Gods in Alabama by Joshylin Jackson

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Gods in Alabama

I ordered "Gods in Alabama" by Joshylin Jackson after receiving a free copy of her book "The Girl Who Stopped Swimming." Her writing isn't my typical genre of reading, but I also enjoy drama, and her writing style entertains me! So I'm branching out.

The book opens with, "There are Gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel's, high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus." This line launches us into a book that explores many topics, including how we idolize many different things in our lives. Arlene Fleet grew up in Alabama, so she knows all about the things worshiped down there, and she's vowed to never go back.

Just why she's made this vow (along with promising to never lie or fornicate) is a story that is fascinating. Jackson uses flash backs and the story slowly unravels over time as Arlene is forced to break her promise, and go back to Alabama. She doesn't go alone though, no, she brings along her black fiance, something that stirs up even more trouble in her crazy family!

I found the way this story unfolded to be fascinating. Jackson switches back and forth between the past and present, dropping hints and pieces along the way, and you start to piece together the whole picture. You never really understand everything until the end though, and I think that's the beauty of her writing.

Fighting Through Disappointment

Yesterday I got a letter informing me that my application for disability has been denied. I knew that it was possible that this would happen, but it still hurt. The government has a tendancy to deny everyone on their first applicaton, to weed out those who are really serious and those who just want some free money, so I know it's not personal, but it still hurts.

It doesn't help that this is coming after a long hard week of dealing with kidney stones! I'm already run down emotionally and physically from that. Plus my brother got some bad news two days ago, that left me upset. Add it all together and I'm a bit of wreck now!

Don't worry, I'm hanging in there. I plan on reapplying and hopefully this time my case will be granted. If I seem a little quiet for a day or two, that's just me working through the emotions.

Better Off Undead edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Daniel M. Hoyt

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Better Off Undead

"Better off Undead" is an anthology with an interesting premise. Many people are used to thinking of the undead as creepy and horrifying, but what if life as an undead was actually better for some than their lives as a warm human had been? That was the challenge that was placed before these writers. Not all the stories were superb in my opinion, but many of them were quite entertaining!

The book is divided into four sections. "Afterlife" deals with those who have died, find themselves in the afterlife, and now have some rather interesting adventures. "Spirit" deals with ghosts and haunting's. "Flesh" deals with zombies and revenants. And lastly, "Undead" deals with vampires, that which we originally and traditionally think of as undead.

It was interesting to see some authors I'm familiar with in this anthology. Especially because I'm more familiar with them as science fiction authors! I always love to see writers working in a different genre.

As always with an anthology, it's hard to pick out my favorite stories to talk about. Two of my favorites from this one were "Genius Loci" by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro and "Two All Beef Patties" by Jay Lake. I think these two stick out in my mind because they both have great endings!

Dragon on a Pedestal by Piers Anthony

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Dragon on a Pedestal (Xanth Novels)

"Dragon on a Pedestal" continues the Xanth series by Piers Anthony. King Dor and Queen Irene have been married for a little while now and have a cute little three year old girl named Ivy. Irene has a frightening vision that tells her Ivy is going to be in great danger, and then Ivy manages to get lost! Of course this makes Irene frantic, and she sets off to find her daughter while King Dor stays behind to keep the kingdom together.

Ivy knows she's lost, but she's quite smart for her age, and having a blast! Her magical talent involves the enhancement of other people and animals. In fact, the more she believes in them, the more what she believes come true! Because of this talent she's able to make some unusual friendships, and over come obstacles that would have defeated those with a lesser talent.

Things come to a crisis point though when an invasion of Wiggles is found in Xanth. Irene is frantic to get to her daughter before anything bad happens, but Ivy and her new friends are the only one's who will be able to stop the Wiggles! Can the people and creatures of Xanth come together to face this threat? Will Ivy be safe? Read the book to find out!

Day by Day

First, just wanted to let you know that Aria's Quest will not be published this week. At least, I don't think it will. I'm too exhausted and drugged up from the kidney stone to write properly!

