Cindy Lynn Speer's Blog, page 12
November 27, 2015
saenzdesantamaria:
11/21/15
f11; 1/640s; ISO 100; FL:28m...
11/21/15
f11; 1/640s; ISO 100; FL:28mm.
© Juan Manuel Saenz de Santa María, 2015.
November 26, 2015
Resources: How Things Taste
Hi, everyone! I was just catching up on my NaNoWriMo word count and I needed to look up how something I’ve never eaten tastes. I’ll sample some for myself when I get a chance, but in the meantime I found what looks to be a pretty handy resource for times like these. Check it out!
I hope everyone in the U.S. is having a great Thanksgiving, and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
This is awesome! What a great find!
my recs for #readwomen
So I rather likes this idea so I decided to share a few of my favorite female authors that aren’t quote as well known or talked about on tumblr, either because they’re older authors or just cuz the genres aren’t as hyped up!
Anne McCaffrey – The queen of dragons people, her Pern series has made me cry more than any other book series I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. There are dozens of books and her son is now taking over the series now that’s she’s passed away, but still if you haven’t read these. Go. Read. Now! She also has a couple of sets of books revolving around sci-fi which are of course great reads too. Just kinda read everything by her. They’re fast and easy to read and you’ll love yourself for it!
Mercedes Lackey – Right up there with Pern at getting me emotionally involved in characters until I weep right along with them. Her Valdemar series is absolutely superb with a great mix of diversity. Plus, talking ‘horses.’ Do I really need to say more? But honestly all of her books are pretty much amazing, I haven’t read one of them I wouldn’t recommend to someone else.
Anne Bishop – Absolutely one of my fave ‘new’ authors. The Other series is my newest obsession and I’m literally counting the days until the next book comes out. And her Black Jewel series is also very empowering and demanding on the soul. Warning though these books are made for trigger warnings so read the summaries and know what you’re getting into first.
Patricia Briggs – Ah my true love, I would haunt this author if I died before she stopped writing her books. Seriously I’d just hang around her office and read over her shoulder as she write and just be in heaven. Fantastic mix of characters, monsters, diversity, genders, sexuality, mythologies, etc. Just fantastic. I love every single thing about these books.
Naomi Novik – Absolutely interesting read, her Temeraire series is an AU that absolutely appeals to me in every way shape and form. The story is told from a point of a view of a British naval officer during the time of Napoleon’s rise to power and creation of his empire. With one twist…did I mention dragons are real and used by the military as aerial combat units?
Tamora Pierce – I read these books as a teen and came back later in life and re-read them again. And yes I still love them. Built around diverse female lead characters in a fantasy world, her books are a pleasure to read.
Gail Z. Martin – Absolute genius are creating a in depth and complicated fantasy world with a huge cast of characters and locations. Like Game of Thrones level of world creation here and about the same length in book size too. lol
Karen Miller – Creating massive diverse fantasy worlds with political machinations and magical backgrounds and theories with the same ease that I manage to turn on my computer with. I’ve read two of her series so far and am eagerly looking for more from her in the future! So also writes under the name K.E. Mills and those books are just as amazing too. Definitely an author for a reader who loves to dive into their fantasy worlds.
Jane Lindskold – Fantastic world builder and character builder, she really does a great job of creating diverse characters with different voices in her stories. Plus the inclusion of ‘Royal’ animals which have human or above level intelligence is a bonus for the critter loving side of my life. Plus one of the main characters is a giant wolf, so take that as you will as my type of story. lol
Robin Hobb – Creator of what is probably one of my absolutely fave fantasy worlds, in which all her books kind of interweave a presence through. There is just some kind of odd joy for me in seeing the names of towns and players from others books mentioned in a completely different story and knowing that they’re all in the same vast world.
Diana Pharaoh Francis – Fantastic fantasy/adventure stories with great fun characters and worlds that are great to read over and over again.
Jennifer Estep – I’m about 7 books into her Elemental Assassin series and have yet to be disappointed by her writing and her characters.
Ilona Andrews – Okay so this may be a bit of a cheat so you might save these for another time if you want. These books are written by a husband and wife team. But honestly I love the Kate Daniels series so much I can’t help but recommend reading it. It’s rare to have a funny, tough, character with some lovely sexy scenes mixed into a plot that is outstanding.
