Some Early Autumn Reviews

Ahh, an autumnal reminder of all that goes on at Hogwarts and around the literary world as the days grow shorter and the leaves shift colors and the stars grow brighter in the cool night air...

I love autumn...more even than spring because autumn brings the promise of cooler days and cold nights. It's nearly time to change the regular sheets for flannel ones, and I've put away the cotton capris of summer in favor of fleecy pants of coming winter. I can't wait for fires in the woodstove, heating the house and warming our hearts.

So here are some of my late-summer and early-autumn reviews of books I've been reading--and guess what? There's not an Austenesque book in the bunch!! I hope you'll enjoy my thoughts and perhaps find a title or two to add to your own reading lists...


I've Got My Eyes on You by Mary Higgins Clark
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have been reading Mary Higgin Clark since high school in the early '80s, and I always enjoy them. I found her first dozen or so books to be absolutely compelling; I quite remember staying up all night reading A Cry in the Night and then reading it every spare moment that morning before school: at the breakfast table, as I brushed my teeth, as I put on my makeup. And then I did the unthinkable for this "good girl/excellent student": in my high school Algebra II class, I tucked the paperback between my textbook and my lap and continued reading, for who could possibly leave such a tale of psychological terror a mere thirty pages from the end?

But after a while, Mary Higgins Clark's books became fairly predictable, and although I still read them, I was quickly bored. I could pick out the murderer/stalker within the first half-dozen chapters and the same with the "love interest." Then the last few books before this one were much more interesting; in fact, they got almost twisty-turny again, and I didn't figure them out until close to the end. So with her latest track record in mind, I looked very much forward to this newest offering by a long-time author-friend, expecting more twists and turns and surprises along the journey.

Sigh. Not so with this one. I had the culprit pretty much figured out in the first quarter of the book. There were some nice red herrings along the way, but nothing that really put me off the track for long. It didn't help that the obvious murderer was eliminated from the get-go, and the rest of the story was interesting but not compelling. The characters felt "stock"--I wasn't really interested in any of them. I didn't really care about them at all, even the ones dealing with the grief of a murdered family member. It all felt stilted and cardboard-y.

So while I enjoyed the book, I didn't find it nearly as gripping as the last few before this one. I wish I had.


Buried in Books by Kate Carlisle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

To quote River Song..."SPOILERS!" So this will be a short review because I don't want to give away much at all, despite my opening caveat. ;)

This is the big one...the Bibliophile mystery in which Brooklyn and Derek get married!! But trouble arrives...as it always does for Brooklyn. Her mother invited Brooklyn's her two college roommates to the bridal shower, but these two hadn't spoken to each other in years because one ran off with the other's boyfriend. Both arrive, and it's fireworks for a bit. Both of them give Brooklyn gorgeous rare first edition books as gifts, but when one of them is murdered, one of the books is found to be to be a forgery.

It's a wonderful adventure, as all Bibliophile books are, and I absolutely LOVED it!! A delightful series, and definitely a delightful wedding!


Horribly Haunted in Hillbilly Hollow by Blythe Baker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a cute paranormal mystery in which Emma Hooper returns from the big city to recover from a traumatic brain injury at her grandparents' home in the Ozarks where she was raised after the deaths of her parents. She feels guilty for not making it home more often, and she doesn't even tell them about her being hit by a taxi when crossing a street.

But the real problem is that after the accident, Emma can see spirits. And when the town's pastor is murdered nearby, seeing his ghost doesn't help her to believe that all of this spirit-stuff will just go away as her brain heals--which is her hope, one that wanes the longer she's in Hillbilly Hollow.

Emma quickly picks up her high school friendships...one of which may become "more than a friend." And she also adopts a "dog" (actually a goat) named "Snowball" who follows her around the farm and even inside the farmhouse. And while her grandparents seem hale and hearty at first, there are some problems with her grandmother that make Emma want to stick around for a while. Emma keeps nosing around, and it's only with the help of Preacher Jacob's ghost that the murderer is captured and brought to justice.

This was a cute cozy mystery with the right amount of humor and paranormal without being creepy. I think that the series will continue to develop well. I definitely enjoyed it.


Flowers and Foul Play by Amanda Flower
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun first book in the Magic Garden Mystery series: Fiona flies to Scotland with her "tail between her legs": her fiance ran off with the cake decorator and her flower business failed, all within the same month. So when her beloved Scottish godfather dies and leaves her his cottage, Duncreigan--with a possibly magic garden adjoining--she flies to Scotland almost without thought.

Fiona and Hamish, her godfather's caretaker, go to explore the garden which seems "mostly dead" yet is coming back to life, apparently, from the moment she stepped foot in Scotland. But an unwelcome surprise meets them in a corner of the garden: a dead body who turns out to be the lawyer she's supposed to see about her inheritance. She is immediately questioned by Chief Inspector Neil Craig, who is decidedly handsome, but who is also closed-mouthed about the murder investigation.

So Fiona begins to nose around herself and finds that her lawyer was in the middle of a huge land dispute in the small Scottish village nearby. But each question she asks puts Fiona in more and more danger, with Neil trying to save her from herself and from those who have high stakes in the land deal.

This was the first of this series, and I could have cried--I want another book in this series right away!! I really enjoy Amanda Flower's book series, but she seems to be spread a little thin, writing the first and second books of several series rather than concentrating on establishing one series for a bit before starting another (and another). Well, I sincerely hope that she will continue to add to both the Magic Garden series and the Magic Bookstore series...and that she writes FAST!!


What Remains of Heaven by C.S. Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After his and Hero Jarvis' near-death experience at the end of the fourth book, Sebastian St. Cyr is called in by his aunt and the Archbishop of Canterbury, one of her dear friends, to solve the murder of the Bishop of London in an ancient crypt in a village outside of London.

The mysterious part? The Bishop's body lies atop another body, an unidentified man apparently murdered 20+ years previously in the same crypt which had been sealed up about the time of the unidentified man's murder.

But Hero Jarvis has been seeing the Bishop, also a friend of hers, on a very important mission: to find a home for her unborn child, fathered by Sebastian when they both thought they were dying together.

Sebastian has almost too many suspects to choose from, including the son of Benjamin Franklin and a butcher from the slums of London whose brother has sworn to kill Sebastian after they served together on the Continent. Then an ugly family truth is revealed that may bring Sebastian's ruin...and his ultimate happiness with his beloved Kat Boleyn after all.


A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

With my love for all things medieval, I've long wanted to read this series set in the 1130s, and I found it as wonderful as I thought I would. Brother Cadfael is likable although not too terribly religious (more human than religious, if such a thing may be written), with an expansive understanding of human nature and an insightful intellect that solves many a problem, even a gritty murder such as the one that occurs when Brother Cadfael accompanies a group of monks from Shrewsbury Abbey to his native Wales where they wish to co-opt the body of Saint Winifred for their own. Naturally, the Welsh people don't really want to give up the saint's body although her grave has been sorely neglected.

