The nightstand?
Stieg Larsson - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The TBR pile?
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games
Hey, I told you I was behind the times. With any luck, though, I'll at least read this before I see the movie version. Then again, sometimes it's better to see the movie first. Then again, sometimes it's not. Then again, it's probably best just to keep movies and books entirely separate from one another, since they're two entirely different media.
Teresa Medeiros - The Pleasure of Your Kiss
I met Teresa Medeiros, a fellow Kentucky author, at my first Romance Writers of America conference way back in 1990. She's been a good friend and fave writer ever since. Her stories are both funny and touching. I cannot wait to crack this one open.
Stephanie Laurens - The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae
I've adored Stephanie Laurens's books ever since picking up Devil's Bride, which just so happened to be the first of her Cynsters series. The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae is the eighteenth Cynster novel. Yet somehow, they just keep getting better and better.
The ereader?
Candice Hern - Lady Be Bad
If you haven't read one of Candice's Regency novels, you are so missing out. If Jane Austen were alive today, Candice Hern would be giving her a run for her money on the New York Times List. Candice has converted a number of her out-of-print titles for ereaders. They're all in my downloads.
Connie Brockway - The Other Guy's Bride
Man, oh, man, if you're not reading Connie Brockway, you're in for SUCH a treat. She's the author of one of my favorite books, As You Desire, and recently wrote a sequel to it--this, The Other Guy's Bride. Just read it. Read them both. And then pick up everything else she's written. Truuuuust meeeee....
Barbara Samuel - The Girls in the Basement
Barbara Samuel, who also writes as Barbara O'Neal, used to be a columnist for a writer's trade journal and wrote about all kinds of things we writers relate to. She was always upbeat and wise. Those columns saved my creativity on more than one occasion. I love it that she's collecting them in ebook format now.
The radio?
Little Steven's Underground Garage - SiriusXM Channel 21
The best Mother's Day present I ever received was the gift of satellite radio. But when XM merged with Sirius, I was peeved, because they did away with some of my favorite stations (Fred, Ethel and Lucy to be exact). They've managed to redeem themselves a bit, however, by introducing me to Little Steven's Underground Garage. I've discovered some really wonderful bands on that station. And Little Steven's commentaries are SO great. That they're delivered in his gravelly New Jersey voice is just bonus.
The CD player?
Green Day - "21st Century Breakdown"
Maybe because it's an election year, and it's barely started, and I'm already sick of all the BS, misrepresentation, and outright lying that's been going around. But something's made me feel the need for a little Green Day. When I get my fill of "21st Century Breakdown," I'll doubtless segue right into "American Idiot." I have a feeling it's going to be a long, strange 2012.
Putumayo's "North African Groove"
We have a lot of Putumayo CDs. We love them. They're great introductions to music from all over the world. This helps enormously when you've raised a child who is fascinated with the politics, history and culture of just about every country on the planet. It also helps when you're cooking something ethnic, as we've been doing a lot lately. We pretty much switch out the music to match whatever's on the menu. Lately, "North African Groove" has really fit the bill.
The iTunes download list?
Joan Armatrading - "This Charming Life"
Because you can never have enough Joan Armatrading on your iPod. Especially if you're one of those people who has two X chromosomes.
Glasvegas - "Euphoric Heartbreak"
My new favorite Glaswegians. That means they're from Glasgow. Scotland, not Kentucky. (My favorite Glaswegians used to be Joe and Charlie, a couple of guys I met in a Dublin hostel when I was in college. But I'm sure they'd understand why they've been usurped.)
Cocktail Slippers - "Saint Valentine's Day Massacre"
A hugely fun girl group from Norway discovered by Little Steven Van Zandt. No, seriously. This is one reason I love Little Steven's Underground Garage.
The Netflix queue?
The Lady Vanishes
This one was actually put there by my son, who's taking a film class at school and is on a Hitchcock binge. I saw it ages ago but will happily watch again. I love Hitchcock, too. Must be something in the family DNA...
Breaking Glass
A movie I saw way back in the early days of cable, not long after my first trip to London when I was 19. I was seriously into New Wave music at the time, especially British New Wave, so it really struck a cord. I stumbled across it on Netflix not long ago and wondered if I'd like it as much now as I did then. I'm looking forward to watching it.
National Geographic "Inside North Korea"
Another one added by the kid, who will be starting college in the fall with a major in International Relations/Affairs. There's tons more like this in the queue. They look kinda funny mixed in with all my romantic comedies. Then again, after watching this many documentaries on world affairs, he's probably going to need some romantic comedy.
TV?
"Bones"
Hands down our favorite show in this family. We even watch the reruns. Terrific writing, excellent characterization, fabulous storytelling. What more could a writer want from a TV show? Though I confess I'm still a bit tepid on the whole pregnancy storyline. I know the writers are too good to pull a "Moonlighting," and I know Emily Deschanel was actually pregnant for the story arc, but... One baby (Angela and Hodgens's) is more than enough for a show like this. And Brennan and Booth don't have a cool rockin' granddad for their kid the way Angela and Hodgens do.
"Leverage"
For all the same reasons as "Bones." I'm truly envious of the writers. Such inventiveness, and so entertaining. It's always fun to see at the end how they worked through their elaborate cons, second and third guessing before the questions even arose. Alas, it's gone on hiatus, but that just means it will be that much more enjoyable once it returns. If you haven't watched it, give it a try.
"Top Chef: Texas"
It has been so exciting to watch Louisville chef Edward Lee cook his way through the current season. I'm sorry to see him come so close only to be edge out of the final four, but he certainly did himself and Louisville proud. This is one show my son and I watch religiously. It actually makes me want to cook. Usually, though, I content myself with just having a glass of wine while I watch the pros do it.
"Alcatraz"
That J.J. Abrams. First he gets me sucked into "Lost" for six seasons, and now he's pulled me into "Alcatraz." Another one I enjoy with the kid. (Let's just hope the series finale for this one isn't quite so unsatisfying as the one for "Lost" was.)
"Once Upon a Time"
I know. I have as many TV shows listed as I do books. What can I say? I'm on deadline. A lot of times, at the end of the day, I want to be entertained visually. And there's a lot of good stuff on TV these days. This is another one with terrific characters and storytelling. What writer could resist a town filled with storybook characters leading alternate lives?
