Event: A More Diverse Universe

I'm participating in an event this September called A More Diverse Universe, hosted by Aarti at BookLust. The event is meant to help promote people of color in speculative fiction, and will run for one week starting September 23rd. There's still time to sign up, and I'm hoping all of you will! It's open to both bloggers and non-bloggers.

Because a person of color writing sci-fi or fantasy is less likely to be published than a white person writing about ethnic minorities, A More Diverse Universe is focusing on books written by people of color ONLY. Like who? I'm glad you asked. :) Here are some authors I'm considering:




Ocatavia E. Butler won both Hugo and Nebula awards (as well as the MacArthur Genius Grant) for her speculative fiction novels, which include stories about time travel, vampires, aliens, and our dystopian future. Since I do love the vampires, I'm thinking of trying Fledgling, which was Butler's last novel.



NK Jemison's debut novel, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, is the first volume in a sweeping epic fantasy trilogy and was nominated for Hugo and Nebula awards. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms received some really good reviews when it first came out, and I've been wanting to read it for a while. This blog event might give me the perfect excuse to dig into this chunkster.



In between writing tortuously complex academic articles and books, Gerald Vizenor also writes fiction. Bearheart takes place in a post-apocalyptic US and parodies The Canterbury Tales. Vizenor can kind of make my brain bleed sometimes, but maybe his fiction is less convoluted than his academic writing.



There are many other possibilities, which you can find links to on Aarti's blog. Remember you only need to read 1 book or short story to participate! For more details and to sign up, please see Aarti's very eloquent post at BookLust.

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Movie Review: THE HUNGER GAMES

Originally released: 2012
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz (all of whom get way more screen time than Liam Hemsworth, so I refuse to mention him)
Directed by: Gary Ross
Based on: the novel of the same name

Yay I finally saw The Hunger Games.

I read the book (review here) around the time of the movie's release, and while I enjoyed it and thought it was very well-written, the only character I liked was Peeta Bread Boy. So cute! And he bakes! (I'm German, so, you know... I'm really into my baked goods.) However, I could see how the book could rock in movie format because of the action and the fact that the Games basically is a TV show, anyway.

Apparently I was mistaken about that.


It looks so real...

My impression in the first few minutes of the film was that they were trying way too hard to make it "artistic," and I think that's the underlying problem of the whole movie. There was a lot of energy put into the stylistic elements, and the story and characters suffered for it. As I mentioned earlier, Peeta was my favorite character in the book, but he literally does NOTHING here. My mom didn't even know what his name was after watching the film! The other major characters seemed really dialed down, too. If any actor can hit Crazy Drunk as a character trope out of the park, it's Woody Harrelson, but Haymitch came across as weirdly bourgeois.

Also, as a reader I always think there are certain scenes that you really want to see on the screen in a book-to-movie adaptation, and as long as the movie nails those scenes, they can fuck the entire rest of the book up and it's still okay. In The Hunger Games, the two scenes I really wanted to see were the entrance into the arena and the interview with Caesar Flickerman. If I was a director, I would have poured every cent of my budget necessary into making the arena entrance eye-seeringly awesome, but instead it looked SO FAKEY and unimpressive. Like really, you had a chance to set someone on fire and race through an arena on a chariot, and THAT'S what you came up with? Katniss and Peeta looked like they were farting into Bunsen burners. And helloooooo green screen.

As for the interview with Flickerman where Peeta Bread Boy professes his secret love for Katniss, I think I wanted to see that scene particularly for two reasons: one, that's when I started to like Peeta; and two, I love how awkward it is for Katniss. It's one of the few times in the book where she shows vulnerability. In the movie, though, because Katniss isn't in front of the whole arena and the cameras like she is in the book, we don't see any of her embarrassment. I wonder if someone who hadn't read the book would even know the point of some of the scenes in the movie, since the emotional impact of them on the characters is never clearly established.


Yes, Donald Sutherland, I will marry you. Wait, what?

