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NaNoWriMo Begins

November 1, 2009 by

It’s November 1, and that means it’s time for National Novel Writing Month.  Yes, I’m participating again this year.  50,000 words in 30 days.

I have never completed this task, but that’s because I can’t seem to turn off that internal editor.  Whether this year is my year to finish or not, I’m committed and ready to have a crazy month of fun.

In case any of you book bloggers are joining in the fun, I’m pavcrawphan over on the NaNo site; here’s the link.

I haven’t written anything yet, but I hope to find some time today after laundry is done and other chores are completed.  Who knows, I may start writing sooner rather than later.

***In other news***

I saw This Is It, the Michael Jackson documentary, this weekend and my review article is up over at D.C. Literature Examiner, if you are interested.  I really enjoyed the movie.

Rebecca at Just One More Page emailed me to let me know that my Virtual Walking Tour post on her blog is up and ready for commenting.

Interested??  Check out my stop here.

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: announcements, National Novel Writing Month

This Is the End…Or Is It?

October 25, 2009 by

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?

16th hour was tough and I eventually succumbed to sleep.  But I did get up again about 5:50 AM to finish my 3rd book by 8 AM and the end of the read-a-thon!

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

Sookie Stackhouse series is great to keep you awake and giggling.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

On suggestion would be to have fewer challenges that require readers to post on their own blog.  You may be too exhausted to participate.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

The hosts were great and the cheerleaders made the rounds.

5. How many books did you read?

I finished 3 books, the last book right down to the wire at 8 a.m. here.  That’s 439 pages.  That’s a record for me.  These are the books I finished:

1.  Carta Marina by Ann Fisher-Wirth

2.  More of Me Disappears by John Amen

3.  Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

6. What were the names of the books you read?

Oops, I alread answered this question!

7. Which book did you enjoy most?

I really enjoyed John Amen’s More of Me Disappears and Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris best.

8. Which did you enjoy least?

Carta Marina by Ann Fisher-Wirth

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?

I wasn’t a cheerleader, but I think they did a great job.

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

I will participate in the next one, though I leave in what capacity up in the air and up to my whims.

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: 24-hour Read-a-Thon, Events

Midway Meme

October 25, 2009 by

Ok, you’re in for a group update.  Here’s the skinny:

Anna from Diary of an Eccentric, after 12 hours, is still reading The Return by Victoria Hislop and she is not halfway through it.  She says, “I’m lazy and don’t want to post.  Please forgive me.”  Anna has yet to finish 1 book yet.  As for interruptions, “We’re reading with a 9-year-old, what do you think?” she says.  LOL  Anna is tired and is looking forward to finishing The Return.  She is slowing down, though, or so she tells me.

The Girl is still reading Bone, but its the second book of Bone she’s read today.  This one is called Bone:  Out From Boneville.  She says, “I’ve been switching between Bone and R.L. Stine.”  She even had the privilege of using her mom’s Book Buddy, and she likes adjusting the ribbons, so much so she was distracted for a bit.  Girl says that there have been interruptions for her too, like movies and playing with the dog.  She is far from tired and very energetic. [It must be the candy.]  She is looking forward to finishing Bone.  Mom says, “For a 9-year-old, she’s doing well.”

As for me, I have three books going right now:  More of Me Disappears by John Amen (poetry), Night of Flames by Douglas Jacobson, and Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris.  I’m looking forward to having one of these three read in the next hour, which will likely be the poetry book at this point.  Then I will concentrate on the other two.  I’ve only read one book so far, but should have a second book done soon.  There have been interruptions from good movies to The Girl (though not so bad) and time spent cooking to taking the dog out, which were all perfectly fine distractions for me.  I’m not tired yet, and can’t wait to see how long I stay up actually reading, though there is that early yard sale in the morning…

We had some pork loin and corn for dinner and some guac and chips for dessert–not to mention the Halloween candy we’ve been snacking on.

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: 24-hour Read-a-Thon, Events

Who Keeps Me Company

October 24, 2009 by

Read-a-thon hour 8:  This mini-challenge is from Under the Boardwalk and asks readers to talk about who or what keeps them company.

Well, here you are.  I have a full house of Anna from Diary of an Eccentric and The Girl.  Her hubby is watching Transformers and my hubby is at work now until 6 p.m.  But you’ll notice I have no company with me on my chair, but my books and my glass of Coke because my dog, Charlee, has abandoned me.

We don’t have any snacks out at the moment since we had a big breakfast and a big lunch.  Dunno what’s on the agenda for dinner, but we’ll think of something.

