If only it wasn't true.
Lynne tagged me for the following meme . . . and you can't help but love the description:
“Ten Literary Characters I Would Totally Make Out With If I Were Single and They Were Real But I’m Not, Single I Mean, I Am Real, But I’m Also Happily Married and Want to Stay That Way So Maybe We Should Forget This.”
Hahaha. I love it. This is a much harder list to come up with than I imagined. I tend to forget the characters in a book pretty quickly, so I had to really work at it. Here's my list:
1. Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth would do fine)
2. Ranger from the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich
3. Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind
4. Either Sebastian or Max in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason (or both, but not at the same time)
5. Joe Morelli from the Stephanie Plum books
6. William Ferrers from Sense and Sensibility (not the actor - the character)
7. Cavin of Far Star from Your Planet or Mine? by Susan Grant
8. Dr. Powell from The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier
9. Reef, also of Your Planet or Mine by Susan Grant? (and How to Lose an Extraterrestrial in 10 days, which I haven't yet read)
10. Edward Cullen from Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
That was fun! I'm supposed to tag a few people. Les, Colleen (because she had to have gotten her inspiration for Sebastian and Max somewhere), and Kookiejar, tag, you're it!
Speaking of Colleen and her wonderful novels . . . Kailana has a contest going and the prize is a $25 Amazon gift card, a Vis Bulla t-shirt and a copy of Colleen's next book, The Bleeding Dusk. Not an ARC but a real copy with the gorgeous purple cover. Signed and everything! Oooooh, ahhhhh. In order to enter the contest, you need to either write a fan fiction, draw a picture, or take a photo relating in some way to Colleen's novels - the Gardella Vampire Chronicles (read the full details at Kailana's blog). And, of course, if you haven't read them you really ought to just run right out and get the first two, anyway. So, Kailana has given you added incentive. Very cool. Don't you think Colleen must have done something good to garner such fantastic cover art? I never cease to be amazed by her knock-out covers.In latest news . . . it's Million-Mile Monday (for us, anyway)! Meaning, Delta's Sky Miles program sent hubby a note saying he has reached a million miles of travel with Delta Airlines and he gets a free gift. Well, cool. But, think about it. That's one airline we're talking about. A million miles in 20 years. 50,000 miles a year. At an average of 50 weeks per year (let's just assume he actually stays home for two weeks a year), we're talking 1,000 miles per week. Since 2001, the airlines have downgraded the number of miles they award. That makes it 1000+ miles - not just a thousand but at least a thousand miles a week, on average, that my husband has traveled since our move to the Deep South. And, my Huzzybuns does not just fly with Delta Airlines. Is it any wonder I feel like I've been a single parent for my entire adult life? I looked at that card and thought maybe the husband ought to give me a gift for putting up with him. So, I went to the Delta site and picked out the free gift, a cute little roll-on suitcase. And, you know who will be here when it shows up on the doorstep . . . moi. I feel like I should insert an evil laugh, here. Except, you know, the husband said it was fine if I picked the suitcase out for myself. It would almost be more fun to feel like I'm being sneaky.
It's also Mug the Mailman Monday! Although, I didn't have to mug him because he very kindly delivers. Point being, I got a book in the mail, today. Ask anyone about that and they'll say, "So, what else is new?" Okay, yes, books frequently come and go by mail, here. But, this one is special because I won it from j.kaye in a drawing. It's always ridiculously exciting to win something, especially when you're enough of an airhead to have already forgotten by the time it arrives (yep, that's me). I've tucked her note inside, so you can see it:
J. Kaye's review made it sound like loads of fun, so I'm hoping I'll get to this one, soon.
Currently reading: A Vision of Murder by Victoria Laurie. Figured I'd try to squeeze in one more RIP novel. This one has something to do with ghosts, but I haven't gotten that far, yet.
The book I most want to get my mitts on, as soon as possible: Divisadero by Michael Ondaatje
A random photo that I happened across while looking for photos of autumn leaves (but it was taken in December . . . in Louisiana):
Makes you want to break out the paint set, doesn't it?
Must go. My cat needs me. Happy Monday or Tuesday or Whatever Day You Read This!
Bookfool in a good mood
Ooh...what a great meme! And I love your answers. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'll second some of them when I answer it on my blog.
Peachy, Colleen.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see your answers!!!
That was a fun post...and the meme title is priceless. I knew you'd get Edward in there! Just wait til you meet Jacob Black in New Moon. He's my honey.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Andi!
