Felicia Day

If you saw me reading this book somewhere, would you be embarrassed for me? And yet, it was a pretty good book. So why is fantasy book cover art even more mortifying to bring out in public than romance novels? Check that, AS mortifying?

I am a fantasy book addict. I’m pretty sure I’ve at least TRIED to read a majority of fantasy novels you’ll find at any store. I’m always looking for another good one, especially series, because the idea that there are seven more books in front of me over 800 pages long fills me with a delight unlike any other. But almost every time I pick a new one up, I immediately rip off the cover and take it everywhere naked, because a redheaded dude with horizontal hair is not something I want to explain to anyone. Even when I was like, 12 and reading the first “Wheel of Time” series (that needs to go away and die somewhere. Please Mr. Jordan, wrap it up) I would look at those disproportionate little gnome-like human figures that the awful Darrel Sweet cooked up for the books and shudder in embarrassment.

So, why do publishers insist on using this kind of cover art? I think it’s like Hollywood. They have “theories” about sales, and what their targeted public expects, and they don’t ever give them anything different. Thus, it’s a spiral of self-fulfillment. I read an interview with Jaqueline Carrey, author of my favorite “Kushiel’s” trilogy, and I learned that the authors have little say in how the cover looks. For her latest book they insisted that a woman figure be put on the front, even though the main character is A GUY! Do they really think fans of her books will not pick it up if there’s a guy on the cover, or a guy with a girl? Do they think we’re that stupid? She’s the author who spent upward of a year or more of her life creating this thing, let her use her brain and figure out what she’d like for the cover!

And, back to the original topic, look above at “Name of the Wind”! His hair is defying gravity and he’s got a phallic lute-neck coming out of his genital region! WHY OH WHY?!?! This book was actually pretty good, I want the next one, but please do better next time! Mr. Rothfuss, stand up for your character and at least give him the dignity of not have a phallic lute neck coming out of his genital region!

Thank you.

It’s my birthday today! Thanks so much for the birthday wishes! It was a great thing to wake up to!

I have very big plans for today! I’m going to finish planning out my website for my short, I’m going to go get a massage and then I’m going to have 3 mojito’s, eat a huge meal and watch a midget wrestling/burlesque show. Yay!

I’m going to see Lucha Va Voom, a crazy show at a theatre in downtown LA. If you ever visit I assure you it’s worth a watch, just for the stories. Last time I went the little gnome wrestlers from the Jack Black movie were there fighting. I didn’t get seats on the floor because the wrestlers tend to throw themselves in the crowd and I have a cute outfit I bought that I don’t want to get ruined

I just went to visit my grandfather last week, so this birthday is a little more poignant than others. He’s fighting stomach cancer but he’s doing great for someone his age. I think the thing that drives him to fight is his work; he’s in testing for an advanced bomb detector that he invented. Without that sense of purpose I don’t know how he’d do it. I want to take from his experience a valuable lesson for this new year in my life: That whatever you do with your time, let it be something you can be proud of. Live every day like it’s your legacy. I guess it might be corny, but if it makes me spend the days of my life creating rather than waiting, then I will eat that corn and then pick it out of my teeth! Whoah, where the hell did that analogy go?

Whatever. I don’t have to make sense! IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!

Hey! My new Transformers GM tie-in commercial is out! I think it’s pretty cool. They cut out some dialogue stuff, which is disappointing, but it IS all about the car. Then the robot. Then me.

Transformers Commercial.

Ever since I shook my WOW addiction, I’ve channeled my gaming needs through my Wii system. I got it at the beginning of December last year, when no one had them, because when I set my mind to something I will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal, even when it’s a stupid thing like getting a gaming console. I went to my local EB at 7:30 am and sat behind a 14 year old inside the store for 9 hours to hold my Wii spot until the UPS guy came. The employees were very dubious I was buying the system for myself because I’m a girl, which thoroughly irritated me.  I mean, why WOULDN’T a girl want a Wii?  I think they just wanted to start a conversation with the “girl.” In fact, that’s exactly what it was because I heard one of them say to the other, “cover the register so I can go talk to ‘the girl’.”

Anyway, I’ve loved my Wii sooo much. It satisfies my gaming needs exactly, and I’m good with just an hour or two of Zelda, or a quick half-hour tennis match, or a few Mama’s recipes, or a few Raymond’s Raving Rabbits bashed in the head before bed. But it’s happened: I’ve felt the addiction stirring in my heart over Super Paper Mario.

My brother bought it this morning so he could play during his visit here. That’s family bonding. I think I inspired him because I was showing off my mad Mario DS skills on the plane ride here, we flew home together after visiting family. The point is, Super Paper Mario is the best game I’ve seen in a while. It’s so much fun, the whole conceit of 2-D to 3-D is so clever, and it has a great sense of humor that’s more sly than the kid-friendly rating lets on, like in Raymond Rabbits where you “shake the carrot juice” a lot. I was just eying the new videos from Hellgate, the PC RPG and absolutely drooling, so I think Super Paper Mario will be a nice filler until that’s released later this year.