The movie isn't horrible--I actually think overall it's okay. The casting is brilliant, especially with Jennifer Lawrence--who does a great job--and Amandla Stenberg, who played Rue. And I love Donald Sutherland as the President, because he's my old man crush. Also, the art direction is great in how it references WWII and the Roman empire in a way that feels original.

There were excellent scenes in The Hunger Games--I cried during the district tribute scene and thought that was very well-done--they just weren't the scenes I was interested in seeing. The film felt kind of mechanical, as if someone had invented an algorithm to figure out what story elements would be popular with teenagers. I think that's because the heart of the story, which is Katniss and Peeta's relationship, was lost to the filmmaker's desire to be all fancy with the camera and show us "advanced technology." Do I really care how the Games are being produced? No, I DO NOT, but thanks for taking us out of the action there.

Still, if that arena scene had been kick-ass I'd be willing forgive a lot in this movie.

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Weekend Cooking: THE HOMEMADE PANTRY--101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making by Alana Chernila

If we are to become people who do make butter, we might have to shift the way we see ourselves a bit. We might have to get into the adventurous spirit and unearth our own curiosity about where our food comes from. We might have to make a colossal mess of the kitchen. And we might have to slow down, at least long enough to knead a loaf of bread before the day begins.

Guys. This book is AMAZING.

When I first saw Beth Fish Reads' review of The Homemade Pantry, I thought it might be worth checking out, but I didn't have very high expectations for it. I know how these make-it-yourself-at-home books tend to go: spend lots of money on specialized equipment and lots of time, OR just go to the grocery store and buy it there. Even though I like making my own food, I can't spend tons of money on new equipment for it, and I don't want to spend my entire day in the kitchen.

I didn't realize how perfect The Homemade Pantry was for me until I picked it up at the library. I've made my own cheese (see here), baked my own bread (here), and made my own liquors (here) from scratch before. If that sounds like something you could/want to do, you should definitely pick this book up. All of those types of recipes are in The Homemade Pantry, along with many others.

The Homemade Pantry is divided into sections imitating the aisles of your grocery store: dairy, bread, cereals, snacks, etc., which makes it very easy to navigate. You'll be surprised by how many items you can make at home that you might not have thought of before, like brown sugar. I also like that Alana Chernila didn't hit on my pet peeves with this book--requiring specialized equipment and approaching it from the perspective of a chef. There are some specialized tools required, but not as many as I would have expected in a book like this; and even when Chernila does suggest a particular kitchen gadget, she addresses what you can or should do if you don't have it on hand (including a warning about NOT using glass baking dishes, which I really could have used the first time I baked bread).

Also, from what I know about some of the things I've made in the past, such as ricotta, it seems like the recipes Chernila includes here are the simplest and easiest versions you can find. You really can made your own bread, cheese, etc., without spending the entire day in the kitchen; and as Chernila points out, it's usually cheaper and better-tasting!

The Homemade Pantry makes creating food staples at home extremely accessible. If you've ever been interested in being more self-sufficient, or wondered if you really could make your own cheese, bread, butter, etc., then you should definitely check this book out.


Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads and is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. For more information, see the welcome post.

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Review: FIFTY SHAMES OF EARL GREY by Andrew Shaffer/Fanny Merkin

Anna Steal is a naïve young college senior who interviews Earl Grey, a ridiculously handsome and rich CEO, as a favor to her roommate. He quickly becomes obsessed with her, but will Anna be able to put up with his "fifty shames"?

Fifty Shames of Earl Grey is a parody of Fifty Shades of Grey (in case you weren't able to guess), which started out as short posts on Andrew Shaffer's blog, EvilReads.com. I thought the blog posts were hilarious, and I'm glad Shaffer continued the parody in this format, because Fifty Shames is just as funny and so needed (for my own sanity, if nothing else). Shaffer hits on every annoying or ridiculous thing in Fifty Shades, including the weird sense of geography and distance, inane e-mails, the heroine's tea drinking habits, and her "ethnic friend."

On a side note, I'm ridiculously happy they kept the "I just bought Walmart," line in, because that is THE BEST LINE EVAR.