I’ve read one poetry book, and have been alternating between Sookie Stackhouse #2, Living Dead in Dallas and Night of Flames.

What keeps you company?

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: 24-hour Read-a-Thon, Events

7th Hour Entertainment. . .

October 24, 2009 by

So, we were in need of a break.  We had some lasagna and garlic bread for lunch, which the men cooked!  I couldn’t believe it.

I’ve finished one book of poetry Carta Marina, and The Girl has finished one book, Bone:  Treasure Hunters.  Anna, well, she’s still plugging away with The Return by Victoria Hislop.

However, we figured we’d take a video of The Girl.  Check it out:

What have you guys been doing to give yourselves a break??

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: 24-hour Read-a-Thon, Events

I’ve Been Hijacked. . .

October 24, 2009 by

My blog has been hijacked by The Girl who wanted to do a mini-challenge.

So here’s her sentence from her book titles:


Bobby vs. Girls, the treasure hunters, get kicked out from boneville.

Let’s root for The Girl.

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: 24-hour Read-a-Thon, Events

Read-A-Thon Welcome

October 24, 2009 by

Good morning.  It’s read-a-thon!  I started exactly at 8AM EST reading, while preparing breakfast.  I started with Carta Marina, a poetry book and got to part two of the three part poem before reading the second book in the Sookie Stackhouse series.

I’m not sure the hubby appreciated me reading poetry out loud to him while we were cooking before Anna and The Girl made it here for read-a-thon.  But I did it anyway.

I don’t know how much I’ll be updating, but I’ll be checking mini-challenges and trying to visit other participants.

We had a big breakfast of scrambled eggs with garlic and oregano, brown sugar sausage, bacon, and pancakes…with coffee naturally, though cocoa for The Girl.

The men are busy playing video game football while we’re reading.  I think they’re in heaven with read-a-thon comes around.

Have a great day and keep reading.

Remember, I’m reading for Poets.org.  If you want the details of my goal, check it out.

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: 24-hour Read-a-Thon, Events

Bump in the Road. . .

October 23, 2009 by

Some of you may have expected my review of Night of Flames by Douglas Jacobson for Pump Up Your Book Promotion, but the publisher didn’t get the book to me with enough lead time, so I’ll be posting on Tues. Oct. 27, 2009.

Ok, on to other business. . .

Dewey’s 24-hour Read-a-Thon is this Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 at 8 AM EST

I’ll be reading again this time around, and although I did post my list already, I wanted to give you an update about some books I added to the pile:

1.  Night of Flames by Douglas Jacobson, which I need to finished.
2.  More of Me Disappears by John Amen (poetry)

3.  At the Threshold of Alchemy by John Amen (poetry)

4.  Fair Creatures of an Hour by Lynn Levin (poetry)

5.  Carta Marina by Ann Fisher-Wirth (poetry)
6.  Vampire Haiku by Ryan Mecum (poetry, naturally)

I thought about my experience last read-a-thon and realized that many of the books I chose to read were large and required quite a lot of concentration.  I decided to add some poetry, which could be read aloud and be more fun–which is good when you need to wake yourself up after reading for long stretches.  This brings my total of books up to 13.  Wish me luck.

If you haven’t joined yet, you should.  Here’s a little incentive.

Additionally, I’ll be reading for one cause. 

Poets.org, which is run by the Academy of American Poets; click here for the donation information.  I’m going to pledge to donate up to $5 per poetry book finished during the read-a-thon.  I hope that you will join me.

The Academy of American Poets does a lot of great things to spread the word about poetry and poets around the nation, sponsoring National Poetry Month events, providing resources for teachers, and offering online access to poetry and poets.   Here are some of the great things you can find on their Web site:  Poem-A-Day, Poem In Your Pocket Day, Free Verse Project, and the Poetry Read-a-Thon.

If anyone would like to join me, I would love to hear about it.  If you are going to read one poetry book during the read-a-thon, I will donate $2 more per book up to $25 to poets.org.

Later today, I’ll be posting the Virtual Poetry Circle post instead of on Saturday like usual.  I hope you’ll find time to participate even if you are preparing for 24-hour read-a-thon.

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: 24-hour Read-a-Thon, announcements, Events

Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-Thon

October 22, 2009 by

It’s that time again.  Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-Thon is this Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, starting on the East Coast at 8AM.

I’m sure you are wondering what I’ve chosen to read this time around.

Here’s the tentative list:

1.  Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
2.  Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
3.  Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
4.  Bloody Awful by Georgia Evans
5.  Bloody Right by Georgia Evans
6.  Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
7.  True Compass by Edward M. Kennedy

What’s on your TBR list?

