More about Inkwell

I promise I won't turn into a full-time cat blogger. But we're still getting used to our new friend, so it's hard. I wrote about Inkwell in the paper today.

This afternoon when I got home I found Inkwell had claimed my chair in the living room, but seemed surprisingly happy to see me. He followed me upstairs, where I found Eric had forgotten to feed him. Not a surprise, this is new to Eric as well. Eric said Inky had been VERY active, getting in his way, running around his feet, jumping on the kitchen counter and generally making himself a proper nuisance like a proper kitten.

After I fed him, he played a little, then settled down in the crook of my arm...

His absolute favorite spot, if he can get it, is the crook of someone's elbow. He gets heavy after a bit.

At work I told my co-worker, M, who talked me into taking care of Inkwell in the first place that I really needed to get a scratching post, so she took me over into the pressroom and cut up a cardboard box, explaining that she was making a redneck scratching pad. She stacked the sheets of cardboard into a little pile, then used the machine that straps the bundles of newspapers together to strap the pile into a block.

While we were doing this, the pressman came over and mentioned there was scrap material over along the wall. M went over and found a roll that is the remains of a huge roll of paper. The paper for the press comes on these rolls that are larger than most people, and the cardboard center is really very strong. M handed me one of those, and then found a plug of wood that would fit in one end. She had me hold the roll while she used a board to whack the plug into the roll. Then she took the board over to the pressman, who found some nails and made a base for the redneck scratching post.

The roll is one that newsprint comes on, the base was nailed to the bottom by the pressman. The remaining paper is still on the roll.

Right after I got off work, M told me to go to the local flooring place and ask for scrap carpet. I headed out, asked, and they suggested I check the dumpster. I found three clean and likely pieces out there and took them home. Two are kind of odd-shaped and I've put them along the couch, but the third was a strip. I found some nails and nailed the sucker to the post in a spiral.

The scrap of carpet goes around the post successfully, with a bit of extra lumpiness at the bottom.

Happy with my handiwork, I tried to get Inkwell interested in it. He was unimpressed, even when Eric showed him the trick of it.

Eric confuses a cat by trying to show him how to use a scratching post.

I went and snagged one of the bags of kitten treats, and put one on the base. Inky gobbled it up. I put another up on the top of the "lump". Inky found it and gobbled. I stuck one along the edge of the carpet a little higher up. Inky reached up with his claws and found the piece by pulling himself up, then did a bit of comfy scratching on the post. I suspect it won't take long to train him to use it, if we want to.

As I write this, this is where Inkwell is, right on my lap curled up enjoying my presence.

I still can't believe we have a kitten.

More cat pictures

Because I just can't resist.

About nine hours after his first dose of medicine, he was feeling considerably better. This morning he woke me at five a.m. in the Simon's Cat manner, minus the baseball bat. He's clearly feeling MUCH better.

I was watching him play, tried to get a picture, and he immediately calmed down.

This morning I gave him his medicine and had a less difficult time than last night, my first try. I have to syringe-feed him the medicine, and getting the stuff down him the first time was a bit... messy. But this morning I got the knack of the "scruff" method, and he took the medicine without even wiggling. Hopefully the rest can go as easily (two down, 11 to go).

He just finished killing the evil quilt monster, and is settling in for a relaxing evening.

He has been playing much more since last night. He's actually running around the house, attacking doors, feet and random bits of floor. He's still terrified of the toy mice and kitten bell balls, but maybe he'll eventually mellow enough to play with them.

Update

Sorry, I've been busy with a sick kitten and work. The kitten is going to the vet this morning after I get through deadlines. He's a little better, but still sniffling and sneezing all over the house. It does appear that we've been adopted. The last three nights the kitten has been loose at night and has slept/played on the bed with us while sniffling. His eye is considerably better.

I'll update this later today once we know a little more, but I predict we'll get some medicine and advice and not much else will change.

Inkwell enjoys the sink.

UPDATE: So, Inkwell probably has cat herpes, which isn't nearly as bad as it sounds. In fact, the doctor said he'd never seen a stray cat brought in that *didn't* have it. I'll be giving him antibiotics for a week to try to get rid of the nasal infection, and hopefully he'll start feeling better in a few days.

Right now he's on my chest, looking beautiful. He seems to be adjusting to us pretty well, although he's been clawing and nipping me still, while apparently trying to nurse.

