Stuffed Reading

It's birthday season for my nephews...seriously all 6 of them were born within months of each other.  They range in age from 8 months to 9 years and one thing they all have in common is a love of what they call stuffy's.  These are what they call there stuffed animals.  They also love reading...'cause what kid with me for an aunt wouldn't.  Here are a couple literary stuffy's for you tiny tot.

A Bear Called Paddinton

I loved this book so much growing up, it's such a classic.

Curious George

This monkey has been a favorite of every nephew at some point in time.

The Story of Babar

This book series is STILL one of my go to's...I just love it

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Instant nostalgia with this set

Clifford the Big Red Dog

Who didn't love this canine growing up?

Just a couple of ideas for the little guys and gals in your life.  Of course these are just a few...the possibilities are ENDLESS!  Happy Reading Everybody!

October Update/Wrap Up...Yes I Know It Is November

Ok folks, I know it's November, but I can't let October go without a final farewell.  This was seriously one of the best birthday months I have ever had and it was really wholly due to my amazing friends and family.  They all bent over backwards to make what was already my favorite month of the year absolutely unforgettable in such a great way.  Hubbin especially went so far above and beyond that I want to marry him all over again (see my previous posts about my trip of unreal perfection).  To end this month of awesome I got to spend Halloween at my fire station, which is my happy place so already good.  My driver and I both had the same idea and brought costume props (we can't go full on costume on calls...something about doing CPR dressed like death makes some people a little uncomfortable...) and took tons of pictures of the whole crew all dressed up.  Several scary movies and jumpy pranks later we decided to actually do some work and run some calls.  The best part however was our friend came in with presents!!! Yep not only did I get birthday presents, but I got a Halloween gift too...seriously I am so spoiled.  Anyways my girl decided to start a new tradition where we all read the same scary book each October and every year a different person picks the book.  She started it by gifting us with The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey...which besides being on my TBR list, also has a yellow cover so pretty much awesome.  I am so excited to read this book with my firehouse book club people and absolutely love the fact that going to my happy place results in new books and people to discuss them with!  I am so deliouresly happy about almost everything that happened this month (there were crappy things...cause you know real life...but I'm pretending they didn't happen in my happy retrospect lol) and cannot believe how blessed I am in my friends and family.  I love you all, and cannot wait to see what happens next...now off to go read my new book under my reading tree so I have something to ramble about.  Happy Reading Everybody!

Reading With Giants

I' BACK!!!!! Did you all miss me?  What?!?  You didn't even notice I was gone?  Eh I guess that's fair.  My super birthday trip of awesome was about as perfect as it could possibly be.  There was hiking, there was driving, there was shopping, there was playing, there was drinking, there was eating and most important of all there was READING!!!!!!  Seriously though.  This trip is exactly what I needed to get my head back in the game.  Here are some brief highlights.

Reading break by the river

Reading inside of a living hollowed out giant of a redwood tree

The site where I am going to build my giant library house

Utter epicness

Inspiration for almost every book ever

Reading time in the tub of relaxation and happiness

Natural reading throne...also super comfy!

So so so so so so big!

Just 'cause I think this is super cool.

The trip was absolutely amazing.  It got my imagination all fired up.  I got to finish a couple of books, including one from beginning to end.  I got to spend time with people I love.  Mostly I got to run away and just be.  Thank you so so so so so so much to my amazing Hubbin who put the most perfect of birthday trips together for me!!!  Happy Reading Everybody!

Birthday Surprise Of Awesome!

AHHHHHH MY HUBBIN IS THE BESTEST HUBBIN EVER!!!!!  I just got surprised with a birthday trip to California to go hiking in the redwoods and visit the west coast nephews.  AND he bought me a stack of books to take with me. To make this trip even better there is all kinds of built in reading time.  I am seriously so excited.  The only downside to all of this is that I will literally be coming home from the fire station, taking a shower and hopping on an airplane to cross the whole country.

 All this after about 30 hours on my other ambulance.  Pretty much what I am trying to say is posting will be spotty at best for the next week.  I will instead be reading, hiking and soaking up all the west coast goodness while I can.  BUT when I get back and settled there will be posting galore!  I hope you are all having as great a week as I am.  Happy Reading Everybody!!!!

Happy 100!

One of my favorite childhood authors the fabulous Beverly Cleary turns 100 today!  This author of the famed Ramona series, among other gems has lived, written and just made kids lives awesome for the last 100 years.

Seriously folks 100 years...how absolutely awesome and amazing is that.  I want to wish this classy lady many more awesome years and thank her for making my childhood an amazing experience.  Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday To Me!

It's the bestest day of my year MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

So go have some cake and read a great book in honor of this day of awesome.  Happy Reading Everybody!!!!

Awesome Present For ME!!!!

My baby sis is back in the states from her world tour and she came bearing an early birthday present for me :-)

Private Worlds 

It's a book published and printed in 1937...and yes the first thing I did was smell it, and let me tell you it smells awesome!

