It is Spring – Once Upon A Time VII

It’s Spring and Once Upon A Time is here.  Running from the March 21 to the June 21, Stainless Steel Droppings magical challenge is one of my favorite yearly events. From Carl V’s website:

Thursday, March 21st begins the seventh annual Once Upon a Time Challenge. This is a reading and viewing event that encompasses four broad categories: Fairy Tale, Folklore, Fantasy and Mythology, including the seemingly countless sub-genres and blending of genres that fall within this spectrum. The challenge continues through Friday, June 21st and allows for very minor (1 book only) participation as well as more immersion depending on your reading/viewing whims.

The Once Upon a Time VI Challenge has a few rules:

Rule #1: Have fun.

Rule #2: HAVE FUN.

Rule #3: Don’t keep the fun to yourself, share it with us, please!

Rule #4: Do not be put off by the word “challenge”.

There are many ways to participate, I plan on taking The Journey, which means I only need to read one book from any of the categories.  I plan one reading many more than that.

I am hoping OUAT VII and Arti’s Proust Read-Along will get me back into blogging about what I am reading.

The Sci-Fi Experience and Women of Genre Fiction

One of my favorite events of the year, organized by the inimitable Carl V and running from January 1, 2013 to February 28, 2013, The Science Fiction Experience is not limited to books.  The discussions revolve around any science fiction medium, books, graphic novels, films, TV shows, art.  The review site is here.

This is a perfect time to rediscover an old love, or introduce yourself to a new genre.

Another of Carl’s posts has reminded me of the great science fiction book and author website Worlds Without End.  This year they are organizing a Women of Genre Fiction reading challenge.  I think I will join in and read  some new-to-me authors.

Tag, You’re It!

Checking comments on a recent post I learned I’d been tagged with a Liebster award by Arti at Ripple Effects.  I have seen this award posted on several blogs, including Beauty Is A Sleeping Cat and Tales From The Reading Room.  The Liebster was created to introduce readers to new blogs, and the number and type of questions have shifted over time.  I’m going to use some of Arti’s and a couple of my own.

1. What do you think of literary prizes? Good idea or bad?

Like several other book bloggers, I enjoy literary prizes.  I search  lists for authors that are new to me, add many books to my to-be-read piles, am sometimes disappointed and often thrilled by what I discover.  I was re-introduced to Hilary Mantel by reading “Wolf Hall”, and am now reading “John Saturnall’s Feast” by Lawrence Norfolk, and loving it.  Both came to me through the Booker Prize.  I look forward to the Giller Prize, the National Book Award, IMPAC, the Commonwealth Prize, the Orange Prize and many others including the Hugo, the Arthur C Clark and the Edgar Awards.  I do know there is some controversy around some of these awards, but I choose to overlook that.

2. If you could write any sort of book, what would you write?

Ah, a secret fantasy.  Poetry.   Like this, this or this.   I attempt to write poetry.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

3. Describe your ideal home library/study.

A room filled with natural light, walls covered with book shelves, a big oak desk, a fireplace, two wing-backed chairs and a comfy couch.  French doors that lead to a garden, beyond the garden, the sea.  Oh, and a cat.  No, two cats.

4.  Name an author you feel you should love but don’t.  Or a “classic” you feel should have read but haven’t.

Haruki Mirakami.  I’ve tried and tried to love his fiction, but it just doesn’t grab me.

5.  What book do you hope to get for the holidays?

Far from the Tree: Parents, Children and the Search for Identity by Andrew Soloman.  Huge, dense and just fascinating to me.  Maybe because I work with children and families.

6. What’s the last book you did not finish and why?

Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner.  A first I was intrigued, then it started feeling like so many other books I had read, a rehash of Catcher in the Rye.    I think I’m too old for this ironic and cynical style of writing.

7.  If you could have dinner with any author, living or dead, who would it be?

Did I just ask that question?  At the moment my choice would be Hilary Mantel because I want her to explain to me how she does what she does.  There are hints here and here.  I am waiting for Bring Up The Bodies to come from my library.

This is an interesting meme, as it lets you into a bit of a blogger’s life.  For my next trick I’m tagging Claire, James, Jane, RaiderGirl, Sakura, Stu and Vasilly.  Use these questions if you want or make up your own.

Dickens In December

An event for the coming of Winter, organized be Caroline and Delia.  I had said that I wanted to read some classics during the dark time and what better way to start than with this lovely event.  There is A Christmas Carol Read-along and the weekend of December 14th and 15th is dedicated to watching movies based on Dickens’ novels.  Why don’t you join us?

Holiday Card Exchange!

What a wonderful way to share your love of reading with other book bloggers this holiday season!  Leeswammes and Courtney have taken up organizing the exchange from Anastasia, who started it two years ago.  This is the first time I have heard of it, and I am excited to join in.  The event is international, you should write something bookish in each card and you can sign up to send and receive up to 5 cards.  All the information you need and the sign-up form are right here.  Please join us!

Playing Catch-Up

Due to lots going on at work, and my fighting a coldish thing,  I’ve been sleeping a lot and have not been around the internets of late.  I’m still here,  reading, just not writing, and am excited about two reading events coming up in January.  I wanted to want to tell you about them.