Inkwell discovers a new toy in the living room. He enjoys cardboard and doors.

UPDATE, UPDATE: I think a hyper Inkwell is going to be much more difficult to handle than a sick, tired and depressed kitten.

Kitten update

So. Let's see. We took Inkwell the kitten to the vet on Wednesday afternoon and he got medicated and such. Wednesday night he was clearly not feeling well, few meows and no purring. Thursday morning, just about nothing. He didn't want to get up, didn't eat, and when I checked the bathroom I discovered that he'd barfed all over behind the toilet. He also had diarrhea. He was very lethargic all day, and just didn't eat much of anything.

About 11 am I called the vet again to report on his worsened condition, and she said that a kitten should not be vomiting like that. The diarrhea and lethargy were also very bad signs. So she prepped me for the worst, telling me about the feline version of parvo, which is nearly always fatal. She explained that the big problem, since he had diarrhea, would be dehydration. She suggested getting some Pedialyte to try to get him back up to normal hydration levels.

So we got some Pedialyte, and tried to feed him again. But he really wasn't eating much of anything. And he wasn't moving much. And he wasn't purring at all. I had him laying on my stomach for a time, and was afraid at least a couple of times that he had died right there.

In addition, he developed a drool. Massive drool. Big blobs of it coming out of his mouth. And I took to wiping it up constantly, which annoyed him a bit. Add in the eyedrops, and I think the poor guy probably hates Eric and me now.


Well, I left him some kibble in Pedialyte last night, and it was gone this morning, he'd eaten the lot. I gave him some more, and he showed no interest in it, but when I came home for lunch he was up and meowing and he clearly wanted more.

So I gave him more, then a little more. And watched him eat and drink while I was home. I was elated.

After covering an event, I decided I wanted to check on the cat and rushed home. He was curled up in his box, refusing to move. Back to sad kitten again. I left him some more food in the bowl and went back to work a little worried.

When I got home this afternoon, Eric had fed him again and he'd eaten it all. However, he hasn't pooped since this morning, so I'm a little worried that he overdid it and is likely to throw up again.

So Inkwell is now curled up on my left arm. He seems happier today, he's eaten a lot. I'm still worried about him, but I no longer think he's about to die.

Inkwell isn't so well

I have learned a number of unexpected lessons since ... acquiring... a kitten the other day.

Kitten farts smell really, really foul.

Black cats are dust-bunny attractors.

When cats eat too fast, they tend to vomit.

It's hard to sleep when you are worried about a cat.

Anyway. Inkwell the kitten settled into the spare bathroom without too much fuss, and we let him out to roam the house whenever we were home. On Tuesday that meant in the morning when we were getting ready for work, at lunchtime when I came home to check on him and eat and in the evening.

In the morning he was ok, seemed happy enough. At lunchtime I noticed his left eye was a little wonky, kind of winking. Other than the eye he seemed pretty happy, running around and trying to keep my hands from eating lunch, since hands are supposed to feed him. He also tried to get milk out of every part of my body he could reach. Including, at one point, my nose.

Dinnertime his eye was looking a little worse, but the vet is only open during the day, so I tried not to worry. I figured if it didn't get better overnight, I'd call the vet and take him out there. Then he threw up. Lots of barely digested dry cat food all over the floor. I swear the pile he made was bigger than he was. We cleaned it up, put him in the bathroom to rest, and then when I went to let him out he wouldn't come out. He seemed really uncomfortable and sad, and didn't leave his box inside the bathroom at all. I was worried. I didn't sleep well last night.

Breakfast this morning his eye was completely shut and there was a gross little discharge in it, but otherwise he seemed much better. He was purring again, and meowing. And he came right out of the bathroom when I opened the door. I wiped away what I could from his eye, and gave him a small portion of food.

I wasn't able to get him to the vet until this afternoon, and they immediately put a lotion in his eye to help clear it up. We have the lotion and will have to attempt to apply it to his eye again tonight. The vet said something like, "he might lose that eye," which made me panic a little. I hope not, because Winkwell isn't nearly as good a name.

After I described the throwing up and other stuff, they agreed with me that he was probably eating too fast, but gave him something that was applied to his neck that would deal with roundworms and earmites, which they noticed he had.

Looking a little bedraggled and unhappy with his treatment at the vet, he's now somewhere in the house, probably with Eric.

