Pico Review: Knit, Swirl

Title:  Knit, Swirl

Author: Sandra McIver
Price: USD $24.27
Notes: When I mentioned knitting a circular swearter, someone linked to this book for inspiration. I was curious right off the bat, because I love the look of circular or "swirl" sweaters. I picked up my copy from the library, just to give it a quick browse before committing the $25 to the book, since I'm not usually a sweater knitter (see London Calling sweater, on the needles since 2010).

Now that I've looked through it up close, I can say this: It's got great photography, lots of good information on the different shapes that can be used with this type of sweater (basically, knitting a flat circle with sleeves, which then drapes itself into a nice cardigan). I think many of the designs are beautiful. The book itself is quite thick and well made, and lies open flat, which makes it great for knitting directly from the book if you're so inclined (that being said it's a very heavy hardbound book, and I'd prefer to make a copy of each page I'm going to use).

Bad points: Every single sweater in this book has textural ridges. Here is the book page on Ravelry so that you can see what I mean (you can also click the "look inside" feature on Amazon, linked above. It's probably best illustrated by the image on the back cover). It's not that these are bad...they're just not to my personal taste. I would either find a way of hiding the increases to that the sweater could be knit all in one stitch type, or replace the garter/reverse stockinette bands with some kind of open stitch work (again, hiding the increases within). Or just knit a basic pinwheel swirl jacket, incorporating some of the elements from the book.

This is still on my wish list, because I find that the technique information at the beginning of the book is more valuable than the patterns it includes.

Rating: three out of five skeins

Quick Reviews

Intertwined: The Art of handspun yarn, Modern Patterns, and Creative Spinning by Lexi Boeger

Honestly, I don't know what made me pick this book up. I knew from the cover that it was going to be about art yarn (that would be "non-traditional" yarns made from things like plastic bags, cassette tapes, and with stuff like ribbon, beads, gears silk flowers, and scrap fabric thrown in for embellishments), and I neither enjoy looking at art yarns nor using them. But, I haven't read much about spinning beyond a couple of beginners books I grabbed when I was first starting, and thought it might have some interesting techniques.

"Interesting" is maybe not the right word. It isn't so much a book of technique as it is of theory. Art theory, to be precise.

Art theory and the people who spout it are the main reason I don't work in art despite my degree. I forced myself to skim the first fifty or so pages of this 300 page volume before I just started flipping because I just couldn't take it any more.

The yarns she gives instructions for in this book are neither pleasing to the eye (at least not mine), nor are they practical, and the patterns which make up the second half of the book are more of the same: ill fitting caps made of slubby yarn, scarves that are essentially a dozen strands of "art" yarn tied together into a giant tassel, and felted shoelaces that I suspect would snap the first time you tied them snugly or would go from knotted to felted in the rain.

Needless to say, I'm not fan, but your millage may vary. If nothing else, it's good for a laugh.

KnotMagick Rating: one out of five skeins.

Vogue Knitting: Spring/Summer 2013

 My first thought about this issue is that the color scheme is fantastic, but I might be biased, since that turquoise blue/green color on the cover? It's my favorite. That's the same color as my bedroom.

I love most of the patterns in this issue, especially the cover collection, "Sheer Magic" which focuses on lace. I'm not a lace knitter. I've always wanted to learn, but it's not something that has ever clicked in my head. Still, I might give it another go for some of these sweaters.

I was somewhat neutral on the black and white themed "Optical Illusions" collection, but I've never been a fan of the mod, 70s graphics these recall or of color blocking, even when it's only black and white.

"Parlor Pastels" also features a lot of lace, with a more feminine, almost old fashioned feel. With the exception of a few wayward bobbles, I love most of the patterns in this collection.

As far as the articles are concerned, the highlights for me where an interview with fiber artist Adrienne Sloane. Her work brings to mind the types of things I was doing for my senior thesis show in college, only a little less...craft? And much more fine art. If I'd done my show in her style, my professors would have lapped it up.

The other bit I really liked was a short article on "The Evolution of Invisible or Tubular Cast On and Cast Off," which is another of those techniques that I've been wanting to learn but never actually looked up. The article is clear and concise, just the way I like it, and now I'm trying to find an excuse to use this technique.