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
Filed Under: 24-hour Read-a-Thon, Events

Werner Cohen and Gail Rosen Speak Hilda Stern Cohen’s Words

October 19, 2009 by

On October 18, 2009, at the Bethesda, Md., The Writer’s Center held a reading of Holocaust survivor Hilda Stern Cohen‘s work, published for the first time in English–translated from her native German–in Words That Burn Within Me.

Her husband Dr. Werner Cohen laid the groundwork for the reading by describing how he came upon her journals after her passing and how he strove to bring those writings to publication.  She wrote about 150 poems in addition to her prose.

Initially his wife’s writings were published in German: Genagelt ist meine Zunge. The Words That Burn Within Me, which is the English publication, took its title from one of Cohen’s poems, which “bitterly laments how her own sense of self is tied to a language and culture that sought to destroy her.”

He also did a delightful and impassioned introduction of the unique qualities of her writing, particularly since she observed not only her own suffering but that of those around her in the Lodz Ghetto and the concentration camp of Auschwitz.

Gail Rosen read from Words That Burn Within Me, which include not only Rosen’s interview material with Hilda before her death, but also Hilda’s essays and poetry.  I’m going to let the videos I shot during the reading speak for themselves.

For more about the reading, please visit my D.C. Literature Examiner page.

I wanted to point out that Hilda Stern Cohen lived in Baltimore, Md., with her husband and children, though most of her writing did occur in a “displaced persons camp” following WWII and the Holocaust, I think Marylanders can claim her as their own.

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
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Laura Brodie in Silver Spring, Md.

October 15, 2009 by

Laura Brodie, author of The Widow’s Season, will be in Silver Spring, Md., tonight, Oct. 15, 2009, at 7 PM.

Where:

The Pyramid Atlantic Art Center
8230 Georgia Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Who:

Laura Brodie, author of The Widow’s Season

Kim Roberts,  editor of Beltway Poetry Quarterly and author of the poetry collections The Kimnama and The Wishbone Galaxy

Cynthia Atkins, author of the poetry collection Psyche’s Weathers

Lesley Wheeler, author of the poetry collection Heathen

I’m going to try to make it to the reading if anyone is interested in hanging out.  I’ll probably be bringing my copy of The Widow’s Season and maybe meeting Laura in person–maybe she’ll autograph it for me.

Look for my review of this book next week.

In case you’ve missed them, check out my interview with Laura at D.C. Literature Examiner.

***Also, please leave a comment as to which tweet bird you like.  They are in the left hand column.  Check them out.***

Copyright of Serena M. Agusto-Cox at Savvy Verse & Wit 2007-2010. This is not original content, this content is owned and copyrighted by Serena M. Agusto-Cox
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Bloggers Where They Belong…With Books

October 9, 2009 by
(From left to right:  Trish of Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’; my mom, Pat, who sometimes blogs here at Savvy Verse & Wit; Me; Amy from My Friend Amy; Nicole from Linus’s Blanket; Gayle from Everyday I Write the Book; and Jill from Rhapsody in Books)

It’s been more than a week since I headed into Washington, D.C. from suburban Maryland to meet with fellow bloggers at the Library of Congress for a guided tour.  But I thought since I had the time and the space this week, I’d share some thoughts about the tour.

First, we had a tough time finding each other, though I had the whole family unit along with me, except for my husband who showed up later on after work.  But once Jill got the great idea to call my cell and see who picked it up, everything went more smoothly.

We met our soft-spoken guide, who was so knowledgeable about the Library of Congress and its history that I thought she must have been there when it was built.  Needless to say, the tour was very detailed, particularly in the main hall with its architecture, sculptures, floor designs, and artwork.

You can see our guide next to Nicole and pointing straight ahead.  While I can’t say I was riveted, my dad had a lot to add to the conversation.  I tried to keep focused.

The bibles copied by hand and movable type were fascinating and differences were nearly imperceptible.  It was great to meet Gayle in person since we haven’t seemed to meet before and we live in the same area.  It was great to see Trish, Amy, and Nicole again, and it was great to meet Jill, who was very friendly and great to talk to.  I know Jill made my mom’s day; she was a bit nervous about meeting all these bloggers who are younger than her.

The highlight for me was learning about how to become a reader at the Library of Congress, which is free and only requires a pass.  I also enjoyed learning that I could read Thomas Jefferson’s books even though they are displayed in an exhibit case.  The books are meant to be read!!!

I leave you with a photo of the fountain outside the Library of Congress.  I believe I took this one, but it could have been my husband.

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