chalice

You know that one author whose books you reach for when you need the equivalent of a reading hug? Or maybe it’s just one book, but the prose somehow exudes cozy? Yeah. I have a whole shelf of those, and the name on the spine is Robin McKinley. Her books are great for anytime (they’re almost all about girls doing things), but I find my eye catching on that particular shelf most often whenever I’m in a rough patch. I’m in the midst of one right now – first I fractured my face playing hockey, then I got quite ill, right now I’m dealing with pest problems, and as a result my roommates and I have decided to move at the end of the month (whew!). So I picked up a McKinley book to (re)read myself into a better mindset. Chalice is a quietly powerful book, and it’s working like a healing balm for my soul.

Mirasol is a beekeeper, a honey-gatherer, with an ability to speak to the earthlines—the sentient parts of Willowlands, where she lives. The concerns of Master, Chalice, and Circle, who govern Willowlands, have nothing to do with her—until the current Master and Chalice die in a fire and leave no heirs to take their places. The Master’s closest relative has been a priest of Fire for the past seven years; he is not quite human anymore. And then the Circle comes to Mirasol and tells her that she is the new Chalice, and it will be up to her to bind the land and its people with a Master, the touch of whose hand can burn human flesh to the bone…

Mirasol was a modest beekeeper before a terrible tragedy forced her into a position of power. The trouble is that she has had no training, a new Master, and work that must be done, or else everything will fall apart. Mirasol’s struggles are not small and simple as they once were: she is trying to hold together something much bigger than herself, while fighting ignorance (her own and others’), politics, and self-doubt. Chalice is a quiet book, focused on one woman thrust suddenly into a life she could never have imagined. At the same time it is a powerful story about an understated type of heroism – that of an ordinary person, stretching to (and past) their limits to make the world a better place.

That’s the story. What about the writing itself? I’m going to tell you what it’s like, and you’re going to give me a look and think, “Cecelia, are you serious?! That sounds boring.” And I’m going to say… just hear me out. McKinley is as her most McKinley-esque in this book: there’s little dialogue, the story is told in the third-person, and there’s a lot of exposition, a lot of time in spent in main character Mirasol’s head. Stay with me.  It’s a cozy, warm sort of story for all that. Said coziness comes from: honey, Mirasol’s affinity with animals & bees, her modesty and thirst for knowledge, and the juxtaposition of the physical limits of the human body (small, immediate concerns) with “larger” matters like a land falling apart, loneliness, and the responsibility of power. The writing may not be galloping-along-action, but it’s suited to the size and scope of this story, and it perfectly represents the main character.

The first couple of times I read Chalice I simply read it, and was pulled into its calm. This time through I enjoyed it just as well as before, but I kept a somewhat more critical eye out – as I have been doing with all of my reading lately. Conclusion? Although the book’s focus is narrow, room could have been made to explore some interesting themes. I’m talking “issues” like gender stereotypes (inherent in the assigned power roles in this fantasy world, as it turns out), diversity (the Master has black skin that has been burned by magical fire, but otherwise there’s a monochromatic cast of characters), and world-building (what is lost with the hyper-focus on one woman?). As I said, I still enjoyed the book – but I am working on my awareness of diversity. My reading requirements have evolved.

In all, Chalice is a warm, genuine sort of fantasy – the type of story that will appeal to readers who don’t usually find themselves in the fantasy section at the bookstore but want the book equivalent of a cup of tea and a fuzzy shawl around the shoulders.

Recommended for: readers who prefer quiet, character-driven stories, anyone interested in books light on dialogue and heavy on beekeeping, and fans of Patricia McKillip.

shadows

There have been few constants in reading life.  I spent my high school years reading almost exclusively classics, college was a mash-up of fantasy and Spanish literature, and grad school was a haze of academic history.  Now I’m in the land of middle grade, young adult, and science fiction and fantasy.  One anchor amidst all the change?  Robin McKinley.  She writes books that speak to the reader, the adventurer, the girl-who-wishes-she-was-brave in me.  Her latest release is standalone fantasy Shadows.

