TBR Thursday: The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook by Alan Lee

To be Read Thursday meme is hosted by Drea which was inspired by Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine

TBR Thursday highlights all those book that are already about (whether you own them or not) that you're dying to ready but haven't had the chance yet. This can some old books, some new books, and some that are in between but they have to be books that you want/hope to read and review!

The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook by Alan Lee 

The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook By Alan Lee

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2005 | 192 Pages | ISBN: 0618640142 | PDF | 232 MB

Alan Lee, the Oscar-winning conceptual designer for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, discusses his approach to depicting Tolkien’s imaginary world. The book presents more than 150 of Lee’s celebrated illustrations to show how his imagery for both the illustrated Lord of the Rings and the films progressed from concept to finished art. In addition, the book contains 20 full-color plates and numerous examples of the conceptual art produced for Peter Jackson’s film adaptation.

The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook provides a wealth of background information and will be of interest to those who know and love Tolkien’s work, from books to films to DVDs, as well as to budding artists and illustrators interested in how to approach book illustration.

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

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From Goodbooks:

Alex Kosmitoras’s life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead-broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, a new girl from India moves into town. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Yes, sophomore year might not be so bad after all.

Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival—an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to “see” the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and new friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex must embark on a journey to change his future.

In this enthralling debut novel, Emlyn Chand creates a world in which friendship, perseverance, and a handful of psychic powers come together to fight against what appears to be the inevitable and all-too dangerous future. This is a book you won’t want to put down—even after you finish it! 

What's your "waiting on" pick this week?

After the storm....

With electricity back to normal and all pending tasks (and posting Teaser Tuesday since that was the time the power was cut) done, I finally had a chance to check some more messages from the Twitter world. '☺ One stood out...

I wanted to send a reply but I shied away. Hmmm.....

Teaser Tuesdays

http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/

Hosted by MizB should be Reading is a weekly bookish meme. Anyone can play along. Just do the following.

• Grab your current read 
• Open to a RANDOM page 
• Share two (2) teaser sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away. You don't want to ruin the books for others. 
• Share the title and author too so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser.

My real name actually is Odd. 

According to my mother, this is an uncorrected birth certificate error.  

Page 7. Find out more. 

And it' going to be turned into a movie! It was a good thing that I've started looking up this series!

Google's Birthday!

Google' Bday! 

Google Doodle is just hilarious. ☺

Monday Squee: Back to Hawaii...Hawaii Five-0 that is...

Monday Fix is now Monday Squee which is I think much better since the word just profess nearly contained excitement. Lolz. It's the gist I get after I've visited fanfic sites or forums and this word comes up followed by a happy moment that made a forum member smile.

So Monday Squee is a weekly meme that I started several Mondays ago here. This meme is anything really that gets you to start your day. It's either your fave coffee or tea blend, listening to your music of the day from your  list of fave music artists, your garden bloom, your fave TV show etc.


This post was kind of late as I forgot to post it. opps. Still even if my day is winding down.... 

The Five-Os

Sadly, I missed this chance and I'm sure there'll be other comps in the future that overseas fans can participate. I wonder who won. ☺ .

The One-Minute Writer: "I'm going to be the next great...."

The One-Minute Writer

Today's prompt was to complete this thought: "I'm going to be the next great ..."

...scribbler of the written work. *wink* *cross fingers* ☺

Die-Hard screenplay

Visit The One-Minute Writer for more. ☺

Chuck VS The School Lesson ☺

Fellow Chuck fan @KelseyDebecca has this photo shared:

by @KelseyDebecca

If I were in this class, I'd be riveted to what the professor has in store for the class that day. ☺ I think it's cool teachers use tie-ins wherever possible.

Follow Friday (5)

Follow Friday

Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel of Parajunkie.com and Alison of Alison Can Read  If you want to join in the fun just head over the blogs mentioned above and start checking out the various answer for today's question:

Q: Do you have a favorite series that you read over and over again? Tell us a bit about it and why you keep on revisiting it? 

This could be taken in two parts. ☺ During my grade school years, I was positively drawn to Nancy Drew's world and every summer, I re-read the books because Nancy's character was teaching me (a young kid) to be self-reliant, calm in the face of danger, observant etc. The older published books also  had illustrated pages in them so that always got my imagination to go overdrive and I pictured that I was with Nancy, Bess and George. ☺ Thanks to mom who introduced me to the series and passed the love for the super sleuth's adventures to me too. She still love the books if her eyes weren't a problem.

