Incoherent Scribblings

The topic of this week’s “Booking Through Thursday” is fantasy and in answer to the first question, “Do you like to read fantasy?,” my answer is a resounding YES!

I wouldn’t go so far as to say I exclusively read fantasy, but probably at least 60% of what I read can be placed in the fantasy genre. Of course, for me fantasy is a very broad genre. It includes “classic” types of fantasy, but I tend to lump science fiction and most “horror” into the fantasy genre as well. For example, I consider Anne Rice, Stephen King, and J.K. Rowling to be fantasy authors.

The second question is: “What’s your favorite thing about reading fantasy?” I would have to say the best thing about reading fantasy is that I am transported to another world. It seems like an easy answer, but I know people who don’t like to read fiction for this very reason. Reading is the hobby that I have had the longest and is something that I do for entertainment. Therefore, when I read I like to escape from this world and go to another. I accomplish this by reading genres such as fantasy and historical fiction.

Question number three is: “Do you prefer regular people placed in alternate realities, like the Thomas Covenant stories and the Amber books, or do you prefer the whole world to come from the author’s imagination? Or something else?” Actually, I prefer fantastical characters to fantastical settings. I am not too particular about where these characters are placed, as long as it fits the story. For example, I just finished reading Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper, a book based on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale where Beauty is half fairy, half mortal and is transported back and forth not only between the “real” and “fairy” worlds, but also between centuries. This could have been awkward, but given the underlying message of the book it was necessary and Tepper did a good job of seamlessly moving Beauty from one world to another and from one century to another.

And lastly, “Do you have a favorite author or theme that you go back to again and again?” I am a big fan of book series and so when I come across a new series I not only make sure I read all of the books in the series, but in order. In addition to that, Anne Rice is definitely my favorite author and not only do I read her old books over and over again; I also read the new ones as they come out. I can’t say that I really have a favorite theme though. I just pick up whatever trips my trigger: usually it is some type of fantasy or historical fiction and the protagonist is female, but not always.

Since I was at a good stopping place, I decided to put “Passing Admirers” aside for the time being and move on to “Stiefmütterchen,” my SAL with Susie, while I wait to get my needleroll exchange partner’s name. (It is supposed to be coming tomorrow!)

Susie did her fourth pansy earlier this week and because I want to keep up with our stitch along, I decided that it was time to tackle my fourth pansy too. This pretty little blue-violet pansy stitched up in only 4 ½ hours and is my favorite of all the pansies that I have stitched so far.

I started it last night before I went to bed and finished it up this afternoon while I did volunteer duty at the English Language Library here in Munich. The library is not very big: it consists of two rooms crammed full of English language paperbacks, but is quite popular with the English-speaking community in Munich.

We are only open from 3 pm to 6 pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and on a typical afternoon only two or three patrons will stop by. It is quite a peaceful way to spend my afternoon (the library is in the back of a church!), but the time can go a bit slowly (even with all the books to read). So today I decided to bring my stitching along and between customers I managed to finish Pansy #4 about half an hour before we closed.

Before I went to the library today I also did a quick stash run and bought some 27 count white Linda (I was out because I dyed all that I previously had purple) and some 27 count RICO Tessin black Evenweave. Normally I don’t like to stitch on black fabric, but in the spirit of the season, I think I want to stitch my Halloween exchange on black. (I hope I am allowed to mention that here.)

I am not sure how much stitching or blogging I will get done this weekend because I just got a new toy, a 30G iAudio jukebox (It’s like an iPod, only better) that I will probably spend the weekend filling up with music.

So, if it is quiet here for some days, have a great weekend everyone!