Happy Saturday from snowy, snowy Boston. Hope where you are is a lot warmer!
I woke up (late this morning -- loves my sleeping in time on Saturday!) and decided I needed to do a little dusting. I worked my way over to my secretary that I inherited from my grandparents. Here, I keep all of my "old" and "valuable" books - like a 1964 printing of GONE WITH THE WIND and some of my books from my childhood.
Today, I was particularly drawn to a couple of books on the end: CURIOUS GEORGE GOES TO THE HOSPITAL and CURIOUS GEORGE LEARNS THE ALPHABET. These came out the year I was born and I remember reading them so much that the covers came loose.
I turned to the front of the book to see who the publisher was (like any curious author) and irony of irony....it hit me...George's publisher is also my publisher... Houghton Mifflin Company here in Boston. Coincidence? I think not! Amazing that books...and a character who meant so much in my childhood are produced, even today, by the very publisher who bought my GHOST HUNTRESS series.
Isn't he just the cutest?
Do you have a favorite childhood book that has stayed with you? What is it?
Hugs,
Marley = )
SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? (May 2008, Puffin Books)
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (May 2008, Puffin Books)
GHOST HUNTRESS Series (Begins May 2009, Houghton Mifflin)
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By: Marley Gibson,
on 2/23/2008
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Houghton Mifflin, books, Houghton Mifflin, bookcase, ghost huntress, bookcase, ghost huntress, Add a tag
By: Yours Truly,
on 1/5/2008
Blog: 3 Evil Cousins (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Interviews, Libba Bray, Buffy, Cookies, The Many Commands of the Dark Lord, Gemma Doyle, Disney Princesses, Almost all together now, The Many Commands of the Dark Lord, Disney Princesses, Gemma Doyle, Add a tag
Hello, dearest readers. What follows is an interview with Libba Bray, author of the Gemma Doyle Trilogy. (The third book, The Sweet Far Thing, recently came out. You can see our review of it if you scroll down.) We asked her 13 questions, because 13 is a most excellent number. So, read on, the Dark Lord commands thee! (Warning: VERY LONG POST.)
I always enjoyed writing, but never took it too seriously, and then two things happened that made me realize writing was it for me. The first was my car accident at eighteen in which I lost my left eye and basically demolished my face and had to have it rebuilt. The only outlet I had for dealing with that was a little yellow journal. I wrote down everything I thought/felt/observed in that thing, and it was really empowering. It saved my life, actually. The other thing that made me realize I wanted to be a writer was writing a monologue for an original play that my friend Ed was putting together. The play, "One to the Sixth," was a collection of monologues written by various people, and I wrote a piece about a girl struggling with the not being beautiful in a world that values beauty. I turned it in to Ed, and he said, "Hey, this isn't bad. Why don't you write five or six more of these and we'll make a show out of it." I said okay, because sometimes I'm very agreeable, and that became my first play, "High Hopes and Heavy Sweatshirts." And that was it. I was hooked.
I don't know if I chose to write YA/historical fiction/fantasy or if it chose me. :-) I'm a sucker for anything Victorian and creepy. I just wanted to write the kind of stuff I enjoy reading and I hoped it wouldn't suck completely. Basically, I wanted to write a Victorian "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
Zombies, all the way. Unicorns would only exist so that zombies could feast upon their flesh and fashion their horns into mod zombie breast plates.
Well, my pal Brenda has a game called, "Which actor & actress would play you in the movie version of your life?" She then likes to answer before you do. (It's her world, we just live in it.) She said the two people who would play me would be Teri Garr and Bill Murray. Actually, I thought that was pretty solid.
