Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen (Review)

As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie.

It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.
-- saragruen.com
I've been trying for ages to get ahold of this book from the library but it was ALWAYS gone until recently.  This was one of the times that I actually heard about the movie before I heard that it was a book so of course there was probably an entire line of people who wanted it ahead of me.

Anyways, I'm glad I still got my hands on it. It was mysterious, romantic, and thrilling.  I liked that it was really a full circle of Jacob's life.  I love hearing what happens after all the drama of their whole story cools off and how they are years or so later.

I did, however, forget that I didn't take this book out of the Young Adult section.  There was some language and some descriptive scenes that aren't necessarily for the younger crowd.  I feel like the little bit that I've heard about the movie didn't really give me the feel of the whole story.  I knew it would be romantic but I haven't seen a lot about it yet so I thought it would be the kind of love story you wouldn't mind letting your older kids go see. (Which it might be.  I haven't seen the movie yet.)  So I was kind of caught off guard with the language, mystery, and suspenseful part of the book.  I'm not sure if reading the book made me want to see the movie any more than I already did or not.  Maybe just because of the elephant. :)

Overall, Water for Elephants made me laugh and it made me sad.  It threw me through so many loops that I wish I could tell you but that would mean major spoilers and you need to read it yourself!  It was a good read.

'Glee'-ful Inspiration

I'm watching the first show of the second season of the Glee Project right now, because apparently I'm Glee obsessed.  The Glee Project is all about the auditions they hold for new characters on Glee and I like what they keep saying about the creator, Ryan Murphy.  He's not just looking for someone who can sing and dance, he wants someone who makes him want to write a character for them.

Can you imagine writing something in that way?  Holding auditions and then in walks your hero or your protaganist?  Like in a for real, reach out and touch them, kind of way.  It has to be surreal, in a way, knowing that you could possibly be using this real person's attitude and personality into a character for your story/film/show.

Do you think you could do that?  I know a lot of people talk about how fun 'people watching' is and how it's a great way to get characters and storylines started.  Have you ever done that?  What about putting someone into a story that you already have going?  That has to be a little trickier seeing as how you already have a set world and now you have to find a good place for them to go.

Hmmm, this sounds like a fun writing prompt.  I may have to spend some time at the mall.  :)

Summer Time!

Yes, I've been away a few weeks, but now that finals are over and school is out (Sort of.  I'm taking summer classes too.) I can relax for a few weeks and get back to normal for a bit.

What sort of plans do you have for the summer?  As far as writing related stuff goes, I hope to finish last year's NaNo project.  I know, I'm STILL not done with it.  Don't judge me too badly.  Lol.  Then, if I can do that in time, I'd like to do at least one of the Camp NaNo months.  I had another story started that I'd like to finish too.  Somewhere in between there I'd like to write some more poetry for a project I thought about doing, which ties into the planning that I'll be doing for this year's Night of Writing Dangerously.  As of right now I do intend on going to it again this year AND I will be doing a 24 hour 'write-a-thon'.  More on that later though.  :)  And of course, before school starts again, I will be reading as many books as I can.  What's on your reading list?  Any suggestions?

Wow.  That's a lot of stuff seeing it all written out.  I better get on that!  See you later!