Be Still My Heart!

It's been eleven years since author Anne Rice published a book within The Vampire Chronicles series. A long, dry eleven years of searching for a replacement of sorts to satisfy my need to pour over the lively, entertaining, explosive exploits of vampires and those who love and fear them.  There were a few lights at the end of the tunnel, a few stories that help me get to the next vampire novel, but ultimately none compared to The Vampire Chronicles.

While casually surfing through my local library's website list of "new" fiction titles there was the cover of "Prince Lestat".  Tears instantly welled in my eyes as my mind wrapped around the possibility of a new Vampire Chronicles novel from the esteemed Anne Rice.  I have every book written by her and all are amazing!

I became acquainted with her books by the first one, published the year I was born, "Interview With the Vampire" and I've been hooked ever since.  The way she creates a scene, its details succinct and awe-inspiring have captivated me like no other writer before.  I highly recommend her novels if you are one of the few who have not indulged in them.

  

These have become my mantra...woosaaa, wooooosaaaaa.

Zombie Apocolypse and Flu Shot...Is there a link?

Every year, millions of Americans head to their doctor's offices, clinics, and pharmacies to be inoculated with a flu shot.  The flu shot is a sort of vaccine that protects one from contracting the flu virus.  Almost every year the flu vaccine is changed to accommodate the various strains the virus mutates (which is its nature, being a virus and all) into.

Yeah, right.

I have never gotten a flu shot and I can count on one hand how many times I've gotten the flu. TWO.  Two times in my entire life I have had the displeasure of having my faculties submit to the likes of the flu.  And those of you that have ever gotten sick with the flu know it's no fun.  I mean seriously, people have died from this virus.  So, I don't take the decision not to get vaccinated lightly. On the contrary, I evaluate my circumstances each flu season (have I been subjected to continuous bouts of sneezing in my face, have I forgotten to buy Lysol at all, did I forget to wear gloves when touching foreign objects) and judge whether I feel I need it or not.

Ohh, how I love thee.

So far so good, (knock on wood) I haven't needed to get the shot nor have I been sick with the flu in the past, oh say, ten years.

I don't think not getting the shot has allowed me to come out of the flu season unscathed.  Well, I don't think its the ONLY reason I haven't gotten it.  I do an awful lot of hand washing, as I have the tendency to touch my face (Is anything on my cheek?), rub my eyes (ugh allergies), and bite my nails (terrible habit...Don't Judge Me).  In addition, I wear gloves when handling any type of body fluids that are not mine (I am exposed to this quite often in my profession...sigh).  I also sanitize surfaces of all kinds (Thanks Lysol!) and use a hand held steam cleaner (a true gem).

Now, I know this seems like overkill. But, believe me its not.  I do these things so often they have become second nature to me.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does all this have to do with the Zombie Apocalypse anyway??? I'm glad you asked.

Yikes!

Reading World War II in Fiction or NonFiction

For the pass couple of months I have become increasingly interested in World War II.  I have previewed both fiction and nonfiction selections and found that the fiction is what stays with me.  I know what you're thinking, Of course it does! 

Well, yes, of course it does.  Fiction authors have the great luxury to use imagination and facts to create a plot that is not only riveting, but also sustaining.  I say sustaining because after a few chapters of nonfiction books on World War II I am either deeply disturbed to the point that I must take a break or I am bored with the level of facts that are being presented.  

Facts, if presented in a precise manner, can be a catalyst to invoke emotional attachments to what and/or whom the facts are about.  But so many nonfiction books miss this element.  Facts are just placed on the table to examine in an attempt to understand but upon examination without emotional attachment it leaves me to say, "Why should I continue?"