Monday...

I've managed to buy two volumes (the first and third, irritatingly) of what looks like being a very good fantasy epic - one where the characters are strongly drawn and credible and no-one speaks pseudo-biblical or pseudo-Tolkien-esque waffle instead of real english. Believe me, I've looked at so many book jackets with titles like "Gryphon in Gyres" or "Warlocks and warmongers" or "A Princess of the Felalackhit'ii"... So "King's Dragon" very nearly didn't merit a glance, purely for the predictability and banality of the title. However, it has turned out to be well-written, original (not easy, this, in a genre packed to the gills with tripe [forgive the unpleasant anatomical mixed metaphor!]) and gripping.
So - if anyone has the second volume or the fourth onwards of the "Crown of Stars" series by Kate Elliott, and doesn't want them, a) you don't know good fantasy when you meet it, b) can I have them, please?(!)
I've also discovered, sideways from this, that one of my favourite SF authors, Orson Scott Card, has a personal website full of his thoughts and opinions. I've tried to list it as one of my fave bloggs but I don't know if I did it right (given my general hopelessness with computers). If it's there, tho', do have a look. His review of "Mamma mia!" is quite something.
Hurrah for this, too:
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-outsiders-johnny-marr-on-the-misfits-and-mavericks-who-make-music-magical-1017107.html
Even if you have to cut and paste to get that into the address bar, do have a look at it. Johnny Marr of The Smiths writing incredible inspirational common sense.