Acesare*

Actually, to be completely honest, although Spankmankle really is an alter ego of mine, I didn't come up with the name, my Brother did and I don't actually know where it came from. Now, as for my *: Basically, long story short, I was in York with a group of people I'd met on the internet, when a young chap in our party collapsed from drinking far too much. I held him in the recovery position while he thrashed about regardless and prevented him from injuring himself (he was semi-conscious and was trying to fight who knows what!) until the ambulance arrived. I went with him to the hospital, waited there until 4am, went back to my hotel then walked back to the hospital to pick him up at 6am. I dragged him back to my hotel room and sat with him until he'd slept off the worst of it. I ended up with grazed knuckles (from holding his head off the ground) and completely covered in vomit, and was awared my little *:. Jo xx

The * is supposed to be a gold star, and I was awarded it for (kinda) saving someone's life. I'll tell you the story tomorrow - I'm about to be kicked off line. :gnight: Jo xx

Oh, and the story behind Acesare is really boring. I was at work. There was a powercut and I was think about how I wanted a new internet name to fool my mates online. I was playing cards and decided that they might hold the inspiration. I considered various Queens, Jack, Hearts, etc, then thought it would be quite cool to have a name that could be shortened to Ace. I started thinking "What are Aces? Aces are . . .High? No. Aces are . . . Low? Nah. Aces are . . . ? Aces are . . . ? Ah! Acesare! Really dull, huh? :ns: Now, the story about how I got my other internet ID, Spankmankle, is more interesting . . . . Jo xx

I assume you mean venture into fiction by other authors. Actually, I am considering it (when I said I am considering some more, I meant different types of book, not just non-fiction). I'm going to stay comfy until I go home to my parents at Christmas, then I think I'll raid my Dad's bookcase, maybe read some Dan Brown, Terry Pratchet, or at least steal back the 3 King books Dad borrowed from me! Jo xx

I actually have some books to add to my reading list! I'm currently reading "Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking", then I have: Cat Confidential by Vicky Halls (I am completely in love with cats so had to get this) From the Edge of the Couch by Raj Persaud (accounts of psychiatric episodes in real people) Going for a little bit of Non-Fiction at the moment, and when those two are done, I might find some more! Jo xx

Mike was certainly still in residence when I went there, but that was probably 4 1/2 years ago now. I'll get on to my friend and ask him. He's a real book collector and I've been trying to get him to come on here since the place started, but he's got exams coming up in December so he hasn't the time yet. Perhaps when he has the time, a former Kirkcaldy resident to chat to will be an added incentive! He's heading up there for Christmas, so I'll get him to check Smithies for you! Jo xx

:omg: !! I am having the weirdest day! Kirkcaldy has invaded my life! I've just finished messaging someone on the IIH forum who lives in Kirkcaldy, and then I find out that you've lived there too! :shock: My ex (and now best friend) is from Kirkcaldy, and I've been up there loads! I've even been to Smithies on Karaoke night (I didn't sing though). This old world just keeps getting smaller! Jo xx

This is going to be tricky - I read this book about 10 years ago, and I'm increasingly sure that I never finished it . . . Snitter, a Jack Russell terrier, has been sold to an animal research laboratory and have under gone brain surgery leading to a an inability to differentiate between what is real and what is only imagination. Snitter manages to escape the facility with Rowf, a rather cynical black labrador. They end up andering the countryside torn between a desire to find a master and the urge to become feral and fend for themselves. Unfortunately, rumour begins to circulate amongst the human population that these dogs are actually carriers of the Black Death, and soon the local farming community are scouring the fields with shotguns. This book is far darker than Adams's most famous book, Watership Down, as the subject matter is far more brutal, and is quite difficult to get into at first (probably why I gave up). However, it is excellently written and is lauded as the greatest book he has created. There are a number of parallels that can be drawn from this book to the feelings of isolation and persecution the misunderstood have to face daily, and there are definately lessons to be learned here. Adams has a way of identifying with the animals, giving them their own voice and clearly expressing their emotions and the fact that hey do have emotions. He tells the reader something which an awful lot of humans need to learn