Maggie knows something’s off about Val, her mom’s new husband. Val is from Oldworld, where they still use magic, and he won’t have any tech in his office-shed behind the house. But—more importantly—what are the huge, horrible, jagged, jumpy shadows following him around? Magic is illegal in Newworld, which is all about science. The magic-carrying gene was disabled two generations ago, back when Maggie’s great-grandmother was a notable magician. But that was a long time ago. 

Then Maggie meets Casimir, the most beautiful boy she has ever seen. He’s from Oldworld too—and he’s heard of Maggie’s stepfather, and has a guess about Val’s shadows. Maggie doesn’t want to know…until earth-shattering events force her to depend on Val and his shadows. And perhaps on her own heritage. 

In this dangerously unstable world, neither science nor magic has the necessary answers, but a truce between them is impossible. And although the two are supposed to be incompatible, Maggie’s discovering the world will need both to survive.

Maggie is going through a rough patch.  Her senior year is about to begin, and she’s looking forward to the school year (despite the dreaded Algebra class), because it means she won’t have to pretend to like (or attempt to avoid) her new stepfather, Val, for several hours of the day.  Val creeps Maggie out.  Perhaps because he’s from Oldworld, where they still have magic.  Or perhaps it’s the shadows – ones that shouldn’t be there at all.  When beautiful new guy Casimir shows up and knows Val by name and as a magician, it seems like the first of many coincidences that are just waiting to turn a flammable situation truly dangerous.  Maggie will have to learn her strengths, identify her allies, and brace for chaos, lest it carry her and those she cares about into the void.

When I mentioned Shadows in a Waiting on Wednesday post back at the beginning of the summer, I mistakenly called it urban fantasy.  It’s more like suburban fantasy (ha! i crack myself up).  What I mean is, yes, it’s contemporary-ish, but no, the story isn’t dependent on the character and characteristics of big city life.  This book could be set in any town in America (or Newworld, as McKinley calls it).  If I had to label it, I’d call it an alternate world contemporary fantasy.

One of the ‘alternate world’ things about the book is obviously the magic, and in Newworld’s case, the intentional absence of magic.  Others are the different history, the that’s-not-a-real-place names, and the vernacular. That last element is really where I felt the writing was weakest.  McKinley keeps actual swearing at a minimum, but the euphemisms are at max limits.  Even though the pacing is great and the internal dialogue was fine, the invented slang lowered quality of the reading experience.  If I’m trying to puzzle out what ‘dreeping’ means in context (i assume bad, but how bad? boring? or majorly terrible? you see how it goes), I’m not paying as much attention to subtle character dynamics and action.  And lest anyone think me unfair to the wholly different LANGUAGE usage – I liked the inclusion of Japanese!  I really did.  It was just the off-ness of the regular, English-language slang that killed my enthusiasm.

My other minor quibble with the story was the wide character focus.  For a young adult first-person narrative, there was a lot of time spent on the adults of the story and their problems.  Which: valid.  Adults should be allowed to have real lives and worries too, even in teen books.  But perhaps because there were so many adults (as opposed to a primarily teenage cast), it felt like the book could have easily fit in the adult SFF category.

Now that the complaint section is out of the way, I’ll get on with how much I like McKinley and her writing, okay?  She does a spectacular job getting inside the heads of unconventional heroines with unusual interests.  Maggie has a small, close-knit group of friends, but her main interests are animals (she works at a shelter) and origami.  She’s not sure yet what she wants to do with her life.  Magical chaos seems to want very hard to break out all around her, and Maggie’s responses are perhaps a little… odd.  But you know, she makes sense.  McKinley has created a rounded character with all of the little flaws that make us human, and has placed her in a real family, in a real world.  It’s the sort of story that feels immediate and possible, despite a fantasy setting. 

