Travelling to another universe
So I’ve been on the road again with trainings, and still have one to go. I picked up this very interesting book, after seeing it checked out by one of my colleagues through Interlibrary Loan.
Agent of Change (Liaden Universe book #1)
by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. I’m so sorry I missed this “space opera” until now. In this book the characters Val Conn and Miri Robertson introduce us to themselves and the various cultures and people that make up this universe. This website does a much better job than I could to describe the fascinating new world I’ve just been dropped into. http://www.korval.com/liad.htm
There’s adventure, romance, world building, great characters and turtles. Yes you did read the last word correctly. I’ve just begun this ride and can’t wait for more volumes.
Here’s another review you might find interesting if you plan to embark on this adventure. http://readingetc.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/review-agent-of-change-by-sharon-lee-and-steve-miller/
And the author’s blog, http://rolanni.livejournal.com/tag/infodump
Glad to find a new series, hope to find out what this thing called Space Opera is all about.
Get 50,000 books for Oklahoma kids, just vote.
http://booksforkids.firstbook.org/whatbook/
Our literacy office supports this voting endeavor. We Have Won this before!!! You just need to keep voting to put Oklahoma on top. This is so much fun and has a winning result for all the kids needing to get their first book. Thanks Leslie Gelders at the Oklahoma Dept of Libraries Literacy Office for keeping us in the game.
Hugh Tribbey performing in Chickasha
Poetry Reading—Chickasha, OK
Bring a Poem, or not—Hear the Featured Poet—Read Your Own or a Favorite
Have some Fun!
Downtown Chickasha!
Thursday, September 3, 7:00 p.m. until the Fun Ends
Odd Fellows Music Hall
118 South 4th Street
(4th Street = Highway 81, Between Kansas and Chickasha Avenues)
(On the west side with the big red star on the front—parking behind)
Featured Poet: Hugh Tribbey 
Hugh Tribbey’s poetry has most recently appeared or is forthcoming in Peter Ganick’s Archive Project, Spaltung, We, Moria, Apocryphal Text, Crash-Test, 5-Trope, Aught, xStream, Lost and Found Times, and Eratio. He is the author of three collections of poetry: Finish Your Sentence, Juvjula Detours, and Asteroid.
Hugh has performed his poetry at the Austin International Poetry Festival, AWP Innovailers and Outsliders: Experimental Writers from Across the Country, and the & Now Festival of Innovative Literature and Art, and he was a featured author with Gino Frangello and Jesse Seldess at William Allegrezza’s Series A Reading in the Hyde Park Art Center in Chicago. Hugh’s poem “Reckoning” received honorable mention for the Academy of American Poets Prize, and the poem “Greyface” was nominated for the Associated Writing Programs Intro Journals Project. Hugh is currently the Area Chair in Experimental Writing and Aesthetics for the Southwest/Texas Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association. He holds a Ph.D. in Poetics and Contemporary Literature from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and teaches literature and creative writing at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma.
See: Finish Your Sentence: http://www.lulu.com/xpressed; Juvjula Detours: http://www.xpressed.org [free download]; Asteroid: http://www.puddinghouse.com.
Open mic reading also
Read your own or bring a favorite or two.
Refreshments Available for Purchase
Sponsored by the Chickasha Area Arts Council
For more information, contact Rockford Johnson, 224-0160; 317-7506.
Directions to Chickasha Poetry Reading at
the Oddfellows Music Hall (118 S. 4th Street = Highway 81)
From OKC on I-44: Exit # 83/US 62, Right on Highway 62, Left on US 81 (= 4th Street),
South 1 ½ blocks to the building with the star on the west side.
From Lawton on I-44: Exit # 81, North on US 81 (= 4th Street) about 2 miles,
3 ½ blocks north of the Sonic Drive-In
(Ample parking behind the building)
Aurora Teagarden a satisfying read delivered up by Charlaine Harris
Last Scene Alive was one of those quick, well written, character driven mysteries that work perfect for travel. Aurora Teagarden is like an old friend. Readers of the series fall immediately into the story to find out what’s happening in Aurora’s life after her husband Martin has died. Ms Harris is so good at describing “real” relationships. People aren’t always good or bad; family, friends and co-workers often irritate but are the very people we turn to in crisis or support. Aurora better known as Roe, meets up with long time acquaintance Robin Crusoe, who has written a true crime book on past Lawrenceton murders. Now a soon to be a made for TV movie. Robin’s very recent girlfriend and star of the movie, Celia Shaw is playing the part of Roe in the movie. The plot thickens and Roe is off to solve a new mystery (not without a few scrapes and bruises along the way), battle her grief and start to find a new life.
Cozy mystery writting at its best. It’s good like an Anne George but with a little more spice. I’m glad Harris hasn’t left Aurora behind after all her success with the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries and “True Blood”. There’s plenty of room for diversity from this very talented writer.
Off to training in Ardmore. Reading my way across Oklahoma.
Work is taking center stage this month, several trainings loom ahead. However it may prove to have some quality time with a book in a hotel or two. Right now, I’m half way through the new Charlaine Harris, Aurora Teagarden, “Last Scene Alive”. Glad she mentioned this one at the American Library Association panel. I always like her librarian character.
I’ve also got a copy of Mel Odom’s new comic, Phantom Generations #3. 
I hope I got it packed. Look forward to seeing him at the Red Dirt Book Festival.
Got to go hit the road.
BAM’s new book releases and Okie Bookshelf
On BAM’s Blog, August 4th, she put out the new book releases.
Books
“Inherent Vice” by Thomas Pynchon
“That Old Cape Magic” by Richard Russo
“Bad Moon Rising: A Dark-Hunter Novel” by Sherrilyn Kenyon
“The Battle for America 2008: The Story of an Extraordinary Election” by Haynes Johnson and Dan Balz
“In the President’s Secret Service: Behind the Scenes with Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect” by Ronald Kessler
“Ranger’s Apprentice: The Siege of Macidaw: Book 6″ by John Flanagan
“Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958-2009″ by J. Randy Taraborrelli
“Alex Cross’s TRIAL” by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
“Bengal’s Heart (Breeds)” by Lora Leigh
Really great stuff, and I’m looking forward to trying my hand at the new Thomas Pynchon. His mysterious ways make his books even the more enticing. And the other night on Jon Stewart, Ronald Kessler was there talking about his secret service book and there was plenty of juicy gossip about the first families. Bad Moon Rising, new Dark Hunter and who can go wrong with a Patterson.
So what’s new on the Okie Bookshelf.
Everything You Know about Indians Is Wrong by Paul Chaat Smith. Washington Post Reader Spotlight with the author.
Here’s the cover and a link to an interview telling the “why” of the book title. 
What are you hearing today?
Today is a two quote day from literature. After all, tomorrow is another day. Thank you Scarlett. I can still remember the summer I read my way through the Civil War and Scarlett and Rhett. Oh my.
and this
How many people speak the same language even when they speak
the same language?
– Russell Hoban
Literature always speaks to us, maybe we just need to listen.
