My Favorite Books – The Winds of War by Herman Wouk

18 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 18th,2010 | Authors & Books, Herman Wouk, The Winds of War |  Comments Off on My Favorite Books – The Winds of War by Herman Wouk

And now for something completely different. Well, not completely different, still a book, but not the same kind of book I normally read. Writing about Snow Crash reminded me of the first book I read that rolled some non-fiction into its fiction- The Winds of War by Herman Wouk.

I read the Winds of War the summer between 7th and 8th grades. I was bored and we hadn’t been to the library in a week or so. I “threatened” that if we didn’t go soon I was going to read the Winds of War. My step-mom said go right ahead.

My Favorite Books – Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

18 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 18th,2010 | Authors & Books, Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash |  Comments Off on My Favorite Books – Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Snow Crash has a special place in my heart because it is one of the things that brought my husband and I together. He loaned me the book right around the time our friendship was starting to evolve in to something more.

Not only does Snow Crash have one of the best openings ever (I LOVE the Deliverator), but the book successfully weaves mythology with a cyberpunk setting. At the same time the story doesn’t suffer for those who can’t bring themselves to read the chapters on Sumerian mythology. Instead, they deepen a dedicated reader’s understanding of the author’s world.

My own stupidity

17 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 17th,2010 | Finances |  Comments Off on My own stupidity

Twice recently I have had to come to terms with my dumb mistakes. First, I cancelled my timeshare reservations 1 day too late (not getting a full refund). Second, I bought a new pair of $120 shoes- without trying them on. They are the same brand, same size, same style that I currently have. The only difference, they’re patent leather. Patent leather doesn’t stretch very well and the new shoes are too tight across the tops of my feet, causing bruising. Now I have to take them back and see if I can exchange them for the non-patent leather version.

My Charity Idea

15 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 15th,2010 | Pets |  Comments Off on My Charity Idea

Someday, when I am more organized, I will start a charity. I will call it City Pets (or some such thing), and we will be devoted to helping the pets of the homeless.

I know a lot of people think that the homeless shouldn’t have pets when they can’t care for themselves, but if I lost my job and my home, I can not imagine also losing my dogs. The unconditional love they provide is a key to staying sane. My goal would be to provide pet food, help with veterinary care, and eventually help with shelters and transitional housing.

Silver Linings

14 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 14th,2010 | Budgeting, Debt Reduction, Finances |  Comments Off on Silver Linings

My husband was laid off a year ago. Today, we are better off financially than we were then. This is not a story of a get rich quick scheme, taking internet surveys, or doing direct sales. The only income he has had is unemployment.

How did we do it? We put ourselves on a budget. We powered through credit card debt, then the car payment (which was our biggest non-mortgage mortgage bill) to pay it off. I got my first raise in two years (despite earning an MBA in the interim), and now we can live on my salary alone.

Microfiction Contest

14 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 14th,2010 | Microfiction, Writing |  Comments Off on Microfiction Contest

I used to host a 50 word microfiction contest. I ran it weekly, and after a while, there were very few entries and fewer votes for the winning entry, so I stopped. But I do love microfiction. I love the challenge of telling a complete story in so few words. At some point, I will probably post 100 word microfiction stories here.

Today I want to tell you about another microfiction contest. The entry fee is $15; you could win $500. Unlike my contest, which required exactly 50 words, this one calls for 100 Words or Fewer. So get writing.

The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes

13 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 13th,2010 | Authors & Books, Jonathan Barnes, The Somnambulist |  Comments Off on The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes

I need someone else to read The Somnambulist. It’s full of lovely lyrical prose that begs to be read aloud. The writing style is so charming that I wanted to love the book.

But I didn’t, or, by the end I didn’t. I cared about the characters; I found the story believable even in its purposely unbelievable bits. But the epilogue killed me. I got the feeling that that author was trying to give the reader a deeply satisfying ending, but instead he did a disservice to all that had come before. Have you read it? What did you think?

Mowing the Lawn

13 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 13th,2010 | Home Ownership, Yard Work |  1 Comment »

Mowing the lawn has always been one of my least favorite chores. I didn’t even like it as a kid when we had a riding lawn mower. I think the last time I looked forward to lawn mowing was when I was really little and my dad would pull me in my wagon behind the mower.

And yet, as a homeowner, one of the chores that gives me the biggest sense of accomplishment is mowing the lawn. I’m not really sure why. But looking at a newly mown lawn, especially if I’m the one who mowed it, makes me happy.

My Favorite Authors – Gene Wolfe

10 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 10th,2010 | Authors & Books, Gene Wolfe |  Comments Off on My Favorite Authors – Gene Wolfe

I first experienced Gene Wolfe during my writing courses. In his Book of the New Sun trilogy, Wolfe broke every rule my writing teacher gave us. She had told us that we needed to know the rules before we could break them with purpose. Gene Wolfe had a purpose.

His books are so well thought out, that it doesn’t matter if you’re following the web of flashbacks in the Book of the New Sun or immersed in the world of the unreliable narrator Latro, even if the reader doesn’t know what is going on, they are certain the author does.

Sunday Morning Critique

08 May

Erin Shanendoah |  May 8th,2010 | Authors & Books, Critique, Writing |  Comments Off on Sunday Morning Critique

I have been part of a writing critique group that meets every other Sunday morning for about 5 years now. It is made up of some of the most amazing people I have ever met. It has exposed me to styles and genres of writing that I would normally shy away as not my thing.

The only problem with the group is that it meets at 9am, and I get up at 7am in order to go write before the group meets. Once I’m there, I’m glad I am, but oh how I hate thinking about it on Saturday night.

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