Another year, another list of books! 2014 was a busy one for me, with RT, GRL, and a family wedding all taking me out of town. And then there were the hats. Many, many, many hats. I was aiming for 300 books this year, and that didn't happen. I was also once again aiming to end the year with fewer books on the TBR than I started with, and that definitely didn't happen. But I read some good stuff, and I cleared a few titles that had been lingering in the TBR for a long time, so that's a plus. And really, 242 books in a year isn't too shabby.
The titles I particularly enjoyed are marked with a *.
1. Capture & Surrender- LA Witt and Aleksandr Voinov
2. His Crossdressing Fantasy- Calandra Hunter
3. Stormhaven- Jordan L. Hawk*
4. Willful Impropriety: 13 Tales of Society, Scandal, and Romance- Ekaterina Sedia, Editor
5. Skybound- Aleksandr Voinov
6. The Flesh Cartel #13: The House Always Wins- Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau
7. How to Repair a Mechanical Heart- JC Lillis*
8. Fifteen Shades of Gay- T Baggins
9. Crystal Gardens- Amanda Quick
10. The Backup Boyfriend- River Jaymes
11. Don't Let Me Go- JH Trumble
12. Fangirl- Rainbow Rowell** (This one gets two, because I loved it so much!)
13. Family Man- Jayne Ann Krentz
14. Provoked- Joanna Chambers
15. My Heartache Cowboy- ZA Maxfield
16. Walking Kate- Sarah Addison Allen
17. Interlude With Tattoos- KJ Charles
18. Dead Kitties Don't Purr- Amber Green
19. Training Season- Leta Blake
20. Making the Grade- Shannon West
21. A Case of Possession- KJ Charles*
22. The Lord of Twink's Bottom- Danni Keane
23. Iron & Velvet- Alexis Hall
24. How to Misbehave- Ruthie Knox
25. Stars & Stripes- Abigail Roux
26. Divergent- Veronica Roth*
27. Psychic Moon- MD Grimm
28. Trick of Time- JL Merrow
29. Bayou Loup- Lynn Lorenz
30. After the Rain- Daisy Harris
31. Beyond Control- Kit Rocha
32. Eidolon- Jordan L Hawk
33. Sole Support- Kaje Harper
34. Steel's Edge- Ilona Andrews
35. Getaway- Cara McKenna
36. Shiny!- Amy Lane
37. The Dark Knight- Elizabeth Elliott
38. Luck in the Shadows- Lynn Flewelling
39. Copper Beach- Jayne Ann Krentz
40. Bound to Be a Groom- Megan Mulry*
41. Good Bones- Kim Fielding
42. Midnight in Berlin- JL Merrow
43. The Flesh Cartel #14: Independence Day- Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau
44. Dream Eyes- Jayne Ann Krentz
45. Cowboys Down- Barbara Elsborg
46. Ghosts & Flames- Kaje Harper
47. Portside- Elyan Smith
48. Portrait of a Crossroads- Kelly Rand
49. The Man Who Came Too Much- Ellie Saxx
50. Lick- Kylie Scott
51. Black Box- Jordan Castillo Price
52. Royal Street- Suzanne Johnson*
53. Thirteen Hours- Meghan O'Brien
54. Whiskey and Wry- Rhys Ford
55. Relief Valve- JL Merrow
56. Guarded Desires- Lexxie Couper
57. The Dom Project- Heloise Belleau and Solace Ames*
58. Bullet- Garrett Leigh
59. When You Give a Duke a Diamond- Shana Galen
60. Little Squirrels Can Climb Tall Trees- Michael Murphy
61. In the Red- Kari Gregg
62. Straight Shooter- Heidi Belleau*
63. Whisper of Jasmine- Deanna Raybourn
64. The Flesh Cartel #15: Twenty-Five- Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau
65. City of Jasmine- Deanna Raybourn*
66. The Mark of an Alpha- Kim Dare
67. Maelstrom 1- Yamila Abraham
68. The Caldwell Ghost- KJ Charles
69. It's All Geek to Me- JL Merrow
70. Fingersmith- Sarah Waters
71. Hard Time- Cara McKenna*
72. Bad Influence- KA Mitchell
73. Butterflies- KJ Charles
74. Losing Better- Katey Hawthorne
75. Poster Boy- Anne Tenino
76. Gold Digger- Aleksandr Voinov
77. The Midnight Hunt- LL Raand
78. Storm- Brigid Kemmerer*
79. Flying Blind- Jordan Castillo Price
80. Radio Silence- Jordan Castillo Price
81. Final Boarding- Jordan Castillo Price
82. Beyond Moonlight- Piper Vaughn and MJ O'Shea
83. Remnant- KJ Charles and Jordan L Hawk*
84. Payoff- LA Witt and Aleksandr Voinow
85. Last First Kiss- Piper Vaughn
86. The High Price of Pest Control- Scott Sherman
87. Alone With You- Shannon Stacey
88. Cocaine Blues- Kerry Greenwood
89. After the Fall- LA Witt
90. Organic Chemistry- Andrew Grey
91. Southern Comfort- Nikki London
92. Elemental- Brigid Kemmerer
93. Fearless- Brigid Kemmerer
94. His Roommate's Pleasure- Lana McGregor
95. Raincheck- Sarah Madison
96. #First Impressions #Second Chances- Heidi Belleau
97. First Time, Forever- KC Burn
98. Hooch & Cake- Heidi Cullinan*
99. Know Thine Enemy- Rosalie Stanton
100. Angel 1089- CC Bridges
101. Stranger on the Shore- Josh Lanyon
102. Necropolis- Jordan L Hawk*
103. Out-Foxed- Haley Walsh
104. The Pack or the Panther- Tara Lain
105. Spark- Brigid Kemmerer
106. The Derby Girl- Tamera Morgan
107. Double Shot- Christine d'Abo
108. Kamikaze Boys- Jay Bell
109. Breathless- Brigid Kemmerer
110. Hunter of Demons- Jordan L Hawk
111. Hard as It Gets- Laura Kaye
112. Beyond Pain- Kit Rocha
113. Deadlocked- Charlaine Harris
114. Touch & Geaux- Abigail Roux
115. Beyond Denial- Kit Rocha
116. All He Ever Dreamed- Shannon Stacey
117. Rulebreaker- Cathy Pegau
118. Buzz Kill- Beth Fantaskey
119. Saugatuck Summer- Amelia C. Gormley
120. Skin Game- Jim Butcher
121. Easy- Tammara Webber
122. Twelfth Night- Deanna Raybourn
123. Shock & Awe- Abigail Roux
124. Everything I Know- Josh Lanyon
125. The Flesh Cartel #16: To the Victor- Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau
126. Proprietary Rights- Sam Schooler
127. The Green-Eyed Monster- Melanie Tushmore
128. Kamikaze- Moira Rogers
129. The Student Prince- FayJay*
130. The Rosie Project- Graeme Simsion*
131. Loving Jay- Renae Kaye
132. Rule of Three- Kelly Jamieson
133. A Little Bit Country- SJ Frost
134. Cupid's Arrows- Sylvia Ketrie
135. Do or Die- Suzanne Brockmann
136. The Flesh Cartel #17: Boxed In- Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau
137. The Flesh Cartel #18: The Long Road- Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau
138. Trouble & the Wallflower- Kade Boehme
139. Prey- Andrea Speed
140. Double Blind- Heidi Cullinan*
141. Magic Rises- Ilona Andrews*
142. She Makes Hats- Robyn Devine
143. Blame it on the Mistletoe- Eli Easton*
144. Changing Plans- LA Witt
145. Guarded- Cat Grant
146. Master of Ghouls- Jordan L Hawk
147. Max and Finn- LB Gregg
148. The Flesh Cartel #19: Promise- Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau*
149. Last Car to Annwn Station- Michael Merriam
150. Deception Cove- Jayne Castle
151. Dirty Thirty- Cara McKenna
152. Tall, Tatted and Tempting- Tammy Falkner
153. Let it Ride- LC Chase*
154. Defiance- Stephanie Tyler
155. Night Broken- Patricia Briggs*
156. Destiny's Embrace- Beverly Jenkins
157. Voodoo 'n' Vice- KC Burn
158. The Theory of Attraction- Delphine Dryden*
159. The Princess and the Porn Star- Lauren Gallagher
160. Visions- Kelley Armstrong*
161. Tough Love- Heidi Cullinan
162. Same Page- Lily Velden
163. Wickedly Magical- Deborah Blake*
164. The Hot Zone- Jayne Castle
165. Courted- Sylvia Ketrie
166. Reaper of Souls- Jordan L Hawk
167. His Risk to Take- Tessa Bailey
168. Daylight Again- SE Jakes
169. Who's Your Daddy- Lauren Gallagher
170. Dead Ever After- Charlaine Harris
171. Luna- Julie Ann Peters
172. Fanning the Flames- Victoria Dahl*
173. The Field of Someone Else's Dreams- Amelia C Gormley
174. Eleanor & Park- Rainbow Rowell*
175. Bound by Honor- SE Jakes
176. Beguiled- Joanna Chambers
177. Facade- Zahra Owens
178. Cake- Derekica Snake
179. Beneath the Stain: Part 1- Amy Lane
180. What This Woman Wants- Lauren Gallagher
181. Just a Little Bad- KA Mitchell*
182. Partners in Crime- Josh Lanyon, Sarah Black*
183. Beneath the Stain: Part 2- Amy Lane
184. Beneath the Stain: Part 3- Amy Lane
185. Beneath the Stain: Part 4- Amy Lane
186. Abercrombie Zombie- KZ Snow
187. Man Enough- Beth Burnett
188. Dirty Deeds- SE Jakes
189. Fever Pitch- Heidi Cullinan*
190. Blue Notes- Shira Anthony
191. The Holy Road- Ginn Hale
192. Seth and David- LB Gregg
193. Beneath the Stain: Part 5- Amy Lane*
194. The Boy With the Painful Tattoo- Josh Lanyon*
195. Bloodline- Jordan L Hawk*
196. Graceland- Ally Blue
197. Wholehearted- Ronica Black
198. Billionaire With Benefits- Anne Tenino*
199. Dark Geist- Amanda Steiger
200. Caught- JL Merrow
201. Spirit- Brigid Kemmerer
202. Flight of Magpies- KJ Charles*
203. Beneath the Stain: Part 6- Amy Lane
204. Bookended- Heidi Belleau
205. Normal Enough- Marie Sexton
206. Elfhome- Wen Spencer
207. Starstruck- LA Witt
208. Peek-a-Boo- Andrea Speed
209. Horny- Anne Tenino
210. Seducing Stephen- Bonnie Dee
211. Fair Play- Josh Lanyon
212. Dead in LA- Lou Harper*
213. Gabriel's City- Laylah Hunter*
214. Sheepish- Catherine Friend
215. Secret- Brigid Kemmerer
216. Beneath the Stain: Part 7- Amy Lane*
217. High Concept- Whitley Gray
218. Midnight Crossroad- Charlaine Harris
219. Nine Lights Over Edinburgh- Harper Fox
220. Bonfire Night- Deanna Raybourn*
221. Joys R Us- Kim Fielding
222. Trusted Bond- Mary Calmes
223. One Was a Soldier- Julia Spencer-Fleming
224. Three of Hearts- Kelly Jamieson
225. Housekeeping- Kim Fielding
226. Going Up- Amy Lane
227. Think of England- KJ Charles*
228. My True Love Gave to Me- Stephanie Perkins, Editor*
229. Gifted- Kelley Armstrong*
230. Came Upon a Midnight Clear- Katie Porter
231. Friday Night Lipstick- Giselle Renarde
232. Her Holiday Man- Shannon Stacey
233. A Small Miracle Happened- Mari Donne
234. Weekend and Widerhope Manor- Lucy Felthouse
235. Men of Smithfield: Adam and Holden- LB Gregg
236. How to Train Your Dom in Five Easy Steps- Josephine Myles*
237. Three the Hard Way- Sydney Croft
238. David's Selfie- Daisy Harris
239. Raising the Rent- JL Merrow
240. An Improper Holiday- KA Mitchell
241. Sleigh Ride- Heidi Cullinan
242. Fish and Ghosts- Rhys Ford
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Hats for Homeless Youth at GRL 2014
It's April! It's finally warming up! (Knock on wood.) The Easter Bunny will be here soon! This can only mean one thing. It's time to warm up those knitting needles and crochet hooks and start making a few hats for homeless LGBT youth.
