tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43113403616636923122024-02-18T18:51:23.241-08:00The Batcave LibraryBatcave: A dark cavernous room filled with a plethora of wonderful and eclectic things.
Library: Place for books.
My blog is about all the wonderful things that I read that I wish I could share with people. I find so many interesting books that seem to slip under the radar, and my room has now become the House Library. Need something to read? Go to Friday's room. I'm sure there will be something there for you.Dust and Denimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252148069101039493noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311340361663692312.post-58590398272683932202013-12-20T01:11:00.003-08:002013-12-20T01:11:50.405-08:00
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Black Magic Woman by Christine
Warren<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwx6oU5We05V0IGUSeQWG-ka8l-d5hpR-uigETLWfTf-s6Dgl54BJNWv945iwLhcCN8z_w9dKvKD_j29BuDKZhujvvspzm3Hjq9-pDfxNE_Vsbrq1hzlXOn5UEz_0pjTIaEup0Oao-X04/s1600/blackmagic_450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwx6oU5We05V0IGUSeQWG-ka8l-d5hpR-uigETLWfTf-s6Dgl54BJNWv945iwLhcCN8z_w9dKvKD_j29BuDKZhujvvspzm3Hjq9-pDfxNE_Vsbrq1hzlXOn5UEz_0pjTIaEup0Oao-X04/s320/blackmagic_450.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Daphanie Carter is thrilled that
her sister Danice finally found her Prince Charming – even though he’s not
quite, well, human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Daphanie is trying
to keep an open mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which is why she
jumps at the chance to enter the hidden world of The Others when a friendly imp
invits her to a non-human nightclub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Daphanie’s curious to see how the Other half lives –and parties-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but soon, one handsome stranger has her
bewitched, bothered and beside herself.<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<em><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enter Asher Grayson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a Guardian, its his job to protect humans
who get mixed up in the affairs of Others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When he spots Daphanie in a club, going head to head with a notorious
witch doctor, he steps in to cool things off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now the heat is on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Daphanie
becomes the target of strange magical attacks, and Asher’s got to undo the
voo-doo before it’s too, too, late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
soon he starts to wonder if this beautiful, beguiling mortal has put a spell on
him – because every little thing she does is magic…<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lets start off by saying that I
really do love Christine Warren’s books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s a note from the author at the start of the book explaining that
in the beginning there was only ever going to be five books (there are at least
fifteen, at this point) and that’s why the order of things gets mixed around
and some facts may or may not add up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But that’s not the problem I have with this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know about anyone else, but I find
the unusual spelling of a character – any character’s – name to be highly
distracting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Daphanie, for example makes
me want to call her Daff-ah-knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or
maybe just Daffy, which is somewhat appropriate considering her behaviour in
the first few chapters of the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, I get it, I really do, that
when facing the prospect of being in-laws to someone who is not precisely human
– not only that, but suddenly discovering that there are far more things in
this world that can no longer be scoffed at and called ‘myth’. That, right
there, is perfectly understandable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
given that her <em>sister</em>, just got <em>married</em> to a <em>changeling</em>, you would think that
maybe, just maybe, she would ask her sister if she had a question about Other
society and how to behave, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>WRONG.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>At her <em>sister’s wedding
reception</em> no less, she catches this little imp who literally looks like a small
devil, surmises that he is there under false pretences and proceeds to
interrogate him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The upshot is that he
takes her along to a place called ‘Lurk’ (and if the red skinned imp wasn’t a
giveaway, the name of this club should have set off a few alarm bells
certainly).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I mention that she snuck
out of the reception for this guy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
dunno, I’d be cranky if my sister snuck out of my wedding reception for any
reason not approaching Chernobyl on a scale of one to catastrophic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, given that she is now in a
frankly dodgy club in an area of town that she shouldn’t be in, in a club she
has no business being at, with a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>being
she should not under any circumstances have trusted – I would have ordinarily
pegged her lifespan to last approximately 3.8 seconds under the
circumstances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But given that this is a
romance novel, she has the rest of the book to stun us with her dreadfully optimistic
(stupid) choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This Asher guy now, he seems to
have his head on straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s just
chilling at the bar, relaxing after a hard day’s work, and in walks this sheila
with wide touristy eyes (she should know better, as the book explains several times,
since she’s from Brooklyn and all).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Naturally she gets into trouble, and he has to step in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admittedly, it’s not her fault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given the same situation, and being called
the same names by an obnoxious person is not going to make me react much
differently to Daphanie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then again, if
I was confronted by some guy in a seedy bar that caters exclusively to people
of a … let’s say special nature, I’d like to think that I would have the damned
sense to keep my mouth shut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially
when a huge guy with wings steps in and essentially rescues my butt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After all that mess gets sorted
out (sort of) we get to see that Daphanie is not some hot tempered ignoramus
with the survival instincts of a suicidal lemming, she’s a hot tempered, highly
creative and wandering world traveller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And she’s a blacksmith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
something I. Just.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A blacksmith?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How wicked is that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, by
the time we get to see her in action, things have progressed to “Holy crab cakes
Batman!” and she just gets the coals of her forge heated up when the manure hits the
windmill. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I won’t go into details, but with
doppelgangers, bad voodoo, zombies, secret plots to take over the world .. it’s
another Tuesday in the world of the Others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Once Daphanie starts using her head and Asher stops using his naughty
parts, and they both start to think – we’re in business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p> </div>
Dust and Denimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252148069101039493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311340361663692312.post-78115285529412505332013-11-01T06:14:00.000-07:002013-11-01T06:14:02.787-07:00
<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Never Ending Story In The Batcave: Part Two of Operation Pink Petticoat<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, being laid up like this means that I get to watch all