Other then being a really cool find from overseas, where she got the book is pretty awesome too!  Shakespeare and Company in Paris is an old book store built...or should I say created by George Whitman who said "I created this bookstore like a man would write a novel, building each room like a chapter, and I like people to open the door the way they open a book, a book that leads into a magic world in their imaginations." —George Whitman

The builder of the bookstore and various authors who were passing through at the time used to be able to spend the night inside the bookstore.  There is a ton of history behind the store and the book and I cannot wait to explore both of them!  Thanks baby sis for a perfect present.  Happy Reading Everybody!

Literary Allusions In A Haunted Forest

My birthday weekend rocked.  I have to say I have the best friends and family on planet earth and having a birthday in the middle of fall/near Halloween is just icing on the really yummy molten lava cake they bought me for my birthday.  The weekend started with a two hour Skype with the Mamma, followed by phone calls, video's and cards from all of my nephews.  A quick check in with Daddy and the siblings and I was ready to party.  Baby Sis and her husband came down from PA to party with me, the Hubbin and some very close friends in my favorite Irish pub.  I love the feel of this pub, it is an old in with all these little tables tucked away and you can just imagine your favorite author jotting down his/her story with a glass of Irish whisky in hand.
Saturday started out at my favorite used book store 2nd & Charles and between me and Baby Sis we may have filled up the trunk of the car with books...we may never be allowed to go back.  Dinner with friends and then on to Markoff's Haunted Forest.  The whole event was based on Dante's Inferno with the attractions being named and themed after the seven circles of Hell.  I do not scare easily, but the people I was with do, so I was thoroughly entertained the whole time (all right I admit it, I did my fair share of screaming too!).  We rode the zip-line, which in the middle of the night is the best feeling in the world.  There were bon fires, food, music, and a ton of demons to keep us on our toes.  The best part of the night was the actual trail itself.  You get to wander through the woods, through various vignette's all while clinging tightly to your group.  Six of us ended up going through together and you could tell we were all book geeks by our numerous references to books through out.  One girl got "volunteered" to be tribute (as in Katniss volunteering in The Hunger Games).  There was a swamp that instead of scaring us, led to a five minute discussion on how it reminded us of the Dread Marshes from the Two Towers...until the scary monsters asked us to kindly move along.  One of the sections contained a combination of human and dragon bones that looked like it could have come straight out of Game of Thrones, complete with a GIANT dragon skull that nearly knocked one of our own into the swamp.  Overall the scares were great, the night was perfect and I could not have asked for better people to spend my birthday weekend with.  I hope you all had a great weekend too and can't wait to get some of my ramblings up this week.  Happy Reading Everybody!

It's My Birthday I'll Read If I Want To

Happy Birthday to MEEEEE!!!!!  Yep today it's all about me (and tomorrow and Sunday too :-) )

My day is already off to a fabulous start.  I am now going to go read my new books with my new snuggly blanky until it's party time!  Happy Reading Everybody!

Metabookshelf

Here is a picture of the awesome present my Mamma got for me as an early Birthday present (because SHE knows how to celebrate a birthmonth).

Yep that is a painting of a shelf full of books.  It is a little weird to have a picture of a bookshelf full of books, when I have stacks and stacks of books that don't fit on my shelf, but it is so cool.  Thanks Mammasan!  Happy Reading Everybody!

Books And Burlesque

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY SIS!!!!!!  My baby sis and her sweet husband came down for the weekend to celebrate her birthday, as an added bonus our brother also showed up to surprise her, fun was had by all.  Later we ditched the boys to head out to the Sax Lounge where we were not only treated like royalty but were privy to the clubs in house burlesque shows as well. I love burlesque, mostly 'cause of the musical Gypsy.  I love the old school sexy, but not completely slutty feel to it, I like that it is a bit more of a show and dance then a strict strip joint kind of deal, also you rarely actually see the naughty bits, just the idea of them. So in honor of that wonderful evening her are some books about the famous Gypsy Rose Lee for you to read and partake in the love of all things burlesque.

Gypsy: A Memoir

Gypsy Rose Lees take on her life

The G-String Murders

A mystery novel written by Gypsy Rose Lee

Mamma Rose's Turn

A biography of Gypsy's mother, who had a substantial influence on her life

Early Havoc

A memoir by Gypsy's sister June, telling a different side of the story

Gypsy

A book version of the famous and most wonderful musical

Hopefully that will give you a well rounded insight into the world of vaudville, burlesque and marathon dancing, with a healthy dose of drama and humor, enjoy.  

On a side note I have an interview in the middle of nowhere tomorrow so I may not get a post up, or it may be late, so you have been warned.  Happy Reading Everybody!