I would say read everything so you know what's possible, but find your own voice, because no one will write quite like you do, and what is personal in our work is also what is most universal. All those thoughts/weaknesses/insecurities you'd rather not admit to are what make characters who are real and memorable. Remember, super heroes aren't half so interesting for what they *can* do--fly, control the weather, shoot webs, leap small buildings in a single bound, wear bitchin' tights--as for what leaves them most vulnerable: love, pride, self-doubt, anger--all that juicy human stuff. Don't be afraid to go there. In fact, it's your job to go there. My friend Jennifer Jacobson always asks herself, "Is it true yet? Is it true yet? Is it true yet?" I think that's a good question to keep asking yourself. Keep digging until you hit that emotional truth. You'll know when you've found it. Trust me.
12. What's your next project (if you are permitted to disclose)?
By: Yours Truly,
on 12/17/2007
Blog: 3 Evil Cousins (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Maelstrom, Teenageria, The Many Commands of the Dark Lord, Maelstrom, Teenageria, The Many Commands of the Dark Lord, Add a tag
The Dark Lord commands thee: go read Maelstrom! It's teenagers... blogging about books... because books are awesome. It gives me some hope that the land of Teenageria shall one day come out of this dark age and embrace the wonderfulosity of reading!
By: Yours Truly,
on 11/25/2007
Blog: 3 Evil Cousins (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: The Many Commands of the Dark Lord, Deathly Boredom, The Many Commands of the Dark Lord, Deathly Boredom, Add a tag
So this funny thing happens when we write posts but don't publish them for a while. We save them as drafts. And when we do publish them they are posted in the space that they would have occupied had we posted them on their original save date. This is probably quite confusing to most of you, as your majority is comprosed of mere mortals. So I'll get to the point.
The point is: THE GERBILS OF DOOM ARE ATTACKING! RUN FOR YOUR LIIIIIIIIIIFFFFFFEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Just kidding. Heh. I'm hilarious. Anyhow...The point is: there may be some reviews that you have not read, For instance, we did a lovely little review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Boredom-I mean...er...Hallows! But it seems that nobody has read it. Because there aren't any comments. And I know for certain that everybody who has read the book must have some strong opinions.
Right?
Scroll Down, young grasshopper...Avery Trelaine
By: Marley Gibson,
on 6/6/2007
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: books, bookcase, writer's life, Add a tag
People who come to my place would see the following:
This is our second bedroom which is known as "The Writing Room." It overlooks the harbor and is painted in a lovely three-version shade of the same blue. Very calming. This particular bookshelf sits under the window and, as you can see, houses a lot of crap. The books here are mostly annuals from high school, my husband's non-fiction books, our Anne Rice collection, and a lot of his political books.
Back in the corner, behind my writing desk, is another bookshelf that's kind of funky in its build. We got it eons ago at Crate and Barrel and it houses a lot of our Hollywood books. Things like how to write screenplays, entertainment guides, autobigraphies of Gable, Grant, and Chaplin, to name a few. My husband's two prized book collections (Maupin's Tales of the City and The Tao of Pooh and The Te of Piglet) are here.
To the left (...to the left...every book I own is to the left, to the left...) is my bookshelf. It's sectioned off into the top section with most all of my cooking books, the next shelf with all of the travel books, maps, and guides, and then the rest is dedicated to my romance novels. You can't really tell, but where Mr. Bigglesworth and Austin Powers sit, the books are stacked three deep. I have every Sandra Brown and Barbara Delinsky book ever written. (Including the ones Sandra wrote as Laura Jordan, Rachel Ryan, and Erin St. Claire.)
This is my Young Adult bookshelf. As you see, it's a little sparse, but there's a reason why. I only started reading YA two years ago, whereas I've been reading romance and women's fiction for 28 years. (I know!) So, it was only fitting that I get the YA shelf ready to hold even more books. As you see, one shelf features my critique partner's, Diana Peterfreund, books with a picture of us. That section will only expand when the rest of her Secret Society Girl books and her new killer unicorn YA urban fantasy series hit bookstores.
One shelf has my First Love by Silhouette books. It's a complete series of all the books they put out starting in like 1981. These books were amazing and my best reading friends. As you can see by how beat up they are, they got read a lot. My niece "inherited" the books and read them to death, as well, showing that the stories stood up for generations to come. You can bet I'm keeping these forever!