the crappy Halloween style movies and shows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Being Australian we, as a family, don’t actually celebrate Halloween, but
it’s still heaps of fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having said
that, I’m a bit wierded out by the Never Ending Story II – it was my favourite
movie as a kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only now, with age and
experience, it’s seriously the creepiest movie I’ve ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It beats out Candyman (seen age twelve) The
Crush (age 13) and Iron Sky (last week).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hell, it even beats out Annie (predatory overtones in the chase scene) and
a tie between Dot And The Kangaroo/The Camel Boy (child slavery, animal abuse, human rights violations, harsh early settler conditions etc, etc...) </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7XFrSDEMYJ1I-6r4hdaOCq9loX0Xw_Skz5aVDdiNepQlPPlcw5qUJ6FriNRMEqT-qfTMR91BlzWdPWkherzt9oW9ZibGDmWOhhR8cRl4K6hJJ5O6O7QARijlufUSLOWO7SqnXeWFe8XP/s1600/j16mhg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7XFrSDEMYJ1I-6r4hdaOCq9loX0Xw_Skz5aVDdiNepQlPPlcw5qUJ6FriNRMEqT-qfTMR91BlzWdPWkherzt9oW9ZibGDmWOhhR8cRl4K6hJJ5O6O7QARijlufUSLOWO7SqnXeWFe8XP/s320/j16mhg.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPNVTCW_anoeAEEDkd7j2TW1Jqytp1GSqwsUCthObHU1gt_pXEQeaL9udvpdAmE1OM7VNsxsg7Me-sGr52sMqym2iORmbg30sVbuWGsYtmLv0fjXEE_14dAFVjt-EUNW9buHFkv9bOpW3/s1600/never_ending_story_remake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The eighties were not gentle with kids were
they?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think, or suspect that is where
I may have learned my compassion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
movies whacked you upside the head with symbolism, but you sure as hell learned
a walloping dose of compassion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
omigod, that theme song! Catchy, poptastic, positive and totally adorkable!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jol04nT3czwl6vZCYgdnfZUvhrv5FOhdSJ5Qzbb2r1zazwheMfx7y3alVRq47__pD5eES-G4BdedbCl8grKbemea9cCcvH2DLlArCwi4Xek7CUTKYCKNA5_ctsiLnauD2jGZWvIgWK4J/s1600/neverendingstory-443.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jol04nT3czwl6vZCYgdnfZUvhrv5FOhdSJ5Qzbb2r1zazwheMfx7y3alVRq47__pD5eES-G4BdedbCl8grKbemea9cCcvH2DLlArCwi4Xek7CUTKYCKNA5_ctsiLnauD2jGZWvIgWK4J/s320/neverendingstory-443.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">
</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Someone get going on making me a Giant Flying Dog. Now.</span></h3>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I never really realised how much writers of the time were
semi-sensitive to the native cultures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the Never Ending Story, I never realised that the writers borrowed
rather heavily from Native American culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As a child I had zero concept of race, colour or creed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t care much for Bastien, whom I
thought remarkable stoopid, and adored Atreyu. Although that as mostly for his
ride, admittedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>;]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPNVTCW_anoeAEEDkd7j2TW1Jqytp1GSqwsUCthObHU1gt_pXEQeaL9udvpdAmE1OM7VNsxsg7Me-sGr52sMqym2iORmbg30sVbuWGsYtmLv0fjXEE_14dAFVjt-EUNW9buHFkv9bOpW3/s1600/never_ending_story_remake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPNVTCW_anoeAEEDkd7j2TW1Jqytp1GSqwsUCthObHU1gt_pXEQeaL9udvpdAmE1OM7VNsxsg7Me-sGr52sMqym2iORmbg30sVbuWGsYtmLv0fjXEE_14dAFVjt-EUNW9buHFkv9bOpW3/s320/never_ending_story_remake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_17" o:spid="_x0000_i1037" type="#_x0000_t75"
alt="Description: C:\Users\E\Pictures\Blog Pics\NES\never_ending_story_remake.jpg"
style='width:269.25pt;height:204pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\E\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\02\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="never_ending_story_remake"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But now, I understand that fairy-tale stories and an amazing
sense of adventure were woven together with a multicultural cast and
recognition of their respective cultures without a single trace of irony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They still are the secondary characters in a
mostly white cast, but it’s such a strong story that I don’t actually
care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, you heard me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t. Care. About. The. Kitsch. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspKh3Q0Jmya6rtufJMhOjL8Nl0Uh70eWUWOWmTp2y_MgkdOrdippIx9cgWFUeDXDah8THMg_Fc4M1xk1TATIgnAaEV-bBkiDWpQRbisPx09huPsA4omo9xnPdtp2iRWQS7oZOD22l-hAT/s1600/hDE1B6B76.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspKh3Q0Jmya6rtufJMhOjL8Nl0Uh70eWUWOWmTp2y_MgkdOrdippIx9cgWFUeDXDah8THMg_Fc4M1xk1TATIgnAaEV-bBkiDWpQRbisPx09huPsA4omo9xnPdtp2iRWQS7oZOD22l-hAT/s320/hDE1B6B76.jpg" width="243" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Got a problem with that?</span></h3>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_15" o:spid="_x0000_i1036" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:203.25pt;
height:139.5pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\E\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\02\clip_image003.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And that’s where I think we went wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VVaTz_U1i2h-XinHHF4cgV8tjwlAQDTE2agJvuRlmU0DBZctFoZ6wwyjH1HAFlMsyTUVniPisA6n6SLHUZbQiarGiWYIyYONcry1Fz4q0yzihcK8zSJPqI9b0gVqd70NJ8tKvK3koqY0/s1600/hD3234327.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VVaTz_U1i2h-XinHHF4cgV8tjwlAQDTE2agJvuRlmU0DBZctFoZ6wwyjH1HAFlMsyTUVniPisA6n6SLHUZbQiarGiWYIyYONcry1Fz4q0yzihcK8zSJPqI9b0gVqd70NJ8tKvK3koqY0/s320/hD3234327.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Say what now?</span></h3>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1035" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:259.5pt;
height:262.5pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\E\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\02\clip_image004.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Somewhere along the line we got bogged down in reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Movies, theatre, film and television need to
take a page out of the Never Ending Story book and base you in reality
only.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all well and good to bring
realism to your writing – so long as you do it with passion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And THAT’s where we’re going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but
the corporations are only interested in making safe money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don’t want to risk losing their precious
millions for the theoretical billions that are possible if they merely cater to
the market they aim at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfhCQeuzp8X5rLD2L0MmpoT_HG1R0y7Mtv7t5O4FRnfimq77TV4uneXweon_Q8giOHpp5Obad4Ch9QIdN1iDyGATwWeWldUr7GOmm33nGVpx9RJ8ve1IvjCuT8WyiyjgqXQgZ7GGGrYKB/s1600/hAF226481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfhCQeuzp8X5rLD2L0MmpoT_HG1R0y7Mtv7t5O4FRnfimq77TV4uneXweon_Q8giOHpp5Obad4Ch9QIdN1iDyGATwWeWldUr7GOmm33nGVpx9RJ8ve1IvjCuT8WyiyjgqXQgZ7GGGrYKB/s320/hAF226481.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Even this kid looks bored with the latest Superman reboot.</span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Seriously?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is it going to take to get us our DC
heroine movie?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not like they don’t
have material to work with here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
the next stage of #OperationPinkPetticoat in case you’re wondering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they need a pitch for a super heroine
movie that’ll knock their socks off, I got about twenty seven at this
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find interesting people
fascinating and comic book writers treat their characters with the respect they