Last year at GRL (GayRomLit for the uninitiated) I collected handmade hats, scarves, and mittens for the kids at Lost-n-Found Youth. We ended up with about 75 items for the kids, which I'm sure came in handy considering the kind of winter Atlanta had.
This year GRL will be in Chicago, and there will be another collection, this time for The Broadway Youth Center. If you knit or crochet and would like to make some things for these kids who are in such need of our love and support, that would be great. BYC works with youth ages 12-24, so a variety of sizes and styles will work. These items will probably see heavy use, so machine washable yarn would be a good idea. If anyone needs help picking a knit pattern, I can make a few suggestions. I don't crochet, so I'm pretty useless there. And since someone asked last year, if you don't knit or crochet, or if you just don't have the time to make anything, we'll happily take store bought items for the kids, too.
Thank you for taking the time to help. Homelessness among LGBT youth is a huge problem, often because of family rejection. Anything we can do to help them out and let them know there are people who care about them is a good thing.
And now, if you will excuse me. A big box of yarn arrived yesterday, and I need to get knitting!
Last year at GRL (GayRomLit for the uninitiated) I collected handmade hats, scarves, and mittens for the kids at Lost-n-Found Youth. We ended up with about 75 items for the kids, which I'm sure came in handy considering the kind of winter Atlanta had.
This year GRL will be in Chicago, and there will be another collection, this time for The Broadway Youth Center. If you knit or crochet and would like to make some things for these kids who are in such need of our love and support, that would be great. BYC works with youth ages 12-24, so a variety of sizes and styles will work. These items will probably see heavy use, so machine washable yarn would be a good idea. If anyone needs help picking a knit pattern, I can make a few suggestions. I don't crochet, so I'm pretty useless there. And since someone asked last year, if you don't knit or crochet, or if you just don't have the time to make anything, we'll happily take store bought items for the kids, too.
Thank you for taking the time to help. Homelessness among LGBT youth is a huge problem, often because of family rejection. Anything we can do to help them out and let them know there are people who care about them is a good thing.
And now, if you will excuse me. A big box of yarn arrived yesterday, and I need to get knitting!
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
My Reading List- 2013
It's time once again for my year end reading list. My goal for the year was to end the year with fewer books in the TBR than I started with, and I achieved that goal- by 1 book! But a win is a win, so I'll take it. I've set the same goal for myself again this year. Maybe I'll win by 2 books this time!
Anyway, here are the books I read in 2013. The titles in bold are the ones I particularly enjoyed.
1. Cold Days- Jim Butcher
2. Beach Balls- Tara Lain
3. The Party Boy's Guide to Dating a Geek- Piper Vaughn & Xara X. Xanakas
4. The Scientist and the Supermodel- Tara Lain
5. The Flesh Cartel #3: Choices- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
6. Quid Pro Quo- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinov
7. The City's Son- Tom Pollock
8. Who We Are- TJ Klune
9. My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap!- Wade Kelly
10. Permanently Legless- JL Merrow
11. Liberating Lacey- Anne Calhoun
12. My Summer of Wes- Missy Welsh
13. Take the Lead- Johnny Diaz
14. Catching Kit- Kay Berrisford
15. Natural Law- Joey W. Hill
16. Circuit Theory- Kirby Crow
17. Sand & Water- Shae Connor
18. Ethan, Who Loved Carter- Ryan Loveless
19. Never Seduce a Scot- Maya Banks
20. A Rose is a Rose- Jet Mykles
21. The Flesh Cartel #4: Consequences- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
22. Backwoods- Cara McKenna
23. The Lost Night- Jayne Castle
24. Shivaree- Cara McKenna
25. Not His Kiss to Take- Finn Marlowe
26. Blind Space- Marie Sexton
27. Something About Trevor- Drew Hunt
28. All the Gear, No Idea- Kim Dare
29. Wrestling With Desire- DH Starr
30. Once a Brat- Kim Dare
31. Darker Still- Leanna Renee Hieber
32. Too Stupid to Live- Anne Tenino
33. Like Pizza and Beer- Elle Parker
34. Plan B- SJD Peterson
35. Laying Ghosts- James Buchanan
36. Blood in the Sand- Robin Saxon
37. Games Boys Play- Fae Sutherland
38. Hearts and Flour- Tara Lain
39. 40 Souls to Keep- Libby Drew
40. The Replacement Guitarist- Lori Toland
41. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance- Lois McMaster Bujuold
42. Dance With the Devil- Megan Derr
43. The Flesh Cartel #5: Wins and Losses- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
44. Timeless- Gail Carriger
45. Ruin Me- Cara McKenna
46. More- Parker Sloan
47. Dark Soul Vol. 1- Aleksandr Voinov
48. Family Man- Heidi Cullinan & Marie Sexton
49. Genetic Attraction- Tara Lain
50. A Reason to Believe- Diana Copland
51. Dark Soul Vol. 2- Aleksandr Voinov
52. More Than This- Shannyn Schroeder
53. Perfect Day- Josh Lanyon
54. The Darkling Thrush- Josh Lanyon
55. Best of Both Worlds- Liz Andrews
56. The Flesh Cartel #6: Brotherhood- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
57. The Tradesman's Entrance- Cameron Vale
58. Star Crossed- Kele Moon
59. Screwing the System- Josephine Myles
60. Screw the Fags- Josephine Myles
61. Special Delivery- Heidi Cullinan
62. Idaho Battlegrounds- Sarah Black
63. Offside- Ryan Loveless
64. Dirty Laundry- Heidi Cullinan
65. Under My Skin- ML Rhodes
66. The Price of Falling- Melanie Tushmore
67. Out of Bounds- TA Chase
68. Inland Empire- James Buchanan
69. Far in the Wilds- Deanna Raybourn
70. My Fair Dork- Daisy Harris
71. Giving and Inch- Heidi Belleau & Amelia C Gormley
72. Covet Thy Neighbor- LA Witt
73. Battle Scars- Meghan O'Brien
74. Slam!- JL Merrow
75. Static- LA Witt
76. Tigers and Devils- Sean Kennedy
77. Bad Attitude- KA Mitchell
78. Alien 'n' Outlaw- KC Burn
79. Nine-Tenths of the Law- LA Witt
80. AJ's Angel- LA Witt
81. The Marrying Kind- Ken O'Neill
82. A Spear of Summer Grass- Deanna Raybourn
83. Play Me, I'm Yours- Madison Parker
84. Diva and the Frat Boy- Daisy Harris
85. Never a Hero- Marie Sexton
86. Doubtless- Cat Grant
87. Fearless- Cat Grant
88. Flawless- Cat Grant
89. Vulnerable- Amy Lane
90. Miss Lacey's Last Fling- Candice Hern
91. Dirty Kiss- Rhys Ford
92. A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious- Mary Wine
93. Cherries on Top- Rowan McAllister
94. Take it Off- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinow
95. A Hellion in Her Bed- Sabrina Jeffries
96. The Flesh Cartel #7: Homecoming- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
97. China House- Vincent Lardo
98. Die For Love- Elizabeth Peters
99. Fear, Hope, and Bread Pudding- Marie Sexton
100. Bolt-Hole- Amy Lane
101. A Purrfect Match- Chris T Cat
102. Until Forever Comes- Cardeno C.
103. You Belong With Me- Jeff Erno
104. Freshman: Uncut- Daisy Harris
105. Gaming For Keeps- Seleste deLaney
106. Blood Red Butterfly- Josh Lanyon
107. Finding Master Right- LA Witt
108. The Casual Vacancy- JK Rowling
109. Tattoos & Teacups- Anna Martin
110. Not One Word- Kim Dare
111. Turbulence: Into the Bermuda Triangle- Jordan Castillo Price
112. Turbulence: Autopilot Engaged- Jordan Castillo Price
113. The Flesh Cartel #8: Loyalties- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
114. Turbulence: Red-Eye Dawn- Jordan Castillo Price
115. Good Breeding- JL Merrow
116. After Hours- Cara MeKenna
117. Snowball in Hell- Josh Lanyon
118. Dark Soul Vol. 3- Aleksandr Voinov
119. Lingerie Wars- Janet Elizabeth Henderson
120. Pickup Men- LC Chase
121. Butterfly Hunter- Julie Bozza
122. Convenient Strangers- Cara McKenna
123. Turbulence: Connecting Flight- Jordan Castillo Price
124. Gunmetal Magic- Ilona Andrews
125. Hairy, Horny, and Over Here- JL Merrow
126. Breaking Cover- Kaje Harper
127. Fortune Hunter- Ava March
128. Sweet Young Thang- Anne Tenino
129. Omens- Kelley Armstrong
130. I Spy Something Bloody- Josh Lanyon
131. I Spy Something Wicked- Josh Lanyon
132. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide- Nicholas D. Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn
133. Apple Polisher- Heidi Belleau
134. Tracking the Tempest- Nicole Peeler
135. Reaper's Property- Joanna Wylde
136. Sophomore: Undeclared- Daisy Harris
137. Finding Shelter- MJ O'Shea
138. The Flesh Cartel #9: Trials and Errors- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
139. A Rogue By Any Other Name- Sarah MacLean
140. Tigerland- Sean Kennedy
141. Santuario- GB Gordon
142. A Good Time- Shannyn Schroeder
143. Tempest's Legacy- Nicole Peeler
144. From the Ashes- Daisy Harris
145. Love You So Hard- Tara Lain
146. Wanting- Piper Vaughn
147. Hounded- Kevin Hearne
148. His Kind of Woman- Nona Raines
149. Inside Out- Jordan Castillo Price
150. My Cowboy Heart- ZA Maxfield
151. Thaw- Jordan Castillo Price
152. Many Happy Returns- Jordan Castillo Price
153. Glitterland- Alexis Hall
154. Mind Reader- Jordan Castillo Price
155. The Stroke of Midnight- Jordan Castillo Price
156. Junk- Josephine Myles
157. First Impressions- Josephine Myles
158. In the Dark- Jordan Castillo Price
159. Fuzzy- Josephine Myles
160. Last Chance- Josephine Myles
161. Spook Squad- Jordan Castillo Price
162. Catch My Breath- MJ O'Shea
163. Willoughby Spit- Katey Hawthorne
164. Eye of the Tempest- Nicole Peeler
165. The Haunted Heart: Winter- Josh Lanyon
166. Junior: Unscripted- Daisy Harris
167. The Flesh Cartel #10: False Gods- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
168. Left on St. Truth-Be-Well- Amy Lane
169. Choices and Changes- KL Belanger
170. Noah- Ben Ryder
171. Grime and Punishment- ZA Maxfield
172. Mystery of the Tempest- Sam Cameron
173. Widdershins- Jordan L Hawk
174. Dark Soul Vol. 4- Aleksandr Voinov
175. Dark Soul Vol. 5- Aleksandr Voinov
176. Fish & Chips- Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
177. Dance With Me- Heidi Cullinan
178. American Love Songs- Ashlyn Kane
179. The Red Thread of Forever Love- Nicole Kimberling
180. 18% Gray- Anne Tenino
181. Bonding- CB Conway
182. Starting From Scratch- Georgia Beers
183. Fall Hard- JL Merrow
184. Clockwork Mafia- Seleste deLaney
185. Devil at the Crossroads- Cornelia Grey
186. Rainbow Boys- Alex Sanchez
187. Illumination- Rowan Speedwell
188. All He Ever Desired- Shannon Stacey
189. Catch a Ghost- SE Jakes
190. Chaser- Rick R Reed
191. Sibling Rivals- Summer Devon
192. Senior: Uncommitted- Daisy Harris
193. FAST Balls- Tara Lain
194. Good Boy- Anne Tenino
195. Frost Burned- Patricia Briggs
196. Blacque/Bleu- Belinda McBride
197. Hard and Fast- Erin McCarthy
198. Love Lessons- Heidi Cullinan
199. An Inner Darkness- Ally Blue
200. Color of Grace- AM Arthur
201. Bayou Dreams- Lynn Lorenz
202. Where the Heart Is- Ally Blue
203. Bayou's End- Lynn Lorenz
204. The Magpie Lord- KJ Charles
205. Wallflower- Heidi Belleau
206. I'll Be Your Drill, Soldier- Crystal Rose
207. Reverb- Jet Mykles
208. Threshold- Jordan L Hawk
209. The Little Death- Michael Nava
210. Natural Disaster- Chris Owen
211. The Rebuilding Year- Kaje Harper
212. Love, Like Ghosts- Ally Blue
213. Demon Dog- Ally Blue
214. Divide & Conquer- Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
215. Rayne's Wild Ride- Jambrea Jo Jones
216. The Flesh Cartel #11: Permanent Record- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
217. Long Time Gone- SE Jakes
218. Eat Play Lust- Tawna Fenske
219. Home Work- Kaje Harper
220. Compensations- Kaje Harper
221. City Mouse- Amy Lane & Aleksandr Voinow
222. Brute- Kim Fielding
223. The Elegant Corpse- AM Riley
224. Masks: Rise of Heroes- Hayden Thorne
225. What Binds Us- Larry Benjamin
226. Warrior's Cross- Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
227. Armed & Dangerous- Abigail Roux
228. All In With the Duke- Ava March
229. The Cranberry Hush- Ben Monopoli
230. Dine & Dash- Abigail Roux
231. Ali's Intuition- K-lee Klein
232. In Plain Sight- Josh Lanyon
233. Pretty Monsters- Andrea Speed
234. Wild Justice- Kelley Armstrong
235. The Parting Glass- Josh Lanyon
236. Flowers For Him- Marie Sexton & Rowan Speedwell
237. Eight Days- Cardeno C.
238. Sleepwalker- Jordan Castillo Price
239. Disasterology 101- Taylor V Donovan
240. Let it Snow- Heidi Cullinan
241. If It Flies- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinov
242. Light Me Up- James Buchanan
243. Learning Curve- Kaje Harper
244. Mending Noel- Charlie Cochet
245. I Spy Something Christmas- Josh Lanyon
246. Sweet and Sour- Astrid Amara
247. Eight Nights- Keira Andrews
248. Daybreak- Keira Andrews
249. If It Fornicates- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinov
250. Merry Gentlemen- Josephine Myles
251. Sinner's Gin- Rhys Ford
252. Pretty Red Ribbon- Jet Mykles
253. Bad Brad- Cheryl Dragon
254. The Flesh Cartel #12: Paradise Island- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
255. Rules of Engagement- LA Will
256. Rain- LA Witt
257. Mistletoe- Lyn Gardner
258. Fate's Edge- Ilona Andrews
259. Love Brokers: Mister Romance- LC Chase
260. Southern Winterland- Taylor V Donovan
261. Stroke to His Cox- JL Merrow
262. Wish List- KA Mitchell
263. Midsummer Night- Deanna Raybourn
264. Do-over- Amy Lane
265. Mistletowed- Tara Lain
266. The 51st Thursday- Mercy Celeste
267. Tempted by Infamy- Sylvia Ketrie
268. How I Met Your Father- LB Gregg
269. Long the Mile- Ally Blue
270. Lost and Found- ZA Maxfield
271. Rogues- Ava March
272. Christmas Kitsch- Amy Lane
273. Beyond Shame- Kit Rocha
274. Until We Meet Once More- Josh Lanyon
275. Twice the Cowboy- James Buchanan
276. Fair Game- Patricia Briggs
277. Where the Lovelight Gleams- Keira Andrews
278. Turbulence- Lyn Gala
279. Bound by Deception- Ava March
280. The Forester- Blaine D. Arden
281. Happy Birthday to Me- Anne Tenino
Anyway, here are the books I read in 2013. The titles in bold are the ones I particularly enjoyed.
1. Cold Days- Jim Butcher
2. Beach Balls- Tara Lain
3. The Party Boy's Guide to Dating a Geek- Piper Vaughn & Xara X. Xanakas
4. The Scientist and the Supermodel- Tara Lain
5. The Flesh Cartel #3: Choices- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
6. Quid Pro Quo- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinov
7. The City's Son- Tom Pollock
8. Who We Are- TJ Klune
9. My Roommate's a Jock? Well, Crap!- Wade Kelly
10. Permanently Legless- JL Merrow
11. Liberating Lacey- Anne Calhoun
12. My Summer of Wes- Missy Welsh
13. Take the Lead- Johnny Diaz
14. Catching Kit- Kay Berrisford
15. Natural Law- Joey W. Hill
16. Circuit Theory- Kirby Crow
17. Sand & Water- Shae Connor
18. Ethan, Who Loved Carter- Ryan Loveless
19. Never Seduce a Scot- Maya Banks
20. A Rose is a Rose- Jet Mykles
21. The Flesh Cartel #4: Consequences- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
22. Backwoods- Cara McKenna
23. The Lost Night- Jayne Castle
24. Shivaree- Cara McKenna
25. Not His Kiss to Take- Finn Marlowe
26. Blind Space- Marie Sexton
27. Something About Trevor- Drew Hunt
28. All the Gear, No Idea- Kim Dare
29. Wrestling With Desire- DH Starr
30. Once a Brat- Kim Dare
31. Darker Still- Leanna Renee Hieber
32. Too Stupid to Live- Anne Tenino
33. Like Pizza and Beer- Elle Parker
34. Plan B- SJD Peterson
35. Laying Ghosts- James Buchanan
36. Blood in the Sand- Robin Saxon
37. Games Boys Play- Fae Sutherland
38. Hearts and Flour- Tara Lain
39. 40 Souls to Keep- Libby Drew
40. The Replacement Guitarist- Lori Toland
41. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance- Lois McMaster Bujuold
42. Dance With the Devil- Megan Derr
43. The Flesh Cartel #5: Wins and Losses- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
44. Timeless- Gail Carriger
45. Ruin Me- Cara McKenna
46. More- Parker Sloan
47. Dark Soul Vol. 1- Aleksandr Voinov
48. Family Man- Heidi Cullinan & Marie Sexton
49. Genetic Attraction- Tara Lain
50. A Reason to Believe- Diana Copland
51. Dark Soul Vol. 2- Aleksandr Voinov
52. More Than This- Shannyn Schroeder
53. Perfect Day- Josh Lanyon
54. The Darkling Thrush- Josh Lanyon
55. Best of Both Worlds- Liz Andrews
56. The Flesh Cartel #6: Brotherhood- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
57. The Tradesman's Entrance- Cameron Vale
58. Star Crossed- Kele Moon
59. Screwing the System- Josephine Myles
60. Screw the Fags- Josephine Myles
61. Special Delivery- Heidi Cullinan
62. Idaho Battlegrounds- Sarah Black
63. Offside- Ryan Loveless
64. Dirty Laundry- Heidi Cullinan
65. Under My Skin- ML Rhodes
66. The Price of Falling- Melanie Tushmore
67. Out of Bounds- TA Chase
68. Inland Empire- James Buchanan
69. Far in the Wilds- Deanna Raybourn
70. My Fair Dork- Daisy Harris
71. Giving and Inch- Heidi Belleau & Amelia C Gormley
72. Covet Thy Neighbor- LA Witt
73. Battle Scars- Meghan O'Brien
74. Slam!- JL Merrow
75. Static- LA Witt
76. Tigers and Devils- Sean Kennedy
77. Bad Attitude- KA Mitchell
78. Alien 'n' Outlaw- KC Burn
79. Nine-Tenths of the Law- LA Witt
80. AJ's Angel- LA Witt
81. The Marrying Kind- Ken O'Neill
82. A Spear of Summer Grass- Deanna Raybourn
83. Play Me, I'm Yours- Madison Parker
84. Diva and the Frat Boy- Daisy Harris
85. Never a Hero- Marie Sexton
86. Doubtless- Cat Grant
87. Fearless- Cat Grant
88. Flawless- Cat Grant
89. Vulnerable- Amy Lane
90. Miss Lacey's Last Fling- Candice Hern
91. Dirty Kiss- Rhys Ford
92. A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious- Mary Wine
93. Cherries on Top- Rowan McAllister
94. Take it Off- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinow
95. A Hellion in Her Bed- Sabrina Jeffries
96. The Flesh Cartel #7: Homecoming- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
97. China House- Vincent Lardo
98. Die For Love- Elizabeth Peters
99. Fear, Hope, and Bread Pudding- Marie Sexton
100. Bolt-Hole- Amy Lane
101. A Purrfect Match- Chris T Cat
102. Until Forever Comes- Cardeno C.
103. You Belong With Me- Jeff Erno
104. Freshman: Uncut- Daisy Harris
105. Gaming For Keeps- Seleste deLaney
106. Blood Red Butterfly- Josh Lanyon
107. Finding Master Right- LA Witt
108. The Casual Vacancy- JK Rowling
109. Tattoos & Teacups- Anna Martin
110. Not One Word- Kim Dare
111. Turbulence: Into the Bermuda Triangle- Jordan Castillo Price
112. Turbulence: Autopilot Engaged- Jordan Castillo Price
113. The Flesh Cartel #8: Loyalties- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
114. Turbulence: Red-Eye Dawn- Jordan Castillo Price
115. Good Breeding- JL Merrow
116. After Hours- Cara MeKenna
117. Snowball in Hell- Josh Lanyon
118. Dark Soul Vol. 3- Aleksandr Voinov
119. Lingerie Wars- Janet Elizabeth Henderson
120. Pickup Men- LC Chase
121. Butterfly Hunter- Julie Bozza
122. Convenient Strangers- Cara McKenna
123. Turbulence: Connecting Flight- Jordan Castillo Price
124. Gunmetal Magic- Ilona Andrews
125. Hairy, Horny, and Over Here- JL Merrow
126. Breaking Cover- Kaje Harper
127. Fortune Hunter- Ava March
128. Sweet Young Thang- Anne Tenino
129. Omens- Kelley Armstrong
130. I Spy Something Bloody- Josh Lanyon
131. I Spy Something Wicked- Josh Lanyon
132. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide- Nicholas D. Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn
133. Apple Polisher- Heidi Belleau
134. Tracking the Tempest- Nicole Peeler
135. Reaper's Property- Joanna Wylde
136. Sophomore: Undeclared- Daisy Harris
137. Finding Shelter- MJ O'Shea
138. The Flesh Cartel #9: Trials and Errors- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
139. A Rogue By Any Other Name- Sarah MacLean
140. Tigerland- Sean Kennedy
141. Santuario- GB Gordon
142. A Good Time- Shannyn Schroeder
143. Tempest's Legacy- Nicole Peeler
144. From the Ashes- Daisy Harris
145. Love You So Hard- Tara Lain
146. Wanting- Piper Vaughn
147. Hounded- Kevin Hearne
148. His Kind of Woman- Nona Raines
149. Inside Out- Jordan Castillo Price
150. My Cowboy Heart- ZA Maxfield
151. Thaw- Jordan Castillo Price
152. Many Happy Returns- Jordan Castillo Price
153. Glitterland- Alexis Hall
154. Mind Reader- Jordan Castillo Price
155. The Stroke of Midnight- Jordan Castillo Price
156. Junk- Josephine Myles
157. First Impressions- Josephine Myles
158. In the Dark- Jordan Castillo Price
159. Fuzzy- Josephine Myles
160. Last Chance- Josephine Myles
161. Spook Squad- Jordan Castillo Price
162. Catch My Breath- MJ O'Shea
163. Willoughby Spit- Katey Hawthorne
164. Eye of the Tempest- Nicole Peeler
165. The Haunted Heart: Winter- Josh Lanyon
166. Junior: Unscripted- Daisy Harris
167. The Flesh Cartel #10: False Gods- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
168. Left on St. Truth-Be-Well- Amy Lane
169. Choices and Changes- KL Belanger
170. Noah- Ben Ryder
171. Grime and Punishment- ZA Maxfield
172. Mystery of the Tempest- Sam Cameron
173. Widdershins- Jordan L Hawk
174. Dark Soul Vol. 4- Aleksandr Voinov
175. Dark Soul Vol. 5- Aleksandr Voinov
176. Fish & Chips- Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
177. Dance With Me- Heidi Cullinan
178. American Love Songs- Ashlyn Kane
179. The Red Thread of Forever Love- Nicole Kimberling
180. 18% Gray- Anne Tenino
181. Bonding- CB Conway
182. Starting From Scratch- Georgia Beers
183. Fall Hard- JL Merrow
184. Clockwork Mafia- Seleste deLaney
185. Devil at the Crossroads- Cornelia Grey
186. Rainbow Boys- Alex Sanchez
187. Illumination- Rowan Speedwell
188. All He Ever Desired- Shannon Stacey
189. Catch a Ghost- SE Jakes
190. Chaser- Rick R Reed
191. Sibling Rivals- Summer Devon
192. Senior: Uncommitted- Daisy Harris
193. FAST Balls- Tara Lain
194. Good Boy- Anne Tenino
195. Frost Burned- Patricia Briggs
196. Blacque/Bleu- Belinda McBride
197. Hard and Fast- Erin McCarthy
198. Love Lessons- Heidi Cullinan
199. An Inner Darkness- Ally Blue
200. Color of Grace- AM Arthur
201. Bayou Dreams- Lynn Lorenz
202. Where the Heart Is- Ally Blue
203. Bayou's End- Lynn Lorenz
204. The Magpie Lord- KJ Charles
205. Wallflower- Heidi Belleau
206. I'll Be Your Drill, Soldier- Crystal Rose
207. Reverb- Jet Mykles
208. Threshold- Jordan L Hawk
209. The Little Death- Michael Nava
210. Natural Disaster- Chris Owen
211. The Rebuilding Year- Kaje Harper
212. Love, Like Ghosts- Ally Blue
213. Demon Dog- Ally Blue
214. Divide & Conquer- Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
215. Rayne's Wild Ride- Jambrea Jo Jones
216. The Flesh Cartel #11: Permanent Record- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
217. Long Time Gone- SE Jakes
218. Eat Play Lust- Tawna Fenske
219. Home Work- Kaje Harper
220. Compensations- Kaje Harper
221. City Mouse- Amy Lane & Aleksandr Voinow
222. Brute- Kim Fielding
223. The Elegant Corpse- AM Riley
224. Masks: Rise of Heroes- Hayden Thorne
225. What Binds Us- Larry Benjamin
226. Warrior's Cross- Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
227. Armed & Dangerous- Abigail Roux
228. All In With the Duke- Ava March
229. The Cranberry Hush- Ben Monopoli
230. Dine & Dash- Abigail Roux
231. Ali's Intuition- K-lee Klein
232. In Plain Sight- Josh Lanyon
233. Pretty Monsters- Andrea Speed
234. Wild Justice- Kelley Armstrong
235. The Parting Glass- Josh Lanyon
236. Flowers For Him- Marie Sexton & Rowan Speedwell
237. Eight Days- Cardeno C.
238. Sleepwalker- Jordan Castillo Price
239. Disasterology 101- Taylor V Donovan
240. Let it Snow- Heidi Cullinan
241. If It Flies- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinov
242. Light Me Up- James Buchanan
243. Learning Curve- Kaje Harper
244. Mending Noel- Charlie Cochet
245. I Spy Something Christmas- Josh Lanyon
246. Sweet and Sour- Astrid Amara
247. Eight Nights- Keira Andrews
248. Daybreak- Keira Andrews
249. If It Fornicates- LA Witt & Aleksandr Voinov
250. Merry Gentlemen- Josephine Myles
251. Sinner's Gin- Rhys Ford
252. Pretty Red Ribbon- Jet Mykles
253. Bad Brad- Cheryl Dragon
254. The Flesh Cartel #12: Paradise Island- Rachel Haimowitz & Heidi Belleau
255. Rules of Engagement- LA Will
256. Rain- LA Witt
257. Mistletoe- Lyn Gardner
258. Fate's Edge- Ilona Andrews
259. Love Brokers: Mister Romance- LC Chase
260. Southern Winterland- Taylor V Donovan
261. Stroke to His Cox- JL Merrow
262. Wish List- KA Mitchell
263. Midsummer Night- Deanna Raybourn
264. Do-over- Amy Lane
265. Mistletowed- Tara Lain
266. The 51st Thursday- Mercy Celeste
267. Tempted by Infamy- Sylvia Ketrie
268. How I Met Your Father- LB Gregg
269. Long the Mile- Ally Blue
270. Lost and Found- ZA Maxfield
271. Rogues- Ava March
272. Christmas Kitsch- Amy Lane
273. Beyond Shame- Kit Rocha
274. Until We Meet Once More- Josh Lanyon
275. Twice the Cowboy- James Buchanan
276. Fair Game- Patricia Briggs
277. Where the Lovelight Gleams- Keira Andrews
278. Turbulence- Lyn Gala
279. Bound by Deception- Ava March
280. The Forester- Blaine D. Arden
281. Happy Birthday to Me- Anne Tenino
Friday, July 5, 2013
A Yarny Project for GayRomLit
There are many things that delight me about the LGBTQ
romance community. One is how
passionately we support various LGBTQ groups and causes. Another is how many of us are passionate
fiber artists. This fall, let’s bring those
passions together at GRL to support Atlanta area homeless LGBTQ youth.
Lost-n-Found Youth, Inc is a non-profit
organization dedicated to getting kids off the street. But there are only so many shelter beds
available, and they need warm clothing for those who can’t get a spot. If you knit or crochet, please consider
making a few hats, scarves, or mitts and bringing them to GRL for Lost-n-Found. A wide variety of sizes and styles can be put
to good use; I only suggest that the yarn be machine washable, so that the items
will stand up to wear and tear. If you
have questions about the project, I can be reached at fibrobabe@yahoo.com. You’ll also find me as Fibrobabe on Twitter
and Ravelry (the greatest fiber crafting website ever! If you’re not a member, you should be. There’s even a M/M lovers’ group!).
Thanks for helping us keep these kids warm this winter, and
letting them know that there are people out here who love them.
Becky
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The First 44
Whelp, the first 44 hats of 2013 are on their way to cold heads. Or, sort of. The ones in the box have been dropped off with a woman who volunteers at a food pantry for the homeless/near homeless in Johnson County, just south of Indianapolis. Even though tomorrow is the first day of spring, we're still having highs in the 30s and 40s, and we've got a couple days of snow coming up in the 10 day forecast. And there are no homeless shelters anywhere in Johnson County, something that I just found out. So a lot of the people they work with are sleeping in cars, if they're lucky, or outdoors if they're not.
The hats in the laundry basket will get boxed up, and those will being going in the mail tomorrow for Trinity Place Shelter in New York. Trinity is an LGBTQ youth shelter that I heard about from Leanna Renee Hieber when I met her last year at RT. I saw a tweet yesterday from Trinity that the weather has been ugly in NYC, too, and their volunteers have been coming in early to provide a few extra hours of warmth and shelter to the teens they serve. Trinity does good work, and if you've got a little wiggle room in your budget, I know they'd be happy for the help.
And now, I need to go knit something. My donation tubs are empty again.
The hats in the laundry basket will get boxed up, and those will being going in the mail tomorrow for Trinity Place Shelter in New York. Trinity is an LGBTQ youth shelter that I heard about from Leanna Renee Hieber when I met her last year at RT. I saw a tweet yesterday from Trinity that the weather has been ugly in NYC, too, and their volunteers have been coming in early to provide a few extra hours of warmth and shelter to the teens they serve. Trinity does good work, and if you've got a little wiggle room in your budget, I know they'd be happy for the help.
And now, I need to go knit something. My donation tubs are empty again.
Friday, January 11, 2013
On the Tenth Day, I Sinned
One of my goals for 2013 was to lay off on the yarn buying for a while. I have a whole, fancy new cabinet full of the stuff, so it's not like I'm hurting for something to knit or anything. I was doing pretty well until yesterday, when Mom said, "Hey, do you want to go to Michael's? They're having a sale on yarn."
Gulp.
I went with the best of intentions. I was needing a pair of size 10 dpns (double pointed needles for the non-knitters- they're used for making circular things, like hats or socks), and I figured it wouldn't hurt to just *look* at the yarn. And I set myself a small budget, in case there was anything that was just too good of a deal to pass up.
This is what I came home with:
Gulp.
I went with the best of intentions. I was needing a pair of size 10 dpns (double pointed needles for the non-knitters- they're used for making circular things, like hats or socks), and I figured it wouldn't hurt to just *look* at the yarn. And I set myself a small budget, in case there was anything that was just too good of a deal to pass up.
This is what I came home with:
The two giant bags are from Michael's. The smaller bag is from a small LYS (Local Yarn Shop in knitter talk) called Starstruck Cat. Mom talked me into going there, too. And again, I went in with the best of intentions. This time, I was looking for a set of size 13 dpns. 13s are big, maybe as big around as a finger, depending on how big your fingers are, and they aren't always easy to find. I came out with the dpns and this beautiful yarn:
Isn't it gorgeous?
The little bag from Starstruck Cat cost as much as one of the giant bags from Michael's, but the yarn from Starstruck Cat is the good stuff: soft, cuddly merino. It's going to make a lovely hat, for me this time!
Between the two stores, I managed to seriously blow the budget. But the Michael's stuff was on sale for a really good price, and it's all going to be made into hats for donation, so I'm not going to beat myself up about it too much.
And after all, I've managed to keep my resolution not to buy any more ebooks... so far.
ETA: On the positive side, I've already finished a charity hat from some of the new yarn I bought. It came out kind of cute, I think!
And a view from the top:
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Just Putting It Out There
The other day a read a blog post by someone who has a movie buddy. Every once in a while they get together for a daylong marathon of the indie gay romances that they both love. Can I just say, this sounds completely AWESOME?!?! Living with my parents, I pretty much limit my watching of anything with significant gay characters to after they've gone to bed or while they're out of the house. It isn't worth the hassle I'd have to put up with, even for something I really enjoy.
So I'm putting it out to the Universe right now. I want to find a local friend to get together with occasionally, who enjoys those kinds of movies, and maybe even some of the same books I do, and won't think I'm a total weirdo or spout a bunch of homophobic crap. (Also, if they like the occasionally other girlie movie, that would be good. I had plans with my SIL to see Magic Mike that got cancelled- twice- before it came out that my brother wouldn't "let" her see it. That pisses me off and skeeves me out in about equal measure.)
It would be really nice to have someplace I felt like I could be myself in real life, and not just on the internet.
So I'm putting it out to the Universe right now. I want to find a local friend to get together with occasionally, who enjoys those kinds of movies, and maybe even some of the same books I do, and won't think I'm a total weirdo or spout a bunch of homophobic crap. (Also, if they like the occasionally other girlie movie, that would be good. I had plans with my SIL to see Magic Mike that got cancelled- twice- before it came out that my brother wouldn't "let" her see it. That pisses me off and skeeves me out in about equal measure.)
It would be really nice to have someplace I felt like I could be myself in real life, and not just on the internet.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Normies Don't Get It
The other day I was attempting to help out in the kitchen. I rinsed a few dishes and put them in the dishwasher, and then all the sudden my back locked up like Fort Knox. Stupid back. Mom saw it happen, and she shooed me away from the sink.
At this point, I made a mistake. I opened my mouth. "Someday," I said, "I'm going to have my dream house, where everything is set up so that I can sit down to do the dishes or work at the stove."
"NO," Mom said. "Someday you will be better, and you won't need that stuff."
Ouch.
I've been at this chronic disease thing for five and a half years now. A drop in the bucket compared to some, and really just the start, since I will be dealing with this stuff in some form for the whole rest of my life. That's what chronic means. It's not going away.
In the really early days, I still believed that every new med was The One. The medication that was going to Fix me. The medication that would make me Healthy and Normal again. They've all had some effect. But none of them transported me back to the land of the healthy. I haven't had another near-death crisis, for which I am endlessly thankful, but I haven't had more than a scattered handful of truly good days since early 2007, either.
After a while, after some hits and misses, some brief bouts of improvement and really miserable side effects, you learn not to hope too hard. I mean, you always have to hope. If you can't hope at all you might as well lay down and die. (And perhaps consider getting a referral and some anti-depressants. No shame. An awful lot of us in the chronic community need that kind of help. Constant illness is depressing as fuck.) This next drug is based on a different treatment pathway. Maybe it will be the one that makes a difference. Someone I know tried this kind of alternative treatment, and they saw improvements in these areas. Maybe I'll try that too, when I scrape up the money. See? Hope.
But it's a cautious hope. A hope that doesn't put all it's eggs in one basket. A hope that never asks for too much. Not a normal life. Not to be able to work again, or go out with friends, to travel regularly, or to be able to do my own damn dishes all in one go without having to sit down and take a break for a while.
I know Mom was trying to be helpful. But by rejecting my reasonable hope-- a hope that someday I'd live in a house that worked around my needs, rather than me struggling to work with what's there-- she squashed me pretty flat. Her hope was too big, too militant, too unrealistic. She still hopes that someday the magic pill will come, and I'll be able to live just like everyone else. I've tried all but two medications currently on the market for my disease. I'd say there's a reasonable chance that I'll be trying one of those two before the year is out. The other one is strictly monitored by the FDA, because one of it's "side effects" is brain eating fungus. I don't think my magic pill is coming any time soon.
