First, may I just say that a college faculty should not be made up of morons?
That's right, folks! I've been yanked from my normal blogging routine, only to stand in line for hours before getting my turn to argue with the idiots on the other side of the counter at a college. And one time is understandable--things happen. But twice? Thrice?! No, no. Someone is fighting a losing battle in the war on common sense, and it's not the ape in the picture above... Just sayin'.
But enough about that; I'd just as soon forget the whole mess--and I've (mostly) managed to do just that. The important part is that I have sorted the whole thing out *knock on wood* and am registered for classes this Spring. Finally .
My time in the long, winding lines wasn't all bad though. I did manage to do quite a bit of reading. I finished Dragonfly in Amber (the 2nd book in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series). It's a book that I started months ago but never got around to finishing. Writing tends to get in the way of my reading, but the long lines gave me an excuse to indulge myself in someone else's writing while leaving me completely guilt free. What more could a girl ask for? A hunky Scot, perhaps? Yes--and that's exactly what I got with Gabaldon's historical, time-traveling work of art. And her writing really is art. Truly, the word "book" doesn't fully describe the magic she weaves. [Note: Simon, you don't count this time, because you do not wear a kilt ;) At least, not that I know of...]
But I find myself facing two problems. One, I've been talking with a Scottish accent for days day now. Not that I mind--I love accents--but I think it's starting to grade on J's nerves. He'll have to get used to it though; I've started book 3, Voyager, and let's just say, the accent is only getting stronger. And two, my internal dialogue, while not Scottish, is coming in loud and clear. And British. This is heavily due to the fact that I gave in and bought the audiobooks, but I'm sure it would have happened anyways. I'm very animated, so what? Does that make me weird or something? Nah. I just like stories.
What about you? Do you ever get way too involved in a book your reading? Or if you're a writer, do you find yourself thinking like one of your character thinks, or talking like they talk? What little quirks do you notice when you dive into the magical world of fiction?
Don't forget to sign up for the Valentine's Day Love at First Sight Blogfest!
I love the Scottish accent :) My folks emigrated to Canada from Scotland, so I love the burr!
ReplyDeleteI disappear into the books I'm reading. My family, kids especially, think it's very, very bizarre when I laugh out loud at what I'm reading. I try to keep it to a giggle, but it doesn't work very well. And when it's sad, I cry. I'm a big sap. That's when THEY laugh. They just don't get it :)
Yeah, I do the same thing. Especially when I'm really into the book. I want to be in there with the characters.
ReplyDeleteUm, I do wear a kilt, y'know. For special occasions, and all that. It's even my (kind of) clan tartan, so it's appropriate, too!
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'.
Glad you got to catch up on your reading, though, good lady. There's something to be said for that. (I just finished a cross-country business trip that allowed me to finish not one, but four books. Awesome!)
Cheers!
Sorry about your trouble at the college. They are frustrating, to say the least.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do have a fondness for time traveling in Scotland. It's some of my favorite reading. ;) And ah...the brogue. *sigh*
Happy reading!
During and after reading Outlander I was thinking in a British accent and hoping a Scot would magically appear. And yes I definitely begin to think like characters in the books I'm reading. Well, maybe not so much like the characters, but more like the authors' writing. I begin to think in their style, in the types of phrases they would use. This generally happens when I've been reading several books by the same author in a row.
ReplyDeleteAnd about getting involved... I get angry, sad, protective, annoyed, giddy, you name it I've probably felt it while reading. Oh, and I've definitely let a laugh escape only to have my family look at me like I've lost it.
P.S. per our earlier discussion I've already reserved Dragonfly in Amber at my library.
Disappear completely. When I read, I get lost. When I write, I disappear. I feel, how can you not. It is innate to lose yourself in what you're creating.
ReplyDeleteAnd Love the accent, do it all the time.
Hugs for the college ineptness. It seems to be an epidemic across the nation. They excel at it. Kind of ironic for a school of higher learning to not be able to function at their most basic levels.
Jemi- Ah! I do the same things! As a matter of fact, J walked in on me yesterday all puffy eyed and sniffling. Poor man though something bad had happened...
ReplyDeleteMelissa- And for a little while, we ARE there with them. Oh the joy of reading!
Simon- Ooh! I stand corrected! Props for the kilt and congrats on the 4 books.
Sherrinda- Oh yes, I love these books. I keep telling J, "I'm off to Scotland, don't bug me for an hour." I don't think HE likes Scotland much...
Kelly- I get way too involved in the books I'm reading too. I get very emotional, especially if the writer did a good job creating her characters.
Joann- Exactly! I lose myself way too much. ;) And yes, I think colleges everywhere have their imbeciles. It's sad, really. You'd think they'd want to make their schools look good...
