And that's how I learned that I don't like grape vodka...

Good morning world! There's sunshine pouring in the open window in front of me, there's a light breeze bringing me the sweet scent of wild roses and I'm listening to Lady Antebellum's new CD thanks to the newest edition to our group of groupies. Which reminds me...now I need to actually have names for my girls! So...I guess the lovely lady formally known as "fellow groupie" will now be: Miss J and our newest member will be: Miss B. Woohoo! Also, it is T minus 6 days until the boyfriend and I leave for our mini vacation. Yeah, life is feeling pretty darn good right now!

And no, I haven't forgotten, it is indeed time for your weekend update.

Friday night was good. The band was at the same place as the outdoor gig from last week but I actually planned accordingly this time so I didn't freeze. The venue was hosting a BBQ which meant I didn't have to try to figure out what to make for dinner. YAY! Also, BBQ's are quite possibly one of my favorite things about summer so I was in a great mood. Oooh! And there was a beautiful full moon that just made your heart sing! The guys put on a great show, as always and I rolled myself into bed pleasantly tired, still singing along to their songs.

Saturday morning I worked on Friday night's pictures and basically putzed around the house until it was time to get ready. I had some difficulties with my hair...damn Cosmo and their "tips" that don't work. But any lingering annoyance was instantly washed away when we got to the gig and Miss B gave me the above mentioned CD :) If I could have gotten away with listening to it right then and there, I would've. But shhh...don't tell the band that! Another great show from them made even greater by the fact that a few friends I haven't seen in a while came out with me. Oh...and the vodka sunrises didn't come amiss either ;) A little word to the wise though, be cautious of things that sound too yummy to be true. Grape vodka and Sprite (the bar's drink special for the night) tastes remarkably like cough syrup. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Sunday was a lazy morning with the boyfriend and then off to the daily grind for another stupid shift. Just between you and I...I'm about ready to strangle more than a couple of my bosses. But then I came home and relaxed with the boyfriend and started planning out what all we need to do for our little trip. It's pretty exciting folks. This will be the first actual trip that the boyfriend and I've taken together. Also, after a very busy few months, we're both more than ready for a break.

And speaking of that list of things that need to be done before Sunday morning...I should probably get my booty in gear. It would seem that the laundry has piled up around me yet again. If only I had a magic wand...where is that damn Harry Potter when you need him? Hmm?

When did I become such a judgemental bitch?

Is it just me or does this year seem to just be flying by? It's already almost the end of June. And even on the smaller scale, it's already Friday again. It feels like it was only yesterday that I was doing my last weekend update for you. I guess in any case, it really is Friday and that would indeed mean that it's once again time for your Top 9 list. But first, a quick note. I have a notebook that I've been making notes in for upcoming lists. Sad as though it might be, I have been running a bit short on ideas as of late. Any suggestions or thoughts from my readers would be greatly appreciated. What would you like to see me make a list about? Leave it in the comments or email me at RandomMeows@gmail.com and let me know. I promise to give all of your ideas due consideration :)

And now, before I start rambling again, here's your list for this weekend:

Top 9 Celebrities or Public Figures I Love to Hate


~Paris Hilton



"That's hot." Ugh. Someone should just do the world a favor and put her out of our misery. There's just something about the spoiled little rich girls that irritate me from the start. Add to that the assumption that with orange skin, bleached hair and anorexia or bulimia that you're "hot" and I just wanna puke right there. (Ha ha ha...no pun intended, really...) However there is that weird fascination. You know what I mean, that kind of fascination that coined the phrase "It's like a train wreck...you know it's wrong but you still can't look away." Yup...she's exactly like a train wreck, and yet we can't look away.

~Dolly Parton



I grew up with country music and Miss Parton was definitely a staple. There's a few of her songs that I do actually like but for the most part, I roll my eyes at the thought of her. And the plastic surgery didn't help, in my opinion. Seriously...if you're gonna go under the knife, how about reducing the girls a bit, hmm? Instead of getting a tummy tuck so that they're even more pronounced by her pencil thin waist. Her chest has got to have its own zip code at this point. And it's only made worse by the plastic face and drawn on lips. Does anyone else see the resemblance to the plastic people in Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun video? Just curious.

