June 22, 2010

Sunrise was at 5:12, sunset will be at 9:11. The day's length is shorter only by a difference of a few seconds each day. It's a little odd to see three days listed at the site I check with the same hours. I can almost imagine the earth moving slower and slower as it reaches its apex, creaking to a halt, and then moving forward again, speeding up as we round the orbit into fall.

It's cloudy but light and it's supposed to be 70 degrees. Huzzah!

I'm reading The Last Dog on the Hill>, by Steve Duno, Ghost of a Chance, by Simon R. Green, and Omnitopia Dawn>, by Diane Duane.

Last Dog releases today and we have a long list of special orders for it- people who heard him interviewed on NPR have been streaming into the store looking for it. That's the power of NPR in Seattle (KUOW is our local station). He was interviewed a week ago and the book only comes out today. His event, the signing, will be on Saturday, I believe.

The book is soooo good. I know how it's going to end so I am only reading it in the daylight, although I have teared and choked up a couple of times already. If you have ever had a pet you have loved to distraction, this is a book you should read. If you just like animals, you will like this book. It will make you happy. And probably sad, too. I'm not done yet but it is worth continuing even though I think I know what's going to happen.

Mr. Duno is a local dog trainer from way back and Last Dog on the Hill is the story of the dog who got him there, Lou, a smart, funny dog saved from a life in the wild when Steve drove by a pack of dogs and whistled one down off the hill. (I'm reading this one at work on breaks.)

Ghost of a Chance is not starting as quickly as I wanted it to. It's funny, though, in that Simon Green way. His books are full of quirky characters, smart ones, too, who are snarky and quick-witted. His Deathstalker books are my favorites, though. Big epic-y space fiction. (Reading this one at breakfast and dinner.)

Omnitopia Dawn is pretty good, the story of a virtual universe game with microcosms that individuals can design and link to the multiverse. In this book, which takes place in 2015, the philanthropic world-master, Dev, is being targeted for destruction by his old best friend, Phil. At the rollout for the new game Phil is planning to destroy it, and Dev, in one fell swoop. Lots of detail in this book, mostly details about the worlds within the universe. There is a lot of detail about how the financials work when trying to bring down a business like this. Fascinating.

I really like Diane Duane's kids books, I don't know how many grown-up books she has but this one is good. And the rollout for the game in this book happens on the Solstice, June 21, and I was reading about it on that day! Cosmic! (I am reading this one in bed before sleep. Not such a good idea. I only get 2 or 3 pages in and I'm out...must move to a different time of day.)

It's been a pretty good week for reading. Lots of variety and lots of my favorite writers.