One event, organized by Ana and Iris,  invites readers to settle down during the month of January and read some of  those long-awaited books.  You know, the ones that have been sitting on your shelf for ages and ages, waiting to be read, while you get distracted by a fancy cover or something just published by a favorite author.  I have a couple of stacks of them..Please note,  this is not a challenge but because things are often better when we share them, an event that will hopefully get us reading those books we’ve been meaning to get to for ages.

The second event is organized by James, of Ready When You Are, C.B., and his lovely dog Dakota.  This year they invite us to join the TBR Double Dog Dare.  This is the third year James has called the Dare, which runs from January 1st through April 1st, and encourages us to read only books already sitting on our shelves or books requested from the library before January 1st.  You can make exceptions for book club choices or other events.  Last year I allowed myself a couple of books for the Science Fiction Experience that Carl V. organizes, but other than those books,  I  managed to stick with the Dare for the entire three months.

Between these  two events, I am hoping to read many of the books that have managed to sneak into the house over the last year.  I’m not really sure how this happens.  They just seem to suddenly appear.  Just this week I found these two sitting in a box on my doorstep..

A More Diverse Universe – Sept 23-29 2012

Thanks to Aarti at Booklust for announcing A More Diverse Universe, a reading event and blog tour celebrating diversity in fantasy fiction. I’m not usually one for blog tours but I think this is and extremely important event.  And with R.I.P. VII happening the timing is just perfect.

From Aarti’s post:

For one week in September (the week of the 23rd), we want ALL OF YOU fantasy readers (with blogs and without) to read a fantasy novel written by a person of color.  And to write a review of that book.  You know as well as I do that books succeed based on word of mouth and mentions and conversation, and this is where bloggers can help the MOST.  Just read one book.  And share your thoughts on that one book.

I plan on reading several books written by people of color for R.I.P. VII.  There are links to a wide selection of authors and book titles in Aarti’s post.  Please join us and spread the word.

R.I.P. VII

Thanks to Carl V. at Stainless Steel Droppings we are about to embark on R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril VII.  It is a reading/watching event for the adventurous, those willing to dip their toes in chilly waters.  In Carl’s words:

The purpose of R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril VII is to enjoy books and movies/television that could be classified (by you) as:

Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.
Or anything sufficiently moody that shares a kinship with the above.

There are many ways to participate and a couple of Read-Alongs to intrigue you.  I am going to try for Peril the First and hope to join in with others as they read The Graveyard Book.  Please visit the link above to find out more.

The Poetry Project 2012-2013

Thanks to Vasilly , I’ve learned about the Poetry Project revamp organized by Lu at Regular Rumination and Kelly at The Written World.  The event is a year-long project and originally had folks posting at the end of the month.  Now participants can write about poetry, poets and poetry events any time they want.  If you are stuck for an idea there are monthly prompts and there will be a Mr. Linky post up on the first Wednesday of the month.

For the revamp Kelly and Lu have asked participants to answer a few questions:

Why do you want to join for the Poetry Project? I enjoy poetry, love to read it, love to listen to it and have on occsion attempted to write it.  I have always been hesitant writing about poetry so I feel this project is a , good way to start.
Do you have a favorite poet? I have many favorites and am adding more to my list all the time.   Naomi Shihab Nye, Joy Harjo, Mary Oliver, William Stafford, W.S. Merwin, John Haines, Richard Hugo, Linda Bierds , Louise Gluck, Bridget Pegeen Kelly, Adrianne Rich, Thomas McGrath, Marianne Boruch are just some names from my poetry bookshelf.
Hopefully this will go longer than a year. Do you have any suggestions for themes? Others have mentioned some great themes but I would add poetry in translation and possibly regional poetry.
What are your experiences with poetry in the past? Have they been positive or negative? I have heard many poets read their work and have read different kinds of poetry.  My experiences have been wonderful.
Tell us about a poem or poet that has had a profound effect on you. If you can’t think of a poem, how about a song? Or a line from a story? There is a poem by William Stafford that I have returned to again and again…

THE WAY IT IS – William Stafford

There’s a thread you follow. It goes among
things that change. But it doesn’t change.
People wonder about what you are pursuing.
You have to explain about the thread.
But it is hard for others to see.
While you hold it you can’t get lost.
Tragedies happen; people get hurt
or die; and you suffer and get old.
Nothing you do can stop time’s unfolding.
You don’t ever let go of the thread.

What frustrates you about poetry or the way we talk about poetry? I have often found poetry “criticism” very elitist and distancing.  I would like us to write and talk about poetry the way we write and talk about other forms of writing, fiction and non-fiction, the way we share our thoughts through book blogs.
Tell us something about yourself that has nothing to do with poetry!  I love gardening…

Ray Bradbury – A Master

“Looking back over a lifetime, you see that love was the answer to everything.” Ray Bradbury.

I just found out we lost a master yesterday.  Reading Ray Bradbury was my introduction to dark fantasy and science fiction.  I still hold images in my head from stories I read decades ago.  He will be missed.

Here is a memorial post from Neil Gaiman and from io9.