~Oprah (Winfrey, that is...as if it could be anyone else)



The woman doesn't even need a last name. Which is probably for the better since she's been stringing the same guy along for years without having the decency to marry him. Her vast empire is enough to make Katie Couric envious. What I can't stand about her is that she preaches good will while sitting in her gilded palace. If you want the world to be a better place, how about you start spreading the wealth?

~Dr. Phil



If the man is a doctor, I'm the next Queen of England. (Just in case, you all should probably start practicing your curtsies...) The man is a QUACK. His brand of psycho-babble is quite possibly the worst thing on day-time television. The only reason anyone even knows of him is because Oprah gave him her blessing, his own show and propelled him into idiotic stardom. Which just adds to why I can't stand Oprah. See how nicely that worked out for me?

~Lindsay Lohan



Really folks? This one should be self explanatory...especially after Paris Hilton. And she used to be such an adorable little girl. Such a pity. I blame her parents. I don't care if my son becomes famous and makes millions...I will still blister his ass if he tries to pull half of the shit that Lilo has been up to. Instead, her money hungry parents indulged her whims and allowed her to spin out of control. Good job! I'm sure they couldn't have done better if they'd had parenting tips from the Spears' themselves.

~Octo-Mom (Nadya Denise Doud-Suleman)



Ugh. What is the fascination with all of this bad plastic surgery?? STAY AWAY FROM THE KNIFE! And really? She should just stay away from the damn doctors completely. There is absolutely no reason what so ever to have 14 children. Especially when you're a single mother mooching off of public assistance. Especially not when you're having said children with the hopes of gaining some media attention and using those children to barter for even more hand-outs. People like her should be stripped of their rights to have children and forced to have their tubes tied. What happens to those kids when the hoopla dies down and she gets tired of taking care of all of them?

~Simon Cowell



It's almost not fair that Simon's on the list since I don't even watch American Idol. But he's one of those train wrecks. As much as you don't want to pay any attention, you still don't change the channel when his name is mentioned on the news. Also, his attitude just bugs me...is it necessary to always be such an arrogant ass? I can be bitchy with the best of them...but I'm also nice from time to time. (At least, I like to think I am...hmmm....) Although, I will say, I have to appreciate his brand of honesty, even if it is a bit blunt at times. Some one's gotta be the one to not blow smoke up these peoples' butts.

~Jon and Kate...plus 8



I actually watched their show once upon a time. Kate's extreme O.C.D.-ness made me feel not so bad about my own. However, when I started seeing the extras they were getting, well I became quite disgusted. Kate gets a free tummy tuck and complete makeover. Jon gets hair transplants. They get a bigger house. The trips to Disneyworld and God only knows where else. Are you kidding me?? How about we stop exploiting our children for five damn minutes?!?! (Isn't it illegal, anyway?)

~The Duggars



There is no conceivable reason why someone should have 20 children. None what so ever. It is completely unnecessary. Granted, until they sold out and took their story to TLC, they were taking care of their family themselves and that does elevate them above the Gosselins and Octo-mom but still. The world is over-populated, isn't it? Who was the one who thought having 20 kids was a good idea? And I don't care how you look at it...it is NOT okay to be having a baby at the same time as your daughter-in-law. That's just creepy and smacks of trashy younger wives of men in mid-life crises wanting to be pregnant together with their step-daughters. Ew Ew Ew. Okay...I'm done, I think. Ew.


There it is, this week's Top 9 List. Since I'm so obviously a very judgemental person (Took you all awhile to pick up on that, didn't it?) I imagine there will be a few more lists along these lines somewhere in the future. And please, please, please people...remember to drop your suggestions or ideas for other Top 9 lists in the comments. Or, as always, you can email me at RandomMeows@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you all! And on that note, I'm off to start the rock star girlfriend transformation process. Everyone have a safe and fantastic weekend! I'll be back on Monday with (hopefully) some funny stories to share with you :)

Better late than never, I always say...

