(soon….very soon)
September: it was the most beautiful of words, he’d always felt,
evoking orange-flowers, swallows, and regret.
~Alexander Theroux
Although I am thoroughly enjoying the pseudo-Autumn that has been created partially by the recent cool weather and partially by my own mind, I am looking forward to the leaves turning and all the other joys of the authentic Autumn. I know one shouldn’t wish the time away. I just wish that on September 1st Autumn would pick Summer up by the scuff of his neck and kick his butt right out the front door. I can’t complain, so far, so good.
But since I am looking forward I might as well mention other things I am looking forward to. Besides The Prestige and the theatrical re-release of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D there don’t seem to be as many fall films that I am excited about. I hope that changes as more films get put in the fall rotation. I am, however, awaiting the September 26th release of two wonderful items:
The first is the release of The Lake House on DVD. Mary and I saw this in its theatrical release and fell hard for its blissful romance (review here). The setting of the film makes it a perfect autumn release and I haven’t enjoyed Sandra Bullock in a movie so much since While You Were Sleeping.
The second, though the one I am most excited about, is a new book by none other than Neil Gaiman.
Fragile Things is Gaiman’s latest collection of short stories and, to my mind, it has been a long time coming. If you have read any of the stories in Smoke and Mirrors then you know just how wonderful Neil Gaiman’s short stories can be. I have no doubt that there will be some stories that will fit quite nicely in with the R.I.P. Challenge!
I hope there are no delays…on September 26th I plan to hit Barnes and Noble and then walk next door to Best Buy to pick up my treasures!
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If you are a fan of the Series of Unfortunate Events you might be interested in this companion book to the series, The Beatrice Letters, which should be on shelves any day. It may be there now. It purportedly has secret information that ties in with the October release of the last (13th) book in the series, The End. This has been a fun series made all the more wonderful because of the cover and interior illustrations by Brett Helquist. He is amazing!!!
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I cannot tell you how thrilled I am at the level of participation in the R.I.P. Challenge. The goal was to share my love of eerie fiction and I hoped that some would join in to share other similar books that I may not have read and to generate some conversation about these type of books over the next few months. I am, quite frankly, overwhelmed and excited. The list of books I’d like to read has exploded because of this. Tonight at 5 p.m. Central Standard Time is the deadline to sign up for the prize drawings but it is not the deadline for joining R.I.P. It lasts until October 31st and I hope people continue to join in.
I had said the number of prizes would depend on the response and since the response is phenomenal there will be more than one prize given away tonight. I’m not sure how many as I am still planning on exactly what I am going to do. I also want to give away at least one prize at the end of the challenge to be drawn out of the list of people who actually finish the challenge. Of course this is all based on the honor system but I have to say that I have alot of faith in people who cherish the act of reading.
My plan is to do some sort of R.I.P. newsletter once or twice (or more depending on time) during this challenge that I would both post here and mail out to everyone’s email address. It would be something fun and fitting for the theme and may include links to the book reviews that you do on your R.I.P. books. Reviews aren’t required but I do know some of you will do them and I want everyone to have a chance to read them if you post them.
I also want to put together a comprehensive list of all the books that people chose for the R.I.P. Challenge as it will be a marvelous resource for future book choices. There are so many eerie books to read that I hope to make this a yearly event.
Thank you all again and happy, scary reading!!!
So you didn’t like Bullock in Miss Congeniality? 🙂
I have yet to read a Neil Gaiman book (I know) – but this should be remedied soon.
I’m also looking forward to catching The Lakehouse on DVD since I didn’t make it to the theatre to see it. Keri and I are also Sandra fans although not Keanu so much. As you also know I can’t wait to crack into Fragile Things either.
I’ve liked Sandra Bullock in alot of her films, Anne, but this one and Sleeping were my favorites because of the romance element.
The temptation with Fragile Things, especially if the stories are mostly good, will be to buy the book AND the audio collection. I want to read them myself first…that whole ‘holding the book in your hand’ thing…but I love to listen to Neil read his stories and since all of them are on the CD its hard to resist. Maybe that will have to be a later purchase.
I propose that you organize reading challenges for the remaining seasons as well. I think you’re obviously on to something good here my friend.
I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes. There is a Summer Reading Challenge that I intend to join in on next year and someone on one of the sites suggested a Winter Classics challenge to start after the R.I.P. one and I will definitely throw my vote in on that one.
Just like the October Tart’s dinner, I am happy to be able to have my favorite season and share it with others!
Thanks for the compliments though!!! 😉
I’m so glad to hear you are going to put a list together of the books chosen. I know I’ll be using that for future reference. Thank you!!
It will be a daunting but rewarding task. I plan on including everything anyone even mentioned they might read so that we can have a long, complete, temptation-inducing list!!!
Great site. GOt here to late to join you in your chalange but I will be participating in spirt. Just got a gift cert. to the book store and am off to see what I can find to fit the mood.
As for fall I can’t wait to get out there and hike under the beautiful leaves. The smell of crisp fresh air and the crunch of leaves under foot.
Great site! (first time here)
I love the idea of a newsletter! And a comprehensive list of books chosen for the R.I.P challege. I can hardly wait for my books to arrive so I can get started!
