Feb. 22nd, 2008

cherydactyl: (Default)
A friend gave me a manuscript copy of his first novel (heh) to read, so I can be a first reader. I'm the only non-relative he has given it too. I feel pretty honored by that, though partly I wonder whether it isn't that he trusts my big fat mouth to tell him what I *really* think. ;-) I haven't gotten far, only to page 9, but I'm hooked. It has some similarities to Karl Schroeder's Ventus, and has hints that it may later remind me of Kiln People by David Brin as well. I enjoyed both of those. Er, well, *mostly* enjoyed in the case of Kiln People. The ending of that one was just a little off for my tastes. Anyway, I'm really geeked about reading the rest of it. I wonder if I'll try to blow through it this weekend, like I did HP7. Probably, but I can't devote a solid block of time to it and nothing else, it's too busy a weekend coming up.

My little copy-editing gene or whatever is egging me on to make nitpicky notes on the manuscript, but the vast majority of them can and probably should be ignored. It's more that I'm writing down all the stuff I usually think about when I read, ephemera about typos and clarity and brevity and stuff as well noting things that may be foreshadowing or may be distractions, depending on what comes later. There are two or three notes in the margin that could translate to "awesome!" about particular bits about the world or some wordplay. We'll see if my penciled thought-regurgitations are of any use, I guess.

BTW, [livejournal.com profile] orogeny2000, are you still wanting me to read your NaNoWriMo manuscript? When were you thinking of getting that to me?
cherydactyl: (lemmings)
Name five...
1. ... things you can't live without.
A brain, a beating heart, air, water, & food. Seriously. Everything else is gravy.

2. ... of the best moments in your life.
The birth of my second child (love 'em both, but that time it went much smoother than the first)
The first time I did a full handstand
Finishing the 2004 Detroit Free Press International Half Marathon (the marathon finish earlier that year was not one of the best moments...ow)
Wading in the ocean and playing on the beach when I was 6 months pregnant with #1; that was the best vacation
When I get to have a deep discussion with my older daughter about whys and wherefores; she makes the most amazing connections sometimes. I'm looking forward to that with #2 before long. :)

3. ... celebrities you can't stand.
Urm, I know hardly any celebrities.

4. ... books you enjoy(ed) reading.
Only five? Oh, you cruel, cruel person!!
Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart by Mark Epstein, MD
A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett (aloud with appropriate accent for the Pictsies ;^)
The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers
The Liar by Stephen Fry
The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson

5. ... items in your purse/backpack/on your desk.
(my current purse IS a backpack, albeit a small one.)
mints, pen, wallet, sunglass clips, Sudoku for Dummies book (hey, I get bored sometimes when I'm waiting around for a kid or an appointment)


The Friday Five

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cherydactyl

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