll likely be more.

How to Order

Here’s how it works:

In an email to calico.reaction @ gmail.com (take out the spaces before you hit send, yo), tell me the following:

1) Which books you want.
2) Your mailing address (please be complete as possible, especially if you are in Canada).
3) Shipping preferences: first class or media mail (if you’re located in Canada, there’s no choice for you here), tracking number, and/or insurance.
4) Preferred email address for PayPal invoicing.

Once I get your order, I will box everything up and send you an invoice via PayPal. Once payment is received (payment includes the cost of the books, the shipping, and any additional services necessary), I will ship your books and pass along any tracking information you requested.

Please note: If it’s an option, Media Mail will traditionally be cheaper, but don’t put yourself in a position where you’re going to want to take books in and out of an order and try to tweak the price to get under a certain amount. I’ve had that happen in the past, and I’d ask that anyone wanting to make a purchase to be confident about what they want and how they want it before placing an order. It takes time to find the right-sized box, pack it up, and get a quote, and to have to do that multiple times for the same order makes my eyes cross uncomfortably.

With that in mind, I’m sure you’re wanting to see what books are for sale, right? Click behind the cut, and let’s get started:

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Culture Consumption: November 2013

~ Shara ~ 7 Comments

Look at me being all on time for my November tallies! Aren’t you impressed? It was a busy month, but I think I did a marginally better job reading in November than I did in October. Here’s how it shook out:

And as always, I’m happy to jabber about anything that’s on the following lists. If you want my opinion about something, just comment and ask.

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Culture Consumption: October 2013

~ Shara ~ 13 Comments

So I’m actually trying to be ON TIME for my October list. It helps that I’ve got the house to myself at the moment, but given that I’d like to watch a movie AND go write, I should get this thing wrapped up pretty quick. Thankfully (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), there’s not a WHOLE lot to share outside of comics.

Without further adieu, let’s look at October’s entertainment tallies!

And as always, I’m happy to jabber about anything that’s on the following lists. If you want my opinion about something, just comment and ask.

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Stay-Cation Ideas

~ Shara ~ 10 Comments

So. The end of the year is nigh, and I’ve got a few vacation days left to schedule. We’ve already taken our trip for the year (Atlanta to see the Braves play against the Phillies in the last series of the regular season; also, the zoo!), so any remaining vacation days will likely just be days OFF, unless we decide to do a day trip somewhere. And of late, I’ve been feeling like my free time is taken up with chores and obligations. Laundry is endless, and now that I’ve established a walking routine, that takes a good chunk out of my free time too. I’m THISCLOSE to finishing my Hellblazer read and I’m getting ready to dig into House of Leaves in earnest, both items that belong on the “Stuff My Husband Makes Me Read.”

In short, I find myself lacking the time and liberty to do stuff for me. Stuff that’s not necessarily productive, but refreshing and enjoyable all the same. So while I may not be able to do the following on my remaining vacation days, I’m going to keep them in the back of my mind for future days off. I really wish I’d had this list in 2010, because not only was I recovering from gallbladder surgery, but I had a ton of vacation to use up before the end of the year (it was the last year I had more vacation time than my husband, who’d just changed jobs).

Anyway, if I had a week off to myself with no other obligations, here are some things I’d try to do:

1) Turn Mount TBR into a Slush Pile

For those of you not familiar with industry jargon, a slush pile is what magazines and editors get: unsolicited manuscripts from writers hoping to get published. Slush readers review your cover letter, read your sample, and either pass your work up the line for the higher-ups to read or send you a rejection.

What I’d like to do is take my TBR pile (books I’ve bought because I thought they were interesting) and turn it into a slush pile. First, I’d divide the TBR into two piles: stuff I know I’m gonna read because it’s a sequel of something I love or its by an author I love will go in one pile to go straight back to the shelf, and the second pile will be the stuff up for slush. Then I’d take that slush pile and read the first thirty pages. Or the first chapter. Or just enough to give me an idea whether or not I’m still interested in reading the book and whether or not the writing and all that entails holds my interest. If so, yay! I’ll put the book back into Mount TBR for later consumption. If not, boo! Book goes into the rejection pile to be placed on Paperback Swap or go to a used book store at a later date.

And I’m pretty sure I’d need a full week to do this. To date, I have 267 books in the TBR pile, not including the 37 books in my Star Wars TBR pile, and that doesn’t include all the books I didn’t add to Mount TBR because they’re collector’s items or classics or nonfiction I want to have but just not read right now. And the TBR pile is hungry, and it is always growing.

BTW: TBR = To-Be-Read

2) Disney Movie Marathon!

Let’s be real: I’m a Disney fangirl. Not of all things Disney, just mostly the Princess stuff. And Oliver and Company. And The Lion King. And, well, okay, I just love Disney animated features. When Disney first started re-leasing their animated movies on DVD in the Platinum Editions (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, I started collecting DVD sets. Sure, I was in college, and no, I didn’t have kids, but I was going to have those DVDs!