When the Welshman most opposed to moving Saint Winifred away from her native Wales to English soil is murdered, it's down to Brother Cadfael to solve the crime. Much is not as it seems, with one brother's ecstatic visions telling one story and a secret romance telling quite another. Brother Cadfael sets several traps and manages to reveal the killer and also keep the peace with the Welsh village where Saint Winifred was laid to rest.

I like Cadfael--the way his mind works, and the way his heart works. He may not be the most pious monk, but he is indeed "wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove," especially in preventing further bloodshed from occurring among the warlike Welsh and the pompous, superior English contingent.

I'm definitely going to continue with the series...and then and only then will I watch the 1990s TV series with Derek Jacobi, one of my favorite Shakespearean actors.


The Case Is Closed by Patricia Wentworth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This second Miss Silver mystery, set in the late 1930s, features a woman whose husband, Geoffrey Grey, has been convicted and imprisoned for the murder of his uncle, yet he swears his innocence, and his wife believes him as does his wife's cousin, Hilary.

But when Hilary starts nosing around the uncle's house and interviews some of the former staff employed by Geoff's uncle, she finds herself the victim of attempted murder. At this point, Hilary's former fiance steps in to help, wisely employing the unflappable Miss Silver to assist. It was a wonderful mystery, so 1930s in dialog and dress, yet exciting; I found myself on the edge of my seat more than once, especially when Hilary was being chased by men trying to murder her in the dark fields of the English countryside.

I am ordering the third book in the series as soon as I can; this one was available only as an electronic resource since the series has been republished as e-books, but I'd rather than a hold-in-the-hands book for this series!


Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As River Song says: SPOILERS...and seriously, there are some complete SPOILERS here, so take warning!

I had tried to read this book previously (a couple of times, actually), and just couldn't. I loved the writing style, but something about the first section of the book really bugged me, and rather than putting down the book again and sending it back to the library unread once more, I admit to skipping about half of the first section. Maybe more than half of the first section. It was clear as day that Nick wasn't guilty of killing his wife, Amy, yet he looked so, so terribly guilty, with so, so much evidence mounting against him. I liked the woman revealed by the diary entries, but she seemed so perfect. So smart. Maybe too smart. I could tell something wasn't right, but I didn't know what.

When I skipped forward to the second section, it all became clear, and I was both thrilled and repulsed. And I couldn't stop reading. I kept hoping that they would catch her, but she really is a "psychopathic bitch" as Nick calls his wife when she finally returns after committing murder that she calls "self-defense." She's a long-term planner, and she does her research, and she has no conscience whatsoever. She calls it "discipline" to kill the man who had protected her (rather smotheringly, yes, but he did protect her), to cut his jugular with a single stroke of a butcher's knife before "escaping" and coming home.

One of the police officers believes Nick's story that Amy set him up for her murder and that she did actually murder her "protector," along with Nick's twin sister, Margo, but they had no evidence. Just he said, she said, despite Amy's confession in the shower with the water on full-blast so that no recording devices could be used. And then she every so neatly traps him...and it's utterly maddening. When I finished, I both loved and hated the book. I so admired the way the author manipulated the readers, but I also hated being manipulated.

It's a tough book...and I stayed up way too late to read it the last three nights once I skipped forward. It was utterly fascinating and compelling, but the whole time it left such a bitter taste in my mouth...and in my spirit. How can people act this way? It was maddening. I wanted to drown the book right there in the jacuzzi. Seriously. It deserved it.

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So there we are...eight books and not an Austenesque book among them! Pretty much all mysteries and suspense, which is exactly how I finished the summer and headed into autumn, happily reading "whodunnits" Not a bad way to end a season and begin the new one, to my way of thinking, anyway. 

Happy reading! 

Summer Stuff

Well, it's been a strange summer so far, alternatively crazy-busy and then peacefully serene. (Or as serene as a house with four young people and a dachshund can be, LOL!)

My brother married his beautiful bride on Saturday on a mountaintop in Wildomar (north of Temecula), and so we welcome Ari and her two young people, Brooke and Grant, into our family officially. The sunset ceremony was lovely, and then the kids and the wedded couple danced under the stars, with the addition of a distant lightning storm illuminating the clouds over the desert. My sister and her family who live in Montana were here for two weeks, arriving in time for the traditional 4th of July Beach and BBQ at my parents' home in Pacific Beach and staying through the wedding.

I've been working hard on my new job at Brave Writer which currently involves teaching a new class in writing Fan Fiction. Because it's a new class, I'm constantly writing posts and assignments as well as responding to the students' work. My own fan fiction novels and stories are doing well, and I'm approaching 1.5 million reads between the two sites on which I post. I've written well over 100 chapters between the two novels and the three short stories, and teaching the fan fiction class is renewing my inspiration as I strive to complete my second novel (I'm about 3/4 the way done and have written 43 chapters so far).

But I've spent a lot of time reading this summer as well. The first novel I tackled was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Yes, the movie was popular, but I haven't seen it yet, but if it's half as compelling as the book, it will be wonderful. Yet the book was difficult to read--not because of vocabulary or quality, but because of the difficult subject matter. I cringed so often as I read it, hating the way "the help"was treated, especially being forced to use different bathrooms from their employers because African-Americans "were diseased." Ugh!!! And readers can see the train wreck coming a mile away as one white woman and one black woman seek to change the situation by writing a book together. When the slow-building climax does occur, it's expected but nonetheless powerful. It was a book I was loathe to pick up to continue reading each evening, but once I started reading it, I just couldn't stop. If there were only one word I choose to describe The Help it would be compelling. Truly.

Between The Help and the next recent release I've been reading, I picked up the Anne of Green Gables series again. I taught the first book in a literary analysis class in the fall at Brave Writer, but I really missed Avonlea and all of Anne's capers, so I thought I'd reread the whole eight-book series. So I made my way quickly through Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island. Finally Anne and Gilbert are together, even though my least favorite book of the series, Anne of Windy Poplars, is next. I may just skim it so that I can start one of my favorites, Anne's House of Dreams.

But before I return to lovely Prince Edward Island, I've taken a serious detour and am currently reading Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I know, considering my love for the Twilight books, one must wonder if I have a thing for vampires. But truly, it's not so. I'm just a fan of the author, Seth Grahame-Smith whose hilarious Pride and Prejudice and Zombies amused me when I listened to it on audio book over the winter. I haven't yet attempted Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, mostly because I don't have easy access to a copy. But Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is fascinating. I'm learning a lot about Lincoln's life as background to the novel, and I'm quite fascinated by Lincoln's bravery in killing renegade vampires. The premise of the book is that slavery provided vampires with a steady diet of victims they could purchase at will, thus providing the reasoning behind Lincoln's hatred of slavery and willingness to enter the Civil War.