deserve. It’s the artists that let us all down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThjZkizs1QmBoiTP-0KOorvrpXsgwpWTMo5n782eDQ5qfa3PknALOvDCPvan0_xJrYtVHbvYoNd86tOAXcWWryJQeQioNpMTyjMwGneJ-xzvN-0lorXssWWDbnsr7qM3Egi785jLeTF6G/s1600/h6209CD7C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThjZkizs1QmBoiTP-0KOorvrpXsgwpWTMo5n782eDQ5qfa3PknALOvDCPvan0_xJrYtVHbvYoNd86tOAXcWWryJQeQioNpMTyjMwGneJ-xzvN-0lorXssWWDbnsr7qM3Egi785jLeTF6G/s320/h6209CD7C.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Remember these guys?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWfNQO_eWkydXCSsseBh7qGSxB1qe_q9jSFHg1RiwlfG6LYiyyyQIiEMQVp3PZC81rXlBfhp6fdNXBn8I3N69weVZ0rHl1biRwIvWeMUydFOgfR9GxXZEPpPAaDHyY8UbQvChIh7fNewc/s1600/hB214C3EF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWfNQO_eWkydXCSsseBh7qGSxB1qe_q9jSFHg1RiwlfG6LYiyyyQIiEMQVp3PZC81rXlBfhp6fdNXBn8I3N69weVZ0rHl1biRwIvWeMUydFOgfR9GxXZEPpPAaDHyY8UbQvChIh7fNewc/s640/hB214C3EF.jpg" width="435" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZhJjVeAwrl5V-BxvB-lT3xly3jBOcgdTwJP4-Y6znvQbsIoKXhvtgR0mgebtH5CMGNh29cArjcWd1BNgYefeOpYB3SoPC430WRRMOyzEVzyPtnkGe5BUSqSfv5KGNbnPzpbFB7QKhWLwa/s1600/hDF12396C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZhJjVeAwrl5V-BxvB-lT3xly3jBOcgdTwJP4-Y6znvQbsIoKXhvtgR0mgebtH5CMGNh29cArjcWd1BNgYefeOpYB3SoPC430WRRMOyzEVzyPtnkGe5BUSqSfv5KGNbnPzpbFB7QKhWLwa/s320/hDF12396C.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
.........</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvQBUH5W99-BISLvvxPDEWalTvAW-v2oRGc-g4F_ueNvtl6vTDTRfWeNQ9aP_eQSvWWwffAmmp5IWbcPKy2ZyLMFlsu5ilgbFvVm63LLW0Muz3Zbv4JrruChILNOScF8LStlPGTc6pGKw/s1600/58067_10151419968747875_220331276_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvQBUH5W99-BISLvvxPDEWalTvAW-v2oRGc-g4F_ueNvtl6vTDTRfWeNQ9aP_eQSvWWwffAmmp5IWbcPKy2ZyLMFlsu5ilgbFvVm63LLW0Muz3Zbv4JrruChILNOScF8LStlPGTc6pGKw/s320/58067_10151419968747875_220331276_n.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznXDQWLwXwpaKURuE6cxqmSgItgk4c8N1A03kkPEFH87pL2NbnZUb6gXl9pxsBS5EtvaKcD2MDLQ20oG2JydlqRJoL_8eni-OM-Z8-Frpm-P3G6ZDJFGU5_r3HcyMB7e_UXbbQb3onIGF/s1600/imagesCAUNLG3E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_16" o:spid="_x0000_i1034" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Description: C:\Users\E\Pictures\The Mary Sue\tumblr_mu37j3WUZC1remr5vo1_500.png"
style='width:311.25pt;height:373.5pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\E\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\02\clip_image006.png"
o:title="tumblr_mu37j3WUZC1remr5vo1_500"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_7" o:spid="_x0000_i1033" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:5in;
height:447pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\E\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\02\clip_image008.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh, and these little known characters…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrWQ_hmrqUIGGjGQw3s6irljNa9QSzALc94rcE19IXWs9HuQJ6jJrG3txwWrAuDHxZYJM3dSPhiQSPaPxHjimORYgTmo5Yv_fnyS1kdDz5Ysp5CyTEtgeXcUU6hlMjgRTrgQO1o67gmmt/s1600/h6772D3DC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrWQ_hmrqUIGGjGQw3s6irljNa9QSzALc94rcE19IXWs9HuQJ6jJrG3txwWrAuDHxZYJM3dSPhiQSPaPxHjimORYgTmo5Yv_fnyS1kdDz5Ysp5CyTEtgeXcUU6hlMjgRTrgQO1o67gmmt/s320/h6772D3DC.jpg" width="256" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmO8Uq3tSJlYVxEgWAUfE-v283EnkmtFR_MehA7vW6B89TCAV8K0gWlGJrbc2Fl1zACQMNitzt3OAw8h9JAHwOMxfmwFamTFeKe-0gOgXEgJRu0_CQSq7MvwZWwbrOiatDsum9RKMSs4D/s1600/80762880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmO8Uq3tSJlYVxEgWAUfE-v283EnkmtFR_MehA7vW6B89TCAV8K0gWlGJrbc2Fl1zACQMNitzt3OAw8h9JAHwOMxfmwFamTFeKe-0gOgXEgJRu0_CQSq7MvwZWwbrOiatDsum9RKMSs4D/s320/80762880.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqQn32p4r7Pwf2976dVPE3xXLJ2njwN1x901kOMHDm-WJQIzYpai8NLVkepXEc36NX7ZT5xvcZ_5p4zpEVG0JgANatUbTPLxbVLy3mB5EgPh2zKzcrgWBOm6KaqeNUtbxdYNN6htNGl1y/s1600/megara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqQn32p4r7Pwf2976dVPE3xXLJ2njwN1x901kOMHDm-WJQIzYpai8NLVkepXEc36NX7ZT5xvcZ_5p4zpEVG0JgANatUbTPLxbVLy3mB5EgPh2zKzcrgWBOm6KaqeNUtbxdYNN6htNGl1y/s320/megara.jpg" width="242" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxOCnwGAdxd_5ZAYbVC-aDKtTV6s-tTY6P9OIExDkAT22kESBOfNR5wY524dxoxhFbbwsxToOb8Z09KaujLOFMeEXT4wNnw5hBcfedWixPTWscaKRiRKQb4LBhxk5CbCwGsxUTRKaDr7v/s1600/esmeralda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxOCnwGAdxd_5ZAYbVC-aDKtTV6s-tTY6P9OIExDkAT22kESBOfNR5wY524dxoxhFbbwsxToOb8Z09KaujLOFMeEXT4wNnw5hBcfedWixPTWscaKRiRKQb4LBhxk5CbCwGsxUTRKaDr7v/s320/esmeralda.jpg" width="224" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
........</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7lgrGSaBY6SCtpjYFGy2xjzOVQO5mOaa7HT_3JguBzEH_e7EhA2cZRSz4coiqSnGTwDwIWdMLhhdFXPPPhx9lVXoINsjHpjoZaPVoUwwo0r5XiACzc2QtA7YnL525ACzK3uQ8UT5gr7S/s1600/confused.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7lgrGSaBY6SCtpjYFGy2xjzOVQO5mOaa7HT_3JguBzEH_e7EhA2cZRSz4coiqSnGTwDwIWdMLhhdFXPPPhx9lVXoINsjHpjoZaPVoUwwo0r5XiACzc2QtA7YnL525ACzK3uQ8UT5gr7S/s400/confused.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not to forget…<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikD1LcaIbYgsFIhxA30ND_W74PxU9Y9uu5WqVdK1BufRqnCaiwyrgtTsuImIO-LXBUqG4V8sROd53XF0bJKjPF-bIQMxk3edjusay9Im1io-MngKGe6xaZrS6AuZlbyTK2jNUlvy1ShCrm/s1600/bush_confused.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikD1LcaIbYgsFIhxA30ND_W74PxU9Y9uu5WqVdK1BufRqnCaiwyrgtTsuImIO-LXBUqG4V8sROd53XF0bJKjPF-bIQMxk3edjusay9Im1io-MngKGe6xaZrS6AuZlbyTK2jNUlvy1ShCrm/s320/bush_confused.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_11" o:spid="_x0000_i1030" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:183pt;
height:179.25pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\E\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\02\clip_image013.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_10"
o:spid="_x0000_i1029" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:261.75pt;height:204pt;
visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\E\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\02\clip_image015.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></o:p></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Oops.</span></o:p></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznXDQWLwXwpaKURuE6cxqmSgItgk4c8N1A03kkPEFH87pL2NbnZUb6gXl9pxsBS5EtvaKcD2MDLQ20oG2JydlqRJoL_8eni-OM-Z8-Frpm-P3G6ZDJFGU5_r3HcyMB7e_UXbbQb3onIGF/s1600/imagesCAUNLG3E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznXDQWLwXwpaKURuE6cxqmSgItgk4c8N1A03kkPEFH87pL2NbnZUb6gXl9pxsBS5EtvaKcD2MDLQ20oG2JydlqRJoL_8eni-OM-Z8-Frpm-P3G6ZDJFGU5_r3HcyMB7e_UXbbQb3onIGF/s1600/imagesCAUNLG3E.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And of course…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkREF4VDvqz090EFvLL5oKv0MqJf1_eu82E_J-L184DB36tTLrzAxzjzLPMPaUJ7vaD1ERej7_gJy9Jjw_sbsT4lRUBlK-GiGnAaUzIGh51e6XRKmroPZtiVqufEAT2LKvavoXPkJ0qucs/s1600/552509_10150927654386689_1630381934_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkREF4VDvqz090EFvLL5oKv0MqJf1_eu82E_J-L184DB36tTLrzAxzjzLPMPaUJ7vaD1ERej7_gJy9Jjw_sbsT4lRUBlK-GiGnAaUzIGh51e6XRKmroPZtiVqufEAT2LKvavoXPkJ0qucs/s320/552509_10150927654386689_1630381934_n.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_i1028"
type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:339.75pt;height:480pt;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\E\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\02\clip_image017.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I sense a few origin stories in the
force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh, and let’s not forget that little campaign called, the …Hawkeye
Initiative? I’m sure you’ve never even heard of it.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7XFrSDEMYJ1I-6r4hdaOCq9loX0Xw_Skz5aVDdiNepQlPPlcw5qUJ6FriNRMEqT-qfTMR91BlzWdPWkherzt9oW9ZibGDmWOhhR8cRl4K6hJJ5O6O7QARijlufUSLOWO7SqnXeWFe8XP/s1600/j16mhg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7XFrSDEMYJ1I-6r4hdaOCq9loX0Xw_Skz5aVDdiNepQlPPlcw5qUJ6FriNRMEqT-qfTMR91BlzWdPWkherzt9oW9ZibGDmWOhhR8cRl4K6hJJ5O6O7QARijlufUSLOWO7SqnXeWFe8XP/s320/j16mhg.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_8" o:spid="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:375pt;
height:276pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\E\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\02\clip_image018.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s get this thing started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s get some diversity on the screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The new series of the Agents of Shield and
Arrow are pretty good – but they're only nearly there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With ensemble casts you get the chance to play with different
nationalities and cultures. I love it when writers play with a ‘What If’
scenario.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why I love Tony Stark’s
character so much. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s completely
