Average Reader

About Me

I have had some interest in myself and while I find it flattering, truly there isn't much to tell.  Reading is my passion.  While growing up I used books to escape and managed to go through my parent's bookcase by middle school, even the romance novels.  With the romance novels I had to promise not to read the parts about sex and what not.  I wrote short stories and incredibly bad poetry my whole life before realizing what I was good at, telling people what I liked and why.  Hmm, I have opinions?  Well I guess you guys figured that out already.
If you happen across the Galaxy Magazine from what used to be South West Texas State University you may find a few articles I wrote as a budding journalist.  My particular favorite was titled "Bulls and Babes."  Just try to guess what that was about.  I am from Texas people, it isn't that hard. We are lucky I have managed to write without using "y'all" in a sentence since my editor nearly killed me for that in college.
I studied print journalism in college and currently work for a newspaper in the advertising industry.  It is fun and challenging.  Someday I do hope to work in the publishing industry helping dreaming writers spread their word. Of course you never know, I could one day win the lottery and move to Greece.  Someone has to win sometime, right? 
Recently I got married and I am enjoying being a newlywed.  My husband is an accomplished technology writer so he understands when I loose myself in my journal or book. 
Aside from books I love ballroom dancing,inaccurate police dramas, and really ugly dogs.  Nothing is as wonderful as a dog with an ugly face.  Of course we have an English Springer Spaniel which is like the cheerleader of dogs.  Perky, pretty and annoyingly loving.  The exact opposite of ugly but lovable all the same.  Oh and I love Chanel.  Makeup, fashion, and perfume, you name it I absolutely adore it.  Hey, just because I am smart and love  sci-fi and books, doesn't mean I can't have damn fine taste!
I do hope this little run down of my life has satisfied my curious readers.  If it didn't well, I am sorry, I am just not as complex as you want then but I will try. 

Philippa Gregory is amazing

Recently I went to the library and checked out almost every book they had by Philippa Gregory.  Ok ,so I only got three out, The Favored Child, Meridon, and Earthly Joys.  That was all they had left. I have to admit I truly enjoyed each and every one., but to be completely honest I didn't like Earthly Joys as much as the others. 
Of course she writes my favorite genre, historical fiction. 
Meridon and The Favored Child were the conclusions to the Wideacre trilogy about an incestuous family lusting after their land no matter what the cost.  The story is good, the details are tidy and stay away from out right disgust considering the subject matter.

Although I do not go back and double check the facts as I would with some other authors, I really feel Gregory researches each book completely.  I first became addicted to Gregory with The Virgin's Lover and I trusted her research then as well.  I am not a history buff but I do love catching someone when they are wrong.  Gregory just gets me so caught up in the story she could be lying to me and I still wouldn't care.  The characters are that enticing.  I dare anyone who has never read historical fiction to pick up one of her books and not get completely enthralled.  If you love a good read, you will love Philippa Gregory.

I can't wait to read Gregory's newest novel, The Constant Princess.  It is available on amazon and in your local bookstore. A review of this novel will come as soon as I can get my hands on a copy.

To learn more about Philippa Gregory

The First Immortal and an average brain

On the suggestion of a reader, I dove into The First Immortal by James L. Halperin and stretched my brain considerably.            

At first I thought the book was going to be about vampires or something similar just based on the name.  I was very wrong.  This is science fiction written by, what seems to be, a methodical scientist.  After reading Halperin's bio, he is not a scientist but he does seem to be methodical, at least that is what his many sucesses lead me to believe.

Medical you wonder?  Yep this is all about cyronics, or basically, freezing people to end death as we know it.

You follow the sensible main character, without a hint of cryonics until fairly deep into the story and then boom, he’s there and it’s done.  I don’t want to give away the ending so I won’t tell any more.

As far as how I felt about the book, my feelings are mixed.  The characters sometimes seemed to get lost in the technical jargon but when they were there it was intriguing, and emotionally involving.  The book also humbled me.  I have never pretended to understand science but usually I can at least follow.  This book, with its extensive descriptions so beyond me I often had to set it aside and go do something else to relax my brain. Take this sentence for example, "he visualized the picture on canvas, and hoped this neoteric design technology wasn't atrophying his artistica synapses."  Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking we are brilliant and then one little thing comes by to remind you that you can never know all there is to know. 

I did enjoy the book though and I recommended it to my husband who loves long descriptions of scientific processes.  Thank you for your suggestion, Blake. It put me out of my comfort zone but resulted in an enjoyable experience.  Keep them coming.

To learn more about the author or cryonics click here.