I'm still trying to add the final Harry Potter audio book to my iPod; once Half Blood Prince is properly loaded in, I'll be uploading the thirty-disc monstrosity of Stephen King's Under the Dome. The book is simply too heavy to carry, and the Kindle version is $15, which is about $14 too much to spend. So I'll try the audio version as soon as I can. :) After all, I promised my friend from second grade, Teddy Vardell, that I would read Under the Dome if he read Harry Potter (all seven books), and now that he's starting Half Blood Prince, I need to get moving. :)

We've been watching some great old movies this summer, too. Yesterday Elizabeth and I watched two movies from the 1950s: How to Marry a Millionaire with Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall, and Betty Grable, and Funny Face with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. Astaire was 58 when he filmed the movie, but his dancing was just as light and perfect as when he was dancing in the mid-1930s. We're also on a Jeeves and Wooster kick right now as we finished Season 1 and am waiting for Season 2 to arrive from the library. I also want to order Season 2 of Castle since the boys have missed it all because it's on too late for them to watch. I still want Castle's bullet-proof vest emblazoned with "Writer" across the front instead of "FBI" or "NYPD."

So that's what we've been up to this summer. As I said, it's been alternatively crazy-busy and wonderfully peaceful, and I'm hoping for more of both as the summer sun continues to shine, and we continue to swelter....

Happy Sum-Sum-Summertime,

   

Quotation of the Week: On Harry Potter

Yes, Elizabeth and I sat expectantly in the nearest movie theatre Thursday night, awaiting the 12:01 AM showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2. It was our first and only midnight viewing of the Potter series; for the other films, we usually took the premiere day off from school to see the first matinee, usually while everyone else was holed up in their school classrooms.

I will write a review of Deathly Hallows Part 2, but we're taking the boys and Keith to see the early ($6) matinee tomorrow morning, so I'll write about it after I've seen the film for a second time. The experience was thrilling, although I wish they'd stuck closer to the book in a few places.

But I still find many Christians opposed to the Potter books and films, and I really don't see why. JK Rowling is a professing Christian whose literary heroes include Christian novelists CS Lewis and JR Tolkien, and I believe that her series will be seen by later generations as equal to theirs in both overall scope and quality as well as Christian content.

If Christians remain leery of the series, I encourage them to read John Granger's excellent book Looking for God in Harry Potter in which Granger, a homeschooling dad of seven, outlines the Christian origin of character names as well as the Christian themes and imagery of the series. Written before the publication of the final book, which contains by far the most blatant Christian content, this book totally changed my mind about the Potter series. Granger also has a short article on the Christian themes in the Potter series, specifically the second book, here: "Harry Potter and the Inklings."

As I browsed several film reviews by Christian authors, especially by Frederica Mathewes-Green called "Holy Harry," I came across a wonderful article on the Christian themes in the series called "Deeper Magic, Deeper Meanings" by Baylor literature professor Greg Garrett that contained a quotation so powerful that I had to jot it into my quotation journal:

"I felt that Rowling's 4100-page epic was the best and the most powerful contemporary retelling of the gospel narrative I'd encountered."
--Greg Garrett, Professor of Literature at Baylor University

I think this quotation puts the Potter series in its proper context as truly Christian fiction. And I'll post my review of the final film probably on Tuesday.

Happy movie watching!

Friday Quick-Takes Vol. 6

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This morning is a non-quiet quiet day. School today is an outdoors thing, lessons with Dad as the three boys help him split the last of the seasoned oak before Keith's brother comes to fetch his splitter tomorrow. So while outdoors this November morning, the splitter roars and splutters, ripping wood apart, and as boys hand unsplit logs, guide, stack split wood to season, I sit inside, in relative quiet, surrounded by Word and words--Word to drink in, ponder, apply--and words to birth, arrange and rearrange as I attempt to learn, attempt to write, attempt to stretch into this gift of word-wrangling. So it's a non-quiet quiet day for me, one that will bring us warmth throughout winter days as wood is stacked high, as boys work muscles instead of brain cells this day. They can make up math later....

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As I read the newest Culture Post ("The Work of the Poet") on High Calling, I was struck by the selection from Ordinary Genius that L.L. Barkat quoted in her post, and I copied it carefully into my quotation journal. It seems eerily fitting for this month of writing daily poetry--a reminder and a challenge for us who desire to write:

Did you think writing great, or even good, poems would be easy? What feeling of accomplishment would you get from doing what is easy, what anyone can do without trying? Athletes train relentlessly to become stronger, faster, better. Dancers attend class every day, and rehearse long hours in the studio....If you thought poetry was different, this is your wake-up call. — from Ordinary Genius

Wow. What an incredible reminder and challenge for us (me) who merely "dabble" in poetry. "Dabbling" isn't enough--it's not going to make us great poets, or even good poets, or even poets at all. We (I!) need to develop this craft according to this "wake-up call" and be more deliberate in how I approach reading and writing poetry.

I'm "awake" now.

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Speaking of poetry, you may have noticed that I'm a wee bit behind in writing a poem a day for the November PAD Poetry Chapbook Challenge at Poetic Asides, so I'm using this morning as a catch-up day. I spent the last two days buried in a teetering stack of essays to be graded for my co-op writing classes for high school students, so this day I emerge (before I have to offer feedback on incoming MLA research essays today for Brave Writer) to write a poem or three. In fact, you may find one buried here in this post. One never knows... (she hints mysteriously).

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And still speaking of poetry, I have been overwhelmed by the response this week to my poem "Do You Remember?" I posted it on Poetic Asides on Writers Digest for the Challenge and linked to it at the Culture page of The High Calling as a response to a call for catalog poems. I have rarely received so many comments here, and rarely such positive ones. I'm sure people are simply being polite, but I'm thrilled that they would comment at all. I also took "Do You Remember?" to our small town's Writers' Workshop meeting on Tuesday, and one of the poets there said it's the best work I've done so far. I'm thrilled, and I pray that God will continue to nurture the growth of this gift in me as I take up the challenge to truly WORK at becoming a crafter of words.

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Today (or at least this weekend) I need to scrape together the younger two boys' grades for our first quarter of home schooling. We've been enrolled in Heritage Christian School since we started this journey in 1997, and I appreciate the accountability they offer us, as well as the fellowship, the high academic standards, and the social aspects of school especially for the high school students. I only have to submit semester grades for my high schooler from which the school creates high school transcripts, another important service HCS offers. Yesterday we attended our co-op Class Days in which I teach two high school writing classes, one college prep and one honors, while our high schooler takes biology lab (a double-period class) and fine arts. Our middle schooler is attending classes is General Science (mostly a lab class), chess, and PE, and our elementary schooler is enjoying Lego Engineering, PE, and California History (a class required by the state of California). It makes for a busy day, but overall, I feel that our young people have an excellent balance between the academic and the social aspects of school through our at-home school and the Class Days.