Downsides to this issue--I felt that most of the departments were rather bland, like I'd seen them before, so the first twenty or so pages weren't all that interesting. Things didn't kick up until I hit the articles and then the patterns. 

KnotMagick Rating: Three and a half skeins.


AlterNation: Transform. Embellish. Customize. by Shannon Okey and Alexandra Underhill

By now everyone probably knows that I'm flat broke, so any time I can recycle old clothes, it's a good thing--you might remember the courderoy skirt?

I got this book mostly for inspiration, and inspiration it provided. I don't think I'd make any of the projects exactly as they appear in the book. For starters, many of them (such as the cover skirt, which I adore) would look downright indecent on me (or anyone, really), so I'd be adding linings or just a little more judicious with the use of corset lacing.

Most of the projects I liked in this book were skirts; I like making skirts, though I don't often get to wear them.

Downsides: Some of these projects just made me go "WTF?", like the ruffled collar made of ties. Seriously, who would wear that?

Like I said, some of the projects need a little, um, censoring. Because while I might swear up a storm, I am not the kind of girl who goes around flashing her undergarments, or skipping them altogether to make a skirt or dress look better.

Well, we all have to draw the line somewhere.

Also, there were one or two project where you never saw a photo of the entire item. There were lots of close ups, sure, or shots from one side, but not the other.

At any rate, each project's materials could easily be sourced from one's own closet or the local thrift store. The instructions are clear, short, and to the point, and I don't think any project takes more than 3 pages. It's definitely something that I'd like to have around to flip through when I'm feeling blocked.

KnotMagick Rating: four out of five Skeins

 Designer Bead Embroidery: 150 Patterns and Complete Techniques by Kenneth D. King

The thing that struck me first about this book is how neat and well organized it is. It makes the scientist side of by brain giddy.

I skipped ahead and flipped through the patterns, first. Every single one of them has a great, close up photo, a pattern diagram, macro shots of the beads used as well as a code that corresponds with the index in the back, telling you specifically what bead was used. There's also a note on what percentage each pattern should be enlarged by in order to match the photo, with completed dimensions, recommended applications, and a brief paragraph on technique.

The bulk of the book is taken up by these designs, and they range from more traditional looking patterns, to retro-inspired, to modern, graphic images.

The first section, though brief, is well illustrated with lots of photos showing tools and materials, and drawings to explain different techniques. The clarity of the instruction is unsurpassed, in my opinion; It's short and to the point, but also perfect, just like so many of the designs.

KnotMagick Rating: five out of five skeins (or beads?)

Book Review: Sew Retro

Sew Retro: A Stylish History of the Sewing Revolution by Judi Ketteler

I picked this book up at the library this week, along with a stack of other sewing/craft books that I'd like to review for you. I was actually looking for books of fashion history/victorian fashion plates for a costume I'm planning when I found this one. I almost passed it up, until I started flipping through it and noticed that it wasn't just patterns, it was history, too.

Sew Retro combines a crafty how-to with a history of sewing unlike anything I've read. We begin with the invention of the sewing machine in the mid-1800s, including interesting facts like Issac Singer, who revolutionized the textile community, wasn't exactly known for great inventions--more like fast ways to turn a buck. Funny how something as enduring as the sewing machine was originally meant to be a "get rich quick" scheme for the inventor.

Ketteler takes the historical facts and blends them seamlessly with modern thought, exploring feminism and it's view of the past as well as the modern impetus for crafts, fashion, and sewing. She looks at both what historical women may have felt about their household chore, and how we today view our hobby. 

Her prose is well written, and illustrated with hundreds of vintage images taken from advertising, pamphlets, and magazines. The book itself combines historical essays with timelines, profiles of historical figures in the sewing and fashion industry, as well as interviews with contemporary designers.

There are 25 patterns included in this book. The instructions are clear and concise, and a low skill level is required. A beginner could easily tackle every project in this book. However, I find that the designs themselves are somewhat unappealing, despite my love for vintage fashion. Most of them are for accessories or household items (lots of bags, aprons, and table linens), with only two actual garments in  the entire book (both skirts). That being said, however, the historical information makes this book well worth it, and there might be some techniques used in the patterns that would be useful in other applications.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 skeins

Book Review: The Sugar Maple Chronicles (1-3)

Today I have a quick series review for you.

