Review: The First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival by Ken Wheaton

The First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival by Ken Wheaton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Father Steve Sibille has returned to his bayou home to take charge of St. Peter's Church in Grand Prairie. Grand Prairie is a tiny backwater town, full of the (un)usual small town characters: senior citizens who hang out at Wal-Mart, teenage altar girls, and the daughter of the former pastor. There's also Miss Rita, a Negro centenarian who helped raise Steve and his siblings, and who now lives in a nursing home, where Steve slips her whiskey, cracklin's, and other taboo food whenever he can. And then there is Father Mark, a gay priest who has a crisis of conscience about his priesthood and homosexuality, literally on Fr. Steve's doorstep. As if all that isn't enough, the Reverend BP arrives with full intent to poach Fr. Steve's Catholic congregation to his Pentecostal church. At Miss Rita's suggestion, Fr. Steve decides to organize a festival to bring his congregation together. And so, the First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival is born. It is not an easy birth.

I bought this book a few years ago, after browsing through a table full of books at Sam's Club. I have to say, it is far outside my usual realm of fantasy and sci-fi, but whatever it was that told me to buy it, was very, very correct. I devoured the book in just a few days. It is laugh out loud funny in some places, and teary eyed poignant in others.

The characters are well written, and relatable, even if you are not from bayou country. Those who were raised Catholic will recognize pretty much the entire parish, from the teenage altar girl with a bit of a crush on Fr. Steve, to the elderly women who cook him more food than he could possibly need and who flutter around him after Mass. And if you are not Catholic, you'll enjoy them as well, as they are quite the interesting bunch.

Setting is somewhat secondary to the story, which is truly character driven. The town of Grand Prairie, though never described in minute detail, springs to life with its inhabitants. There is a real sense of small town lifestyle there.

I can't go into too much detail about the internal crises that flow throughout the book without giving too much away, but they are handled deftly and with the same attention as the rest of the story. When it hits, you realize that maybe the story wasn't quite what you expected, but it provides a nice, satisfying end.

While some may be put off by the open treatment of homosexuality, and the personal demons that a priest, straight or gay, may need to live with, everything is treated in a straightforward and mature manner. There is nothing "racy" or "dirty" about it. The story is human, compelling, and there are lessons here for everyone. I am very glad I decided to pick this one up.



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A Challenge for 2013

I saw a post from John Anealio (who, by the way, writes some really terrific scifi themed music: check him out here- John Anelio) about a challenge he is giving himself this year- to release 23 new songs in 2013. He is also challenging others to do a variation on that challenge: write 23 new stories, read 23 books, create 23 pieces of art, whatever your particular interest is.

I think this is a great idea, and I'd like to try it. The question is: what to commit to? Not blog posts. I did slack off a bit last year here, but still managed to get double the 23 done. I normally read 25 or so books a year, anyway. Besides, I do that challenge on Goodreads.

I know some of you are thinking of the obvious one: write 23 new stories. I thought about that, but the reality is, I don't really write that fast. That's about 2 stories a month. Whew! That's some pace, for me. I know there are others who would laugh at that, but they ain't me! I don't really do artwork of any kind.

I know! I'll make 23 excuses why I didn't get anything done! <Laugh> Not really.  Though I could do that one- easily.

I may have to think about this one for a bit, but I'll come up with something, and, in keeping with the spirit of the challenge, I will announce it here and then do regular (fingers crossed) updates to keep me accountable.

To update:

I think I have decided. I am going for the 23 stories thing. But I'm putting a few conditions on it so that I hope I'll have a shot at actually making it.

1) 23 stories finished. Not necessarily polished, but with a beginning, a middle, and an end. And some of them will be finishing up ones that are started. You know, the ones that you start working on, and then- ooh, Shiny New Idea! Hello!

2) In order to finish, that will mean roughly two stories per month. I think I am going to say that at least one will be flash fiction. It should be quicker to write, for one thing. Also, it's not something I do regularly, but I think it has value as a learning tool.

This is going to be interesting, at the very least.

Want to join in?