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My kids can barely wait for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 a week from today. I've been able to watch a few snippets from the film on Mugglenet (which E of course forces me to follow on Twitter!). E has tickets to the midnight showing next Thursday evening with a bunch of girls in her dorm. Since she is working on a large MLA research paper on Harry Potter for her Freshman Comp class, she could call attending the film "research," but we all know she'd be there in a heartbeat anyway. The boys and I are taking the slow track approach, planning to see it on Friday morning while most students are at school. I'm buying tickets today. :)

The looooong wait is almost over!!! Yay!!!

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And, finally, last but not least, I thought I'd post my Nov PAD Day 10 Challenge here as it's a short but sweet little tanka. We were told to compose a love poem, and as I felt some trepidation on posting something so personal online, I'm keeping the longer poem I wrote in my files rather than sharing it publicly. But I also wrote this tanka which is not so personal, so I don't feel weird about posting it here where students, family, friends, and others read my work. So here's my little love tanka for my husband who cooks for us when I can't (which is 99.9% of the time):

As you set down plate,
fragrance of roasted garlic
rises to my nose--
hunger twists my heart wildly
and I know that I am loved.

So have a wonderful weekend, everyone!



Wishing you all precious autumn days,

Escapist Reading....

When pain throbs and limbs ache, I reach for something to take the edge off. Rather than taking more meds, I find escape between the covers of a book...or two. Or more.

Movies will do in a pinch. Elizabeth and I had a bit of a Robert Pattinson filmfest this weekend, watching both Twilight and New Moon, and then Remember Me. We're looking very much forward to the DVD release of Eclipse (my favorite of the Twilight Saga books and (thus far) movies) on December 4.

But I reach for books as they involve my mind far more efficiently. As I attempt to sleep each night, I read one of the four Twilight books, and I also listen to the audiobooks from my iPod when dressing and undressing each day and when driving in the car. Going to sleep is difficult for me as I wait for the meds to take effect after my soak in the spa, patiently awaiting the pain to ebb long enough for sleep to overtake me. Dressing and undressing are painful, and sitting in the car is as well, so listening to the books help to alleviate the pain. I'm not sick of the story of Bella and Edward...not yet. I just pray for Meyer to complete Midnight Sun which is a retelling of Twilight from Edward's point of view. Being strongly "Team Edward," I would love to see more than the fragment of Midnight Sun posted on Meyer's website.

But in the spa each night and during the few other times I can read in daylight hours, I've been making my way through the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series of turn-of-the-century London mysteries by Anne Perry. The first novel in the series was published in 1979, and she has published almost one each year since then. Charlotte is a strong woman who helps her policeman husband solve his murder cases, and I love the setting in Victorian England. Charlotte's family have also helped solve cases, including her mother, sister, and her sister's aunt-in-law.

I've read through the mysteries before, but as my chiropractor's receptionist/assistant is lending them to me (her nephew tracked down Perry's entire series). I am enjoying them greatly and am actually dreading finishing the series simply because I am enjoying having such a wonderful stack of quality books to read right at hand. When I finish one, I go right to the next book in the series.

And rereading the Harry Potter series is another way to relax, one that I'll pick back up when I run out of the Pitt series. And yes, I have several of them on my iPod as well. :)

I have plenty of time to "live life" between my "Escapist Reading" which mostly happens "after hours"--after the kids are in bed, after all other work is done. These books relax stress, unwind mind, and allow pain to ebb until body rests and sleep comes.

Escapist TV is a whole 'nother post, but until then, I'll keep on turning pages....

With a book (or three) open,

After a Long Hiatus: Quick-Takes!

It's been a looooong time since I've done Seven Quick Takes, but I read Jennifer's at Conversion Diary today and just had to post my own quick-takes....

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I am soooo excited about Part 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows which is due to be released November 19. If we don't do the midnight movie thing, we'll probably slip into a Friday morning matinee. Harry Potter film releases are one (minor) reason I adore home schooling so that we can watch matinees while the rest of the Potter fans are in their respective schools.

And here's the brand new trailer for Part 1.

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Speaking of movies, I am still sooo enamored of the third film of the Twilight Saga. Eclipse is my favorite of the four books, and after seeing it four times in the theatres (a new record...never have I seen a movie four times in the theatres!) So in addition to the countdown to Deathly Hallows Part 1, I'm also excitedly counting down the December 4 release of Eclipse on DVD.

So excited!

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It's TV week. The fall line up is debuting shows old and new. And I admit it: I watch a lot of TV. With my chronic health issues, I am good for only the sofa from about 5:00 PM onward. So...I watch TV. And movies. And read. But TV is just good stuff...the shows I watch, anyway. These are the ones I tend to watch:

Sundays: Paranormal State (when it starts in October!)
Mondays: House, Dancing with the Stars, Castle
Tuesdays: NCIS, NCIS Los Angeles, sometimes The Good Wife
Wednesdays: Survivor, Criminal Minds, The Whole Truth (new)
Thursdays: Bones, CSI, Grey's Anatomy, Project Runway, The Mentalist

(BTW, Jennifer Grey is my favorite on Dancing with the Stars. She can win this thing, especially with Derek as her partner--his first time with an "older" woman!.)

And on weekends I watch the shows that we tape when other shows are on, basically the ones that E asks us to record so that she can keep up with her favorites despite living in the dorms. I'm still acclimating to the balance between new and old. Two new ones I really wanted to watch are on at the same time: The Whole Truth with Maura Tierney (ER) and Rob Morrow (Northern Exposure, Numbers) and The Defenders with Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell (Crossing Jordan). I stuck with the former this first week and was totally intrigued.

The Rachel Zoe Project just finished this week. And I still have to watch the final few episodes of Rizzoli and Isles with Angie Harmon (Law & Order) and Sasha Alexander (NCIS) on TNT. Perhaps I'll do that this weekend....

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So to switch gears from movies and TV, I'm going to be leading the discussion of two very different books for Logos, Lake Murray Community Church's's monthly literary discussion group. Because only two of us could meet last month, we'll have a short discussion of My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, followed by a discussion of Part 1 of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.

Talk about two very different books--one about two sisters, one of whom has cancer while the other is her sister's donor, and the other about the allegorical journey of "Christian" on his way to the Celestial City. I think there are some very intriguing parallels between these two very different books written several hundred years apart....

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Now that my first essays at our co-op Class Days have been turned in, I'm back to grading papers for the first time this school year. It's been a nice break, but I'm actually itching to get back to grading...which I predict will last only until I've graded my first two, or perhaps three, essays...depending upon how many serious grammatical issues I find.