Normally, I don't like "knit lit" (novels that center around knitting). I know, weird, right? You would think that an avid knitter/designer/writer would love those. But most of the time I find them cliched and depressing. In one book I read, one member of a knitting group was ostracized because the father of another group member tricked her into thinking he was someone much younger, and started dating her while still married, even though the woman in question had no idea the two of them were connected (or that he was married). Other "knit lit" I've read (or tried to read) seems to believe that the only thing to make a happy ending is for every woman to find a man by the end of the book--regardless of the status of the rest of her life, or even if the man is worth it, and still others follow the "rocks fall and everybody dies" school of thought, picking off main characters through various forms of physical and emotional tragedy.

I'm sorry, but that's not what knitting is about, and those are not the kinds of books I like to read.

Enter The Sugar Maple Chronicles.

This series combines yarn, romance, a wee bit of adventure, and fantasy to weave a tale that is both light and engaging, with a dash of humor and a pinch of danger (wow, talk about mixing metaphors...but I digress).

Sugar Maple is a tiny tourist town in northern Vermont. The cafe is run by witches, a family of vampires runs the funeral home, faeries take care of the Inn (where no one EVER stays overnight), and at the Sticks & String yarn shop, your yarn never tangles, your stitches never drop, and you always get gauge, well, things aren't really normal there, either.

Here is the setup, as defined in Book 1, Casting Spells: Chloe Hobbs is the direct descendant of Aerynn, one of the founding members of Sugar Maple, a town intended to protect it's magic-laced denizens. Sheltered from the outside world, Sugar Maple is protected so long as a Hobbs woman walks the earth. But there's a problem: Not only is Chloe magic free (unless one cares to count her self-replenishing basket of roving, handed down from her mother), but she's single. Already in her thirties, the magic protecting the town is starting to wan.

This becomes painfully clear when a tourist is murdered by the lake. Crime-free for centuries, Sugar Maple is ill prepared to deal with the death of a "muggle."

Enter Luke MacKenzie, a cop sent by the state to investigate Suzanne Marsden's murder. Chloe, the defacto mayor of the small town, goes to greet him and get him settled into his temporary position...and sparks fly from the start.

Torn between her duty to the town and True Love, most of Casting Spells is focused on the love story of Luke and Chloe, with some mystery thrown in. The yarn shop is mostly a backdrop, but the story is engaging and one that leaves warm fuzzies in it's wake.

True to form, book 2, Laced with Magic, tests the couple's relationship when Luke's ex wife arrives on the scene, insisting that their dead daughter has been trying to communicate with her. Now not only do Luke and Chloe have the usual quirks of a relationship to work out, but they have to do it with Karen in their midst, dragging up bits of Luke's past that Chloe knew nothing about. And as if that wasn't bad enough, they have to keep the darker aspects of the town away from Karen--even as Chloe's emotional state makes it nearly impossible for her to control her burgeoning powers. The fact that most of the town's people are now questioning her ability to lead--since there are TWO humans staying in town now, when before they'd merely been visitors--is not helping. At. All.

While at first they think Karen has just gone mad from grief, never fully recovering from Seffie's death two years earlier, it quickly becomes clear that someone IS trying to communicate with her--the question is, who?

Book 3, Spun by Sorcery, is not the final book in the series, but it is the last book I've managed to get my hands on (so far). The book opens as Luke and Chloe return from the final battle in Laced with Magic, coming back to town to find...nothing. Absolutely nothing.

As in, the entire town is gone.

The pair are saved from starvation and cold by the wild driving of Chloe's best friend, Janice, from behind the wheel of Chloe's Buick. Loaded down with yarn and one of Chloe's several cats, the car has almost everything for the three of them to get buy for couple of days, and what it lacks is nothing McDonald's can't fix. With no idea where the town--or Janice's family--has gone, the three begin a quest back to the origins of Sugar Maple, and that means going back to Salem, to the place Aerynn first stood up for her people, splitting off from the magical community as a whole to create the haven of Sugar Maple.

In my opinion, the third book moves the slowest of the three, but I still got through both of the later volumes in a week, and one of the inherent problems with quest stories is that there tends to be a lot of "and we're traveling, and we're traveling....still traveling...." going on. At least there's knitting and attacks on the road to keep things interesting.

