A day of domestic bliss (Just ONE)

Suzy Homemaker and I have an agreement - she stays out of my way, and I sure as heck don't get in hers. I made it crystal clear to my handsome hubby, long before I walked down the aisle, that if he wanted "that" kind of girl, he might want to keep looking.

I don't bake just because. I cook to survive. And cleaning is a four-letter-word uttered once a week, when the music is blasting and I've reached the end of my procrastination limit. (Or I have no choice but to empty the dishwasher because there are no more forks.)

But every once in a while I get this unexplainable itch to go all domestic or something. The "change" often happens when I'm overcome with love for my hubby (hey, we've been married less than a year, so I can stay sappy for a few months yet) - after all, he's made indescribable changes for me.

While love is the catalyst for my heart-shaped banana bread (pictured above - yes, I made that. I know, I'm still patting myself on the back), I've discovered, begrudgingly, that Suzy might be on to something after all. Baking can be kind of therapeutic. It isn't quite the cure for all that ails you, but I've learned today that it can help you work through hurt. Betrayal. Frustration. Even sadness.

I began my day with a monumental "to-do" list, tacking on the things I knew would lift my spirits. Like reading (OMG, I'm totally obsessed with Kelley Armstrong this week), working out (marathon training, here I come), and writing. But it wasn't those traditional perk-me-ups that have lightened my heart today, but rather the apple crumble I made for my husband's desert, or the banana bread I baked for his lunch tomorrow.

By the time I dug out the vacuum cleaner and the windex, I'd already begun posting love notes around the house.

My home smells like fresh baked goods. And air freshener. Laundry soap. And candles.

It smells like home.

And here, in the safety of its (clean) embrace, I can deal with the crap of the outside world.

PS - Don't get too excited, Suzy. I suspect tomorrow you'll go back to being a bitch :-)

The Book In My Bag Today: Bitten, Kelley Armstrong

Book 18 - Whiskey Sour

Whiskey Sour is a tight - super tight - thriller featuring a gritty, older cop named Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels. I loved it.

Jack is on the hunt for the Gingerbread Man, a lunatic whose killing ritual will leave a nasty taste in the back of your throat. Not quite the "scarier" than Hannibal Lecter villain the book jacket promises, but still unique.

For some reason, everything about Whiskey Sour is a little atypical. J.A. Konrath has the writing chops - and then some - to carry off a strong, believable female protagonist. Her "baggage" is expected, and the role of "tortured hero" is well done, without the over-the-top sprinkles that could have made her whiny.

She isn't. Not in the slightest. Not when the Gingerbread Man leaves a deadly bag of chocolate treats in her vehicle, not when he kidnaps her, not even when he shoots her the first time. She's a tough chick, without being overbearing, and she's raw with a dusting of compassion. Konrath could write the book on creating sympathetic characters.

At only 275 pages, there's little room for fluff. The murder scenes have just enough description to picture the gore, but Konrath knows when to pull back, leaving room for your imagination. He uses his "novel real estate" well, with not one extraneous word. The dialogue is crisp, often humourous, and always intentional. Not surprisingly, I've asked my muse to study Konrath's style.

Whiskey Sour is the first in the Jack Daniels series - and for that I'm thankful. I think it will be a while before I tire of this refreshing protagonist.

Thanks Karen for lending me this winner - thankfully, the spine was already cracked. xo

Book 17 - The Hunger Games

Perhaps no book has taken me on such an emotional roller coaster ride as the Hunger Games.

My stepdaughter and I began reading it together - until after the second chapter when I choked getting the words out. She'll probably never stop teasing me for crying, just like she'd never admit a tear gathered in the corner of her eye as well.

The Hunger Games is a potent story of survival and love. It's about beating the odds, rebellion, and facing fears. And it's a book I'm sure I'll read over and over again.

The story is set in the dystopian future, where the world has been virtually wiped clear of civilization. Twelve districts remain, each at different levels of poverty, and all under Capitol rule. To survive, residents from each district must develop skills (like hunting) to feed and clothe their families.

Unless of course someone from your district wins the Hunger Games.

Each year, 24 youth are selected through the reaping, a type of macabre lottery, and then pitted in a giant arena while the rest of the world watches a grand fight to the death. It's like Survivor, but instead of being voted off the island, the losers are carried by hovercraft to their graves. The sole victor earns a year's bounty for his / her entire district.

Author Suzanne Collins expertly navigates the reader through a series of twists and turns designed to fuel your emotions. Katniss is a formidable protagonist, and you can't help but feel her fear, her anger, and her will to survive. She is a hero worth championing, though not without her flaws, and despite her vulnerabilities, Katniss is one of the strongest YA protagonists I've ever read - a refreshing break from young girls who seem to need their "boyfriends" for empowerment.

The Hunger Games explores many themes - war, violence, society's fascination with watching people suffer, the differences between the rich and the poor, and even, the power of love. It does not flinch.

But it will make you turn the page, and when you hit the end, you'll already be reaching for the second in the series.

Thanks to Jan and Donna for turning me onto this fabulous book. Easily one of the best YA novels I've ever read.

The Book In My Bag Today: Whiskey Sour, J.A. Konrath

The many (sexy) faces of my muse

Johnny Depp has many faces.

With the exception of a few, I've fallen for all of them (you have to admit, he's creepy in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, though brilliant).

I watched 21 Jumpstreet, and Cry Baby, Edward Scissorhands and Benny and Joon. I've also seen Pirates of the Caribbean (all of them) and some of Depp's darker films, like Blow, From Hell and Secret Window.

No question he's one hunky guy.