What would I watch? Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Robin Hood, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Beauty and the Beast, Oliver & Company, The Little Mermaid, The Little Mermaid II, The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning, and The Lion King. Then I’d find a way to get my hands on Aladdin, Bambi, Cinderella, Peter Pan, The Lady & The Tramp, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Fox and the Hound, The Aristocats, Pocahontas, and Mulan. THEN, if I still had time, I’d just hit the Pixar collection hard, and people would probably never see or hear from me again.

Is it any wonder I’m such a fan of Once Upon a Time?

3) Favorite Movie Marathon!

Sometimes, I just want to curl up on the sofa and watch a favorite movie. It rejuvenates me, invigorates me, inspires me. Reminds me why I want to be a writer. OR sometimes those favorite movies that are just plain fun that I enjoy the hell out of. But, we’ve got so many NEW things on Netflix and Hulu and iTunes to watch that it’s hard to justify a re-watch, and even if my husband and I agree to watch something we’ve already seen, it’s rare that we’re in the mood to re-watch the same thing.

So what would I pop in? The Lord of the Rings trilogy, extended editions. Top that with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: The Extended Edition. Then I’d slap Star Wars in there, ALL SIX MOVIES, but in machete order (maybe). After those genre-defining classics, I’d pull out Moulin Rouge, Shakespeare in Love, The Princess Bride, Fight Club, The Fountain, Big Fish, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick, Love Actually, Jurassic Park, King Arthur, The Last Samurai, The Last Unicorn, Newsies, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Spaceballs, The Sound of Music, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, The Truman Show, Titanic, The Three Musketeers (Disney version), Casino Royale (Daniel Craig version), 500 Days of Summer, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, The Matrix, Moon, The Orphanage, Star Trek (yes, the Abrams version), Stargate, V for Vendetta and Wall*E.

And this is just the stuff I’ve got a hard copy of. I’m probably blanking on some movies that I loved but don’t own (for the most part, we’ve stopped buying things on DVD/BluRay). Also, I’m sure this list calls into question my tastes, but at least there’s some variety to the list, right? And there are some classics here that if you don’t like, well, you might be an alien. 😉

Pretty sure this plan would take, like, a month to get through. 🙂

4) One-Season Wonder Marathon!

Then there’s television. There are shows that I absolutely love but were canceled way too soon. My husband really isn’t interesting in re-watching any of these because they didn’t end “properly,” but I say screw that: the shows were captivating in their own way, and I want to remember why I loved them so. So via Netflix or Hulu or whatever method I could get my hands on, I’d marathon Defying Gravity, Awake, Pushing Daisies, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Better Off Ted. And let’s just throw in Deadwood for good measure.

Again, that’s just the stuff I can remember.

So there are my stay-cation plans, should the stars ever align for me to take advantage of at least one of them. Which one do you like best, or at the very least, which one do you see yourself doing? What are YOUR stay-cation ideas?

Culture Consumption: September 2013

~ Shara ~ 19 Comments

I know this is dreadfully late, but for a while I was seriously considering not doing these posts. Then I realized I liked doing them, as it gave me a chance to talk about STUFF, and what I really didn’t want to do was go link-hunting. So I decided to leave out the links. If you’re really interested in something, go Google it. Or ask me in the comments and I’ll send a link your way. 🙂

Without further adieu, let’s look at September’s entertainment tallies!

And as always, I’m happy to jabber about anything that’s on the following lists. If you want my opinion about something, just comment and ask.

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Culture Consumption: August 2013

~ Shara ~ 16 Comments

I know, I suck at updating. I have a plan: when I finish reading my daily Hellblazer issue, I will devote my lunch break to crafting blog posts instead, which is currently when I read the daily Hellblazer issue. Sound fair? I hope so. Hopefully, I’ll get to post more soon, but in the meantime, let’s look at August’s entertainment tallies!

And as always, I’m happy to jabber about anything that’s on the following lists. If you want my opinion about something, just comment and ask.

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Culture Consumption: July 2013

~ Shara ~ 13 Comments

This month, instead of listing all of the books and stories I read in the month prior, I’m going to do something a little different. I’m still going to list the books and stories, but I’m also going to include the comics I read this month. And the movies I watched. And the television shows. That way if anyone wonders how my writing is going, all they’ll have to do is look at this list and immediately know the answer. 🙂

And as always, I’m happy to jabber about anything that’s on the following lists. If you want my opinion about something, just comment and ask.

Continue reading →

So Behind….