Second shelf

The next series that I loved going back during my high school and college days was Star Trek: The Next Generation books series because obviously, the show was a huge fave back then and here, I loved reading characters who are confident and thought solutions to the problems facing them. Some authors were gentle to the readers and didn't pepper the story with techno-babble like this one below which was one of my faves. Unfortunately, like all things, I simply moved on and now, post-college and during this phase we call working 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, I don't know yet. ☺Although I seemed to be building MCH books and Heather Graham books. ☺

Friday Fiction: Flash

Today's Friday Fiction prompt is: Flash. For more Friday Fiction entries hop over to The One-minute Writer 

As another challenge for me, I decided to continue the one-minute story started from the previous prompt. I don't know if it will work eventually but hopefully it will. ☺I just have to get the third installment out soon. Lolz. I know Jules you're waiting for it. ☺

by Tutorial stock.com

Adria ducked as the creature hurled another acid ball towards Pepper and her. The room they were in was starting to become a deathtrap if they don't get out. A strong hissing sound erupted from behind and fumes tried to engulf the pair but it was this side of the wall they wanted melted down if they want to escape.  A hole gradually formed on the wall, offering an escape route. It was time. The girls simultaneously hurled the beakers toward the creature that appeared to be a cross between a slimy troll and a garden-variety mushroom with beady eyes.

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays

Hosted by MizB should be Reading is a weekly bookish meme. Anyone can play along. Just do the following.

• Grab your current read 
• Open to a RANDOM page 
• Share two (2) teaser sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away. You don't want to ruin the books for others. 
• Share the title and author too so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser.

Page 48

"Just felt a shade o' darkness there, that's all, lad. A shadow on the heart."

Find her Books

One-Minute Writing: Too long

The One-Minute Writer

One-Minute Writer provided a prompt and for today it's : What takes too long? 

It seemed to take too long for me to complete a draft these days. I think one of the cures I need to bring myself out from some rut, is read up a couple of  books on screenplay. ☺

Monday Squee: See Agent Hotchner remember how to smile ☺

The Happy BAU Family 

Monday Fix is now Monday Squee which is I think much better since the word just profess nearly contained excitement. Lolz. It's the gist I get after I've visited fanfic sites or forums and this word comes up followed by a happy moment that made a forum member smile.

So Monday Squee is a weekly meme that I started several Mondays ago here. This meme is anything really that gets you to start your day. It's either your fave coffee or tea blend, listening to your music of the day from your  list of fave music artists, your garden bloom, your fave TV show etc.


Today's squee is the gang over at BAU. This was shared by Mr. Thomas Gibson posted entry in his tumblr account. Now, if we can only get Agent Hotchner to grin again. ☺

Follow Friday and Blog Hop (4)

Follow Friday

Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel of Parajunkie.com and Alison of Alison Can Read  If you want to join in the fun just head over the blogs mentioned above and start checking out the various answer for today's question:

Q: It's that pesky magic book fairy again! She has another wish: What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality? 

I would wish for Tolkien's world,  Middle-earth to become a reality. I like to see Gondolin before the fall so that would take me to somewhere in the First Age.  

By Alan Lee -Hurin and Huor are carried to Gondolin

TBR Thursday

To be Read Thursday meme is hosted by Drea which was inspired by Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine

TBR Thursday highlights all those book that are already about (whether you own them or not) that you're dying to ready but haven't had the chance yet. This can some old books, some new books, and some that are in between but they have to be books that you want/hope to read and review!

Summary from Goodreads:
When Claire Mayfield suddenly finds herself the new heir of a property that has lain vacant for over one hundred years, she becomes leery of the rumors of the hauntings from the three young children who were said to have been murdered there. As Claire explores the manor, she discovers her great uncle's apothecary and traveling medicine show from the late 1800's, and even stumbles upon clues that could help her solve her ancestor's one hundred-year-old murder-mystery; all with a little help from a mischievous young girl who has been dead for over one hundred years.

A Gryffindor Crest Necklace

A Gryffindor Crest Necklace

My twitter-mate @Elizabeth The has her Christmas pressies rolling in as early as this month. ☺I really like!

Captain Power and the Soldiers of Future Returns...

A fellow Captain power fan sent a post to the yahoogroup several weeks ago but I was able to view the site just now.

Recreating Pilot's final scene 

For a kid back then, Jennifer's last words still echo in my mind. *sniff* But.....but Jennifer lives. ☺ I can't wait to explore more of the site. Man, one can make a fanfic from using these models? *wink*  What do you think? 

 

Monday Squee : Hawaii Five -0

Monday Fix is now Monday Squee which is I think much better since the word just profess nearly contained excitement. Lolz. It's the gist I get after I've visited fanfic sites or forums and this word comes up followed by a happy moment that made a forum member smile.

So Monday Squee is a weekly meme that I started several Mondays ago here. This meme is anything really that gets you to start your day. It's either your fave coffee or tea blend, listening to your music of the day from your  list of fave music artists, your garden bloom, your fave TV show etc.