unfiltered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To quote Anthony Hopkins,
he’s not crazy, poor people are crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tony is eccentric! And I have to admit, that with this stupid infection
in my leg (for the last time, I’m Fine!) it’s making me approach Stark
Industries level of intelligence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bit
manic, complete with intervention and everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m seriously considering how to build my own
suit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not even joking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iLApM_Ifk5G8CxJ0r5V27CWjuAvjQzuOmEQwQsPCKQrPss5clmV2VAmjig6FnNk_kfZraDYrNjpwfyazpEayggPqDLcXE6gE3glD4bMQwZsRuyePPncOKzP2PP6V7t44cC0ziRucLxQv/s1600/h46780C70.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iLApM_Ifk5G8CxJ0r5V27CWjuAvjQzuOmEQwQsPCKQrPss5clmV2VAmjig6FnNk_kfZraDYrNjpwfyazpEayggPqDLcXE6gE3glD4bMQwZsRuyePPncOKzP2PP6V7t44cC0ziRucLxQv/s320/h46780C70.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:451.5pt;
height:187.5pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\E\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\02\clip_image019.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bring it!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So that’s the catalyst for Operation Pink Petticoat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7XFrSDEMYJ1I-6r4hdaOCq9loX0Xw_Skz5aVDdiNepQlPPlcw5qUJ6FriNRMEqT-qfTMR91BlzWdPWkherzt9oW9ZibGDmWOhhR8cRl4K6hJJ5O6O7QARijlufUSLOWO7SqnXeWFe8XP/s1600/j16mhg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7XFrSDEMYJ1I-6r4hdaOCq9loX0Xw_Skz5aVDdiNepQlPPlcw5qUJ6FriNRMEqT-qfTMR91BlzWdPWkherzt9oW9ZibGDmWOhhR8cRl4K6hJJ5O6O7QARijlufUSLOWO7SqnXeWFe8XP/s320/j16mhg.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_12" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:156pt;
height:181.5pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\E\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\02\clip_image021.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Ma</span>ny thanks to TheMarySue and Batman And His Bitches for the source
material! Cheers!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dust and Denimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252148069101039493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311340361663692312.post-65459523988647587352013-10-21T01:49:00.001-07:002013-10-27T23:27:18.674-07:00Operation Pink Petticoat Part One<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span><h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Operation Pink Petticoat Part One
– The Germ Of An Idea<o:p></o:p></u></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
This post is going to be quick
fast and dirty – try not to get any stains on the carpet. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAamYDTlsbNs4e4QoNsclCgpctILJTmhXwEzODiIqFkFyvPMPp8h29j_U1LFowxZugYkU_Up1nTIuiyPy6VwksGs5l1HpyygQp2oTIXYcJWO1Fm0LcfwaXvJZcS22hz_JvD4hz4tJIHgQ/s1600/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68skU-uqi8LvOvxCbeKvIgyT5NrCSPEKrRb1Qt0bemZaHLpihyphenhyphen3A22cEzsudLn2JSLuSS6_4p30dUs1D7ARXwskxmUk_-xVdSlkQJzj_dcN1l2Fn50Si0D_xDrWkyjBICQ1fI6Gr8sdAp/s1600/dopamine-dump-210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68skU-uqi8LvOvxCbeKvIgyT5NrCSPEKrRb1Qt0bemZaHLpihyphenhyphen3A22cEzsudLn2JSLuSS6_4p30dUs1D7ARXwskxmUk_-xVdSlkQJzj_dcN1l2Fn50Si0D_xDrWkyjBICQ1fI6Gr8sdAp/s320/dopamine-dump-210.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</span></o:p><br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">I hope he has a jock strap for the balls he must be wearing...</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
By now my campaign has been given
a boot up the arse and it’s on it’s first shaking but firm steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For those of you who don’t already know, or
would like to know what on Middle Earth is hashtag-Operation-Pink-Petticoat, I’ll
give you a short and then an epic version of my road to one sparkling, brilliant
idea.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p><a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
What it really boils down to is
an understanding that the film industry everywhere – not just in NA, but
<u>everywhere</u> – is incredibly cliquey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You either have to be drop dead sexy and charming, amazingly talented or
have the incredible fortune to be ‘discovered’ (more on that later).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The only other way to get work is to know someone. The whole Film Industry is based around the idea of 'Aw, you're my <em>friend</em>, you need work? Oh <em><u>of course</u></em>, see, I know this <strong><em>guy</em></strong>, right...?'. It's a narrow minded view of the world and the same people get cast in the same roles for same parts. "But Friday, you might say, What about Johnny Depp? He plays different parts!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">You have me there, but let me ask you. When was the last time you saw him play a straight role? Ah-ha! You had to stop and think for sec right? He's made a point of taking on odd parts or making really weird choices to up the shock value. Don't jump down my bloody throat about this - he's famous because he takes the roles that no one else wants, or turns them into parodies of himself.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImWdq46jrrbDu0t8AJWcvrTQjL59eeJhhz_wC5VIruTNnN_TykxFKTvHiaiwwIdeRnuywFQ-vuC3979A9hdXLUiNDHDJJOk9kJ2f1G8znhBXWitpZAKIHhnaDtoSs0DQ5eqb-O7eNhZJf/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImWdq46jrrbDu0t8AJWcvrTQjL59eeJhhz_wC5VIruTNnN_TykxFKTvHiaiwwIdeRnuywFQ-vuC3979A9hdXLUiNDHDJJOk9kJ2f1G8znhBXWitpZAKIHhnaDtoSs0DQ5eqb-O7eNhZJf/s320/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</div>
</span><h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">See?</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Did you know he wasn't even supposed to be the lead in the Pirates Franchise? And yet who is it that you remember? </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0M-grTwqy_8hyOJZ1zpqWaMrLprMfRkdyRqTnxnokLDZfniHZTNu7vR5xR_sio-QvdbDkl6NulDcmBZXNPAQ3ZUOnboxLZHp0L8mcd_aeUUhyphenhyphenpvbSjapGZshcBPAaRgyGlXqdg_Rs4WVp/s1600/jack_sparrow_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0M-grTwqy_8hyOJZ1zpqWaMrLprMfRkdyRqTnxnokLDZfniHZTNu7vR5xR_sio-QvdbDkl6NulDcmBZXNPAQ3ZUOnboxLZHp0L8mcd_aeUUhyphenhyphenpvbSjapGZshcBPAaRgyGlXqdg_Rs4WVp/s320/jack_sparrow_04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Remember?</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Precisely. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The whole franchise was geared towards Elizabeth Swan's character, but Depp was so damn over the top that the subtleties of every other actor on the set was completely blanched. And if you listen to the commentary on the first film, you actually hear he and the Jerry Bruckheimer laughing about it, deflecting it into a joke. But I'm sure some heard that, thought it was great and ran with it in their rabid fandom. It must have seemed like a Good Idea at the time but... as much as I enjoy Johnny's performances, it seemed a little selfish to me. A <em>good </em>actor would know when to fade into the background and let someone else shine. A <em><strong>great</strong></em> actor would disappear entirely. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXRdcAHqTDZH76ni1S1kG6QWFphvKZIghEwcF6Dk06BF7D6WkSZ5AtBTJrzxlqWAsKzbffbmL98bKENXP807pu957JmwYE9hsnYm896-9c9zwfufmWsdJAxWpCjrfT7KrTPSvbYJvhw9N/s1600/imagesCAKHGIJW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXRdcAHqTDZH76ni1S1kG6QWFphvKZIghEwcF6Dk06BF7D6WkSZ5AtBTJrzxlqWAsKzbffbmL98bKENXP807pu957JmwYE9hsnYm896-9c9zwfufmWsdJAxWpCjrfT7KrTPSvbYJvhw9N/s1600/imagesCAKHGIJW.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> </div>
</span><h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Yeah. I said that..!</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">So t</span>he idea is this: Hollywood is operating on
the Dead White Guys version of history and promotes racial segregation,
discrimination, Misogyny, racism and general douche-baggery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Movie executives are supposed to be terrific
managers and see trends as they emerge and rise to meet them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the trend set by Hollywood, you know the
Centre Of The Fricken Universe according to the residents, promotes sexual
deviation, perversity, violence and the usual cocktail of Sex, Drugs and Rock
