See now, I used to disappear into books all the time when I was young, but these days, my relaxation comes from watching films. They only take a couple of hours, so I don't feel too terribly guilty about taking time away from my writing (because, like Christina, I'm not very good at putting books DOWN once I've started them, and I tend to go all day with a book once I've opened the cover), and films flood my senses and hold my attention, whereas my mind sometimes still wanders away while I'm reading, distracted by thoughts of my own book and characters. So if I desperately need to relax, I go sit in the cinema. (My grandfather was a film projectionist, so I blame him entirely for this).

Well, yes, there is that, too! I vividly remember the night I picked up Kelley Armstrong's Bitten before going to bed, having never read anything of hers before, and I kept saying, "Just ONE more chapter..." until I found myself still lying there awake with the sky growing light and the children waking up and me knowing I'd have to get up and drive them to school... (It was worth it, though--brilliant book).

Sue, I agree with Anne, in that the George Felse mysteries were set in contemporary times (at the time they were written), from the 1950s through the 1970s, so the "voice" of the character would be a modern one in tune with that time period, whereas the Cadfael books (which Ellis Peters actually wrote after the Felse mysteries) were set in the 12th century, so the voice she used for those stories would likely have been deliberately adapted to suit the time through which those characters were moving. I do a similar thing (although probably not with as much skill as Ellis Peters) when I write my dual time novels--if there's a first-person, modern day thread, the voice is slightly different from the third person voice of the historical thread, to let readers know whether they're in the past or the present. But that would be my guess as to why you're noticing a difference in the voice between the Felse books and the Cadfael ones.

Misti, you're making it Very Difficult for me to wait to read The Kraken King! (I have to wait until May!) I think Heart of Steel has been my favourite up to now, so if this one is better than THAT one, I'm in for a treat.

They are clever, those Last Chance Christmas Ball wenches :-) And I agree with you about the joys of tucking into Christmas novels and novellas. In fact, you'll want to check back mid-December for our Ask-A-Wench post...

I'm on such a tight deadline right now that stockpiling is my only option, I'm afraid (although I may try to sneak in a reading day over the Christmas holidays...)

I liked Edgar Allan Poe, too, when I was in school. He scared me silly but in a good way, and his poetry was so deliciously melancholy. And I'm glad you enjoyed the post--you should NEVER feel guilty for reading what you enjoy!

Aw. We're honoured to be on your bookshelves, Pamela (and keeping good company with Mary and Grace!) Thank you.

Janice, fortunately I don't have that same quirk--I can happily buy several books before finishing the one I'm reading (which is why I have heaps of books stacked around my house in nearly every room...)

Noted. Thank you for the recommendation.

I've always wanted to read Don Quixote, because it's such an old novel and because, when I was very young, one of the first musicals my parents took us to see on stage was The Man of La Mancha, and I still remember it so vividly. It's a treasured memory, with that story woven into it. Perhaps one day I'll tackle the novel itself...

Oh, William Morris! Which one is your favourite?

Vicki, I have a hard time culling my bookshelves. I know I should be more ruthless, too, but I still keep telling myself, "Maybe one day I'll actually read that one...", even though I know I probably never will. And then, like you, I keep returning to my "Happy" selections, or--more and more these days--books written by the writers that I meet and get chatting with at conferences, because I know if I like the person, I'll almost always like the story they have to tell, and I've discovered some wonderful new writers that way.

Kareni, I'm glad someone else couldn't get through The Name of the Rose. For a long while it seemed everyone LOVED that book and I was the only one who'd given up on it (although I still suspect a lot of people only knew the story from the movie, because the book IS a slog to get through!) And yes, I suppose there are still some situations in which we have to hedge a bit when sharing what we're reading :-)

Annette, I'm so glad you discovered romance and mystery. They're two of my own greatest pleasures in life. They make me happy, too. And you're right--there ARE many of those love stories out there in the real world. My parents are living proof of that :-)

Jane, there are, indeed, SO many books out there! You'll probably have noticed that I rarely add anything to the "What We're Reading" posts myself, because I usually don't read much fiction while I'm working on my own novels, and right now I'm nose-to-the-grindstone on a new book--but I always pay attention to what my fellow Wenches are reading, and I can assure you my own TBR pile grows by leaps and bounds each month with their suggestions...

Constance, isn't it liberating when you finally allow yourself to NOT finish a book without guilt? I mean, I used to not finish books, but I always felt guilty about it. And then at last I realized that was silly, and I've been happily reading what I please ever since!

(I don't like Scarlett, either)

Binnie, like you, I'm not a Wuthering Heights person. I think perhaps there are Jane Eyre people and Wuthering Heights people, because while I empathize with Jane and would place Mr. Rochester neatly into my category of "Heroes Who Need A Hug", I'm afraid I don't like either of the main characters of Wuthering Heights at all, and have never found Heathcliff romantic. (He's in my category of "Heroes Who Need To Be Served A Restraining Order"...) Still, I know there are those who feel differently, and that's fine. Horses for courses :-)