I know that lately it seems that I haven't talked nearly enough about any of the books that I have been reading. Yes, I have been reading, just not writing about the damn books. Problem is, even to write a half-assed review of a book, it takes a good chunk of my time and brain cells. It got even tougher once I started that Writing For Children course, and will continue to be a challenge, since I have now managed to get into the advanced class, which starts in about two weeks. And on top of that, I've got three major illustration projects on the go (one of them another trade picture book – yippee!!), as well as some other educational book illo jobs, too. I know, I know – cry me a river, no one's putting a gun to my head and making me write this blog. But I want to continue to create an interesting place here – it's just that sometimes I just won't be able to write as much as I'd like. I'm utterly amazed at the countless passionate book bloggers out there who manage to post every day, while also taking part in numerous reading challenges. How the hell do you guys do it? Are you people on steroids?? Perhaps I should report you to the authorities. Anyway, all this blather is my way of saying that one of my goals for
the new year will be to post more often, and get back into talking
about the books I'm reading (since this blog is like, um, called
'BookLust'. Maybe I should rename it BrainFriedLust or something).
Actually, a few weeks ago I was asked by Steven Beattie of That Shakespeherian Rag fame to email him a list of my fave reads of 2007, so he could post them on his blog. Many people took part, but of course, disorganized and stressed-because-it's-almost-Christmas person that I am, I never got around to writing up a list. So that's what I will attempt to do in the next few weeks – write up about the books (fiction, non-fiction, short stories, picture books, etc) that I really enjoyed last year. I'll also mention some of the duds and disappointments, too (thankfully there weren't too many). So, without further ado, the first of many books that rocked my 2007:
The Line Painter
Claire Cameron
HarperCollins 2007
I have Steven Beattie to thank for bringing this gem to my attention. And really, I should have got off my ass and mentioned this book months ago. Because author Claire Cameron deserves so very much praise and attention. This is her first book, and I cannot wait to read anything else she writes, including grocery lists and maybe even especially her secret diaries. (Care to share, Claire?) She's ten years younger than me, and has lived 10 lifetimes more than me. She studied history and culture at Queen's University, and has worked as an instructor teaching mountaineering, climbing and white-water rafting. She also managed to found a company called Shift Media while living in London England – a company that has some pretty impressive clients like the BBC and Oxford University Press. And of course, she has written this amazing novel. Oh yes, the novel. It seems like a rather ordinary story at first – Carrie's car breaks down on a highway late at night somewhere in the Canadian North, and the only person who can help her out is this guy Frank, who is a line painter. You know, those guys who actually paint the lines on the roads. They do exist. But very soon you realize that both Carrie and Frank are carrying some pretty dark secrets, and the demons that they are battling slowly begin to come to the surface, which affects their relationship in a not-so-pleasant way. This book is a gripping and extremely suspenseful study of human frailties at their most honest and unpleasant levels. Claire's writing is clean and concise and cuts to the bone with it's almost at times shocking authenticity. Carrie and Frank are real people, and as ugly as they both become at times, you still care for them, and hurt for them. This is a must read book. You will not be able to put it down. I love the recommendation that Canadian author Andrew Pyper wrote on the cover: "The Line Painter fires along on it's lean language and propulsive suspense, the kind of story you could swallow whole." Yeah. What that guy said. And on top of the extremely suspenseful story and great character development, you learn all about the fascinating world of line-painting. Definitely worth the price of admission. Oh, and check out this excellent interview with Claire on Steven Beattie's blog. But seriously, get the book. You will devour it whole and be screaming for more at the end.