I fail. I really did have every intention of posting my Father's Day Top 9 list for you on Monday, like I mentioned. However, well...yeah, I procrastinated. And then, while watching David Letterman before bed I hear something quite disturbing. Turns out Time Magazine has stolen my idea.

How dare they!

My original idea for Father's Day weekend was to post a Top 9 list of my favorite TV/Movie Dads. However, according to David Letterman, (And yes, I do get my news from late night talk shows. Sue me.) Time Magazine has already had that idea and published it. Their list has 25 dads though. Anyone else feeling like my list might be slightly inadequate now?

Sadly, I feel like I should just scratch the whole project. Then again, there is something to be said for perseverance.

Instead, I think I may have a viable solution. Instead of my top 9 TV/Movie dads, I've decided to honor my own dad. And yes, this is partially out of guilt for not calling him on Sunday. That doesn't make it any less heartfelt.

I could make it into a Top 9 list for you, but that just doesn't seem to do justice to a man who still lets his almost 28 year old daughter call him "Daddy". A little background for you. My parents weren't married when I was surprisingly conceived, what with my mom only being 16 and everything. Since I don't actually remember my infant and toddler years, I have to trust what I'm told by my family members. However it happened, my mother left my dad when I was about two and married J, who then raised me as his own. I remember when I found out that J wasn't my dad. J and my mom sat me down and asked if I was okay with J adopting me. I was 10, maybe 11. Yeah, I was real qualified to make that decision. Anyway, shortly there after, J and my mother divorced. And against my mother's wishes, J introduced me to my biological father. I think I was 13 or 14 when I actually started to develop a relationship with my dad.

One of my favorite things about my dad is the fact that he's 6'5" or so and built like a solid wall. No matter how tall or grown up I've gotten, I can still run to him for a hug and instantly feel like a little girl again. Since I'm pretty sure I'm all done with growth spurts, I will always only come up to about his mid torso. And I'm completely fine with that. There's something about still being able to be engulfed by a hug from daddy that makes everything okay.

My dad, like most human beings, is not without his faults. No matter how much I love the man, sometimes I wonder how we could possibly share the same genes. I believe I once promised you that I would some day regale you with the tale of how my father made us the butt of a Jeff Foxworthy joke? Well hold on to your panties folks, that day has come.

I'm sure most of you know who Jeff Foxworthy is, or have at least heard some of his "You might be a Redneck if..." jokes. Well rewind to a hot summer night a few years ago. I'm sitting in my dad's living room watching TV with him and my step-brothers. The living room has a sliding glass door that opens onto the covered patio and in what I can only describe as oddly normal behavior, this door is the preferred method of entry...as opposed to the actual front door on the other side of the room. Anywho, since the sliding glass door gets the most use, the sliding screen door that's in place to keep the flies and such outside has gotten pretty banged up. On said evening, the screen door was actually not closing all of the way due to some defect that I've since forgotten. As I've mentioned, it was a hot summer night and thanks to the irrigation ditches in the fields that line my dad's property, the mosquitoes were out in full force. After maybe half an hour of slapping the annoying bugs away and mumbling under his breath about them, Dad had had enough. He gets up and announces that he's going to Wal-Mart for a solution.

We all eagerly await his return. Something about me seems to attract the blasted insects in droves. And I hate it so I'm probably the most eager to see what Dad's solution will be. He returns and proceeds to hang a bug zapper from a beam over the middle of the patio. He then comes inside, all puffed up like a proud peacock. He walks into the kitchen explaining to my step-mom how they were having a sale on the bug zappers and so he bought two of them. This seems to bring on a stroke of genius and he proceeds to remove the second zapper from the packaging and hang it from the middle of the living room ceiling. Yes folks, that's right...and that's not even the worst of it.

Very proud of his brilliance, Dad settles himself back into his easy chair to continue watching whatever movie we had been watching before the blasted bugs had become too much of a nuisance. After a few minutes and more than a few little "zap" noises from both outside and in, Dad looks over to C sitting on the couch next to me and says probably the most redneck thing I have ever heard him utter. (And that's saying something, trust me.)

"Hey, C, turn off the overhead light, huh? The zapper will be enough light."