Thanks for the compliment, Michelle. I've written the odd poem, but I'm not great with the ideas for stories - I'm a bit too practical and logical. I'm great at spouting nonsense though! Jo xx

I used to live in Earls Court where the foreign student population is at its highest. I lived in the same room for 18 months and in that time approximately 35 - 40 people came and went in the other rooms - I never met another person who was British. The closest I got was an Irish girl, and at one stage we had 3 or 4 Canadians. I was the only person with a job there too!! Jo xx

I am also from London (unfortunately), and I can confirm that the streets are paved with cement-plated gold - only found in this fair city. I am a dying breed in London - I am British. Unfortunately, this does mean that I am unable to speak any of the local dialects and speak only to myself when out in public. Londoniers are strange folk indeed - this very morning I spied one wandering down the busy Street to Oxford (where usually only visitors dare to tread). This creature, a female I believe, stalked the streets with bare feet, shouting obscenities at the plastic people displayed behind glass. It was raining, which is normal. I live in a rare, treeless wood called Crickle, and travel about in a large red monster with the numbers 1, 8 and 9 emblazoned on the front. Many such beasts roam the city, each with it's own number and coachman. There are also smaller black creatures called Tacksees, which obey no laws, travel at great speed and go where they wish. These Tacksees are minded by oddly dressed men who speak in riddles and call everyone 'Guvner'. Some pedestrians will try to step in front of these beasts, they are commonly known as lemmings and are often found crossing roads at busy junctions without looking. When visiting London, be sure to keep an eye out for The Royal Family - a clan of highly paid hermits with no known purpose. You may also see that tap dancing Mr Blair and his friends. They are an interesting bunch that know only what they tell each other and play a constant game of 'Mr Bush says' with some American fellow. London can be a scary place, so come prepared with the usual visitors equipment of oversized map (perfect for blocking pavements), camera, plastic poncho and giant rucksack to take up as much room as possible on the always empty Underground snake line. Enjoy! Jo xx

There is a book I want to read, and it's not by Stephen King!!! :omg: My Dad's reading it at the moment and I saw the picture on the front and read the blurb while I was visiting my parents at the weekend. I HAVE to get that book. Now, if I could just remember what it was called and who wrote it, I'll be right there! :book: Actually, might swing by Waterstones on the way home . . . Jo xx

Ok, I'm a big, fat, wimp! Jo xx

I've finally got around to posting my book list. Here goes! Jo xx

A couple of years ago I was living with my boyfriend and his extensive library and asked him to choose a book for me. This was a huge gamble for him as he know just how small my sphere of interest is, but he recomended 'Blott on the Landscape' by Tom Sharpe and I haven't looked back! Tom Sharpe is able to write the type of book that makes you laugh out loud, and has, on many occasions, cause me to receive a number of dodgy looks on the bus before now! He starts with a fairly normal situation with perhaps a few 'eccentric' characters and a series of coincidences, misunderstandings and over reactions lead to situations that have left me gob-smaked! If you are so far not acquainted, I can recommend any of his stuff, but should advise that, as most were written in the 70s, some of the language may seem rather non-PC now, espcially 'The Great Escape' set in a very divided South Africa. Jo xx

I do know my King novels, but I cheated with all the future publications stuff - http://www.stephenking.com/index_flash.php Oh, and another Dark Tower related book is Insomnia which explains more about the Crimson King (there's also the Mike Hanlon/Derry link to IT). Jo xx

Other books you might like to read (connected to the Dark Tower Series) are Hearts in Atlantis (Low Men in Yellow Coats) which is HUGELY connected to the last book in the series, plus Desperation. Also, Father Callahan is in Salem's Lot (yes, the same character), so you can find out what happened to him prior to his arrival in the Dark Tower Series. IT mentions the Turtle (a guardian of the beams), and you can also read another story about Roland in the short stories book Everything's Eventual (Little Sisters of Eluria). King also has another 2 books due for publication called 'Cell' (US - February 2006) and 'Lisey's Story (US - November 2006). Nighmares & Dreamscaoes is going to be a TV series (US only, I think). NB. The Tailsman is being made into a film and is currently in pre-production, and Desperation has been made and should be screened (on TV, made by abc) in the US in May. Jo xx (AKA She who knows all about King - aparently!)

