Why Detail Isn't Everything

Sabriel, by Garth Nix, is my favorite book of all time.

The most compelling reason why this book has been read dozens of times, and listened to by audio book every night for 4 years, is because Nix creates a whole realm that is very much like our own, yet different, using a combination of great detail and leaving much up to the imaginings of the reader.

He describes a world that sits very much on the edge of what we know as reality. A world where magic, does in fact, exist, and other realms besides.

Nix's story tells of love, courage, and betrayal. A young woman, just fresh out of boarding school leaves the country of Ancelstierre to find her father, Abhorsen. As she travels into the Old Kingdom, the world of magic opens up further to her, and her enemies chase her down. She learns that her father is more than just a necromancer- he holds the distinguished title of Abhorsen, a force to deal with the Dead, banishing them from the realm of the Living forever. She also learns that with his disappearance, she too, must take up the bandolier of hand bells, carved with ancient symbols of great power and magic, to maintain the borders of Life and Death. Along the way, she is joined by Mogget, a servant who takes on the shape of a talking white cat and Touchstone, a man imprisoned for 200 years. Together, they uncover a plot of betrayal and danger not only to themselves but of both the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre.

Magic is a key element in the story. There are two types, one 'good,' called Charter Magic and one 'evil' called Free Magic, if one had to apply labels to them. However, it is so much more than that.

It was described to me that Charter magic was like the religion of the world, while the Free Magic was what the heretics used. It's not exactly untrue, but highly inaccurate. The Charter Magic is the magic of the world that was made safe, binding the power of magic to symbols and making it ordered and constrained. The Free Magic was raw and untapped, making it much more dangerous.

The thing I love most about Nix's work, though, isn't that there is magic and romance- it's that he leaves so much up to the imagination. He gives just enough detail for it all to seem real, but not so much that you feel overwhelmed. The details are there in the environment, but much of the magic and other elements have just enough that the reader can draw their own conclusions. I love a story where there is plenty of wiggle room for day dreaming and this is a story that promotes exactly that. Four years and countless readings and retellings later, I still often find myself daydreaming about Sabriel and her companions.

I love this story so much, I considered naming my child after the main character, but alas, we are having a boy. :)

This review was done as part of a giveaway in hopes of winning a Bell Charm from the author, Garth Nix. Details can be found on his fan page here.

Go Big or Go Home

Brian's got his game design group over tonight and we are hashing out the details. We are getting pretty far into it (even talk of investors)

I was talking to the CEO last night and he was telling me all sorts of good news!

They are planning on hitting the Game Developers Conference this October.

After this, they plan on releasing the full version of the game by Halloween.

Brian is not just "the art guy". He's the art guy who has about 5 other people working under him, who need his approval to continue on the project. Yeah, pretty awesome! Lead Concept Artist is his title.

March everyone is flying out to San Fran. Minus me. And the baby. I have to stay ;)

Nothing is definitely set in stone yet (aside from the convention in October) The CEO is pouring all of his time, effort, and money into this thing to make it work. Brian is so excited. I am excited.

I'm excited because this is exactly what Brian wants to do with his life. Work with a small game studio as a concept artist. And he already has his dream job! 26 years old and hit his lifetime wish. Wow. I am so proud of him.

So that's really all I can say about it. I hope that we will hear back from the CEO in a few days to see if the investors have given the company money, or if we have to wait. It's exciting! I keep shaking my money tree hoping that none of the business meetings fall through and that the investors will invest how much they have been saying.

Nothing To Lose

Well today was a really eventful day to say the least!

I got my new battery charger for my camera.
We were going to take Max for a walk today, but it's a heat index of nearly 100. Brian said we'd never make it. We would all die. Hahaha. Okay.

Then we had to go get some addresses from his mom, run to the bank, pay rent, go to the store, we moved furniture around, vacuumed and cleaned the kitchen up a bit, now we are having people over at 8 pm.

In addition to all of this? I applied to two new jobs.

The jobs are both work at home based, and they are each about 25-30 hours a week and both of them pay more than what my current job does. My current job has a very flexible schedule, meaning my hours change on a weekly basis. Having a set amount of work hours and a set schedule would be very beneficial to me right now. I need more work, definitely. Also, the jobs both have family leave.

Score.

Yeah, I'm totally applying. While it's in the customer service industry and I am not particularly keen on it, I think my previous experience was just bad timing. I'm ready to try again. I figure I have nothing to lose by trying, and maybe something awesome to gain if I get in.

So I leave you with some pictures of me. I hope that you like my baby bump. Here's a before and currently!

April 26, 2011
approx. 1 month preggy

Sept 1
22 weeks (5 1/2 months)

From the side

And here's a few more of me for the hell of it.

I got in trouble for making a silly face :(

Picture time is serious time

Riding in the car! 

Also this shows off my new hair color, I dyed it strawberry blondish. I like it :)