Beyond characterization, there are the complicated family dynamics, swoony boys (because, well, YES), and an interesting magic and physics system that while not completely spelled-out-with-diagrams, makes an odd and beautiful sort of sense.  I think the ease with which a reader can accept the settings and the emotion of a book lies somewhat with the reader, and somewhat with the author.  In this case, the author has done her part with skill.  In all, it’s a good book – and I can only blame myself for expecting fireworks.

Recommended for: fans of Robin McKinley (especially the ones who like Sunshine best), those who loved Michelle Sagara’s necromancer novel Silence, and anyone interested in rounding out their young adult contemporary fantasy reading.

sunshine

For quite a while I thought there was something special about long-time favorite books.  Something like a block or a mental brick wall that kept me from being able to put words on a page and describe how I loved that story, and how much the reading and re-reading of it changed me.  Well, there IS a special magic surrounding old, favorite and familiar tales, but I’ve worked myself around to being able to write about them (a bit).  Robin McKinley is one of my most favorite authors, and her adult fantasy (paranormal? urban fantasy?) Sunshine is one of her best books.  The other day I needed sunshine in my life, and I picked it up off the shelf for an extremely well-timed re-read.

"Her feet are already bleeding - if you like feet..."

There are places in the world where darkness rules, where it's unwise to walk. Sunshine knew that. But there hadn't been any trouble out at the lake for years, and she needed a place to be alone for a while.

Unfortunately, she wasn't alone. She never heard them coming. Of course you don't, when they're vampires.

Sunshine is a young, perfectly ordinary (she thinks!) girl with a loving, messy, normal family.  The only thing is, her world is full of the Others, including demons, Weres, and the Darkest Others, vampires.  But you can get through life pretty well as long as you avoid the dangerous parts of town and have a modicum of good sense and luck.  At least, that’s how it should be.  It turns out that Sunshine’s life won’t be so simple after she decides to drive out to the lake one summer night.

My friends know about my thing for zombies, but I usually protest that I don’t read about vampires.  This is the book that proves me a hypocrite.  It’s not that these are seductive vampires.  No, they are the utterly alien, terror-in-the-night kind.  But as Sunshine discovers, her destiny lies in a gray area, and she won’t get to pick the cut-and-dried human ‘side.’  She’ll have to live with impossibilities.  The story that takes her on that journey is fascinating and (as I said) an all-time favorite.

McKinley has created an entire world with unnamed Wars in recent history, a vampire menace, partblood discrimination, and a friendly coffee shop at its center.  However, the story’s focus is Sunshine, and her first-person narration is what makes the book work.  She’s self-deprecating, funny, afraid, and wants to cling to the normality she knows.  At the same time, she finds that deeply-hidden well of courage and strength needed to face evil, to keep on living, and to choose the right thing, even when it all seems bleak.  She’s no perfect heroine, and that, I think, is one of the reasons why readers will fall in love with her.

The thing that resonated most with me this re-read was the juxtaposition of Sunshine’s primal urge to make food and feed it to people (a metaphor for creation and nurture), and her mission/calling to do what she can to destroy evil (killing, getting her hands dirty).  Sunshine also grapples with the questions of how to be a good person while doing something that she fundamentally disagrees with, how to keep the balance of light and dark in her life, and if there is such a thing as a visible taint of evil. 

I find that the best books will speak different messages to you at different points in time.  I felt very adult this time ‘round, reading Sunshine.  It was… interesting.  In any case, it’s still a wonderful, immediate, funny, dark sort of pleasure, and I’m sure it’ll remain on the favorites shelf for years to come.

And now!  An aside featuring food: As the baker/pastry chef at her stepdad Charlie’s coffee shop, Sunshine makes many cinnamon rolls (as big as your head!), muffins, cherry tarts and Killer Zebras throughout the book.  What are Killer Zebras?  A type of cookie, of course.  The passage below (from page 227) got me thinking about making them.  A woman named Maud has just interrupted Sunshine’s solitude, and offered her a generic cookie from a packet.  It turns out that it is just this sort of fellowship with her fellow humans that Sunshine needed.

“Sometimes you have help,” I said.  “Sometimes people come along and offer you Chocolate Pinwheels.” 