Today's Monday fix  squee is from Hawaii Five-O. Guest stars Kelly Hu and Mark Dacascos pose a pic.  This picture is not mine and captioned to indicate where it can be found. ☺ Two of my favorite stars! Yay, great pic! 

Shared by Guest Stars at thefive0sposterous.com

Once Upon A Time - Official Trailer [HQ]

I was checking out the Fall shows and this caught my interest. It looks promising.

Blurb from TV Guide.

Do you think fairy tales are real? They are in Storybrooke, Maine, a town frozen in time with fairy-tale figures who have no recollection of their real identities. Leave it to 10-year-old Henry (Jared Gilmore) to try to set things right when he tracks down his birth mom, Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), a bail bonds collector who is the daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Joshua Dallas). The fantastical drama, which will tell dual stories set in present-day Storybrooke and in fairy-tale land, comes from Lost writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, so keep your eyes and ears peeled for lots of references to time travel and polar bears.

Follow Friday and Blog Hop (3)

Follow Friday

Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel of Parajunkie.com and Alison of Alison Can Read  If you want to join in the fun just head over the blogs mentioned above and start checking out the various answer for today's question:

Q: Have you ever wanted a villain to win at the end of the story? If so, which one? 


No, I wouldn't want a villain to win at the end of the story unless the author planned it in such a way to set in motion for someone to take the mantle and he/she continues the fight leading to the eventual demise of that villain. I tend to gravitate to crafty villains. It's through their actions that we readers see what drove them to these choices and perhaps even with their own careful planning they seal their end under their own doing.

Happy Blog Hop! ☺

Vineyard: Napa Valley by En Vino Veritas

TBR Thursday

To be Read Thursday meme is hosted by Drea which was inspired by Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine

TBR Thursday highlights all those book that are already about (whether you own them or not) that you're dying to ready but haven't had the chance yet. This can some old books, some new books, and some that are in between but they have to be books that you want/hope to read and review!

Hounded

Summary from Goodreads: Tempe, Arizona is as far removed from paranormal activity as is possible. And that's where Atticus O'Sullivan, rare book salesman, herb peddler, and 2,000 year old Druid - the last of his kind - has decided to set up shop. He's been on the run, guarding a very powerful sword from a very angry ancient Celtic god for over two millennia now. 

But while these years have been good to him - Atticus has become more powerful than he could have possibly imagined - The Morrigan, a very old god of death, has predicted death and doom for our hero, and it's up to Atticus, with help from a pride of werewolves, and a gorgeous bartender with a secret of her own, to stay alive, hopefully for another thousand years

One-Minute Writing: Night Rewrite

The One-minute Writer

One-writer asks, rewrite this sentence in a way that's more interesting less and less cliche: It was dark and stormy night. 

Photo Credit: Natural Fury by Snappler

Thunder clapped.

Lightning lanced the angry dark skies.

Rain drove sheets into the earth. 

Read more entries, visit One-minute writer. ☺

Carry on Tuesday: "Home is where the heart is"

Carry on Tuesday

Visit Carry On Tuesday for more entries on today's prompt. ☺

NASA - Earth from outer space by johnlemon

Beth glanced at the main viewscreen and felt a sigh of relief escaped her lips as she settled more into her seat. The welcoming blue orb came into view and from this distance; it looked very much like a Christmas ornament hanging in the dark, cold expanse of outer space. She let the marvel of the planet washed over her. The battle with the alien creatures had taken more than a week and it left them feeling harried than usual. Her gaze once again fell on the picture nestled inside the locket she had set on the console in front of her. There were other reasons for her homecoming but they all paled to the only promise that was important to her. "Home is where the heart is, right guys?"  Her smile broadened as several replies greeted her back.

One-Minute Writing: Fire

The One-Minute Writer

One-Minute Writer asks, write memory that involves about fire.

Magnifying Glass

When I was a kid, my friend and I collected dried leaves to do a little science project. We dug a shallow hole, placed the dried leaves in the hole and then used the magnifying glass to start the first flame. Soon a small fire began eating the dried leaves away. We had a pail of water ready if it suddenly went out of control and mom was nearby too. It was interesting. ☺

One-Minute Writer Prompt: Labor

The One-Minute Writer

Visit The One-Minute Writer for more prompts. 

Prompt for the day is to write the most satisfying labor that you've done? 

My satisfying labor was to write a five-minute skit for my group to be ready the next day. My shift ran from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM so I had to wake to up around 5:00AM to make it work. Lolz. 

