Book Weather

Ok, I must start by saying that I cannot believe it's only February 10. It feels like this particular winter decided to come in "dog weeks" or something, and what may be only 10 weeks in traditional hang-on-your-wall calendar time has actually been half of year or so of "OMG will this freaking season ever end?!?!".

I've decided this is perfect book weather. To which I'm sure the rest of the world (or at least just those who read this) will go...DUH. I guess I'm a late adopter of this conclusion because for some reason I equate reading with summer...walking to the park or going to the lakefront and sitting in the sun while reading a good book. And winter I equate with movie weather. Staying inside and binging on Dexter Sex and the City DVD marathons, or venturing out to the nearest 100-theater monstrosity to catch a good (or even mediocre, I'm not picky) flick. So I think my recent book-in-cold weather conversion stems from the fact that there are a lot of interesting books I'm either reading or want to read...and that hasn't been the case for a while. Here are some (ok, five) of the books I'm in to at the moment:

1. You Suck (A Love Story), by Christopher Moore: This is the sequel to his working girl in San Francisco turned vampire and hilarity ensues novel (Bite Me). Both are awesome. Being the fan of sarcasm that I am, his writing cracks me up...it's kitschy, snarky and amusing. I only started reading Christopher Moore books last year, but if you like quirky, not your run-of-the-mill books, he's just the ticket (The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal is another gem). You can check out his writing at www.chrismoore.com.
2. Duma Key, by Stephen King: I just started this one, so I'm not so much endorsing this particular novel (though it's already intriguing only 40 pages in) as I am endorsing Stephen King. He is my favorite author of all time -- his writing technique is excellent, his character development rocks, and for a gal who loves horror and all things odd, he's hands down the best.
3. First Among Sequels (A Thursday Next Novel), by Jasper Fforde: This is the fifth book in Fforde's Thursday Next literary detective series. This inventive series spotlights a literaray detective who, literally, polices books. She (and her band of wacky, and brialliantly named, characters) can travel into, out of and through books (genres be damned) in a world where everything written is not as it seems. All five books in this series are kooky, intriguing and hella clever. Fforde also has a "nursery crimes" series that starts with The Big Over Easy (the mystery of who killed Humpty Dumpty) -- again, awesome!
4. The Heroines, by Eileen Favorite: I just bought this one, but it's reminiscent of Jasper Fforde and so I'm putting it out there as a "this one has potential to be good" pick. In this tome, a mother and her young teenage daughter run a "retreat where literaray herioines seek temporary refuge from their tragic destinies." Madame Bovary sharing a bathroom with Scarlett O'Hara? What could be bad :)
5. Me and Emma, by Elizabeth Flock: Ok, this one I read a few years back...but after lending it to a co-worker last week and having her tell me she liked it, I remembered that I really liked it to. It's pretty much a straight-forward fiction novel of a little girl trying to survive a tough life, but the last 20 pages make it great. It's one of those you'll have to go back and flip through once you've finished and go "how'd I miss THAT?".

I freely admit I have unconventional (understatement of the year) taste when it comes to books that tickle my fancy. So if you end up reading one of these books, and don't like it, well...all I can say is...what the heck is wrong with you anyway?

Tangent time -- on a totally unrelated note, there's this road sign close to where I live that truly cracks me up every time I drive by it. I don't pass it often, but very shortly I'll be meeting a friend for coffee and will be taking the funny-sign route...hence it just popped into my ice-damned mind. Ok, so we've all seen those "crossing" signs on the road...most with icons demonstrating how cute little creatures prefer to line up and cross the street in this particular location...in case the words on the sign are unclear (deer crossing, wildlife crossing, and my personal favorite, duck crossing). Well, in this case there's a road that is bordered on one side by a cemetary and on the other by a retirement home. So last year I'm driving along and for the first time notice there's a yellow warning sign with "Senior Citizen Crossing" on it. I stared at it for a beat, then promptly burst out laughing so hard my eyes teared up and my vision blurred...further making me laugh as I then worried about not seeing well in this particular crossing zone. I'm not sure if it's the picture of 10 senior citizens clumped up along the roadside...starting to cross, then shuffling back as an oncoming car approaches...or the fact that, unlike deer, the threat of a senior citizen leaping into the road so quickly you'd have to slam on your brakes is slim to nil...but that signs makes me giggle every time. And as I leave now to meet my friend for coffee...I promise to keep my eyes peeled as I once again venture into the senior citizen crossing zone!

Green B Out