The Last Boy in the Library

Tonight, at the library at which my Printz book club meets, our awesome YA librarian and some others arranged a "Zombie Night" and a "Vampire Night." Next week comes Nosferatu (1922), but this time we watched The Last Man on Earth, starring Vincent Price. It was a very interesting movie, although the "zombies" were apparently vampires with qualities of both monsters. When I first saw the 2007 film I Am Legend (a remake: both of these, as well as the 1971 film The Omega Man, are based on a novel by Richard Matheson), I also thought that the vampires were zombies. It was interesting that vampirism was here a biological infection rather than a demonic curse. More scifi than magic here.

And darn, I need to read Mr. Matheson's book! I believe he also wrote the short story "Mobius," which I did read. Mind blown right there, with the twist at the end of said short story.

In any case, I'd like to thank the librarians and whomever else needs thanking, for I had a very good time.

On the topic of librar-related things, I checked out several things today, mostly graphic novels this time. This includes a couple of Batman things (my first time! - go ahead and shoot me) and the fourth volume of Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN series.

Life is currently good. Oh, and as for the post's title, I was one of the last people to leave after the official closing times. Librarians and I love to chat.

Printz: Finale One

"Always look on the bright side of life!" - Eric Idle

"It is better to fail at originality than to succeed in imitation." - Herman Melville

"Read to your heart's content. Though if you are a reader, the heart is never content." - Jenny Hubbard, Paper Covers Rock

The year of 2011 was my first in a local library's Mock Printz book club. We had lots of fun over the course of the year (and a little into this one) and read some truly great books - and some bloody awful ones as well. We had to narrow down our choices to a "top three" list. Mine were as follows:

1. Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
2. Every You, Every Me by David Levithan
3. The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier

My first choice (which ended up winning) was one of the best books I've ever read. It details the guilt-burdened life of Alexander Stromm, written in the form of a journal - which works out tremendously, as it seems so real. As one member of the club pointed out, "Alex is not a character, he is a person." And I fully agree to that statement: he just felt so real. The story is very realistic and well-crafted; the writing was simply beautiful. I'm not surprised to learn that the author is a poet and playwright.

The second is the first, and so far only, piece of work I have read by David Levithan. The prose is also very good here (not Paper Covers Rock, but still great) and the characters feel a similar guilt for a friend (I'd hate to spoil it, so I'll keep it vague). The cool thing is that Mr. Levithan asked a photographer, Jonathan Farmer, to send him random pictures, which he based the story around - and nailed it. This is a wonderful novel.

And I've reviewed The Floating Islands in the past, but I still agree that the descriptions are breathtaking, similar to Redwall in their majesty. This is more my preferred style of book, although I can easily accommodate other genres. But I think this is good to show I am not biased.

The competition was keen; Paper Covers Rock was closely tied with a novel I have yet to read, titled A Monster Calls - so closely, in fact, that our lead librarian had to step in and give her vote, which was for Jenny Hubbard's piece of art. I honestly think it will become a classic.

Overall it was a great meeting and I cannot wait for the new season.

Wishing the best,

Lewis

New Destination

I believe I may have mentioned this, but tomorrow I set flight for California. Never before have I been so far west; I have looked forward to going there since I was eleven or so. We are to go to San Francisco, Big Sir, Yosemite, and Monterrey. I hope to see the ocean sunfish at the Monterrey Bay Aquarium: I always wanted to.

There are a couple of wee issues arisen from this excursion: 1) I might not blog as frequently or on time, 2) I prefer not to bring library books across the country, even though they constitute much of my reading, and 3) I won't be able to attend a lot of the filming for the library. But I'll try to make the most of this. It's California! What could go wrong?

You just lost the game.

Love,

Lewis

Sorry!!!

I do realize I did not post last night. I also realize how late this is tonight. I have no good excuse for last night other then that I forgot until it was after midnight. Tonight I was at a friend's house filming, or rather practice-filming, for the Rot & Ruin book trailer for our library. It's fun, as it involves plenty of sword action - I love swords. But my mother doesn't trust me with a real one. Hence, I have a wooden one and a plastic one. Someday I'll have real ones (although possibly with dulled edges); I especially fancy katanas and French rapiers. Maybe I ought to take a fencing class sometime, but oh! do I have so many things to do.

This friend has a really nice piece of land complete with horses. She also has a nice selection of books. What can I say? I love observing bookcases. Her mother is a fantastic cook who made us spaghetti and garlic bread, and the dad is nice too.

In case I have not mentioned, I have ridden horseback in the past. Mind you, it's been a while, but I have. I enjoy it greatly. I might be riding again soon, at long last, at Dead Broke Farm in Raleigh -  the place I first rode at. I'd ridden in the kiddie corrals before at parties and state fairs, but Dead Broke was the first place at which I really rode. I visited the place after years in November and they had Guinea-fowl and turkeys and chickens as well as a miniature horse.