“Sometimes,” she said.

“I’m Rae,” I said.  “Do you know Charlie’s Coffeehouse?  It’s about a quarter mile that way,” I said, pointing.

“I don’t get that far very often,” she said.

“Well, some time, if you want to, you might like to try our Killer Zebras.  There’s a strong family resemblance…Tell whoever serves you that Sunshine says you can have as many as you can carry away, to bring back to this park and eat.  In the sunshine.”

“Are you Sunshine then too?”

I sighed.  “Yes.  I guess.  I’m Sunshine too.”

“Good for you,” she said, and patted my knee.

So I did a little searching and found Robin’s mention of Killer Zebras as basically Betty Crocker Harlequin cookies.  I couldn’t find the original Betty Crocker recipe, but I did find this one for Chocolate Harlequins from Simon Rimmer’s Cooking for the Weekend.  I tried it.  And failed (they... spread. and the consistency is wrong).  Needless to say, I’ll be searching the cookbook section at used bookstores and sales until I find the original recipe!

Recommended for: anyone interested in paranormal and urban fantasy, fans of Emma Bull, Neil Gaiman and Sharon Shinn, and those who appreciate the full-immersion experience in a character and a fantastical world.

Interested in other food-related posts?  Check out Beth Fish Reads’ Weekend Cooking!

waiting on wedneday (54)

Today I’m participating in "Waiting On" Wednesday, a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Its purpose is to spotlight upcoming book releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Robin McKinley is one of my all-time favorite, pre-order months before release, auto-dial authors (i don’t know what an ‘auto-dial author’ is really, but it sounded good).  When she released Pegasus in 2010, I was ecstatic to again be immersed in a richly-detailed epic fantasy.  And while I’m still waiting for books 2 & 3 in that story, McKinley has written an urban fantasy.  I think it looks really interesting, and knowing McKinley, the writing will be superb.  Ahhhh – I can’t wait!!! Shadows will be released on September 26, 2013 by Nancy Paulsen Books (Penguin).

Maggie knows something’s off about Val, her mom’s new husband. Val is from Oldworld, where they still use magic, and he won’t have any tech in his office-shed behind the house. But—more importantly—what are the huge, horrible, jagged, jumpy shadows following him around? Magic is illegal in Newworld, which is all about science. The magic-carrying gene was disabled two generations ago, back when Maggie’s great-grandmother was a notable magician. But that was a long time ago. 

Then Maggie meets Casimir, the most beautiful boy she has ever seen. He’s from Oldworld too—and he’s heard of Maggie’s stepfather, and has a guess about Val’s shadows. Maggie doesn’t want to know…until earth-shattering events force her to depend on Val and his shadows. And perhaps on her own heritage. 

In this dangerously unstable world, neither science nor magic has the necessary answers, but a truce between them is impossible. And although the two are supposed to be incompatible, Maggie’s discovering the world will need both to survive.

What books are you waiting on?

pegasus

It came as a bit of a shock to realize that I hadn’t reviewed a single, measly book by my most favorite author. Not that her books are measly, mind you, but just that it was fun to write that in a sentence. Also, you can forget that ‘bit of a shock’ part and insert HUGE, crazy, tilt-your-world-on-its-axis shock instead. That is to say: when I realized that I hadn’t actually reviewed anything by Robin McKinley, I had a minor heart attack. The rest of my favorite authors are all represented in my archive. How did this HAPPEN?

I’ll tell you the reason right now: I’m a coward. For a very long time I kept putting it off, thinking that ‘one day I’ll wake up and just feel like writing about how much I love The Blue Sword, and I’ll use eloquent language, and…’ That’s about where I’d dribble off into silence, because I could never actually imagine using suitable prose to describe how much I love that book. Barring divine intervention, a review was never going to get written. AND, since I feel this intensely about practically everything Ms. McKinley has written, the task looked impossible.