Fifty Shames of Earl Grey is a very quick read--as it should be--even though it does lose momentum and isn't as funny in the second half. The book is basically a pure parody of the Fifty Shades series (are they calling it a saga now? Please say no), so if you're looking for something that satires romance in a more general way AND has a good story, you're probably better off reading The Princess and the Penis by RJ Silver (review here). But if you HAVE read Fifty Shades and need some sort of antidote, Fifty Shames of Earl Grey will undoubtedly make you laugh. Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy via Netgalley!


My eyes, my innocent eyes...

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Review: THE AMOROUS EDUCATION OF CELIA SEATON by Miranda Neville

Celia Seaton is a governess in a very awkward position. Basically, someone has kidnapped her and stolen all her possessions, including her clothes, and stranded her in the middle of nowhere (Yorkshire?). Why? How? I don't know! Coincidentally traveling through the area is Tarquin Compton, a dandy and leader of the fashionable ton, whom Celia loathes because he insulted her on several occasions, causing her to be rejected by her fiance and forcing her to find a job as a governess. The kidnappers knock him over the head and steal all his possessions, too, leaving him with a case of amnesia. When she discovers him, Celia decides to have a little payback and tells him his name is Terrence Fish, then leads him on a roundabout journey over the moors in search of food, clothing, and shelter. Celia and "Terrence" fall in love, but will Tarquin fall for her again once he regains his memories?

The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton is honestly one of the best historical romance novels I have read in a loooooong time, definitely since the beginning of the year. The main characters are both unique and believable; the plot (although admittedly bizarre) is pretty decent and holds the story together; the story is told in an interesting way; and most importantly, there is a TON of chemistry between Tarquin and Celia. I really wanted these two to get together.

Tarquin is a unique character who is obsessed with fashion and bit of a prig. The reasons why become clear as the story progresses; but when we first meet him, he's pretty unlikable. I did, however, love reading his journey through the book. I also liked how Miranda Neville had him retain a sense of his personality when he had amnesia while forgetting other things--as readers, it really gave us a sense of his essential personality and the fact that he WANTS to be a good person, which makes his more callous and thoughtless moments forgivable.

Celia is not quite as interesting a character as Tarquin, but she is genuinely smart, practical, and independent. It was fabulous to read a romance novel where the heroine was an actual character with a personality, and who didn't drop off to sleep all the time just so the hero could stare at her. Also, all the reasons she had for objecting to Tarquin and his amorous advances (heh) were perfectly valid and understandable, and not just an excuse used to drag out the book.

I LOVED the first half of The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton, where Tarquin and Celia are wandering over the moors; but then I also think I have a particular weakness for "journey" books. I'm not entirely sure, since there aren't a lot of journey books out there (not that I've read, anyway), but I can't remember ever disliking a book where the main characters travel together. Even if I didn't have a weakness for journey books, though, the chemistry between Tarquin and Celia would have drawn me into the story. They don't fall into InstaLust (someone should bottle and market that), and there's actually very little mention of physical attraction between the two; but they definitely share a meeting of the minds and their personalities compliment one another. Plus POETRY IS QUOTED! I love it when characters quote poetry. This scene was probably one of my favorites in the book:

Their gazes met as they held the crude tin vessel between them. Time stopped.

" 'Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine,' " he said softly.

" 'Or leave a kiss but in the cup, And I'll not look for wine.' " She capped the quotation in a throaty whisper.

Sigh! So romantic!

That being said, the story of The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton slowed way the heck down in the middle. As in, "I think I'll stare blankly at my twitter feed instead of reading," kind of slow. Celia and Tarquin meet several characters who are obviously from previous Neville novels; and while I don't have a problem with reintroducing characters, since I haven't read the previous books and this section didn't seem to advance the plot forward at all, I really didn't care.

The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton picks up again after a while, though, and I think by the end the story redeems itself. Overall this book is very entertaining, romantic, well-written, and intelligent, so basically it ticks all my boxes of things I could ever possibly want in a romance. I will definitely be looking into reading more of Neville's work, and if you like historical romances you should check this book out.

