Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Book I've Waited For

It's not often I go to the bookstore the day a book is released especially to get it. But I did it today for George R.R. Martin's A Dance With Dragons.  Ohohoho! You betcha.

I don't think I've done that since the previous book in this series, A Feast For Crows, came out. That was November 8, 2005.  I waited nearly six years for Dragons.  People asked me if I'd wait to buy it so I could get it when George R.R. Martin (the author) is in town at the end of the month, signing books.

Wait two more weeks?  Hell, no.  I might go see Martin at the signing, but no way I'm waiting till then to read his book.

People asked me if I'd wait to get it in paperback.

Wait MONTHS???  Eff that and eff you. You don't get it.

It's not very often I get all passionate and crazy about anything.  I did it more often as a teenager, of course.  But I was never the sort to stand in long lines for things or to get autographs or to collect stuff.

So when I stand in line, when I rush to buy, when I go the extra mile to get/read/watch/meet/listen to something or someone, you know I love it with every fiber of my little soul.

Which is why I didn't buy this on Kindle, despite its enormous size.  Reading a book this fat on a Kindle would be much easier on the hands and arms.  But some books you need to be able to touch, to pour over the maps, to sniff the paper and the glue and feel the embossing on the caver.  All that, plus the amazingly good writing, pull me completely into another world.

And this way I can lend it out when I'm done.  That's what I did with the earlier books in the series. And I converted a bunch of folks in the process. 

Don't get me wrong - read this on a Kindle or Nook or whatever you like.  I don't care.  I prefer the hard copy.  But if you like fantasy at all, just read it.  Well, read the first one Game of Thrones first.

And if that's not your cup of tea, then find something you love and run your hands over its embossing.  A little passion is good for the little soul.

6 comments:

Christina Farley said...

Ohhhh!!! This looks good. Must check it out! Thanks for the rec

Jen Klein said...

New to you (thanks to Georgia McB's FF#), new to writing YA, old* to to being a redhead, a Cali resident and writer. Am enjoying wandering around your blog. Wondering if you're attending the SCBWI conference? Am not attending, per se, but will do evening hang-outs in order to... uh... hang out.

*old = relatively speaking

Jen Klein said...

New to you (thanks to Georgia McB's FF#), new to writing YA, old* to to being a redhead, a Cali resident and writer. Am enjoying wandering around your blog. Wondering if you're attending the SCBWI conference? Am not attending, per se, but will do evening hang-outs in order to... uh... hang out.

*old = relatively speaking

Nina Berry said...

Hi Jen and Christina! Thanks for stopping by. Sorry it took so long for me to reply. These past couple weeks have been a bit crazy.

Jen - alas, I'm not going to SCBWI this year. I can't really afford it this year. But I'm thinking fondly of the hours I spent last year drinking wine by the pool with fellow writers.

So I highly recommend "hanging out" as you so artfully put it. Maybe you've gone before too and know what I'm talking about better than I do! My Dad will be in town visiting me that weekend, so I'm not available for the hangout thing as much this year. But the writers there are all really friendly. I highly recommend you connect with some SoCal folks via the local SCBWI branch and meet up and have a chat or whatever. So worth it. Let me know how it goes! Start your own blog and talk about it!

Jen Klein said...

Hm. Not sure why my comment double-posted. Sorry! And actually do have my own blog (http://jenkleinbooks.com/). Will definitely post about SCBWI. Not sure which night(s?) I will crash... er, attend.

Am enjoying your blog, very much. You have such a poetic way of wording things.

Nina Berry said...

Just went to your blog - it's really quite gorgeous! I'm going to be revamping mine soon, so I'm glad to see yours and how you've set it up. Off to read your posts now, but thanks for the compliment!

Also, thanks for the inspiration to possibly crash some stuff at SCBWI. Even if we don't buy tickets, we can hang out in the lobby, or by the pool. I hear there's a Drink Night at the Pink Taco, I think on Sunday. Check out Jill Corcoran's blog. http://jillcorcoran.blogspot.com/2011/07/coming-to-scbwi-summer-conf-all-invited.html