This Week in Cat-Tales

Another backstage week.  I know they’re not very interesting from the outside looking in, but the show can’t go on without them.  I finished up the draft of Chapter 2 and started working in earnest on a TBA to unveil (we hope) in March for the anniversary.  Didn’t really have a chance to make progress on the laptop situation.  Maybe this week.  (What can I say, Santa once again failed to come through on my pleas for a clone, a staff, a slave or a robot. So it’s another year of one thing at a time.  What can you do?)

Had a fantastic surprise when Hitman Tommy Monaghan returned to the forums.  Tommy and I go way back… damn, I don’t even know how many message boards and rpgs we go back.  It’s been incredibly fun having those chats about writing again, and one of these days, who knows, he might just have something new for us all to enjoy.  If not, he’ll keep us honest in the Iceberg Lounge (that’s the general chit-chat thread in the forum, for those who have not visited).  With apologies to King Hal:  Men now sipping appletinis will hold their manhoods cheap while any speak who hoisted a Guinness with Monaghan upon St. Siegel’s Day.

Other than that, let’s see… I did finish off the new Dan Brown this weekend.  It’s not a bad book, just a slow starter – and unfortunately, it suffers from inevitable comparisons to The Da Vinci Code.  I’m sorry, there is no pretending Washington DC is as rich in history and mystery as Europe or that the Masons can bring the same organic conflicts, plausible heroes and villains to the table that you get with millennia-old, hardline, Old World Christianity.  Still, The Lost Symbol is a good read.  CT fans will see familiar James Sanborn sculptures referenced, as well as a few mentions of string theory.  Thematically, however, my heart will always belong to The Da Vinci Code: To kneel at the bones of Mary Magdalene is to pay homage to everyone who has been robbed of their voice. That’s good stuff.  I like adventure and suspense as much as the next gal, I really do.  I just like it more when it is all about something larger.  Remembering those who have been robbed of their voice, cheated of their power, harmed by abuses of power, that resonates.  TLS does have some thematic meat on the bone, its ultimate revelation is a good one, and one I happen to agree with.  But for me, at least, it doesn’t have that punch of DVC.  Which brings us back to: if this book was by anyone other than Brown and free of the DVC comparisons…  C’est la vie. 

Anyway, before I flee to start the week, the best while-you-read snack food has to be Emerald Cocoa Roasted Almonds, Dark Chocolate Flavor.  I am completely hooked on these things.

And on that note…  New week and new month hitting at the same time is always festive in the old inbox.  Ciaomeow, everybody.

Chris Dee
www.catwoman-cattales.com
cattales.yuku.com
cattales.wikispaces.com

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