If you enjoy light fantasy or knit lit, then you'll probably enjoy these books. They're fluff--nothing too profound, but a good, enjoyable, before bed reading kind of series. You can also put it down and pick it back up again--each book does a really great job of reminding the reader of what came before (I actually went a year or two between reading book 1 and book 2).

Book 4, Spells and Stitches, is already out (has been for a while). I'd really prefer to have this series on my Nook, I think, since while it's really good, it's not a favorite and I'd like to save the space. However, since this is a slightly older series, it is actually cheaper to buy the paperbacks used than it is to download the electronic version ($10 for an ebook? Really, Barnes and Noble?).

Overall, I'd give the series 3.5-4 stars out of 5.

Jane

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books. I fell in love with it in high school. I’ve always found her very easy to relate to: her view of herself and the world, the way she takes in those around her, and her no-nonsense attitude towards the insanity that creeps up behind her.

These character traits are something that Ms. Lindner has done very well to carry over. At first when I picked up the book, intrigued by the tagline “What if Jane Eyre fell in love with a rockstar?” I had to laugh. In the original, Mr. Rochester is about as far from “rockstar” as it is possible to get. He’s surly, hardly speaks, and is practically reclusive when not traveling for business. Nonetheless, I bought the book out of sheer curiosity.

I have to admit, I’m not terribly fond of most of the film adaptions I’ve seen of Jane Eyre, primarily because I don’t like their handling of Mr. Rochester. When the period adaptions make him out to be little more than a volatile, pushy pervert out to sleep with the babysitter, whether she likes it or not, how then would this modern version be portrayed?

In this rare modern day retelling, Jane Moore is a recently orphaned college student, forced to drop out when her funds dry up after the death of her parents. With only the briefest of resumes to support her, she banks on her babysitting experience and manages to land a highly coveted position as nanny to the five-year-old daughter of rock legend Nico Rathburn. Jane, for her part, does not follow celebrity gossip and favors classical music when she chooses to listen to it at all. She has only a passing familiarity with the 30-something singer’s music, who was once a favorite of her older brother, but even Jane has heard the stories about the drugs, the drinking binges, the wild parties and the train wreck marriage. Despite her reservations, however, the pay is good and she accepts the job and sets off for the secluded mansion in Connecticut.

Unlike in the original, Lindner skips over most of Jane’s childhood, showing us only a few poignant flashbacks and a single, present day interaction with her remaining family to communicate her dark past. Overall, this improves the pacing compared to Jane Eyre, skipping to the action much quicker while still giving us a sense of Jane’s past.

The overall plot points remain the same: the nighttime visit of her employer’s first wife, the fire in his bedroom, and the impromptu party that ends in the stabbing of his brother-in-law, culminating in the rather sudden engagement and subsequent failed wedding. For reasons unknown, however, the author has chosen to change either the first or last name (or both) of every character. It’s a minor point, but it does make me wonder when in so many other respects she has remained faithful to the original.

While I did find some aspects of Jane and Nico’s relationship to feel fabricated in some scenes, I did respect the fact that this modern interpretation of Jane never once let Nico nor anyone else talk her into anything she didn’t want to do. The story maintained the integrity of the original, but also breathed new life into characters that might not be appreciated in this day and age.

While I might not be willing to recommend this book as a purchase, I would suggest that Bronte fans search their local libraries: Jane, by April Lindner.

Reading List

The last week or so I've been pushing to finish some books before I go on vacation. I had a stack of library books to get through (managed just in time! Returned them the day they were due), and some unfinished books I didn't want to take with me. I reached my goal and knocked three books off of my list: The Golden Fleece and the Heroes that Lived Before Achilles by Padraic Colum, The Water Mirror by Kai Meyer, and Dracula by, of course, Bram Stoker.

I've read a lot of mythology books, and The Golden Fleece is by far my favorite. The problem with a lot of mythology books, I've found, is that most of the time no matter how exciting the stories are, the writing simply isn't. This book however was engaging, and I can certainly see how it was the book that got Rick Riordan (of The Lightening Thief fame) into mythology. This book isn't just the Golden Fleece, but includes other stories as well--stories that the heroes told on their long journey, and the last third of the book are short tales about the individual characters that take place after they return home, so you really get a feel for them even if their names aren't familiar when you begin reading.

