Month: July 2013

The Way, Way Back: Indie Films don’t have the budget to be disappointing explosions

2013 for me has been a semi-depressing collection of films.  Quite a few of the big films have been explosive disappointments.  It would be like instead of Jaws, Spielberg made Sharknado.  Jaws doesn’t suffer from a lack of shark; Sharknado (probably) suffers from an overabundance of sharks.

The film I saw today (yesterday), The Way, Way Back is an example of an enjoyable movie experience.  Written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, this small (under $5 million budget) film is bursting with charm and awkward humor.  If you can’t tell, I’m recommending that you see this film. Continue reading “The Way, Way Back: Indie Films don’t have the budget to be disappointing explosions”

Summer of YA: Allen Zadoff, author of Boy Nobody @allenzadoff

I may not post as much about the Summer of YA event that was held today at the Barnes & Noble in beautiful Glendale California.  Basically it was a great opportunity to spend some time talking with a bunch of YA authors and I don’t know why you didn’t attend … assuming you didn’t of course.  Some of you did attend like me, Alethea and Andrew Smith.

In preparation for today I finished Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff.  Our protagonist is a teenage assassin who infiltrates lives and murders parents.  I remember hearing about it when it first came out and I was intrigued by the premise, so I downloaded the sample in iBooks and I was pretty hooked.
Continue reading “Summer of YA: Allen Zadoff, author of Boy Nobody @allenzadoff”

Catfish the TV Show: Dorion & Jeszica

I think the important thing to take from last night’s episode of Catfish:  the TV Show is that men and women communicate differently.

MEN.  When your girlfriend says “Oh, sweetie, I think you should do it.  This could be your thing.” may actually be a test.  What she might mean is “if you value your life, and I only assume you value me more than you value your life because I will kill you if you do this, then you will not pursue this.  You aren’t exactly an example of success so you should value this relationship that you have because when things go wrong and they will go wrong, nobody will be having sex with your sorry ass you usless sack of –”

And she’ll probably smile.

The top 1% of reviewers on Goodreads! (I am one of the top 1% of something!)

Yesterday I received an email that said “On behalf of the Goodreads team, I want to say thank you.  You’re in the top 1% of reviewers on Goodreads!  Your many thoughtful book reviews help make us a vibrant place for book lovers.”  The email went on to say that the community has grown to 20 million members.  Which suggests that really, I’m one of their valued 200,000 users.  A lot of people I’ve tried to bring into goodreads but it hasn’t really tickled their fancy and they have stopped using it.  Which is why it’s not too surprising for me that I would be in the top 1%.

Dear publishers, publicists, and other people with galleys:  consider this your invitation to try and ply me with access to your wares.  I’m not asking for anything untoward, just advanced reader copies….  yes, apparently I and this sparse blog count in some circles as a tastemaker and influencer.

“I was told by Apple Care that I could walk into a store and get the part!”

There is a vine video that has recently gained a lot of attention.  In it, a female is shouting inside of an Apple Store (most likely the Apple Store at the Grove; I’ve been there several times and it has that large glass staircase in the middle).  Her message as captured on video is one of frustration as “I was told by Apple Care that I could walk into a store and get the part!”

Continue reading ““I was told by Apple Care that I could walk into a store and get the part!””

The strange affair of the brioughnut

I didn’t know about the absurd bakery craze that is the cronut until after I had left New York.  Am I foolish enough to wait in line for hours in the very early morning?  For two donuts?

… maybe.  What’s the weather like?

Anyhow, a local bakery introduced their donut variant, the brioughnut.  Their website describes it as “A sophisticated hybrid of the all-American doughnut and rich, flaky layers of brioche dough, handcrafted from scratch and laminated using the finest European butter.” Continue reading “The strange affair of the brioughnut”

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court and Winger

I don’t like it when a book gives me a reading assignment.  Winger is not a short book and in part two I encountered this footnote:

Okay. If you haven’t read A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, you should.  Because it is fucking hilarious, and there’s no way you’d understand “Hello, Central” unless you read the book.

Continue reading “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court and Winger”

Upcoming Book Recommendation: Codename Zero by Chris Rylander @chris_rylander

I just finished a digital galley of Chris Rylander’s upcoming book, Codename Zero.  His previous books, The Fourth Stall (Parts 1, 2, and 3) have enjoyable reads and Codename Zero is as well.  It’s a spy action intrigue book set in a quiet North Dakota town.  There’s a new milk bar in town … that’s about as exciting as it seems to get.  (The town, not the book)

I’m recommending it for middle grade readers.  Boys may appreciate it more than girls but maybe use this as a metric:  Do you think fainting goats are funny?  Well then be prepared for GOATEMONIUM.

Apologies in advance:  the book comes out February 4, 2014.  So … be patient.

Book Soup with @rainbowrowell (and @corey_whaley)

Yesterday morning as I was going through the twitter feed when I saw a tweet from Rainbow Rowell that she was going to do a reading signing at Book Soup.  Rainbow Rowell is the author of the most excellent Eleanor and Park a young adult love story that I generally recommend and enjoyed.  She went to BEA but after I had already left town (and hadn’t finished the book yet).  And then lucky me, unexpected opportunity to see her out here (and have since finished the book). Continue reading “Book Soup with @rainbowrowell (and @corey_whaley)”