Format, Format - Who's got the format?

While I've been in non-blogging mode, I have noticed that among the readers I know - it has become more a question of not what they are reading - but how they are reading. (Non-readers - don't count in this - cause they ain't reading.)

Some über-readers are using audiobooks to get their story fix while others are downloading e-books as fast as they go on sale. And then others still have a To Be Read (TBR) pile that will never be done. Does the format bring more to the story?

I have found that since I'm an easily distracted driver - I can only listen to audiobooks that I have read before or that are in the same series. Brand new stuff distracts me too much and I'm soon driving in the wrong direction. But I've found audiobooks and their talented readers can bring parts of the book alive in ways that you did not notice while reading it.

What about reading e-books? Does it bring a new dimension to your book, or does the "how far you are in the book" bar distract from the enjoyment? Or is the reality just that it allows you to get a book and get it now!?

How do you read? Different genres or titles in different formats? Or a little bit of everything?

I've Been Roaming Around...

Grad school sometimes does not leave much time for other things. I'm back again after a rather long break. And hopefully I will have more to contribute.

I have been to so many conferences this year and discovered many new authors. Now I am even more behind than usual! This year I have been to Love Is Murder (the Chicago area's mystery writers conference), the Romantic Times Convention (what a wild time!), Spring Fling  (which is the Chicago RWA biennial conference), and I made it to LeakyCon which was held in Chicago this year and I have one more to go in October - Bouchercon in Cleveland (Crime Fiction Rocks!)

I have met some of my favorite current authors and some big-wig authors I never thought I would be standing in front of. Seriously, what do you say to Anne Rice that she has not heard before? I was just gobsmacked that she was in front of me.

But the best part, was meeting all the fellow book fans. And listening to them; rave about their favorites, who they are reading now, and which book to read first and which author has the best FaceBook, blog presence etc...

Sometimes it is just nice to be back with your tribe. ;-)

Yep - Fallen Behind Again

I've been reading a great deal. Kinda surprising since I have posted nothing! Yikes. Gotta get back into the saddle again.

Meanwhile - here are a few discussion topics: So are e-readers bringing in more new readers or just switching the formats that people read in? Are they just the latest tech gadgets that everyone has to have? And has anyone thought about whether these readers are even vaguely recyclable?

Yes, I have fallen behind.

Yes, my friends, I have fallen behind. But that does not mean I have not been reading and writing. Just reading alot of textbooks and writing essay papers. I am in graduate school and it is taking awhile to adjust.

But I still have been reading - just very lax about posting about it. But as the new year dawns - we will get back on that saddle again. And the next semester doesn't start until Jan 20th!

The 2009 Anthony Awards

I had the privilege and fun of being present at the Anthony Awards that were presented at Bouchercon in Indianapolis this past weekend.
Here are the winners!

Best Novel: THE BRASS VERDICT, by Michael Connelly

Best First Novel: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson

Best Paperback Original: STATE OF THE ONION, by Julie Hyzy

Best Short Story: "A Sleep Not Unlike Death" by Sean Chercover (from HARDCORE HARDBOILED)

Best Critical/Nonfiction: ANTHONY BOUCHER: A BIBLIOGRAPHY, by Jeffrey Marks

Best Children's/Young Adult: THE CROSSROADS, by Chris Grabenstein

Best Cover Art: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, designed by Peter Meselund

Special Service Award: Jon & Ruth Jordan

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees! It was great seeing that there were two Chicagoland connections - Julie Hyzy and Sean Chercover. We knew they were good. Now everyone else knows they are too!

Books, Obsessions and Real Life

I have been reading a ton of stuff! But it is not here. SIGH! I'm working on catching up. And I've been in a book obsession. I blame it all on that. The staying up til 2 am on a work night. Sorry - I don't have the bounce back that I used to.

Having a book obsession is a rare and wonderful thing. The book, the setting, the characters have entranced you. The author has seduced you into their written world and you could care less about what time it is. All you want to know is - WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! ! !

Yes - obsessed. It doesn't happen as often as you think. So enjoy it, tolerate it, cope with it. And it will fade.

Until the next time...

Christmas Love Stories

One of the reasons, I am behind in posting, is that at this time of year I start reading or re-reading romance Christmas stories. Yes - those short stories set in the days of old, or that are in a "modern" environment. I start reading them in November. About one an evening - or more, depending on if I can't fall asleep.

Yes, they can be sappy. Yes, they are unrealistic (Hello, we are reading fiction here!) And yes, some of them are not even historically accurate about Christmas. (I'm a history minor. I'm picky.) And everything is solved by the miracle of Christmas, or New Year's or Boxing Day. (Sure.)

But in today's cynical and hectic times, a little "what if" is good for the soul. What if everyday were Christmas? What if everyone were nice and kind to each other? What if love was around the corner for everyone? (The romantic lives!) It's a nice thought. ;- )

But heck, my comfort read may not be your comfort read. There is a book out there for everyone. Even Scrooge. But have yourself a merry little Christmas, now...

My Gosh! Summer is Over! The Past 6 Months with Harry

Yes - August has zipped by us and I have read a bunch of stuff - but I am backed up on the posting! YIKES!

One thing I did these last six months and just finished in early August - was a re-read/re-listen project. I re-listened to ALL of the Harry Potter books on audio book. Yep. It took awhile - since I have an okay commute - but not a super long one (thank goodness!) But the experience was worth the time. And Jim Dale does a fantastic job with the many voices. I delved in to sections I did not remember with clarity. I discovered clues and foreshadowing that Rowling carefully plotted and planned. And discovered some red herrings along the way.

Was it worth it? Oh, yes! Will I do it again? Someday. But I got my self ready and raring to go to Terminus, a Harry Potter conference held in Chicago. It was great fun to talk about these great stories with a bunch of fellow fans. We put the fan in fanatic - don't ya know!

What's the next long term project? I'll let you know when I do - but on to more reviewing.

The Art of the Re-Read part 1

I met a library land big-wig a few weeks ago. I had the pleasure of eating dinner with her. And I was thrilled to bits, when I heard her say she likes to re-read books! So do I!

Why you might ask?

Depends on the situation. Sometimes it is because there is nothing else around that suites your fancy. Maybe you are trying to remember a certain passage, plot line or fascinating character? Or perhaps they are your version of book "comfort food". They have a good story. You like the characters -they make you laugh. It is written well. And it reminds you as you read them, that in the chaos of a bad week in your own life, that it will be okay, and everything will be alright in the end.

More on this topic later...

What I read - the good, the bad, and the so so...

Okay - Here we go. This is different way to suggest reads to my friends and the world at large. Let me first explain - that I read a bit of almost everything. Frothy romances, and footnoted history tomes and Harry Potter in between. Depends on the mood, the moon, and whatever catches my fancy. There are guilty reads and "majorly established and reviewed books" in here. So if it does not catch your fancy - wait and it might.
Read responsibly.