On the Library shelves . . .

If you count manuscripts, not a room in the house is without books (or magazines). Ask my brother-in-law and he'll tell you how he begged me to sell some of my books (and toss magazines) when I moved. No way! Even when I worked in a library, I still needed to own books. (What writer doesn't also read -- a lot?) My shelves are overflowing, but that doesn't stop me from adding to them.

Here are a few recent books I've read and recommend, and a few old ones I like to browse again.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

If you like twists and turns, this book if filled with them. It kept me guessing until the end. Since I love fantasy, I enjoyed how the author wove together past and present. At the age of 11, Daniel, whose father owns a bookshop, undersgoes a sort of right-of-passage for bibliophiles; he agrees to be the guardian of a book he's selected from the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. Not only is he captivated by the story, The Shadow of the Wind, but it seems someone wants to destroy this book. As Daniel tries to prevent this, his life is endangered and he is also embroiled in a mystery centering about the author and a past that Daniel seems destined to repeat, but time is running out. It's been a long time since I pulled "inspiring" quotes from fiction, but I found several gems in this book. It spoke to me on many levels, something I haven't experienced in fiction for a long while. Highly recommended!

Dragonsblood by Todd McCaffrey

Todd is continuing Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series on his own. (The first "continuation," Dragon's Kin, was co-authored with his mother.) Todd knows P.E.R.N. and the dragons, their history and future, well and it shows in this novel. As first fire lizards and then dragons fall prey to a deadly illness, the past and present life on Pern collide as the early settlers of Pern, those who still have the scientific background prepare for the illness that will affect the future dragon riders just as another pass of thread -- a life-devouring organism -- arrives. These "future" riders must quickly learn the sciene, forgotten during the thread-free passes (years) to save their dragons, and life on Pern. Todd weaves together past and present, explaining the history of Pern while displaynig the science and technology against the manorial lifestyle of the "future" riders. As a long-time fan of Anne McCaffrey and this series, I enjoyed this book! I'm glad the series will now continue.

Leading with Soul: An Uncommon Journey of Spirit by Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal

Okay, so I had to read this one for a class I took. But I found it very insightful. During class discussions, The Celestine Prophecy and Purpose Driven Life came up in comparison. Narrative chapters follow a business exec, Steven, who has is all but is still unhappy and unfulfilled. He is encouraged to drive three hours from the city into the mountains to talk with a woman named Maria. She has the answers he seeks. But she cannot simply give him the answers but guide him in discovering them for himself. Initially this frustrates him, but over the course of many years and many more visits, Steven learns to listen to the place where the answers are kept--in his heartsong. As he journeys in search of inner spirit, he becomes a more effective leader, a happier person, and his business -- including the employees -- thrives. Narrative chapters alternate with discussions of the elements Steven is seeking, finding, and struggling to implement. In the end, both Steven and the reader are miles farther than when the journey began, and reader to become "Marias" to other "Stevens" of the world.

Legends II edited by Robert Silverberg

When I don't have time to read much, I try to at least keep an anthology or two nearby. This one contains five novellas by masters of fantasy. My favorites include Anne McCaffrey, Terry Brooks, and George R.R. Martin. I'm familiar with their series (Pern, Shannara, and Song of Fire and Ice respectively) but I also was introduced to two authors new to me: Diana Gabaldon (Outlanders series) and Neil Gaiman (Amercian God's). Like Legends, also edited by Silverberg, these novellas provided a "fix" before I have a chance to read another book by one of these authors.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman and The People of Sparks (sequel to The City of Ember) by Jeanne DuPrau. Comments posted in Teen Scene.

. . . On the Nightstand

These are the books I plan to read soon. If I like them well enough, you'll see the titles disappear here, added to my recommendations above or on the writer's bookshelf.

The newest purchase: Storyteller: Writing Lessons and More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers' Workshop by Kate Wilhelm. Those who know me understand why this is such an important book for me--or anyone hoping to publish in the sf/f genre. I can't wait to begin reading it!

Flights: Extreme Visions of Fantasy, edited by Al Sarrantonio. Fantastic stories by masters of this genre. I've read a few and it's a great choice to keep around to ensure I make time (just a little) to keep the creative well refilled.

Children of God by Mary Doria Russell, the sequel to The Sparrow.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. Yep, I still need to read this one. Don't ruin it for me. ; )

Gems for Ready Reference:

I have a bookshelf within arm's reach of my desk that holds various style guides and favorite writing books or tomes I refer to often. In this spot I'll list my most often used references plus any new "gems" worthy of this important location in my office.

Publication Manual of the Amercian Pyschological Association is the book I most often reach for recently. (I can thank grad school for that!) It's side-by-side with Chicago Manual of Style and The Associated Press Style Book and Libel Manual.

The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale. This book is fantastic! It's a dictionary-style thesaurus and loaded with far more choices (including better definitions) than Webster's or the thesaurus in WordPerfect.

Business and Legal Forms for Authors and Self-Publishers by Tad Crawford -- great check-lists and easy explanations of publishing terminology, rights, and details.

Gifts of the the Spirit by Ardath Rodale -- inspiring essays make a good, quick break and provide encouragement.

FOCUS: Achieving Your Highest Priorities A Franklin-Covey CD program on goal settings with life priorities and purpose in mind. I love this approach! It's made quite a difference for me.

Favorite search engine? Vivisimo.com hands down!