Jennifer Crusie's Blog, page 16

Happiness is Sandra Boynton

I love Sandra Boynton’s cartoons (and mugs and puzzles) and Pat Gaffney just sent me this, which is fabulous (much like Pat) and made me very happy.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/15jtDDyyVg/

What made you sing with happiness this week?

This is a Good Book Thursday, December 5, 2024

I’ve been reading mystery short stories and have discovered that Allingham is a much better short story writer than Sayers. Actually, they’re both good writers, but the Sayers stories are always arch and kind of sneering at people who are Not Her Kind, whereas Allingham is just interested in character without passing judgment on what kind they are, a kind of detached amusement that is still incisive and with an underlying humor. Her stories aren’t funny, but they’re rich in characters who come alive on the page. Big Allingham fan here.

So what in your reading made you a fan this week?

Working Wednesday, December 4, 2024

I had the master of The Honey Pot Plot all last week (Bob has it now) and we are currently at almost 50,000 words. When we hit around 100,000, we rewrite and argue and rewrite again. I really wanted it out before Christmas, but that was insane. Still, we’re a lot closer.

And because I have to keep feeding Facebook, I posted about Bob’s plan for the week.

Facebook said that if I posted that, our account would be restricted for violence. If Facebook could only see what I put up with all the time.

What did you work on this week?

Per Deb’s Request, the Song That Should Have Gone Up Friday

We have a tradition here on Argh that the Drifters sing on the day after Thanksgiving. This year, I blew it, but Deb Blake reminded me two days late. I apologize profusely.

Happiness is Weird Internet

The internet can be hell, of course, but it’s also full of fascinating things. Like Cake Wrecks, “when professional cakes go horribly wrong.” Or Instagram’s Terribly Bad Book Covers. (especially the one with the turkey). Or my personal favorite, Reddits’ r/ATBGE (Awful Taste But Great Execution) which showcases exactly that: terrible ideas done expertly. It’s kind of the opposite of Cake Wrecks. Very talented people making horrible things. And it’s searchable! (WARNING: They’re not kidding about the NSFW. The sinkholes of the minds of some people executed by artists. See especially “tattoos.”) The beauty of the Reddit site is that they’re right: the stuff is done really well if you can get past the idea of a keyboard made out of cheese. Turns out seeing a keyboard made out of cheese makes me happy. Appalled, but happy.

What was your keyboard of cheese this week?

This is a Good Book Thursday, November 28, 2024

This week I finished my reread of PD James. Terrific writer, kind of depressing books. I had to keep going back to Pratchett to survive.

What did you read this week? (And for the Americans out there, Happy Thanksgiving!)

Working Wednesday, November 27, 2024

I had a moment when I looked in my freezer and realized I’d eaten all the freezer meals I’d made. And there had been a lot of meals in there, too. But we’re pounding away on the book now, and I haven’t been cooking. So this week, I cooked: spaghetti on Saturday, stroganoff on Sunday, tortellini on Monday, mustard chicken on Tuesday, chicken casserole later today, cheesy beans tomorrow. That should hold me for awhile, maybe even until we finish the book.

So what did you work on this week?

Incoming: Audio

So we have a deal for audio from Brilliance, who did such a brilliant job on audio for the Liz/Vince books. Bob says they’ll be out in June, long time, but hey, audio.

Happiness is Work That’s Going Well

We still have a lot to do on The Honey Pot Plot, but I really like what we have so far. My house is still a mess, but I’ve finally figured out where I want everything to go. I was making a Christmas stocking and realized it was going to be Hulk sized, but I like the pattern so I’m going to keep going. I love it when the things I make–stories, houses, crochet–are going well, even if the stocking is ridiculously large, the house is still a mess with potential, and the story still needs a lot of work. Going in the right direction is really all I need. It’s the journey, not the destination, right?

How did you move toward happiness this week?

Second Best Book Cover of All Time

Susan Elizabeth Phillips put up on Facebook this book cover of a foreign edition of one of her novels, and it’s my second favorite book cover ever. I do have questions, though. I get that the snake is a metaphor, but why is she covered in spinach? And why is he so uninterested in the grip she has on his anaconda?

It’s only the second best cover, however. My favorite will always be this one: