Read all the series OR read it in turn with others?

Confused. That is the very first thing happen everytime I read one sequel after reading other books from other series. Much more difficult to regain all the story if i don’t read it at once.

I prefer read one book from one series then continue with other series. So as not to feel bored. Now I think that’s silly enough. I will have to remember all the story from the beginning before I read the next one. Sometimes, in some part of the book, I stop and collect the important things and connect the dots. That’s just wasting time.

What do you think of that? Is it much easier to finish the series before continue to other series? I’ve done that when I read Twilight saga. But that’s because I have only that series in my hand. Now I have plenty choices.

Let me know what you’re thinking, guys.

Top Ten Matching Couples 2009

Teenlit or chicklit (and fantasy) have their place in the readers’ heart. It’s has romantic sequences. That’s the main reason. If the main characters have something (strong chemistry, good personality, good appearance, power), readers will always remember them. I like it when the main characters are together, no matter what conditions they were on. Below is my ten matching couples 2009.

Here is the list:

1. Maximum Ride - Fang in Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

2. Sadira - Hassya in Aerial

3. Ishida Keiko - Nishimura Kazuto in Winter in Tokyo

4. Emma Corrigan - Jack Harper in Can You Kee a Secret?

5. Sophy Metcalfe - Josh Carmichael in Asking for Trouble

6. Rahmania Utoyo - Takeo Fujita in to Tokyo to Love

7. Susanna Wilding - Lloyd Rockwell in Perfect Stranger

8. Percy Jackson - Annabeth Chase in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

9. Wanda - Ian O'Shea in The Host

10.Nicko Heap - Snorri Snorrelssn in Septimus Heap: Physik

Top Ten Stuck-in-My-Head Annoying Characters 2009

Story won’t be interesting if there are no bad people. No matter how happy ending they are, it’s useless if all the characters are on "white" area. Readers wanna know the conflicts between them. Readers need to feel their fights to reach the goal. To get that, antagonists are needed. But sometimes, even the protagonists look like the bad guy. They can be so charming or on the average, too. They’’re stepping on the "gray zone" so that s/he can trick my mind. Below is my ten stuck-in-my-head annoying characters of 2009.

Here is the list:
1. Queen Etheldredda in Septimus Heap: Physik
2. Luke Castellan in Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief
3. Simon Heap in Septimus Heap: Flyte
4. Sheri Crystal in Perfect Strangers
5. Roland in Nocturnal
6. Rebecca Greenhall in Love Trainer
7. Nick Bianco in Perfect Strangers
8. Prince Nicolo Thierry Ferdinand Ignazio Alfonso Roberto Paolo Tadero Giovanni Bourbon-Parma in Reality TV Bites
9. Byron in The Wish List
10. Karina Latulo in to Tokyo to Love

Top Five Compromising Sequels 2009

Reading series of a book is exciting. I can explore the story and the characters deeper than one-stand novel. But not all sequels better than their origins. Usually, the first one is a homerun. Below is my five compromising sequels 2009.

Here is the list:
1. Brisingr, sequel to 2 books of The Inheritance Cycle
2. The Last Battle, sequel to 6 books of Chronicles of Narnia
3. Breaking Dawn, sequel to 2 book of Twilight Sagas
4. Sons of Destiny, sequel to 11 books of The Saga of Darren Shan
5. D’Angel: princess, sequel to 2 books of D’Angel Series

Top Ten Most Devastating Books 2009

This year, I read a lot more than last year. That’s a surely thing—I don’t wanna stuck in the same level as last year. Readers don’t have the same opinions to a book. One said book X is awesome and book Y is confusing. Other said book X is average and book Y is astonishing. I can’t judge how they rate books they read because I have my own opinions, too. Below is my ten most unbearable books of 2009.

Here is the list:
1. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, written by Rick Riordan
2. Can You Keep a Secret?, written by Sophie Kinsella
3. Winter in Tokyo, written by Ilana Tan
4. Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle, written by C.S. Lewis
5. Nocturnal, written by Poppy D. Chusfani
6. Aerial, written by Sitta Karina
7. Asking for Trouble, written by Elizabeth Young
8. Brisingr, written by Christopher Paolini
9. The (Un)reality Show, written by Clara Ng
10. to Tokyo to Love, written by Mariskova

Series on My List

I don’t like it if I don’t have spare time to read. I hate that. I feel like something is missing—no hyperbolistic, it’s real. But, I can’t just read and read without doing anything else. So little by little I use my spare time to read—sometimes I read in office hour, too.