But more than his movie-star looks, it's his versatility that continues to amaze me. He's been my muse avatar before - mostly because he leaves me breathless, but also because he seems to have a good handle on balance. His family life is fairly protected from the paparazzi, and back when he could have been cast as simply a heart throb, he recognized "looks" weren't enough - and became, arguably, one of the finest actors in the world.

He's also one of my idols.

I had the pleasure of seeing him in action again this weekend, acing the role of the Mad Hatter in one of my favourite childhood books, Alice in Wonderland. My Mom used to call me Alice when I was young, her little dreamer. Because of the sentimental attachment I have to the book (and her nickname), I worried how it would play out on the screen.

I shouldn't have stressed. The combination of Tim Burton, Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp just works - after all, was it not this team that nailed the screen adaptation of my other favourite book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

Burton created an amazing on-screen world, filled with fantastical scenery that made me want to write fantasy again (or at least revisit some of the scenes in Jack of Hearts). Helena Bonham Carter absolutely rocked it as the Red Queen - I can still picture her heart-shaped lips shouting "Off with his head", and each time, I get a little tingle in my belly, as though reliving my childhood. (After reading AiW I used to wander around the house shouting "off with her head." Sadly, this threat was generally met with eye-rolling.)

But of course, in many ways, Johnny was the show stopper, his portrayal of the Mad Hatter a cross between the quirky Wonka and the sexy Jack Sparrow. As a youth, my focus was always on Alice, so much so, I'd forgotten the tremendous role of the Hatter. Of course, Johnny makes him memorable now.

And so, when I awoke this morning still thinking of both the Red Queen and the Mad Hatter, I had little doubt as to whom should be cast as muse avatar for the week. Versatility is Johnny's speciality - and I could use a whole lot of that right now.

Besides, he's hot.

The Book In My Bag Today: Whiskey Sour, J.A. Konrath

Say cheese

I understand the importance of checking your attitude at the office door, but a couple of Japanese companies are taking a "mandatory smile" policy to the extreme.

According to the February 2010 issue of Popular Science magazine, 500 or so employees of the Keihin Electric Express Railway in Tokyo lined up in front of a camera to be judged by the company's Omron Smile Scan software. The program measures facial movement and rates smiles from 1-100. Big Brother much?

If that isn't bad enough, a whole slate of behaviour-recognition software will someday pick people out of a crowd for insufficient perkiness. Not sure what happens if your smile has accidentally turned upside down, but I doubt they'd consider a jolt of java an acceptable fix.

Smile Scan did its "creepy evaluative thing" in more than 100 Japanese businesses and organizations, but if you're looking for an example that hits much closer to home, consider this: Last year, Sony applied for a patent on a mood-detecting device for its Playstation 3. I can only imagine the gaming implications that might have.

Creepy.

The Book In My Bag Today: The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

Book 16 - Ceremony in Death

JD Robb always impresses me.

I've read many of the "In Death" books a couple of times, including Ceremony in Death. And each time, I'm reminded of how much I admire not only Nora Roberts' writing style, but also her ability to pump out so many great books a year. Never mind the annual "In Death" installment, but also her yearly romantic suspense novel or the latest in a romantic trilogy. (Sidenote: I love Nora's trilogies!)

If you don't know, the "In Death" books are futuristic mysteries featuring LAPD cop Eve Dallas and her handsome husband Roarke. In Ceremony in Death, Eve is faced with witches and satanists - and her ongoing personal demons. I love how effortlessly Roberts/Robb weaves in backstory while keeping the story's pace. In this book, the fifth in the series, Eve and Roarke's relationship continues to deepen, as does Eve's ability to handle all of the relationships in her life.

Although Eve is a cop, somehow the books never read like police procedurals. Amen.

To say much more would either ruin the plot, or confuse you if you've not read the first book in this series, Naked in Death. While each novel could stand on its own, I wouldn't recommend starting in the middle of the series. The character arc are executed with brilliance - but it's best to know from where the character started before seeing where he/she ends up.

I'll return to JD Robb again soon. I'm building up that library slowly while I soldier through another read. It's already March and I'm only on book 17 of my 100 Books in 2010 challenge. Thankfully, Karen's lent me a couple of gooders (yes, that is a technical word.) Now to fit it in with my crazy workout schedule. Oh, and writing, of course.

The Book In My Bag Today: The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

The golden muse

Was yesterday's Olympic gold medal hockey game a nail biter?

My heart - and stomach - would tell you that's a gross understatement. My pulse raced through what has to be the best match I've seen in a long time, and by the time "Sid the Kid" scored the winning goal in overtime, I questioned if I might need CPR.

It is with both relief and sadness I acknowledge the end of the Olympics (I've got to focus on something other than sports at some point...) Our athletes performed with excellence, breaking a few records, capturing Canadian hearts, and demonstrating sportsmanship, dedication and professionalism. I could have selected any of them to star as muse avatar this week - and even contemplated recasting Jon Montgomery (good grief that man is spectacular.)

I chose Sidney Crosby instead. Though his performance throughout the Olympics was steady, he didn't display the usual play excellence for which he's known. Nash, Neidermayer, and of course, Luongo, were the names most announced throughout the tournament, even in the gold medal game.

But when it mattered most, Crosby reminded us all of why he's one of our shiniest Canadian stars.

This morning, he's Canada's golden boy - and I suspect he'll be a little busy (or very tired) but I'm ok with that. I've made excellent progress with the current WIP and Sid the Kid is youthful and energetic - he'll multi task.

Besides, it's unlikely I'll get much writing done today - my heart's still in recovery mode. Congratulations to all of our Canadian athletes, and to Vancouver for hosting a memorable and inspiring Olympics. I am truly proud to be Canadian.

The Book In My Bag Today: Ceremony in Death, J.D. Robb