You know who I blame for these oufits?

Sienna Miller.

She is the Dark Lord of high fashion, and all of the starlets of Western Europe have fallen under her ungodly spell.

Labels: Fashion, Harry Potter

"Three Laments"

I.
Alas
I believe
I might have become
a great writer
but
the chairs
in the library
were too hard

II.
I have
the upper hand
but if I keep it
I'll lose the circulation
in one arm

III.
So here I am the coolest in New York
what dont swing I dont push.

In some Elysian field
by a big tree
I chew my pride
like cud.

-Diane DiPrima

Labels: Diane DiPrima, poetry

Okay... so I know that I promised to be back yesterday with news about our favorite authors but I kinda got sidetracked reading Jenny Crusie's and Meg Cabot's blogs.

Jenny Crusie
Ms. Crusie started a blog last July, which I have somehow missed during all of my previous visits to her site. This is a great source of book-related-gossip as well as a way to tide you over during the wait for her next book.

Speaking of her new book- we won't be seeing that until May, but I do have a little info on it. Jenny co-wrote this book with Bob Mayer (who I have not had a chance to read yet) and from the description this will definitely be the kind of book I buy in hardcover:

Don't Look Down (St. Martins Press) Lucy Armstrong goes to Savannah to direct the last four days of a movie, find out what's wrong with her sister, and earn some easy money. J. T. Wilder signs on as a stunt man for the last four days of a movie to alleviate his boredom, meet some hot actresses, and earn some easy money. Trouble ensues. Jenny wrote all the scenes in Lucy's point of view, Bob Mayer wrote all the scene's in J. T.'s point of view. There's sex, violence, and alligators. It's great.

Meg Cabot
Meg's blog is one of my favorites- she obsesses over many of the same things that I obsess over. (We are sisters in obsession!) Her last entry from Monday gave a great overview of the latest made for TV disaster movie (one of my secret loves!) So if you forgot to TiVo it last Sunday, you can get caught up for next week's finale!


But if disaster movies aren't your thing, don’t worry. Meg is great about keeping us informed about what's new with her writing, including this sneak peak at the possible final cover for her next book, “Size 12 is Not Fat”, coming out next month. Eh. I don’t hate the new cover, but it's not doing much for me.

Well, that's it for me today... I think soon Julia should be posting some new stuff over at the main site so you should go and check that out.

Labels: Blog, Jenny Crusie, Meg Cabot

I am way behind on my reading- the huge pile of books on my night stand is threatening to topple over and bury me in my sleep. I keep promising myself that I'll get started once the election insanity is over this week, but we'll see. Anyway, here are a few of the titles I can remember from the stack beside my bed.

Solomon vs. Lord by Paul Levine
This is the only book I've actually started- I'm about 30 pages in and loving it! It is a funny, sexy courtroom drama with a great mismatched pair of lawyers. Steve Solomon, a ambulance-casing lawyer, pairs up with Victoria Lord, a high society Yale Law grad, to defend Katrina Barksdale, a tennis buddy of Victoria’s who is being tried for the murder of her much older husband... who died during a romp in bed that got out of hand. If the first 30 pages are any indication, this is going to be a great read.


Christie Ridgway
While stranded in the JFK airport a few months ago I ran across "An Offer He Can't Refuse " by Christie Ridgway. I picked this title up because it had one of those quotes about how much Jenny Cruise loved the book. Since Crusie is one of my favorite authors, I figured it couldn't go too wrong. Anyway, I absolutely loved the book and am planning on writing an author review for Ridgway as soon as I get the chance- meanwhile I picked up a few of her older books from my local used bookstore and I can’t wait to dive in. Ms. Ridgway is definitely worth checking out!


Eldest by Christopher Paolini
I have been holding on to this book since the week it came out in August. I was really excited about the book and the reviews I have read have been good... but I just can’t seem to start reading it. This is the second book in Christopher’s trilogy about the dragon rider Eragon and his dragon Saphira. Eh... I tend to be more the in the mood to start epic-type books when it is all cold and wintery, and it's currently a lovely 70 degrees here in Ohio. But once the snow hits I am all over this book!


See? And that just touches the top of the pile that is looming over my bedside. I'll have to dig a little deeper into the mountain for next week's bookshelf update. I should be back tomorrow with some rumors about what some of our favorite Wordcandy authors are working on for the new year.

Labels: Christie Ridgway, Christopher Paolini, Paul Levine

Check out these historic reading posters available through Allposters.com. Are they not awesome? If only I had a library to hang them in....

Labels: Art, Posters

I am very bothered when I think
of the bad things I have done in my life.
Not least that time in the chemistry lab
when I held a pair of scissors by the blades
and played the handles
in the naked lilac flame of the Bunsen burner;
then called your name, and handed them over.

O the unrivalled stench of branded skin
as you slipped your thumb and middle finger in,
then couldn't shake off the two burning rings. Marked,
the doctor said, for eternity.

Don't believe me, please, if I say
that was just my butterfingered way, at thirteen,
of asking you if you would marry me.

-Simon Armitage

Labels: poetry, simon armitage