A Kate Elliott Unboxing

I had some inkling of the glorious and shiny awesomeness in store for me as my mom was kind enough to not only act as my international postal service (read: enabler) but she also did a wee Skype session with me before forwarding on my books. However, nothing can compare to having gorgeous, beloved books in your own two hands. Thus, a photographic love letter.

Behold, the Unboxed!

When you realize getting them singly from the library does not at all do justice to the sheer amount of BOOK!

Never fear, Volume 3, one day I will find you!

Found consolation almost immediately when I discovered...

omg, omg, omg easter eggs on the signed title pages?!?!?!?!?

Joy, joy, joy, more easter eggs!

And then, of course, further consolation in gazing at what I would argue is the best cover set of all time:

btw, the outer seeming matches the inner heart, best trilogy ever!

Speaking of covers, my faves from CoS:

Where can I get that shield?

My mom, continuing her reign as best mom ever, flipped through The Secret Journal of Beatrice Hassi Barahal via Skype for me and, besides loving the artwork, made this comment: There sure is a lot of kissing! I about fell over when I saw this on closer inspection:

My mom agrees with Cat

And is anything better than new books settled into their new home?

Made of Awesome!!!

Check this out!

A Must Read

I was hunting around for the character list* from The Luminaries, and came by this fantastic article by Eleanor Catton.

I love this type of piece. It's not one you read and then go "no, no, no that's all wrong" or "yes, that's exactly what I think" but one where you think "there are so many interesting observations here, I want to have more discussion right now."

Dr M and I talk about this all the time:

The machine of consumerism is designed to encourage us all to believe that our preferences are significant and self-revealing; that a taste for Coke over Pepsi, or for KFC over McDonald’s, means something about us; that our tastes comprise, in sum, a kind of aggregate expression of our unique selfhood.

And this observation speaks directly to my inner reading self:

At its best, literature is pure encounter: it resists consumption because it cannot be used up and it cannot expire. The bonds that are formed between readers and writers, between readers and characters, and between readers and ideas, are meaningful in a way that the bonds formed between consumers and products can never be

But don't take my word for it. Go read it! It's a readers must read.


*why could I not just reference the book's list, you ask? well, I got the audiobook, all 29+ hours of it.

"What's Your Name Again?"

Watching this video was joyful. Like watching folks reunite at the airport; it was equal parts surprising, awkward, funny and smile-inducing!

 )

So True!

Comics can be funny and insightful. :)

Nicholas Boulton as Hawke

You know the weirdest thing about listening to Nick Boulton as Male Hawke after listening to Nick Boulton as every Laura Kinsale character you know and love? When Hawke is finished speaking other actors do the other voices! Huh. Weird! :)

As Male Hawke (MILD SPOILERS!!!!):





From Flowers From the Storm:

Huggy Bunch

I think we all know how much I enjoy the Assassin's Creed environment but did we all know that I love it a huggy bunch? No? Well, that's ok because I didn't either. But here is the official announcement that I am incorporating "huggy bunch" into my vernacular and that my first use of it is to say: I enjoy the Assassin's Creed environment a huggy bunch! Huzzah!



huggy bunch hat tip

Beyond the Environment, or Beyond Belief

How far does one have to tow before one is "beyond the environment?"




hat tip: B Jobe

Lovely

Holy Frijoles!

I have a culinary soulmate!

In fact, this guy is worse than I am. I didn't know that was possible!

Bugger!

Didn't get to my sandwich yet but when doing some online research I found this bit of awesomeness:

In a science fiction novel, if I describe what's on a desk, the reader will use this to figure out the level of technology in the society.

In a mystery novel, if I describe what's on a desk, the reader will understand that one of those objects is a clue.

In a literary novel, if I describe what's on a desk, the reader will understand it to be a metaphor for the protagonist's mental state.

- James D. Macdonald, discussing Reading Protocols, 6 Apr 2009

Bloody Great!*

The best dedication ever can be found in Terry Pratchett's Guards! Guards!

"They may be called the Palace Guard, the City Guard, or the Patrol. Whatever the name, their purpose in any work of heroic fantasy is identical: it is, round about Chapter Three (or ten minutes into the film) to rush into the room attack the hero one at a time, and be slaughtered. No-one ever asks them if they wanted to.

This book is dedicated to those fine men."



*phrase I sincerely hope we Americans will poach from British English. It is, well, bloody great!