Awen Waxes Wroth!

The Achilles Bra - Heroic, no?

The Iliad discussion at the Pub in Awen has exceeded my expectations.  Yes, that's right - Rhiannon has begged for another evening discussion.
Actually, people are showing up for this.  They are commenting.  You'd think more people would be able to relate to cozy mysteries (I know I love 'em!), and saying you're going to discuss the Iliad is just a teeny, weeny, wee bit pretentious, but I'm counting this as an unqualified success.
I'd like to thank the folks who've shown up so far, whether they've read the Iliad or not (most people know something about the characters in it), for their comments.  They've given me more to think about and I just love that!

Sing, O Goddess!

... of the anger of that Achilleus dude.  Lludmila will be hosting a month-long discussion of The Iliad at The Pub, Awen beginning - oh, look at the poster, forheavenssake.  By popular demand (that is, Rhiannon whined at me),  an evening discussion on Tuesday, August 9 at 6 pm PDT has been added.

This is by no means a staid and scholarly discussion.  There is so much to love and hate in this story, so much to laugh at and so much to mourn.

If you stop by Lludmila's vardo on Awen, you can pick up a notecard and a free Bear t-shirt!  See the Unslutty and Undead posting!

Shameless Self-Promo

Lludmila rearranges her posters on Awen.

We're trying to keep two months ahead in the Cozy Mysteries.  We meet on either the last Monday at 11 am or last Tuesday at 6 pm of each month at the Pub in Awen, whichever you find more convenient.  November's book is Ghosts by Paul Auster and December's is Zombies of the Gene Pool by Sharyn McCrumb (the latter chosen because - well, you can just guess).  Both books are easy to get hold of inexpensively.  The former is quite colorful and mysterious - and the latter just good, silly fun.  

Hope to see you there!  Oh, and stop by my plot of land (it's right across the water from the Pub) and pick up a notecard about that and, of course, Bob and Bear's music.

New Idea for a Not-So-Bland Date

OMG! Peter May's av looks just like himself!

I missed the Peter May interview on Off the Shelf at my home sim, Awen, so I was thrilled that Metaverse Books was interviewing him at an obscure time that I was actually available. I could barely contain my excitement because he is the author of Virtually Dead, a thriller that takes place partly in Second Life. My husband was at a computer behind me, laughing at my girlish enthusiasm over a real author in a pretend body who wrote a pretend story about an even more pretend place. Some people just don't understand, do they?

May was kind enough to work up a notecard of virtual locations he used for the story and then share it with us. I had received 5 copies of it so far from various sources. I could hardly wait to go on The Tour.

My first mistake was not bringing Cal along. You remember Cal. Very presentable, up for almost anything, even dancing in frockcoat. First of all, he'd have enjoyed the guns and airplanes thing, but secondly he would have danced with me and made much better pictures. You'll have to live with what you got. I sent Kathy because she was dressed and ready to go.

I did go to Body Doubles, but it's not that interesting, unless you, too, want to look like Brad Pitt or some of the other celebrities whose names I did not recognize. I prefer to create my own body shapes, but I guess some people cannot be trusted with the sliders. May created another av with the name of the character in the book to remind himself what it was like to be a newb. Wow, Chas!

My next stop was Midsomer Isle where I thought, Gee, this looks familiar. There are several locations here that were used. Below is the dining area. It is gorgeous, but it took forever to rez. Have patience, though, because when it all does finally rez, there is a lovely dinner to pretend to eat. It's just a shame I had to eat it alone (and that I got the T-bone piano there on the right).


Kathy hopes she doesn't have to pay for this dinner - that wine looks terribly expensive.


There are other locations in Midsomer: where Chas and Doobie danced and where they played chess. While Kathy was there someone suddenly appeared and Kathy worried that they wanted to ... play chess! Good thing she went there before Crack Town!

Next stop was the Crack Town in Carnal City. This has moved, since May did his research, to the Adult area where Cal can't go. (I do love younger men!) The picture that goes with the landmark is enough to give you the general idea of what to expect, but I happened to visit at a slow time of day. Kathy wondered what the poseballs did, but didn't try any. Who knows where they've been.

Only one naked woman wandering around ... this must be an off-time for Crack Town. Kathy thinks the poseballs look "nasty!"

By the time Kathy got to the Inspire Space Park, she knew she had been to these places before. They were old, old SL locations and she was surprised that they were still there. Inspire was one of the first locations Lludmila went to, back in 2007.

If Cal had come, he and Kathy could have been doing Tai Chi among the stars ...

There was a chase scene through the Abbotts Aerodrome. Oh yes, now I remember. What a great place for skydiving! Lludmila was very good at falling - just not landing on a target.Aw, go take a flying leap!

The last place on the tour is Gunslinger Armaments. Not only is there an actual av named Gunslinger who appears in the book, but that person is still in business! Take that, you whiners! Gunslinger wasn't in, but Kathy cammed into the office and now has a good, basic knowledge of the workings of an automatic pistol. I think my next av will be called "Cammie."

This is the life! Relaxing on the comfy sofa while one's beloved blasts the livin' bejaysus out of a target.

Wouldn't this be just the best date ever? You read the same book and then take a tour of the locations? It has everything: dining, dancing, games, falling from great heights, fire arms ... the typical SL experience!

Note: Link to more photos from the Tour on my Flickr page as well as other Literature-related areas and events in SL.