Book Embargo

One of the major delights in my life is a young man named Xander. He belongs to a pair of friends of mine (his mom and dad).

This post is because this DELIGHTFUL child turns ONE today!!!! It is amazing, because it seems like just yesterday this little urchin weighed 10 lbs and slept all the time. Now he is walking and talking (albeit talking in his own language).

So CHEERS to my Xman!!!!

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More sad news, I am afraid to report. Robert Jordan, author of the Wheel of Time series, has passed away. He had a cardiac condition with a life expectancy of only two years. Rest in peace…

From Slashdot,

“James Oliver Rigney Jr, author of the long-running fantasy series The Wheel of Time and better known to millions of fans by the pen name Robert Jordan, died on 16 Sept 2007 from cardiac amyloidosis. Jordan announced he had been diagnosed with the disease in March 2006 and vowed to beat the odds, but determination and gumption sometimes just aren’t enough in the face of a disease with a median survival time of just over two years. Jordan was in the process of writing the twelfth and final book in the Wheel of Time series, A Memory of Light, but the book was not slated for release until 2009 and is still incomplete. While there is hope that the book will still be finished from Jordan’s notes, this is devastating news to all of us who have been reading the series since 1990.”

From Dragonmount, his website, posted by Wilson his brother/cousin,

It is with great sadness that I tell you that the Dragon is gone. RJ left us today at 2:45 PM. He fought a valiant fight against this most horrid disease. In the end, he left peacefully and in no pain. In the years he had fought this, he taught me much about living and about facing death. He never waivered in his faith, nor questioned our God’s timing. I could not possibly be more proud of anyone. I am eternally grateful for the time that I had with him on this earth and look forward to our reunion, though as I told him this afternoon, not yet. I love you bubba.

Our beloved Harriet was at his side through the entire fight and to the end. The last words from his mouth were to tell her that he loved her.

His family was with him, and he was in no pain, which is I think, the most any of us can ask for.

*raises glass*

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You know you have found a good book when one of your favorite authors says,

Everyone will love this book.
-Stephenie Meyer, author of Twilight

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman, website here, was just released in paperback, and is an Austen-esque novel. I was at a booksigning for Stephenie Meyer and picked up a copy of Enthusiasm. It was really cute! Definitely a fun story that you should all pick up!!!!

While familiarity with Austen’s world through her books or, more likely, the movies will deepen readers’ appreciation for Shulman’s impressive first novel, it is no means a prerequisite to enjoying this involving and often amusing narrative of friendship, courtship, and (of course) true love. —Carolyn Phelan, Booklist, starred review

Despite the fact that Julie Lefkowitz is often exasperated by her best friend Ashleigh, “an Enthusiast,” the 15-year-old loyally tolerates and often takes part in Ashleigh’s various crazes. Ashleigh’s current interest is the book Pride and Prejudice, and her latest scheme is to crash a formidable boys’ school to attend a dance and find a 21st-century version of Mr. Darcy for herself, as well as a suitable companion for Julie. Dressed in vintage gowns, the girls do manage to slip into the dance and hook up with two agreeable young gentlemen. The problem is that both girls become smitten with the same guy—the shyer, more refined of the two boys. What follows is a sequence of witty exchanges, comic errors and miscommunications that could be taken right out of a Jane Austen novel. When all four characters get cast in a play, opportunities for passionate encounters abound; love triangles emerge and eventually evolve into appropriate romantic pairings. Those familiar with Jane Austen’s writing style and themes will most appreciate the many overt and subtle references to the 19th-century author. If a couple of episodes seem a little over the top (as when [spoiler omitted]), readers caught up in this debut novel’s romantic whimsy and humor will willingly suspend their disbelief.
—Publishers Weekly

Comical misunderstandings ensue in this innocent who-will-wind-up-dating-whom farce. Shulman manages to lift the story above standard fare with clever plotting and quirky, often elegant writing that should please the literary crowd while keeping romance lovers engaged. Several cuts above the usual fare. –Kirkus

Check out this fabulous novel, available in paperback at your local independent bookshop!!

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Don’t forget that today is Bella’s Birthday! Head over to the Forks, Washington website, where they have an entire page of Twilight points of interest!

I went to the Stephenie Meyer booksigning at the Barnes and Noble in Burlington Mass on September 11th, 2007.

I will be splitting my review into three parts. This first part will be on general excitement with photos. Next will be more excitement with videos and the final part will be a critical review of the signing itself.

First, the excitement. Well, I got there at 2:30 pm, and there were probably already 20 people in line ahead of me, not counting the 20-30 that had already gotten their red wristbands. There was so much excitement that it was really reallly cool. Many people had dressed in their Twilight shirts. One woman had a Forks Washington t-shirt. I had on the t-shirt I made for work plus my own pin from Forks that my dad got when he rode his bike through there. Books that I had brought were my Twilight, my british Twilight, advance reader’s copy of New Moon and my hardcover Eclipse. This means that I brought a total of 4 books. There was no limit to books for being signed which was very cool, though there was a limit to personal autographs. There were some girls who brought even more than I. shown here…

This was actually one of my chair buddies. We hung out for so long that we became friends. Remember, I got there at 2:30, and we were there until 7:20 when she arrived, through about 8:30 when we got to have her sign our books.

These were my other chair buddies:
Before makeup: and now after makeup, .

Here are some shots of the store, FULL of Twilight fans. Keep in mind that these photos are when people were still milling about, it got much fuller.

Here are some shots of Stephenie from her Q&A section.

This is when we finally got close!!!

I cannot begin to describe how amazing this event was. The people I sat with were Great and the enthusiasm was fantastic. It must be amazing for Stephenie that after only having had books out for two years, she has HUNDREDS of people show up at every signing. I would say there were over 500 people inside, not counting the hundred outside.

*cheers to Stephenie!!!*

All of my photos are on my Flickr page.

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For all the WONDERFUL people that I met at the event, and whom I told about my site, I will be posting tomorrow night. The drive home and all that excitement wore me out like a wrung-out towel, and I just did not have time today (Wednesday). I will be uploading the pictures and video, and will post a review of Stephenie Meyer *who REALLY is wonderful* and the signing *which reallllly was badly put together* on Thursday night!

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September 11th, 2007 is my very own Stephenie Meyer day!

I will be going to the Barnes & Noble in Burlington Massachusetts for a Q&A/Signing. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!

If you go as well, look for me! I will be in a brownish t-shirt with that on the back!

I am so excited you can’t believe it. Heck, I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!

Hope you can go to your own signing, and the list is available at Stephenie’s Website, in the Calender section.

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Madeleine L’Engle, at the age of 88 has died. There is more in this New York Times article. From that article,

The “St. James Guide to Children’s Writers” called Ms. L’Engle “one of the truly important writers of juvenile fiction in recent decades.” Such accolades did not come from pulling punches: “Wrinkle” is one of the most banned books because of its treatment of the deity.

“Why does anybody tell a story?” Ms. L’Engle once asked, even though she knew the answer.

“It does indeed have something to do with faith,” she said, “faith that the universe has meaning, that our little human lives are not irrelevant, that what we choose or say or do matters, matters cosmically.”

More information on her work is available on her Wiki page and another obituary is available through Publisher’s Weekly.

*Raises glass to a fine fine author*

Goodbye…

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My sweet connection at Joost sent me a goody bag. Here is my boyfriend modeling the shirt. I like that I got the Spidey3 soundtrack, and that Spidey is jumping off the rug up at him.

Just look at these goods!

So pretty…

To quote my friend on the status of Joost,

Good stuff! Things to watch are coming

Enjoy!!!!!!

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