Each person who ever was or is or will be has a song. It isn’t a song that anybody else wrote. It has its own melody, it has its own words. Very few people get to sing their own song. Most of us fear that we cannot do it justice with our voices, or that our words are too foolish or too honest, or too odd. So people live their songs instead.

Take Daisy, for example. Her song, which had been somewhere in the back of her head for most of her life, had a reassuring, marching sort of beat, and words that were about protecting the weak, and it had a chorus that began ‘Evildoers beware!’ and was thus much too silly to ever be sung out loud. She would hum it to herself sometimes though, in the shower, during the soapy bits.

And that is, more or less, everything you need to know about Daisy. The rest is details.

Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman
He said with a touch of compassion: “You are certainly very young to be married, but when Sylvester dies you will be alone, and your situation would be awkward indeed.”
“That is quite true,” nodded Eustacie: “I have considered it well. And I dare say it will not be so very bad, our marriage, if I can have a house in town, and perhaps a lover.”
“Perhaps a what?” demanded [Sir Tristam], in a voice that made her jump.
“Well, in France it is quite comme il faut—in fact, quite à la mode—to have a lover when one is married,” she explained, not in the least abashed.
“In England,” said Sir Tristam, “it is neither comme il faut nor à la mode.”
“Vraiments. I do not yet know what is the fashion in England, but naturally if you assure me it is not à la mode, I won’t have any lover. Can I have a house in town?

Georgette Heyer, The Talisman Ring.

I love Heyer’s silly girls. They’re always so deliciously silly and un self-conscious.

ofabookworm:

Readathon - 7:00

Just finished Mary Roach’s Gulp (I was 150 pages in before today, but it feels good to get another book completed). Read for about an hour of the last two hours — took a break to catch up with my husband, let the dog out (and back in again), and eat some delicious treats. And also to obsessively read the best parts of Roach’s book out loud to the room, whether or not the husband/dog felt like listening.

Books read: World War Z, How to Change the World, War & Peace, Gulp

Books completed: 2

Pages read: 316

Minutes of audiobook: 65

Dollars raised for the AAC Literacy Council: $19.05

Reading now: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Eating now: Mozzarella tarts with sun-dried tomato basil pesto and balsamic candied bacon. Sipping a blueberry basil champagne cocktail. I can take no credit for imagining or making any of the above… I just get to partake in the interesting culinary adventures that come from our kitchen!

Tiny Beautiful Things AND Mary Roach on your readathon stack? I think I love you :)

Readathon Mid-Event Survey

missaliceblue:

1) How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired?

Not yet! I went to bed early last night, slept well (except when my cat woke me up at three because she was thirsty), and I’ve had a lot of caffeine!

2) What have you finished reading?

Nothing so far. Oops! I could probably be further along, but I’ve been distracted by mini challenges and looking at everyone’s posts. A fair trade-off, I think!

3) What is your favorite read so far?

The Dead Isle by Sam Starbuck. It’s the only one I’ve been reading, but I’d probably answer the same regardless. I’m collecting quotes from it like mad.

4) What about your favorite snacks?

Ben and Jerry’s Karamel Sutra ice cream! I love this flavor and I haven’t been able to find it for months, so I’m kind of freaking out over here.

5) Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love!

Yes, although I’ve been hesitant to do anything but lurk.

COPPERBADGE!

Ok, that’s all, carry on :P

This is my first year in cheerleading duty for more than a couple of hours and it’s been my favorite experience so far, as read-a-thons go. Talking about books, participating in the mini-challenges, seeing lovely pictures from people’s reading stacks and cats and dogs and snacks… It’s like a 24 hour nerd party!

Anyway, glad you’re having fun too. How’s the book, by the way? I’ve been meaning to read it for a while but always get distracted by something else…