The Water Mirror is a YA novel I picked up on a whim. I actually saw the third book in this trilogy first, which had the mask from an Egyptian sarcophagus on the cover, but I was sold on this book when I read that the main characters are training to make magic mirrors and magic cloth, respectively. I was a little disappointed by the lack of textile content, but the action and creative story line more than made up for it.

This book takes place in an alternate history, in which an Egyptian pharaoh has risen and is attempting to take over the world. One of the last hold outs is the city of Venice, which is protected by the Flowing Queen. No one knows who or what the queen is, only that she possesses powerful magic and seems to exist in the waters themselves. This alternate Venice is full of magic--stone lions that fly, frighteningly beautiful mermaids, charmed dresses that actually make you slimmer, and of course, magic mirrors, including a blind girl with mirrors for eyes. The pacing was wonderful, the writing imaginative, and I can't wait to get the next book.

The last book I finished was Dracula. If you have any interest in literature, go read it now. Seriously. The beginning is rather slow; I was almost to the halfway point before it really grabbed my interest, but it is well worth the wait. Aside from the fabulous story that earned this novel a place in history, the thing that really intrigued me was the character of Mina Harker. I kept having to remind myself that Dracula was written by a man--the idea of having such a strong woman in a Victorian-era novel is practically unheard of, but she is clearly the heroine of the entire book. Bonus: it involves a typewriter. A couple of them, in fact.

If you want to see the complete list of what I've been reading and links to the reviews, you can find the list here.

Review: The Cassie Palmer series by Karen Chance

So far, this has been my favorite new series this year. It ranks u there with the Kitty Norville books and the Sookie Stackhouse series, favorites from past years.

Alice gave the book one last year for my birthday. I read the back and wasn't impressed. In fact, I questioned her sanity for buying it for me, since it sounded an awful lot like another novel with a weak plot, questionable heroine, and a twisted romantic relationship between a vampire and his human. I put it on the "to read" stack on my headboard where it was promptly buried by research, library books, and titles that sounded a hell of a lot more interesting and less smutty (because let's face it, "Touch the Dark" only leaves so many options).

Fast forward 8 months, to where I finally began reading it. The first chapter was enjoyable. Alice talked me into buying book 2 since I had a gift card and was caught up the other series I follow.

Two days later, I was on the last chapter and purchasing the final 2 books with my own money.

Book one, Touch the Dark, opens with Cassie running for her life after being sent a threatening obituary (yes, I said threatening obituary), and the action doesn't slow down for an instant. Running to her roommate, a waiter at a bar to say a quick goodbye and try to explain why supernatural killers are after her, she is horrified when he makes quick work of the attackers who followed her to the bar. Suddenly, very human Cassie finds herself sucked even deeper into a world she has spent nearly a decade trying to escape: the world of vampires.

Orphaned at the age of 4, Cassie was raised by vampire mafioso Tony, where she had the prized place in his court for her ability to see the future. After setting him up to get arrested, he is just one of the many people after her as an adult. Now Cassie learns that part of her protection as a child came from the geis his master, Mircea, placed on her as a child. When Cassie accidentally becomes the world's chief clairvoyant and gains the ability to leapfrog through history, she inadvertently turns an already unpredictable spell into a potentially lethal curse--with her childhood crush Mircea as the target.

In order to save him, however, she has to keep herself alive. not an easy task when suddenly everyone wants her dead. First there's the Silver Circle, a group of mages who traditionally protect the Pythia and aren't thrilled that independent Cassie has inherited all of the power. Then there's Myra, the intended heir, who is none to please that Cassie beat her out as successor and is homicidal and slightly crazy to boot. Throw in the Fey and a demon or two, plus War Mage John Pritkin, who might be out to kill her, if he ever quits saving her life, or might be using her, or might be something (or someone) else entirely, and Cassie more than has her hands full, even before people start coming to her for help.

Filled with a delightful cast of characters, the Cassie Palmer books are funny, romantic, and exciting from page one all the way to the end of book four. There wasn't a single part I would consider slow or boring, and the action continues in the companion Dorina Basarab series (I have not read those yet, but they are on my list). If you are a fan of Charlaine Harries or Carrie Vaughn, then you will love this series. Book five, Hunt the Moon, comes out in June.