At this point, you may politely point out that I am a crazy person, and isn’t this little thing that I’m writing right now a review of a McKinley book? Why yes. It is. It is happening because at ALA (in June) last year I was very very lucky, and picked up an ARC of Pegasus at the Penguin booth. I then read it in September after I found out that I was losing my job. It was all sorts of soothing and wonderful and just what I needed, and it deserved a review, no matter how paltry the talent of the person behind the blog. So let’s get down to business.

A gorgeously written fantasy about the friendship between a princess and her Pegasus.

Because of a thousand-year-old alliance between humans and pagasi, Princess Sylviianel is ceremonially bound to Ebon, her own Pegasus, on her twelfth birthday. The two species coexist peacefully, despite the language barriers separating them. Humans and pegasi both rely on specially-trained Speaker magicians as the only means of real communication.

But it is different for Sylvi and Ebon. They can understand each other. They quickly grow close-so close that their bond becomes a threat to the status quo-and possibly to the future safety of their two nations.

New York Times bestselling Robin McKinley weaves an unforgettable tale of unbreakable friendship, mythical creatures and courtly drama destined to become a classic.

Pegasus felt at the same time like a dream of a fantasy and also intimate and heavy with emotion. It featured McKinley’s trademark smart heroine who feels like an outsider among her own kind, but forms fast friendships in spite of it. The novel also had a deep connection to geography and language. As a visual person, I had no trouble ‘seeing’ the land of the pegasi in my mind’s eye. And though it might be distressing to read the language of the pegasi aloud, the words had a way of murmuring along in the back of my mind.

For me, Pegasus was an instant favorite, and the descriptions of flight, bits of subtle humor and the wide scope of the story (where so much is below the surface, so much inferred, so much to dream about) were the best parts. It isn’t a fairy tale, but definitely fantastical and mythic. Sylvi and Ebon were strong, wonderful characters - the sorts that you would like to be, if you were faced with the kind of trouble they face. All in all, the book was just...ideal.

If all of that sounds like a eulogy of praise, it is. I feel this scary amount of love towards almost all McKinley books. So yes, I am biased. Biased by years of reading satisfaction and sensational writing. BUT. Even I understand that there are those who would have a lukewarm reaction to this novel. What do the members of this rare tribe look like? First: they don’t like fantasy, ever, no ifs ands or buts about it. You can forget the Narnia novels, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, anything with magic at all. If it isn’t real, can it. Second: they need romance. Can’t tolerate a book without it. Get antsy if no one is kissed by page 100. Third: cliffhangers are the stuff their nightmares are made of.

If that didn’t sound like you, I’d suggest Pegasus. Strongly. And yes, it is one story broken into two parts. But the second part is coming SOON, and it’s totally worth it. Really.

Recommended for: anyone interested in developing their sense of wonder, those who appreciate high fantasy and also those looking for a good introduction to it, fans of YA fiction as well as fans of beautiful writing, and anyone who knows how to find the ‘real’ and important things in any setting, no matter how fantastical.

[I got an ARC of Pegasus from the Penguin/Putnam booth at ALA 2010. I also got a hardcover for Christmas, because I loved it that much. I'm donating the ARC to my sister's 7th grade classroom in Washington State.]

once upon a week (+ flash giveway)

It is Wednesday, so obviously I am behind. I feel like that is the story of my life, every day. But! There are wonderful things afoot. NotNessie at Today’s Adventure is currently hosting an event called Once Upon a Week. She’s sharing content each day this week about fairy tales and retellings, and encouraging other bloggers to get involved. Today she posted a little blurb about me (and some other fantastic people!).

In honor of Once Upon a Week, I’m hosting a flash giveaway. One winner will receive three books: a hardcover of Troll’s-Eye View by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling (eds.), a paperback of Beauty by Robin McKinley, and a paperback of East by Edith Pattou. All are favorite fairy tale retellings of mine.

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To win, please comment by 11:59pm EST tonight (August 4) with a way for me to contact you. Open internationally. I’ll email the randomly selected winner.

