The Fireside

2012 is coming to a close. With that, I'm going to list my favorite movies of the year, in no order that I've seen. There are some great ones I've yet to see, however.

As you may very well know by now, I love to read. It was in the past 5-10 years however, that I not only became interested in reading  but books . This blog post is my write-up on books (hardcover, paperback and ebooks). 

    " There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say, Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round - apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that - as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it! "

Kobo, my preferred and recommended ereader of choice, has a boxing week special on. To see the deals, head to http://www.kobobooks.com/boxingweeksale As far as ereaders go, I hear that they are the best. Those, as well as Amazon's depending on what you're after. There are many others too, such as the Nook by Barnes & Noble. Depending on the compatibility of your ereader, epub is most likely the best file format to use. I'll provide a post-holiday update post January, which will an entire post dedicated to both Christmas and New Year's. For now, a very quick update on what I wrote last night... Still working away, still writing away. I did about 1700 words last night. I'm not sure if that's considered alot, but I covered quite a bit within that chapter I wrote. Sometime soon, who knows, I may proof it and do some minor editing to expand it (not on purpose for word or page count, of course, but for better flow). I had this chapter and the events it cov...

I saw these funny images online I want to share with you. I thought they were funny...entitled 'geek piss offs'. In which the quotes are mixed up and do not matches the characters / actors pictured.

My review from Goodreads....

It was announced today that The Walking Dead  will get a 4th season. Expect it to begin airing in October 2013 sometime. Season 3 has yet to finish, so that's great news. The current season will return in February with new episodes, finishing up the second half of the season. 

'tis the season!  For the next two weeks, I'll be off of work. I'm all caught up on my TV shows: the Dexter season finale was this past Sunday. Boardwalk Empire is finished for now. Walking Dead returns in Feb. Game of Thrones comes back in March. Mad Men will be 2013 sometime. I have a couple movies to see (Argo , Les Miserables and Django Unchained ). I'm at the tail end of The Eye of the World (less than 200 pages left to read, will most likely finish on or by Saturday.) So what am I to do over the holidays? When I'm not with family and friends for gatherings, out to movies, or the like, I will be writing. And I don't mean blog posts, I mean immersing myself in, and creating more of, Kalvel.  First up is 'The Gameplan'. Well, I have mentioned before that my series will be five Volumes. With possibly a sixth, if I need it. Well, I'm going to form an outline of what I want to happen in which book, and to who. Example: "I wan...

Tonight is the season 7 finale of Dexter  on Showtime. The name of the episode is "Surprise, Motherfucker!" (yes, that famous Doakes line)

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit". That sentence has been iconic for quite a few decades now, since 1937. 

...and I Mean early , as release dates could change, and some more 'quiet' / festival / limited releases may crop up. But for now, here are the films of 2013 that I'm interested in seeing...most likely at the theatre but if word of mouth isn't too good, I'll Netflix.

Just yesterday, the soundtrack for the first of three Hobbit film just came out. Pictured above, is the special edition, which features some extended tracks, as well as six bonus tracks. The cover is different, and you get more liner notes. In short, you get 'more'. This  is the release I recommend for film score fans, as well as those who loved the Lord of the Rings  soundtracks (for those who own the Complete Recordings of LotR , the special edition is a no-brainer). You can get it on both CD and itunes. No doubt sales will be strong for both the special edition and regular, but hopefully with enough (strong) sales, the soundtracks for Part 2  and Part 3  will also receive the special edition treatment. Keep reading for some more (film) soundtracks I recommend.

The Holidays are coming. I'm off work from Dec. 21 - Jan. 7. During that time will be spend reading (I hope to finish reading The Eye of the World  [ The Wheel of Time  Book 1] by 2013), watch a few Christmas movies, and see some family and friends. This Sunday is the season finale of Dexter. Walking Dead  comes back in Feb. Game of Thrones and Mad Men , I'm awaiting their new seasons to begin.  So I'm what am I going to do lots of? I'm going to write up a storm.  Earlier today I began 'fleshing out' a province I created in the world where my series will take place. Late last week I came up with the name, where it will be located, and the climate. Earlier today I came up with some wildlife. Some traditional, some fantasy, and some that could be an alternate universe version of some of the animals we have on our planet...or had *wink*. My 'personal' goal is to have five more chapters written by 2013. As of now, I'd say I'm abo...