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TSS: Lower Standards for Self-Published Work?

I've seen some discussions on Twitter recently between readers about lower standards for self-published work. Should we have lower standards for self-published eBooks? Some say no, because you still have to pay for self-published books; and if you're spending money on them, they need to be written and edited to the same standard a traditionally published book would be. But the fact remains that they aren't traditionally published, and they can have a lot of errors.

From what I can tell, most of the disagreement stems from publishers' claims of being "gatekeepers" to published work. If publishers are holding books to higher standards, it would make sense (-ish) that self-published work wouldn't meet those standards. But the gatekeeper argument lost any credibility with me a long time ago. If you're going to publish a non-fiction book that cites Wikipedia as a source--not once, but numerous times--and expect people to pay $17 for it, you don't have the right to claim you have standards of ANY SORT (see my review of The Founding Foodies here). And I think we've all encountered books published by the Big 6, especially eBooks, with spelling, grammar, and formatting problems.

Even though I think traditional publishers necessarily have higher standards, though, at least with a traditionally published book you know it went through some sort of process. An editor at least looked at it. You have no idea what the process of publication is for a self-published work. I know several self-published authors who hire editors and their work is very professional and polished; then are others who also hire an editor, and their books are riddled with errors. And then there are those who don't hire editors at all. All of these books are equally available in the digital market, and not necessarily priced accordingly. Should we approach them equally?

Honestly, I don't think you can hold everything to the same standard. When I teach, I don't have the same expectations for a gen ed class as I do an upper division course. I have a higher standard for books by my favorite authors than I do books by unknown authors; or even books with prettier covers versus plain ones. I'm not sure there's any such thing as approaching a book completely unbiased, but if there is, it doesn't happen very often.

Personally, I don't think the customers' standards should even be an issue--everyone has different standards and expectations. The question that really matters is what are the producers' standards? If the people producing content don't take pride in their work, one has to wonder why they're even bothering to write and publish in the first place.

Do you have lower expectations for self-published work?

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RomCom Title Mash-Up

I heard about a book the other day titled From Notting Hill with Love... Actually. Now, I really know nothing about this novel and haven't read it, so it could be the greatest book published in history (or not); but here's what I do know: THAT IS THE LAZIEST TITLE EVER. Seriously, you're just going to cobble together successful romantic comedy titles and hope that sells? I could do the same in a flat minute. For example:

• When Harry Met Kate & Leopold--In this time-traveling three-way, Harry meets a couple from the future and the past and discovers men and men and women and men and women and women can't be friends, because the sex is ALWAYS THERE.
  
• Becoming Jane Wimbledon--A Regency miss becomes an unlikely tennis star, but her love life is complicated by the fact that she has to pick between two suitors: Laurence Fox and Paul Bettany. Aiiieeee! How will she possibly choose, especially since she can barely tell them apart? (Ooops, I forgot Becoming Jane wasn't a romantic comedy. Never mind.)
  
• My Big Fat Wedding in Manhattan--A shy woman who's a wedding planner falls in love with a client who believes he's a Greek statue and refuses to wear a shirt.* Then they move to Manhattan and she gets a job as the most expensively-dressed hotel maid in the city, leading some to speculate that she's actually a pop singer.
  
• Down with Liberty--The president's daughter falls in love with a star journalist; so to capture his attention, she moves to Europe, invents a new identity, and writes a sensational book suggesting men should do whatever women tell them to. But will the Secret Service discover her before the journalist realizes he's in love?
• Four Weddings, an Abbey, & Me--In this Edwardian-set historomedy, the reluctant heir to an earldom is tired of attending his friends' weddings, especially since he's "unable to pass on the title," if you know what I mean. So he travels to America to attend college and falls in love with a career-minded waitress who teaches him how to slice cold cuts. If you know what I mean.
  

That took me five minutes tops, even with the typing. Plus you get the plots for free!

Your turn: What are some romantic comedy title mash-ups you can come up with?




*I think this is the actual plot of a Sherrilyn Kenyon novel.

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