At work today, the man who found Inkwell in his car came back with a bag of catfood and some cat treats and toys, and thanked me again for taking the kitten in. The ad for "FOUND CAT" has now run for two days and we've gotten no response. *sigh* Eric may end up killing me yet.

Inkwell the Cat

As Eric posted, we've been adopted by a cat, sort of.

At work today, I heard Marnie say something about how cute the cat was, and so I wandered out to see what was up. On the counter was the cutest little black kitten, with four muddy paws, shivering.

Turns out the kitten had just been discovered under a car in the parking lot. It apparently hitched a ride in the undercarriage of a car, because the mud was definitely not something it picked up in our parking lot. I petted it for a bit, and Marnie and a customer started discussing how much I needed a cat in my life. I could tell that the guy who had found the kitten really didn't want to deal with it, so I agreed to take the kitten to the vet.

Besides the mud on all four paws, the kitten was coated in motor oil from being in/under the car. When you petted it, oil ran onto your fingers.

So we found a box and put the cat into it, and I popped it into my car and drove out through the snowy roads to the vet. At the vet I quickly learned that the kitten was a he, about 3 or 4 months old, in pretty good health. Certainly well fed, and very socialized. He needed a bath, and the vet suggested an exam. So I went back to work to finish the day's writing, and the cat stayed with the vet to get cleaned and checked out.

After work I picked up the little guy, now dubbed Inkwell, and took him home, since somebody has to take care of him while we try to find out if he's already somebody's pet. Eric and I installed him in the guest bathroom for the time being, and after I finished taking photos at the basketball game today I let the cat out to wander the house.


He seems to rather like Eric's lap. He also doesn't like to be picked up, at all.

We have a cat!!!

Eric, here, giving a Gjovaag household update. We seem to have been adopted by a cat! I don't know all of the details, but this little black kitten was found at the newspaper, all covered in oil, so that when you petted him, he left inky black spots on your fingers. That, and where he was found, led to him being dubbed Inkwell. Laura took him to the vets and got him cleaned up and trimmed, and Inkwell is now in our guest bathroom with all of the proper cat fixtures. We're currently planning for this to be a temporary stay, and the paper is running an ad to find him a home. But he is a cute little fellow, and very personable... (although I think I hear him scattering kitty litter around right now...)

Best explanation of SOPA/PIPA argument I've seen

This video has the most straightforward explanation of why SOPA and PIPA are so hated by the majority of internet users. I can only hope that my article can make this problem with the way these things are written clear enough without coming across as biased.

CYMB #14

Blessing #14 - My Husband

Happy birthday, dear hubby! I met him online a couple of decades ago, and now we've been together quite some time, enjoying each other for the most part.

I love his strong support and his kindness through my toughest times. Anyone who can put up with me for long deserves a great deal of praise. I love when he makes us breakfast, and adore him for doing most of the cooking.

I'm proud of how he just manages to get along, despite all the difficulties in life and despite all the disappointments. He's my joy and happiness.

I'm very blessed to have Eric as my husband.

CYMB #13

Blessing #13 - I made it to 40

So here I am, 40 years old. Who would've thunk it?

Happy Birthday to me

Yup, today is my birthday. I've finally reached the big four-oh. I counted twice to make sure. Yup. Still happening.

It's melting, melting!

But not fast enough, sadly...

Today Eric had a day off school, though I headed to work. I came home a little early because the research I was doing could be done at home. We know the local district will be two hours late tomorrow, and there's a decent chance it'll be canceled again if the freeze tonight is solid.

And hey, tomorrow is my birthday. I'm hitting a millstone. Or is that a milestone? Whatever, I'm hitting 40 tomorrow. Wow. I'll post something about that tomorrow.

Hey, Who Turned Out The Lights?

Gone Dark?

If many of your favorite websites are dark today, they've done it to show you how the internet will be if Congress has its way and tries to stop piracy with a scorched earth policy. Today, at least, the 'net will be useless. If the anti-piracy legislation is passed, that's how the 'net will always be.

Snow?