There was no new episode of Walking Dead  this week...and won't be until Feb. 10. During the lowatus, I recommend that you start reading the comics if you haven't already, as they are quite good. They come in a variety of formats, but the most cost-effective is this guy here: There are currently two of those big books. Format goes like this: single issue trade (6 issues) Hardcover (12 issues, or 2 trades) Omnibus (24 issues, or 2 hardcovers) Compendium (48 issues, or 2 Omnibus). The Hardcover and Omnibus are nice hardcover design, whereas the Compendium & trades are paperback. I myself get the Hardcover. 

One month until The Wheel of Time  makes its final turn.... What was, what will be, and what is may yet fall under the Shadow.

I have a book I can recommend to readers of adventure / fantasy, which may double as a Christmas suggestion. If you liked Narnia , The Hobbit , or other tales as a kid (though not just for  kids...), read further for one to check out, that goes with the winter season.

The GoodReads Choice Awards for 2012 have been announced. Here are some winners of note.

I am finished my Christmas shopping. To which I have to say.... It's definitely a great thing to be able to do: get the shopping with over before December. OK, I finished on December 3, not Nov. 30 but it was quite close indeed! I understand some people need a Christmas bonus, or have to go week, pay by pa. Anyway, this is my winter / Christmas post....

Get ready for A Storm of Swords  to begin....

Tonight at 9PM is the season finale of Boardwalk Empire , titled 'Margate Sands'. The last two episodes were quite good...with last week's being the best episode yet. We'll have to see how it will unfold, and what will happen next year because.... ...some time ago Boardwalk got renewed for a fourth season! I had forgotten to post the news here, but there ya go! Maybe a 5th will happen if ratings are for ssn 4 are strong enough...so you know what to do. Make them ratings count! 

On my reading list, I'm currently reading The Eye of the World , the first book in The Wheel of Time series. I am halfway through the book, and this is not a 'review' but more of my thoughts so far.

At least in this commercial, anyway. Some may find it cheesy, silly or stupid, but as a longtime fan of Christmas Vacation , it's great to see Chevy Chase back in the role...only if for a few seconds. Too bad that he left Community ...maybe we can get another (good) Griswolds film ( Reunion Vacation ?), or even a TV series? 

For those buying presents this season (most people, but one can never assume), I have some gift suggestions....Nothing beats something personal - whether it be something you make or you find just  the right item for just  the right person in a store.

Big news for A Climb of Chaos ( Volume One of The Kalvel Chronicles ).... There will be five  viewpoint characters in the book. In my cast of characters, I've made decision on who to spotlight (for now) and who will be minor (also for now..this can and will change with each book, though some characters will be consistent.)  It will be told in third person, and each of the five characters gets their own chapter, which will rotate. So when you read the book, it will go "Character A" then the next chapter will be "Character B" and so on, switching up with five different characters.  Through their eyes, you will meet more  characters, who may or may not get their own chapters somewhere through the course of the series.  Good example: Say you meet up with two friends for coffee, Joe and Sara. If someone were writing about You and what You did when You got home afterwards, it would go 'You'. Then 'Joe' then 'Sara'. Then, ba...

Award shows. Love 'em or hate 'em. The two I follow and give a darn about the results are the Emmys and the Oscars. However, Voting for something can be fun too. Here are my choices for the People's Choice Awards. Agree or disagree, here is who / what I voted.

Are you ready??? Get shopping, or prepared for shopping! Start baking! Get them winter tires on! Begin decorating!  If you have not started getting ready for Christmas or winter, now  is the time!!

