A few books, a few memes… and a big deadline

October 21, 2022 /

My book deadline looms ever closer (a week from Monday! Gah!), so this week’s post will be short and unadorned except for a small batch of memes. I did manage to get a new issue of my email newsletter out (if you’re not on my mailing list and want to be, there’s a signup box to the right). Other than that, I’ve been slamming Diet Pepsi, eating all the mini Hershey bars Long-Suffering Husband bought to hand out on Halloween (silly man–after over 35 years of living with me, how could he possibly think Hershey bars would survive in this house for 2 weeks?), and editing. Editing, editing, editing. Sending edited chapters back to authors. Editing again.

Editing.

Editing.

Editing.

I’m also still hosting my weekly write-in on Saturday mornings (see last week’s post for details) and carving out a few minutes for this post, which is part of both the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer, and the What’s on Your Bookshelf Challenge, hosted by Sue, Donna, Jo and Deb. Grab a drink, have a seat, and let’s get to it!

Books!

Here’s what I’ve read since my last What’s on Your Bookshelf post:

  • Chase Darkness With Me: How One True-Crime Writer Started Solving Murders – Billy Jensen. Fascinating memoir of a true crime writer who got frustrated by unsolved cases and started trying to solve them. In several cases, Jensen’s creative use of social media led to solid leads.
  • The Bone Farm (Jane Hawk 0.5) – Dean Koontz. Short story by Koontz that was entertaining but forgettable (seriously–I’d forgotten I read it till I went digging through my Goodreads Reading Challenge to prepare this post).
  • The Lily Bard series – Charlaine Harris. Last month I binge-listened-to all four books in Harris’ Harper Connelly Series. This month it was four of the five books in her Lily Bard series. I once heard Harris’ books described as “cozy with a bite,” which seems pretty accurate. Lily Bard is a woman who was the victim of a horrific crime and now wants nothing more than to live a quiet, anonymous life cleaning houses and hitting the gym in the small town of Shakespeare, Arkansas. And that strategy would probably work out fine for her if she’d stop finding dead bodies. The five books in this series are Shakespeare’s Landlord, Shakespeare’s Champion, Shakespeare’s Christmas, Shakespeare’s Trollop, and Shakespeare’s Counselor. I’ve read these several times and enjoy them more each time.
  • The Vagina Monologues – Eve Ensler. Another reread. I picked up a copy from a Little Free Library thinking, I’ve always wanted to read this. I pulled it up on Goodreads and discovered I’d actually already read it–10 or so years ago (and this is why I use Goodreads–I regularly forget I’ve read something). The Vagina Monologues is raw and heartbreaking and possibly more relevant today than when it was first published.
  • Wild – Cheryl Strayed. I’m probably the only woman in the US who, until a couple of weeks ago, hadn’t read Wild. Well, I finally got around to reading it, and I have… opinions. In no particular order: beautifully written, one of the best memoirs I ever read, and: Girl! Get some freakin’ therapy! Seriously, people. If you have no hiking experience and decide hiking hundreds of miles alone in the wilderness is a good way to exorcise your demons–get some freakin’ therapy. Strayed is lucky to have survived her experience.
  • One of the Girls – Lucy Clarke. I loved, loved, loved this book! The premise: 6 women, each with a secret, go to a Greek island for a bachelorette weekend, during which their secrets are revealed and someone dies. Most of the book consists of conversations, yet I was riveted all the way through. Clarke could teach a master class on creating tension with dialogue.

The Memery

Since it’s What’s on Your Bookshelf week, our meme theme is books! Who woulda guessed?

I’m doomed.

Yeah, pretty sure it’s not going to be your typical rom-com.

Since it’s almost Halloween, we need us some Poe:

Beware of anyone offering you free wine.

I’m gonna fight for my right to not do this to any other poems. Though it’s tempting…

I used to have geese. No bird smaller than an emu has a hope of scaring me.

The SparkNotes Twitter feed is amazing.

Time for me to sign off and resume my descent into madness… I mean, editing.

What are y’all doing this weekend? You already know what I’ll be doing.

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16 Comments

  • rawsonjl

    October 21, 2022 at 10:13 am

    I felt the same way after reading Wild! She is quite lucky. Though I might get into that murder van… it does look intriguing! LOL.

    • Janet Alcorn

      October 23, 2022 at 9:10 am

      Yeah, I’m kind of amazed Strayed survived her experience. She’s a heck of a storyteller though.

      I really hope no murderers are inspired by that meme. If they are, yeah, I’m doomed.

  • Susanne

    October 23, 2022 at 2:45 am

    I love your memes as always. The murderer’s van was fantastic!!!! And – from the info here it seems like Edgar Allan Poe would could have written some good folk & bluegrass songs! 😀
    Well done with the book editing! It sounds like something I wouldn’t have the patience for. But I’ve also realised lately that I’ve sort of lost interest in writing. Blogging the way I do it is fine, but longer form… not so much. I’m glad other people do it though!

  • trent

    October 23, 2022 at 9:15 am

    Good luck with all of the editing. Oh, you are editing, right? I think you mentioned it… Anyway, I hope the next week goes well and that you have a great Halloween present of the job being done.
    Have a great week, despite deadlines.

  • Natalie

    October 23, 2022 at 4:52 pm

    Thank you for your weekend coffee share in spite of your editing deadline. I hope everything goes well and you have a satisfying week ahead.

  • Debbie

    October 24, 2022 at 4:40 pm

    Thanks for joining us for WOYBS Janet, that serial killer meme is too true!! You’ve given me a few things to add to my want to read list – the Charlaine Harris Lily Bard series for starters – many thanks :). Always smile at your memes!

  • Gary A Wilson

    October 24, 2022 at 8:07 pm

    Yea – I know I’m late getting back. But I have a great excuse. Our son and DIL were in town from Montana, so visits and driving them back to San Francisco for their flight home took precedence over everything and pop go the weekend plans.

    But – that’s enough goofing off. Get back to your writing ane editing nad editing qne editing amd editiing.

    • Janet Alcorn

      October 24, 2022 at 10:36 pm

      Glad you got to see your son and DIL! I hope you had a wonderful visit.

      Write. Edit. Rinse. Repeat.

      Sigh.

  • Kathleen Howell

    October 27, 2022 at 3:55 pm

    OMG I love the prison library meme! Good luck with editing. I’m working this weekend too, but not on any fun stuff. And yes, I’m sure there will be Halloween candy involved.

    • Janet Alcorn

      October 28, 2022 at 7:23 am

      Thanks! I should write a parody of Loverboy’s “Working for the Weekend” called “Working *on* the Weekend”–right after I get this dang book done.

      Enjoy the Halloween candy!

  • Janine

    October 30, 2022 at 1:20 pm

    I’m new here but I love your writing style. Good luck with your editing. I also live the murder book van, it would definitely tempt me in ?

    • Janet Alcorn

      October 31, 2022 at 9:20 am

      Thanks so much–and welcome to my demented little corner of the internet! I really hope no serial killers see that meme–they might get ideas 🙂