Colleen McCullough

[Fran]

Gannon Fran & Maud,

Well, I've been up to my old tricks and once again spent the entire day in sweltering heat turning over dirt, sifting compost, hauling compost up a hill (very bad ... VERY bad), planting, roto-tilling another flower bed and generally exhausting myself. I cannot remember the last time I was as spent as I am right now as I type this.

I came in, took a shower, and immediately plopped into bed with Jasper Fforde (didn't mean that the way it sounded). I am at the point where the police bear has surprised Spratt, Mary and Ash in the warehouse where the porridge has been smuggled. Enjoying it very much. A bit like The Spellmans on hallucinogens. Definitely different, but quite enjoyable. Thanks to Maud for introducing Jasper to the forum.

A very apt description .... glad you are enjoying it

[Maud Fitch]

G'day everyone, just popped in to say that I have three, yes, three different Lisa Lutz Spellmans books on hold.
They should clear fairly quickly and I can find out what all the fuss is about. The goss on the blogs is that there's a movie in the wind. Would a movie work?

[Fran]

G'day everyone, just popped in to say that I have three, yes, three different Lisa Lutz Spellmans books on hold.
They should clear fairly quickly and I can find out what all the fuss is about. The goss on the blogs is that there's a movie in the wind. Would a movie work?

@Maud
I am really looking forward to your opinion on the family Spellman
Could make a great movie, provided casting is right of course, but IMO the books would probably lend themselves to a TV series better than a one-off movie .... the characters & relationships develope with the books & there is so much in the books that would probably be ditched to fit a movie timeframe.
When you get into the books it might be a laugh to discuss our casting suggestions

[DATo]

G'day everyone, just popped in to say that I have three, yes, three different Lisa Lutz Spellmans books on hold.
They should clear fairly quickly and I can find out what all the fuss is about. The goss on the blogs is that there's a movie in the wind. Would a movie work?

I don't know which books you are getting but try to read Files or Curse first if you can because they provide the background you'll need. Files was the first of the series. I started with The Spellmans Strike Back and though it was good it wasn't till I got to my second read which was Curse that I finally got the background story I needed to put things into a better perspective. In the best of all possible worlds it would be good to read Files and then Curse first in that order. In my case the only book I could get was Strikes at the time and impatient curiosity got the better of me. I don't think reading them out of order will ultimately spoil the experience for you - it didn't for me - but you might stumble across a few minor spoilers by reading the later books first.

I'm warning you Maud, like I've said many times before, it takes a bit of time to get into the "feel" of Lutz's writing but if you are patient the rewards will prove vastly more than worth the efforts required. Well ... maybe .... they did for me anyhow.

[primrose777]

Hi Everyone,
I have been catching up with all your posts, so many wonderful sounding books to read. The curse of the Spellmans, The fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde, The Dovekeeper, I cant keep up with you all. I seem to be a slow reader at the moment and having trouble finding the time. I have all of them listed however. Has anyone heard of "The Book Thief" by Makuz Zusak??? It has been recommended to me, any opinions??

[Fran]

Hi Everyone,
I have been catching up with all your posts, so many wonderful sounding books to read. The curse of the Spellmans, The fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde, The Dovekeeper, I cant keep up with you all. I seem to be a slow reader at the moment and having trouble finding the time. I have all of them listed however. Has anyone heard of "The Book Thief" by Makuz Zusak??? It has been recommended to me, any opinions??

@primrose
The Book Thief is an absolutely beautiful & original book IMO ... definitely well worth adding to your list.
You'll find a topic dedicated to it under Review of Specific Books Forum but be careful there may be spoilers.
I know how you feel about so many great books and the difficulty of getting the time to get to them all but isn't it nice to know they will just patiently wait for you to get to them and so much to look forward to.

[Gannon]

Howdy Primrose, make sure you read "The Book thief", it is an incredible book.

[primrose777]

I have just started "The Book Thief" and am really enjoying it. The Author has a very uniqiue style and he has drawn me in completely. Will have a look at the dedicated thread once I am finished, that way no spoilers. Thanks for the tip Fran. I do have many books patiently waiting for me and it fills me with great anticipation and contentment... if those words go together.

[Gannon]

Hey Fran, love the new avatar.

[Maud Fitch]

Love your new avatar, Fran. Do you think mine is too provocative?

