And is the reason why I could never write about vampires. It would take too long.


See? When it gets cold, Sam turns into a . . .


Why yes those are cabinet knobs, why do you ask?

If you want to give books as gifts to your friends and family members but aren't sure want to get, I have lots of suggestions and recommendations for you!

I have many booklists available, arranged by age/reading level and/or topic, which you may access at my archive site. Alternatively, you can click the "booklists" tag here at the blog, which are in chronological order, meaning you will see my most recently updated booklists first.

To make your holiday shopping easier, I have the Suggested Sets booklist, which groups together books with similar themes, as well as the If Then lists (If you or the person you're shopping for like this book, then you/he/she will like this book...) for Elementary School, Middle School, and High School.

I make "best of" booklists every month and every year, listing the best books I read in that time period by audience, age, and topic. You can get these lists at my archive site or right here at the blog by clicking the "best of" tag.

At the end of the month, I will post my Best Books of 2009 list here at Bildungsroman. I have a sneak-peek version available at Amazon: Best Books of 2009 (So Far).

I hope you find these booklists, recommendations, and reviews useful!

Liz at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy has posted a round-up of bookish gift ideas.

Today my husband and I went and experienced the magic that is a Mannheim Steamroller concert. If you're not familiar with Mannheim Steamroller, let me enlighten you. They're a sort of New Age rock band that formed 30 or so years ago. They started doing celestial, nature-type musical albums and found real success using that style for Christmas songs. So, to my knowledge, that's pretty much all they do now, releasing Christmas albums and digging deep in the Christmas song canon to get more material to reinterpret and sell.

Anyway, if you haven't heard "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" done with guitars and synthesizers, then you haven't really experienced Christmas. And when we showed up at the concert, we discovered we weren't the only ones who felt that way. We were, however, the youngest people who felt that way. There was a considerable age difference between us and the majority of the concert-goers, which turned out to be a bonus since it meant I could easily outrun all of them to the restrooms at intermission.

My review of the concert is mixed. Now, it's the woe of concert-goers everywhere that when you see a singer or band, you usually want to hear your old favorites. But, of course, performers always want to promote their new stuff. With a Christmas concert, you kind of feel safe because let's face it, all the songs are old favorites, right? Well, not exactly. Mannheim Steamroller has composed some 'new' songs and also pulled out some obscure Medieval jaunty type stuff. I don't mind the minstrel stuff, but I was a bit surprised that it took up the majority of the second half of the concert. It was also set to a backdrop of a screen showing a film of a Renaissance feast.

Again, I have no quarrel with that style, but going into this concert, I was ready to rock it out. I wanted the heavy synthesizer-guitar-bass drum stuff that characterizes their older albums. I expected it to be like Journey and Slayer going on tour together and suddenly bursting out playing "Jingle Bells." MS did certainly rock some stuff out, and "Carol of the Bells" was the show-stealer. But, I wish there had been more of that. I also wish there had been more lasers (okay, any lasers), which I just somehow assumed would be part of a New Age rock band Christmas concert. So, I was a little disappointed by the song list.

I will say that they did a synth-tastic job on "Good King Wenceslas," a song that's now convinced me I should write a script for "Buck Rogers Saves Christmas." I know it's only a matter of time before Buck Rogers is remade, and I want to catch that wave. lolcatz says what I'm proposing is actually fan fiction, but I think it's the next big thing. New York Times Bestselling Author Richelle Mead might not be able to get Vampire Academy turned into a movie, but surely she can convince someone to make a made-for-TV movie in which Buck Rogers (played by Joe Flanigan) uses synthesizers to teach those 25th century heathens the real meaning of Christmas. And also fights robots with lasers.