Oh yes, you read that right. And before I can stop myself, I lean over to C and whisper, "You might be a Redneck if..." and we both dissolve into laughter.

"What's so damn funny?" asks Dad, but neither of us can stop laughing long enough to answer him. And so there you have it. If you have ever used a bug zapper as a lamp you just might be a Redneck.

Thanks Dad, for everything. For always being there for a hug and support when I need it. And if that fails, for always being able to make me laugh...even if you don't always know how you've done it. I love you and I hope you had a great Father's Day.

And a belated Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there, TV, movie or real-life. All us little girls couldn't do it without you!

I am the worst daughter ever! Oh and I fail at other things too, woot...

Holy crap...I truly never thought I would say this...but Thank Goodness it's Monday!!

I have, as you may have guessed, had a psycho crazy weekend. And no, I did not forget about my blog or my wonderful readers. I did, however, forget to schedule time to breath and sleep, let alone time to sit down and write. Silly me.

So since I'm like way behind on everything, how about I just start back at the beginning? That should put us somewhere in the middle of last week, I think.

Hmmm...well after three stay-in date nights in a row (YAY!) Thursday was spent with a trip to one of my favorite places ever...the library!! I know, I know...I'm a nerd. We've been over this. Reading is SEXY. Get over it. Oh and the nice librarian-type lady was sooooo nice and made my whole day when she informed me that I could have up to 50 books checked out at a time. Woohoo! Sadly, they didn't have all of the ones that I wanted and I was sort of running out of hands/arms to carry everything so I left with only 11. Don't worry, I'll go back sometime this week, I'm sure.

Now Friday morning should have been spent writing my Top 9 List for your weekend. Instead I was helping with a yard sale. Just in case you needed more proof that I over-schedule myself, there you have it folks. So all day Friday I was helping sort and move stuff outside for Saturday's yard sale. Then I dashed home to shower and change for Friday night's gig. Which was futile, I should have just climbed into bed and stayed there. I started to feel icky towards the end of the first set on top of being tired from my long day. The snobby bitch that kept blocking my pictures didn't help matters. Needless to say, I was in a less than stellar mood by the start of the second set. Oh, and did I mention that it was an outside gig? So I froze my booty off.

Saturday morning came WAY too early and I was out posting signs for the yard sale before most people had their coffee. The yard sale went over decently and I made a bit of play money so it wasn't a loss. But I was bone deep tired when I rushed home at 5pm to shower and change for Saturday night's gig. Did I mention that at some point I slipped in my flip flops and sprained my ankle? Yeah, real smooth, I know. Anywho...I decided to remedy my tired, sore body with Vodka Sunrises all night long. That may or may not have been a good idea. I was able to be up and down and take plenty of pictures. However....

Sunday morning came and I was barely able to walk. Which was a big problem since I was supposed to be at the daily grind in just a few short hours. So I hobbled my way to the shower and then to Wal-Mart for some sort of brace so that I could hopefully make it through my shift. I did, mostly, and came home, slid into bed and promptly fell asleep. Yeah, I was a terrible daughter and didn't even call my daddy to wish him a Happy Father's Day. I suck.

And here we are. It's Monday and I'm actually happy. The ankle is better, slightly less swollen but still sore as hell. I've uploaded all of the band's pictures from both nights and I'm working on that Top 9 list for you all. And yes, I will be calling my dad tonight.

On that note, I should probably bolt so I can make that phone call and post the list before my show comes on. Eek! Only a few short hours left! Looks like we're ordering in dinner tonight!

"If you believe there's nothing up my sleeve..."

I have a wonderful love for stay-in date nights. And lucky, lucky me, I've gotten two in a row this week :) and it's only Wednesday. That's pretty smooth, right there. And what nights they were! Monday was homemade pizzas and Last Comic Standing. That's right folks...I'm hooked...on a reality show. Lord help me, this could be the beginning of the end. And last night I was supposed to have a project, but plans changed last minute so it was movie night with the boyfriend. (I was real torn up about it, can you tell?)

So rewind to some point last week. I'm not sure what the conversation was, but amidst it I discover that the boyfriend has not seen Man on the Moon (Ws).