and Roll. Not that I have anything against Rock Music, quite the contrary, I love a good 80s metal hair band. No, my problem with Rock is the expectations that go along with it, and the behavioural stigmas associated with the genre. Everything in moderation, amiright?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDndVRrIRW9QcaQTkB6TzIcEpvM9kYhuzeSE21mi2tmOsAYUsj9IyR0-a_IyCcRfVreQUikG3NeMeOcJfpyNk5jKqnn3w6iOVXDzkHoeOGaDpULGbesNd73dfAUHqu8TYgrisO2rAT2yk/s1600/christians1301_wideweb__470x311%252C0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDndVRrIRW9QcaQTkB6TzIcEpvM9kYhuzeSE21mi2tmOsAYUsj9IyR0-a_IyCcRfVreQUikG3NeMeOcJfpyNk5jKqnn3w6iOVXDzkHoeOGaDpULGbesNd73dfAUHqu8TYgrisO2rAT2yk/s320/christians1301_wideweb__470x311%252C0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">All in favour?!?</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
You would think that people in
ivory towers would occasionally climb down and get their hands dirty with us
mere peasants, but no – we have to beg for intelligent entertainment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I <strong><em>seriously </em></strong>cannot believe that the vast
majority of producers and other very powerful corporation owners would
completely overlook a huge (and very, Very Lucrative) market regarding at <em>least</em>
half the population.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqFR_AB3-FEgVIWKiw8-TrM8sxGj4Kq_kpZolh5pYDavJ_2JHZ_hjQQfiISOz9X6bwc9JrY4UiiZzMYsh6uEB5vQ_104vN4S05coQxvaTTi2URcoHdD519xq79akUKE9MXqWt9Wa3Za58/s1600/questioning+face.jpg" /></div>
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</span><h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Dafuq?!?<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p>I’m trying to change the way the
world thinks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to give the world a
moment of surrealistic pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want
to give this world a moment we could look back on and actually say out loud “I can’t
believe we were like that.” And say it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Loudly.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In shocked tones. <em>Repeatedly</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">***</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
The world is already
turning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Change is upon whether we like
it or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To borrow from the X-Men, the
next stage of human evolution is upon us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whether we chose to accept and embrace the change is entirely up to
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhak8g_yTdlX0hiqLuXScK3j4oS4V72shqHC9_OSqhRIHQqKLrknkvlQpgkONHLZBcKy0x890nW3dnr-RIKp5GnWGJQgjy2vHro3CZpbY3DHCK_tP3bzSA7M7EhMswnZOrCIIF6ZZ3lS1nO/s1600/imagesCAC2EPA5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong><em><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhak8g_yTdlX0hiqLuXScK3j4oS4V72shqHC9_OSqhRIHQqKLrknkvlQpgkONHLZBcKy0x890nW3dnr-RIKp5GnWGJQgjy2vHro3CZpbY3DHCK_tP3bzSA7M7EhMswnZOrCIIF6ZZ3lS1nO/s1600/imagesCAC2EPA5.jpg" /></em></strong></span></a></div>
</span><h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>To me, my X-Men! Make it so!</em></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>If I’ve already convinced you
here’s the Twitter tag in order to attempt to blow up the internet with the
#OperationPinkPetticoat. Fly my pretties!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Have fun storming the castle! Bu-bye!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBLqy4qFAREgKqOoFmuN0fmdfTlNOJGl_VUcQlVrGtHKuEKWmaf4YMp3XJvm2e4xga7uahBpqSWbuDZBbPjBBOcYDg1PXdLvgwo7uNFw3SCTPkp5wZ_rZHKzIgXsTAjWg8LAv5C96P92C/s1600/have-fun-storming-the-castle-boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBLqy4qFAREgKqOoFmuN0fmdfTlNOJGl_VUcQlVrGtHKuEKWmaf4YMp3XJvm2e4xga7uahBpqSWbuDZBbPjBBOcYDg1PXdLvgwo7uNFw3SCTPkp5wZ_rZHKzIgXsTAjWg8LAv5C96P92C/s320/have-fun-storming-the-castle-boys.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
Cheers, Friday. </span></div>
</div>
</span>Dust and Denimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252148069101039493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311340361663692312.post-46091498493734163892012-03-19T03:00:00.000-07:002012-03-19T03:00:24.924-07:00Dukes To the Left Of Me, Princes To The Right by Kieran Kramer<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfJMVNkFh4TVCvtJN7Vv2tg7TLgJAV5gQx4UaL1j5wDBWEjSoysrFVhO7WzFr6iZHjEnF4xe71NO1k2EwcXQ39WPybf98lGMkf77Glrf_bRSqj7Sxsydg2caJPuhK7RuAmBKp5NqxJaJC/s1600/DukestotheLeft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfJMVNkFh4TVCvtJN7Vv2tg7TLgJAV5gQx4UaL1j5wDBWEjSoysrFVhO7WzFr6iZHjEnF4xe71NO1k2EwcXQ39WPybf98lGMkf77Glrf_bRSqj7Sxsydg2caJPuhK7RuAmBKp5NqxJaJC/s320/DukestotheLeft.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em></em></span></div><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Most Women would not be please to be labelled a spinster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Lady Poppy Smith-Barnes isn’t most women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, Poppy has invented an imaginary fiancé, the Duke of Drummond, to deter unwanted suitors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A very useful fellow, this duke, until the real Drummond turns up and uses Poppy’s ploy to trap her into a betrothal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>A good spy flies below the radar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which is why being named one of the Prince Regent’s ‘Impossible Bachelors’ is so inconvenient for Nicholas Staunton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every society female will be out to ensnare him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nicholas needs a fiancée – and Poppy’s ruse is the answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could he have known she’d be a brazen, sensual siren with an irresistible taste for adventure?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now nothing less will do to convince his fiery Poppy to revoke her spinster status ...</em> for good<em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em></span></div></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s been a while since I’ve actually read a regency novel and I was pleasantly entertained by this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the really great elements of a classic regency story, things that I love about the genre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The heroine is smart and ‘plucky’, and since she is a well brought up young lady she doesn’t suffer from the indignities that a contemporary heroine might face when labelled as such.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regency heroines have class, and thankfully are unlikely to fall victim to the hi-jinks of the ‘oops, silly me’ brigade most modern-day female characters tend to favour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thank God</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lady Poppy is my kind of girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our hero, is a spy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Need I say more?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh al<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right</i>, he’s the typical devil-may-care romance novel bachelor, which means that he loves women, but can’t seem to decide on just one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the ladies don’t seem to mind so much (romance bachelor trait number two).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But naturally, he has the good sense to realise that Lady Poppy is a total catch, as opposed to all those old-school romance bachelors who tended to be of the rape first-think later school of thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank goodness <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that’s</i> over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The thing about this book is that it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exciting</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who’d have thought right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have Poppy, who has been proposed to twelve times and knocked back every single one, to the point where she has a ready-made, well-rehearsed speech, all because she harbours a crush on Prince Sergei, who she met in St Petersberg when she was fifteen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She lets them down gently by telling them about this guy, this made up guy, called the Duke of Drummond, who she’s madly in love with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, she knows perfectly well that there is no such person, hasn’t been for years, but it lets her potential husbands walk away with the pride still mostly intact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The newly titled Duke of Drummond Nicholas Staunton is British Secret Service, a Victorian James Bond and when events conspire against him (gets a title, gets a shot at a highly secret mission and gets on the Prince Regent’s Impossible Bachelors list) he needs to find himself nice and boringly engaged so the title hunting debutantes leave him to do his work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How fortunate for him that there’s this woman running around London, knocking back suitors because she says she’s in love with him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never mind that they’ve never met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Confused yet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will be.