In closing, I'll give you a glimpse of those enjoying the magic with us. In the row in front of us was a couple who were actually younger than us, and when they weren't cheering at the songs, they were on each other and making out. Meanwhile, sitting next to my illustrious husband was an elderly gentleman with binoculars. During intermission, lolcatz got up and then couldn't sit down again because the elderly guy was blocking the aisle, standing with his back to us. Oh, yeah. Said elderly gentleman was also busy massaging a woman's shoulders. And that woman was massaging another woman's shoulders. Yes, that's right. There was a three-way massage train going on in our our row. There wasn't much we could do until intermission ended except exchange astonished looks. I had a better line of sight on the massage a trois and wasn't sure if lolcatz understood the wackiness of the situation, so I held up three fingers--just to make sure it was clear. Then the young couple in front of us started making out again.

So, my snarky review aside, I would still heartily recommend MS's early albums, A Fresh Aire Christmas and Mannheim Steamroller Christmas. They've got some awesome stuff on them if you like Christmas music and need something for your holiday get-togethers. Most of it is that rockin' out guitar and synth stuff, with a few of the jaunty tunes thrown in as a nice touch. I can't speak to the newer albums, since I don't own them, but I'm sure there's good stuff there too.

So, thank you, Mannheim Steamroller, for an entertaining night. You are kind and talented people. Your fans have a lot of love for you--and apparently for each other, too. And to quote your own expression, keep on steamrollin' for future Christmases to come.

• 03:15 Loved Avatar. Visually incredible, story held up pretty well, but so much fun to watch! #
• 03:17 @ShawnScarber I really enjoyed it! Forgot to take my Dramamine before tho. :-P #
• 13:05 Sense memory & writing on today's blog. (Or: how my fear of Santa is actually useful in writing.) bit.ly/6eEB3U #
• 14:00 @Peaseblossym I know! Not to mention the Tooth Fairy creeping into your room while you're sleeping. They're ALL housebreakers! #
• 14:08 Posted my Avatar thoughts on my blog (without spoilers, I promise). bit.ly/5RuF45 #
• 17:14 @russellcconnor So true! But like I said in my post, I can know the plot but still enjoy watching it unfold. #

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First off-- It's Friday! That means a post over on genreality.net. This week: Seasonal sense memory, and writing. How they go together. It's awesome, go read it.

Next-- Schleped out to the midnight showing of AVATAR last night/this morning. You may have heard a little bit about this movie. When something I want to see is getting a lot of hype, I always try and see it before the reviews come out, so that I can enjoy it untainted. Too many times I read a review that points out flaws that... yeah, sure, maybe, but while you're enjoying in the movie, you don't notice. Until you're standing at your refrigerator later, or someone points them out.

So anyway. No spoilers here. The movie was visually stunning. Saw it in 3D and it was WELL worth the surcharge. It was one of those movies where I felt so immersed in the world, it was a little weird coming back out of it. The alien characters were just amazing. Jaw dropping realism in the scenery. I totally bought that they could have gone to this planet (or moon, I think) and shot this movie there.

A friend of mine described the story as sort of Dances With Wolves meets Ferngully, and I can't say he's wrong. The plotline did call up echoes of DWW... and many other 'wounded warrior goes native and fights against the evil imperialists' stories. But seriously, are you going to see this movie for an original, twisty plotline? No. You're not. Does that make it any less enjoyable? Not to me. I was invested in the characters, I wanted to see the bad guys get theirs (in truly spectacular fashion), and I was totally and completely rooting for things to work out for the hero. Not to mention his love interest, whom I loved; I'll say this for James Cameron, he loves a strong female protagonist. (Rose from Titanic was more willful and bratty, IMHO, but Neytiri is awesome.)

When I say it wasn't twisty, I don't mean that I knew how everything was going to play out. I know Sherlock Holmes will out the murderer by the end of the movie, too, but I can enjoy watching it unfold. There were times when I really didn't know HOW they were going to get out of their pickle. (This is where reviewers sometimes miss the point, I think. Sometimes you don't need complex characters. You need someone to fill an archetypal role so that the cool stuff can happen.)

Worth the hype? Yeah. I really think so. Definitely worth seeing in the movie theater, whether you do 3D or not.