I was at church, sitting in the foyer, when I glanced out the window and saw a few snowflakes straggling down from the sky. I said the word aloud, "Snow?" and a little child went running to the doors, and then back to her parents, yelling, "It's snowing!" For the next five minutes various little children ran around the foyer, pointing out the glass doors. Others ran out into the snow, which fell a little harder for a bit. Some of them were jumping up and down with glee. Then the snow slowly started to weaken, less and less, until there was finally nothing again. The excitement died with the lack of snow, and I think I even heard a little one complain about the sun breaking through the clouds.

We're under a winter storm watch now. The watch is, as I recall, less serious than a warning while it has more potential for chaos than an advisory. We're two days out from what might become a serious winter storm. First one since I've become a reporter. We'll just have to see if it actually happens.

CYMB #12

Blessing #12 - Automobiles

Wow am I glad I don't have to walk everywhere. Admittedly, I probably could use more walking in my life, but there are a lot of places I wouldn't be able to get to in a day without a car. Especially here, where everything is spread out.

Offside Coin

A very cool new set of coins has been released in the UK to celebrate the Olympics. The best of the lot is probably the Soccer Coin, which tries to explain the offside rule.

Despite my love of coins, I think it's fairly unlikely that any of these will end up in my hands. All of them are very cool, though.

CYMB #11

Blessing #11 - Blankets

They are warm, sometimes fuzzy, they wrap around you, and you can snuggle in one with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book and rest. I really am blessed to have blankets to curl up in.

As an aside, I know I'm not going to keep up this daily pace forever, so don't be surprised when I miss a day.

CYMB #10

Blessing #10 - Word Processors

So, as I'm writing my articles today, I vaguely noticed how many changes I kept having to make. And at some point, later in the day, I started to think about typewriters and how it used to be, back in the day. Back when so many writers had to use whiteout instead of backspace.

And I realized that I'm really freakin' blessed to have word processors. My writing style tends to be: type it out, erase half of it, rewrite and type up the new, adjust three or four words, stare at it, then move on to the next paragraph. Then three paragraphs later rewrite the first paragraph and move the fourth paragraph up to the lead.

Anyway. It's really nice to have word processors.

CYMB #9

Blessing #9 - Fiction

I enjoy fiction, the imagination of others shared with me. I enjoy the ideas that people come up with, and the way they explain those ideas. I like having the ability to read those books and watch those movies. The world would be a much sadder place without the ability to disappear into a good book.

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Crisis 22,300 Miles Above Earth!" - The JSA with the JLA all having a happy little party together. I really quite enjoyed this one. Good stuff, including Aquaman.
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Four Star Spectacular!" - I'm not all that impressed with this one. Four short stories, and at least a couple of them were more-or-less crap. Not pleased.
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Mitefall!" - Well. Huh. Not that I mind a Batmite story, but the abrupt appearance of another goofy character was a bit of a surprise. The in-joke with Aquaman's voice was irritatingly amusing. So. That's the end? Pity. It was a good run.


• Young Justice: "Revelation" - An interesting story about the importance of the team. This version of the Joker is really quite horrific, but then I think we knew that already.
• Young Justice: "Humanity" - Good to know that Red Tornado isn't the mole, but what does that mean for the rest of the team?
• Young Justice: "Failsafe" - Holy Moley, as Captain Marvel might say. That was totally unexpected and stunning. And yet it made a great deal of sense. The whole team went a little crazy there. Wow.
• Young Justice: "Disordered" - I'm glad that the events of the previous episode weren't ignored in this one. The experience that they went through definitely would affect them, possibly change them, and it only makes sense for them to still be smarting. Add the Forever People to it, and whee!
• Young Justice: "Secrets" - And there is Secret, finally. Not in the same excellent form as in the comic, but at least she's there. And Harm as well. This was a great episode, particularly the inclusion of Zatanna. The Halloween party subplot was fun as well, but the appearance of Secret was one I was really looking forward to seeing.

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This week's movie was The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones Chapter 11: Oganga, The Giver and Taker of Life (Dec 1916-Jan 1917) - Indy and Remy have to travel across brutal African landscapes, battling disease and hunger. This was a terribly brutal, and yet that's just how it might have been. I was impressed by the strength of the supporting cast in this one. The entire thing was really touching, and as good as half the movies available out there that are supposed to be features. Some really good moments of cinematic drama as well. And seeing Indy really question the war and its goals so completely also was a nice moment.