I’m collecting good novels, most of them are in series. now, I was thinking they’re to long in my list. So I’m gonna finish reading them as soon as I can.

Series I’m gonna finish in 2010:
1. Inkspell and Inkdeath (Inkworld)
2. The People of Sparks, The Prophet of Yonwood and The Diamond of Darkhold (Book of Ember)
3. Queste and Syren (Septimus Heap)
4. School’s Out Forever, Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports, The Final Warning and Max (Maximum Ride)
5. The Golem’s Eye and Ptolemys’ Gate (Bartimaeus Trilogy)
6. The Titan’s Curse, the Battle of Labyrinth and The Last Olympian (Percy Jakckson and the Olympians)
7. The Lost Colony, Time Paradox and Atlantis Complex (Artemis Fowl)
8. The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials)

A lot of books, huh?! Though I say so, I can’t close my eyes from other good series. So, meanwhile I’m finishing my old series, I’m gonna start new ones.
Series I’m gonna start:
1. Blue Blood Saga by Melisa de la Cruz
2. Darkest Powers by Kelley Armstrong
3. Faery Courts by Melissa Marr
4. Millenium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson

And honorary mention to In Death Series by J.D. Robb. I will keep on reading that series—I’ve read 4 books so far.

2010 Resolutions

This is a must do when new year is around. My resolutions are simple.
Here they are:
1. Finish series I read and start new one
2. Continue my writings—2 books on schedule
3. Read more books –I hope I’m gonna hit 60
4. Be more creative and better in getting ideas and writing

Hugo Awards

The Hugo Awards are given for the best science fiction or fantasy works. The award is taken from Hugo Gernsback, the founder of Amazing Stories, the very first science fiction magazine.
Members of the annual Worldcon choose and vote the nominees and the winners.

Several categories of Hugo Awards are:
- Hugo Award for Best Novel
- Hugo Award for Best Novella
- Hugo Award for Best Novelette
- Hugo Award for Best Short Story

The best-known awards compared to Hugo Award is Nebula Awards, given by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

The winner of Hugo Award Best Novel
- 2009: The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins,; Bloomsbury UK)
- 2008: The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, Michael Chabon (HarperCollins; Fourth Estate)
- 2007: Rainbows End, Vernor Vinge (Tor, 2006)

World Book Capital

On Sunday, May 10 2009, I just read there is World Book Capital. Choose by UNESCO to promote books and reading and dedication of all players in the book industry for whole year. 2009 is Beirut’s year. International book conferences, library seminar, reading corner seminar, audiobooks dialogs for blind people, poems and prose festivals.

With those, Beirut invite author-writers-novelists, publishing houses, book designers and illustrators, book stores from around the world. How ironic. We know that Beirut is in crisis because it lies in Middle East, but they can perform spectacular book events. It proves that Beirut deserve to be considered as literature city.

2001: Madrid
2002: Alexandria
2003: New Delhi
2004: Antwerp
2005: Montreal
2006: Turin
2007: Bogota
2008: Amsterdam

Next 2010: Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Why does Hollywood Ruins Novels by Turning Them into Craps?

Hollywood keeps translate page to screen. Many give money and give more when the sequels, remake or spin-off are made. They were glorious in awards (nominee including) and box office charts. Such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy (this is the best ever!), Slumdog Millionaire, Prince Caspian, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

But, not all novels had this achievements. Although they had “Bestseller” title on the cover, they slept in gaining dollars. We can say Eragon and The Golden Compass. Why is this happening? Our satisfaction in reading hundreds of pages from books became big disaster and they collected criticisms, scorns, mocks and etc., etc.

What makes the book so good and the movie so bad? And why is this divergence so unsurprising? The answer is simple, but it has complex implications: Novels are long, but movies are short. It's impossible to encapsulate the tonal shifts of a book like Revolutionary Road in a feature-length film, no matter how long those two hours feel.
This is what the movies do to literature, typically: There's so much plot to get in that there's no time to tell the story. Perhaps it's the insecurity of Hollywood: Inflated by the borrowed prestige of books, producers and directors won't stray too far from the guide-ropes of the story.
William Davidson wrote on Slate.com

But, once again, Hollywood is still making those each year. No matter how the final results are, they do that with their great efforts from many aspects. However, it is often the case that the book is significantly better than the movie.

