"Anyone But You" - Jennifer Crusie - 1996
1996 vs 2006
Both are pretty accurate!
This series romance made it's way to hardcover, so that says quite about Jennifer Crusie's fanbase and publishing power.
"Anyone But You" holds up pretty well to the passing of time, the book is far less dated than its' original cover.
Includes many of my 'Favorite Crusie Quirks': Childless by Choice, Victorian apartments, old movies, books, cool bff, a delicious dessert, small town Ohio, and most importantly to this one, the iconic pet (his name is Fred and he loves bras and oreos).
On the life of a 'working artist' - what I've learned so far...
Making art is not the easy choice.
TV/Entertainment/Drugs/Alcohol/Hanging Out/Reading, those are easy choices.
You have to create for you, and do it every damn day whether it comes easily or not
(and it's hardly ever easy).
TV/Entertainment/Drugs/Alcohol/Hanging Out/Reading, those are easy choices.
You have to create for you, and do it every damn day whether it comes easily or not
(and it's hardly ever easy).
I've struggled for years under the misconception that all I needed was Virginia's message - a room of my own - to finally make new and meaningful work. But I've learned, a new setting won't help if you don't change.
Three truths that are hard to admit:
All the free time in the world doesn't mean anything if you let it slip into the voids of the internet.
That day job was a great excuse for not producing.
Having the space to create doesn't mean you will.
Three truths that are hard to admit:
All the free time in the world doesn't mean anything if you let it slip into the voids of the internet.
That day job was a great excuse for not producing.
Having the space to create doesn't mean you will.
In fact, your will is the only thing that really matters.
A studio doesn't care if you use it, but the people you're asking for support do.
A room doesn't have arms - it won't grab you and force you to put needle to thread,
paint to canvas, words to the page.
A room doesn't have arms - it won't grab you and force you to put needle to thread,
paint to canvas, words to the page.
Waiting for inspiration can take a long ass time.
It's all up to you to create the things you want from what you have - to 'make it work' instead of building up castles in your mind.
When you get the thing you think you need and still don't use it,
you feel twice as bad as you did before.
The List.
- I've read 72
- I would like to read Joanna Bourne and J.R. Ward
- I will probably never read about 15 or so romantic suspense titles.
- Some books only made it due to their recent publication status.
- there are entirely too many books by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
"Naked in Death" - J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts) - 1995
The fantastic website All About Romance compiles a "Top 100 Romances" list every few years, based on science and reader opinions. I always mean to send mine, and somewhere there's a Word document with 80-some books on it, but I never make the deadline in time. I consider reading all 100 books a vague life goal, and I must say I've put a decent sized dent in it. However, there are a few repeat authors that I've read once, didn't like, and don't feel the need to waste time on (Linda Howard I'm looking at you). I read one Nora Roberts book, Sea Something or other...the 4th in a series of brothers, that was boring and typical and not great by any means.
"Naked in Death" ranks pretty high (#19 in 2007 and #24 in 2010) - so when I came across this horrific metallic cover at the Goodwill, I bought it, despite plenty of misgivings. I admit to near total ignorance about this series. In fact, I didn't know much other than Nora Roberts was extremely prolific (so how can they all be good?) and that J.D. Robb was her pseudonym a la "Richard Bachman" to see if she could sell without name recognition.
My dumb ass didn't realize that "Naked in Death" was set in the future - so, I was all "air commutes and Autochefs, whhhaat??!" I can accept and even enjoy books set in the future when they are relegated to the genres of Science Fiction and Young Adult - but I don't believe I've ever read a futuristic romance by choice (narrow-minded, perhaps - but I don't like medievals either, a girl's allowed to have preferences). Look at that cover, how can it not be cheesy?
Another strike against it, the BILLIONAIRE hero. When did romance authors/publishers decide that a MILLIONAIRE is too run of the mill and easy to come by in real life to populate the pages of a romance? Was this the first, can we pin it down to N.R. in '95?
The main character and heroine, Eve Dallas is a tough cop with no memories before the age of 8, who grew up in the foster care system. She has short hair, great features, wears jeans and leather jackets - written 4 years before S.V.U - but come on - she's perfect! How could I prevent that mental casting?
And as for Rourke, it's funny because I had to think of 90's Irish actors, so Liam Neeson, OBVIOUSLY.
But that didn't stop this hilarious google image search: "Handsome Irish Actors"
Sure, there's some good ones on there (and Brenda Fricker) but look close: far left, second from bottom - Bradley Cooper! I guess he's just so incredibly handsome, geography ceases to matter!
As I mentioned earlier, I don't read much romantic suspense, so I will admit a change of pace was interesting, if not exactly refreshing. The murderer was pretty obvious - plenty of hints and foreshadowing. Eve is a character you grow to care about - and Roarke he cares about her, too. It's just a damn good thing he couldn't possibly be the killer - because he was in a space meeting (yeah, you heard me, a meeting in space about a space station resort for the uber-rich). How about that for an air-tight alibi? (Bad pun, I'm sorry, couldn't help myself...)
Overall, I didn't hate this novel. I do hate the forceful language Roberts uses to describe kissing and desire - it feels dated, very much of the old school Judith McNaught variety, which is never very appealing to this modern reader. Also, the 'future technology' feels dated, a hilarious concept in itself, it's a 90's FUTURE - a world before smart phones and thumb drives - don't worry though there's still tubes of Pepsi to quench your future thirst.
I have a new obsession.
Now the only question is if it will conquer my magazine hoarding tendencies, or if I will simply transfer this image obsession to the digital realm.
Day 13...
...now officially known as the day the heat came back!
And I wasn't bullshitting that it was just too cold to work, cause as soon as that studio was toasty I got my ass in there and started drawing. 3 cute (tiny) paintings to be shown off soon! Also, did some housework and general singing about the house, 'cause I was just so fucking happy to be warm and out of bed!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)