Oh, I must go and record a YouTube video now if I can. Fare thee well!

Love,

Lewis

First Volunteer Shift

In case I haven't mentioned in the past, I volunteered for two hours today at the West Regional Library. What I basically did this time was label and shelve books on hold. It really did not seem like two hours, because it was actually quite a bit of fun. Those of you who live in my area ought to visit WRL sometime; it's a great library.

I've thought about looking into library science as a career...not sure yet. I want to do something theatre-related, and maybe I could also be a librarian. It is said that library-folk oft have another job. I'm not sure what to study to be a playwright - creative writing? Theatre arts? I might also act, but perhaps as more of a hobby than as an actual career. The same goes for playing music.

I also might have mentioned my plans to move to Europe. They remain intact, although I'm not quite sure how the transition works. Brighton and Hove, in the United Kingdom, sounds like a gorgeous place to live. Who knows? I might even do something for BBC - creative people sometimes do many things, like Brian Jacques and Ray Bradbury. I'm starting to read scripts, currently Shakespeare's Othello, to get a feel for the craft. I read here that it takes at least ten years to become a good playwright, and I think I have that much time.

Maybe I'll do that now.

Fare-thee-well,

Lewis

Plan L

Another late post. Oh look, it's raining; I only just noticed. Says something about my vigilance, does it not? I do love rain, though. My favorite weather. Second place belongs to snow.

I was speaking to my mother today about my future - I plan eventually to move to the United Kingdom (more specifically, Brighton and Hove, which is on the southern coast of England). I told her I wanted to become a librarian and she said that they make less than enough money to support themselves and that there might not "be a future" in the career. I hope that's not so - the latter, that is. I could work another job (such as theatre), but I don't want libraries to disappear. Not at all! I'm thinking of majoring in library science and in theatre arts, and minoring in creative writing. Not sure if I want  to act or manage the stage or write plays or what (hopefully all, though management is not a must), but theatre in general is becoming very appealing. Good thing I have camp in a month or so.

I do not require a large home; a flat or a cottage would do for me, stuffed with books and at least one cat. What can I say? I'm a cat person. I would like to either start or join a writers' conference.

I really must go now; goodnight.

-Lewis

A Day Well Spent

I mentioned in an earlier post I saw X-Men: First Class this afternoon. After that I read for a while, then attended an orientation for volunteers at a local library. This is going to be fun. I met some new people there who seemed nice, plus I'll get to be around books, AND I get volunteer credit. This'll be great.

That was a short post, but it's nearly Thursday. Sorry!

'Night,

Lewis

Summer at Last

So this is it: I am free. I plan to read more than ever now, and I am already making my way through The Best of Cemetery Dance. Tonight my mother, sisters, and I watched a quarter of Stephen King's The Stand - very good teleplay with a rather scary villain. I walked most of the way to my mother's house today, which is saying something; it's a good way from my school and I would have probably gone all the way if not for my book-bag weighing down on my back and threatening to break it. Ah, I won't have to worry about that for a while.

I counted the library books I have out, and I believe I have exactly twenty-five. I hope to read at least most of them this summer. One was a quick read, a galley from Printz called Requiem: Poems from the Terezin Ghetto. It was quite sad and disturbing, but I appreciated the poetry.

Speaking of books, I might move my reviews to this blog and keep one after all. Also, "The Worlds of Winter" is old - how about "The Winter Journal"? (With the former I needed a title and didn't know what to call it).

I might be volunteering at a local library this summer. We'll see how that turns out.

I must close the journal now, but I shall post again soon!

Au revoir,

Lewis

Last Post of the [School] Year

The next time I plan to post, sometime on Monday, I shall be on my summer holiday. So this is my last post this school year. On Monday I have my Creative Writing exam, which will mime a novel submission packet. I already did a synopsis (and it's not the novel I'm working on now, ha), so I'm already about a quarter done. I can't say I'll miss Biology, but CW I definitely will. My teacher is just awesome.

Went to Printz today and found out the book I had planned to review was not up for review. I reviewed it anyway. If any are wondering, it was Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry and it was awesome. They told us of some thing for picture book illustrators; that might be worth a shot. I do draw...occasionally. Doodle is a more accurate word. I've thought of writing them, and perhaps I shall, but many of my tales are quite dark. One is only slightly dark (a witch turning children into pumpkins), so maybe I'll try that.