So I keep my hopes small. More days where I don't hurt too bad. Less time in the bathroom. More energy. The chance to push my life out past these four walls. I can't hope as big as my mother does for me. The fall would kill me just as surely as my disease would, if given the chance.
Monday, December 31, 2012
2012 Reading List
Holy crap, y'all. I can't believe it's New Year's Eve again. Which means it's once again time to make you a list of what I've been reading. It's a long one. I've spent a lot of time with my nose buried in the ereader this year. My goal was 295 books, and I'm not going to make that. But I'd say 280 is pretty damn good! My favorites are in bold.
1. No Souvenirs- K.A. Mitchell
2. Between You and Me- Willa Okati
3. Talker's Graduation- Amy Lane
4. Slings and Arrows- Josh Lanyon
5. The Captain's Man- Scarlet Blackwell
6. Cheating Chance- James Buchanan
7. One Wild Wish- Devon Rhodes
8. A Lady Awakened- Cecilia Grant (I don't remember much about it now, but I know I really liked it at the time.)
9. No Quarter- Christine d'Abo
10. First You Fall- Scott Sherman
11. Equilibrium- Katey Hawthorne
12. Brazen- Jordan Castillo Price
13. Frost Fair- Erastes
14. Cover Me- L.A. Witt
15. Moonlight Becomes You- Piper Vaughn, M.J. O'Shea
16. Striker- KyAnn Waters
17. Death Trick- Richard Stevenson
18. Dangerous Ground- Josh Lanyon
19. Payback- Jordan Castillo Price
20. Paradise Found- Hunter Raines
21. Moolah and Moonshine- Jordan Castillo Price
22. Riot Boy- Katey Hawthorne - I loved rocker bad boy Brady and laid back Etienne.
23. Other People's Weddings- Josh Lanyon
24. Body Art- Jordan Castillo Price
25. Where You Least Expect It- M. Durango
26. Spanish Fly Guy- Jordan Castillo Price
27. Gym Daddy- Grant Storm
28. Pretty Ugly- Jordan Castillo Price- This was a standout for me within a series of interconnected
novellas.
29. Bad Boyfriend- K.A. Mitchell- I loved this one. Eli is such a great character, and he and Quinn seem
to fit together so well. Their kink was hot, and Eli really helped Quinn cut through the bs with his
adopted family.
30. Make You Sweat- Pia Veleno
31. Sometimes It's Fate- Angela S. Stone
32. The Letter Z- Marie Sexton
33. Pisces: From Behind That Locked Door- Pepper Espinoza
34. Her to Dads- Ariel Tachna
35. The Psychic and the Sleuth- Bonnie Dee
36. Sort of Stranger Than Fiction- Josh Lanyon
37. Sauntering Vaguely Downward- Nessa L. Warin- This one was interested because it took place at
DragonCon in Atlanta. The guys were sweet, and I was glad when they worked it out. But the
setting and all the activity going on around them was fun.
38. Whitetail Rock- Anne Tenino- I love Anne, and I thought this story was great fun. But the characters
also dealt with painful issues, like race and the fear of being fetishized vs being loved.
39. Caught Running- Abigail Roux, Madeleine Urban
40. Change of Heart- Mary Calmes
41. Collared- Kari Gregg- An intense BDSM set in the near future where environmental changes have
cranked human aggression up to 11, except for a few rare individuals. Hard to explain, but it was
really good.
42. A Shared Range- Andrew Grey
43. The Male Room- Carolyn Levine Topol
44. Take My Picture- Giselle Ellis
45. My Heart is Within You- Marguerite Labbe
46. Dar and Greg- Bobby Michaels
47. Getting Dumped, Part 1- Tawna Fenske
48. Thief of Hearts: Tempted in Thailand- E.M. Lynley
49. Demonglass- Rachel Hawkins
50. A Troubled Range- Andrew Grey
51. The Mister Trophy- Frank Tuttle
52. Private Dicks- Katie Allen
53. Snared- J.L. Merrow
54. Chasing Seth- J.R. Loveless
55. Frost Moon- Anthony Francis- An Urban Fantasy with some unique elements.
56. It's Not Shakespeare- Amy Lane
57. A Chip in His Shoulder- L.A. Witt
58. A Vintage Affair- Josh Lanyon
59. Boys of Summer- Cooper Davis
60. Urban Shaman- Lyn Gala- M/M romantic suspense, with some unusual paranormal elements. Hoping
there will be a sequel at some point.
61. Seduce Me at Sunrise- Lisa Kleypas
62. Unshakeable Faith- Lisa Worrell
63. Close to Me- Katrina Strauss
64. Cinder- Marie Sexton
65. One More Wish- Devon Rhodes
66. Clouds and Rain- Zahra Owens
67. Black Blades- Ginn Hale
68. Nature of the Beast- Amylea Lyn
69. Foxe Hunt- Haley Walsh
70. Foreshock- Kari Gregg
71. One Less Stiff at the Funeral- Sean Kennedy
72. The Island- Lisa Henry- Really intense, with physical and psychological torture, but so good.
73. Critic's Choice- Josh Lanyon
74. Le Jazz Hot- Clancy Nacht, Thursday Euclid
75. Nowhere Ranch- Heidi Cullinan
76. In the Strangest Places- Willa Okati
77. Sex, Lies, & Edelweiss- J.L. Merrow
78. My Only Home- Pepper Espinoza
79. Once a Marine- Cat Grant
80. One Good Hand- Rowan McBride
81. The Captain's Beloved- Scarlet Blackwell
82. Dawn in the Orchard- Cooper West
83. Circle of Change- Laney Cairo- This was an incredible book. An Inspirational (Pagan), with a m/m
romance and a trans* main character. So sensitively handled.
84. Fugly- K.Z. Snow
85. Frat Boy and Toppy- Anne Tenino- Funny, emotional, with the most hilarious coming out scene I've
ever read. If you haven't read Anne Tenino yet, start here!
86. Amaranth & Ash- Jessica Freely
87. Ride With Me- Ruthie Knox- A fantastic, independent heroine and a hero who was protective while
still respecting her. Best m/f I've read in a while.
88. Blood Howl- Robin Saxon
89. Blacker Than Black- Rhi Etzweiler- Romance, Urban Fantasy with a new kind of vampire, a really
excellent read. Looking forward to future books.
90. A Private Gentleman- Heidi Cullinan- Kind of heartbreaking, but fantastic, too.
91. The White Knight- Josh Lanyon
92. Wishink Well- Jordan Castillo Price- Another fantastic novella in the Petit Morts series.
93. I, Omega- Kari Gregg
94. Our December- Diane Adams
95. Nobody's Hero- Katey Hawthorne
96. Sagittarius Blues- Katrina Strauss
97. Girl From Mars- Julie Cohen
98. Clear Water- Amy Lane- Just a really good story
99. Master of the Mountain- Cherise Sinclair
100. Out of the Blue- Josh Lanyon
101. Handle With Care- Josephine Myles
102. Sympathy- Jordan Castillo Price
103. Reckless Seduction- Amanda Young
104. Grown Men- Damon Suede
105. Wight Mischief- J.L. Merrow
106. A+E 4ever- ilike merey- My first graphic novel, a couple of teens dealing with gender and sexuality.
I don't think graphic novels are really for me, but it was still quite good.
107. A Bar Tender Tale- Melanie Tushmore
108. Super Sock Man- Amy Lane
109. Happily Neverafter- Jordan Castillo Price
110. According to Hoyle- Abigail Roux
111. The Naked Truth- Lilly Cain
112. The Wishing Cup- J.M. Gryffyn
113. Domination- Chris Owen, Jodi Payne
114. The Gathering- Scott Sherman
115. When I Fall- Belinda McBride
116. Accidentally in Love- Jane Davitt
117. Witches' Blood- Ginn Hale
118. Chasing Smoke- K.A. Mitchell
119. Beginnings and Ends- Suzanne Brockmann
120. The Seduction of Phaeton Black- Jillian Stone
121. Bone Idol- Paige Turner
122. Second You Sin- Scott Sherman- The second Kevin Connor mystery. I just love Kevin!
123. Bewitched by Bella's Brother- Amy Lane
124. City Falcon- Feliz Faber
125. Behind Iron Lace- Mercy Celeste
126. Life Lessons- Kaje Harper- Great m/m romantic suspense
127. The Hunting Moon- Evelyn Shepherd
128. Beautiful Disaster- J.M. Snyder
129. A Queer and Pleasant Danger- Kate Bornstein
130. An Oral Fixation- Piper Vaughn- A great story about two guys finally getting their chance together.
131. Dharma Cafe- Jessica Freely
132. One Small Thing- Piper Vaughn, M.J. O'Shea- An unexpected baby, a guy with serious anxiety,
and a really sweet story.
133. One Night in LA- Sue Holston
134. London Eye- Clare London
135. Slow Summer Kisses- Shannon Stacey
136. Last Stop- Lou Harper
137. Blind Items- Kate McMurray
138. Duty & Devotion- Tere Michaels
139. Used, Rare, & Limited Editions- Chris Owen
140. Dancing With the Tide- Neil Plakcy
141. The Tea Demon- Cornelia Grey
142. Lovers and Other Strangers- Josh Lanyon
143. The Fix- Anne Tenino
144. A Little Bite of Magic- M.J. O'Shea
145. Spirits and Second Chances- Sean Kennedy
146. Paris A to Z- Marie Sexton
147. Waterways- Kyell Gold
148. Hawk's Landing- Carol Lynne
149. Spell Cat- Tara Lain- I'd never heard of Tara until I met her at RT this spring. I've really enjoyed her
books, especially this one.
150. Old Poison- Josh Lanyon
151. Academic Pursuits- Lou Harper
152. Asher's Invention- Coleen Kwan
153. A Matter of Time, Vol 1- Mary Calmes
154. Taxes and TARDIS- N.R. Walker
155. Pit Road- Anah Crow, Dianne Fox
156. Forever in One Second- Finn Marlowe
157. At Piper's Point- Ethan Day
158. What Hides Inside- Ally Blue
159. Just Desserts- Josh Lanyon
160. Defying the Odds- Kele Moon
161. Pearl- Kelly Rand- This is short, but there's a huge amount of story here, without feeling rushed.
162. Yearning- Amy Lane
163. A Note in the Margin- Isabelle Rowan
164. Volley Balls- Tara Lain
165. Easy- Ally Blue
166. Claimed- Evangeline Anderson
167. Country Mouse- Amy Lane, Aleksandr Voinov
168. Shattered Glass- Dani Alexander
169. Cost of Repairs- A.M. Arthur
170. You Can Leave Your Hat On- Lena Matthews
171. Hard Tail- J.L. Merrow
172. Taurus: All That You Do- Jamie Craig
173. Out of the Fire- Ariel Tachna
174. Salad on the Side- Karenna Colcroft
175. Windows in Time- M. Jules Aedin- A mystery, a bit of a ghost story, gender stuff. Really good.
176. Bound by Blood- Jourdan Lane
177. Kaden's Colors- Ryan Loveless
178. Hanging Loose- Lou Harper
179. The Luckiest- Piper Vaughn, M.J. O'Shea
180. Actually, I'm Gay- Roxy Harte
181. Loose Change- Sean Kennedy
182. Chasing the Mailman- Amber Redd
183. A Matter of Time, Vol 2- Mary Calmes
184. Don't Look Back- Josh Lanyon
185. One Good Year- Rowan McBride
186. The Druid Stone- Heidi Belleau, Violetta Vane- Fantasy, romance, big bad guys, time travel.
187. But My Boyfriend Is- K.A. Mitchell
188. Blood Will Tell- Kyra Cornelius Kramer
189. Media Naranja- Clare London
190. Spell Bound- Rachel Hawkins
191. Immortal Coil- Jordan Castillo Price
192. Where Nerves End- L.A. Witt
193. Sticks & Stones- Abigail Roux, Madeleine Urban
194. Hell Cop- Astrid Amara, Nicole Kimberling, Ginn Hale
195. Flat-Out Sexy- Erin McCarthy
196. Boys in the Band- B.A. Tortuga
197. This Rough Magic- Josh Lanyon
198. All He Ever Needed- Shannon Stacey
199. Discipline- Chris Owen, Jodi Payne
200. Truth or Dare- Jenna Byrnes
201. Brookstreet: Thief- Ava March
202. Love Means... No Shame- Andrew Grey
203. The Dangers of Fairy Compacts- Katey Hawthorne
204. Life as a Fairy Thrall- Katey Hawthorne
205. Born to Darkness- Suzanne Brockmann
206. Champion- Jet Mykles
207. Pressure Head- J.L. Merrow- Another excellent Merrow
208. Gasp!- Z.A. Maxfield- A spoiled mess of a rockstar and a soldier trying to find a place for himself
outside of the military. Not perfect, but a fun read.
