Monday Minute 6/27/11

1 - What's a piece of advice you'd like to share?
Don't play leapfrog with a unicorn.


2 - Describe the last time you sat on the toilet screaming at someone to bring you some toilet paper.
Honestly, can't remember it.  But I can assure you that if someone uses the last roll and doesn't tell me to buy more, I'ma kill me some people.


3 - Explain why anyone would want to eat sushi
A dare?  A double dog dare?  That's the only reason I can think of to eat it.


4 - Describe your perfect dinner - one app, one entree, two side dishes, and one dessert.
I've been thinking about this one for a long time and can't come up with a good complete meal.  I guess it depends on my mood.  My last meal entree is RCC's homemade chicken parmesean.  To die for.  As for the rest - not a clue.

5 - When was the last time you pissed the bed?
When I was a kid, I suppose.  Can't remember that far back.

So. Far. Behind.

I blinked.

June has disappeared.

WTF?

I have a ton of stuff to get y'all caught up on, but - as usual - am lacking in the time department.  I will get caught up soon.  But in the meantime, here are some highlights:

• My bestie, Robs, gave birth to a beautiful baby boy last Friday, June 17th.  That just happens to be my friend Squid's birthday, so happy birthday Squidy. Robs got you a baby.
• Ashinator left for a month to see her dad in Arizona, where it's been 110* for the last three days.
• I didn't make it to the next stage of Top Shot.  I'm okay with that for now, but I'll give it another go.
• I've been a shooting/riding fool, which is kinda part of the reason for my absence.  I can either spend my days outside doing gunpowder/equine therapy or I can be on the computer.
• My work schedule has been insane.  Okay, nothing new there, but I'm actually working fifteen hours a day - don't have much time to even read a blog or two.  Usually I can find 20 minutes to lurk.
• I've increased my workouts to 4-5 days/week at the gym (2 days/week with El Poquito Diablo) and spend one day a week riding.

The good news is that I've actually got pictures for most of what I haven't posted yet.  Bad news is I'll be creeping along posting here and there until I can find my rhythm again.

Why yes, I love the taste of my shoe.

Tonight, the Little Bastard El Poquito Diablo had his cell phone with him while we were working out.  He just had it piled with the rest of our stuff and I could see that he had some texts coming in, but he was ignoring them (which I so appreciate, BTW).

During the last five minutes of our session, while I'm grabbing a drink of water and getting ready to stretch, he sneaks a peek at his texts.  Thinking it's his girlfriend who had been texting him and being the smartass I am, I look at him and say, "Tell the Sex Monster to hold her horses, we're almost done here."

He looks up, appalled, and very succinctly says, "It's my mother."

Oops.

Book Review: POSSESSION by Elana Johnson

I've been following Elana for a couple of years now, both her personal writing blog and her query critique blog.  I've loved the information she's given on both and was pleasantly surprised when I received an ARC of POSSESSION.  From the back cover:

"Vi knows the Rule: girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them.  But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn . . . and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause?  The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them . . . starting by brainwashing Zenn.  Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag.  jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous - everything Zenn's not.  Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be conrolled. and Vi has no choice but to play."

I don't normally comment on book covers, but whoever designed this cover is amazing. Even if I hadn't received an ARC, I would have picked this book up based soley on the cover, which is absolutely compelling.  My daughter saw the book as I was reading it and immediately asked to read it when I was finished without even knowing what it was about.

A cover like this could be hard to live up to, but Elana's work far surpassed the expectations set by the cover.  I read it in one sitting.  Even though I had things to do, I could not put the book down.  I don't typically read dystopian novels, but I ate this one up like a starved man at a buffet.

The writing is tight and draws the reader in from page one.  I opened the book, read the first paragraph, and stepped into Vi's world.  I lived and breathed the world controlled by the Thinkers; I lived Vi's rebellion, pain, and confusion.

Vi's journey had me anxious, crying, and exhausted.  At times, I didn't know who or what to believe.  Hours later, I stepped back out of Vi's world oddly off-kilter and unsettled. 

It wasn't until I finished the book and read the back cover more carefully that I realized that this is Elana's first novel.  I've read literally thousands of books; I've reviewed a handful, most of which were first novels, and POSSESSION is the only novel that has me astounded that the author isn't a NYT Best Seller.  It is still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that this is her first - usually the author is still trying to find her voice and niche.  Elana writes with the polish and professionalism of someone who has much more experience under her belt.

Do yourselves a favor - visit the POSSESSION website and read the first two chapters for free.  Then pre-order the book, due to be released on June 7th.  I promise, you won't regret it.