"Add it to the Netflix thingy!" I demand. (ha...I actually asked nicely...but "demand" works so much better for dramatic purposes)

And he did. And it arrived a few days ago. So back to last night and the changing of my plans. I hadn't planned on dinner since I was supposed to be gone. The boyfriend and I decide we don't really want "real" food for dinner so off to the grocery store we go. And back home we come, loaded up with tacquitos, two different kinds of trail mix, chocolate and popcorn. Yeah, a real nutritional dinner for me. I don't care...BACK OFF THIS! We get all snuggled in with our goodies and some sweet tea and turn on Man on the Moon.

As you all know, I love Jim Carrey with something fierce. The man is funny, I don't care what anyone else has to say. Now since I haven't seen The Truman Show, (a tragedy, I know...the boyfriend has already informed me of this...don't worry, it will be rectified soon) I have to say that Man on the Moon is his best performance...EVER.

Also, I love R.E.M. so the movie really is just an all around favorite of mine.

Granted, I know this isn't the something funny I promised you, but it sure beats the socks off the melancholy of last weekend. And so I'll leave you with this: If you haven't seen Man on the Moon, I strongly encourage {read: I demand} that you go out and rent it tonight. And be a little goofy. Skip out on dinner and munch on some trail mix and chocolate. Take a cue from Mr. Kaufman himself and go back to being a kid again. You'll be amazed at how great it feels.

ATTN: Will write sarcastic attempts at humor for $$

Oh Monday...if only your stealthiness were appreciated. Instead, you pop up and remind me that I cannot lay about in bed, there's work to be done. Damn you! I don't want to do it!

As you may imagine, my weekend was ridiculously long. It was also an emotional roller coaster, and I particularly hate those. I feel so drained afterwards. I'm almost tempted to forgo the weekend update. Would any of you mind? Although, I suppose the whole point in having a tradition is to keep it going. And I wouldn't want to disappoint any of you...so here goes!

Friday was decent...just another night at the daily grind. Except that it was graduation weekend and we were slammed with customers. And why don't I ever get nice, normal people for customers? I always get the rude, idiotic ones. Sometimes it's enough to make me consider going postal.

Saturday was bittersweet. More time at the daily grind but I did get to see my son :) The band played Saturday night but the venue wasn't very good and they had a poor audience. It saddens me when that happens, it really kills the mood for the band, ya know? Also, I ripped my new skirt. And it says a lot for my mental state that I nearly burst into tears right there...in front of strangers. I don't even like crying in front of the boyfriend so yeah...it's an issue.

Sunday I made beef stew and fresh rolls for the boyfriend. Even though it has been gorgeous the last few days and in the 80's, I've seriously just been craving comfort food and so I made the wintry meal anyway. And then I was off for another dose of stupidity at the daily grind. Seriously, I need to figure out a way to make this writing thing work out and pay me regularly. I'm not sure how much longer I can continue to expose myself to the rest of humanity. However, if I didn't have regular exposure, would I have anything to write for you all? It's a catch-22 thing. Ugh.

And that all brings us to Monday morning. I'm here, I'm alive and mostly well. I haven't yet killed anyone so I suppose that's good news. I have loads to do today, though. Loads of laundry, loads of research, and loads of pictures to crop and post.

I'm truly sorry that today's post lacked any sort of humor. It's just one of those days, I guess. I promise to come back with something funny to tell you though, so don't run away from me quite yet. Until then...

Oh Friday, you're so very stealthy, sneaking up on me like you do...

Lordy, Lordy is it Friday again already?? It would appear that way only that I just can't wrap my head around the fact that a whole week has passed me by so quickly. So I guess since the calendar is telling me that it is indeed Friday, that would mean that it's time for Your Weekend Top 9 List :)

But first, a little back story...