For those who watch / own Game of Thrones on DVD or blu-ray (PLEASE switch to blu-ray for this show! It's so  worth it!) I have exciting news....

Do you like the new look of the blog? I made it a bit easier on the eyes, plus added my Goodreads widget. It's the season of decoration, so why not decorate my blog a bit?? Also, for those keep track, I've updated my amazon list. It won't change again until 2013, but I'll link it again closer to Christmas. http://www.amazon.ca/registry/wishlist/334OHARFDHZKQ/ref=cm_wl_search_1

I'm almost embarrassed to write this post. Almost . As terrible as the franchise is, one thing they got right, in my mind, is the music. Read on....

I have just  finished reading Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest , the third and final installment in Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy.

Just a quick one-off post during this weekend - more of a break from other things and to get some writing in. I'll be focusing on   Kalvel  (and, of course, especially A Climb of Chaos)  tomorrow and Monday. I am currently reading the third and final book of Stieg Larsson's Trilogy. I'm on page 421 / 563...and the next time I update my Goodreads account I'll most likely finish the book. I do my darndest to get one chapter per day read at the least. I find towards the end of a book I'm reading, I read more and more often. I also do my best not to 'rush' my reading, as  I like to savor the text. But things heat up, sometimes it can't be helped. Once I finish reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest  I'll post a review of sorts of that book, and the trilogy as a whole. That may very well be my next entry. Following Hornet's Nest, I'll be delving into Wheel of Time . When I do another post about that, more of this may re-appear ...

There's a website I use which I may have linked here a couple times - Goodreads. It's definitely for bookworms and is a great way to discover books and other fellow readers. They have nominees up now for you to vote in the first round of awards chosen by readers. To view and vote, head to  http://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2012 There are a few more rounds yet to come...so make sure you vote for your book of choice in hopes of advancing it.  The semifinal round is Nov. 12-17, and the final round is Nov. 19-27.  2009 -  http://www.goodreads.com/award/goodreader/2009 2010 -  http://www.goodreads.com/award/choice/2010 2011 -  http://www.goodreads.com/award/choice/2011 Check out the various categories...you may find some books that you may be interested in.

Today tickets for The Hobbit: Part 1  went on sale...and I got mine. There are many theatres chains, services to get your tickets. Online is most likely the easiest and best through that theatre's website. Of course, there's always visiting the theatre itself.  I got mine through Empire Theatres (Canadian Chain) for the "The Empire Extra" version. Reserved seats. It's pretty sweet - bye bye line-ups. This film is available in a variety of formats. Courtesy to TheOneRing.net for providing this list of what's where : http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/11/07/64780-complete-listing-of-theaters-showing-hobbit-hfr-3d-imax-3d-imax-dolby-atmos/  All in all, make sure you see the film theatrically...as movies such as these is why  we (still) have movie theatres.  If you're not sure what HFR is.... Frequently Asked Questions about High Frame Rate 3D (HFR 3D): What is High Frame Rate 3D (HFR 3D)? Frame rates are the number of images (fra...

I hope my American readers voted....and I hope they were informed  from a reliable source (not FOX, CNN or NBC, but rather BBC instead, for instance.)  If you didn't vote, you don't have the right to complain of the outcome. 

My Baltimore Ravens have recently won 10 games in a row. This is terrific news. The NYG are having an on-and-off season overall, but the Ravens seem to be faring quite well.  10 in a row is quite an achievement no matter what football, or sports team for that matter, you follow. They play next against Oakland, and I'm sure that'll be an interesting match-up. The only two teams in NFL Football I really like or follow are the Giants and the Ravens. They came close to playing each other last SuperBowl. i'll continue to watch and cheer them both on, but if they play each other.....

What may very well be one of the most anticipated soundtracks (and movies, of course) ever is The Hobbit: Part 1 .