Grading essays is gut-work...rather like detective work, really--abeit not-so-glamorous. One can have all the rubrics at hand, but assigning an objective grade to a subjective piece of writing that both point out errors so the student can remedy them while encouraging the student to keep doing what is done well is a fine line to walk. And I walk it with a blue Waterman fountain pen which allows me to write copious comments in relative comfort. My new blue Waterman ink refills arrived yesterday at Staples just two hours after my last refill ran dry. Perfect timing.

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This weekend I'll also be tackling rough drafts from the Just So Stories I'm teaching at Brave Writer this fall. They'll finish pouring in today, and then I'll make suggestions of areas to narrow (not so many of those) and of areas to expland and explain through the asking of questions.

This class is full of younger writers, ages 7-14, so I need to find the perfect balance between encouragement and requiring real improvement. So by asking questions, I can find that balance...questions like: "I love your main character. Bob is a hoot! Can you describe him for me a little more so I can picture him better in my mind?" and "I love the interactions between the kangaroo and the joey. Could you write a conversation for them? I'd love to hear what they might say to each other."

It's a gentle drawing-out of ideas from students who are not used to writing multiple drafts of a story. It takes some delicacy and tons of encouragement, but it works. But I admit it: my passion is truly for teaching high school and university-level students which I do at Class Day and will be doing with my upcoming MLA Research Essay course at Brave Writer which starts in October.

-7-

I am addicted to Trader Joe's Maple Leaf Cookies. Sandwich cookies in the shapes of maple leaves, filled with vanilla frosting. Aaaaah...autumn decadence!

And YES, I know how many calories there are in each cookie. But I ignore it. Just this one time.

Wishing you all a Happy Friday,

Harry Potter's Bookshelf

I asked for only one book for Christmas, and my daughter gave it to me Christmas morning: John Granger's Harry Potter's Bookshelf: The Great Books Behind the Hogwarts Adventures. With my love for literature and for the Harry Potter books, in addition to my appreciation of John Granger's books about the Potter phenomena, it was an easy choice.

(I'm typing this post while watching Prisoner of Azkaban on television -- ironic, eh?)

I have only had time to read the introduction and the first chapter thus far, but I am already thoroughly entranced by Granger's examination of the literary precursors to the Potter books.

Looking for God in Harry Potter was my introduction to John Granger's writings in which he traced the Christian imagery, characters, and themes in the Potter books. Granger is a homeschooling dad of seven children who insisted on reading the Potter books before his kids did to prove why he wasn't going to allow them to read the series. He stayed up all night reading Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone and then ran to Barnes and Noble the next morning to purchase the next three books so he could keep reading Harry's adventures. Granger was hooked on the imagery, symbolism, characters, and the Christian threads running through the first book, and found himself becoming more entranced with each book in the series.

My experience with the Potter books was almost identical. At age 12 Elizabeth wanted to read them, so Keith and I allowed her to purchase the first two books with the caveat that I would read them first and let her know if she would be permitted to read them herself. I was taken with them immediately as well. Not only did we buy Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, and Deathly Hallows the day they were released, but we also stood in line at the midnight release of the last book, bought the movies, and wore out the library copies of the books on tape and CD. The Christian imagery of the books is extremely obvious to me, and John Granger's book on the Christian elements illustrated further symbols, especially in characters' names, and the element of alchemy in the series.

Anyway, back to Harry Potter's Bookshelf...

The first chapter discusses the narrative drive of the Potter books. The reason we keep turning the pages of the Potter series is the fact that, on one level, these books are mysteries--detective stories, to be precise. Granger links Harry to Lord Peter in the Dorothy Sayers mysteries (I adore Lord Peter and have read all the novels and stories featuring Lord Peter Wimsey) along with stories by Poe, Chandler, Wilkie Collins (another favorite writer of mine), Agatha Christie, and G.K. Chesterton (yes, another fave). Granger also views Harry as the classic Dickensian orphan -- something I noticed immediately when I read the books.

I look forward greatly to having time to read more of this book, but I'll give you a preview of the remainder of the book by mentioning the chapter titles:

Chapter 2: Pride and Prejudice with Wands: How Jane Austen Haunts the Heart and Soul of Rowling's Artistry

Chapter 3: Setting: The Familiar Stage and Scenery Props of the Drama: Harry Potter as a Boarding School Story in the Tradition of Tom Brown's Schooldays

Chapter 4: Gothic Romance: The Spooky Atmosphere Formula from Transylvania: Harry Potter as an Echo of the Bronte Sisters, Frankenstein, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Dracula

Chapter 5: Harry Potter as Postmodern Epic: Preaching the Gospel of Tolerance and Inclusiveness--and Choosing the Metanarrative of Love

Chapter 6: The Satirical Harry Potter: The Allegorical Journey Harry Takes with Gulliver into Plato's Cave in Order to Make a Point in Mockery About Government and News Media

Chapter 7: Harry Potter as an Everyman Allegory: Harry, Hogwarts, and Company as Medieval Types for Reader Reflection and Edification

Chapter 8: The Magical Center of the Circle: The Mythic Meaning of Harry's Hero's Journeys from Privet Drive to King's Cross

Chapter 9: Harry Potter as Alchemical Reading Magic: Shakespeare, Dickens, and the Artistry Changing Readers' Hearts from Lead to Gold

Chapter 10: The Secret of the Mirror and the Seeing Eye: Ms. Rowling's Debt to the Subversive Fantasy Writers of the English Tradition

Sprinkled throughout the ten chapters (a deliberate choice on Granger's behalf) are allusions to Christian imagery and themes; the final chapter discusses Harry and the first chapter of Saint John's Gospel, one among many instances of how Rowling drew on Scripture in creating her series. For me, the Christian themes are the strongest in the final book in which Harry "dies" and is resurrected, and the light and dark imagery is very evident.

If you are both a fan of Harry Potter and of great literature, then this book is definitely one I recommend ... even if I have only read the first chapter so far.

Books and Movies for 2009

Out of a habit started when I was part of an incredible online community, I track the books I read and the movies I watch each year, posting a list at the close of the year.

