Writing Wednesday!!! What I'm Reading

I know, I know -- one day I'll introduce members of the Dandridge Estate (MaryLouise, Ruth, Fredericks, and Haddif -- mortals who were once just like you and me, but then tangled with the wrong black magic). But not today.

First off, there's loads of interesting and fun things going on in the blogosphere in February:

1) Suburban Vampire is featuring guest bloggers (and giveaways) throughout the entire month -- stop by and show the love!

2) Lily Childs has collected fourteen amazing women writers to post short pieces on everyone's favorite February subject -- Femmes Fatales. The first two entries have blown me away, and I can't wait to see what Erin Cole and Marissa Farrar come up with!

3) C.J. Ellisson is looking for authors to submit pieces to her blog, C.J.'s Daily Grind, and she'll edit them for free -- stop on by her blog and check out Pay It Forward Friday to see how a few changes can sharpen your writing.

4) New blog promoting e-books! Up All Night E-Books. Want to submit your book for some free promo? Just email: upallnitebooks@gmail.com.

Okay, now -- what am I reading? I know -- you guys are turning blue from waiting with bated breath, right? Well,

First off, I'm so totally psyched because yesterday, in addition to 2 of 3 Skippyjon Jones books I ordered for Kiddo, 3 of my French books came. Therese Desqueyroux par Francois Mauriac, Huis Clos (c'est une piece, non pas un vrai roman) par Jean-Paul Sartre ("l'enfer, c'est les autres"), et Stupeur et tremblements par Amelie Nothomb.

Yes, they are written completement en francais. I should have bought them when I lived in France, but, j'etais si sottise! (I was so stupid!). I read part of Therese and Huis Clos (No Exit) in college, and always wanted to finish Therese -- the story of a woman who tried poisoning her husband and ends up his prisoner. It's a study in psychology -- why did she do it? She seemed like such a nice, normal woman. Do we all have the capacity for murder inside us? Or are just some people born that way?

No Exit is Sartre's existentialist classic play famous for the idea that "hell is other people". I don't know if I'll read the whole thing, but I just wanted to have it in my collection.

Amelie Nothomb's work was published after I graduated college (and stopped studying French in a classroom setting). I saw it on Amazon and it seems like it's a Bridget Jones-ish tale -- funny and hapless. It got good review so I thought I'd try it.

Next, I must apologize to Rachel Lynne, Marissa Farrar (2 times here, 'cause she's got 2 books out!), Carole Gill, and C.J. Ellisson -- I have your books downloaded on my iPhone to be read, and I know my TBR pile just got bigger, but really guys -- I will get to your works, I promise!

For now, I'm making it through Anne Rice's The Witching Hour. I absolutely love this story so far -- I'm addicted! I like Rice's prose, and as for the idea that backstory shouldn't be in a novel, well -- the story starts off in the present, but then Rice always explains how the character grew up. Then there's a large section in the middle of the book devoted to the history of the Mayfair Witches, starting in the 1600's. Quite frankly, it's fascinating! The imagination of Rice is excellent, and all the characters -- and there are alot, an entire family of brothers, sisters, children and cousins -- each one comes to life in their own way. If you haven't read it, I suggest you do because it's just such an engrossing story so far.

Finally, and certainly not least here -- I'm blogging every other Tuesday over at Para Posse -- please feel free to stop by and show me and the other paranormal writers the love as we share our thoughts on scary and fantastical books and movies!