Friending Meme and Other Thoughts

[elrhiarhodan]

Today's Thursday.  I wish it was Friday...

But since it's not, I can only do two things here...make recs and respond to hoosierbitch's request for my response to the friending meme.


Recs first  (all links go to Amazon.com, pls forgive me).

I am reading, for the 10th or 20th time, Lois McMaster Bujold's Curse of Chalion.  I love this book so much, I've bought it twice in paperback (I thought I lost my original copy), once as an audiobook from Audible, and again for my Kindle.  LMB has created a perfectly thoughtout world - complete with theology and hagiography, but also a rollicking good story too.  Everytime I re-read this book, I find something completely new, and surprising.  I also love Paladin of Souls, a direct sequel.  The Hallowed Hunt, which is set in the same world, is good but really quite different.  I hope the LMB will return to this realm.

Another book/series with potential for greatness is Sasha, book 1 of the Trials of Blood and Steel, by Australian author, Joel Shepherd.  The sequel, Petrodor was just released, but not - sadly for me - in ebook format.  I have a hard time these days with dead tree books.

In non-fiction, I'm working my way through the 2009 edition of the Best American Essays, edited by Robert Atwan and Mary Oliver.  In the last decade, I've discovered many wonderful writers between the covers of this series, particularly Andre Aciman, and his essays that formed the core of Out of Egypt. 

Two humor recs - one fiction, and one non-fiction. 

If you haven't read them yet, go do so IMMEDIATELY - Jaspter Fforde's Thursday Next series - The Eyre Affair, Lost in a Good Book, Well of Lost Plots, Something Rotten and First Among Sequels.  This is the ultimate AU.  Books are real - if you change the author's first copy, all other editions are changed too.  And how can you resist any story where the villain's name is Jack Schitt?

I can't rec Bill Bryson enough...surely you've read A Walk in the Woods, about a fat man's sojourn up the Appalacian Trail?  But have you found In a Sunburned Country, about his travels through Australia?  I listened to this first as an audiobook, and nearly caused a massive pileup on the Cross Bronx Expressway because I was laughing so damn hard.

(There were music recs here - but LJ ate them at posting...grrr).

On to the Meme:

Six Names I Go By:

1. L
2. elrhiarhodan 
3.
4. Bitch
5. Fat Bitch
6.

Three Things I Am Wearing Right Now:

1. A black bra
2. A heavy gold necklace
3. Black wedge sandles

Three Things I Want Very Badly At This Moment

1. My iPad
2. gyzym 's Girl!Neal porn, too
3.  The Roman slave A/U fic I heard that some bitch is working on

Three People Whom I Hope Will Do the Meme

gyzym 
photoash 
shea 

Three Things I Did Last Night

1.  Wrote 1500 more words for Vampire!Peter fic
2.  Played dirty!girl with my vibrator
3.  Slept

Three People I Last Talked to On The Phone

1. My father
2.  MDF Valerie
3.  My sister, who wanted to wish me an almost happy birthday

Three Things I Am Going To Do Tomorrow

1.  Go to Work and Leave Early, because SATURDAY is my birthday, BITCHES
2.  Finish Vampire!Peter fic
3.  Work on Neal in Paris - the flashback!sex scenes

Three Of My Favorite Drinks

1.  Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
2.  Calvados
3.  Seltzer - Ice, no Lemon

Three Things That Made Me Smile Today

1.  The rec by gyzym for Wash the Sins Away.  As well as all of the great comments that my readers/flist made. 
2,  Getting tagged for this meme by hoosierbitch 
3.  It's 76 degrees outside and all the cherry trees are in full bloom




Like I said above, it's my birthday on Saturday, and I'm heading out of town...but unless there's no 3G, I'll be around, babes.

Elr.

Comments

[hoosierbitch.livejournal.com]

I will totally check out those books! I actually have two of Bryson's books, but haven't read them yet...BUT I WILL! :D

I think LJ might have eaten part of your entry - 'music recs' seems to skip a bit...