209. Third You Die- Scott Sherman- The third, and possibly final, Kevin Connor mystery. (sniffle)
210. Moving in Rhythm- Dev Bentham
211. Twilight- Ally Blue
212. Eighth Grade Bites- Heather Brewer
213. Boy Meets Boy- David Levithan
214. The Flesh Cartel #1: Capture- Rachel Haimowitz, Heidi Belleau- Rape, torture, dark, intense.
Definitely not for everyone. First of a serial.
215. My Regelence Rake- J.L. Langley
216. The Kraken's Mirror- Maureen O. Betita
217. Song of Oestend- Marie Sexton- Alternate history western, supernatural, romance. Amazing.
218. Marathon Cowboys- Sarah Black
219. The Hot Floor- Josephine Myles- Fantastic menage story, tons of emotion & vulnerability. And hot!
220. Curious?: A Woman's Introduction to Gay Romance- Amy Lane, et al
221. Second Hand- Heidi Cullinan, Marie Sexton
222. Death Comes As the End- Agatha Christie
223. Just Like Heaven- Julia Quinn- Not much meat to the story, but it was great fun.
224. Cop Out- K.C. Burn
225. Slight of Hand- Katrina Strauss
226. Love. Hypothetically- Anne Tenino
227. Mind Magic- Poppy Dennison
228. Magpie- Kim Dare- Really interesting take on shifter culture, with BDSM. Loved Kane.
229. The Courage to Love- Samantha Kane
230. Phonebook- Amy Lane
231. Raising the Stakes- Amy Lane
232. Insta-Love- Josephine Myles
233. Art of Death- Ana Bosch
234. Closer- Ally Blue
235. In Service- Mima
236. Heart Trouble- Josh Lanyon
237. College Boys- Daisy Harris
238. Fire Balls- Tara Lain- A twink who's tougher than he looks and a firefighter who has to find his
courage.
239. Twice by Chance- Susan Laine
240. Strawberries and the Beast- April Moone
241. Adder- Ally Blue
242. The Gravedigger's Brawl- Abigail Roux- Spooky ghost story and a great romance.
243. The Gathering- Kelley Armstrong
244. The Flesh Cartel #2: Auction- Rachel Haimowitz, Heidi Belleau- Even more intense and violent
than the first one.
245. Pets, Book 1: Sparkling- Mike Shade
246. Admiring Anna- Kim Dare
247. Saviours of Oestend- Marie Sexton- Sequel to Song of Oestend. Fantastic.
248. Brush With Catastrophe- Tara Lain
249. Used, Rare, and Custom Jobs- Chris Owen
250. Boats in the Night- Josephine Myles- Just good stuff.
251. Blood Relations- K.C. Burn
252. By the River- Katey Hawthorne
253. Silent Night- Deanna Raybourn
254. Without Reservations- J.L. Langley
255. The Good Thief- James Buchanan
256. Lesson Learned- Lillian Francis
257. Be Bad, For Goodness Sake- Tara Lain
258. Riptide Rentboys: The 2012 Collection- Rachel Haimowitz, et al
259. Unacceptable Risk- Kaje Harper
260. One True Thing- Piper Vaughn, M.J. O'Shea
261. Puppy, Car, and Snow- Amy Lane
262. Feeling Hot- Elle Kennedy
263. Doctor Who: The Angel's Kiss- Justin Richards
264. How to Raise an Honest Rabbit- Amy Lane
265. Conduct Unbecoming- L.A. Witt- Military romance set on Okinawa post-DADT repeal.
266. Season For Surrender- Theresa Romain
267. Cherish- Tere Michaels
268. The Long Way Home- Z.A. Maxfield- Fantastic supernatural romantic suspense.
269. I Don't: A Christmas Wish- Kari Gregg- Some really painful stuff, but also funny and well done.
270. Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things- Randy O. Frost
271. Snow Balls- Tara Lain
272. Miracle of the Bellskis- Astrid Amara
273. Knitter in His Natural Habitat- Amy Lane
274. Borderline- T.A. Chase
275. Outlaw Marriages: The Hidden Histories of Fifteen Extraordinary Same-Sex Couples- Rodger
Streitmatter
276. Before He Cheats- Kim Dare
277. O Come All Ye Kinky- Joey W. Hill, et al
278. Turkey in the Snow- Amy Lane
279. You Melted Me- Kari Gregg
280. Something Like Summer- Jay Bell
And I don't know if I'll finish in time, but if I do, Cold Days by Jim Butcher will be book 281. And so far it's fantastic, so it will be another bolded one!
1. No Souvenirs- K.A. Mitchell
2. Between You and Me- Willa Okati
3. Talker's Graduation- Amy Lane
4. Slings and Arrows- Josh Lanyon
5. The Captain's Man- Scarlet Blackwell
6. Cheating Chance- James Buchanan
7. One Wild Wish- Devon Rhodes
8. A Lady Awakened- Cecilia Grant (I don't remember much about it now, but I know I really liked it at the time.)
9. No Quarter- Christine d'Abo
10. First You Fall- Scott Sherman
11. Equilibrium- Katey Hawthorne
12. Brazen- Jordan Castillo Price
13. Frost Fair- Erastes
14. Cover Me- L.A. Witt
15. Moonlight Becomes You- Piper Vaughn, M.J. O'Shea
16. Striker- KyAnn Waters
17. Death Trick- Richard Stevenson
18. Dangerous Ground- Josh Lanyon
19. Payback- Jordan Castillo Price
20. Paradise Found- Hunter Raines
21. Moolah and Moonshine- Jordan Castillo Price
22. Riot Boy- Katey Hawthorne - I loved rocker bad boy Brady and laid back Etienne.
23. Other People's Weddings- Josh Lanyon
24. Body Art- Jordan Castillo Price
25. Where You Least Expect It- M. Durango
26. Spanish Fly Guy- Jordan Castillo Price
27. Gym Daddy- Grant Storm
28. Pretty Ugly- Jordan Castillo Price- This was a standout for me within a series of interconnected
novellas.
29. Bad Boyfriend- K.A. Mitchell- I loved this one. Eli is such a great character, and he and Quinn seem
to fit together so well. Their kink was hot, and Eli really helped Quinn cut through the bs with his
adopted family.
30. Make You Sweat- Pia Veleno
31. Sometimes It's Fate- Angela S. Stone
32. The Letter Z- Marie Sexton
33. Pisces: From Behind That Locked Door- Pepper Espinoza
34. Her to Dads- Ariel Tachna
35. The Psychic and the Sleuth- Bonnie Dee
36. Sort of Stranger Than Fiction- Josh Lanyon
37. Sauntering Vaguely Downward- Nessa L. Warin- This one was interested because it took place at
DragonCon in Atlanta. The guys were sweet, and I was glad when they worked it out. But the
setting and all the activity going on around them was fun.
38. Whitetail Rock- Anne Tenino- I love Anne, and I thought this story was great fun. But the characters
also dealt with painful issues, like race and the fear of being fetishized vs being loved.
39. Caught Running- Abigail Roux, Madeleine Urban
40. Change of Heart- Mary Calmes
41. Collared- Kari Gregg- An intense BDSM set in the near future where environmental changes have
cranked human aggression up to 11, except for a few rare individuals. Hard to explain, but it was
really good.
42. A Shared Range- Andrew Grey
43. The Male Room- Carolyn Levine Topol
44. Take My Picture- Giselle Ellis
45. My Heart is Within You- Marguerite Labbe
46. Dar and Greg- Bobby Michaels
47. Getting Dumped, Part 1- Tawna Fenske
48. Thief of Hearts: Tempted in Thailand- E.M. Lynley
49. Demonglass- Rachel Hawkins
50. A Troubled Range- Andrew Grey
51. The Mister Trophy- Frank Tuttle
52. Private Dicks- Katie Allen
53. Snared- J.L. Merrow
54. Chasing Seth- J.R. Loveless
55. Frost Moon- Anthony Francis- An Urban Fantasy with some unique elements.
56. It's Not Shakespeare- Amy Lane
57. A Chip in His Shoulder- L.A. Witt
58. A Vintage Affair- Josh Lanyon
59. Boys of Summer- Cooper Davis
60. Urban Shaman- Lyn Gala- M/M romantic suspense, with some unusual paranormal elements. Hoping
there will be a sequel at some point.
61. Seduce Me at Sunrise- Lisa Kleypas
62. Unshakeable Faith- Lisa Worrell
63. Close to Me- Katrina Strauss
64. Cinder- Marie Sexton
65. One More Wish- Devon Rhodes
66. Clouds and Rain- Zahra Owens
67. Black Blades- Ginn Hale
68. Nature of the Beast- Amylea Lyn
69. Foxe Hunt- Haley Walsh
70. Foreshock- Kari Gregg
71. One Less Stiff at the Funeral- Sean Kennedy
72. The Island- Lisa Henry- Really intense, with physical and psychological torture, but so good.
73. Critic's Choice- Josh Lanyon
74. Le Jazz Hot- Clancy Nacht, Thursday Euclid
75. Nowhere Ranch- Heidi Cullinan
76. In the Strangest Places- Willa Okati
77. Sex, Lies, & Edelweiss- J.L. Merrow
78. My Only Home- Pepper Espinoza
79. Once a Marine- Cat Grant
80. One Good Hand- Rowan McBride
81. The Captain's Beloved- Scarlet Blackwell
82. Dawn in the Orchard- Cooper West
83. Circle of Change- Laney Cairo- This was an incredible book. An Inspirational (Pagan), with a m/m
romance and a trans* main character. So sensitively handled.
84. Fugly- K.Z. Snow
85. Frat Boy and Toppy- Anne Tenino- Funny, emotional, with the most hilarious coming out scene I've
ever read. If you haven't read Anne Tenino yet, start here!
86. Amaranth & Ash- Jessica Freely
87. Ride With Me- Ruthie Knox- A fantastic, independent heroine and a hero who was protective while
still respecting her. Best m/f I've read in a while.
88. Blood Howl- Robin Saxon
89. Blacker Than Black- Rhi Etzweiler- Romance, Urban Fantasy with a new kind of vampire, a really
excellent read. Looking forward to future books.
90. A Private Gentleman- Heidi Cullinan- Kind of heartbreaking, but fantastic, too.
91. The White Knight- Josh Lanyon
92. Wishink Well- Jordan Castillo Price- Another fantastic novella in the Petit Morts series.
93. I, Omega- Kari Gregg
94. Our December- Diane Adams
95. Nobody's Hero- Katey Hawthorne
96. Sagittarius Blues- Katrina Strauss
97. Girl From Mars- Julie Cohen
98. Clear Water- Amy Lane- Just a really good story
99. Master of the Mountain- Cherise Sinclair
100. Out of the Blue- Josh Lanyon
101. Handle With Care- Josephine Myles
102. Sympathy- Jordan Castillo Price
103. Reckless Seduction- Amanda Young
104. Grown Men- Damon Suede
105. Wight Mischief- J.L. Merrow
106. A+E 4ever- ilike merey- My first graphic novel, a couple of teens dealing with gender and sexuality.
I don't think graphic novels are really for me, but it was still quite good.
107. A Bar Tender Tale- Melanie Tushmore
108. Super Sock Man- Amy Lane
109. Happily Neverafter- Jordan Castillo Price
110. According to Hoyle- Abigail Roux
111. The Naked Truth- Lilly Cain
112. The Wishing Cup- J.M. Gryffyn
113. Domination- Chris Owen, Jodi Payne
114. The Gathering- Scott Sherman
115. When I Fall- Belinda McBride
116. Accidentally in Love- Jane Davitt
117. Witches' Blood- Ginn Hale
118. Chasing Smoke- K.A. Mitchell
119. Beginnings and Ends- Suzanne Brockmann
120. The Seduction of Phaeton Black- Jillian Stone
121. Bone Idol- Paige Turner
122. Second You Sin- Scott Sherman- The second Kevin Connor mystery. I just love Kevin!
123. Bewitched by Bella's Brother- Amy Lane
124. City Falcon- Feliz Faber
125. Behind Iron Lace- Mercy Celeste
126. Life Lessons- Kaje Harper- Great m/m romantic suspense
127. The Hunting Moon- Evelyn Shepherd
128. Beautiful Disaster- J.M. Snyder
129. A Queer and Pleasant Danger- Kate Bornstein
130. An Oral Fixation- Piper Vaughn- A great story about two guys finally getting their chance together.
131. Dharma Cafe- Jessica Freely
132. One Small Thing- Piper Vaughn, M.J. O'Shea- An unexpected baby, a guy with serious anxiety,
and a really sweet story.
