Fall reading lists
I know it isn't fall yet, but a girl can dream!
In other news, I made a dress the other day and you can see it here. Now I need to get working on a dress for the wedding coming up in a few weeks.
So, as usual, I'm stockpiling book upon book and looking forward to reading them all. Wait, didn't I promise not to buy any more books until I'd read the ones I had? Oh well. Recent additions:
Lottery by Pat Wood
The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by AJ Jacobs (and just the preface had me laughing, so I have high hopes)
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Blue Angel by Francine Prose (whose non-fiction book Reading Like a Writer I'm listening to on audiobook)
a bunch of Meg Cabot books
One great thing I've learned is that barnesandnoble.com stocks bargain books the way the stores do -- so while it might depress the author of The Historian, I'm quite happy that I got a hardcover copy for $6. Also, they have the same free shipping on orders over $25 that Amazon does, but bn.com is "FAST and free", which beats "SLOW and free" any day (and no, I'm not getting paid to say so).
Yesterday I placed an order that won't ship until October, because I preordered this book: The Year of Living Biblically. I just think the concept sounds so hilarious and intriguing.
Plus I have a new download credit waiting at audible.com and I haven't finished the last one, what's a girl to do? I'll have to break my "nothing under 8 hours" rule and pick out something quick.
In writing news: I have a phone call today with the Delightful Editor to talk over the direction for this revision. I discussed the changes with the husb last night and it was pretty amazing to realize that a lot of what I'm doing is a bit of info-shuffling -- the structure of the book feels essentially unchanged. There are a few discoveries being moved for greater impact, but the bones of the story are still in place. Let's all cross our fingers that she likes it!
*** Back on topic... any good reads coming up on everybody's roster? I'm always looking for new books to buy... even though I said I wouldn't buy anymore.
In other news, I made a dress the other day and you can see it here. Now I need to get working on a dress for the wedding coming up in a few weeks.
So, as usual, I'm stockpiling book upon book and looking forward to reading them all. Wait, didn't I promise not to buy any more books until I'd read the ones I had? Oh well. Recent additions:
Lottery by Pat Wood
The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by AJ Jacobs (and just the preface had me laughing, so I have high hopes)
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Blue Angel by Francine Prose (whose non-fiction book Reading Like a Writer I'm listening to on audiobook)
a bunch of Meg Cabot books
One great thing I've learned is that barnesandnoble.com stocks bargain books the way the stores do -- so while it might depress the author of The Historian, I'm quite happy that I got a hardcover copy for $6. Also, they have the same free shipping on orders over $25 that Amazon does, but bn.com is "FAST and free", which beats "SLOW and free" any day (and no, I'm not getting paid to say so).
Yesterday I placed an order that won't ship until October, because I preordered this book: The Year of Living Biblically. I just think the concept sounds so hilarious and intriguing.
Plus I have a new download credit waiting at audible.com and I haven't finished the last one, what's a girl to do? I'll have to break my "nothing under 8 hours" rule and pick out something quick.
In writing news: I have a phone call today with the Delightful Editor to talk over the direction for this revision. I discussed the changes with the husb last night and it was pretty amazing to realize that a lot of what I'm doing is a bit of info-shuffling -- the structure of the book feels essentially unchanged. There are a few discoveries being moved for greater impact, but the bones of the story are still in place. Let's all cross our fingers that she likes it!
*** Back on topic... any good reads coming up on everybody's roster? I'm always looking for new books to buy... even though I said I wouldn't buy anymore.
Labels: bad girls don't die, books, crafty, reading, revising
posted by Katie Alender at
6:48 AM
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12 Comments:
My husband has just finished Cassandra Clare's City of Bones and says that it is just about the best kids' book he has ever read. He is not a man given to over-praising, so I know that it must be good. My youngest daughter has also read it and said that it was wonderful. So it is definitely on my list, along with a lot of books that I have to read for research purposes.
I have started my own book review blog, and hope to start adding reviews to it. But first I have to finish writing my novel so that I have a little time to read...
I'll have to check that one out, Mary! And your new blog, too.
How's the Reading Like a Writer?
(And how do you turn that off? Ever since I learned a l'il sumthin about the craft of writing, my internal editor flares to life every time I try to read for pleasure. Grrr)
I have a phone call today with the Delightful Editor to talk over the direction for this revision
Sounds very positive that it's mostly info-shuffling and not changing the basic structure. Wishing you best of luck on your revisions!! =)
Hmmm...curious about The Historian, especially since she sold that book for $1 mil. And Ballantine bought Justin Cronin's vamp trilogy for $3.75 million. Who said vampires were "dead"?
I just finished Will Allison's What You Have Left. It says "novel" but it's more of a series of short stories, in the Richard Russo vein. Good stuff.
Hi - Try 'Third Wave' by Alvin Toffler. Its a pretty well known book and so it may not be that useful a recommendation.
BTW, we don't know each other. But guess what - I was searching for 'Awesome blogs' on google and found yours so....leaving a comment.
Have fun!
Someone just mentioned The Year of Living Biblically to me yesterday, and all I can say is--Why didn't I write that book? It sounds fantastic! Read it and tell me. I, too, need to stop buying more and start reading what I have. But it's harder to give up buying books than it is to give up coffee. Sigh.
Hey, and what cool news on your current manuscript! Always love it when the revision call does not require starting from scratch.
Erica, RLAW is pretty good. I like the examples she uses, but I'm not sure that the concept requires a whole book. I think it could have been shorter and gotten the same point across.
As for turning off the censor, I don't know if there's any going back. That was something I had to deal with in film school, too -- suddenly I couldn't just watch a movie -- I was deconstructing them. It took many years to get over that one.
Jamie, I'll report back and let you know if it was worth a million dollars. No doubt it was worth the $6 I spent, though! Thanks for the recommendation.
Hi, Aditya! Welcome to my blog! I hope my blog lived up to your search. I'll add your recommendation to my list! I've never heard of it, so it's a good one for me.
Robin, I thought of you when I heard of TYOLB. It's out in hardcover first, so a bit of a splurge to be sure. I'm sure a library would carry it in your area! Re: the revision, thanks. I was actually amazed, given how extensive the notes felt -- it's nice to know the structure of the story was solid enough to hold up!
Hi! Tell us more about editing? I'm in revision stage for my agent. I'm sure and editor will have many edits too - kinda goes with the title, yes? Can you give a concrete example of a "move?"
THANKS! KIM
Well, I hope you'll add my book, Look Me in the Eye, to your fall reading list. If you like Lottery, you'll like my book, and vice versa.
Especially the part about the alien abduction.
Oh, yes, John, yours is high up on my list! I'm really looking forward to it.
Perhaps Master of the Jinn: A Sufi Novel might be of interest. A mystical adventure tale about God infinite love and mercy. And it is being used in a Philosophy 150 Great Ideas class at Oregon State University in the fall.
Irving, thanks for commenting! I'll add that book to my list as well!
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