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Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• Nov 9th
• Mister Terrific #3 - Still uneven and strange. All the beats are there, all the story points, it all fits together... and yet it doesn't.
• Green Lantern #3 - I do not like Sinestro, but this makes him almost seem sympathetic, right up until that final panel. Even then, it appears to not be Sinestro's fault. Hmmm.
• Resurrection Man #3 - I don't recall ever liking the Body Doubles in the original series so many years ago, but I have to admit they are kind of fun in this revival.
• All New Batman the Brave and the Bold #13 - Lots of Robin in this one. A slightly surprise ending, but not really. I mean, it IS Batman.
• Nov 16th
• Green Lantern Corps #3 - Scary nasty guys, powerful guy risking everything... this was actually a surprisingly good issue of a series I didn't think I was enjoying. Good.
• Justice League #3 - I hate hate hate this visual representation of Aquaman. Sideburns are dreadful, jewelry is tacky, chain is boring. I want my Aquaman. How can this version of Aquaman be from the same writer of the regular series?
• Young Justice #10 - Not enough Aqualad. I liked the resolution, though. Nice twists at the end.
• Northlanders #46 - Brutal, again. I'm going to have to reread the Icelandic Trilogy, or at least this part of it, when it's done.
• Sergio Aragones Funnies #5 - I loved the piano story. Very Sergio. And the autobiographical stuff is always cool. Awesome book, with plenty to make you go back and keep examining the backgrounds. Heck, the cover alone is worth an hour, minimum.
• Nov 23rd
• Dark Horse Presents #6 - Ok, not the whole book. I only really got this for the Beasts of Burden story, like I got #4. And it was worth it, darn it. I loved what the tale was meant to do, and how it succeeded. The final panel just totally cracks me up. I want another Beasts of Burden series!
• Usagi Yojimbo #142 - I wonder about Usagi's dedication at times, but no one can doubt that he saved the day for that clan in this one.I really enjoyed this story, and every time I wonder if every story in his universe has been told, there's another tale. I'm always looking forward to the next issue of this book.
• Aquaman #3 - I'm not sure what to make of Mr. Shin, but it could be a neat addition to the mythos of Aquaman. I do like the look of this version. He's literally out of place, and trying to be what people expect him to be. He only relaxes when he's with Mera. Very nice work on the art
• Green Lantern New Guardians #3 - Lots of fighting, not a lot of progress.
• Doctor Who #11 - I'm not really fond of the art, but the story was fun enough. I love the kiss. Heh. Poor Rory.
• DMZ #71 - Wow. I wasn't sure what I'd be seeing in this one, but there it is. Someone has to take the fall, and Matty is man enough to do it. One more issue, right? Wow.
• Nov 30th
• Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz #3 - I don't really remember all the details from the book, but the Wizard pulled some fast ones on the Mangaboos there, didn't he? As we got to the next land, I vaguely recalled some of the bits, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they play out in this version.
• Tiny Titans #46 - Aqua-Ohs! Yay! And a mysterious lady who is obviously poking fun at something to do with the new 52, right? Right.
• Fables #111 - Oooh, so we have a North Wind. And a non-flying monkey in a lot of trouble. And I'm really wishing we could afford all the trades so I could catch up with this series. I think I mostly know what's going on now, but there is more background I want to read.
• Green Lantern The Animated Series #0 - It seems odd to me to start out a new Green Lantern version with Red Lanterns... but then, I'm old. Nifty. All the strange things I think because I'm so old now compared to modern fans. *sigh*

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This week's comic book related review is DC Super-Pets: Heroes of the High Seas by J.E. Bright and Art Baltazar. When a whirlpool threatens Atlantis, Aquaman and his pets go to the rescue. The fact that this has Ark in it made me squee madly. ARK! Aquaman's Golden Age sidekick! Yes, Topo and Storm are awesome, but they included Ark! I like the silly Black Manta pets, too. Reminds me a bit of Ursula's pets in the Little Mermaid. As for the story and all, this appears to be an excellent book for young readers. It's almost a chapter book, but with plenty of illustrations. The spacing on the text is wide and comfortable. A good thing for an Aquaman fan to have, and a good book for young readers in general.