133. One Night in LA- Sue Holston
134. London Eye- Clare London
135. Slow Summer Kisses- Shannon Stacey
136. Last Stop- Lou Harper
137. Blind Items- Kate McMurray
138. Duty & Devotion- Tere Michaels
139. Used, Rare, & Limited Editions- Chris Owen
140. Dancing With the Tide- Neil Plakcy
141. The Tea Demon- Cornelia Grey
142. Lovers and Other Strangers- Josh Lanyon
143. The Fix- Anne Tenino
144. A Little Bite of Magic- M.J. O'Shea
145. Spirits and Second Chances- Sean Kennedy
146. Paris A to Z- Marie Sexton
147. Waterways- Kyell Gold
148. Hawk's Landing- Carol Lynne
149. Spell Cat- Tara Lain- I'd never heard of Tara until I met her at RT this spring. I've really enjoyed her
books, especially this one.
150. Old Poison- Josh Lanyon
151. Academic Pursuits- Lou Harper
152. Asher's Invention- Coleen Kwan
153. A Matter of Time, Vol 1- Mary Calmes
154. Taxes and TARDIS- N.R. Walker
155. Pit Road- Anah Crow, Dianne Fox
156. Forever in One Second- Finn Marlowe
157. At Piper's Point- Ethan Day
158. What Hides Inside- Ally Blue
159. Just Desserts- Josh Lanyon
160. Defying the Odds- Kele Moon
161. Pearl- Kelly Rand- This is short, but there's a huge amount of story here, without feeling rushed.
162. Yearning- Amy Lane
163. A Note in the Margin- Isabelle Rowan
164. Volley Balls- Tara Lain
165. Easy- Ally Blue
166. Claimed- Evangeline Anderson
167. Country Mouse- Amy Lane, Aleksandr Voinov
168. Shattered Glass- Dani Alexander
169. Cost of Repairs- A.M. Arthur
170. You Can Leave Your Hat On- Lena Matthews
171. Hard Tail- J.L. Merrow
172. Taurus: All That You Do- Jamie Craig
173. Out of the Fire- Ariel Tachna
174. Salad on the Side- Karenna Colcroft
175. Windows in Time- M. Jules Aedin- A mystery, a bit of a ghost story, gender stuff. Really good.
176. Bound by Blood- Jourdan Lane
177. Kaden's Colors- Ryan Loveless
178. Hanging Loose- Lou Harper
179. The Luckiest- Piper Vaughn, M.J. O'Shea
180. Actually, I'm Gay- Roxy Harte
181. Loose Change- Sean Kennedy
182. Chasing the Mailman- Amber Redd
183. A Matter of Time, Vol 2- Mary Calmes
184. Don't Look Back- Josh Lanyon
185. One Good Year- Rowan McBride
186. The Druid Stone- Heidi Belleau, Violetta Vane- Fantasy, romance, big bad guys, time travel.
187. But My Boyfriend Is- K.A. Mitchell
188. Blood Will Tell- Kyra Cornelius Kramer
189. Media Naranja- Clare London
190. Spell Bound- Rachel Hawkins
191. Immortal Coil- Jordan Castillo Price
192. Where Nerves End- L.A. Witt
193. Sticks & Stones- Abigail Roux, Madeleine Urban
194. Hell Cop- Astrid Amara, Nicole Kimberling, Ginn Hale
195. Flat-Out Sexy- Erin McCarthy
196. Boys in the Band- B.A. Tortuga
197. This Rough Magic- Josh Lanyon
198. All He Ever Needed- Shannon Stacey
199. Discipline- Chris Owen, Jodi Payne
200. Truth or Dare- Jenna Byrnes
201. Brookstreet: Thief- Ava March
202. Love Means... No Shame- Andrew Grey
203. The Dangers of Fairy Compacts- Katey Hawthorne
204. Life as a Fairy Thrall- Katey Hawthorne
205. Born to Darkness- Suzanne Brockmann
206. Champion- Jet Mykles
207. Pressure Head- J.L. Merrow- Another excellent Merrow
208. Gasp!- Z.A. Maxfield- A spoiled mess of a rockstar and a soldier trying to find a place for himself
outside of the military. Not perfect, but a fun read.
209. Third You Die- Scott Sherman- The third, and possibly final, Kevin Connor mystery. (sniffle)
210. Moving in Rhythm- Dev Bentham
211. Twilight- Ally Blue
212. Eighth Grade Bites- Heather Brewer
213. Boy Meets Boy- David Levithan
214. The Flesh Cartel #1: Capture- Rachel Haimowitz, Heidi Belleau- Rape, torture, dark, intense.
Definitely not for everyone. First of a serial.
215. My Regelence Rake- J.L. Langley
216. The Kraken's Mirror- Maureen O. Betita
217. Song of Oestend- Marie Sexton- Alternate history western, supernatural, romance. Amazing.
218. Marathon Cowboys- Sarah Black
219. The Hot Floor- Josephine Myles- Fantastic menage story, tons of emotion & vulnerability. And hot!
220. Curious?: A Woman's Introduction to Gay Romance- Amy Lane, et al
221. Second Hand- Heidi Cullinan, Marie Sexton
222. Death Comes As the End- Agatha Christie
223. Just Like Heaven- Julia Quinn- Not much meat to the story, but it was great fun.
224. Cop Out- K.C. Burn
225. Slight of Hand- Katrina Strauss
226. Love. Hypothetically- Anne Tenino
227. Mind Magic- Poppy Dennison
228. Magpie- Kim Dare- Really interesting take on shifter culture, with BDSM. Loved Kane.
229. The Courage to Love- Samantha Kane
230. Phonebook- Amy Lane
231. Raising the Stakes- Amy Lane
232. Insta-Love- Josephine Myles
233. Art of Death- Ana Bosch
234. Closer- Ally Blue
235. In Service- Mima
236. Heart Trouble- Josh Lanyon
237. College Boys- Daisy Harris
238. Fire Balls- Tara Lain- A twink who's tougher than he looks and a firefighter who has to find his
courage.
239. Twice by Chance- Susan Laine
240. Strawberries and the Beast- April Moone
241. Adder- Ally Blue
242. The Gravedigger's Brawl- Abigail Roux- Spooky ghost story and a great romance.
243. The Gathering- Kelley Armstrong
244. The Flesh Cartel #2: Auction- Rachel Haimowitz, Heidi Belleau- Even more intense and violent
than the first one.
245. Pets, Book 1: Sparkling- Mike Shade
246. Admiring Anna- Kim Dare
247. Saviours of Oestend- Marie Sexton- Sequel to Song of Oestend. Fantastic.
248. Brush With Catastrophe- Tara Lain
249. Used, Rare, and Custom Jobs- Chris Owen
250. Boats in the Night- Josephine Myles- Just good stuff.
251. Blood Relations- K.C. Burn
252. By the River- Katey Hawthorne
253. Silent Night- Deanna Raybourn
254. Without Reservations- J.L. Langley
255. The Good Thief- James Buchanan
256. Lesson Learned- Lillian Francis
257. Be Bad, For Goodness Sake- Tara Lain
258. Riptide Rentboys: The 2012 Collection- Rachel Haimowitz, et al
259. Unacceptable Risk- Kaje Harper
260. One True Thing- Piper Vaughn, M.J. O'Shea
261. Puppy, Car, and Snow- Amy Lane
262. Feeling Hot- Elle Kennedy
263. Doctor Who: The Angel's Kiss- Justin Richards
264. How to Raise an Honest Rabbit- Amy Lane
265. Conduct Unbecoming- L.A. Witt- Military romance set on Okinawa post-DADT repeal.
266. Season For Surrender- Theresa Romain
267. Cherish- Tere Michaels
268. The Long Way Home- Z.A. Maxfield- Fantastic supernatural romantic suspense.
269. I Don't: A Christmas Wish- Kari Gregg- Some really painful stuff, but also funny and well done.
270. Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things- Randy O. Frost
271. Snow Balls- Tara Lain
272. Miracle of the Bellskis- Astrid Amara
273. Knitter in His Natural Habitat- Amy Lane
274. Borderline- T.A. Chase
275. Outlaw Marriages: The Hidden Histories of Fifteen Extraordinary Same-Sex Couples- Rodger
Streitmatter
276. Before He Cheats- Kim Dare
277. O Come All Ye Kinky- Joey W. Hill, et al
278. Turkey in the Snow- Amy Lane
279. You Melted Me- Kari Gregg
280. Something Like Summer- Jay Bell
And I don't know if I'll finish in time, but if I do, Cold Days by Jim Butcher will be book 281. And so far it's fantastic, so it will be another bolded one!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Donation 2012
Last year I knit my brother a pair of warm house socks for Christmas. I had some yarn leftover, so I decided to knit a hat. And since I didn't have anyone in particular who needed a hat, I decided to donate it somewhere. And then, because this is me we're talking about, it kind of snowballed.
Here's that first hat:
And here's a picture of my 2012 knitted donation:
Final count was 3 scarves, 2 cowls, 2 pair of fingerless mitts, and 33 hats. 40 items all together. Woot! Ten items went to Trinity Place, a ten bed shelter in New York City for homeless LGBTQ youth. The rest went to Ruth Ellis Center, an organization in Detroit that has both a drop-in center and residential programs for LGBTQ youth. Ruth Ellis estimates that there are 800 homeless teens in Detroit on any given day. The situation in NYC is even worse. According to this article, as of 2008 there were approximately 3,800 homeless youth in NYC, but the city had only 250 shelter beds reserved for teens. Some knitting doesn't mean much in the face of those kinds of numbers, but hopefully these things will mean something to the 40 people who get them.
I'm already plotting my donation for next year. I give cash when I can, which isn't as often as I'd like. But in the meantime I have a cabinet full of yarn and all the time in the world. For 2013 I hope to be able to donate 100 hats.
Here's that first hat:
And here's a picture of my 2012 knitted donation:
Final count was 3 scarves, 2 cowls, 2 pair of fingerless mitts, and 33 hats. 40 items all together. Woot! Ten items went to Trinity Place, a ten bed shelter in New York City for homeless LGBTQ youth. The rest went to Ruth Ellis Center, an organization in Detroit that has both a drop-in center and residential programs for LGBTQ youth. Ruth Ellis estimates that there are 800 homeless teens in Detroit on any given day. The situation in NYC is even worse. According to this article, as of 2008 there were approximately 3,800 homeless youth in NYC, but the city had only 250 shelter beds reserved for teens. Some knitting doesn't mean much in the face of those kinds of numbers, but hopefully these things will mean something to the 40 people who get them.
I'm already plotting my donation for next year. I give cash when I can, which isn't as often as I'd like. But in the meantime I have a cabinet full of yarn and all the time in the world. For 2013 I hope to be able to donate 100 hats.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
My Facebook Comment to Heterosexual Awareness Month
because they will delete it and block me any minute:
Heterosexual Awareness Month. Yeah, right. Like anyone, anywhere missed the fact that heterosexual people exist.
The "attack on marriage" (aka EQUALITY) does not cause suicide. Bullying and hate cause suicide. You really want to have an affect on the suicide rate? Stop pretending that heterosexuals are the injured party when it's the LGBTQ community that's being denied basic human rights. And stop telling kids that it's OK to bully and harass people who are different from themselves.
Heterosexual Awareness Month. Yeah, right. Like anyone, anywhere missed the fact that heterosexual people exist.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
I Have Decided
All right, I've hit my limit. I've been puttering around, saying I want to get this done. But this is it. I've decided that my room is going to be completely redone-- painted, new carpet, new linens and widow dressings, new furniture bought and assembled-- by my birthday. That gives me just about two months to get it all done. Fortunately, I pretty much know what I want. I haven't looked at paint chips yet, but I know I want lemon yellow walls. (So much more cheerful than the sort of gray-ish lavender I have now.)
I want this bedding set.
I want this bedding set.
This TV stand/media storage.
This glass-fronted bookcase for yarn storage, except in white. (I'm showing you the black version so you can see the frosted pattern on the doors.)
