Book Signing: Oct. 11, 2008

I have another book signing tomorrow for my recent release, Trout Valley, the Hertz Estate, and Curtiss Farm.  Trout Valley Mayor Bob Baker, who wrote the Introduction and the Afterword for the book, will also be there to sign copies.

I know that a good portion of you are not in the same country much less the same city.  I love it that there is such an international community here, and I totally appreciate your perspective on things.  If you do happen to be in the local area though, please stop by and see me.  Here are the event details:

WHEN:  Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008 from 1:00-3:00pm

WHERE:  Cary Coffee Station, 77 West Main St. in Cary, IL

For those of you who are familiar with the area, I’m sure you’re already aware that Cary Coffee Station is a great local hang-out.  They offer a delicious variety of coffee and baked goods in addition to their breakfast and lunch menu.  They have free WiFi (which is a requirement for me at any coffee house), and a corner of the store is devoted to unique gift shop items available for sale.  When I threw a big party to celebrate the completion of building our home a few years back, Cary Coffee Station did the catering and provided a professional server to assist throughout the event.  They helped make the party a success and a much more relaxing and enjoyable event for the hosts!

Little Rock Stars

While eating lunch yesterday, my two-year-old daughter told me, “I wanna be tar.”

“What sweetie?” I asked her.

“I wanna be tar!” she repeated with emphasis.

In response to the confusion on my face, my five-year-old daughter added helpfully, “She wants to be a star.”

“A star?” I asked. “Like a star in the sky?”

“No Mommy,” my five-year-old rolled her eyes, “A star that’s in a band.  I want to be a star too.”

My two-year-old nodded and carefully pronounced the “s” in the word, ”Yes.”

“Oh, I see.  What kind of band were you thinking about?”

“A really cool band, Mommy,” replied my five-year-old, ”with all girls.”

“Would you play an instrument in this band or sing?”

“I would sing.  That’s easier because my fingers don’t know how to play those things yet,” she said as she awkwardly played air guitar.

“And what would your band’s name be?”

She gave some thought before answering, and then replied enthusiastically, “ROCK STARS!”

Town Hall Presidential Debate

Here are a few debate follow-up discussion questions for anyone who might be interested in continuing the conversation.  Please feel free to answer any or all of them, or offer your general opinion on the town hall debate.

1. Did you watch the Town Hall debate of the U.S. presidential candidates last night?
2. Who do you think was the winner, and why?
3. What was the most memorable moment for you?
4. If you could ask the candidates one question, what would it be?

Personally, I agree with most of the media coverage outlining Obama as clearly stronger in the economic portion of the debate, but McCain’s military experience as providing him more of a comfort zone in the second portion of the debate.  He is well versed in that area, even if I don’t agree with some of his choices.  Overall, I think that Obama rose to the top, and McCain came across as a cheerleader (”Go America!”) without much of a plan.

There were several memorable moments in the debate — McCain behaving disrespectfully to Obama when he called him “that one” and such, but I think the most memorable image for me, simply because it made me laugh, was at the end of the debate when both candidates stepped in front of Tom Brokaw’s camera and teleprompter.  You’ve got to love live TV!  Well, TiVo that I could pause when needed so that I wouldn’t miss anything was an even better feature, so I guess technically by the end, I was watching it about ten minutes behind the “live action.”

After the debate was over, I thought that the interaction of the potential first ladies with members of the audience was interesting.  Michelle Obama looked so much more human, actually having conversations where she appeared to ask questions and listen to individual people, while Cindy McCain looked every bit the Stepford wife, very stiff in her interactions with people.  Personally, I’d like to hear more from both of them.

False Positive on Mono Test

Did you know that the blood test used to identify infectious mononucleosis can yield a false positive?  Well, that seems to be the case with my five-year-old.  The good news is that she bounced back from whatever virus she did have in roughly 10 days – a simple nasty cold virus, as it turns out.  The only real down side is that she will not have developed any anti-bodies against mono when she is eventually exposed to it, as apparently almost every human being is at some point.

In the interim when we thought our innocent little five-year-old had mono, I did some research about it, and this is what I learned:

• Mono seems to be primarily linked with the Epstein-Barr virus and usually results during an initial exposure to the virus.
• It typically occurs in teenagers ages 15-17, but can be caught at any age.
• Most adults over the age of 25 are immune, due to previous exposure.
• The virus is transmitted through saliva, which is why the term “kissing disease” was coined.
• It can takes weeks or months to recover.
• The main symptoms include a very sore throat with swollen and blistered tonsils, swollen lymph nodes (particularly in the neck), fever, and extreme fatigue.
• One of the nastier symptoms that can occur is a swollen spleen, which means that anyone with mono should not play contact sports and risk further injury to the spleen.
• Not everyone develops these symptoms when exposed to the Epstein-Barr virus.
• The incubation period for mono is roughly 4-7 weeks, which means that people can be contagious for a long time before developing symptoms.
• There is no medicine that has been shown to be effective in curing mono.  Antibiotics can actually make it worse, sometimes resulting in an additional rash.
• The best treatment is drinking fluids, getting plenty of rest, gargling with salt-water for the sore throat, and taking an over-the-counter medicine for the fever and discomfort, per your doctor’s recommendation.