So many good selections!!!
#readwomen December
Since a lot of people are making suggestions for #readwomen, I thought I would put out a few.
Barbara Hambly: She is one of my absolute favorites, and got me into writing fantasy. Want a fabulous story about dragons with a twist? Try Dragonsbane – Jenny Waynest is amazing, and it’s a book both about her and her love figuring out what’s really going on in this one kingdom, but there’s a lot of layers. It’s very much a woman’s story. Also she writes everything wonderfully. Under Barbara Hamilton she wrote some fantastic colonial america mysteries.
Jennifer Roberson: The Tiger and Del series features a strong, slightly broken, and amazing female sword dancer, and Tiger is fantastic. The both grow a lot during the series.
Ariana Franklin: Adelia, the main character, has been trained in Salerno in the art of death – basically, Medieval Italy’s version of a coroner. King Henry the First needs someone to solve a series of murders in Cambridge, England, and sends for a MASTER in the art of death, and Salerno sends Adelia, who disguises herself so she can do her job. This series is four books long, and is far too short. Well researched, well written.
Nancy Norbeck: And for my final rec, a newcomer: Nancy Norbeck’s The Silver child is a clever and wonderful piece of YA. Maia can create silver by singing, and she’s on the run from the government. Her interactions with Dr. Martus are fantastic. Love this book.
#readwomen
I’ve been seeing these going around for December, and most of them have been leaning strongly in the direction of classics or YA (both of which are totally fine!) but I haven’t been seeing a lot of my favorite female authors from the SF/F/Spec-Fic end of things, so I figured it was time to pillage my shelves for recommendations.
Anything by Sharon Shinn–she’s got several completed series to choose from, one in progress, and several stand-alones. (Of those, I recommend Heart of Gold.)
Anything by Ursula K. Le Guin, seriously, have you not read the Earthsea Cycle yet? Go, go, read it. And if you want to get heavier, there’s the Hainish Cycle, too, and tons of other fantastic works like The Lathe of Heaven.
The Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop. Dark, romantic, and while it has some flaws (heavy on the world-building sometimes, light on developing side characters), I find myself rereading it every year or so anyway.
The Kushiel’s Universe series by Jacqueline Carey–with the caveat that you might want to stop after the first two trilogies and skip the third one. I’ve read books #7 and #8 (the first two of Moirin’s trilogy) and I’m just not that bothered to finish it, because I don’t think Moirin as a protagonist is nearly as strong and compelling as Imriel. (I probably will, someday, but I don’t have high hopes.) Imriel’s trilogy is AMAZING. YOU HEAR ME, INTERNET? AMAZING.
The Dragon Prince and Dragon Star series by Melanie Rawn. Never, ever, ever, have I read an author who manages such a large cast of characters so well, making them all memorable by weaving together far-flung families. Oh, and there’s dragons, did I mention the dragons?
The Sevenwaters series by Juliet Marillier. A family saga set in ancient Ireland, complete with romance and magic. (I’ve also read The Light Isles, and it’s good, but if you’re new to her work, I’d recommend Sevenwaters as the stronger series.)
The Tamir Triad by Lynn Flewelling. You want some fantasy set in a world of bone and blood magic that deals with friendship and gender identity issues? I thought so.
Go forth and #readwomen. That should get you started…
#Readwomen Recs Part II
I love, love, love historical fiction. Especially historical fiction about
women. And women are really good at
writing it! Here’s some historical
fiction by women to read this December.
November 25, 2015
nerdsandgamersftw:
Harry Potter Prints
By
Edward J. Mor...
November 24, 2015
Oh, look, I finally put up my birthday book haul!
I alre...
Oh, look, I finally put up my birthday book haul!
I already read the Hannah March books. They were excellent. The Black Count is the story of Alexandre Dumas’ father, and I am looking forward to seeing how much of Porthos from the Three Musketeers I see in him, apparently Porthos was inspired by his father.
The Blue Labyrinth, I am waiting until i get the new one to read, so i can do a Pendergast Binge…