And just for convenience, here's a list of the books and the order they go in:
1. Touch the Dark
2. Claimed by Shadow
3. Embrace the Night
4. Curse the Dawn

The Walker Papers

The long awaited review! If you've been reading the blog for a while, then you probably know that I've been obsessed with this series by C.E. Murphy since I found it last July.

The book opens with sleep deprived Jo, flying home to Seattle from her mother's funeral in Ireland. Looking out the window, she spots a woman about to be stabbed by a man with a butterfly knife, and has no idea that her quest to save this woman's life will change hers forever.

So far the series consists of four books: Urban Shaman, Thunderbird Falls, Coyote Dreams, and Walking Dead, and features our heroine facing everything from Celtic gods to zombies as she struggles to understand the new world of magic that suddenly surrounds her.

These dark forces don't just tear up her every day life, but dredge up her past as well, forcing her grapple with her history and her problems, too.

Book two, which I've just started to re-read, takes place three months after the end of Urban Shaman, and Jo is doing her best to ignore her abilities and the responsibility that comes with them. When she's invited to join a coven, however, she discovers that ignorance isn't always bliss, and the consequences of her actions could be lethal.

I don't want to go into the later books too much, since I'm afraid to give spoilers, but this is one of my all-time favorite series. Every time I read it, I'm inspired to pick up my laptop and write more on whatever story I'm working on. Jo is down to earth, believable, and completely bad-ass. If you like urban fantasy, then you'll love The Walker Papers.

Soulless

So, as I might have mentioned, I read Soulless by Gail Carriger on my little journey across the pond. I enjoyed it immensely, and the only reason I wasn't finished with it by the time I got to the apartment was the last eight hours of the journey I was so cross eyed from lack of sleep I could hardly make out my seat number on my boarding pass, let alone read a novel.

I first heard about this book because Ms. Cariger guest-spots on Brass Needles, a highly enjoyable sci-fi/knitting podcast that I subscribe to. I filed it away in the back of my mind, but then a few weeks ago I was over on Charlaine Harris' blog, where she has posted her review, and went, "Oh! I was going to read that!" A few days later I looked it up in Borders and brought it home, then tucked it away in my carry on to save for the plane.

Since I'm reading all of these books, I figured that it's only right I should give you a run down and my opinions of my favorites. So I'll start today with Soulless (and no, I have not forgotten my promised Urban Shaman review. I'll get there later this week. I hope).

The book combines some of my favorite things: Victorian London society, vampires, werewolves, a good mystery, romance...and of course, because this is me, it's funny. Though she would probably tell you differently, the main character, Alexia, has a wicked sense of humor. She's very sarcastic in her observations of the people around her, which is right up my alley.

At twenty-six, she's already been put on the shelf as a spinster thanks to her Italian heritage. Add to that her soulless state, and out the window go all chances of finding a husband in the conventional way. Instead, she's stuck with a silly family that can't see beyond their own noses, and an irritable, government employed werewolf, Earl Connell Maccon, a brutish Scotsman, and her only real pleasures in life come from teasing her best friend Ivy about her poor hat choices, and the eclectic library her dead father left behind.

Still, things are going along reasonably smoothly until she's attacked out of the blue by a vampire at a party. Now everyone thinks that she's behind the strange happenings that are being swept under the rug--like missing werewolves and rogue vampires that keep popping up out of nowhere, and of all people she has to depend on Lord Maccon to sort it all out. Throw in gay vampires and secret societies, plus tea with the Queen, and you've got a recipe for a fantastic steampunk adventure.

Solace

I'm a baby when I'm sick. I'm an even bigger baby when I'm away from home. Maybe it's because I'm a spoiled only child, but all I want to do is curl up in my own bed (which is a water bed, extra special), under my blankets with my pillow (because no matter how long I stay in another place, my bedding never smells right), talk to my mom once or twice through the day, and sleep with a stack of DVDs on one side of the bed with a nice pile of familiar books on the other. I want to know what medicines I'm taking, how long I have to wait before I see results, and how I will react to them. When I'm away from home, I don't have any of these things. I'm suck with a standard issue mattress, rough sheets, pillows that are too flat, and a funky smelling blanket. I have to guess that I'm taking the correct meds at the right time in the right manner, and hope that they work. Will I feel better by the next day? Or will it take a week?

Yes, I'm whining.