A monospot test can be administered using a finger-prick blood test in order to determine whether or not a patient has mono, but according to my own experience, this test is not 100% accurate.  Even given my encounter with the false positive reading though, I’d still want the benefit of the test the next time around.  I’d rather have an educated guess about what my kids may or may not have, and it may be useful in ruling out mono or preparing for a long recovery.

Graphic Novel Review: In the Small by Michael Hague

With the increase in popularity of graphic novels published by mainstream publishers, author and illustrator Michael Hague will be one of the names to know in this rapidly growing genre.  Hachette Books Group recently sent me a review copy of his debut graphic novel, In the Small, which I venture to guess will be the first of several more to come in this series.  The story was already optioned as a feature film by Weed Road Pictures, prior to the book’s release.

In the Small is set is an apocalyptic alternate history where humans have suddenly been shrunk to the size of approximately six inches tall, while the rest of the world and the creatures in it have remained unchanged.  Those who lived through the initial dramatic ”fall” are left to survive by whatever means possible, as they are hunted by former house pets and faced with impending hunger, thirst, and injuries as a result of this new reality.

A few unconventional individuals rise to the challenge and become leaders in this new world.  Many choose to band together – some whose motives may lead towards the rebuilding of civilization and others whose savage actions may ultimately destroy it.

The Blue Flash had reduced mankind to feeble insignificance — a mere one-twelfth of its former size…

Centuries of technological and mechanical advances were rendered useless.

There was no one to extinguish the fires.  No one to tend to the injured.  No one to restore order.

The remnants of civilization were everywhere, but civilization as it was, was gone… Forever.

Many soon found what it was like to be at the bottom of the food chain.  Many lost their will to live.  But some, despite all the terrible hardships, were determined to find the strength needed to survive.

Marketed for adults and teens over the age of twelve, Hague’s illustrations are dark and ominous, not sparing the more tragic episodes of what might actually happen in this extraordinary scenario.  He has clearly given much thought and planning to the details of such a plot-line, as evidenced by the well developed relationships, believable hardships, and profound impact that can be found in various scenes throughout the book.

Hague is also a notable illustrator of children’s books, whose projects include the centennial edition of Peter Pan, The Wind in the Willows, The Hobbit, and The Tale of Peter Rabbit, to name a few.

Banned Books Week

Tomorrow is the last day of Banned Books Week 2008.  I think that this would be a great theme for a book club.  According to the American Library Association, this is the list of the 100 most frequently banned and/or challenged books for 1990-2000:

1. Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
2. Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8. Forever by Judy Blume
9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10. Alice(Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor                                                                

October Decorating and Costume Ideas

It’s October.  The stores are littered with Halloween candy, costumes and decorations, along with general autumn decor.  As my daughter pointed out yesterday, Christmas decorations are also on display in the stores already.  It’s a confusing time of year.  Should I pull out my Halloween decorations or my fall season items?  Well, since I have limited quantities of both and not enough to go around, I’ll probably just combine them.  I’ll leave the Christmas tinsel for at least November, some time after I take down the Halloween tidbits.

The original concept behind Halloween was based on superstitions about evil spirits and hauntings.  It is now a widely celebrated American excuse for candy and costume parties for children and adults alike.  It’s spread to many other countries as well.

My husband and I are attending our first Halloween costume party since the kids were born (provided we can find a babysitter), and I’m trying to decide a costume theme.  I often wear a simple accessory or two, such as a witch hat or cat ears, whiskers and a tail when handing out candy to the children.  The last time my husband and I attended a costume party, I dressed as an angel all in white, and he was a handsome devil.  This year, here are a few of the ideas I’m contemplating:

1. Hellboy and Liz Sherman
2. Edward and Bella from Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, specifically the Breaking Dawn version of Bella.  I actually prefer Alice and Jasper, but characters from books are obscure enough to the general audience, whereas peripheral characters would surely never be recognized at our neighborhood party.
3. A replay of the angel and devil ensemble

Please feel free to offer suggestions!

Graphic Novel Review: Fluffy by Simone Lia

Originally produced by the author in four volumes, Simone Lia’s Fluffy is now available as a graphic novel published by Dark Horse Comics.  This hard cover book tells the humorous story of ordinary single man Michael Pulcino and his cute white bunny rabbit, who happens to walk on two legs, talk, and is whole-heartedly convinced that Michael is her father.

