Stealing time for the Queen and King of Attolia

Ugh. Is there any greater torture than writing an NIH grant? I don't think so. That's what I've been writing for the past month and I'm lucky my hair is still attached to my scalp. I also edited two manuscripts for Allen Press, which although weren't difficult, were assigned right as I came down with stomach flu. So, have I written anything fun lately? Nope. I'm taking a break from academic writing for a while though, so I should be able to finish the proposal for Lady General within the next two weeks and then get back to Windwatchers.

Part of my decompression routine is to read a book, or in this case, three. The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia served as a wonderful escape. Megan Whalen Turner did a brilliant job writing suspenseful stories with surprise endings. She wove a living Greek-like pantheon of Gods and Goddesses into a vibrant world of political intrique and rich cultural traditions that makes me hope she has a sequel in mind. You can't help loving Eugenides, the Thief who can steal anything. Whether he's stealing an artifact, a victory, a person, or someone's heart, he does it with style and nobility. If I write any more, I'll spoil the endings, so I won't. Just pick up a copy and read them for yourself. If you love good, clean, adventure stories with multi-layered plots, these books are for you.