I'm in the middle of Jane Eyre. Or can we say towards the end? I'm actually on page 364. I can hardly put this book down at all. Even now, I wish I could be reading it. It's incredible. It has brought me to tears time and time again. I also refuse to Google it or watch the movie version until I'm finished. I don't want to know the ending.
But... Yes, I have read ahead a bit. I couldn't help myself. Not so much as to spoil me, but just to get a jist of what might happen. To find out if she sees Mr. Rochester again.
Wow. This book is unbelievable. It reminds me of why I wanted to be a writer. This is the kind of book I want to write. A book full of darkness, of heartbreak, of rejoicing... This book has really inspired me.
I don't think my writing always fits under the role of pure romance. I want darkness in my writing. I want to write large sweeping books, full of drama, but the ebook format doesn't always support that. Don't get me wrong... I love my books. I put a piece of my soul in every one. (Which must be why I feel the sting when a review isn't altogether postive...even though I seek these reviews). When I go to write my driver series books, the characters are as real to me as my son is real to me.
All I'm saying is that I just know there is a book inside of me that is my Jane Eyre. No, I'm not saying I could ever write as well as Charlotte Bronte. I'm just saying that my epic novel is inside me, somewhere, just waiting for my writing to mature enough for me to put it down in words.
Now I just need to get through this work day so I can read some more...
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Monday, June 18, 2007
Trying to get my groove back
I think I mentioned before that I'm having a hard time finding something to read. Well, the other night I took my son to Borders. Looking over the hundreds of books, I still couldn't find anything I wanted to read.
I wanted to find a really good romance but lately I'd been turned off by them. Not because of any particular author, but because everytime I read them, I'm not paying attention to the story, but to the mechanics of the writing and looking for ways for me to improve my own writing. It's not as enjoyable as it used to be. I can't just get lost in a book anymore. And for someone who enjoys writing as much as I do, it's kind of like losing your sex drive.
Then, as I was standing at the shelf filled with staff picks for the summer, I noticed the book Catcher in the Rye. A book I've never read before. I then turned to my son and suggested we both start reading classic books over the summer. We could have kind of a book club.
He rejected this idea right away. I think because I was refusing to buy him the $30 video game book her really wanted. (I refuse to pay that much for a book that isn't somehow enriching his life in some way).
We left Borders both unsatisfied.
Then on Saturday night he came into my room and said he wanted to go ahead and go with the idea of reading classics and that my MIL wanted to join in as well. Great! The more the merrier! But instead of my idea of us reading the same book, he thought we should each pick our own, then swap.
That was fine, too. I could agree to that. But where to get the books? I don't have a whole lot of money right now, and I'm not buying all these books. My son rejected my library idea, plus the library was already closed Saturday and doesn't open on Sunday. That's when I remembered there was a used book store in my town that I hadn't yet checked out.
So on Sunday, I got ready and away we went. I picked out Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, my son picked out Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and we picked out Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton for my MIL. I have never heard of this book, but it said it was a classic, and was kind of short. The storyline looked interesting, too.
I started Jane Eyre yesterday, and it's caught my attention so far. It's the first time in awhile that it's hard for me to put down a book. I even want to skip to the end to see what happens. The great thing about this book is that, even though I've heard a lot of people mention it, I don't remember any of the storyline. So it will be a total surprise to me.
Now I just have to find a good movie version of it for when I'm done.
I wanted to find a really good romance but lately I'd been turned off by them. Not because of any particular author, but because everytime I read them, I'm not paying attention to the story, but to the mechanics of the writing and looking for ways for me to improve my own writing. It's not as enjoyable as it used to be. I can't just get lost in a book anymore. And for someone who enjoys writing as much as I do, it's kind of like losing your sex drive.
Then, as I was standing at the shelf filled with staff picks for the summer, I noticed the book Catcher in the Rye. A book I've never read before. I then turned to my son and suggested we both start reading classic books over the summer. We could have kind of a book club.
He rejected this idea right away. I think because I was refusing to buy him the $30 video game book her really wanted. (I refuse to pay that much for a book that isn't somehow enriching his life in some way).
We left Borders both unsatisfied.
Then on Saturday night he came into my room and said he wanted to go ahead and go with the idea of reading classics and that my MIL wanted to join in as well. Great! The more the merrier! But instead of my idea of us reading the same book, he thought we should each pick our own, then swap.
That was fine, too. I could agree to that. But where to get the books? I don't have a whole lot of money right now, and I'm not buying all these books. My son rejected my library idea, plus the library was already closed Saturday and doesn't open on Sunday. That's when I remembered there was a used book store in my town that I hadn't yet checked out.