The top shelf is for me. See those Greek temples? Well, those are antique bookends that my husband bought for me for my last birthday. They are to hold...my sorority books when they come out. Get it? Sorority...Greek... Awww... Also on that shelf are fellow Puffin authors, like my friend, Linda Gerber and her Students Across the Seven Seas books.
More books. No order. Mix of mine and hubby's with some "household" stuff in there, as well. I think that's the binder with all of our mortgage information in it.
Here in the living room, in the secretary I inherited from my grandparents, is my collection of "vintage" books. The red ones up top are all classics with copyright dates going back to the 1930s. I have one book of "Plays for Little Actors" with an 1896 copyright date! (Also, note the pic of dear old Dad when he was in the Navy in WWII and the dried flowers in the middle are what's left of my wedding bouquet.)
I should be embarrassed to show this, but what they heck. This is the kingdom of books that lives next to my side of the bed (note photographic placement of five-fingered slippers from The Carlton Hotel in Cannes, France. LOL!) These are the "must read soon" books that line my bedroom. These are the books that constantly get rearranged into preference order and the stacks move according to my reading mood. If a book is really luck, it gets moved up here...
...to the bedside table. (I took these pics a while ago, so both of these books have been read and stored back in The Writing Room.)
So, that's a look at my condo full of books. This doesn't include the myriad cookbooks in my kitchen, or the boxes full of books in the closet at my sister's house in Florida that I sent to her to read.
Now, I tag, Alexgirl, Elizabeth Mahon, and Mel Francis.
Where is the strangest place you store your books?
Marley = )
Sorority Rush Begins - May 2008
Rush - A Sisterhood Novel
Pledge Class - A Sisterhood Novel
Puffin Books
What I'm reading right now: TWILIGHT by Stephanie Meyer
By: TinaFerraro,
on 6/5/2007
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: bookcase, writer's life, books, Add a tag
Today’s the day I go to Grauman’s Chinese Theater in hopes of sneaking a peak at The Ocean’s 13 hunks. I’m bringing a camera, but I guarantee the best pictures will be taken by the media, so please don’t count on me. Honestly, I think the best I’ll come back with is something like, “I managed to see the top of Brad Pitt’s head. His hair is blond.” Anyway, I’m hoping it’s fun!
Now, onto my Bookshelf Meme!
I had always planned on having a proper, British library with floor-to-ceiling shelves and a rolling ladder (inside my proper British mansion). Alas...I live in a tract home in Southern California. Some years ago I realized that my growing book collection was starting to compete for space with my growing family, so I decided to start giving some away. (Books, that is. ;=) So that said, I only have about 20 shelves of books now, just the special ones!
The most important thing to know about my system is that there’s a strong division between TO BE READ:
And READ AND DECIDED TO KEEP:
As far as delving any further into my keeper organization, I don’t think I could begin to do my chaos justice. It's just sort of where things fit. But occasionally I’ll rearrange the order of my shelves when I’m stressed or bored. That's the one kind of housekeeping I enjoy. Does anyone else do that?
What I’m Reading Now: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen!
Tina
www.tinaferraro.com
Top Ten Uses for An Unworn Prom Dress
How to Hook a Hottie, January, 2008
The ABC’s of Kissing Boys, Spring 2009
By: Tera Lynn Childs,
on 6/3/2007
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: bookcase, writer's life, Add a tag
We have another fun new theme for our BuzzReaders this week--and I actually get to kick it off!!! (So if this all goes awry it's not my fault, I'm flying blind here.) This week you get a sneak peek inside the lives of writers... well, at our organizational habits when it comes to books, anyway. Without further ado (and babbling) I present: MY BOOK STORAGE.