The one constant I've had the last few days have been my books. I recently started re-reading Madelyn Alt's Where there's a Witch (Bewitching Mysteries #5). I started reading this series a few months ago out of curiosity sake. I was looking for a good mystery and I thought, "Paganism? And Mysteries? Perfect!"

I wouldn't call these books great literature. But they're fantastic "popcorn" reads, as I call them. They aren't too serious, often funny, and I really like all of the characters. I love the way Ms. Alt has blended the world of the metaphysical into the here and now, in a way that is easily grasped. These don't feel like fantasy novels. The way magic is described makes the reader feel like they could follow in Maggie's footsteps, see what she sees, feel what she feels. And really, isn't that what magic is all about? Blending it into the everyday?

There's a little romance, lost of mystery, and a touch of fantasy. The perfect read for a day when I'm not feeling well. So, if you want something to read, check out the first book, The Trouble with Magic
----

I realized I haven't posted a picture in a while, so here's one from the garden inside the cloister of Santa Maria Novella. We've had two tours there this week for different classes, and I really like the garden, despite the fact that it is small. The important thing is that it has trees! Three of them! I miss growing things. There aren't any flowers here that aren't in pots, no trees by the side of the road, not even grass growing along the sidewalk. The only animals I've seen have been a few dogs on short leashes, and hoards and hoards of pigeons.

I miss Hermes, and also my parents' dogs. So, if you have someone furry in your life, give them a little love from me, 'kay?

Sick Leave

I appear to have come down with bronchitis. After a week off feeling like crap, I'm finally starting to feel somewhat closer to being human. Mostly, I've been reading and writing. Before we left for Italy, I started a story called "Life is a Zoo." Unfortunately, It only came out a hair over 41,000 words. For those of you playing the home game, you need a minimum of 60,000 words (preferably 80,000) to get published, especially in the fantasy community. This morning I pulled it out of storage and started re-reading, trying to figure out where I could add in more details, extra scenes. I think that there's a major flaw in the publishing community because of that whole word count requirement. It's not length that makes a good story; it's the quality of the writing. At this point in time, there is no venue at all for writers who produce work between 20,000 and 59,000 words. They're considered too long for magazines, and too short of novels, so no one wants to touch them.

I'm doing my best to expand my horizons, try to meet the parameters set by the industry, but I think in the end what I'll end up doing is submitting two 40k-ish stories as a single book--two for one deal (I like those). Part II is (tentatively) called "High School Never Ends," and is up to about 28K. I have a very rough outline for a third volume. Maybe make it a three-for-one? I don't know yet.

As to what I've been reading--well, I've recently been going through some Karrin Slaughter crime mysteries. I highly recommend the Will Trent books; he's currently my favorite literary character. I was reading some of her Grant County books (as in, one), but discovered that I'd accidentally started with the last book in the series, and it left me rather upset, so I didn't want to go back to the beginning (if you've been watching Castle, like me, then you know there are only two ways to end a crime series: Either the main character retires, or s/he dies. Draw your own conclusions).

I know I promised to wax poetic about C.E. Murphy (and I will) but I think it's going to wait a little while. I have the urge to re-read her Walker Papers series, so I'm going to do that before I write about her. Maybe I'll pick up the books I'm missing while we're in London for Midterm break (which is another thing that I need to write about here). Maybe next week.

Sucked In

There are two things that most people who know me in person probably realize right off the bat. One, I'm an internet addict. I check my email at least five times a day, and spend hours reading blogs and trolling ravelry.

Nothing breaks that habit faster than not having internet access.

Okay, yeah, we have it at school, but that doesn't do me much good on rainy days, when I don't want to take my laptop with me, or when it's after 9 pm, or a weekend, when the school is closed, or when I'm just so darn sick of being in the classroom that I can't stand being in the school one second longer. In those cases, I'll pull up my email on my ipod as I'm walking out the door and call it done.

Second, I'm not a joiner. I didn't start reading Harry Potter until the third book was already in paperback, and when something becomes incredibly popular (like Abercrombi and Fitch, when I was in high school, or Myspace, or even Facebook) I will avoid it as long as possible. I don't want to be a sheep, and I really dislike people who act like sheep. I'm not going to wear certain clothes or listen to certain music or read certain books just because everyone else does (and honestly, the clothes are usually over priced and poor quality, the music sucks, and the author often can't tell the difference between compelling dialog and inane chatter).