Review: Some of the Best from Tor.com 2011, Patrick Nelsen Hayden and Liz Gorinsky, Editors

Some of the Best of Tor.com by Patrick Nielsen Hayden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a collection of eight short works by Tor Publishing authors. I say “works” because not all are stories, there is one epic poem in the mix. Some of the authors I knew by name, some were unfamiliar, and one I have read before.
As with many things of this nature, there were some things I enjoyed more than others. I can’t say that anything included was badly written, just that some appealed to me more than others. I particularly enjoyed “Six Months, Three Days” by Charlie Jane Anders and “The Dala Horse” by Michael Swanwick. The poem, by Paul Park, was less than successful for me, and I found myself skimming most of it. “Hello, Moto” by Nnedi Okorafor was another I found less appealing, though not for lack of talent. The premise is interesting and the writing fairly good, but I found myself not relating to the characters well. The real gem in the collection is Harry Turtledove’s “Shtetl Days.” Without spoiling anything for those who have not read this one, it combines Turtledove’s deft hand with alternate history with a story about transformation that is both subtle and scary. This one alone was worth downloading the collection.
The eight stories are varied in theme and setting, and not everyone will enjoy each one. But since it is offered for free, it is certainly worth checking out, especially if you are looking for an introduction to a new author or two.

The 2012 edition is out now, with ten stories this time.


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Out With the Old, In With the New

A lot of New Year posts and comments fall into one of two themes: 2012 was great, and 2013 will be even better! Or: I sure hope 2013 is better than last year! To me, neither one is the right way to look at things.

Were there bad things in the past year? Sure, both on a world, national, local, and personal level. But bad stuff happens everywhere, every year. There were also good things, and people, and events to be grateful for, and to remember with great joy.

The problem with saying "The year was" or "The year will be" is that it puts the emphasis on the wrong thing. It's not the year that makes things good or bad. One year is not necessarily better than another, in the longer view of things. It's our perception that gives makes it so, that gives it power, if you will. We need to spend more time just being, here and now, and less worrying and dissecting whether it will be "good" or "bad" at the end of the year. Enjoy this moment, this person, this place. Is tomorrow going to be better? I don't know. I also don't know if the coming year is going to be better. What I do know, is that if I look at it from a strict good or bad position, I'm going to miss a lot of little things that I shouldn't let slip by. So that's what I'm going to try to do in this coming year:

Enjoy each moment for what it is.
Notice the small things.
Listen more- not just to other people, but to the silence, and try to hear the message there.
Do the best I can, and be the best I can.

If I can do that, then I think it will, no matter the individual things that happen, be a very good year.

And I hope you have a very good year, also!

Review: Piano Girl by Robin Meloy Goldsby

Piano Girl: A Memoir: Lessons in Life, Music, and the Perfect Blue Hawaiian by Robin Meloy Goldsby

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The subtitle for this book is Lessons in Life, Music, and the Perfect Blue Hawaiian. It is a memoir, spanning the author's career as a lounge pianist, from her accidental beginning as a college student vacationing on Nantucket Island through gigs at top New York hotels, island resorts, and German castles. It is all done with quirky humor, candid insight, and true love for the music she plays.

Beginning as a college student from Pittsburgh vacationing on Nantucket Island, Ms. Goldsby takes a job as a waitress which doesn't quite work out. She arranges to use a local bar's piano during off hours to practice, and the owner of the bar asks her to play at night for his customers. Thus begins a career. She moves from dive bars and beach lounges to New York city, and jobs at prestigious hotels. There are jaunts to Caribbean islands, stage shows, and other gigs. She gives us an insider's view of auditions and agents, producers and private clients. Sitting behind her piano, she sees all of New York life pass by: the business moguls, mob bosses, the down and out who just need a place to sit, and some truly crazy and scary customers. Her life is never dull, but it always seems fulfilling. The story ends in Germany, where she moves with her bass player husband, raises two children, records CDs, and plays her lounge piano music in ancient castles.

The book is funny, warm, inspiring, and a treat to read. Anyone who enjoys autobiography, memoirs, or music will find much to enchant here.



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November? Must be NaNoWriMo!

Ah, yes, the annual November plunge. Into the depths of National Novel Writing Month. For those who don't know, the basic idea is to start on November 1st, and write a 50,000 word first draft of a novel, ending on November 30. That breaks down to 1,667 words a day, every day. I did my first NaNo in 2008, participated again in 2009 and 2010, and skipped last year to work on editing the 2008 novel. I'm diving in again this year. It's fun, frustrating, desperate at times, and sure feels good when you hit that 50k.