ReplyDeleteIsn't that title great? I think I wanted to do the meme just to copy the title.
Edward is great. The cold skin and the possibility that he might use his fangs is a bit of a turn-off, but you can't help but love him.
Okay, now just quit that. I have to read some of these books, first. Now, you're killing me. Self-control. I have self-control (and if you believe that one . . . ).
Colleen's vampire stories ruined me for Meyer's. I just couldn't get into the series. Read the first one and easily called it quits. Seems I'm the only female in the universe who hasn't loved them. Oh, well. I can live with it.
ReplyDeleteLove the picture. It's so tranquil which is exactly what I wouldn't be if I tried to paint that scene or anything else for that matter.
Laughed at the endearment for your husband. I've never heard it before - huzzybuns! Too cute. He really does fly a lot.
I always enjoy your posts. You put so much personality into your writing.
Thanks for the contest plug. :) I enjoyed Ondaatje's book, personally. It is my favourite of the books I have read that were nominated for the Giller Prize... but I have more to go!
ReplyDeleteBooklogged,
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that I consider myself to be totally disinterested in vampires, but I love Colleen's books and I had trouble putting down Twilight. They're so completely different that I can see why some folks would like one and not the other, honestly. And, I'm sure you're not alone. I thought I was the only person on the planet who disliked The Thirteenth Tale, but a few people popped up when I mentioned the fact that it didn't melt my butter. There's someone out there who agrees with you.
After I wrote that about the photo, I thought, "Some of us would probably prefer the paint-by-number version." ;)
Yep, good old Huzzybuns is gone more than he's home. I just started calling him by that term of endearment, a few years ago. He thinks it's funny.
Thank you. I haven't written a chatty post in a while, since there was just a bit too much on my mind. Now, I'm not sure when I'm going home and things feel a little closer to normality, at least for the time being.
Kailana,
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I love Colleen's books, so I'm always happy to mention anything that'll help someone get a copy. :)
I've only read two books by Ondaatje, but I loved them both. I was doing the happy dance for him, when he made the short list. I'm not a big contest enthusiast, but I think his writing is deserving of kudos.
The meme is pretty cool and we think a great deal alike, I must say. Ranger first, Morelli second and Max and Sebastian are a dead tie. Why aren't there real men like that around??
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the cover of the new book. The other two are great but this one is superb.
And, I don't paint but it does make me want to either sit with a fishing pole at the end, or dive off the end.
Glad to have you in such a good mood!
cjh
hmmm I want to think on that meme and see if I can remember 10 such endearing characters!
ReplyDeletethat photo is gorgeous.. and yes, paint by number would problably be the better choice for most of us lol
Oh what fun meme, I'll try not to steal all your answers...
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to hear about Colleen's third book! I am FINALLY reading the first one right now and am thoroughly engrossed in it.
Oh how fun!! Both Morelli and Ranger??? Sounds like trouble to me!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the book. Sounds like a winner to me!!
I'll be doing my answers to the meme tomorrow, as today I'm pimping a really good friend's book (stop by and check it out)....but I had to pipe in and say that I couldn't get into The Thirteenth Tale either, and I was really surprised. I love gothics.
ReplyDeleteBut for some reason, it just didn't grab me.
CJ,
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that if there are men like that around they end up eventually looking like the right-hand photo or marrying the wrong girl (the cute one, rather than the brainy one). LOL Baffling, isn't it?
The new cover is my favorite, too. I wonder what color the fourth will be.
Fishing sounds good. I can't even remember the last time I went fishing.
Thanks. I was really perky, last night. Today, I need to do housework and I slept with a cat on my stomach, so I've got a nasty crick in my neck. Ouch, ouch.
Deslily,
It's a difficult meme! I walked around and looked at my book shelves after pondering for a day or two, before writing it up. Very few characters really stick with me; I don't know if that's typical or I'm just an airhead but I had to look up the names of a couple.
I used to paint a little and I attempted to paint a similar photograph. Let's just say it wasn't a great effort. LOL I think paint-by-numbers are right up my alley.
Janefan,
ReplyDeleteIt's okay; you can steal. It took me a long time to come up with them, but I like my choices. :)
Oh, cool, another Colleen fan!!! It's not an easy book to set aside between chapters, is it?
Stephanie,
It's funny seeing a Stephanie write "Both Morelli and Ranger?" LOL Yes, but again . . . not at the same time. ;)
I'd forgotten it was really someone else's review that j.kaye quoted, but it still intrigued me. I just liked the sound of Gibson's writing, from that description. I've got about 5 books in the queue ahead of Spook Country, but it sounds so good that I'm tempted to ignore the piles. Okay, no, I'm not going to do that. Sigh. It's hard being responsible. :)
I wonder what free gift your hubby will get?!