[Also, saw the trailer for Alice in Wonderland. I would SO want to see that if Johnny Depp didn't look like a horrible creepy clown. The only thing that creeps me out more than Johnny Depp in a Tim Burton movie is clowns. (And Santa.)]

This just in from The Longstockings:

To celebrate the launch of our beautiful new site, and to celebrate you our longtime readers... The Longstockings are going to offer up our workshopping services to TWELVE LUCKY READERS during 2010!

To enter, just send one email to thelongstockings@yahoo.com with the subject line JANUARY WORKSHOP! We will be accepting entries until December 31st.

Here's how this will work...

From the emails received each month, we will select one lucky writer (at random) to submit a maximum of 25 pages to our workshop group. And that writer will receive a document compiling the helpful notes, suggestions and (surely) lots of praise from The Longstockings!

So enter now for January! We'll announce our first workshop winner on Monday January 4th. And fear not if you don't hit the jackpot this time, as we will repeat this process EVERY SINGLE MONTH OF 2010!

Get excited! Get typing! We can't wait to read your words!

If you're interested or want to learn more, please visit their site.

So I was asked to do a Top Twelve Songs of 2009 (which is terribly flattering, by the way. Getting told you have good taste in music is way better than being hit on in the grocery store line by a gross old guy with spots on his head, just sayin'.) Because I have to have music on to write, I . . . um . . buy . . .um . . a lot of music. So this list turned out to be more impossible than I thought. I ended up going with the most likely to be appreciated by non-crazy people list of songs, because there were far too many list otherwise.

So I got rid of the outliers (like "Duke" by Booka Shade, because unless you are into electronica, you probably won't like it)(and my editor informs me that many people are Not Into Electronica)(this entire conversation will become more relevant once LINGER comes out)("Id Engager" by Of Montreal goes into this category, as does "Anyway You Choose to Give It" by The Black Ghosts)("this category" being the "HAWT" category).

And then I tossed out the ones that I talk about all the time, in reverent tones. (that would be "Wash Away" by Matt Costa)(I lied, Matt. I still love you. The Bravery let me down so I'm happy to fall back into your arms, if you'll have me).

Then I chucked most everything that enjoyed a lot of radio play, because you guys would already know about it anyway. ("Countdown" by Jupiter One, "Oxygen" by Living Things, "Fireflies" by Owl City, and "Brand New Day" by Ryan Star).

And sadly, I got rid of the soundtrack ones that I loved to write to, figuring I'd highlight them in later posts after the relevant books came out. ("Page 47" from National Treasure and "The Blood of Cu Chulainn" by Mychael and Jeff Danna).

And finally, I got rid of ones that weren't on Youtube where you guys could listen (like the euphoric and upbeat "Koro Koro" by Matias Aguayo, the brooding, quirky "Back in Town" by Sound Team, and the mysterious and lovely "Dawel Disgyn" by The Gentle Good. And absolutely everything Celtic.)

Which leaves me with this sadly inadequate top 12.*

*And of course I must do the usual spiel which is this: if you love any of these songs, do the right thing and go out there and pay the buck for them legally so that musicians and the music industry get paid and stay in business and continue to make a musical career viable etc. etc. etc.

( LJ Cut for 12 videos which may fill some LJ'ers with rage )

I'm kind of surprised at the reaction that the news about my KGB neighbors' return got around here (and on the other social networking sites). I hadn't realized how popular they were! I kind of want to make them their own fan page. The latest update is pretty tame. For the last couple days, there's been a van in their driveway and some guy doing maintenance outside the house with a very loud machine. I got a good look into the backyard today to see what was going on and discovered...there is no grass back there.

No. Grass. It all appeared to be very hard packed mulch. I thought this was some new development, but my husband told me today it's always been that way. He actually thought it was some kind of deck material instead of mulch. Naturally, the only way to figure out this mystery was to take neighbor snooping to the ultimate level and look at their house via satellite on Bing Maps. Sure enough: their grassless backyard stood out in our neighborhood, but we're still not sure what it's made of or what its purpose is. We're also still not sure why the van is here, but if someone's there to take care of the house, I really hope they hang up Christmas lights. Red ones.