ALSO: GIVE ME A PROMPT FOR YOUR BDAY! It may not be v. long, b/c I am travelling/working all weekend - BUT I WILL DO MY BEST! (...I could maybe do a sneak-snippet of Roman!AU, if you want! Or something else - it's your B-Day!)

And Wash The Sins Away was lovely.

[elrhiarhodan]

Yeah - LJ did each my music recs, and part of the meme. I've fixed the meme responses, but not the music.

I'll wait for the complete Roman!AU (but thank you)...but how's this for you (since you're now officially a Graduate Student in Theater Arts)...17th century London, when pretty boys played the girls on stage.

or...

Peter and Neal as cavalry officers (pick your 18th or 19th century European war).

Or, what ever you want...I love everything you write...and I thought Knife!Porn was yours. And got really confused when I read the comment in the Kink!Meme.

Elr.

[hoosierbitch.livejournal.com]

DUDE, I WAS READING IT AND THINKING THAT EXACT. SAME. THING. It hit all of my kinks SO. HARD.

...I will work on that fic for you, those are AWESOME prompts!

[photoash.livejournal.com]

:) Happy early bday!! I hope you have a blast on your trip!! :D

Gah I'm getting tagged! I'll try...

[pommery.livejournal.com]

Have you read Bryson's "Neither Here nor There?"
About his travels in Europe. I laughed so hard I cried.
*Skips off to read fic recs*

[elrhiarhodan]

Mel - Yes, I have. Another one where I busted a gut laughing.

Elr.

RECs - Just a response to that

[olivia-sutton.livejournal.com]

Hi,

I noticed you recommended Lois McMaster Bujold's fantasy series "Curse of Chalion" etc.
Have you read her SF?
I absolutely ADORE her Miles Vorkosigan series and really wish there was more. The books are funny, tragic, fast-moving, and she's created a great world to play in.
The first 8 were published as paperback originals, but some can be found repackaged in large format paperbacks (two paperbacks = 1 large format). Then there's 6 in hardcover.
Start with "Shards of Honor" which introduces Miles' parents. (In a lot of ways it's a SF romance novel, but don't let that deter you -- it's also fun and sets up a LOT of stuff for later).
Miles, himself is introduced in "The Warrior's Apprentice".
After that -- Miles' books basically go in order:
Brothers in Arms
Borders of Infinity (Three novellas)
The Vor Game
Mirror Dance (hard cover)
Cetaganda (hard cover)
Memory (hard cover) "Miles hits 30 - 30 hits back."
Komarr (hard cover)
A Civil Campaign (Originally titled "Rules of Engagement" but the publisher wouldn't go for the title. Yes, both are puns - because it's basically a Regency Romance as the women of the Barrayaran Court are trying to marry off the new Emperor and yes, it's as funny as it sounds. Miles gets involved because Emperor Gregor is an old friend of his -- they've known each other since both were in diapers.) (hard cover)
Diplomatic Immunity (hard cover)

In the same universe, but not featuring Miles.
Ethan of Athos -- One of Miles' friends is on a solo mission.
Falling Free -- Adventures in building Kline Station, the O'Hare Airport (in space) of Lois's SF universe.
Barrayar -- Another novel featuring Miles' mother. It's the details of an event that is constantly mentioned in the VorKosigan Universe. And Cordelia is very pregnant with Miles throughout most of the story.

Again, if you like Lois's work, I recommend these.
Reading them in order is a VERY good idea.

I also have her first fantasy novel "The Spirit Ring", which was quite, quite different, but I liked it.

--Olivia

Re: RECs - Just a response to that

[elrhiarhodan]

Olivia:

I am embarrassed to say, I have not read the Miles Vorkoigan stories...it's like I'm saving them for a rainy day, or a long airplane trip.

I will add them to my Kindle...big sister gave me a very generous gc from Amazon. Can't think of anything better to spend it on the LMB.

Elr.