It seems, however, that the masses may have gotten one thing right, at least:

Charlaine Harris.

The show seemed marginally interesting, but it couldn't hold my attention. I find that there's something fundamentally wrong with a blond Anna Paquin affecting a southern accent. The only character I really liked at all was Lafayette, and he wasn't enough of a pull to keep me watching.

The books, on the other hand, have pulled me in and kept me there. Alice started buying them from the used anglo book store here in Florence, and has been letting me read them. I've read the first five books in the past week or so, and I don't normally read very quickly. I've been eating these up like I haven't devoured books since high school, with the exception of C.E. Murphy (remind me that I need to wax poetic about her at some point. She's absolutely phenomenal).

And for anyone who's wondering, at this point (having just finished Dead as a Doornail) I would say that I am firmly planted on the side of Team Sam, though I really, really like Eric when he had amnesia (for the record, do NOT get me started on those other vampire novels. You know the ones. Just don't go there. Ever). Oh, and I don't care much for Bill. He kind of makes me want to hurt him.

So far my only real complaint about the series is that it can be a little heavy on the sex scenes, but I was kind of expecting that considering the reputation Sookie and Bill have garnered both on and off screen (also, I really hate the name Sookie, or at least the spelling Ms. Harris chose. But that's just me and I'm dealing with it). Still, the mysteries are compelling, and all of her characters are well developed with some kind of back story. They really come off the page, and Bon Temps feels like a place that you could look up on a map and drive down to on a holiday.

So, if you have any interest in vampire fiction, even if you didn't care for/haven't seen the television series, put down that trash I know you were thinking of reading, and go get Dead Until Dark instead. You'll be glad you did.

Two Down

Well, it's the third and I've got two books knocked off my list. Just 66 more to go, according to my shelfari profile. Well, actually, only 50 for this year, but I've got more than that on my "I want to read this eventually" list.

The first book of the new year was Hex Marks the Spot by Madelyn Alt. This is a paranormal mystery. It looks and reads a little like a romance novel (not smut, but sort of romantic and girly), but despite the main character's best efforts, in the three books I've read she's gotten two good snoggs and a failed makeout session.

The second book is the second Torchwood novel I've read in the past week. I tell you, they're more addicting than chips. The first one doesn't count towards the 52 books challenge, because I finished about 15 minutes before the new year actually started, but so far they've both been fantastic reads. The first was The Twilight Streets by Gary Russell, and the second was Almost Perfect by James Goss.

I think that TS was better written, for several reasons (one, I am in love with Garry Russell, two, AP has a very strange scene/chapter set up, and three, even though I don't think that some of the characters are faithfully portrayed *cough*Ianto*cough* I have to say that it's a rather...iffy plot. One of those where you don't know how in character the characters would act to begin with. Make sense? I didn't think so. Just read it. If you're a Torchwood fan, you'll love it).

No crafting has been going on. I'm either online or I'm writing. My crafting/art mojo has gone out the window. I think it needs a break. Hopefully it'll come back soon so I can get some work done on this thesis show. Can you believe that it's been almost a year since I announced the Peace Project?

Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair

Obviously, this description does not apply to me. But, if you look over in the sidebar, you'll see a link to Crazy Aunt Purl.

Laurie Perry is the woman who writes that blog. CAP is the reason I got into the blogging community. I can't remember what I Googled, but I was looking up something knit-related one day, and came across the Cheeto Scarf (this is back in the Dec. 2005 archives, somewhere, I think). I started reading the blog, and couldn't stop. Laurie is halarious, and honest. I was hooked from the start.

Within the last few months, she has also released a book, based on the blog but with lots of new material. The book, Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair is available on Amazon. I picked up a copy this past weekend (though I will admit, I got mine from the library because I am broke). Almost everything she writes has a humerous twist, and the way her mind works is unbelievable. But, at the same time, it's also 100% dead on, which makes it even better.

Like I said, this is the blog that got me drawn into the world of knit blogging, and I think the most awesome thing that could ever happen to this blog would be for Laurie to leave a comment. That would be the end all be all for me.

So. Go out and buy or borrow this book. It really is a good read, even if you are neither drunk, divorced, nor covered in cat hair.