So on Sunday, I got ready and away we went. I picked out Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, my son picked out Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and we picked out Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton for my MIL. I have never heard of this book, but it said it was a classic, and was kind of short. The storyline looked interesting, too.
I started Jane Eyre yesterday, and it's caught my attention so far. It's the first time in awhile that it's hard for me to put down a book. I even want to skip to the end to see what happens. The great thing about this book is that, even though I've heard a lot of people mention it, I don't remember any of the storyline. So it will be a total surprise to me.
Now I just have to find a good movie version of it for when I'm done.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
I haven't been reading at all lately and I keep trying to figure out why. The only theory I can come up with is because all the books on my to-be-read pile are paranormals.
In theory, I love the thought of a paranormal book. Vampires are hot. But every time I try to start a vamp series, I only last a couple books before I quit.
Sometimes I can't even make it through the first book.
Christine Feehan; Dark Series: I got through about 2 or 3 of these books before they all started to sound the same. I took a break and when I tried going back, I'd lost track of where I'd left of and all the details. Since all authors have their own rules in the worlds they create, it really pays to keep up.
Charlaine Harris; Sookie Stackhouse: I really liked this series. It was funny and involved many characters-and not all of them vampires. But again, I only made it through about 2 of the books before quitting.
J.R. Ward; The Black Dagger Brotherhood: I read the first book in this series and LOVED it. But the man I loved the most was the only non-vampire in the bunch. He was a cop who gets fired for crossing the line and ends up hanging out with the 'brothers.' And I found that I wanted to skip the books in between and go straight to his. That's not good.
MaryJanice Davidson; The Undead series: I got pretty far in this series. But I think it was because it was first person and lighthearted. Plus, it was really, really funny. Humor can get me through any genre. Even Historical; my least favorite genre. But I'm still a couple books behind in the series. I'd have to read the blurbs to figure out where I left off.
Nora Roberts; The Circle Trilogy: Now I'm a HUGE Nora fan, and I haven't even started this series. I have them all, ready to read, and I haven't touched them. And all my friends-even the non paranormal fans-swear to me it's a really good series. But every time I pick up Morrigan's Cross, I can't get through the first page. What is with that?
I'm thinking it might have to do with the amount of work involved in reading paranormals. Because the authors build their own worlds, they have their own rules. You have to remember all the rules to really understand the books. Pick up any contemporary book and you can usually get into it right away with no real confusion. (Unless it's about a career/sport/place you're not familiar with).
Maybe I should give up on the paranormals for now. Do you think? Or maybe I'm just not in the reading mood. I think I'll have a pact to read at least one a week and review them here. Do you think that'll motivate me?
We'll see!
In theory, I love the thought of a paranormal book. Vampires are hot. But every time I try to start a vamp series, I only last a couple books before I quit.
Sometimes I can't even make it through the first book.
Christine Feehan; Dark Series: I got through about 2 or 3 of these books before they all started to sound the same. I took a break and when I tried going back, I'd lost track of where I'd left of and all the details. Since all authors have their own rules in the worlds they create, it really pays to keep up.
Charlaine Harris; Sookie Stackhouse: I really liked this series. It was funny and involved many characters-and not all of them vampires. But again, I only made it through about 2 of the books before quitting.
J.R. Ward; The Black Dagger Brotherhood: I read the first book in this series and LOVED it. But the man I loved the most was the only non-vampire in the bunch. He was a cop who gets fired for crossing the line and ends up hanging out with the 'brothers.' And I found that I wanted to skip the books in between and go straight to his. That's not good.
MaryJanice Davidson; The Undead series: I got pretty far in this series. But I think it was because it was first person and lighthearted. Plus, it was really, really funny. Humor can get me through any genre. Even Historical; my least favorite genre. But I'm still a couple books behind in the series. I'd have to read the blurbs to figure out where I left off.
Nora Roberts; The Circle Trilogy: Now I'm a HUGE Nora fan, and I haven't even started this series. I have them all, ready to read, and I haven't touched them. And all my friends-even the non paranormal fans-swear to me it's a really good series. But every time I pick up Morrigan's Cross, I can't get through the first page. What is with that?
I'm thinking it might have to do with the amount of work involved in reading paranormals. Because the authors build their own worlds, they have their own rules. You have to remember all the rules to really understand the books. Pick up any contemporary book and you can usually get into it right away with no real confusion. (Unless it's about a career/sport/place you're not familiar with).
Maybe I should give up on the paranormals for now. Do you think? Or maybe I'm just not in the reading mood. I think I'll have a pact to read at least one a week and review them here. Do you think that'll motivate me?
We'll see!
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