Tag Archives: books

The Books We Got for Christmas, 2019

It was a banner year for books! I’ll start from the bottom and go clockwise, finishing up with the two “pocketbooks” in the middle. Ravenmaster is for me. It’s written by Christopher Skaife, Yeoman Warder of the Tower and London, … Continue reading

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Tapas Platter

I borrowed (cough:stole:cough) the idea of a “tapas platter” blog post from award winning writer Brian Fies. * I went into downtown Santa Rosa on Friday. For those of you not “in the know” about Sonoma County, a brewery on … Continue reading

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All Hallows Read After Action Report

Trick-or-treaters started earlier than usual on my street; the first ones showed up at 5:30 and the sun hadn’t even set yet. They were tots, and I think the parents were hoping to keep to a semblance of a routine.  … Continue reading

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Super Librarians Strike Again! LumaCon 2017

LumaCon 2017 was held on Saturday, and once again, the Super Librarians of the Sonoma County Library, the Petaluma Library, the Petaluma High School and Casa Grade High School Libraries came together and made this free-admission, family-friendly comic book themed … Continue reading

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Stop the Presses! The Third Prester John Book, by Catherynne Valente

I spoke to Catherynne Valente while she signed some books for me at FOGCon, in Walnut Creek, CA, last weekend. With a bit of trepidation, I asked her about the third book in the Prester John series. I say “with … Continue reading

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Do We Need Libraries?

“Don’t get mad,” Spouse said, “but I have a question. Are libraries as important now as they were twenty years ago, with the internet and Amazon and everything? I know we love them, but do we need them?” He asked … Continue reading

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… Until it Reaches Up and Grabs You

Books are machines, in a way, are they not? They are communication devices; televisions, telephones, time-travel machines, letting a person we don’t know and may never know share their thoughts, fears, visions and beliefs with us. Books are diagnostic devices… … Continue reading

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The Books We Got for Christmas– 2011

I got two fantasy books for Christmas; The Bards of the Bone Plain by Patricia McKillip and a slim Charles de Lint book, Medicine Road. Spouse got the book on the Royal Society, Seeing Further, which was edited by Bill … Continue reading

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All Hallows’ Read

Neil Gaiman recommends that we offer trick-or-treaters books as well as candy this year. He also recommends we use Halloween as an opportunity to offer people books. (Well, to be specific, he recommends scary books. I have broadened that to … Continue reading

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Good Books, Bad TV

 I checked into the Breakers Inn on Friday, then I walked up to The Four-Eyed Frog and bought two novels, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, and The Godfather of Kathmandu. After wandering around Gualala photographing the awesome waves, … Continue reading

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