There's a nasty storm coming up...are you ready? Details found:  http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/storm_watch_stories3&stormfile=Hurricane_Sandy__A__mammoth__storm__27_10_2012?ref=stormwatch_home

The cover for Daniel Abraham's third out of five books in the Dagger and Coin  series has been revealed. The book is called The Tyrant's Law  (formerly The Poisoned Sword ) and is coming in May 2013.

This is a bit late because my copy of the season arrived today!   Mad Men  Season 5 is now out to buy on DVD / blu-ray. Good for those who have all the other seasons, and / or those who don't have AMC. "What about us?" Netflix users ask, well I'd say season 5 should be on around Christmas....?  The show is still going strong (some say this was the best season yet) and no surprise - it's one of TV's best dramas, and shows overall.   

I enjoy listening to music. I like to listen to it when I'm on the bus for a long time, through headphones (not 'earbuds', headphones) when I'm in bed not reading, not sleeping and not with "company". This post is about what music I usually have on while I'm writing my book.

I won a book off of Goodreads!

The Hedge Knight As you may well be aware by now, I can't wait to read The Winds Of Winter , the next book (Book Six) in George R.R. Martin's Ice and Fire  series. It won't be coming this year. Or next. But here are some other things by George R.R. Martin to whet your appetite...

Walking Dead  returns tonight...season 3 starts with the episode called 'Seed'. Lots to look forward to - Micchone. The Governor.

Stephen King's new Dark Tower book, Wind Through the Keyhole , is coming out (in the format I have the rest of the series in) on Feb. 26, 2013. 

Today I was at the comic store, and I noticed some Walking Dead  releases I'll report on....

I'm bringing something "new" to the table with my book series. What I'm calling the "interlogue". Let me explain.

Up here in the Great North is Thanksgiving weekend. Today is my sister's birthday (Happy Birthday!) The weekend will be a fun and eventful one. - Today: my boss at work had a retirement luncheon, so we headed to a nearby pub to celebrate. This evening and tonight is my sister's Birthday dinner, cake and presents. - Sunday: Thanksgiving dinner at a friends' place with the family. Always good times. Aside from that, I'm hoping to finish the book I'm reading, The Girl Who Played With Fire . I want  to finish by the end of Monday. I'm in no hurry, but that's my goal. Following that book I'll start reading The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest . Also, I want to do some more writing for my novel, A Climb of Chaos . I want to write a chapter (an 'interlogue' for a future book) work on another, and possibly start another  one; as well as jot down any random ideas that come to mind. Finally, I plan to start outlining my short story that I pl...

Most likely my most anticipated materialistic item in the forseeable future, is Book Six of Ice and Fire , Winds of Winter by George R.R. Martin. Wouldn't you believe it, I have a slight update...

No, this is not me creating posts to get higher numbers, either from visitors or number of posts I have made. I made an entry a while ago (  http://insurrbution.blogspot.ca/2012/09/new-editions-for-wheel-of-time.html  ) and mentioned then that some of the later books don't have ISBN #s yet or release dates. Well, each time I find one I'll update the older post and make a 'reminder' (like THIS entry) pointing you there. With that said.... There is now a listing for Crown of Swords  - it's coming June 18, 2013 in the new trade paperback format. See the Wheel of Time  post for the ISBN, as well as info about the first six books. 

It's that time of year again...movies are coming up! So what do I want to see?

All right, Dexperts, it's finally here - season 7 starts tonight, with the first episode of the season titled 'Are You...?' 

Wow. Hard to believe that this  is my 100th post. It may sound cliche, but it feels like just another one...

Finally, the end has come for the Wheel of Time series. After about 20 years and 14 books, the ending will be revealed (in hardcover and audiobook) in January 2013.

Last night was the Emmy Awards. Here are the winners, and my reaction....