So here are those lists of books and movies before I wipe my sidebar clean and start again for 2010:

BOOKS READ IN 2009: (HS = read as part of our homeschool)

34. A History of US: The First Americans (2003) (HS)
33. Bird by Bird (1994)
32. Soul Survivor (2001)
31. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)
30. The Middle Place (2008)
29. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (2009)
28. Murder on Waverly Place (2009)
27. Murder on Bank Street (2008)
26. Murder on Mulberry Bend (2003)
25. Murder on Marble Row (2004)
24. Murder in Gramercy Park (2001)
23. Story of the World 4 (2005) (HS)
22. The Kite Runner (2003)
21. Breaking Dawn (2008) (countless times)
20. Eclipse (2007) (countless times)
19. New Moon (2006) (countless times)
18. Twilight (2005) (countless times)
17. Singing Tree (1939) (HS)
16. Surprised by Joy (1955)
15. The Da Vinci Code (2003)
14. Just Take My Heart (2009) (HS)
13. The Lighthouse (2005)
12. Cry of the Peacock (1992)
11. Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852)
10. At Home in Mitford (1994)
9. Banner in the Sky (1954) (HS)
8. Story of the World 3 (2004) (HS)
7. The Private Patient (2008)
6. Mary Jones' Bible (2007) (HS)
5. George Washington's World (1941) (HS)
4. Tales of Beedle the Bard (2008)
3. Becoming a Writer (1934)
2. The Sherwood Ring (1958) (HS)
1. HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2003)

A FEW FUN BOOK FACTS:

Favorite Book of 2009 (besides The Twilight Saga): Becoming a Writer (1934)

Oldest Book Read in 2009: Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852)

Book Read the Most Times: Definitely The Twilight Saga -- all together, have probably read all four books (plus the partial draft of Midnight Sun) 8-10 times each which explains the sorry number of books I read for this year....

MOVIES WATCHED IN 2009:

54. It Happened One Night (1940) (twice)
53. Father's Little Dividend (1951)
52. Father of the Bride (1950)
51. New Moon (2009) (three times)
50. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
49. Penny Serenade (1941)
48. The Paradine Case - Hitchcock (1947)
47. Poltergeist (1982)
46. Les Miserables (1998)
45. Alice in Wonderland (1951)
44. An Affair to Remember (1957)
43. Dave (1993)
42. My Fair Lady (1964)
41. The Breakfast Club (1985)
40. In the Good Old Summertime (1949)
39. For Me and My Gal (1942)
38. Pirates (1948)
37. Holiday (1938)
36. I, Robot (2004) (twice)
35. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) (twice)
34. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) (multiple times)
33. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) (mutilple times)
32. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) (multiple times)
31. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) (multiple times)
30. Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone (2001) (multiple times)
29. Emma (Kate Beckinsale) (1996)
28. Pictures of Hollis Woods (2007)
27. Topper (1937)
26. Adam's Rib (1949)
25. Bringing Up Baby (1938) (twice)
24. The African Queen (1951)
23. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
22. Captain Blood (1935)
21. Quantum of Solace (2008)
20. No Reservations (2007)
19. Feudin', Fussin', and Fightin' (1948)
18. The Parent Trap (1998)
17. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
16. Twilight (2008) (multiple times)
15. Just Like Heaven (2005)
14. Raising Helen (2004)
13. The Holiday (2006)
12. Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
11. The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)
10. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) (multiple times)
9. Last Chance Harvey (2008) (twice)
8. Footloose (1984/2004)
7. The Nanny Diaries (2007)
6. The Devil Wears Prada (2006) (multiple times)
5. Elizabethtown (2005)
4. Signs (2002)
3. My Boy Jack (2008) (twice)
2. Twister (1996)
1. Mamma Mia! (2008) (multiple times)

A FEW FUN FILM FACTS:
Favorite Movie of 2009: The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)

Oldest Movie Watched: Captain Blood (1935)

Movie Watched the Most Times: (tied) Mamma Mia! (2008) and Twilight (2008)

So what was your favorite book and film of 2009? Please share in the comments and/or provide a link to your own blog post on books/movies of 2009.

A Recap of God at Work!

Last night Elizabeth treated the two of us to dinner at Taco Bell and then to another showing of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to cap off our Girls' Night Out. It was the perfect way to finish off a day of blessings.

Most of you know about our financial situation. The state of the economy has greatly impacted Keith's custom-home drafting business of 25 years. Over the past few years it's been shrinking and shrinking until it basically came to a screeching halt last September. My medical debts made our situation even more formidable. Keith's dad has been helping us most generously, and my parents have been employing Keith to make improvements to their mountain cabin and install an elevator in their beach house. Friends have been asking him to do various jobs around their homes -- handyman work stuff: retiling bathrooms, redoing windows and doors, fixing furniture, painting interiors and some exterior trim, etc. But it's been very tight financially and especially so this summer when the food stores got low and we got behind on bills.

Trying to plan for homeschooling our four kids has been difficult with NO money for books. We've been part of the same home school private satellite program since 1997, Heritage Christian School, a group of hundreds of families with Class Day co-ops meeting in at least five locations in San Diego County. Being enrolled in Heritage also requires being enrolled in the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) which we have also belonged to for twelve years. All summer the $150 re-enrollment fee for Heritage and $95 re-enrollment fee for HSLDA have been hanging over our heads. When I received the latest e-bill from Heritage, I wrote back, relating our situation and assuring them that we would pay when we could (and hoping their would let my kids start co-op classes anyway). The accountant e-mailed me, advising me to check with HSLDA and ask if they would consider waiving the re-enrollment cost. I e-mailed them on Wednesday afternoon.

Around 11:30 on Thursday morning I received a phone call from a represenative from HSLDA (fewer than 24 hours after my e-mail), informing me that "an anonymous donor" had offered to pay our $95 annual fee for this year. I was in tears of joy and relief, and the sweet woman from HSLDA was, too. I could barely tell the kids the good news because of the huge lump in my throat. A huge burden had been lifted!

Within an hour I received a second call, this one from Heritage, telling me that "a family who wishes to remain anonymous" paid our $150 re-enrollment fee. We will still have monthly tuition to pay, but that re-enrollment fee had been hanging over my head since June. Again tears of joyous relief flowed!

Earlier this week I received a Sonlight box sent by a e-friend/blog reader/writer extraordinaire containing two books we really needed: a Saxon Algebra I test booklet for Timothy and the one book for Elizabeth's Sonlight British Lit program that I didn't own and wasn't available from our library system. This sweet woman prayed when I asked her to, and God told her to send books! We are so grateful!!!

The same day a longtime friend from Heritage (her daughter and Elizabeth started off in Kindergarten together and are both high school seniors this year) sent us a check for our needs. It was sooo wonderful to receive help from the family of God like this. And just a couple of weeks ago when our food pantry was quite low, someone in our church slipped an envelope with $50 in it onto my seat during our greeting time. Another friend is sharing her lit curriculum with us so our boys can have literary discussions together. And yet another friend is sending Timothy a few pairs of pants.

We still don't have all the books we need for school this year, but we have enough to get started. If anyone happens to have the Sonlight 530 (Brit Lit) program that I can borrow until we can purchase one, please let us know.

Also on Thursday, Keith's sister let our two older boys go through her son's closet (he's in the military and doesn't want the clothes anymore), and they came home with a backpack and four bags of clothing, including four pairs of jeans that fit Timothy, our tall boy! I'm so thrilled. And Elizabeth and I went shopping for our Girls' Night Out and she bought a few things for herself since she received her paychecks earlier in the day from her job at the Bible Camp. She's so sweet to treat the two of us to dinner at Taco Bell, candy for the movie at Target, and then a second viewing of one of my favorite Harry Potter movies.