~ Shara ~ 12 Comments

Oy, it’s been a while since I’ve posted, so let’s summarize with a list:

1) My cat had a virus a couple of weeks ago. Strange to think that an indoor-only cat could get a VIRUS of all things, but as my vet explained, things can get on your shoes. I walk daily, and my cat LOVES my tennis shoes. So, after a scary bout of non-normal vomiting from my cat, the tennis shoes stay in the closet, and he’s feeling much better. After getting a couple of shots and sleeping the virus off, of course. And thank goodness. At his age (11 years) and weight (17 pounds), any irregular vomiting is something to be concerned about.

2) It’s been raining cats and dogs here. We’re lucky in that we were still able to have fun at two cookouts on the 4th of July, but the rain is ridiculous. And insulting. Somethings I feel like the Big Man Upstairs should pay attention and share the wealth: the fact the East is getting hit with a crapton of rain while the west is burning? Not cool, man… not cool.

3) Due to the rain, I haven’t been able to walk since Thursday. And Thursday morning, when I walked, I forgot to wear my glasses. That was fun. And blurry.

4) Oh, yes, I had a 4.5 day weekend. Full of RAIN. But I made up for that by reading for the Hugos and watching Netflix like a boss.

5) Did you know there’s a movie called Trollhunter and it’s not a SyFy Original Movie? Did you know it’s actually good? Frightening, I know, but if you get a chance to watch, give it a shot: it’s actually a foreign film. I thought the make-up of the trolls was a tick too Jim Henson-ish for my tastes, but the effects and story? Surprisingly enjoyable.

6) I was writing daily, and then I stopped. I blame vacation time. And lots of reading. It’s a pendulum, I swear: if I’m reading a lot, I’m not writing, and if I’m writing a lot, I’m not reading.

7) On the 4th of July, I finally got to try dandelion wine for the first time. Surprisingly sweet, and very enjoyable.

8) That’s all I’ve got for now. Tomorrow is Monday, which means getting back to the grind. Yay?

June Reading

~ Shara ~ 30 Comments

I’m not sure where June went, exactly, but I want it back. No, seriously. I want it back. 🙂 It’s been a bitch of a month for focusing on reading, and while it looks like I read a LOT in June, do not let this list fool you. There’s two graphic novels in this bunch, as well as a half-a-dozen short stories. It’s Hugo-Reading time, and it’s just as well: I don’t seem to have much patience for novels right now.

Below is a list of what I managed to complete in June. There will be no forthcoming reviews, but if you want to talk about something in particular, feel free to ask in the comments. 🙂

Finished Books: June

The Boy Who Cast No Shadows (2011)
Written by: Thomas Olde Heuvelt
Genre: Short Fiction/Modern Fantasy

In Sea-Salt Tears (2012)
Written by: Seanan McGuire
Genre: Short Fiction/Urban Fantasy

Mantis Wives (2012)
Written by: Kij Johnson
Genre: Short Fiction/Science Fiction

Immersion (2012)
Written by: Aliette De Bodard
Genre: Short Fiction/Science Fiction

Mono No Aware (2012)
Written by: Ken Liu
Genre: Short Fiction/Science Fiction

The Ocean at the End of the Lane (2013)
Written by: Neil Gaiman
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Pages: 192 (Hardcover)

For a Few Demons More (2007)
Written by: Kim Harrison
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 360 (Mass Market Paperback)

Porn & Revolution in the Peaceable Kingdom (2013)
Written by: Micaela Morrissette
Genre: Short Fiction/Science Fiction

The Stuff of Legend: Omnibus One (2012)
Written by: Matt Raicht
Genre: Graphic Novel/Epic Fantasy
Pages: 260 (Hardcover)

Bronze Gods (2013)
Written by: A.A. Aguirre
Genre: Steampunk/Urban Fantasy
Pages: 322 (Mass Market Paperback)

Eyes of Crow (2006)
Written by: Jeri Smith-Ready
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Pages: 480 (Trade Paperback)

BONE: Full Color One Volume Edition (2011)
Written by: Jeff Smith
Genre: Graphic Novel/Epic Fantasy
Pages: 1344 (Hardcover)

The Human Division (2013)
Written by: John Scalzi
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 432 (Hardcover)

The breakdown: 5 books, 2 graphic novels (half of Bone was read last year), and 6 pieces of short fiction. So that’s not BAD, it’s just that the more I think about my own writing and world-building, the harder time I have focusing on the world-building of others. I’m also still working on my June Dare, A Brother’s Price by Wen Spencer, but right now, reading for Hugo voting has the priority. But I’ll get there, one day….

But at any rate, that was my June. How was yours? What did you read? What did you love, like, or hate? Best thing out of my month (novel-wise) was easily the new Neil Gaiman. The biggest disappointment? Surprisingly, A.A. Aguirre’s Bronze Gods. Also, Seanan McGuire fans? Click on the link for “In Sea-Salt Tears” and read it immediately. You will not be disappointed.