And possibly a second bookcase, without the doors, just for more storage.
I'll also have to figure out stuff like lighting-- there's an overhead light, but it's the most horrendous, depressing thing you've ever seen. I literally wince every time I have to turn the overhead light on. And I'll need to figure out something about the carpet. It's a weird lavender color. I've never replaced carpet before, and I have no idea how much it will cost. Maybe I'll just give it a good professional cleaning and look at the floor as little as possible.
And of course I have to clean out all the crap so I can get to the walls and carpet. But believe it or not, I've been making some minor, but encouraging progress. So I'm going to keep plugging away, hopefully at a faster pace.
Because I'm really sick of existing like this, and I want a livable space.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Inching Forward
Hey, everybody. I haven't posted for a while. I'm mostly hanging around on twitter these days. 140 characters fits my lifestyle better than a whole blog. Generally speaking, not much happens to talk about.
There have been some changes recently, though. Last week I saw the new GI after having a colonoscopy in early July. (Nothing dire, they just like to take a peek at the insides every once in a while to make sure there aren't any nasty surprises.) He reviewed all my files, and we discussed, and bottom line is that I'll be starting Humira as soon as we can get it approved by insurance. I've known this was coming for a while. I'm hopeful that the new med will mean an improvement in my health and quality of life. But I'm kind of dreading it, too. The last big med I was on was Remicade. It's an IV drug, which was no big deal. (I got over my discomfort with IVs after spending 2 weeks in the hospital five years ago.) Someone else does all the work. All the patient has to do is sit there and wait for it to finish dripping. Humira is a self-injection. I'm going to have to get over my squeamishness and learn to stick myself. It'll be an injector pen, like an epi-pen, so nowhere near as bad as it could be. But I'm kind of underwhelmed by the idea anyway.
The other new thing is a bit more positive. I went to the Y today and signed up for a membership. I'm *finally* going to start going to water arthritis classes again. The next class is Wednesday afternoon, so barring surprise!period (which wouldn't totally shock me-- my cycle has been running at about 25 days lately, but I'm hoping it will at least wait until the weekend), I hope to be back in the pool then.
Also, Troub hasn't been doing so well lately. He's not eating much, and when he does eat he pukes it back up about half the time. The vet thinks his allergy to his food has finally gotten to be too much. We switched to a different food, which helped for a while, but now he doesn't want to eat either brand. And he hasn't been getting his steroid, because the only way we could get it in him was to squirt it on his food. No eating, no steroid. Without the steroid it's become obvious that he has arthritis problems. I talked to the vet again this morning, and she wants me to significantly up his steroid dosage. Somehow. My brother is coming over shortly to see if he can get it in him. He likes my brother. He (the cat, not my brother) has been hiding, first in my parents' closet and then under my bed, since he spotted me with the syringe this morning. The really frustrating part is that he used to *love* his medicine. And then all the sudden he decided he didn't like it any more. (I get it from a special veterinary compounding pharmacy, and it's tuna flavored. We're going to refill in chicken flavor and see if he likes that any better.)
So that's all the scary, positive, frustrating news around here. At this rate, I'll have more news in another couple months. In the meantime, look for me on twitter. I'll be the one making smartass comments and retweeting stuff.
There have been some changes recently, though. Last week I saw the new GI after having a colonoscopy in early July. (Nothing dire, they just like to take a peek at the insides every once in a while to make sure there aren't any nasty surprises.) He reviewed all my files, and we discussed, and bottom line is that I'll be starting Humira as soon as we can get it approved by insurance. I've known this was coming for a while. I'm hopeful that the new med will mean an improvement in my health and quality of life. But I'm kind of dreading it, too. The last big med I was on was Remicade. It's an IV drug, which was no big deal. (I got over my discomfort with IVs after spending 2 weeks in the hospital five years ago.) Someone else does all the work. All the patient has to do is sit there and wait for it to finish dripping. Humira is a self-injection. I'm going to have to get over my squeamishness and learn to stick myself. It'll be an injector pen, like an epi-pen, so nowhere near as bad as it could be. But I'm kind of underwhelmed by the idea anyway.
The other new thing is a bit more positive. I went to the Y today and signed up for a membership. I'm *finally* going to start going to water arthritis classes again. The next class is Wednesday afternoon, so barring surprise!period (which wouldn't totally shock me-- my cycle has been running at about 25 days lately, but I'm hoping it will at least wait until the weekend), I hope to be back in the pool then.
Also, Troub hasn't been doing so well lately. He's not eating much, and when he does eat he pukes it back up about half the time. The vet thinks his allergy to his food has finally gotten to be too much. We switched to a different food, which helped for a while, but now he doesn't want to eat either brand. And he hasn't been getting his steroid, because the only way we could get it in him was to squirt it on his food. No eating, no steroid. Without the steroid it's become obvious that he has arthritis problems. I talked to the vet again this morning, and she wants me to significantly up his steroid dosage. Somehow. My brother is coming over shortly to see if he can get it in him. He likes my brother. He (the cat, not my brother) has been hiding, first in my parents' closet and then under my bed, since he spotted me with the syringe this morning. The really frustrating part is that he used to *love* his medicine. And then all the sudden he decided he didn't like it any more. (I get it from a special veterinary compounding pharmacy, and it's tuna flavored. We're going to refill in chicken flavor and see if he likes that any better.)
So that's all the scary, positive, frustrating news around here. At this rate, I'll have more news in another couple months. In the meantime, look for me on twitter. I'll be the one making smartass comments and retweeting stuff.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Bridegroom- It's Important, Y'all
Linda Bloodworth-Thomason (you might recognize her name as the producer of the TV show Designing Women) has turned to Kickstarter to try to finance a documentary on a pretty damn important subject.
Tom Bridegroom died in an accident last year. His family, who greeted his coming out with guns and violence, took his body and his things from his home in California and disappeared with them, back to Indiana. His partner, Shane, who he shared a mortgage and a business with, had no legal right to any information about what happened after the accident or the disposition of his property. He flew to Indiana for the funeral and was told that Tom's father and uncle planned to attack him if he showed up.
This is what can happen when the law prevents consenting adults in committed relationships from legally marrying each other. It's devastating. It's wrong. And it needs to stop. If you've got a couple extra bucks to donate toward getting this documentary made about Tom and Shane and the harm that these homophobic laws do, please consider it. Right now they have another $150,000 to raise, and 14 days to do it in. And please spread the word. This is a story that needs to be told.
Tom Bridegroom died in an accident last year. His family, who greeted his coming out with guns and violence, took his body and his things from his home in California and disappeared with them, back to Indiana. His partner, Shane, who he shared a mortgage and a business with, had no legal right to any information about what happened after the accident or the disposition of his property. He flew to Indiana for the funeral and was told that Tom's father and uncle planned to attack him if he showed up.
This is what can happen when the law prevents consenting adults in committed relationships from legally marrying each other. It's devastating. It's wrong. And it needs to stop. If you've got a couple extra bucks to donate toward getting this documentary made about Tom and Shane and the harm that these homophobic laws do, please consider it. Right now they have another $150,000 to raise, and 14 days to do it in. And please spread the word. This is a story that needs to be told.
Friday, May 4, 2012
This is Why I am a Liberal
Yesterday someone that I internet-know posted with great excitement. A few months ago she wrote President Obama, and she received a letter back. She was over the moon at the time. And then she read the interview with the President in Rolling Stone magazine, and was thrilled to pieces all over again. Apparently, the President remembered her letter all these months later:
I'm not. I happen to believe that everyone deserves affordable medical coverage. Remember that old saw "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? Well, this is our ounce of prevention. We make sure everyone has medical coverage. People stay healthy. They stay productive. You catch problems early, like my internet friend, and they get taken care of before there's a major, life altering problem. No one goes bankrupt trying to save their own lives, or the lives of family members. People get timely treatment, and disease outbreaks are stopped sooner. Other people having access to decent medical care is a benefit to us all. It's not a luxury item. It's a necessity.
I want policies that save lives, not endanger them. I want policies that ensure freedoms, not strip them away. I want policies that guarantee equality for all. After all, the Declaration of Independence says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." To deny equal treatment under the law is to betray the Declaration of Independence, one of the documents that we as Americans hold dear.
Policies that save lives, ensure freedom, and guarantee equality. Once again, we're talking ideals. On a personal level, these are policies that allow everyone access to affordable health care. They allow us to choose, with the help of our doctors, the medical options that are best for us, without interference. They allow loving couples to marry and adopt children, without regard to sexual orientation. They ensure that a woman, hired for the same position and doing the same work as a man, receives the same pay.
Policies affect people. If they're not affecting people in a positive way, they don't need to be our policies any more. "Government of the people, by the people, for the people." Not what benefits corporations or religions, but what benefits We the People.
That's why I'm a liberal. Because I'm sick of watching our politicians create laws that harm the general public, and refuse to pass laws that would help us. My name is Joan Q. Public, and I would like my government back now, please.
It must help to get a break, though, given how stressful and demanding the job is.Politics can seem pretty damn ephemeral sometimes. It's about ideas, philosophies, morals and ideals. But the outcome of all that arguing is actual policy that affects actual human beings. Human beings like my internet friend, who might be dying by degrees right now instead of cancer free. It's easy to say, "no way. It's too expensive. Not my money," when it's all just numbers on a page. But what do you say when it's your family, your child or your nephew or your niece who was saved by the provision of the Health Care Reform Act that allowed them to stay on their parents' insurance to age 26? Was it still too expensive then? Was it too much to pay when it was the cashier who rings up your groceries every Tuesday night? Or the guy who does such a good job with your lawn every week? The lady who teaches your child's preschool class. The courier driver who delivers your important business documents. All people who are unlikely to have employer sponsored medical insurance. All people who could potentially be under 26 and eligible to remain on their parents' insurance. Are you willing to look any of those people in the face and tell them that they don't deserve insurance coverage?
You generally don't hear in the press about what goes right, but you do hear it from the people who were impacted by it. I tell you, not a day passes where somewhere, somehow, I don't hear about something we've done that's really touched somebody directly. Somebody writes and says, "I'm 25 years old, and because of health care reform, I was able to stay on my parents' plan and ended up getting a checkup, and it turned out that I had a tumor and it was caught early, and I just want you to know that treatment is going well, and I really think this health care bill saved my life."
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/ready-for-the-fight-rolling-stone-interview-with-barack-obama-20120425#ixzz1tsxekT00
I'm not. I happen to believe that everyone deserves affordable medical coverage. Remember that old saw "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? Well, this is our ounce of prevention. We make sure everyone has medical coverage. People stay healthy. They stay productive. You catch problems early, like my internet friend, and they get taken care of before there's a major, life altering problem. No one goes bankrupt trying to save their own lives, or the lives of family members. People get timely treatment, and disease outbreaks are stopped sooner. Other people having access to decent medical care is a benefit to us all. It's not a luxury item. It's a necessity.
I want policies that save lives, not endanger them. I want policies that ensure freedoms, not strip them away. I want policies that guarantee equality for all. After all, the Declaration of Independence says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." To deny equal treatment under the law is to betray the Declaration of Independence, one of the documents that we as Americans hold dear.
Policies that save lives, ensure freedom, and guarantee equality. Once again, we're talking ideals. On a personal level, these are policies that allow everyone access to affordable health care. They allow us to choose, with the help of our doctors, the medical options that are best for us, without interference. They allow loving couples to marry and adopt children, without regard to sexual orientation. They ensure that a woman, hired for the same position and doing the same work as a man, receives the same pay.
Policies affect people. If they're not affecting people in a positive way, they don't need to be our policies any more. "Government of the people, by the people, for the people." Not what benefits corporations or religions, but what benefits We the People.
That's why I'm a liberal. Because I'm sick of watching our politicians create laws that harm the general public, and refuse to pass laws that would help us. My name is Joan Q. Public, and I would like my government back now, please.
Friday, April 20, 2012
24 Hour Read-A-Thon
Doesn't that sound delicious? Twenty-four hours of nothing but reading books, any books you want. That's pretty much my idea of heaven. I just heard about this a few minutes ago, so I haven't had time to make elaborate plans or anything. (There are people on twitter who are baking right now, so that they have special snacks for the read-a-thon. Baking!) But here is a selection of possible books for tomorrow's word orgy:
Obviously, I'm not going to get all these read in 24 hours. In fact, I may wake up tomorrow and pick something entirely different to read. But these are at least a start.
If you want to sign up for the read-a-thon, too, you can do that here.
Oh, happy day. Books!
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