Theme: Forbidden Love Story

Love story is common theme in romance book. To give tragic element into the book and make readers love the main characters, just put one word in front of those words: FORBIDDEN.

Many writers like this theme. The differences between people in the world is enough to attract them. Two rivalry families, two people from different caste, two different creatures. Just these cases, they can write incidents to incidents and troubles to troubles to test their love, good guys can be the villains. And don’t forget betrayal to sweeten the story. Happy couples can be ex-husband/wife full of hatred, peace family/country can light fire of war. That’s what readers like. Intense and layered conflicts.

How scary the power of words!

But, those are for classic books. Now, romance books is more light with comedy and action as freshener. The situations are more acceptable. How they feel to each other, how their surrounding react. No cynical staring or isolation from people because the world has changed to modernity.

Number one classic forbidden love story the world know is William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, of course. Also Shakespeare’s Othello that told white master-black slave love story. But, nowadays, the human-vampire love story is written happy ending in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga.

In local book, there is Light-Darkness love story of Sitta Karina’s Aerial. Then, Ilana Tan’s Autumn in Paris which is between step brother and step sister (this is very tragic). Clara Ng’s Gerhana Kembar is told lesbian love story openly. Dee wrote funny forbidden love story; cockroach and little girl in one of Filosofi Kopi’s short story.

Valentine’s Day Habits

Most couples go out in Valentine’s Day. Having fine dinner in restaurants,exchanging present (or giving present to the girl), attending love game. Few of them having dinner at home. The girl prepares and cooks herself, and then watching DVD together.
Those activities can be done whole year. But, because it is Valentine’s Day, activities we’re doing this day become very special.
Thanks to St. Valentinus. His brave action giving marriage in Rome (married is forbidden at that time) makes us feel one special day to express our love.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY, EV’RYONE
May Your Love Spread to the Whole World

The Pity Life of Young Woman

One time, I ever hate myself. I can play piano but just a bit. I know Mandarin but just a bit. English but just a bit. I have no job a.k.a jobless. I have no special talent that make me expert at one thing. I applied jobs, being interviewed, but no result. Everything I’ve done is wrong. I feel depressed and frustrated.

Of course. These few days I can’t continue my book. I only add my teens story book for two or three pages per day. I turn one story to other, hoping I can write something down. Fixing this and that. But I can’t keep up the track. My whole head mixed up. My three stories or four, my dream job.

DO MY LIFE HAS MEANING AT ALL, EVEN ONE?

I’m afraid doing something. I prefer do nothing so I do nothing wrong. But I know kids think like that. I still can think. I’m not stupid to finish myself. I’m a mature woman although my mind is not mature enough to solve my problems. I have to do something. I can’t pity myself all my life. I can’t give up. Yet.

At this time, I play piano. Some easy songs. If I play difficult ones, my tensemeter will go up fast again. I can see movie or read book (while listen to music) or hang out at the mall. But when I stop for a while (taking a rest, nature calling, writing something, even eating and drinking), those bad feelings are back. I’m grateful I can play simple piano songs.

One thing on my mind. I want to publish my books. Is it wrong? Just simple dream. I want to be a novelist. So I keep on writing. And reading too. Everything that can give me some ideas. Novels, blogs, papers, forums. Maybe I can write this chapter of my life into a book.

I’m waiting for the time to see that become reality. Maybe the time for my "embryo of success" to break isn’t right. And I’ll take all my patience to see my it "born".

Btw, after I’ve thought many times, the title of this blog is too mellow. I know what you think. But I like it. It’s like the title of a good book, that have "New York Times Best Seller of the Year" or "Winner of Edgar Award" on its cover. Ha ha ha.

The Right Title for This One?