According to my mother, I read my first book when I was a mere two-year-old toddler. It was one of those little plastic bath-tub books with single words on the inflated pages, but I read it! Pretty much I haven't put books down since then. Most people dream about owning collectibles or classic cars or old vinyls. I dream about one day having a library like in Beauty and the Beast. LOL

I want stacks and stacks of books. Shelves so crammed full of novels that it's impossible to tell how many I own. I want to own first editions and entire series and collections by my each of my favorite authors. Which, of course, is a great segue into today's topic. So without further chitter-chatter from yours truly, I present to you:


My Top 9 Favorite Authors (and the books that made me fall in love with them)

**Editor's note: These are in no particular order, just the randomness in which they came to mind.

***UPDATE***
As you can see from my comment below, clearly I fail at counting. Today's list only has 8 authors instead of the promised (and customary) 9. I apologize for my error...it would appear that I was so wrapped up in writing about my favorite authors that I forgot to make sure I had the correct amount. I can't promise that this kind of mistake won't happen again because, let's all be honest with ourselves, this is ME we're talking about. But I can promise to at least try to count better in the future.

Stephen King



As I mentioned, I've been reading since I was a precocious toddler. However, I had parents that actually censored what I could get my hands on and so for the better part of my childhood I was limited to Beverly Cleary, Goosebumps and The Babysitter's Club books. Anywho, I digress. I'm not sure exactly how old I was but I'm relatively sure I was still pre-teen-ish when my parents decided I was old enough to graduate to real novels. And one of my first grown-up books was a Christmas gift of Stephen King's Four Past Midnight (Signet). This collection of four stories opened a whole new world of literature for me. I made it a personal mission to read all of Stephen King's writing before I kick the bucket. So I finished 4 Past Midnight and immediately went to the library and checked out the only King novel they had, Christine (Signet). Which is quite possibly his greatest novel. Stephen King's books embody all that is good horror writing as well as pushing past the mind's barriers of what is possible. And that, folks, is what makes a great author for me...the ability to write the impossible and make me believe that it could actually happen.

Dan Brown



I'm sure that you all know or have at least heard of Dan Brown. He's the author of the infamous The Da Vinci Code. I would like to, at this point, go on record as stating that I liked Dan Brown and his books BEFORE the movie came out and caused all of the hoopla. I don't remember where or how I stumbled across Dan Brown but I'm sure I was probably standing in Wal-Mart craving a new book and just grabbed what looked the most interesting. (I know, I know, I'm real picky, aren't I?) But after reading DaVinci Code and learning there was a prequel I raced right out and bought Angels & Demons: A Novel (Robert Langdon) and devoured that as well. I know that Dan Brown has other novels that aren't part of the Robert Langdon stories and I've read them as well. But they just don't seem to have the same punch that Robert Langdon does. Mind you, I'm talking about the actual character in the books, not the abomination that Tom Hanks plays on screen. {insert me rolling my eyes} Stupid people...Who casted him anyway? Anywho, if I were to choose, I prefer either Angels & Demons or his newest novel, The Lost Symbol to DaVinci Code or either of his other novels. But maybe that's just because I love the plots in those two books best.

Diana Gabaldon



A former co-worker of mine (Miss you Lynda!!) learned that I loved to read and loaned me the first book in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Series: Outlander, Voyager, Drums of Autumn,Dragonfly in Amber & Fiery Cross (1-5). It was like handing a coke addict a fat rock. I was hooked from page 2!! The entire series is genius but if I have to pick, the third book, Voyager (Outlander), is my favorite. I won't give too much away because I really want you to all go out and read these books but I will tell you that I was able to identify with some of the personal issues in this book more than others I have read. So really, go out and pick up the first book and get ready to cozy up with one of the greatest historical romances you will ever read. I think the best part about Gabaldon's writing is that she has a way of taking historical events and almost warping them around her characters so that you finish the books believing that they are real people who actually lived and participated in said events. And like I said, a great author has the ability to make me believe.

Danielle Steel



I always feel a bit like a sell-out when I tell people that I like Danielle Steel. She's such a cliche answer for girls.

"Oh I love to read! Tee-hee! I love Danielle Steel! Romance is the best!"

Ugh, gag me with a spoon full of sugar. What I like about Steele is not her simple writing for the masses. I like how she can actually make you feel the emotions of the characters. Take Heartbeat for example. The first time I read this book I wanted to scream at one character, kiss another and felt like Adrian's dilemma was my own. There were many parts of the book that I was actually in tears, anxiously turning the page, hoping that there would be good news in the next paragraph. Again, she has the ability to make me believe what I'm reading.

