Waiting

Once I get into an author, it's all I can do to wait for another one of their books to come out. Once upon a time C recommended that I read Shannon Hale's, The Goose Girl, and I became hooked. I read all of Shannon's books and was ready for more! She has a new one out now, though, called Austenland, and I just can't get excited about it despite my love for all things Jane Austen. Sure, I put myself on the waiting list for it at my local library about as soon as I was able to, but I'm not exactly chomping at the bit. Last night I learned that she has ANOTHER book coming out this summer:



This one I'm ordering straight from Amazon! This is the Shannon Hale I've grown to know and love. No one does a fairy tale retelling like Shannon. Well, except for Gail Carson Levine. When's *her* next book coming out?!

There are loads of other authors I've been waiting on. I loved Justine Larbalestier's Magic or Madness Trilogy, and have been eagerly looking forward to her next book. Well, she *just* announced what it is on her blog: The Ultimate Fairy Book, due out Fall 2008. I'll have to wait and see what this one is about to get really excited as the title just isn't doing it for me. Her husband, Scott Westerfeld, wrote a couple series that I loved (Uglies and Midnighters), and *his* new book, Extras, is due out this October.

Markus Zusak wrote my absolute favorite book of 2006: The Book Thief. I am literally beside myself waiting for his next book, but I've heard no news so I assume it will be a while. Please, Markus! Give a girl a break!

Other authors I'm waiting on, and their upcoming books (if known):

• The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray (December 2007) -- I've been waiting for the third book in her trilogy since the second one came out in 2005!
• Edith Pattou wrote three amazing books, but I haven't heard a peep about her since. If you haven't read East yet, get thyself to the library!
• Clive Barker and his Abarat Trilogy. The books are worth reading for the illustrations alone! You can see some of them at his website here. I want some of his prints up in my apartment!
  
• Another installment of An Echo Falls Mystery by Peter Abrahams -- the first two were laugh-out-loud funny.
  
• Cornelia Funke's Inkdeath, sequel of Inkheart and Inkspell (I'm not sure when the English version will be published, though I believe you can buy it in German)
  
• Jhumpa Lahiri, Unaccustomed Earth (April 2008)
• Lisa See, Peony in Love (June 2007!!)
• Elizabeth Kostova (fine, I haven't spoken with anyone who's enjoyed her first book, The Historian, as much as I did, but I think she's fabulous)
• A non-graphic novel by Audrey Niffenegger -- how much did I love The Time Traveler's Wife? So much that I'm pretty nervous about this.
  

Well, there are certainly many more authors to add to that list, but you get the picture. I just can't wait! And it's heartening to know that I won't have a shortage of new books to read. Not that that should *ever* be a problem...

Which authors/books are you guys waiting on?

Kittens!!

My friend's cousin posted this video of her husband and their very hungry kitties:



I implode from the cute! For more adorable kitten pictures, including a very floofy kitty munching on a ruler, go here (scroll down for the ruler ones).

Buffy-licious

Today is a wonderful day.

As I think I've made clear, Buffy is one of my obsessions. Was I crushed when the show was canceled? Yes. But Joss has proven once again that he's the best, and he's created a season 8 in comic book form. They've been publishing a new issue about every month, and #4 came out today (sadly, I have to wait until AUGUST 1ST for the 5th to come out)! I heard a wonderful rumor that he's thinking about doing an Angel season 6 the same way. Now if he'd only follow suit with Firefly...

As much as I'm enjoying these comic books, I can't help but imagine what this 8th season would have been like in TV-form (one hint: AMAZING, if not insanely expensive). It causes this intense Buffy Nostalgia and is followed by Good TV Nostalgia, which I happen to be quite susceptible to right now, what with Veronica Mars being canceled. And as much as I'm loving these additional seasons, I'd also love a him to start up a new TV series, or to start making movies. There's just not enough Joss to go around!

Job envy

I'm clearly in the wrong line of work. I've been reading my favorite authors' blogs over the past week, and they've all be gushing about this thing called Book Expo America. Apparently it's just about heaven for people like me: there are loads of great authors roaming around and all the publishers are giving away free books. Free books! As many free books as you can carry!

Why why why am I not in publishing? Why am I not a bookseller? Or a writer? Or a librarian? Why?

To all of my various librarian friends: TAKE ME WITH YOU NEXT YEAR! I'll be your valet! Just, please!! Incidentally, the next BEA is May 30 - June 1, 2008. See? Lots of time to decide you want to go and that I should come along! (Incidentally, I hear the American Library Association conferences are pretty similar...I'd go along to that as well!)

In related news, The Bibliophile just hit record highs on the grovel-o-meter. Forecast for tomorrow: grovel levels easing off as we approach the weekend.

Eeny, meeny, miny, mo

We've reached a new low with the upstairs neighbor situation: their music is so loud, I can now hear all of the vocals and not just the deep and rumbly bass. That's right, I can hear everything. I figure I have a few options on how to deal with his new development.

• Bang on the ceiling of my living room with a broom or mop handle. Pros: I certainly think I'd make my point, plus there's something classic about a downstairs neighbor conveying displeasure in this way. Cons: My landlords would kill me if the handle went through the ceiling, and there's something distinctly 90-year-old-lady-ish about this option. I am no old lady! Option one seems to be out.
• Write a sweet letter asking the neighbors to "keep their music down." Pros: I *hate* conflict, so this has the benefit of my not having to look my neighbors in the eye when I tell them they're bugging me. Cons: Talk about your cop-out! What am I, a mice or man? Or neither? No, option two doesn't seem to do it for me either.
• Suck it up because it isn't even 10 PM yet. Pros: This option is quite attractive to me as a fundamentally lazy person. Cons: Did I ever mention just how bad my neighbors' taste in music seems to be? I'm not quite sure I can do it justice here. It's a lot to ask for me to sit and listen to this stuff, and it's so loud it's hard to concentrate on much else. Plus, there's nothing quite so annoying as complaining endlessly about something you're not willing to do much about. Hmmm. This option's a toss-up.
• Move. Pros: Actually, this will ultimately be my solution. Once Mr. Book's home renovation is complete, I'll be moving in! Cons: It doesn't look like this will happen until at least the winter. But keep your fingers crossed!

What I've finished reading despite the hubub:

And I've found it to be just as entertaining as The Eyre Affair. What I'll be reading next? I haven't quite decided yet...

I have some good news and some bad news

First, the good news: the next David Attenborough documentary is called Life in Cold Blood, and will be coming out sometime in 2008.

The bad news: apparently Cold Blood will be his last major documentary. Say it ain't so! I guess I can find it in my heart to forgive him, though, as he will be 82 when the series is done filming. A guy should get a break from work *sometime*! Check out his impressive biography here.

And don't think for a second I've forgotten to write about the current documentary, Planet Earth. That will happen once I finish the series, and I just watched episode 10 of 14.

Stay tuned.

Mmm, mmmm, dinner

Mr. Book and I just cooked and inhaled one of our favorite dinners, a Thai shrimp stir-fry recipe I found on the Food Network website maybe a couple of years ago. Every time we make it we're shocked by how fast it can be put together. And it's so tasty! We substitute quinoa for the jasmine rice to make the dish even healthier. Yummm!

Do you guys have any other quick, tasty and healthy recipes to recommend?