22 November, 2011

Farewell Dragonlady.

2011-11-22T17:39:41-06:00Book Reports|4 Comments

My very favorite author, Anne McCaffrey, passed away yesterday.  I am so sad that I won’t have any more new books to look forward to.  I am sad for her family; she seemed like a pretty delightful lady and I am sure she will be missed.

I have probably read every one of Anne’s books at least 3 times and some of  them many more.  I am a pretty voracious reader and I usually have more than 1 book going at any given time.  I often read favorite books over and over. When you read that much, many of them blend together, but sometimes a moment with a book sticks with you.  I still know exactly where the Anne McCaffrey books were in the Rapid City Public Library (young adult section, second shelf from the bottom, right hand side).  I actually remember discovering one of them for the first time, a vivid mental snapshot of the cover; it was love at first sight.  I was ten?  I remember snuffling with a kleenex through the end of “Moreta” (several times).  I can’t describe why I love her books, except to say that we found each other at exactly the right time and I have never outgrown them.

Anne was the first woman to win the Nebula and Hugo awards for science fiction.  She had the first science fiction title on the NYTimes bestseller list.  She wrote great female characters that could do anything the boys could do.

Before I had heard the news, I sat down this morning to tweak that dragon artwork you see above.  That is the dragon on my Knight in Shining Armor costume pattern, which is in the new One Yard Wonders book.  I will talk about that another day.  I had decided that a tiny version of the dragon might make a great Christmas ornament this year.  Something quirky that several of my nephews would like.  So I spent an hour touching it up and tweaking the outline so I can get it laser cut from something (metallic gold acrylic?).  On the computer screen when I got home from work, one window was my dragon and in the next window, Anne McCaffrey was trending on twitter.  Seems like it is meant to be.

Cheers, Anne.  Say hi to the dragons for me.

17 October, 2011

Authors & Friends

2011-10-17T17:10:51-05:00Book Reports|2 Comments

There are two books coming out soon that I am pretty excited about.

Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders is the follow up to the One Yard Wonders book.  I have two patterns in this new volume as well.  I decided that there needed to be more boy-friendly sewing for this book, so I designed (and they accepted!) two costume pieces from felt – a pirate hat and a “knight in shining armor” costume.  (release November 16).

I can’t wait to read this one, Cloak by James Gough.  The author is an old friend and is a fellow creative mind, so I have no doubt the book is fantastic.  It’s out on kindle now, but I need to have a “real copy” so I am waiting til it is released November 15.

Anything new you are excited about?

29 September, 2010

It’s Banned Books Week

2010-09-29T17:53:38-05:00Book Reports|5 Comments

September 25?October 2, 2010

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment.  Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

I have read 3 of the top 10 Banned Books of 2009, but only one from 2008. How about you?

11 August, 2010

I heart dragons

2010-08-11T20:33:16-05:00Book Reports|Comments Off on I heart dragons

I have said before how much I adore Temeraire and the series by Naomi Novik. I have now read them all and listened to them read on audiobook. I had the unique experience of reading “Tongues of Serpents” on my iPhone/Kindle app. I think that might be my favorite part of my new phone. Having a book everywhere I go.

5 April, 2010

Taxes are filed. Time for something silly.

2010-04-05T20:59:13-05:00Book Reports|1 Comment

A family favorite for National Poetry Month.

“Spring In The Bronx”
by Anonymous.

Spring is sprung, the grass is ris.
I wonders where the birdies is.
They say the birds is on the wing.
Ain’t that absurd?
I always thought the wing was on the bird.

5 April, 2010

A Poem

2010-04-05T00:11:22-05:00Book Reports|5 Comments

April is National Poetry Month.  I didn’t know that.  (Thanks Donna)  This is the first poem I ever had to memorize.  We learned it in Kindergarten and I still remember it.  It was the first “grown up” poem I learned about (not Mary had a Little Lamb or something just for kids) and I remember being very impressed by that.

Who Has Seen the Wind?
Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you.
But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I.
But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by.

by Christina Georgina Rossetti  (1830-1894)

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