I'm doing something kind of out of my usual comfort zone this year. It is still a fantasy, because I'm happy writing that sort of thing. But this year, I'm aiming at a middle grade audience. I have no idea if I can pull it off. I'm already not sure I have the right voice, but if you don't try, you never know what you can do, right? This may well end up being stuffed somewhere no one will ever see it, but at the same time, it's kind of fun working on something that has no purpose other than to see if I can.

Everyone has to figure out their own strategy for dealing with this month of furious writing. We all have lives that go on, regardless of NaNoWriMo. For me, I find setting goals and having a plan works best. I'm not a "pantser"- I can't just sit down with some vague idea and start writing. I get lost too easily. I tried it once and the mess that resulted? Well, let's just say I'm pretty sure I won't go there again. I'm an outliner. I need a plan, a pretty decent idea where we're all going. Not to say its set in stone, and things never change, because they surely do, but I have to start with some sort of plan.

And goals. 2,000 words a day. For a couple reasons. First. it gives me a buffer when things get a bit hectic later in the month. Thanksgiving is in November, you know. And that means at least one day of not getting much done. If I have a buffer built up, I can still get to the goal without killing myself in the process.

Second, 2,000 words is about all my poor little brain can deal with in one day. Sometimes, if I'm working on a piece that I have pretty well planned out and know well, I can do a fair bit more. Most often, I run into real brain fatigue right around the 2K mark. It's okay. It lets me relax a bit and let things work in the background, which makes the next day's effort less stressful.

I don't follow things like word sprints and other group things, mainly because most are internet based, and I find it better to shut down FB, Twitter, G+, email, and all that while I'm working. Otherwise, I waste too much time "just reading a few more posts". (No one else has that problem, right? Liars.)

So, off I go, into the wild ride that is NaNoWriMo once again. I'm trying to keep a public accounting going, by posting my total words and words added on FB and Twitter daily. I hope anyone who sees me falling behind will give me a shove. I'll see you in December, hopefully 50,000 words farther than I was at the beginning of the month.

To all the other WriMo's out there- good luck! Keep writing!

Review: Soulless (Parasol Protectorate 1) by Gail Carriger

Soulless by Gail Carriger

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Alexia Tarabotti has no soul. Really. She's a preternatural, born without a soul, which allows her to negate supernatural powers with a touch. But that's not the worst of her problems, mainly because almost no one knows. No, her real troubles stem from the fact that she is 25, plain, and had an Italian father. She is, in her society, a spinster. Alexia is resigned to her station. And then, she (quite accidentally) kills a vampire at a party. Very bad form. The incident is investigated by the loud, devilishly good-looking Lord Maccon, working for the Queen's Bureau of Unnatural Registry. As they probe into the sudden appearance of a rogue vampire, they discover that known vampires have been disappearing, and unknown vampires are appearing. As they investigate, they discover a plot that could have dire consequences for the supernatural segment of society.

I truly enjoyed this book. Set in an alternate Victorian London, it is part steampunk, part romance, and part comedy. The characters are lovely- Alexia is smart, not afraid to speak her mind, and quite quick-witted. Other main characters are as enjoyable, especially Alexia's gay vampire friend, who speaks in italics, of course. The writing is clean and nicely paced, the dialogue is witty, and the Victorian elements are true to form. It reads quickly. The premise is interesting and intriguing.

Problems? Well, yes, a few. First, we are reminded, much more often than is necessary, of Alexia's appearance (she has her father's Italian complexion, large nose, and intellect), her less-than-marrigeable state (she is 25, and well, look at her- there's the appearance thing again), and the rest of her physical appearance (she is apparently a bit curvier than acceptable). A few reminders, yes, but at times it felt like being hit over the head with it, time after time.

And, while some of the circumstances (I won't go into more detail in order to avoid spoilers) that Alexia finds herself in, particularly with Lord Maccon, are stretching things a bit. They do provide some of the most amusing scenes in the book, but still, in those particular situations, I found myself a bit hard-pressed to believe the reactions.

Still, those are minor issues, and I didn't find them really detracting from my enjoyment of the book. It is fun, amusing, and a nice example of the steampunk genre.



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