Talisman

Me neither - it takes as long as it takes ...

People who think that texting is communication and people who won't look you in the eye and tell you the truth.

When is it on, I would like to watch this?

I am a man in medieval Iceland (in all likelihood a real historical figure), who has recently returned from a trading (and raiding) expedition to Norway. I have returned with an Irish slave woman who is now my mistress. I thought she was mute but she has turned out to be an Irish Princess who is more than capable of speech. She is very beautiful, which is why my wife doesn't like her!

The one that upset me the most was Aztec by Gary Jennings which I read as a teenager. It was so sickening that I got about a third of the way through and could not continue. The book is regarded as a classic, but it was too bloodthirsty for me - even though I am interested in the Mesoamerican peoples and their history.

That is a serious load of books Kylie - I hope mine is at least one of them. You know I'm joking right - all this esoteric stuff isn't everyone's thing My TBR pile is relatively small at the moment - around 3 books which were bought at my last trip to Waterstones and which I am yet to read. My TBR pile changes though, as I often re-read or intend to re-read books. At the moment because I am starting to think about saving to go to Iceland next year,. I am re-reading some of my Icelandic sagas. Fascinating stuff, full of blood ties and feuds with limbs and heads flying through the air !

I haven't read the book, but went to see the film which I loved. In fact you have all just reminded me it's on at our village cinema club this Sunday - so I can go to see it again.

The only autobiography I have ever read was Charlie Chaplin's, which was a fascinating read. To be honest, I am not that interested in this type of book, it just isn't my cup of tea. There are too many of them now imo.

Me neither - I expect I will get one at some point though. I had an email from Waterstones today as well telling me about the new e-readers - one is a mini one and one has a touch screen and comes with a stylus for highlighting text and moving around the page. Better start saving !

I am a woman in her early 30's who is married to a succesful but rather boring and workaholic banker. I am on holiday in Spain with my free spirited and single parent best friend, to learn flamenco.

Apart from Carry On's and Charlie Chaplin films (you can't beat the old fashioned silent movies), my favourites are films with a spiritual element that make you think and question - films that have a real good story and can be viewed in many different ways. Some of my favourites include American Beauty, Life is Beautiful and What Dreams May Come. Of course there are also the Babylon 5 and Star Trek films - First Contact and Star Trek V (the one about the whales) are my favourites.

I am English through and through (I actually don't like that term, but much prefer British). I was born and brought up in the town of Epsom in Surrey and haven't moved far from the area. My parents were both Eastenders and Cockneys - Mum from Dalston and Dad from East Ham.

I love experimenting with all kinds of effects on my camera Echo. I have always loved photography, since getting my first SLR when I was 19. I am without a camera at the moment as I managed to break the screen while I was visiting Lundy at the moment (it is being repaired and was thankfully insured - my ex employers were good for some things!). Talking of Lundy, I have set up a new Picassa album with images from the latest visit (one month ago, was it really that long), which can be seen here. There are even some of me in there ... http://picasaweb.google.com/Lundywoman/Lundy# Here are some as well from the village in which I live http://picasaweb.google.com/Lundywoman/BoxHill#

I buy loads of books from unknowns - after all, we all have to start somewhere and I am old enough and wise enough to know that a first novel is very rarely what it says - but more often a third or even fourth one, the previous ones not having been actually published. It takes many years after all to perfect this craft and for most writers several attempts at writing before publication is achieved. Even JK Rowling had to start somewhere. The bottom line for me is that if the book looks and sounds interesting and is the right price, then I will buy it. It doesn't matter who wrote it or how famous or well known they are - the writing is all counts.

sounds nice ! We are having cheese and leek sausages with mash, onion gravy and sprouting brocolli. The oven is heating up as I type.

Not sure what we will be having yet - we have a choice of jacket spuds with cheese, pasta, sausage and mash (will probably have that tomorrow), or stuffed courgettes with cherry tomatoes, black olives and goats cheese.

I am two thirds of the way through this book at the moment, and it is brilliant - I can hardly put it down and can't wait to see what happens.

I read it when it first came out - it was an okay book - very short and quick read. It was okay, but I wasn't that enamoured - it was a bit over rated in my opinion.

the usual chocolate and crisps for me - or sometimes cheese and biscuits.

The number one which I forgot to mention (Sue K's reference to bad editing reminded me) is people who insist (without a lot of the time having actually read any) that self published books are poorly written and edited - or that if they were any good they would have been picked up by a gate keeper (sorry - traditional publisher), also those who label such books as vanity press (the true vanity press imo are celebrity memoirs amd ghost written novels), which brings me to yet another peeve ...

egg, chips and peas for us.

Waterstones without a doubt - they have the right mix of core stock (supplied via Head Office) and stock supplied through wholesalers, giving the self publishers and local authors a chance to at least get into their local branch without having to run the gauntlet of gormless buyers who demand huge discounts and take months to pay you. The stores are clean, tidy and well organised and the staff knowledgeable and friendly. They have branches everywhere which are easy to get to and a website which is easy to navigate and stocks more than best selling paperbacks. They have offers which are equal to everyone else's and best of all, have their own loyalty card.