We have been showered with blessings lately! God is sooooo good, and His people are incredible! Thanks be to God for His generous people!!! We love to give, and have done so in past years, and now it's our turn to receive. I'd much rather be on the giving end, but seeing God work out our problems through His people is truly awe-inspiring! Thank you so much -- you know who you are!

A Review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

(image from firstshowing.net)


I wrote this on the Brave Writer forums for the Brave Writer at the Movies class I'm facilitating this month. This week we're discussing My Boy Jack with Daniel Radcliffe, so we obviously have a great comparison to make between his performances.

Anyway, here's my review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince plus a few other comments I didn't write in the Brave Writer discussion.

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT! I am giving away major plot elements, so if you haven't read the book and desire to be surprised when you see the movie, read no further!
*****************

Overall, I thought that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was brilliant. It was an excellent adaptation of the book which I've read at least eight times.

I didn't care for a few elements (or the lack thereof): the attack on the Burrow was really stupid -- it seemed just an opportunity to blow stuff up. It really made no sense whatsoever except to underscore the unspoken feelings between Harry and Ginny. And to introduce Fenrir Greyback.

I missed the battle within Hogwarts between the Order of the Phoenix and the Death Eaters after Dumbledore's death. I understand why they omitted it: the additional action takes attention away from Dumbledore's death and also introduces characters and scenes (Bill and his mauling by Greyback, Neville's injuries, the Carrows, etc., plus the hospital wing scene with the Weasleys and Fleur). So I understand why the screenwriters decided to simplify Dumbledore's death. But I still missed it -- it was a major battle with repercussions reaching well into the final book.

I also missed the opening scene between Dumbledore and the Dursleys when Dumbledore really takes them to task for their abusive treatment of Harry over the years. It's a scene with both humor and pathos and would have been a great improvement over the train scene which made little sense. But the Unbreakable Vow scene with Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Snape was brilliant. And the havoc played on the Muggle world was very well done -- a violent opening to the 6th film. Convincing and dramatic.

The Horcrux cave scene was great, but it was never explained that the creatures in the lake were Inferi. The fire conjured by Dumbledore was incredible when Harry was drowning in the lake, being dragged under by the Inferi which were naked, Gollum-like creatures.

Dumbledore's death and the aftermath were touching -- I was actually sobbing. And I was glad that they kept in Dumbledore's argument with Snape, something Harry overheard rather than Hagrid. Harry wasn't immobilized during Draco's confrontation with Dumbledore; Dumbledore told him to go underneath, and Harry could see what was happening from underneath the telescope workings in the Astronomy tower. Harry was taking aim at Draco with his wand when Snape approached him and signaled to be silent and do nothing, and Harry acquiesced. Then Snape killed Dumbledore. The Death Eaters, especially Bellatrix, stomped through the Great Hall on the House tables, breaking the large stained glass windows in triumph. Draco looked so upset after Dumbledore's death -- afraid of Voldemort perhaps because Draco had not done it himself but also shocked that Dumbledore really was dead.

But the best part of the film was the love triangle among Ron, Hermione, and Lavender -- so funny. And touching. Lavender was kooky and perfect, and the scene over Ron's bed after his poisoning was priceless, especially when witnessed by Snape, McGonagall, and Dumbledore which made it all the more funny. And the love potion scene was really well done: Rupert Grint's uplifted face was simply perfect -- very well-acted and so funny.

I wish more time had been spent on developing the Ginny/Harry relationship; they really never seemed to nail down the boyfriend/girlfriend level at the end of the movie, thus he never broke up with her at Dumbledore's funeral, another omitted scene that they should have included -- at least Harry sees Dumbledore's portrait in his office.

Jim Broadbent was a perfect Slughorn. The rest of the main cast was brilliant, as always except that I've never cared for the portrayal of Tonks. Somehow in this installment she's Lupin's girlfriend with no explanation whatsoever which bugged me, along with her unattractive brown mullet. I wish Tonks was portrayed much more like Alice in Twilight -- it would have worked MUCH better.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Price was one of the best adaptations of the HP books, now my second-favorite behind my perennial favorite, Sorcerer's Stone; I love how the magical world is introduced so perfectly. So despite my perfectionist, book-loving critique here, I still consider Half-Blood Prince to be simply brilliant.

Go see it if you haven't already. It's well-worth it.

Counting the Hours Until Half Blood Prince

(Photo from iphonedaily.com)

Elizabeth had provided our family with a real treat: online tickets to the first matinee of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince on Wednesday at AMC Mission Valley at 11:15 A.M. We are so thrilled to see this sixth installment of the Harry Potter movie franchise; we have read all the books and listened to them on tape and CD countless times as well as owning all the movies -- again, countless times.

Elizabeth and I were so upset when the original release date of Half Blood Prince was moved from last November (2008) to July 17, 2009. Later it was moved up two days to July 15. Although we had toyed with the idea of seeing a midnight showing, living so far from town does not make doing so very easy. So a matinee will do nicely ... and it's less expensive, too. Keith is taking the morning off work to see it with us, and our friends the Arnolds and perhaps Keith's sister Karen are meeting us there. It's been such a long, long wait.

As she follows filming details on Mugglenet and other Potter fan sites, Elizabeth keeps me updated on the filming of the last two films, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Parts 1 and 2, slated for release in November 2010 and May 2011. The final Potter book simply contains far too much material for one film, so they are filming them together right now. Now that wait will seem downright impossible!

This week the kids and I have gathered together on hot afternoons and evenings in front of the TV and fans to rewatch each film in the series in preparation for Half Blood Prince. Even as I type this post, we're watching Order of the Phoenix; I love Kingsley saying, "...you can't deny Dumbledore's got style." Well, Richard Harris as Dumbledore definitely had more style than Michael Gambon, but that's not to be helped....

So at 11:15 tomorrow morning we'll be impatiently wading through previews, waiting for Half Blood Prince, the second longest of the Potter films at two hours, thirty-three minutes, to begin. (The longest film is Chamber of Secrets.) I am just as excited as the kids, if not more so. The characters and their stories in these books and films have captured my imagination so thoroughly that I am eagerly awaiting each movie with the kids (as well as the new Twilight saga film New Moon coming this November).

We also have a thread on Half Blood Prince at Brave Writer at the Movies where we're also discussing the HBP, even if it's just a bit off-topic. So I'll let you know what I think about this sixth installment of the Harry Potter films after we see the movie tomorrow.