Speaking of libraries, I have a crap ton of books out now: summer reading? Almost done with The Stand; will post a review when I finish. I have a cool vintage edition now that I had to recycle my newish one, which was rain-soaked a week ago. The villain is one of literature's best bad guys ever. I also lost my three-and-a-half-year-old iPod to the rain. My first ever, my precious thing.... I tore it apart and threw the pieces away. I have another now and I still listen to Mossflower on it. I have also been listening to a bit of Grateful Dead lately. They're pretty good, actually. I haven't paid attention to the lyrics, but the music sounds good.

Might watch Romero's Night of the Living Dead this weekend. We'll see. I got it at a used bookstore that also sold CDs and DVDs. It's supposed to be good.

Time to wrap up.

Love,

Lewis

Library Update

So in case I did not mention before, I am part of a library book club now (my second meeting was on Friday). On the first meeting, four weeks prior to that, we were notified of a contest: Make a video to promote our library and potentially win said library three million dollars. Some friends and I, including Hannah, decided to make one and we became finalists. Unfortunately, we need to pay the artist of the music we used in order to keep it, but I'm sure it will be fine. Even if we do not succeed, we had fun, yes?

Speaking of libraries, I am thinking to become a librarian as well as editor (waffle-waffle, I'm told I can do both). But on the screenplay side, is it true I have to move to Los Angeles? If I have to I might try part time; I do like NC. On Saturday I had my first behind-the-wheel training, and later helped paint sets for the upcoming Robin Hood play. I had fun, and I need to apply for that acting camp soon...and the writing one. I must try for Drama Club next year in order to hone my theatrical skills, for I am an artician: artist, actor, writer, musician, etc.

Got to the episode "Dalek" in Doctor Who. I like the Dalek a lot, and must watch more soon. I am reading a book for Printz (the book club mentioned earlier) called The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier, which is proving good so far. Up next is Rot and Ruin.

Tata,
LMW.

Three Library-Related Things

Ah, I keep meaning to post this, along with my review for The Poison Eaters and Other Stories, but stuff keeps happening. Sorry!

I.
Anyhow, I've been checking out a lot of library audio books as of late. I realized it is more convenient at times to check one out (for free, as opposed to bookstores) and put it on iTunes for later listening. I might have mentioned that I am still listening to Redwall, and it remains so, but I am a good way in - six or seven discs out of nine, I think. I'm liking it so far. I have the prequel, Mossflower, on here too. The only two problems I have had with the audio books have been 1) The Lovely Bones, which was missing a CD, and 2) The World According to Garp, for which Disc 2 was identified as Disc 1 on two separate copies. I guess I'll just read the bound book.

II.
You know what? I'm going to put my Poison Eaters review here after all. I'd give the book four stars out of five, and I really enjoyed all of the stories, particularly "A Reversal of Fortune," "The Coldest Girl in Coldtown," and one I'm forgetting the name of, about a wolf eating people in a castle (sorry Holly!). And of course "The Poison Eaters" was rather interesting. I try to be pickyish about what I give five stars, but this book was really good in every way. Recommend? Certainly.

III.
I went to my first Printz club yesterday, and I enjoyed it. I only wish I'd known about it years ago. I got some good recommendations, and I checked out a book called The Floating Islands, which looked good. I'll see these people in maybe four weeks (some sooner), and I look forward to it. I also met some awesome people there, such as (Nikki? Was that it? She was really cool). Hannah of course is amazing, and Olivia too, and that Rachel seems pretty cool...and lucky her mother lets her have a sword (mine is quite paranoid). And this guy named Alex seemed very friendly. Overall, aside from the not knowing why people start clapping at times, I think it will work out well.

An Awful Lot of Walking

Lately I've been doing a lot of walking (I also considered calling this post "You Can Walk On for a Long Time," after a Johnny Cash song - one of the few I've actually heard). I usually carry a few [dozen] books in a cloth bag, as I did this time, seeing as my trips are generally book-related. Today it was slightly wet out, but not unpleasantly so. I like the way yellow-green leaves on trees look in the rain, if you know what I mean. Nature is fun to look at during or shortly after showers. Anyhow, I went to the Cary Library and hung out for a while. I stayed for a bit in the "silent" room, where a lady in the back had her computer sound on for over five minutes with no attempts whatsoever to turn it off. I've been reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which is brilliantly, randomly hilarious. In the end I checked out two audiobooks: Rowan Hood and The Amber Spyglass, along with Holly Black's story collection The Poison Eaters. I talked to Holly on Facebook once, but now I want (NEED) to meet her in person, after I heard that Hannah and Printz did. They're starting up pretty soon, Printz (a book club). I just hope they do that again. They better.

I have a story that needs heavy editing, and I need to watch more Doctor Who. Still on Episode 3.... Also, my father is telling me to take a shower. So, I'll post later. Maybe.

Happy reading,
Lewis