For Jeff: More about Me

Jeff King asked: What is your fav book? Who is your fav author? Who is your fav character?

It's hard for me to answer this. I love so many books for so many reasons and I can't remember ever having just "a" favorite book or "a" favorite author (and books or authors don't become favorites without loving the characters). The best I can do is give you some of my current favorites (noting that my tastes change through life).

Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - The Liaden series - I love these books. They're not for everyone, but they're filled to the eyeballs with my favorite kinds of characters and societies that intrigue me, flaws and all. And they have humor.

Georgette Heyer - Possibly my favorite author of all time. I've read most of her books dozens of times. She's funny and sarcastic and intelligent. I can't read one of her books and maintain a bad mood.

Robert Heinlein - True, some of his later stuff got pretty weird and flaky, but, when he was good, like with the incomparable The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, he was fabulous.

JD Robb/Nora Roberts - I'd fallen out of love with romance authors (except Heyer) and Nora Roberts changed my mind...sort of. I'm still mostly disgusted, but I like Nora Roberts' work, particularly her In Death series.

Edgar Allan Poe - the best poet EVER.

And more...

Dune series
Count of Monte Cristo
Hawaii
Shogun
Fruits Basket
Tsubasa: Those With Wings
Pride and Prejudice
Wuthering Heights...

And, sadly, I've only scraped the surface.

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Letting you in on my stolen book meme

So, a couple of people got a couple of answers on my Stolen Book Meme. Apparently, my sister never saw it.

Anyway, since I'm the sort of person who hates never knowing the answer so, for that reason, I'm providing them to the interested. If you missed it and want to figure it out before seeing the lines, click the link and do your best. If, however, you've done your best, here's your chance.
1. Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer

2. Naked in Death by JD Robb (Nora Roberts), the first book in the In Death series

3. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (padre, I think)

4. JD got this (first): Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

5. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy

6. JD got this (first): Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

7. Davida got this (first): These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer

8. I can't believe no one got this. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein.

9. Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, the first book in the Liaden Series.

10. flit got this (first): Shogun by James Clavell

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Another Filler Meme

This cool beauty I stole from Books and Movies Review. Way cool so I had to do it. Thank heavens I had some posts to fill in while I was out of touch.

The idea is to provide the first line from ten of your favorites and see who gets it (guessing in the comment). I update it when someone gets it. I expect I've got a few stumpers in here (eclectic tastes), but I'd love to be surprised. OK, so maybe we need some hints.

1. Upon her butler's announcing the arrival of Mr. Ravenscar, Lady Mablethorpe, who had been dozing over a novel from the Circulating Library, sat up with a jerk, and raised a hand to her dishevelled cap. Hint: The classic "Regency Romance" author whose books are still in print even though she's been dead for nearly 35 years. Of course, that only narrows it to 40 or so.

2. She woke in the dark. Through the slats in the window shades, the murky hint of dawn slipped, slanting shadowy bars over the bed. Hint: First in a best-selling series still going strong.

3. On the 24th of February, 1810, the look-out at Notre-Dame de la Garde signalled the three master, the Pahroan from Smyrna, Trieste, and Naples. Hint: Classic, classic, classic. Hey, there's nothing wrong with French writers.

4. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife. JD got this (first): Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

5. A surging, seething, murmuring crowd of beings that are human only in name, for to the eye and ear they seem naught but savage creatures, animated by vile passions and by the lust of vengeance and hate. Hint: Another classic, this time by a woman (based on the name).

6. 1801. --I have just returned from a visit to my landlord--the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with. JD got this (first): Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

7. A gentleman was strolling down a side street in Paris, on his way back from the house of one Madame de Verchoureux. Davida got this (first): These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer

8. I see in Lunaya Pravda that the Luna City Council has passed on first reading a bill to examine, license, inspect--and tax--public food vendors operating inside municipal pressure. Hint: Science fiction doesn't get much better or more classic than this. In my opinion, the best of a long and illustrious career.

9. Eight Chants past Midsong: twilight. In the plaza around Maidenstairs a crowd began to gather: men and women in brightly colored work clothes; here and there the sapphire or silver flutter of Circle robes. Hint: If These Old Shades is not my favorite, this modern science fiction series (first novel here) is.

10. The gale tore at him and he felt its bite deep within and he knew that if they did not make landfall in three days they would all be dead. flit got this (first): Shogun by James Clavell

Have fun.

P.S. Want to know what's cool? 1-6 I got without having to open more than my eBook. How neat is that?

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Meme from Books and Movies

I saw this meme on Books and Movies and decided to try it myself. I don't do a book blog, but I do love to read.

1. To mark your page you: use a bookmark, bend the page corner, leave the book open face down? Librarians would hate me, but I often dogear the cover. However, if I have something handy I can use as a book mark, I'll use that. I don't leave the book open face down unless I'm only leaving for a minute.

2. Do you lend your books? I used to lend them all the time (with some unfortunate results). I still loan books, but I'm pickier about whom I lend them to. Also, nothing gives me the yen to reread a favorite like loaning it to someone.

3. You find an interesting passage: you write in your book or NO WRITING IN BOOKS! I might write in a book that I was using for reference (or highlight). However, I don't write in books or fiction, pretty much ever. I might note the page (I love that my Sony eReader allows me to book mark favorite passages).

4. Dust jackets - leave it on or take it off? I like dustjackets but my children (1 and 5) are assiduous in hating them and take them off for me or tear them.

5. Hard cover, paperback, skip it and get the audio book?
I'll read or listen to a book in almost any form. I went to the trouble to find Georgette Heyer in hardback because I wore the books out. Books worn out, I'll try to find them in hardback.

6. Do you shelve your books by subject, author, or size and color of the book spines? Originally, I shelve in groups, usually by author, but over time it becomes a mess.

7. Buy it or borrow it from the library later?
I do both.

8. Do you put your name on your books - scribble your name in the cover, fancy bookplate, or stamp?
I only put my name on books I intend to loan out, scribbled on the title page, usually.

9. Most of the books you own are rare and out of print books or recent publications?
My tastes are eclectic, though I have few "expensive" books.

10. Page edges - deckled or straight?
I've never thought about it.

11. How many books do you read at one time?
Usually four or five.

12. Be honest, ever tear a page from a book?
Not that I can recall.

By the way, I'm going to be out of pocket for a week so flit is going to take over my Ask Me Anything duties. Some time the next couple of days, she'll tell you more about herself - for those of you who don't know her.

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