Countdown to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

It's been a long wait. Too long. Half-Blood Prince was supposed to be in theatres back in November but the execs decided to move it back to July to make room for Twilight and to make the time between HBP and the release of the first half of Deathly Hallows in November 2010 shorter (second half will be released in May of 2011 by last report).

Still, it's been a long wait. Order of the Phoenix was extremely well-done and is my second-favorite of the HP films (Sorceror's Stone will always be my absolute favorite!). David Yates did a wonderful job with OOP, so I'm trusting to continue to do well with HBP and both halves of DH. The decision to make two films of Deathly Hallows was brilliant and really is entirely necessary, given the detailed subject matter and the tying up of all of the loose ends.

But I'm a little wary of Yates' Half-Blood Prince. Apparently the Burrow is going to be attacked, an event that did not happen in HBP at all -- it's apparently a ploy to add more action into this book which is rather quiet in many ways but which ends so spectacularly with the death of one of the major characters. I'll obviously withhold judgment until I see the film in 44 days or so, but I'm wary. Quite wary.

But I am looking forward to the next installment of the Harry Potter films even more than I am waiting for the new Twilight saga film, New Moon, due out in November. I'm just soooooo anticipating that final battle of Hogwarts at the end of the seventh book -- I can't wait to see it realized on film. Sigh. A very long wait we have for that one, too....

So, until July 15th, Potter fans!

Only 90 Days....

It's been *such* a loooooong wait for Half Blood Prince. The sixth installment of the ever-popular Harry Potter film was delayed from its original release date of November of 2008 to July 17, 2009. Finally we're down to double-digits on the countdown -- three months from today we'll finally be able to see Half Blood Prince.

A new preview of Half Bloof Prince was released today and can be found on the Mugglenet site if you're interested. It looks well-worth waiting for, and at least the wait for the two parts of Deathly Hallows will not be affected. Filming right now, Part 1 is due for release in November 2010 and Part 2 in July 2011.

It's soooooooo hard to wait for the next installment of the Harry Potter movies, but we really don't have a choice, do we? They've been really great representations of the book series which readers of this blog know that I absolutely adore. It's hard to wait. Really hard to wait. But at least we know how it all ends, so waiting for the films is much, much less trying than waiting for the books to be published.

Sirius .... Seriously

I am thrilled to be writing this blog entry from a new laptop -- the Hp Pavilion dv-1140 Go Entertainment Notebook PC -- see image above from shopping.com.

You see, I've been limping along in cyberspace, using a seven-year-old dinosaur of a Toshiba laptop not-so-fondly named "Eeyore" for its slowness and reluctance to perform any function without severe complaints. A "good day" with Eeyore meant taking 20 minutes to get online while a "bad day" meant I was either on Keith's computer or using the PC's at our small town's library. Neither of these situations were helpful when attempting to teach online courses, especially when said courses were saved on Eeyore.

Our church's administrator, Veneta, took Eeyore home with her and managed to get the 13 viruses off Eeyore over a several day period. Then she had to drive all the way up the mountain to try to get him back online -- which took four hours of a lovely vacation day. Then as Eeyore kept getting stubborner and stubborner, I was calling her on a regular basis. On Thursday when I asked her what to do when Eeyore refused to load the antivirus software after four attempts, she told me to "Open jacuzzi lid. Insert Eeyore. Close jacuzzi lid. Turn on jacuzzi."

Keith took that as a sign that I really, really needed a new computer. He managed to find this new, sleek, shiny, sexy laptop for half-price because of sales, a rebate, and the fact that the box had been opened, although the computer was still wrapped tight. He surprised me by bringing it home last night (Friday), and I've been getting it online, getting AOL all set up, and moving my files over from the external hard drive. Good thing I backed Eeyore up just last weekend!

I still have a bit of a learning curve -- such as saving photos from online like the computer photo above. But I'll get it all worked out very soon. I love the way this keyboard feels as I type with it -- simply lovely. It's so much smaller and lighter than Eeyore ... and had a battery! Eeyore's battery lasted five to ten minutes, and this one should last about two hours, according to users. It's simply lovely.

The hard thing has been thinking up a name for it. My friend Carrie's family names all of their computers after theologians, but I'm not that sophisticated. I thought that since it's an HP, I must name it after a Harry Potter character, right? (After all, my '91 Corolla is named "Molly" after Mrs. Weasley because both have more spunk that one would think.) So since this computer is such a nice shiny black I've opted for ...

... Sirius. Yes, Sirius Black. The pun opportunities should be endless.

Seriously. :)

Books Read in 2008

I am quite astonished at how few books I read in 2008. I usually read twice as many, easily. But it has been a busy year with working much more for BraveWriter and tutoring an average of three afternoons a week. And I've been writing more which automatically means reading less. In fact, most of my reading takes place in my therapeutic spa before bed each night. If it hadn't been for our Logos Reading and Discussion group at Lake Murray, I doubt that I would have read even this many books.

I somehow have never counted the book I read aloud to the kids, mostly because they're juvenile literature, but I think that I'm going to start adding them. I also haven't counted the billions of times we've listened to each and every of the Harry Potter books on our long drives down the hill and back -- half an hour to El Cajon, then however long from there. But now that my tape player in my car broke, listening to books on tape is no longer a possibility. We prefer them over books on CD or iPod because wherever we stop listening, we started back at the same spot. Very handy.

So here are my books read in 2008, in reverse order: (Books marked with an asterisk were read for Logos)

30. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Rowling (2007)
29. The Lovely Bones, Sebold(2002)*
28. Eagle of the Ninth, Sutcliff (1954)
27. Beowulf (c.800, 2000 Seamus Heaney translation)*
26. Seven Dials, Perry (2003)
25. Murder on Bank Street, Thompson (2008)
24. Murder in Chinatown, Thompson (2007)
23. Death Comes for the Archbishop, Cather (1927)*
22. Long Spoon Lane, Perry (2007)
21. All's Well That Ends Well, Shakespeare (c. 1603)*
20. Buckingham Palace Gardens, Perry (2008)
19. Where Are You Now?, Clark (2008)
18. Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, James (2008)
17. The Celtic Riddle, Anderson (2000)
16. Life of Pi, Martel (2001)*
15. Austenland, Hale (2007)
14. Blue Like Jazz, Miller (2002)*
13. Suspense and Sensibility, Bebris(2005)
12. Pride and Prescience, Bebris (2004)
11. North by Northanger, Bebris (2006)
10. HP and the Half-Blood Prince, Rowling (2005)
9. Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver, Konisberg (1973)
8. The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde (1891)*
7. Screwtape Letters, Lewis (1942)*
6. HP and the Deathly Hallows, Rowling (2007)
5. Home to Holly Springs, Karon (2007)
4. Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston (1937)*
3. HP and the Order of the Phoenix, Rowling (2003)
2. Great Expectations, Dickens (1860)*
1. The Holy Rule of St. Benedict (c. 530 AD)