Casefile 101: Johnny English and the Pink Panther Diamond

Monday Squee: Hawaii Five 0

Monday Fix is now Monday Squee which is I think much better since the word just profess nearly contained excitement. Lolz. It's the gist I get after I've visited fanfic sites or forums and this word comes up followed by a happy moment that made a forum member smile.

So Monday Squee is a weekly meme that I started several Mondays ago here. This meme is anything really that gets you to start your day. It's either your fave coffee or tea blend, listening to your music of the day from your  list of fave music artists, your garden bloom, your fave TV show etc.

For my Monday Fix Squee has been revolving anything Hawaii Five -O :)

Shared by @PLenkov over at thefive0sposterous.com

Fans of the show will know that. Aha! He sidelines here. ☺

Just a Review: Starfleet Academy: Delta Anomaly

Summary from the back book cover:

After a rough week at Starfleet Academy, James T. Kirk and his friends blow off steam at San Francisco's hottest new club. Their good times come to a screeching halt, however, when one of the cadets is attacked by someones who seemingly appears out of thin air.

Bones and his medical team save the cadet's life, but they uncover the horrifying consequences of the attack. Meanwhile, Starfleet's investigation reveals the assailant is actually a brutal serial killer from the past–a mysterious entity known only as the Doctor. Who is the Doctor, and why has he returned after disappearing more than twenty years ago?

At the urging of Commander Spock, Cadet Uhura is called to decipher a message from the Doctor. Spock has no idea that by enlisting Uhura's help, he has placed her firmly in the Doctor's sights.

Before long Kirk, Uhura and Bones are caught up in the Doctor's dangerous web as they race against time to stop the killer before he strikes again.

My thoughts
If you haven't seen JJ Abrams Star Trek  movie reboot go rent a copy  to get a little acquainted with the established main characters.

Follow Friday (2)

Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel of Parajunkie.com and Alison of Alison Can Read  If you want to join in the fun just head over the blogs mentioned above and start checking out the various answer for today's question:

Q: If you could change the ending of any book or (series), which book would you choose? Why  and to what? 


Hmmm, this need some slight rumination. *joke* I don't know if anyone still reads Hardy Boys series this time (lolz) but my high school years, I was a huge fan of the books and when it ventured to the case files format, I was still digging it. The Hardy Boys Casefiles # 4 "The Lazarus Plot"

Casefile 4

The ending was Joe and the Lazarus leader were in a face-off. The belligerent Lazarus leader wouldn't tell Joe Hardy if Iola survived the explosion when her car was bombed by the Evil Inc. two casefiles earlier. I was left hanging wondering about Iola's real demise even after reading the last of the casefiles produced by Archway Productions. *sigh*

PS. After surviving the Hardy Boys re-make (back in the early '90's) and if the detective brothers will once again return to the small screen with a generous swirls of Smallville/Supernatural/ and MacGyver's ingenuity/High School Musical vibes and mystery ingredient into it, this would be my cast:

Kelly Blatz seen as "Aaron Stone" 

I imagined him to portray Frank Hardy, the level-headed and cool as cucumber older brother of Joe Hardy.

One-Minute Writer Prompt: Laugh

The One-Minute Writer

The One-Minute Writer asks: What is your favorite thing to laugh at?

My pet cat  Cottonball with his hilarious sleeping antics always sends me into guffaws like this pose of his posted at my other blog:

To join in visit One-Minute Writer.

CSI: NY Finale end title song: Ross Copperman "Holding on and Letting Go"

After tearing up inside because of the resolution to the missing kid's story and her eventual reunion with her mother after nine long years being with a snatch-and-grab guy, this song was played in the background while Mac watched his people go about their duties.He had a close brush with the death at the opening of the episode and now, he seemed to be contemplating what will be his next move.  Is he leaving CSI? *gasped* It won't be the same with Mac.

Sela Ward joins the cast

If you're like me who's very much keen when it came to music soundtrack, here's a site that has tracked down the song list for each episode.  Thank you!

TBR Thursday

To be Read Thursday meme is hosted by Drea which was inspired by Waiting on Wednesday by BreakingTheSpine

TBR Thursday highlights all those book that are already about (whether you own them or not) that you're dying to ready but haven't had the chance yet. This can some old books, some new books, and some that are in between but they have to be books that you want/hope to read and review!

Here's my TBR Thursday this week:

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Summary

When Abraham Lincoln was nine years old, his mother died from an ailment called the "milk sickness." Only later did he learn that his mother's deadly affliction was actually the work of a local vampire, seeking to collect on Abe's father's unfortunate debts.

When the truth became known to the young Abraham Lincoln, he wrote in his journal: henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become learned in all things—a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose."

While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for reuniting the North with the South and abolishing slavery from our country, no one has ever understood his valiant fight for what it really was. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.
Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time—all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War, and uncovering the massive role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.