Currently | Happy Easter!

Time and Place // 8:16am on Easter Sunday!

Eating and Drinking // Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee with Hazelnut creamer. Delicious. Later I will be scarfing down a brunch with the family in celebration of Easter!

Reading // Last night I started The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater because I adored two other books by her. I very rarely read by author, and I don't have authors I obsessively follow. I think this is because I always have so many books waiting to be read - on the shelves - that dedicating myself to any one author would be monetarily irresponsible. This time, I had a Stiefvater waiting on the nook, so I could indulge without guilt. As to the book, so far, so good. I am not very far in, so I don't have too much to say yet.

Watching // Thanks to Ana at things mean a lot - and a sickness that had me on the couch for a full day - I am watching Veronica Mars.

Here are the posts which persuaded me that this was the series I should watch while couch-ridden: Book Smugglers (Ana), Sarah Rees Brennan, and about four posts on things mean a lot where Ana kept reminding me (well, not specifically me, but you know, I was reading her blog and yet another post mentioned the show, and it totally felt like she was reminding me) to watch the show. And Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness also promoted the show when she talked about going to the movie, then there's Steph at Steph Su Reads, and I'm pretty sure other bloggers I admire have also mentioned it.

And of course, you were all right, and now I have to remind myself that spending time with Madison is more important than watching the next episode. Bad mommy.


Blogging // This past week was dedicated to The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater which I completely fell in love with, so I have reviews of books 1 and 2 up on the blog. They are awesome and you should read them.

Contemplating // On Facebook, Amy McKie from Amy Reads shared an article that has had my brain working all week. "Diversity is Not Enough: Race, Power, Publishing" stresses that agents/editors/publishers must use their positions of power to foster, develop, and promote literature which not only features but stars diversity. The idea that has been stuck in my brain:

Publishing companies claim that books about characters of color aren't taken on because the books published follow the market, and books about non-white people don't sell because the "reading public" can't relate to those characters, suggesting that only white people read - or at least stressing that the majority of readers are white. I would be interested to know the numbers on this; although I am too lazy to do any serious research. I do see how, publishing companies, who are in the business of making money, have to cater to the majority; however, I also believe that these companies can get the larger public reading anything they want. As the article states: "By blaming an intangible force, the publishing industry absolves itself of any responsibility, when in fact it is very much in the business of manipulating." If the marketing department was told to sell a book, it more than likely could, regardless of the ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, religion, etc. of the characters. So get on it publishing companies.

Anticipating // After our Easter brunch, the family is heading to the matriarch's house, aka my grandma's, to watch little Miss Madison, the only person under 30 in the nearby family, find Easter eggs. There will be too many eggs, too much candy, and too much spoiling. Isn't she lucky? :)

So how are you doing this fine Easter morning?