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My library book this week was The Monstrumologist: Isle of Blood. Will Henry and his strange master seek out the ultimate monster. I was not really surprised that this book had a lot of the same issues as the second book. Will's narrative is no longer straightforward horror, but he's talking about growing up, mentally and in other ways. The story is pretty gruesome, but I thought it was amazing anyway. A very neat adventure. Another thrill with this third volume was the framing story within the framing story. In the main framing story, Yancey talks about trying to track down the real Will Henry, but within the story Will Henry also frames the tale with his own introduction. Altogether a very interesting story, and I'm looking forward to the next volume.

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Agatha Christie this week was Curtain: Poirot's Last Case, published in 1975. Hastings rejoins Poirot at the site of their first case together in England for Poirot's final battle against evil. Oh wow. Oh my goodness. That was ... not what I expected from Poirot at all. And yet, so very much like him. Almost exactly like him. It's one of those things that is totally unexpected and yet completely consistent. Wow.

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Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist -- My Kindle Wishlist

CYMB #8

Blessing #8 - Chocolate

There's a reason the scientific name of Chocolate actually means "food of the gods" and it fits well enough, I suppose. In any case, I'm very grateful to have chocolate in my life, and very happy that it's available to me on a regular basis.

I try not to overindulge as it's all the more sweeter when you haven't had any for a time. But again, availability makes that difficult.

When I was a child I needed sweetened chocolate, but as I got older I started to enjoy dark chocolate, and now a 70% blend is my favorite type.

CYMB #7

Blessing #7 - Sunshine

I'm from Seattle, and while the sun does shine there, much of the time the area is overcast. Since moving to Eastern Washington, I've really learned just how nice it is to have sunlight almost every day. It's not a small thing.

So, today my thoughts are with the beautiful sunshine flowing in the windows.

CYMB #6

Blessing #6 - Christmas Lights

Sorry, very silly one for today, but I can see my Christmas tree still sitting in the front window (I'll take it down soon, probably). The lights and the beauty make me happy.

So I'm thankful for Christmas lights, even in January.

CYMB #5

Blessing #5 - My job

I just want to emphasize that these are not in order of importance to me. Seriously, I'm going to be "saving" a few of my blessings for appropriate days. So I'll go to this one now instead of visiting some blessings that might be more important to me.

I only got my job this past August, and it's already by a LONG shot the best job I've ever had. It's also better than most of my days of education, which is saying something because I loved school.

I've done so much as a reporter. I've gone up in a balloon, I've interviewed various interesting people, I've attended meetings I never would have set foot in otherwise, and I've written a lot of words. And since I ALWAYS wanted to be a writer, since I was in first grade, this job really works for me. I'm not just doing writing, I'm doing interesting writing that pulls the world closer for people.

And I haven't even mentioned how much this job has assisted us with our finances. I mean, the job means that we don't have to move, it means that we can start paying off debts. It's stabilized our lives.

So, yeah, I'm really blessed to have my job.

CYMB #4

Blessing #4 - My Siblings

Well, I plan on going into each of them in greater detail a bit later, but let me get this out of the way. I have four sisters and two brothers, and despite some disputes and disagreements, I love 'em all and I'm pretty glad I grew up with them.

Growing up in a large family taught me a lot. Perhaps more than I'll ever realize. But as a group, I'm pretty happy with my family.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman.

I did a very short review of this book in my Sunday Review, but I wanted to go into a little bit more detail even though the book won't be out for another six months (July 10, 2012), which means the sequel will take even longer, much to my despair.

I got my review copy from Netgalley.com, after pretty much begging for one. I think I annoyed whoever was in charge of review copies enough to send me one, and I am forever grateful to that person.

Those of my readers who once read Amy Unbounded, back in the days before Hartman moved on to prose, will definitely recognize the setting of this book. It does, in fact, take place in Goreed, and there are a few characters who appeared in Amy Unbounded who show up in this book. Also, if you've read Belondweg Blossoming, you will have a very good understanding of some of the political issues that show up in this book. In fact, if you haven't read Belondweg Blossoming, get yourself a copy before they vanish entirely and read it. Then you'll be ready to enjoy Seraphina all the more.

Ahem.

If you have no desire to read a graphic novel, even one as excellent as Belondweg Blossoming, you may still enjoy Seraphina. The book is about a young woman, a strong female lead is always good, with a dreadful secret. She acts and feels and responds like a real person, which is always important. The secret is suitably dreadful, the lengths she goes to in order to hide it are believable, and the results of those events are also nicely portrayed.