Okay, here's the other news in the world, and it's good. Remember the poll where people voted on where my next book signings would be? The tour that got postponed from November? Well, it's officially booked for January, and here's the itinerary.

Saturday, January 16 - 5pm - New Orleans, LA
Octavia Books
513 Octavia St.
New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 899-7323

Sunday, January 17 - 5pm - Miami, FL
Coral Gables Congregational Church
3010 De Soto Blvd.
Miami, FL
*Event is being run by Books and Books but is being held at the church because of space. The store will be there selling books, and questions should be directed to them: (305) 442-4408

Monday, January 18 - 7pm - New York, NY
Barnes and Noble Tribeca
97 Warren St.
New York, NY 10007
(212) 587-5389

Tuesday, January 19 - 7pm - Long Island, NY
Borders Westbury
1260 Old Country Road
Westbury, NY 11590
(516) 683-8700

Rules about signings and book limits are listed over at my calendar page. As always, whenever I post appearances, I get people asking why I can't come to their cities. The answer's the same, I'm afraid: I can't be everywhere. My publisher is the one who arranges my tour schedule, and they try to get me around where they can. We're limited, though, and remember--when I'm out touring, I'm not writing. :) There'll be a big tour for Spirit Bound in May, so I'll be in more places then.

Last note: I'll be autographing mail orders at University Bookstore again tomorrow (Friday), which is probably the last chance people will have to get signed books delivered before Christmas. So, get your order in ASAP if you want holiday books. Instructions are here, and remember, you have to tell them you want books signed. It doesn't happen automatically.

Phew, lots of news today. Let's hope the KGB neighbors do put up some lights so that I have news for tomorrow! I think some reindeer would look great on their lawn. Er, lack of lawn.

• 18:44 @ShawnScarber If you're going to be at the midnight-o-one 3D experience, yep. #

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At Indiebound!

And at Amazon!

With summary (which are spoilers for book 1, if you haven't read it) behind the cut.

Tamora Pierce will be chatting live at the readergirlz blog TONIGHT, Wednesday, December 16th. The chat will begin at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST and last for about an hour.

You guys, there's activity at the KGB house next door. I've heard noise all day and thought it was the neighborhood landscapers. Then, I just looked out the window and noticed a van in the driveway and ladders against the house. This is the first movement we've seen from these neighbors since the Home Owners Association declared war months ago. Updates to follow as this situation develops!

Prepare yourselves. In February 2010, The New Dead shall rise.

Publishers Weekly Starred Review:

The 19 provocative, haunting, and genuinely unsettling original stories in this zombie anthology move the genre beyond its usual apocalyptic wastelands. David Liss’s novelette "What Maisie Knew" is a stunning and gruesome meditation on the banality of capitalism and evil. Mike Carey’s "Second Wind" is a haunting tale of an undead stockbroker who comes to question whether he ever truly lived. Lovers of more traditional zombie fare will also not be disappointed. Joe Hill’s ingenious "Twittering from the Circus of the Dead" tells a classic slasher film story through Twitter posts, while Jonathan Maberry’s heartbreaking "Family Business" describes a ruined America populated by kindly monks and zombie hunters. This powerful anthology shines a bright and unflinching light on the fears of death, decay, and loss that underpin America’s longstanding obsession with the undead. (Feb.)

Jacket Summary:

Resurrection!

The hungry dead have risen. They shamble down the street. They hide in back yards, car lots, shopping malls. They devour neighbors, dogs and police officers. And they are here to stay. The real question is, what are you going to do about it? How will you survive?

How will the world change when the dead begin to rise?

Stoker-award-winning author Christopher Golden has assembled an original anthology of never-before-published zombie stories from an eclectic array of today's hottest writers. Inside there are stories about military might in the wake of an outbreak, survival in a wasted wasteland, the ardor of falling in love with a zombie, and a family outing at the circus. Here is a collection of new views on death and resurrection.