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nicholas takes off to the nearest ballroom where he expects he can find this young lady, get engaged (officially), married and send her off to the estate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After he does all that he can get a shot at this prize mission, Operation Pink Lady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do love an awesome mission name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poppy, who is at this ball so she can meet Prince Sergei for the first time in six years and hopes to snag him properly now that she’s all grown up, gets caught between the two of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh dear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s not like she can say in front of a crowded ballroom that she made him up because she was waiting for Sergei to come strolling back into her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because he’s her soul mate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Really</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh, and Prince Sergei’s sister, Princess Natasha (brat, witch and corgi owner) is a former lover of Nicholas’ that she had to drug to get him to stay a whole night while he was trying to seduce information out of her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Didn’t I say it was going to get complicated?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After that, there are a few deals made between Poppy and her by now no-longer imaginary Duke, after the clever cookie figures out that he is not all that he seems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He’s</i> surprised she finds the idea of rusticating in the country abhorrent and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she’s</i> surprised that he isn’t a Neanderthal halfwit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>He</em> comes to the realisation that maybe, just possibly there’s a woman out there who fits his idea of the ‘Perfect Woman’ and he’s just lucky enough to be engaged to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>She</em> discovers that possibly the perfect guy for her isn’t Russian after all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mighty Wang, meet Magic Woo-Hoo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a scene where Poppy, Nicholas and the two royal (pain in the arse) Russians go to the museum on a sort of double date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It borders on farcical, Natasha’s precious dogs being pushed along in a baby carriage of all things, while the two British spies try to winkle some much needed information out of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Being a romance novel, of course there is some sexy time thrown in, but it’s not the full frontal stuff you get sometimes which is usually to try and boost readership or some such nonsense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That much graphic material is not necessary with this, it’s just great writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t get me wrong, there’s some pretty hot stuff in there, but you’re never suddenly struck with the feeling that you’ve accidentally walked in on your roommate and her new guy doing something interesting on the washing machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mistaken identities, imaginary fiancés, family betrayals, spies in training, manipulative princesses, missing paintings and Viking treasures... it’s one hell of an adventure and I can’t wait to find the next book by this author.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div></span>Dust and Denimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252148069101039493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311340361663692312.post-63335529572376640082011-07-03T05:04:00.000-07:002011-07-03T05:04:15.268-07:00Spying In High Heels by Gemma Halliday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTtaM1HlI5OxH5vYYIld3VHzQygZlEMo6boZbdFOZ9O0oY1eCRV70A3kl27rRvDDdrSLh03LWlm7pZrIP7gSLCvjV7br2a3vXn0JPgRzbgRq4LAsYVIJ9_pUWC2sC3htf4KXZJ779u3Sk/s1600/Spying_Cover_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTtaM1HlI5OxH5vYYIld3VHzQygZlEMo6boZbdFOZ9O0oY1eCRV70A3kl27rRvDDdrSLh03LWlm7pZrIP7gSLCvjV7br2a3vXn0JPgRzbgRq4LAsYVIJ9_pUWC2sC3htf4KXZJ779u3Sk/s320/Spying_Cover_big.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>This is a book I picked up for five bucks at a newsagency. I'm so glad that I did. <br />
<br />
<blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>LA shoe designer Maddie Springer lives her life by three rules: Fashion. Fashion. Fashion. But when she stumbles upon the work of a brutal killer, her life takes an unexpected turn from Manolos to murder. And things only get worse when her boyfriend disappears - along with $20 million in embezzled funds - and her every move is suddenly under scrutiny by the LAD's sexiest cop. With the help of her post-menopausal bridezilla of a mother, a 300 pound psychic and one seriously oversexed best friend, Maddie finds herself stepping out of her stilettos and onto the trail of a murderer. But can she catch a killer before the killer catches up to her? </em></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The back cover blurb is a teeny bit deceptive, though in a lovely and unexpected way. Maddie Springer <em>is</em> an LA shoe designer - though she designs kid's shoes. And her boyfriend <em>does</em> disappear - but not at the same time as the money. And it is <em>not</em> her lifelong dream to become the next Nancy Drew, she just stumbles blindly into this whole mess trying to find her missing boyfriend Richard. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are so many things that I like about this book and the way that it is written that so many other writers try to accomplish and fail. I like that there is an every-girl candidness about Maddie. I don't usually like books written in first person, but she has a sassy snark to her inner voice that is terrific - not too bitchy but not too sugary sweet either. Maddie has real-girl reactions to significant moment in the story, from a pregnancy scare to a dead body. In both scenarios she panics and freaks out. Many of us would like to think that we could handle such situations with aplomb - or at least with a witty one-liner and a casual flip of our hair - but we all know we wouldn't. Much as we would like to. So while Maddie is bold, stubborn and loyal to a fault, she's not a sickly sweet and unbelievable Mary Sue type or a kick-arse but equally unbelievable urban fantasy heroine with leather trousers. And a sword. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her best friend is apparently a raging nymphomaniac and an actress with regular if erratic work in tiny parts of TV shows that never get seen. This man-eater has more bed partners than bit parts in low-budget television pilots and earns her crust by teaching aerobics at the local gym. Despite Dana's cartoony description, she is actually a worldly and well developed character, something that other writers (at least the bad ones) tend to overlook. I have a feeling that Dana leapt off the page and took on a life of her own, possibly to the bemusement of the author, her personality is so strong. So the 'best friend' character actually has her own life and a little side plotline all to herself. She's a funny, enthusiastic and positive foil for Maddie who often had confidence issues during the tale, especially when her boyfriend's apparent second life comes to light and Detective Ramirez starts to show a decided interest in the blonde protagonist.