Being a fictional universe with many years of history, Goreed is well developed as a world. The saints come across as being things that real people would deal with in a real world, the religion is fleshed out enough to get the motivations behind people's actions. The hierarchy, the music, the whole city of Lavondaville... it all works. You can't help but get the feeling there is more out there in this world than you are reading about, and that is a very good thing.

And then there are the dragons.

I won't go into any great detail about them, but Amy Unbounded fans already know what I am thinking about as far as dragons go. The divide between humans and dragons is much more apparent here than in Amy Unbounded, but perhaps you need to read it to get what I'm saying. Hartman makes that divide both real and painful to watch, and that's where a great deal of the strength of the book comes from.

In my earlier review I compared this book to the Chalion series by Bujold. Seraphina does not delve as deep philosophically, but there are some powerful questions being asked within it's pages about identity and loyalty that will make a reader think. Bujold is one of my favorite authors of all time. I suspect Hartman will be on that list sooner rather than later. Heck, Amy Unbounded alone has her close to the top, Seraphina is better than Amy in many ways (though I will forever miss that wonderful artwork).

If you enjoy young adult fiction, particularly fantasy that isn't too fantastically crazy, this might be a book for you. If you enjoy gentle romance, this might be a book for you. If you liked Amy Unbounded, you absolutely MUST pre-order this book today. Heck, I've read it and I'm going to pre-order it as soon as I have money. Indeed, I'm going to get the hardcover, and read Belondweg Blossoming while I'm waiting for it.

CYMB #3

Blessing #3 - My Mom

First off, Happy Birthday, Mom!

Ahem. My mother is a fantastic lady who managed to raise seven children in times that were tough. She did what she could, with the knowledge available to her at the time.

Mom taught me a number of important lessons in life, and started me out right. She was a great cook and her recipes still affect me today. She still quilts and knits and makes things, and that has led me to have a great respect for people who are Makers. I tend to admire folks who work with their hands, and much of that is due to my mother.

Mom used to make our clothes. We wore stuff that was sturdier than store-bought, and goodness knows there were times we needed it. My mother also made my wedding dress, including the lace.

Mom read to us rarely, but I still think of her as the scholarly one. In part because she subscribed to National Geographic and let us look through those magazines as kids. If I had a school assignment I was never afraid to ask her for help, because she always knew where to go to get more information. For a time she taught a class in church called "Cultural Refinement" (I think) in which she taught about other cultures. One of the things she would prepare was a dish from another country for the class members to eat. She had to try the dishes on someone, and having seven children to serve as test subjects meant that we got to try a lot of strange food as kids. I still appreciate that early experience in open-mindedness.

Mom read a lot. There were always books laying around the house, and they were usually mom's. If I brought a book home from the library, there was a good chance it would disappear for a couple of hours so mom could check it over. She wasn't overt about it, but she kept an eye on what her children did. She kept us out of trouble, as much as a mother could.

I could certainly go on, but I think I'll stop there... I'm extremely blessed to have my mother.

Count Your Many Blessing (CYMB) #2

Blessing #2 - My Dad

Now, I'm not cheating here. I did say yesterday that I was blessed with great parents, but that was more about how they work together. Today I'm gonna focus in on my father.

He's a gruff man with a sneaky sense of humor and a grin that lights up a room. He worked very hard all his life to provide for a large family, and somehow he made it through. The burden on his shoulders was great. He worked the swing-shift at Boeing, and he was gone for a lot of my childhood... except for Sundays. He was always there on Sunday to set a good example for his children.

I don't remember him as a big scholar-type, but I remember him reading to us children more than my mom. In fact, I can still recall curling up on his lap while he read big books to us over and over and over again. In fact, I'm not sure how he endured having to read the same books repeatedly. Again, he managed.

There were times I resented him. As a teenager my rebellion was passive-agressive, and there were occasional showdowns and arguments. But despite it all I still loved him. He continues to set an example to me today, even if he doesn't realize it.

I am extremely blessed to have my father.

Count Your Many Blessing (CYMB) #1

I've been challenged to think about the many blessings I have in life. So here's my first one.

Blessing #1 - My Parents

I've been remarkably blessed to have a great father and mother who have been together all my life, who raised seven children together, and who are still together today. They were not perfect, no one is, but they did their best given the circumstances and knowledge they had. Considering the parents some children must deal with, I'd say I'm pretty blessed with what I got.