It isn’t too late Sandra…or anyone else. Hence the part in my post that says that it isn’t too late! 😉 Sign up!
I have some books I am waiting on as well Jen…that’s the worst thing about buying books online. Yes, you get a discount, but the waiting is annoying!!!
New Neil Gaiman book! *squee!*
Still on track for R.I.P. – though I will have to take a hiatus, probably, while I am in Japan from the 13th – 23rd. Still, I should have 3 of at – least – five – and – hopefully – six under my belt by then. Posts on them to come – though today’s is a book post, it’s a selection of 5 YA novels I like rather than an R.I.P. review. (I was being a bit lazy…I have no other excuse. ;))
Hey, you’ll get no tongue-lashing for laziness here! I have several book reviews that I haven’t completed.
Can’t wait for Lake House.. saw it at a discount theater, but we were like 15min late. So missed the whole beginning! Great movie tho.
I hate missing any part of a movie at the theatre….of course at a discount theatre its not quite as bad.
I’m having a great time with this challenge, Carl. Thanks for coming up with the idea and putting so much effort into it! I love the idea of a newsletter, too.
I must say, Carl, that you are just amazing! This whole RIP idea is great and then to do a newsletter and list besides. It’s awesome. Thank-you so much. I am waiting on 3 books myself. Today I start on Dracula.
Didn’t see Lake House, but definitely excited to check it out. Loved Unfortunate Events. AND will be checking out the new Gaiman book.
Like I said in my review…at least I think I did…the Lake House, with its slower pacing, may not be for everyone but Mary and I really enjoyed it.
I’m having fun with the challenge as well. The list of books is quite long and the first newsletter should be out soon.
Been wanting to see Lake House and missed it at the theater…I didn’t realize it was coming out on DVD so quickly. I shall hie myself over to Netflix to see if it can be added ahead of time! 😀
In other news 😉 I figured out how to indicate what I’ve read on my RIP challenge so far–I’m listing “finished” after the title on the list on my blog.
I look forward to a RIP newsletter, if you can swing it. How much fun it would be to see the list!
A new book from Neil Gaiman? Yippy!
I never get to movies in the theater anymore! Thanks for the heads up on the Lake House. I wanted to see this one–I will also be heading over to Netflix! Are the Lemony Snicket books good? I think I have one of the earlier ones….yes, unread….And thanks for putting together a list of all the books everyone is reading–great idea!!
Love the leaves photo by the way!
Read my first RIP book, Everyman by Philip Roth! It is all about death, with opening sceen at a funeral, yet it doesn’t meet the eerie requirement. Hope you can forgive me. Roth does include a couple of pages on the art of digging graves! 🙂
Here’s my first review…http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2006/09/everyman-copy.html
Thanks for doing this!
Oops, typo…scene!
If its about death, Maggie, I would say that it fits the bill.
Thanks Danielle…wish I had taken the leaves photo as it is a beauty.
I like the Lemony Snicket books. They are fun though a bit repetitive. Really good sense of humor throughout and I like the various running gags/themes that continue through the series. If you don’t want to read through them all I highly recommend a trip to the library to get them on CD. Almost all of them are performed by Tim Curry and they are so entertaining. He is a fantastic reader.
I want to see the Lake House. It may be time to sign back up for Netflix.
I’m going to buy it when it comes out so you guys are welcome to either come over and watch it or borrow it. And my prices are cheaper than Netflix! You actually think you’re going to have time to watch movies now that football season is starting and your hubby is in Fantasy Football? 😉
as i was driving through my neighborhood last night, i saw that some of the leaves were already starting to change color! so pretty.. can’t wait..
My mom (they live in Nebraska) was saying that some of her plants were turning already…I hope autumn temps continue to hold sway in September. I hate those late Sept. heat surges that sometimes come up.
Hi Carl, I really like your site!! I am really interested in finding out about your book interests!!
I love the September picture, that is so-o great. Have you ever heard of the book September, while it may be considered a woman’s read, the cover of the book is enough to just have it out sitting around. By the way, your house looked beautiful that day!
Thanks Elizabeth. Nope I haven’t heard of the book but I will at it online to see the cover.
And thanks for the kind words about our messy house (at least it was messy to us). Someday we’ll have to have you and the D’s over when it is actually clean!
I just ready Coraline by Neil Gaiman. My daughter got to it before I did, read it and loved it! She said it really “creeped her out”. I thought it was sufficiently creepy and loved the heroine. I could not stop thinking that Tim Burton could make an amazing movie out of this book.
Another book (they just keep coming, don’t they?) that I thought of is Hotel Paradise by Martha Grimes. Very different from her Richard jury books, it has all the elements: spooky houses, quirky characters, mysterious death of a young girl many years before the story beigns, and an elusive spectral lady who appears infrequently but only to Emma….
Really enjoying this challenge. Tuesday I’m doing a brief book review for a group of seniors and have decided to talk about The Historian, one of my challenge books.
I’m so glad I found this site! Or I should say, so glad Jenclair found it & led me to it!
Thanks Deborah, glad you are enjoying the challenge and that you enjoyed Coraline. The producer of Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach, Henry Selick, is currently filming Coraline and it is scheduled for release next year. Should be very fun!
The Grimes book sounds very interesting. Hope your book review goes well!