Greetings from Ulsan, South Korea

New Zealand's Lochmara Lodge

We always say be careful what you wish for, and be even MORE careful what you write down!
SB and I had a trip planned to come to Seoul in April for 4 days on our way to another destination, and in the manner of all the best laid plans, we got diverted via New Zealand instead. The trip was booked, paid for, and I'd gotten a little ahead of myself and marked South Korea off on my list of countries I'd visited...

Two of Seoul's many contrasts

So, the week after my holiday finished, off I tripped to South Korea for work!! I've been blessed to be here for some of the best weather of the year, and managed to see some stunning sights and experience some uniquely Korean moments.

One of the things I noticed while I was here how many expats have gone to the effort of making really cool blogs of their travels. I know that the basilisk's lounge is always going to be a book-based world, (hah! assuming I ever post!) but I'm thinking it doesn't hurt to add a little more "life" to this, especially since I've not finished much in the way of books this year!!


I'm currently smashing the latest Kate Daniels book "Magic Breaks" from Ilona Andrews - and have managed to keep up to date with Richelle Mead's Bloodlines's series with "Silver Shadows". Because these two series are just way too fabulous not to finish.

I also got stuck in and caught up on my Molly Harper, one of the first urban fanatsy authors I read, it was so cool to go back and catch up with the characters, and remember just how funny Ms. Harper truly is. Her latest "Better Homes and Hauntings" alternated between genuine "can't go to sleep right now because I'm terrified of the things that go bump in the night" and laugh out loud one liners -  the first chapter title and lines of the book is one of the best lines published this year:

"Chapter 1

Ignoring the Frantically Waving Red Flags

Beware all enterprises that start with the purchase of Crocs."

Find one better than that. I dare you.

One of the other activities taking up a heap of time normally dedicated to reading copious numbers of books has been the commencement of my fundraising campaign for Unicef Australia's Cycle For Kids Campaign 2015. I've started training, and more importantly, I've started fundraising. With a big fundraiser happening in just 2 weeks time, I'm mildly freaking out, and I'm hoping that all this half-assed effort is worth it.

How talented is RC?!?!

I've also instituted a swear jar at work, it's raised a heap of money, and I Think before I Swear Now!! Yes, cutting out the swearing altogether would be better... I'm working on it!

So, the moral, I'm going to start using this blog more, as a record of what I've read, where I've been and what my latest fundraising endevour is, so that I can look back on the last half of 2014 and be proud of everything I achieved.

If not, well, at least I procrastinated with something useful tonight!

Greetings from our new location.

What an insane 6 months...
Right after posting my new years resolution, my professional life took a turn for the busier, so, once again this little project fell to the bottom of the heap.
And then we moved. Internationally.
:-)
Of course, since the 13th of July, I have nothing to blame my laziness on but laziness as I have been benched from the J.O.B. situation until after October, when wedding-fever stops...

So, what have I been doing since I arrived at our new tropical locale?
mostly... reading trashy vampire and cowboy fiction... nom nom nom...

must stop doing that...

But seriously - have I read anything halfway decent since my last post??? (goes to check out her kindle list)

Ohh ohh!! Yes, OK here we go:

Kelly Armstrong (Women of the Otherworld and the Gathering YA books) released a series of short stories and the next YA book The Calling in the past 6 months in the lead up to the final Women of the Otherworld tale: Thirteen. And can we all say "Yay!" I really have enjoyed the WotO series, I loved the jumping narrator (once I got over it... I, like all the other fans the world over, didn't love Paige to start...) and the way that everything tied up in the final book was very JK.Rowling-esque... you know... the dropping hints for books and books before hand, and leaving all the very clever solutions right under her unsuspecting readers noses...
I'm sure we will see more of the universe, as I'm pretty sure there is at least another Darkness Rising book due sometime next year, which is fabulous.

Another Basilisk's Loungeroom regular, Lindsay Buroker, made a re-appearance on the reading lists with a new "Emporer's Edge" novel - Conspiracy - AND a new "Flash Gold" tale - Peacemaker. I think Buroker is still self-publishing, which means that it's extra important to check out the Yukon/steampunk joys of the Flashgold series, and the alternate-reality/steampunk/thriller of The Emporer's Edge series

Janet Evanovich released Wicked Business and once again the Evanovich family proved that they "get" the opportunities that the E-Book provides them with - the book is fully integrated with a foot-notes style section full of photos and witty comments of the area that the book is based in. For an Australian reading this book, the photos were brilliant! I have very little contextual understanding of the East-Coast of America, so it was brilliant to have my imagination so ably assisted. (Which of course, Evanovich is more than capable of doing without the photos, but it's fun). Evanovich's next installment for Stephanie Plum is  Notorious Nineteen; due out in November this year, will definitely require me to spend a night not sleeping.

I picked up two short stories from Gail Carriger and the latest in the Parasol Protectorate series: Timeless. I have raved about Gail Carriger's wit previously, so I won't go into a lot of detail, but to say that this tale is VERY well wrapped up. I don't know if Carriger is planning on writing any more Parasol Protectorate novels, there is definitely scope, but for once, I walked away thinking - "huh, that made a lot of sense, and I'm pleased with the resolution." of course, I'd campaign like anything to keep seeing stories from my favourite parasol toting heroine.

I went back and read all of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson and Alpha/Omega tales, which I'm sure I have mentioned as a favourite of mine. Mercy's under-dog (or should I say under-coyote?) philosophy on life is hilarious, and the tales are always gripping and graphic enough that you can't put them down. Even on the second and third read, these books surprised. I have to admit to not having read Briggs' older creations, I think its a function of judging the e-book by it's cover... I will get to them eventually and I'm sure I will enjoy them immensely.

A couple from Molly Harper - this time her Naked Werewolf series - these were a riot! Harper was one of the first League of Reluctant Adults authors I read, and I find her writing an enjoyable romp (this time in the snow if I recall correctly...)

And I'll finish with these; Jennifer Rardin's Jaz Parks Series. Go read them. I always get upset knowing that we aren't going to see any new worlds from Rardin. The Jaz Parks series epitomises the concept of Urban Fantasy to me: gritty, fabulous scenarios right under the eyes of the unsuspecting, modern-day public, in well-imagined locales around the US and the world.

OK - that was ridiculous. I will be better going forward I promise (now I sound like a politician.)

LB