Laurell K. Hamilton



I know that Hamilton is mostly known for her Anita Blake series (The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter)
). However, I had never read her or even heard of her when I was browsing in Borders and saw that they had a special. Buy 3 books, get 2 for free. How can you beat that?? I asked myself. My answer? Well you just can't. So I grabbed three books that I had really been wanting and then I steadily searched for two more to complete my purchase. But lo and behold, they didn't have any others in stock that I decided I couldn't live without. On the verge of missing out on this great offer, I headed back to the front of the store and was stopped by a display of Laurell K. Hamilton's new books. Hmmmm...I thought to myself as I grabbed one and read the teaser on the back cover. Within seconds I was in line, tightly clutching my original three books now joined by two of Ms. Hamilton's newest books. And I was HOOKED! I actually failed and happened to purchase books 5 and 6 in a series and so had to trudge back to Borders and buy the remaining books. However, I consider them an investment. I have yet to read her Anita Blake books, and I'm not sure if I want to. I'm so wrapped up in the world of Princess Meredith (A Kiss Of Shadows) that I almost feel like I would be cheating on her if I delved into a new realm. That's how Hamilton gets you. Her writing is so realistic that you catch yourself wondering if the person sitting next to you on the bus is actually fey.

James Patterson



I can thank my ex-mother-in-law for introducing me to James Patterson. In fact, I believe she actually bought me my favorite novel of his, The Lake House. Again, a Christmas present. The ex's mom was hooked on Patterson's Alex Cross novels (I, Alex Cross.
). I think she may have bought The Lake House by accident and then decided to pass it on to me. However it came to happen, I had stumbled upon gold. I quickly went out and bought the prequel, When the Wind Blows. The books are quite different from the Alex Cross stories...and yet, they aren't. It is still Patterson's great writing at work, weaving a world where corruption and deceit are much closer under the surface than we'd all like to believe. If I could only figure out how he does it, I'd be rich.

John Grisham



For a former lawyer, Grisham has certainly made the jump to accomplished author quite well. Whether they are actually stories from his days in the courtroom or not, it doesn't matter. His writing is so realistic and evokes such powerful emotions that it's often hard for the reader to separate fiction from reality. By far, my favorite John Grisham title is A Time to Kill: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback). And yes, I read the book and loved it way before I saw the movie. Remember folks, I had parents who censored what I was allowed to read and watch. I think I actually snuck this book from my mom and read it without her knowing. (I know, I know...I was a horrible teenager.) My mom isn't a huge reader like I am, but she does own every single John Grisham book. She and my step-dad read them together, it's actually kind of sweet. Anywho, I love that Grisham's writing is just on this side of improbable so that you're left wondering if our justice system really works at all. A Time to Kill is like that for me. I want to run out and correct all of the world's injustices after reading it. If only we could all inspire such a reaction...

Sandra Brown



As far as I know, she's no relation of Dan Brown, but I haven't really investigated that possibility either. If anyone is bored and wants to look into it, let me know what you find out, k? Anywho, Sandra Brown's book Envy was another one of those quick Wal-Mart type decisions. Sometimes I just want something new to read and none of my authors have anything new out...so I make impulse purchases. Most of the time I wind up taking the book into the local used book trader, but every once in a while I find a gem. Envy was, and is, a gem. It has a prologue that makes me drool with jealousy for her talent. The book continues with more twists than a strand of DNA. Brown also has a crazy ability to write this amazingly dramatic story and still manage to sneak in a steamy sex scene or two so that you're left wondering if you've just read a Harlequin Romance or an actual novel.


And there it is... Actually, I could probably write about authors and writing all day as it is one of my passions. Unfortunately the daily grind will be cranky if I don't come in for my shift tonight. And the boyfriend would probably like to come home to dinner...just a thought. So off I go...but before I do- Everyone, please, please, please take the time out to check out these authors. If you like to read, I know you'll love the books mentioned today. And, as always, leave your comments and let me know what you're thinking! Until Monday morning folks!