Ahhhhh!!!!! I'm on book six right now. I read the first one, at my sister's insistence, and then I could not stop! I was immersed in the books and lost days of my life to reading, totally disrupting all my writing and revision plans. I want to go back and reread the first one WHILE I'm reading the sixth one now.
ReplyDeleteMy internal monologue kind of started picking up the Scottish "Och!" but I've kept it out of my actual out-loud speaking I think :) My husband was totally perturbed by what he called my "obsession" with these books. I told him he should be grateful I'm not reading Twilight, but he wasn't.
I have to ask... do you keep coming back to Dougal a little bit? I mean, Jamie is so awesome, but I keep wondering about Dougal and wishing there was more of him. Am I alone in loving Dougal?
(sidenote: I was just checking on the blogfest participant sign up, and then I saw that you had Dragonfly in Amber in your read books widget thing and so I clicked on your blog title to see your most recent entries with the intent of commenting on that book... and then I saw this blog entry, and I was like YES!!!!!!!!!)
I'm currently reading the sixth book in the series, so I know what you mean about the accent. I keep wishing I understood Gaelic...
ReplyDeleteGlad to have found your blog!
Elspeth
Amalia- Yes! My writing has come to a complete stop. I know I should put the book down; that it will still be there after I write a chapter, or *blushes* when I'm done hanging out with the family. But then I find my mind wandering, so its really not worth it. And no--I couldn't stand Dougal. I was begging for someone--anyone--to kill him off from the halfway point of book 1. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteElspeth- Oh i know. I would love to understand Gaelic. I don't know when I'd actually USE it, but I definitely wish I could speak it.
Thanks for the comments!
Oh man, I totally thought that Dougal was going to be the love interest when I started reading, as the man in charge kind of guy. Why did you want him killed?!
ReplyDeleteAt this point I've been able to exercise some self-control, but for the first three books, I had NONE, so I understand totally how you feel!
I do the same thing! I always get involved in my books. You've won the Happy award over at my blog: http://www.tianalei.com/ Thanks for having such a great blog!
ReplyDeleteI've read a couple of Hannah Howell highlander books this week, so aye I'm pulled right into the whole Scots accent didnae ken. At some point this winter I'm going to re-read the Outlander series - good stuff!
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily find myself talking like the characters (although that is HILARIOUS and I love Outlander more than life itself... almost) but I do find myself WANTING to be like them. My biggest hero is Hermione Granger... even though she is kind of a know-it-all, she's also really smart and witty and comes through in a crisis.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any Outlander yet...never even heard of it...but it sounds like something I need to check out - maybe this summer after this semester is over. Because I won't have anymore free time before the end of May!
ReplyDeleteI had experiences similar to your exasperation with college, but mine were with my employer. I'm still so pissed I can't even talk about it. If the job market wasn't so crappy I'd have quit. Ugh. Hate it. Obviously I'm not over it yet.
Anyway...can't wait for the "Love at First Sight" blogfest!
How funny, I read your blog post title and wondered...could she be meaning Gabaldon's Outlander series? Dear Jamie? Yes!
ReplyDeleteI finished Voyager a few months ago and have been taking a wee break in her series but need to pick it up again. Brilliantly written books, mmm?
Amalia- ((Spoilers for Outlander)) At first, I thought he would be the main squeeze too. But he is just so self centered--a total snake in the grass. He has no respect for women and he threatened to rape Claire to get Lallybroch! I'm pretty sure he killed his bro too, though apparently he died of natural causes... A little convenient for Dougal though, don't you think--having his leader die on the same day he decided NOT to go forward into the war..
ReplyDeleteTiana- Oh my God! Thank you so much for the award! And its so cute! xoxo
Deb- I never thought I would get into a Highlander series--talk about stereotypical chick books--but I really really have. I must say, Jamie is quite a catch.
Anne- Hermione is great! Love her determination and heart, even if she is a know it all. You're lucky you don't end up takling like them (even if it is a little fun). =)
Embee- Oh, Outlander is great. But how can a woman resist a hunky Scot who will risk it all for his woman?! And oh yes, college's suck--at least the administration personnel do. I think they are playing a mean joke on all of the students.
Terresa- Oh yes, Dear Jamie is such a hunky character. Gabaldon did such a good job developing him. I love how (in book 3) we get to hear things from his perspective. It may not last long, but it's definitely worth it.
Ohhh! I didn't think that at all re: his brother. But now that you mention it... And I definitely see where you're coming from with the rest of it too, now that you've laid it out that way.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to reread, now!
Amalia- (SPOILERS to OUTLANDER) Every so often, I though "Oh wow, this is where Dougal redeems himself and becomes a good man" and then, BAM he was lying! Like the time in the cave with Claire (when he told her Jamie was in prison at Wentworth). He seemed all nice and compassionate, like he was doing an honorable thing by offering to marry her, only to have the hidden motive of getting at Jamie's land. Ack! I was so disappointed.