With stories from Joe Hill, John Connolly, Max Brooks, Kelley Armstrong, Tad Williams, David Wellington, David Liss, Aimee Bender, Jonathan Maberry, and many others, this is a wildly diverse and entertaining collection...the Last Word on the New Dead.

Publishing Information:
Trade Paperback, 400 pages
Release date: February 16th, 2010
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN-10: 0312559712
ISBN-13: 978-0312559717

Tamora Pierce will be chatting live at the readergirlz blog tomorrow, Wednesday, December 16th. The chat will begin at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST and last for about an hour.

• 17:54 @angelsongj Here you go! I need to add a link to this (and other interviews) on my blog. bit.ly/8Wo5ho #

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Instead of responding to negative reviews:

1) Buy a voodoo doll. Better yet, buy a Voodoo Donut. Jab it full of pins or pretzels, as you wish.



2) Remind yourself that your book will not be to everyone's taste. Also remind yourself that the negative reviewer might possibly be ill-equipped in the manhood region/a chronic bed-wetter/suffering from a rare disease that makes them smell exactly like the sewer treatment plant down the road.

Come on. We could cut Mister Teeny Weenie Pee Sheets Eau de Crap some slack for being cranky, right?

3) Be proactive. Strap on your rubbah gloves and attack the worst of your chores (the bathrooms, the garden, the scum in the fridge) with all that righteous indignation. No one needs to know that we now refer to the green stuff in the fridge as "One-Star Reviewers."

4) Stare at that poster of the kitten dangling from a branch, the one admonishing you to hang in there. TEH KITTEH SAYS HANG IN THERE, DANGIT!

5) Meditate. Trim your Bonsai trees. Contemplate the many Zen-ninja ways you can decapitate your foes with a lotus blossom.

6) After due consideration, add names to the "when I am rich and famous" Hit List.

7) Do as Chaucer (in A Knight's Tale) threatened, and eviscerate them in fiction. He was naked for a day (*wolf whistle/cat call* Call me, Paul! *swoon*) but they will be naked for all eternity.

Disclaimer: I am totally joking and do not actually have a "when I am rich and famous" Hit List. Really! *ahem*

Edit: Disclaimer the second: this was not prompted by anything that happened to me, but by another incident of Authors Behaving Badly over at Amazon.

I have to confess. One of my favorite Christmas albums growing up was from the Muppets. Dr. Teeth's band playing "Run Run Rudolph" is priceless. (When I hear the Beach Boys version on the radio, there is a disappointing lack of yelling, so I add my own, a la Animal. RUN RUN RUDOLPH!!!

Animal may be a big part of why I love to play RockBandDrums. So as you can imagine, I found this rendition of "The Carol of the Bells" pretty hysterical. I love the Internet.



(PS This post is in dubious honor of my awesome friend Carole, who is a bell ringer (an actual Carole of the Bells). :-D)

Someone asked me if I mentioned that SHIVER was a dual narrative when I pitched it to agents, and as I was about to answer her, I thought, you know what, in full disclosure, I will post the query that landed me my agent. For better or for worse, here it is:



So there it is. STILL WOLF WATCHING = SHIVER, obviously.

I don't know if that's helpful to anybody. It doesn't look particularly helpful. But now it's out there.

One ostrich-feather flip at a time. ;)

My loves... I have seen the future (at least a tiny glimpse of the May 2010 bit) and it is glorious.

The art department at F&F is hard at work, putting the title and someone's authorly name atop it right now, and we've agreed to host a bit of silliness here at my blog and the theater website, leading up to the reveal of the cover of Perchance To Dream. There will be guest blogs by the fairies, a contest for guessing who and what will be featured on the cover of book the second, as well as teaser icons and a second interview with Jason Chan, cover artist extraordinaire.

If you have a question for Jason, please leave it here for consideration!