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Which leads me nicely into our male leads. I have one word for you: Yummy. One is her wayward boyfriend Richard, whom she believes she might be accidentally pregnant to and is where this whole story starts - Maddie panicking madly because she's, as Maddie puts it <em>'late'</em>. The other is the deliciously sexy cop investigating Richard's suspicious disappearance and circumstances, Detective Jack Ramirez. Maddie thinks he is one of the bad guys to begin with, upon her first sighting of him and treats him as such: with extreme caution. She runs into him more and more often as their paths criss-cross in their mutal attempts to find the same man, though for very different reasons and despite her horrified guilt with herself, finds herself unable to resist her attraction to the cop. I absolutely love the self-flagelation that Maddie goes through when she can't get Jack out of her head but suspects she may be pregnant to her boyfriend who she is discovering is Not A Nice Man after all. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I really, <em>really</em> like the part about going out for her Mum's bachelorette party to a place called 'Beefcakes' (!!!) and accidentally getting drunk on what she thought were non-alcoholic drinks. Had me giggling all the way through it - the whole of chapter fourteen. And the aftermath in chapter fifteen. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There were really only one or two small things that I didn't like and they were so minor it didn't change the fact that I still really like the book, but they are worth a mention since they tended to jar me out of the story and were a wee bit intrusive. Maddie's devotion to her boyfriend in need is admirable. It's not often the bloke needs rescuing in one of these mystery novels so it's refreshing to see the girl saving her man. However - and it is a <em>huge</em> 'however' - the more she finds out about her boyfriend of five months other life, the less I liked him. If maybe they had been together for several years I could probably understand her reluctance to believe that he would do something stupid or criminal but it's too short of a time. Some of the things that Richard is mixed up in are pretty nefarious and yet Maddie refuses to see the light. Even when confronted with a condom wrapper. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his office.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Where they have never had sex.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">She <em>still</em> makes excuses for this loser. There are more and worse than that but I won't spoil the story. Admittedly, Maddie does eventually realise that she is just making excuses for him but that doesn't help her earlier on in the story, she's so blinded by her love for a man who is not worthy of it. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u>Meanwhile</u>. Sexy, honourable and <em>available</em> Jack Ramirez is more than just attracted to her and isn't shy in showing her his interest. There were times when I wanted to leap into the book, give Maddie a quick slap upside the head, leap back out again and continue reading. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The only other irritating measure was Maddie's refusal to take the pregnancy test early on in the story, without her beloved (by which I mean worthless) Richard close at hand. At first, fair enough, I can understand how she would want the comfort of her partner to be with her when she faces a life changing result. But as the days drag on and she all but tortures herself with 'it's still only 'maybe''. A 'maybe' that could be a 'no' and leave her free to take the good Detective up on his offer for dinner with absolutely no guilt whatsoever! But no, she leaves herself, and by extension, us, in suspense. An excellent way to increase plot tension but absolutely maddening to read! Maddie cites pure, unadulterated terror at the prospect of becoming a mother preventing her from taking the test and I can probably understand that. The teeny, tiny apartment she lives in barely fits her, let alone a child. Her fear is probably what drives her to find Richard, for moral support in her time of desperation, before taking the plunge. Personally, not knowing would kill me far faster than any homicidal maniac running around LA. But that's just me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Apart from those two minor points, it's a terrifically well written book with a twist at the end that even I didn't see coming (I <em>love</em> those!). Gemma Halliday gets a standing ovation from me and I look forward to reading the rest of the High Heels series. (I downloaded some ebooks of hers today, because I can't wait to see what happens next!)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>Dust and Denimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252148069101039493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311340361663692312.post-37439852429170256252011-06-25T22:02:00.000-07:002011-06-25T22:02:08.316-07:00A Shore Thing by Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-YygBI6VU-ifhrbzPr5De6hkbGU2QMZvpkm-mtQiIz1Jzfk3onaXyDO92OmQ8UbT9b1CdABFnGddnOGqfG61koP7yj97TQ-NlmswjAMpigAdnS0xv23OZ2akwW7d6sZaxc4JQ0qE9CzL/s1600/A-Shore-Thing-Book_jpg_300x1000_q85.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-YygBI6VU-ifhrbzPr5De6hkbGU2QMZvpkm-mtQiIz1Jzfk3onaXyDO92OmQ8UbT9b1CdABFnGddnOGqfG61koP7yj97TQ-NlmswjAMpigAdnS0xv23OZ2akwW7d6sZaxc4JQ0qE9CzL/s320/A-Shore-Thing-Book_jpg_300x1000_q85.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><br />
I will not be reading this.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Not to totally shred her wee book, but I cannot, for the life of me understand what is so compelling about drunken twenty somethings that apparently makes such fascinating television and reading material. From all accounts she may be using the money she earns in this caper to turn over a new leaf, grow up some and get started on this thing called Real Life, and good for her. Use the opportunities life throws at you, they are few and far between. But people like me would rather read a ripping good yarn than wonder at the thoughts inside a sozzled head. Once again, I have to admit that one of the reasons I cannot get published is that corporations are intent on making the millions out of - let's face it - titillating diaries of the rich and famous masquerading as fiction. It's hard enough to get into the publishing industry without bookshelves being clogged up by vacuous accounts of people who should probably know better than to get so drunk they don’t remember what happened the previous day and are consequently arrested or charged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We shouldn’t be celebrating this kind of behaviour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all well and good to publish a memoir, but please don’t pass it off as an original, fictional novel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Yes, one of the adages of the author is to 'write what you know'. But this is just something to take <em>inspiration</em> from, not to lift whole days or weeks or years from your own life so that anyone you might know will recognise themselves in the pages. And likely be offended.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Dust and Denimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252148069101039493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311340361663692312.post-1031219943613591052011-06-20T00:06:00.000-07:002011-06-20T00:06:19.332-07:00Steampunk!Since I've decided to move, all my books are now in boxes - so I can't get to them! Let's hope the ones I've ordered arrive soon!<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I found this little gem of an article whilst trawling the net. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.burbankleader.com/news/la-ca-steampunk-20110619,0,4196557.story">Steampunk culture full speed ahead</a>Dust and Denimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252148069101039493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311340361663692312.post-54817595586125201922011-05-18T23:27:00.000-07:002011-05-18T23:27:30.889-07:00Stray by Rachel Vincent<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">Batcave Library is a blog about the many, many, MANY books that I read. Inspired by the 30 Day Book Challenge on Facebook, I feel that there are so many more books I could commemorate or eviscerate. I intend to do my own review of what ever I have happened to read and since I read so much - well, the blog should get updated quite regularly. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">The first book to be reviewed is not a book I love. Or even like.