General Dogs Body - I'm the manager of our Directorate's support team and as such, if nobody wants to deal with something, I get it. I get all the rubbish to deal with. I love my job Jo xx

Weird - I thought I'd posted here - must have been a previous board incarnation. I am a HUGE King fan. I own most of his books and have read all of them (except Firestarter, which I hated) at least 4 times. My favourite has to be a close call between The Stand, IT and The Green Mile - all three books are very well written and very emotive. Do read IT, Louise, it's a brilliant book and a gripping read. And I think that the Dark Tower series are great, although I found the ending was a real let down. It seems like King couldn't think of a way to end it and had run out of steam for the big final showdown, so he rushed and then took an easy way out. Booo! Jo xx

As the 50+ members of my stuffed animal menagerie cannot read, I am the only reader in my ickle flat. When I lived at home, it was my Dad and I who did all the reading and we have very similar tastes (I stole his Stephen King collection when I left home!). Neither of us can sleep without reading for at least an hour before bed. I'd hazard a guess that I read more than him now, because I deliberately get the bus to and from work rather than the tube, so I can spend an extra 2 hours reading a day. Jo xx

I've plumped for 'told by a friend' as I followed on from the discussion on the IIH board that started this whole thing! Jo xx

Well I enjoyed this book. Very interesting plot - fictional characters arriving in our world. I also think Straub did a good job creating atmosphere and easily visualised the environment. I didn't find I felt much for the characters, although I did understand their motives and I don't think it lessened my enjoyment of the book. Jo xx

I'm afraid I finished this and had already moved on to "lost boy lost girl" before I discovered it's the next reading circle book! "In the Night Room" certainly would have made more sense having read "lost boy lost girl" first, but I'm finding "lblg" a far more interesting read having read "ItNR"! Suddenly parts of both books come together at once and it's twice the joy! I did enjoy this month's book, but I do quite like Straub (even though he can make tricky reading at times), although Cyrax's e-mails did become annoying, and I'm not sure I get what WCHWHLLDN's name really meant. Jo xx

CHAPTER 16 Am I the only person actually reading it? I'm not entirely sure what I actually think about this, but is this book just a marketing device? :laugh: Tim Underhill's book that has enraged Kalendar and provoked the e-mails from Cyrax and the dead people is called 'lost boy lost girl', which is a Straub book detailing the tragic life of Tim Underhill following the death of his Sister-in-law and Nephew. Odd, but a common Steven King trick! There was a time I thought King had done another Bachman! Jo xx

I must say, it's nice to be reading a new book after such a long time - I've been re-reading old favourites because I haven't the money to buy new books, nor the energy to find and register with my local library. As I've said, I have read Straub before (Shadowlands, MR X, Floating Dragon, The Talisman and Black House, both co-written with Steven King) and so far, this book is one of the easiest to read - straightforward prose (or maybe that's because I've just finished Mr X which is quite difficult?). An interesting thing I find with Straub is that he doesn't bother with much physical description of the leading protagonists like some authors, he leaves room for your imagination to add faces from the barest hints. He spends a lot of time on situation, circumstance and emotion - fear and suspicion rather than hurt or loss, especially considering the number of friends and family that these 2 people have lost (at least in my mind). Strangely, although I can feel sorrow for Willy and Tim for their pasts, I don't really care a huge amount about them - is this just me? I am not reading a personal discovery, growth or emotional change, I'm not reading to find out about the characters - they are almost irrelevant to the book. I'm intrigued though - what's the story with the e-mails, are they all from dead people? Why has April suddenly appeared and why is Mitchell so secretive? An enjoyable read so far though. Jo xx