I Heart Books (And My Mamma)

It is a glorious day today, the sun is shining, the temps are rising, I totally was up all night outside on one of the longest coldest calls ever, I have had no sleep, and best of all it is my Mamma's birthday.  That is right folks today is the day that one of the most amazing people entered into the world and made it a much better place.  For her birthday she likes to collect hearts from everybody she knows so here are my contributions...in book form of course.

16th Century Denmark Heart Book

15th Century Book of Hours (French)

 CHANSONNIER of JEAN de MONTCHENU 15th Century 

Small Prayer Book from the 1580's

Because for some reason when I think of my Mamma I think of mustaches...and no she does not have one, she is drop dead gorgeous...not that mustaches are not attractive...

I hope you have a Happy Birthday Mamma, thanks for teaching me not only how to read, but to love each and every word I come across.  My life has been much richer, happier, and nerdy(in a good way) because of you.  LOVE YOU!

Cake Cake Cake, I Love Cake

It's my birthday today!!!!! Which of course makes me supreme empress of the known universe and parts of the unknown universe as well.  The day has just begun and I have already been spoiled beyond belief...and I haven't even hit my party yet :-)  To celebrate the awesomeness that is my day of birth I shall share with all of you some of my favorite book related cakes 'cause you can't have a birthday without a book and cake! (or exclamation points apparently!!!!!!!)

Narnia Cake

Starting with my favorite book ever!  This The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe cake has all my favorite elements, the door opening, the iconic lamppost, and of course a beaver tail to follow!

Minas Tirith 

There were so many amazing Lord of the Rings cakes to choose from, but the detail on this one finally won out for my favorite.

Harry Potter

Again so many to choose from, but I love the bookishness of this cake, as opposed to the more moviesh versions out there.  This cake really summed up the feel of the books, especially the first one.

Quotes

This is one of the prettiest Pride and Prejudice cakes I have seen.  The simple illustrations and bordered quotes make this cake almost as elegant as the book!

Seuss Cake

I think Dr. Seuss is perfect for any birthday.  It is all happy, colorful, and full of life lessons. Who wouldn't want this wonderfully topsy turvy cake?

Alrighty folks, those are a couple awesome cakes to start celebrating my birthday with.  I was disappointed in the lack of Dragons of Pern cakes, and the complete lack of Alice in Wonderland cakes that did not have to do with Disney (I really want one with the original illustrations) so you will all have get cracking on making those for next year.

What book cake would you like for your birthday?  Do you think you ever get to old to make your birthday all about you?  Why do I equate exclamation points with my birthday?!?!?!

It's The Most Bestest Time Of The Year

It's October people and that means it is happy fun time.  This is the best month of all for so many reasons, lets list them shall we.  First off it is my birthday month and that pretty much makes this the coolest month ever, also I am the boss of all things awesome and fun so that is good.  The weather usually starts to finally cooperate full time and I really can snuggle into my sweaters and boots.  Fall TV starts and I can find ways to correlate my TV watching to my books (this year Dr. Who, Sleepy Hollow, Downton Abbey, Once Upon A Time and Sherlock are being very literary friendly).  All kinds of yummy foods are available (think apple cider and donuts!). Of course we can't forget about Halloween, a time where you get to dress up, eat junk, scare yourself silly and pretty much live in a fantasy world of your own creating...kind of like a book.  Here are some of the creepy, dark and stormy night, shivery books that I am reading this month if you would like to read along (I'm hoping to scare myself so bad I can't sleep with at least one of these).

Doll Bones by Holly Black-A story of three friends who are caught on the edge of being children and growing up.  Along comes an antique doll they call the Queen who figures into there imaginary games...until the ghost of the girl who's bones were used to make the doll sends them on a quest to find her grave and bury her in it.  Hear lot's of great reviews and sounds like the right mix of creepy and good story.

Under My Hat edited by Jonathan Strahan-edited by the same guy who put together one of my favorite anthologies The Starry Rift this collection is full of tales of those Halloween staples we call witches.  The list of authors is pretty stellar and I am looking forward to catching a few thrills in between work stuff.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman-A boy is raised in a cemetery since infancy, living among the ghost and ghouls and whatever other creatures live in graveyards.  He must learn how to cope with both the world of the living and the dead.  Full length novels by Neil Gaiman have been hit or miss for me, but I love his short stories and his work for kids has almost always hit the sweet spot so here goes nothing.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson-This supernatural tale is a classic haunted house story, complete with malevolent spirits, hidden secrets and hopefully plenty of scares.  When I asked around to find out which book people considered the scariest, this one popped up more than any others, so here is hoping it lives up to it's scary reputation.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving-The classic story of Ichabod Crane and his experiances in the small town of Sleepy Hollow, was it really the Headless Horseman or just a prank?!?  This classic mad it on my list 'cause a) it's awesome and b) so many movies/tv shows/etc... had to catch up with the original story.

What is your favorite part about October (besides it being my birthday month of course)?  What are your favorite books/movies/tv shows to creep you out?  How are we supposed to make this month a national holiday when the stupid government is shut down?