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBNchJc2B6FWumtjwJ5Nxi6JV6orXANEmGsIN1mqyOikZx7Wl5odvR0bTJuQdS8tajrX_HkZiGTnDHKB5DhCTLDlrzvAY_Wwi5l01eqOHKg4X_Va9sz2JZMYkrJK8i0Oq-VmZptkGBnC0/s1600/strayl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBNchJc2B6FWumtjwJ5Nxi6JV6orXANEmGsIN1mqyOikZx7Wl5odvR0bTJuQdS8tajrX_HkZiGTnDHKB5DhCTLDlrzvAY_Wwi5l01eqOHKg4X_Va9sz2JZMYkrJK8i0Oq-VmZptkGBnC0/s320/strayl.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">'Stray' by Rachel Vincent has a blurb that reads thusly...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><em>I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.</em></span></span></div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.</em></span></span></div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><em>This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back... for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever and whoever--I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays--'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them... </em></span></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Now, for all intents and purposes, doesn't this sheila sound awesome? No. I. Hate. This. Book. </span></span></div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">Strong words from a bibliophile, but they are well deserved. I wonder, with trash like this taking up valuable printing space, why the hell I can't get published. So instead, I would like to register my vote for the Most Irritating Character Of The Year. The heroine (and I use this term so very loosely) should -<em>should</em>- appeal to me on nearly every level, and yet somehow, epically fails. </span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">I learned this, the hard way. Now admittedly, the plot idea is solid, a kick-arsery woman, book lover and a bit of a smart arse finds herself in quite a bit of trouble and all of a sudden they are after her. </span></span></div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">And yet.</span></span></div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">And yet, Vincent manages to take what should be the new century's answer to Buffy and turns her into a whining, selfish bitch. Some bitchery in our heroines is okay. It's not good to have Little Goody Two Shoes running around in every novel. At the same time it is a delicate balance that has to be treated with care. If the reader does not ultimately care about the character, then what do they care about the consequences of their actions? Their redemption, their crisis overcome? </span></span></div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">The reasons for my affrontery have been outlined below, in handy numbered point form. Bear with me. There are lots of them. </span></span></div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">1. Faythe (a more ironically named character I have yet to encounter, the spelling of which always made me think of her as 'Faithie' regardless of her age) is a were-cat which should automatically put her in the Kick-Arse Female category. She is also one of only eight single were-females in the US. With only seven other girls to compete with amongst hundreds of sexy, powerful, heroic men, all of whom her Daddy would be pleased to see her bring home, her life is such a drag!<br />
What. A. Dilemma. Which leads me to...<br />
2. As an un-partnered female (or Tabby) she is expected to bear children to one of these numerous Adonis (Adonises? Adonii?) and boost the population, hoping to pop out a few girls. Now, on this one point I am willing to concede that Faythe (oh forgive me for agreeing with the mutton-headed woman) has the right idea. What sane woman wants to be a baby-making machine? But, my darling readers, have these people never<br />
heard of artificial insemination? IVF babies? Seriously, these people live on a <em>ranch</em>.<br />
3. The direct result of this is that Faythe stomps her pretty little foot and takes herself off to University in order to gain independance from her constricting family. This is where I completely lose faith in Faythe - about page three. Does she go off to get her Business degree? Law? Finger Painting? No. She studies Literature. Which is all well and good (after all, I did the same) but for a woman who wants nothing more than to get out of her family's benevolent but suffocating clutches, it is hardly going to help put food in her belly and fashionably up-to-date clothing on her butt.<br />
4. Her degree, her accommodations and all her expenses are paid for out of Daddy's seemingly bottomless pocket. Yes, Daddy is a wealthy tycoon of some unspecified business venture. Daddy takes care of everything. Her mother is a homemaker and immediately dismissed by Faythe as some sort of traitor to the whole idea of post-modernistic feminism because she likes to cook and look after her kids. So when Faythe<br />
finishes the degree her family grudgingly allowed her to undertake (a huge step in itself for such a culturally Patriarchal society), she undertakes her masters without telling anyone, letting the bill for her tuition do all the talking. This is what we would call A Lie. Yet it comes as a rude shock to her, that when she does undertake this course of action without Daddy's knowledge or consent, he throws a fit. Since it <em>is</em> his money she is squandering on a degree that will not really account for much unless she becomes a University Professor, (except she shows no aptitude or ambition to become one) he has <em>every</em> right to flip his lid. As far as I understand it, she doesn't try to supplement her income by taking on a part time job during her studies either.<br />
5. She strolls into a dark alley one evening (On purpose! WTF!), is subsequently mugged (Ta-daaaaa!) and is overwhelmingly ungrateful when Marc (a one-time shag and unendingly patient gentleman) saves her cute butt and takes her home. He and a few others have been watching her on orders of her father (who also, coincidentally, happens to be the Pride's Alpha) when they could have been out doing other things - like their jobs perhaps, instead of babysitting the self-centred and unrepentant Faythe.<br />
6. The reason for the abrupt visit home is that someone has been kidnapping and killing the Tabbies. Instead of feeling grateful for the timely rescue, Faythe throws a tanty worthy of a tweenie with her scrunchie in a twist.<br />
<br />
Keep in mind this all happens before page twenty. I warned you.<br />
<br />
7. In retaliation, Faythe flirts with any man not related to her. Except Marc. You know, the one who has treated her with respect and consideration from day one? He puts up with her every bitch and whine and nag but all she wants to do is get it on with the guy(s) who only want the keys to her chastity belt. Figuratively speaking of course. Faythe makes a point of strolling around nude (in her father's office no less!) in order to tease every non-blood relation male in the vicinity. There are lots of those.<br />
8. After the death of a Tabby close to Faythe, they all get roaringly drunk in their grief, Marc comforts Faythe and they end up in bed together. Horrified at her apparent lack of judgement - yes, this is when she decides that she may have done the wrong thing - Faythe tries to run away from home.</span></span></div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Again. </span></span></div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Never mind that there is a killer cat out there targeting what is left of the Tabby population in the United States (ie about five at this point). On the verge of leaving, in a truck she stole the keys to without a grain of remorse, she sits in the cab, with the front gate wiiiiiiide open and finally attaches brain to spinal cord. In her moment of epiphany (Talking? You mean conversing? Instead of arguing? What a novel notion!) she gets kidnapped. Surprise!<br />
<br />
Seriously, have you ever met a book with a more irritating protagonist? To top it off, it's all written in first person, so all the I, I, I, Me, Me, Mes make her whingeing so much worse than should be possible. The cherry on top? The cover is a picture of a woman's back with bare midriff and serious potential for a muffin top in later life.<br />
<br />
If you thought all that was bad, brace yourself - there are a further five follow up books in this series, with darling Faithie in the lead.</span></span></div><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">This makes me want to cry.</span></span></div></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span>Dust and Denimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252148069101039493noreply@blogger.com0