Looking for a new book?  http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/8353980-jeffrey?shelf=try-these

In case you haven't seen it yet, here's the trailer -  http://www.thehobbit.com/index.html#content=video&media=sting

There's an NHL lockout. The above photo is a 'spoof' (though it's no laughing matter) of the logo for 'Hockey Night in Canada'. Sad, bad news for Canadian hockey watchers and lovers. Suffice to say, there's a void. But I plan to (attempt to) fill my void with.... I'll be watching Ravens, Giants and Jets games. I usually only watch NFL football games during playoffs or the SuperBowl itself, or if there's one on in a pub or something. Turns out I'll be watching more regular season games, due to no NHL and a more passive TV schedule, excluding Netflix, (I still watch my shows and all, but Dexter is the only one I'll be tuning in to watch RIGHT away...Boardwalk, Walking Dead and anything else (Big Bang and Fringe)) that has a returning season I'll watch whenever.

Tonight at 9 on HBO, Boardwalk Empire  returns, with the first episode of season 3. The name of the episode is "Resolution". 

Well, I had hoped that Writer's Weekly would become Writer's Wednesday...but life happens and sometimes I can't make the weekly Wednesday deadline. So, 'Writer's Weekly' it is.

On occasion I mention that I have a wishlist up on Amazon.ca. I still do, but wanted to let you know that it's been updated slightly. You may notice the same items being on it. These are things I want to get until...well, I eventually have them! The point of this is to show you my tastes, and also if I have any readers or friends who wish to gift me something for birthday, Christmas, etc...or just because, they can buy the item off of the list through the link, pay for it, and it'll get sent to me. Hand if you live in another part of the country, or another country. I'm not expecting anything at all. Call it a shopping list for myself that I want you to see. The list is here:  http://www.amazon.ca/registry/wishlist/334OHARFDHZKQ/ref=cm_wl_search_1 It can be viewed by 'type' (book, music...) or how badly I want the items. Blu-rays are at the bottom because sad to say, I don't have a blu-ray player yet, or even a HD TV (LED is what I'm after)! But those ...

If you've seen this post:  http://insurrbution.blogspot.ca/2012/07/quick-look-on-fantasy-horizon.html  , I mention some fantasy books coming up. Well, call this the 'sequel' post to that one. As a recap, plus a bit more.... Tyrant's Law  ( Dagger and Coin   3 ) by Daniel Abraham - This one is due out May of 2013 Memory of Light ( Wheel of Time  Book 14) by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson - Hardcover coming Jan 2013...I get them in paperback so I'm predicting Dec. 2013 or Jan 2014 for that format to be released. Winds of Winter (Ice and Fire  Book Six) by George R.R. Martin - My guess is 2014. I don't want to rush the man, but would love him to finish his books on his own terms without worrying about the HBO adaptaion pressuring him. If he's able to see all the Dunk and Egg stories through as well, I would be very happy and let him be in peace. If Winds  comes out 2014, I'm guessing the final book will be 2016-2018. Collection of t...

One of the things that's neat about George R.R. Martin's Ice and Fire  books is the story moves forward and backwards (by a gradual reveal of the history before the books begin) at the same time. That said, consider this article a spoiler if you have not read Dance With Dragons  :  http://thewertzone.blogspot.ca/2012/09/the-full-story-of-targaryen-conquest-in.html  It goes into the story of the Targaryens, and will be part of the World of Ice and Fire  book due out in 2013. The URL for that blog is  http://thewertzone.blogspot.ca/  The poster covers the same areas I do here, plus more. It seems there's a post every 1-3 days. More 'full time' I suppose. There's some good articles there, have a look.

The Hobbit: Part 1 - December 14, 2012 The Hobbit: Part 2 - December 13. 2013 The Hobbit: Part 3  - July 18, 2014

It's not exactly new news, but The Wheel of Time  series is being re-released in paperback.

I've been using Netflix for about a month now, give or take a week or two. Here are some things I found that interest me, which I never seen before...

Earlier this week, my copy of House Season 8 on DVD arrived from Amazon. That will be the last time I get a season of the show, as it's the final one. That means no more tuning into FOX Monday nights. Now, it's time to reflect...

A few days ago, I finished reading Mockingjay , the third and final book in the Hunger Games  Trilogy. For what I thought of the series, you know what to do...