I can’t see in front of me
What or who
All colours blend
Unclear and mixed up
Don’t show exact things
I can feel they move, toward and pass me
But I can’t see their face
Can’t hear their voices
Even single blow, even single sigh
What happen with my eyes?
Or, is my eyer the real problem?
I don’t think so
I can see my own hands with five fingers each
So, has my mind broken?
What happen to me?
Why can’t I see things?
They’re blurry and shadowy
Shadowy and blurry
Whatever
They’re the same things to me
Blurr… shadow…

©Sai Phero
January 2009

Book Power on Golden Globe Awards This Year

Kate Winslet is awesome. She got tw awards: Best Actress – Drama for Revolutionary Road and Best Supporting Actree for The Reader. This two films based on book that published many years ago. It means that story from book is good enough to make producer-director-writer interesting in it to reproduce in reel. And make the juries of Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) choose it as winners (of course it’s not only because of based on book, but still make prestige of them).
What I’m saying is book is powerful to move people to do something. Just words from it’s author, people imagine, reflect, immitate and it become part of their lives, either it’s good or bad.

What I Like in the World?

Hmmm, a lot of things. I like movies. I like music. I like piano. I like to eat (everything
delicious and look delicious). But the most I like is books. Fiction ones. Drama, romance,
fantasy, mystery, horror, suspense, thriller, comedy. All of them. All genres. Not just for
young adult or adult but for teenager too. I. LIKE. BOOK.

As you can see here, I have almost written only romance and fantasy books. Those are the
most common genre and people like it. Though they are romance and fantasy, the authors
combined them with other genres. It isn't pure romance. It isn't pure fantasy. There are
comedy romance (Wanderlust; Love, Hate and Hocus-Pocus). There are fantasy romance (Twilight sagas). Now, books has more than one genre. With doing this, authors can develop the story deeper and wider in order to get variation fo stories to attract publishers and readers. We
as readers, won't feel bored. We know the richness of our lives and get something for it.

I. LIKE. BOOK.

Next Novel on Screen

Following comic and game to movie, many movie are made from novel too. Not only famous novel, but never heard of as well. In the first decade of 21st century, this phenomenon became hazardous with The Lord of the Rings then Harry Potter series in one or two years each. Epic, fantasy, romance, to drama. Here are few movies on screen 2009 from many sources:

1. Inkheart (Cornelia Funke), release Jan 9
2. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella), release Feb 13
3. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown), release May 15
4. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling), release
5. A Christmas Carol (C.S. Lewis), release 6 Nov

Must Read Books in 2009

I have next projects to be read written in left side of my blog. But, I write them again with addition as part of my resolution in 2009. There are books I want, more or less:
1. Tales of Beedle the Bard – J.K. Rowling (must have read of them all)
2. Breaking Dawn – Stephenie Meyer
3. Brisingr – Christopher Paolini
4. Septimus Heap: Flyte – Angie Sage
5. Nocturnal – Poppy D. Chusfani
6. Winter in Tokyo – Ilana Tan
7. Septimus Heap: Physik – Angie Sage
8. Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle – C.S. Lewis
9. Inkheart – Cornelia Funke
10. Septimus Heap: Queste – Angie Sage

2009 Resolutions

I never do thing like this. So, this is my first time. I hope it works.

My resolutions:
1. Get my book published
2. Get a job or business to make money
3. More creative and better in getting ideas and writing
4. Read more good fictional stories
5. Traveling abroad (give my parents ticket to do it too)

Midnight Sun is Postponed?!

Ms. Meyer said in her website that Midnight Sun is postponed. The manuscript of the story was illegally posted on the internet. Oh, no! Who did this? I can’t believe I may not read Twilight from Edward’s perspective.

“So where does this leave Midnight Sun? My first feeling was that there was no way to continue. Writing isn't like math; in math, two plus two always equals four no matter what your mood is like. With writing, the way you feel changes everything. If I tried to write Midnight Sun now, in my current frame of mind, James would probably win and all the Cullens would die, which wouldn't dovetail too well with the original story. In any case, I feel too sad about what has happened to continue working on Midnight Sun, and so it is on hold indefinitely.” – Stephenie Meyer on stepheniemeyer.com, August 28, 2008.

"For all intents and purposes, 'Breaking Dawn' is the last book," she told MTV News. "It might easily happen that I quit here. There'd be a lot of good reasons for doing that, so I don't know if we need to get into all the future possibilities and speculations, 'cause I'll just go crazy, and I'm so close already!"

Is there a chance that Meyer will change her mind after a break from the Cullen universe? We'll wait and see. - Sabrina Rojas Weiss

Midnight Sun is officially postponed. Or is it possibly canceled?