Readerly Things, Writerly Stuff, and Nerdiness

Today, I made a word cloud of the most common words on this blog. There are several online sites that allow creation of this kind of image, but they're all fairly similar. The larger the word, the more frequently it's been used.

My common words make me quite pleased, I have to say.

Speaking of things that make me pleased, I'm currently listening to the audiobook version of Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon.

It's the second novel in her Outlander series, and I'm truly enjoying it. If you haven't read these books, you're in for a treat. The writing is wonderful, the characters are mesmerizing, the plot is riviting, and the audiobook narrator does a delightful job bringing it to life, giving each character a distinct accent that truly makes listening a pleasure. I am definitely hooked on these books and will be continuing on through to the end.

And speaking of bringing it to life, I'm very much looking forward to catching the Starz television adaptation of the book series which is produced by Ronald Moore, best known for my favorite sci fi show, Battlestar Galactica.

Now that I've seen some of the promos and heard the lead actor, Sam Heughan, say "Sassenach" (see the video link below), I'm certain he's plenty swoonworthy enough to portray Jamie Frasier. So long as they get the historical details correct, which from the looks of it, they are, I'm pretty sure I'll be watching for as long as they run this show.

As for why the audiobook version, I've linked it with my knitting hobby. I started with knitting a Doctor Who scarf for myself, and since then I've been making scarves for friends and family.

When I finish the Doctor Who one, it'll be 17 ft. long. Currently, I'm about halfway through. It's been a fun challenge. Not all of the original yarn colors were available, but this is my own interpretation, and I'm pretty pleased with how it's progressing.

Yes, I'm that nerdy. And?

Right. That's what I thought.

As for my own writing, I've sent my manuscript off and have begun Book 2. The outline is complete, I've written up plans for every chapter, and I've been doing research to get ready for what comes next. I'm really excited with what I have in store, and I hope my readers will be as well. Beyond that, I can't really say. Sorry. Spoilers.

Shout out to Yellow Dog Bookshop in Columbia, MO. Even though I haven't been able to get there to peruse the shelves over the last few weeks, I've been thinking of it and can't wait to get back.

Other readerly things that make me smile include this from author John Green. I always enjoy his Mental Floss videos. His books, while well written, always make me cry, however. This does not diminish my enjoyment, it's simply of a different kind.