ReplyDeleteDIVISADERO is on my reading list too!
I love the photo of Louisiana, even though I can't pinpoint what it is that I like. Thanks. One more thing, a reminder: Don't forget to add Bookbuddybonnie when you sign up for NaNo. I don't know you WriMo name, and I wouldn't know how to find you even if I did. I hope you can find me.
ReplyDeleteColleen,
ReplyDeleteNo hurry. I'll drop by to read about your friend's book.
I always loving hearing I'm not alone. The Thirteenth Tale just didn't "do it" for me. I've never quite decided whether it was bad timing or the book wasn't for me, but I had to drag myself through it.
Oh, Nancy, your meme put such a smile on my face! :) I would love to give it a shot but I doubt I will collect 10 characters. I am so besotted with Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, he just might be my one and only! :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the win, I have heard amazing things about the "Spook Country", enjoy!
Glad you are in such a good mood.
ReplyDeleteHuzzybuns! That made me laugh.
Thanks for the tag. I saw that meme somewhere and have actually been thinking about it for a while, so at least I have a head start on it. Harder than I would have thought.
Amy,
ReplyDeleteThey let hubby choose from a selection of suitcases for his free gift. I went ahead and chose one that I liked and ordered it. I'll actually be going somewhere in December. Then, either the hubby will end up using it or it'll be in the closet for at least 6 months. I don't get to travel very often.
I lurv Michael Ondaatje's writing. I need to read Anil's Ghost before getting a copy of Divisidero, but that doesn't stop me from drooling at the thought of yet another Ondaatje book. :)
Bonnie,
I haven't been able to find the "author search" feature at NaNo for an entire week. I'm assuming they're just having heavy traffic. When I looked it up in the FAQs (because I knew it was there and I hadn't had trouble finding it, before), I noticed that they remove the author search feature during times of high traffic. I'll keep trying. I'm nancytoes. If you figure it out and beat me to inviting, that's great.
Lotus,
ReplyDeleteI live to make you smile. :)
It's not an easy meme!! It took me several days and I had to walk around, pull a few books off the shelves and look some characters up. I actually kind of hate Wuthering Heights. Someday, I'm going to reread it to see if I missed something!
Oh, cool, I'm glad you've heard good things about Spook Country. I don't recall hearing a thing about it till I visited j.kaye's blog and read the description she posted. In spite of the fact that it was mildly critical, it made the author sound like he's so good that even a little slip isn't enough to say he wrote badly. That sounds pretty positive to me!
Kookie,
Thanks. I think not having to drive to swim or marching practice made last night a relaxing evening. We won't get into the part where my husband broke the laptop. Nope, not going there.
You know I'm always thrilled to get a laugh out of you. ;)
Oh, good, glad you didn't mind being tagged. It's difficult, isn't it? I had no idea how quickly I forget characters, whether I love them or hate them.
I think there'll be a lot of fighting because Mr. Darcy (played by Colin Firth of course), Ranger, Max and Edward Cullen also made my list :)
ReplyDeleteYay for a great mood! I love the title of that meme.
ReplyDeleteAs for the pictures on top? oh, so very true.
Spook Country! I've got that in my TBR stack.
Iliana,
ReplyDeleteI'd particularly fight over Colin Firth. He's the best Mr. Darcy, ever. Ranger and Max are givens. Edward . . . I'd have to get used to that cold skin, but it's worth a try. LOL
Carrie,
It didn't last; I woke up in a blue funk. But, we had a decent day, in spite of my mood. :)
Oooh, good! I want to hear what you think of Spook Country, when you finish! I didn't realize Gibson was the author of Neuromancer (I looked him up at the bookstore, tonight). Neuromancer's on my mental wish list, but I hadn't bothered to add it to the PBS list.
Oh, I'd have Mr. Darcy at number 1 also! This is such a fun meme. (especially the name!)
ReplyDeleteThe photo, as usual, is absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing it.
Melanie,
ReplyDeleteI think everyone agrees on Mr. Darcy! Isn't the name of the meme a hoot? I had to do it, just so I could copy that title.
Thank you. I haven't taken any photos (apart from books plunked on chairs) in nearly two weeks! Weird! I've got to go find something to photograph!
I retitled the meme "tongue and cheek!" Bah!
ReplyDelete