The update on the kidney stone is that it's still very much a pain in the back! I did go to the doctor today to do a follow up and see if there was anything else that could be done. He pretty much said that I need to keep doing what I'm doing. Drinking lots of both water and cranberry juice, and being as active as I'm able. The only new thing he told me was that I should be using a heating pad a couple of times a day. So I'll start doing that! Except it's really hot right now so I'm going to wait until later tonight.

The alternatives to waiting are typically that they do some short of ultrasound therapy to break up the stone. Apparently the stone I have is too small though, and it would just damage the side of the uretha more. So it's not really an option for me.

I am trying to do things, but when the pain gets too intense I'm stuck in front of the computer or tv, or reading. Sometimes it's hard to do any of those! The irony is I'm supposed to move around, but that tends to trigger the pain. Oh well. I'll get through this just like have everything else! Thanks for your patience with me :)

On the amusing side...

Two things amusing from all of this. One, Moses was rubbing my belly a couple nights ago and giving my bladder a pep talk about passing the stone :P I thought it was pretty adorable! And he's being really sweet and doing everything he can to support me through this.

The other amusing thing is I'm having to pee into this plastic collector (looks kind like an inverted hat, so we call it the pee hat) because we are supposed to try and catch the stone. Well the pee hat has oz marks on it. I'm peeing soooooo much! I actually peed 32 ounces when I woke up this morning!

Ok, I know, to much information, but I have to take my amusement where I can get it!

Update: 15 minutes after typing this I peed out a stone. Well, I must have more than one that the doctor didn't see, because I still have a large amount of pain where the stone was! Grrr...

Back to School - Etsy Bloggers Carnival

Buffy and Mr. Pointy Messenger Bag

One of the options for the current Etsy Bloggers Carnival is to talk about Back to School and what it means to you. Oh my does that open up a barrel of monkey's in my brain! But first, isn't that messenger bag cute? If I were going back to school I'd custom order one in Purple, Black, and White embroidery.

Back to school time is hard for me in many ways. I actually enjoy school, I love learning, and while there are parts I don't like (I'm not totally insane), and I wish I could be one of those returning to school right now. It hurts that my health problems prevented me from finishing my bachelors degree, and that I may not ever be able to go back.

On the other hand, there are also things to be excited about with back to school season. Last school year my health was still so severe that we very rarely left me home alone. My asthma attacks were bad enough that leaving me alone was risking my life. I'm no longer having attacks that severe very often, so I can be alone! One of my big goals for this school year was to be able to be home alone while Mo was at school and I've achieved that goal!

I'm also glad simply that Mo is back in school. He wasn't able to find a job this summer so he's been at loose ends. I know he doesn't really like being in school, but it's good for him. It's nice to see him busy again, and of course I'm enjoying having the house to myself some! Now if I could just pass this stupid kidney stone so that I'm not in pain...

Judgement of Tears, Anno Dracula 1959 by Kim Newman

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Judgment of Tears (Anno Dracula 1959)

"Judgement of Tears" is apparently several books in to the "Anno Dracula" series by Kim Newman. When I went to look it up at my library (on a friends recommendation) my library only carried this book in the series, so I didn't realize I wasn't getting the first book, whose title is simply "Anno Dracula." I have that one on order now through the Interlibrary Loan system.

I wouldn't recommend reading the series out of order. I have a fair idea of what goes on before this book from reading this book. However, based on reading this one book, I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series!

The Anno Dracula series is based of the concept of what the world would be like if Dracula wasn't vanquished, if the Stoker book was merely a dream of what could have been, and if vampires became a part of society.

In "Judgement of Tears" we follow Kate's story. She's a vampire that a warm blood like your or me can identify with. She gets jealous, wears glasses, and has many of those "human" foibles that make a character seem more real. (Yes, they explain the glasses)

Kate finds herself in Rome as Dracula prepares for yet another huge public wedding. Things aren't all flowers and rings though, somebody who's been named the "Bloody Baron" is going around and killing the elder vampires. Then Kate learns there may be an even older power behind this bloody work...