My first hesitant steps...

So, here we are together, seemingly tethered to this mortal coil (and don't break into Song to the Siren). I'm not sure where I want us to go, but I do know, I'd like to share some things with you.

First, the name, Burlesque of the Damned, is a variation on a scene from a novel I'm writing, plus I have a thing for all things zombie, vamp and evil (this includes small children and welfare recipients).

Second, you need to know that I'm in the process of bettering my writing through immersing myself in reading. I've become a library Nazi, squirreling away 20 or so books at a time, just to have a selection here at home. And, oddly enough, it's Stephen King's fault. Anyone, that has read his book, On Writing, knows that he recommends reading massive quantities, to grasp the nuances of the written language. So I've been on that track since April '06. I'm at a milestone, book no. 40, and I'm not pleased with the choice.

Book Review: Guilty Pleasures by Laurel K. Hamilton



A brief review of the first Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novel.

Boring!

Brief enough for you? Maybe I'm being to simplistic. I was told that the character was "snarky" by an editor. I, of course, had no idea what that word meant. This occurred at a writer's conference, so, I snickered and acted like I was "in the know." The next day in the lobby of the conference hotel, I heard the word again, it fell from the speaker's mouth like a turd, "Seattle writers are so snarky." WTF? After I'd returned home, I reviewed three different dictionaries, and let me be the first to tell you, snarky is not a recognized word, as far as I can tell. My impression is that it doubles for funny-bitchy. So, in reading this book, I was expecting bitchy and funny. As it turns out: not so much. Mild is what I got. Anita Blake is kind of bitchy and if there is humor, its clouded or meant for a reader much less venomous.

I will recommend Scott Smith's The Ruins, if you are looking for a creepy read. And for funny, you've got to jump into a memoir, Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs has an essay about a wintry beach vacation and creepy dolls that will have you pissing yourself.

Well that's enough, for now.

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