UPDATE: Congrats to the winner - EKTA!

on naming things (but especially book characters)

Don’t let the title of this post fool you. I am not writing a book. I sort of was for about half of National Novel Writing Month, but no more. This post is about names and likeability and originality. What that means in real world terms is that’s they’re actually just my random thoughts, but I want to let them out into the world, to see if any of you think the same things (sometimes).

I have an uncommon-ish sort of name: Cecelia. It doesn’t show up much in art or literature. Fanny Burney, a contemporary of Jane Austen, wrote a novel called Cecilia, which I own but have never read. Forgive me – it’s 1,200+ pages of romance, counter-romance and mystery. I tried that with Anna Karenina and failed miserably. But there’s also a Simon & Garfunkel song called Cecilia, and I’d estimate that half of the people I meet for the first time spontaneously serenade me with it – regardless of the strength or quality of their singing voices.

And on top of that, my sister is called Virginia, or Ginny for short. Very slightly more common than Cecelia, but still an old-fashioned name, and rare in literature. It’s really no surprise then that when we find a novel, not to mention a GOOD novel, with one of our names in it, that we get a little excited. I can think of three shining examples of this (though I’m sure there are more and I’m just forgetting them).

The first is Kristen D. Randle’s The Only Alien on the Planet. The main character is Virginia, but she goes by Ginny, just as my sister does. I simply loved that book, and would have done so regardless of what the character’s name was. But since her name was Ginny, I could read it, discover its merit, and then pass it on to my sister, all the while knowing that she wouldn’t be able to resist a good book AND a character with her name (this was at a point where she refused to read anything I’d read).

And the second case is Robin McKinley’s The Blue Sword. The main character’s name in this novel is Harry – which is my dad’s name – and she’s a bit of a tomboy. But the book starts slowly, and I may have never gotten into the intense and adventurous bit if I hadn’t been caught by the mention of a ship called the Cecilia in the first couple pages. It’s the little things that keep you reading sometimes, and I’m very glad that I did read that book – it’s become a comfortable standard and McKinley one of my favorite authors of all time.

And the third example – another book that I haven’t read but have always meant to (as it was co-written by two seriously talented/favorite authors) is Sorcery and Cecelia, by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia C. Wrede. I’ve always wanted to cross-examine these authors, and ask how they came up with Cecelia – I mean, the name with my less-common spelling and everything! And also why I was unlucky enough at age 9 to have my mother find that book in my library stack and disapprove of it on sight. May have had something to do with ‘Sorcery’ in the title…but still. No excuse for why I haven’t read it since!

So – I have a few questions. Have you ever seen your name in a book? Did it make an impression? Were you more willing to like the book? If you haven’t found your name in a book yet, which genre will it most likely be found in?

Tell me your name and character stories!

the results are in

And the randomly-generated winner of Robin McKinley’s Sunshine or Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, depending on the winner’s preference, is:

Sheere

of Donde la lectura te lleve

Who answered the question, “What is your favorite genre?” with:

“My favourite genre is fantasy and supernatural. I think that I'd never get bored with it... I could be ninety and still love reading stories of vampires and fairies.”

The other responses for favorite genre:

Classics – 1

Fantasy (or Paranormal) – 12

Historical Fiction – 4

Mystery – 2

Science Fiction – 6

Women’s Fiction – 1

Young Adult – 9

It was fun to read about your favorite genres, and hear your thoughts about what makes reading enjoyable. Look for another giveaway soon!

101 more reasons to love fantasy + quick giveaway!

Ryan at Wordsmithonia recently directed me to Bella of A Bibliophile's Bookshelf's project to create a list of the 101 Best Fantasy Books. You have a chance to nominate and vote on the best in fantasy, so if you have an opinion (and I know you do...even if it's just that Twilight - yes, I mentioned it - was addictive, if not good), go and share it, and vote on the very best when that time comes around. Yay!

.......

And because book giveaways are fun and happy-making (Uglies trilogy, you've changed my vocabulary!), and because book-buying supports my favorite authors and creates new fans, I'm giving away one (1) paperback copy of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, or Robin McKinley's Sunshine. The winner chooses the spoils.

To enter:

Leave a comment on this post answering the question, "What is your favorite genre?"

+1 extra entry if you enter my contest for The Only Alien on the Planet. If you've already entered, you do not need to do so again.

Please include your email address. Giveaway is open internationally. Comments will close on August 21 at 11:59pm EST, and I will notify the randomly selected winner via email.

Good luck!

teaser tuesday (5)

It's Teaser Tuesday, a bookish blog meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here's how it works:

Grab your current read and let it fall open to a random page. Post two (or more) sentences from that page, along with the title and author. Don’t give anything vital away!

“It might not have been too bad, afterward, if not for two things. The nightmares. And the fact that the cut on my breast wouldn’t heal.

That’s nonsense, of course. If I’d been able to face being honest, there was no way it wasn’t going to be bad.”

-p. 89 of Robin McKinley’s Sunshine

i'm afraid of the dark. and zombie movies.

I’m a wimp. A scaredy-cat. A pansy (although I technically don’t like that term—flowers are always getting a bad rap. Pansy, shrinking violet, bleeding heart, etc. Do you see what I mean?). I’m NOT dying to meet anything that goes bump in the night. No problem with the night itself, especially if there’s a nightlight, a full moon, or some other illumination source nearby. I can even do camping. But your run-of-the-mill night monsters? Not my thing. I won’t be fantasizing about vampires, werewolves or zombies anytime soon.

I’m probably the most easily startled in my circle of acquaintances. Example: I can’t watch horror movies. Can’t do a lot of drama or suspense, either. The weeks leading up to Halloween are the worst of the whole year as far as television programming goes, in my opinion. All those “I know what you did last summer”-type movies and dudes named Freddie and Jason on TV. **shudder** M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village is about as scary as I can stand (I know it’s not that scary. I’m the problem.). In fact, I had to walk out of the theater during Will Smith’s I Am Legend. This was due in part to the fact that I didn’t know it was a zombie flick until ten minutes before show time, but also in part to straight up cowardliness. A valiant Gryffindor I am not.

It therefore makes almost no sense that I can stomach dark, even scary, books. One of my favorite authors is Neil Gaiman. Description: Nice man who writes creepy and/or disturbing things. Another favorite writer: Robin McKinley. She’s penned an award-winning book with vampires in (called, ironically enough, Sunshine). Other recent reads: Pretty Monsters (win a copy here!) and The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Soon-to-be-read selections for the Everything Austen Challenge: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Mr. Darcy, Vampyre (contest to win a signed copy here). You can count on the fact that if either of them are made into movies, though, I will be far, far away.

[Note: I will grudgingly admit to having seen the movie version of Twilight. I was fairly sure it couldn’t be traumatic, as the book was heavy on teenage obsession and light on gore. I was right. Giggled in disbelief and incomprehension through the whole thing.]

Perhaps there’s something in the written word: a distance, or more nuanced and underlying humor in the sinister that renders it endurable to me rather than the film and television adaptations of those dark books. In any case, I think that a good collection and contrast of mediums (written, filmic, aural) is necessary to any full life. Perhaps one of these days I will let someone tie me to a chair to watch Silence of the Lambs. You never know. Pigs may start flying too.

But I digress. These recent reading choices inspired me to a) Petition my excessively talented and creative sister to make a ZOMBIE CARD (see lovely photos), and b) Hold another contest to give away a similar hand-made bookmark (inspired by the card) tucked inside a paperback copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. My next post will share the details. In the meantime, check out this contest for the forthcoming YA book Never Slow Dance with a Zombie and another for a goodie bag (also including the book!). And be sure to look at September Zombie Week. Whatever your feelings about zombies (you’re afraid of them, laugh at them, or don’t care much either way), there’s a surprising amount of zombie-lit out there, and some of it can be truly entertaining. Err…yeah. Go celebrate undead monsters!?!

(Zombies were never so cute, if I do say so myself...)