Hi guys, I haven't been around much lately, mainly because I've waned in the Forum stakes. You know how sometimes you just don't feel like it? Blogs are bogging down, Twitter is getting twerpy, Facebook is, well, hmm.....anyway, I hope there's not too much PM usage going on because that can also make Forums dull. Not that this one is dull, it is one of the best around, but I just haven't had anything to say. However, I still luv ya all. Changed my avatar - vamped up the old image!

Hope your weekend rocks Royally - we have Queen's birthday long weekend here in Oz.

[Fran]

@Maud
Love the new image .... very classy. That the old TBR shelf in the background?

Hope you have an enjoyable long weekend. How are you getting on with the Spellmans?

[Gannon]

Love your new avatar, Fran. Do you think mine is too provocative?

Hi guys, I haven't been around much lately, mainly because I've waned in the Forum stakes. You know how sometimes you just don't feel like it? Blogs are bogging down, Twitter is getting twerpy, Facebook is, well, hmm.....anyway, I hope there's not too much PM usage going on because that can also make Forums dull. Not that this one is dull, it is one of the best around, but I just haven't had anything to say. However, I still luv ya all. Changed my avatar - vamped up the old image!

Hope your weekend rocks Royally - we have Queen's birthday long weekend here in Oz.

Howdy, howdy there Maud. Love the new avatar. I hope you are enjoying our long weekend. I am just about finished rereading "The Girl who kicked the Hornet's nest". I can't remember seeing anywhere on the posts that you have read them, if you haven't, I strongly recommend them. I went back to reread them after watching the hollywood version of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". I loved it, especialy Rooney Mara. She was, imho, incredible as Salander. I hope they do the second book too.

I have been spending this long weekend turning the back spare room into a library/study. If you look way way back into the past you will see that I have been saying that I will do this for a long time. However I have actually made a start and have three shelves up and am quite proud. I have actually just recently started to run out of space. I should give a heap of old books to lifeline or the local library but I can't seem to part with them. I wonder if I am taking my status as a bibliophile a bit too far. Maybe I am crossing over the line and turning into a hoarder.

Good to see that you are still alive and kicking. Thanks for dropping us a line, I miss you.

PS Jasper has still not arrived. I am almost certain that it will arrive late next week.

[Fran]

@Gannon
Any chance you'd drop by here & do a few more shelves for me .... the resident handyman is gone a tad workshy.

I really do admire your patience, there is no way I could wait so long for a book to arrive. I'm currently reading Madeleine Albright's memoir & she says when she got a Kindle for Xmas 2010 & the first book she downloaded & reread was War & Peace (one of my all time favorites). I was delighted to note that even a former US Secretary of State opted for the free downloads like the rest of us mortals!

Hope you, Maud & Primrose are enjoying your extended weekend .... have a good one

[DATo]

Took me awhile to finish The Fourth Bear, as introduced by Maud and recommended by Fran, because I am in the middle of teaching a summer course which requires my full attention at work where I do a lot of my reading when time permits, as well as devoting a lot of time to landscaping at home. Much like Lutz (of 'Spellman' fame), I found Fforde's writing style, and particularly his book's premise, delightfully original. It was a fun read but I found myself totally distraught over the demise of Ashley. I may require therapy before this is all over.

Currently reading Nobody's Fool which I am enjoying very much.

It seems everyone has gotten plastic, avatar surgery since I was last here ... I hardly recognize anyone anymore!!!

[Fran]

Took me awhile to finish The Fourth Bear, as introduced by Maud and recommended by Fran, because I am in the middle of teaching a summer course which requires my full attention at work where I do a lot of my reading when time permits, as well as devoting a lot of time to landscaping at home. Much like Lutz (of 'Spellman' fame), I found Fforde's writing style, and particularly his book's premise, delightfully original. It was a fun read but I found myself totally distraught over the demise of Ashley. I may require therapy before this is all over.

Currently reading Nobody's Fool which I am enjoying very much.

It seems everyone has gotten plastic, avatar surgery since I was last here ... I hardly recognize anyone anymore!!!

@DATo
We'll all be in the therapist's waiting room together
Yea it is funny when someone changes their avatar how you kinda miss the old one .... guess it's a bit like someone you're familiar with getting a make over. On the other hand we can all do with a buff & polish occasionally.