Think your family is dysfunctional?  If all the members are human, you’re one step ahead of Michael Pulcino.  The laugh-out-loud premise of this book is ideally complemented by the subtle yet humorous writing and simplistic graphic illustrations displayed on every page.  Somehow I was able to identify with certain aspects of Michael and Fluffy’s relationship, absurd and unusual as it was, and I found myself fondly attached to Fluffy and sympathic to Michael within the first few pages.  Lia manages to create realistic emotional relationships between characters with a light-hearted talent that only comics could portray.

Look Daddy, I’ve drawn you a picture.

Very good.

No.  You didn’t look at it properly Daddy.  I drew Spiderman flying in the sky.

Is that me at the bottom?

No silly Billy — It’s Jesus because Jesus loves Spiderman because Spiderman is good at flying.

To add to the surreal aspect of this graphic novel about a man and his bunny-child, parts of the story are narrated by a character both drawn and described as a dust particle.  Mr. Dust Particle does a fine job as professional narrator, much to the chagrin of the ousted dandruff flake who was originally considered for the role.

For a fun and frivolous diversion, I recommend picking up a copy of Fluffy by Simone Lia.  Whether for a fan of graphic novels or simply for someone who enjoys a playful bit of humor now and then, this book would make for a great gift for the upcoming holidays.

Things On My Mind Today

I always find myself making lists — grocery lists, “to do” lists, packing checklists, etc.  Today I’ve been jotting down various tidbits as they rattle through my brain.  It’s simply one way to keep my thoughts organized.  Here’s a sample of today’s passing musings:

1. Have to unpack from my vacation.
2. Hope my daughters get well soon, and pray that my two-year-old does not catch what my five-year-old has.
3. Need to research more about mono.
4. Need to cancel the party we had planned because the girls are so sick.
5. The dish-washing and laundry fairy never came in the middle of the night to clean up, even though I wished very hard.
6. Should probably be unpacking, doing laundry, and washing dishes rather than blogging.
7. Need to write book reviews for two more books that I’ve finished reading.
8. How should I get my haircut on Tuesday?  I’m thinking maybe Bettie Page bangs and a dark color with a hint of something flashy.  Maybe different colored tips?  Can that be done?
9. Still haven’t updated my blog picture from my last hairstyle change.  (It’s currently long, dark almost-black, with a once red but now copper peek-a-boo streak on one side.)
10. Book club meeting today.  The book was truly atrocious.  It’ll take great effort to bite my tongue enough so as to not brutally slay the writing like the evil beast it is.
11. Do your book club a favor, friends, and don’t pick a self-published book when it’s your turn to choose.  Sure, there is maybe one in 300,000 worth the time, but make sure you know that it is one of those.  In general, most self-published books don’t undergo any kind of professional editing process, and in most cases, no agent or publisher wanted to publish them in the first place.  Choose a book that has received good reviews, so that everyone might stand a better chance at actually enjoying what they’re reading.
12. Need to go through my 1,000+ emails that piled up while I was away.
13. Can’t wait to go through my regular mail.  Several big new packages arrived from HarperCollins publisher.  That’s always a treat!
14. Need to go to the nursery and buy some things to plant before it gets too cold.
15. Wonder what it would take to move to another country.  Any suggestions?
16. Need to find a way to clear everything else off my plate and make writing my fiction a higher priority.
17. My tea is getting cold.
18. Ah-Ha!  The dish washing husband is making lots of noise in the kitchen.  I knew if I wished hard enough, those dishes would get done!
19. Love it when my five-year-old daughter wakes up and wants to create something before asking for breakfast or anything else.  She’s sitting in front of me right now drawing.
20. Need to call the doctor and get a medical note excusing her from school, art class, and ice skating lessons for the next few weeks.

Greetings from Sea

Today was spent in Freeport, Bahamas, where I enjoyed a little shopping and a stroll along the sandy beach.  This evening, I attended my first art auction, which I enjoyed much more than I anticipated, followed by a lobster dinner on the ship.

I am missing my girls, though I am sure that they are having plenty of fun with Grandma and Grandpa.  They both came down with colds a few days ago, which made it extra hard to leave them.  When I called my mother from Miami International Airport to check on them, I found out that she took them to the doctor, and my two-year-old was diagnosed with an infection in both ears.  With the medicine she was given, I am hoping that she is feeling significantly better by now, but it’s difficult not to worry.  At least I know that she is in very capable hands with my mother, who nursed me back to health time and time again when I was a child myself.

In the mean time, my husband and I are doing our best to make the most of our first true vacation since she was born.  Bon voyage!