some days nothing makes sense

Cover via Amazon

Just read this news about L. J. Smith being fired from continuing her series The Vampire Diaries.  This news is coexisting with the news that another series Secret Circle by Smith is going to be made as a TV series.

I simply don’t understand.

She asks her fans not to boycott the series but why would they read it, if she’s not allow to write them?  It’s not like there is a dearth of angsty teen vampire romances out there. Smith’s voice is what makes the Vampire Diaries fun.

Stupid.

Related Articles

• “CW Picks Up Drama Pilot ‘Secret Circle’” and related posts (deadline.com)
• Secret Circle Pilot Casts a Spell on the CW (seattlepi.com)

Vampire Diaries on TV

Image by smittenkittenorig via Flickr

I’m excited!  I just learned that L. J. Smith‘s Vampire Diaries might coming to CW.  Smith’s series has been compared to Stephenie Meyer’s but I think her series are more fun.  They are just as romantic but a little more grounded.

Vampire Diaries is the story told in 4 books of Elena who is pursued by two vampire brothers.

Rachel Thomas quotes Variety on the casting:

Variety reports that former Lost star Ian Somerhalder has snagged the role of Damon. Nina Dobrev (Degrassi: The Next Generation) has been cast to play Elena and Paul Wesley (Everwood) joins the cast as the 200-year-old Stefan. Dawson’s Creek mastermind Kevin Williamson will be the executive producer for the series.

Nina Dobrev to be Elena.

Ian Somerhalder to be Damon

Paul Wesley to be Stefan.

I’ve read several of her series but the Night World series is my favorite, especially Spellbinder (scroll down a bit).

A snazzy fan blog for the TV version of Vampire Diaries .

Sharon Shinn, Queenie Chan, L. J. Smith, Kitchen Princess

I have become busier than I had expected and work on my posts are developing very slowly. I’ve been reading these books.

Two Books

Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn – Coming-of-age fantasy novel. Each summer, young Coriel, a witch in training, visits Castle Auburn and crushes on the handsome prince. However, she finds as she grows older that the world is more complex and more sinister than she ever dreamed of as a child. Charming and engrossing.

Spellbinder by L. J. Smith. Paranormal romance/young adult. A young witch Thea must keep her attraction to a ‘human’ a secret from everyone, even him. If she doesn’t, both of them will be killed by the creatures of the Night World. Enjoyable – easy to read and lots of angst-filled fun.

One Graphic Novel (series)

The Dreaming by Queenie Chan. (read all 3 vols.) Horror/young adult. Haunted house story set in the Australian bush. Recently orphaned twin girls, Jeanie and Amber, are sent to a remote boarding house. They find the places holds more to dread than homework and spiteful classmates. Creepy. I’d like to read more of Chan’s work. The omake, bonus pages, at the end are funny, especially the one in the 3rd volume.

Two Manga (series)

Good Witch of the West by Noriko Ogiwara (read vols. 1 & 2). Shoujo. A pretty teenage girl Firiel lives in a magical kingdom. Her mother is dead and her father abandons her for a distant research mission. When her best friend Rune is abducted, Firiel musters her courage and strength and sets out to rescue him. This looks promising.

Kitchen Princess by Natusumi Ando (read vols. 1 -3). Shoujo. Orphan Najika goes to Seika Academy to find her ‘flan prince’ who once comforted her and gave her a spoon. More importantly, Najika is discovering who she is and becoming a chef just like her parents. Her love interests are Sora and Daichi who are estranged brothers who both attend Seika Academy too. There are recipies for each of the dishes that Najika prepares in the volume. I’m enjoying it quite a bit.