1. The Main Bookshelf. (see photo below) This one is in my closet behind my desk and holds most of my writing life. On the top shelf I have a few reference books, some books on writing and on marketing, and a whole bunch of calendars and spiral notebooks. The second shelf holds more reference books (like Edith Hamilton's Mythology and the Eyewitness Guide to the Greek Islands) and my writing binders. One of the binders holds all my business papers (like contest certificates, contracts, and--my fave--rejection letters). The rest of the binders are my book binders, where I keep my notes, research, and character collages for each book. I'm also a bit of a graphics geek, so I make cover mock-ups, too. Finally, the bottom shelf holds my travel guides (also research) and the handout books from the past four RWA conferences.
2. The Keeper Baskets. (I know, technically not "shelves") On the top shelf in my closet I have three fabulous baskets from Ikea that are the perfect size for books--this is where I keep all my keepers. (At the front of the class right now are TOP TEN USES FOR AN UNWORN PROM DRESS by BuzzGirl Tina Ferraro, HOW TO RUIN A SUMMER VACATION by BuzzGirl Simone Elkeles, my fave Jenny Crusie GETTING RID OF BRADLEY, and new fave SPYING IN HIGH HEELS by Gemma Halliday)
3. The Nightstand. Right next to my bed, the dozen or so books I'm supposed to be reading right now. Like the copy of Stephenie Meyer's NEW MOON Steph sent me, the uber-cool-sounding JACK'S WIDOW by Eve Pollard, and THE WEDDING by Coleen Murtagh Paratore (that Marley recommended).
4. The To-Be-Read Crates. (not shown) I also have a stack of three milk cartons in the corner. Two of them are full of books I have yet to read. They're really, really full. The third is full of books I've read and have decided won't make it into my keeper baskets--they're ready to go to Goodwill.
That's pretty much my book organization strategy. I can't wait to see what the rest of the BuzzGirls (and BuzzReader) do with their books! We BuzzGirls got tagged with this meme via Diana Peterfreund (and BuzzGirl Marley) so check out her post on the matter. Now it's your turn.
Hugs,
TLC
GROWING UP GODLY [soon to be retitled], Summer 2008 Dutton Children's Books
what I'm reading ... Nothing (I'm busy trying to hunt down a freakin' edited version of The Stand for my deal with Tina)
I have such a soft spot for Curious George!! Riley adores him, of course... and so do I. :)
i had a lot of childrens books that has stayes with me. In fact, all this books are beside me now! The big bookcase with al my childrens books stands beside my compuer. well lets see..
The bear nobody wanted and The Jolly Postman by Janet and Allen Ahlberg is one of my favorites.When i was older i was really a balletbook girl. I have two series of them that are very special. One is the ''Cindy'' serie
This serie has 6 books and is about Cindy and her girlfriends and her and their families. Cindy has to choose a sport. Then one day her mother names ballet..Cindy thinks its dull, with strict teachers and everything. But then Cindy and her two friends Helen and Tamara are going to take a trial lesson..
The other serie is about Ballet Club The little swans.
Sorth of the same as the Cindy serie, but for younger girls.
And i loved all of the Astrid Lindgren books. The Children of Noisy Village, The Brothers Lionheart, and the Children on Troublemaker Street Where are all time favorites of me. And my grandparents read always Nobodys Boy(Remi) by Hector Malot for me.
for a look of the ballet books, click here..
Cindy books (author page)
http://www.kluitman.nl/view.php?pn=71383&s=2
Balletclub Little Swans on stage.
http://www.ikoopjes.be/images/boeken/kinderboeken/B1007.jpg
Marlayne
According to my mom I was a "Lyle, Lyle Crocodile" fan. My little girl *loves* George, though.
~Leigh~
That's great Marley. You're in good company. I'm stil a huge Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham fan.
I do not like them in a box or with a fox...!
I am with you, Kwana...Dr. Suess books remain favorites to this day!
dr seuss is still cool. my sister likes curious george.
I still have my copy of Barney The Beagle, and my sons love it. The poor thing is totally coming apart, but I like it that way. It has been loved, you know? Another one both my husband and I loved and we have his original copy of is Ferdinand the Bull.
Curious George is so cute. I remember seeing a pygmy marmoset (sp?) at the zoo once and thinking it WAS C.G.