ReplyDeleteBook 1 was soooo good. I read it 2x. haha
((SPOILERS!))
ReplyDeleteHaha. Yeah. I don't know, when he knew she wasn't going to buy it, he was pretty forthright about it. But he did protect her to begin with, and he didn't have any real reason to! Isn't that at least some kind of redemption? (Whhhhyyy do I like Dougal so much?!)
Amalia- ((Spoilers)) At least a morsel of redemption, I suppose. And there was that time when she was at Castle Leoch and Dougal saved her from the scots that were chasing her down the corridors. And all he required was a kiss in return (though the bastard was married at the time, the cheater). Of course, he also set up his mistress to be burned at the stake, no matter what the outcome of that turned out to be. Oh well. Some characters are just tempting because they are bad with a hint of goodness.
ReplyDelete((SPOILER!))
ReplyDeleteBut Dougal wasn't in on the burning! That was All his brother's doing, while Dougal was away, I thought. I think Dougal really cared about his mistress--and lets not forget that marriages then were a totally different state of affairs... no pun intended. More political than anything else, especially in that family...
(SPOILERS) That's true; Ellen left them to be with Brian (Jamie's parents) too. But Collum told Dougal that he would take care of Geilis, so I assumed that he knew she would be killed. Now that you mention it, I don't know. But he definitely did have feeling for her. That was clear.
ReplyDeleteThere isn't much left for me to say that hasn't been said already!
ReplyDeleteI get totally engrossed in what I'm reading. I laugh out load, sniff and shed tears (to the bafflement of my friends, who more often than not, raise an eyebrow - or two).
Nice to see you back :)
(SPOILER) But Collum was WAY mad that Ellen left, because he had wanted her to marry to form an alliance with another clan.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I am so excited that we had this talk! :) It's just awesome to be able to talk to someone about the books!!!
(SPOILERS) Oh I know! I love talking books--especially GOOD books. And I hate that Collum and Ellen never spoke again. That's really sad that Collum would put their relationship on the line. I thought it was sweet of Dougal to go after her when he thought she'd been kidnapped though. It made my heart squeeze with a little Dougal-love.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't want to short-change Jamie. He did risk his life multiple times for Claire. lol
(SPOILERS)
ReplyDeleteAND! Dougal also took Jamie in and fostered him! See! This must be why I heart Dougal.
But you're right. Jamie is definitely the most awesome. He's so adorable in the first book-- I love his response to Claire when she tells him she isn't a virgin. That whole part is great.
Oh no--I don't remember that part! Crap. Oh well, at least I have an excuse to read it again. =)
ReplyDeleteOh yes. I get so involved in certain books to the point that I actually bawl when something good or bad happens to the character.
ReplyDeleteWhen I write, I delve so deep that I weep when the MC experiences tragedy--even excitement during a first kiss!! Yeah, that's me!
Courtney, not strange at all! ;)
Oooh, the word "hunky" caught my attention! :) I loved Outlander but the end was so difficult to read that I haven't been able to read the next one. I'm glad you're back to blogging, but I'm unplugged this week, TRYING to focus on my wip. We'll see how that goes, ha ha.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tweet about my new layout :) :)
Elizabeth- Me too! I'll even fall into a funk for a few days if something REALLY bad happened.
ReplyDeleteDiana- I got it on audio-book. It makes the read much easier ;)
WOW! I am anxiously waiting for 2nd week of Feb
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When will you launching the discussed thing, on 14th of February?
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Essay Writer- As am I. I still have to decided on the best love scene to write. Hmm...so many possibilities.
ReplyDeleteIM- Blogfest will be an allday event. You'll come to my blog, and look for the Mr. Linky's sign up sheet. It's under the post titled "Critique This presents the Love at First Sight Blogfest" (( Mr Linky's sign up sheet )). Once there, all you will need to do is click on the names of the participants to be directed to their LaFS blog posting.
Make sure to sign your name and blog address to the sign up sheet so that others can view your LaFS scene!
I hope to see you there!
-Courtney
"I still have to decided on the best love scene to write. Hmm...so many possibilities." What kind of possibilities do we have?
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I'm actually going to do a post on this next week. Really you can do anything you'd like, but I like to focus on different "themes". For example, there is the "he's the wrong person, but I find myself drawn to trusting/loving him." Or there is the "damsel in distress love/hero love" or the (obviously) "love at first sight" kind of love.
ReplyDeleteOr you might first see your characters and let them decide on their LaFS scene. That's what I've been playing with lately.
The post on it next Monday will be much more detailed.
Have fun!
As far as my observation is concerned, you must be very good in portraying love scenes. Arent you?
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Easy Essay- I hope I am, but I can't make any promises. ;-) Let's just say I read a lot. haha
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