Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Five Practical Uses for 50 Shades of Grey

Are you a used book store? Are you a new book store? Than you're probably suffering from T.M.F. C.F.S.G!

"What's T.M.F.C.F.S.G?" I hear you blather ignorantly.

Why its Too Many Fucking Copies of Fifty Shades of Grey!

Whether your a new or used book store, you've probably lousy with those bluish black bastards, stock piled in some back corner, or in the middle of the store, praying that some dough head will buy it, practically begging between tears that those shlubs who begged for it a few summers ago, would grow some balls and pick these bundles of turds disguised as writing, and take them out of your valuable space.

But its just not happening, is it?

And you know that second and third movie is less of a life raft and more of a poorly written anchor, ready to drag you to your watery grave.

Well here at Last Stop On Route, our crack team of scientist have devised ways of making use of this giant sexy message prancing about as literature, Here are our top 5 uses for 50 Shades of Grey.

5.) * Confetti - Here's a easy first start! Make confetti. Make it as small as possible. Use this confetti at children's parties, weddings, even funerals can be livened up with a fist full of confetti in Great Aunt Patty's face for her comment about how much weight you've put on since the desperation from that dick you met at the Bruno Mars** Concert.

 Unjoyous confetti with confetti


4.) Building material - Whether its for building a foundation of a home, an extension on your kitchen or  perhaps a fort for the kids to play in, you have the perfect building tool. Its square and biodegradable. Treat it like a square bale home, or treat it with utter contempt.

http://www.themarysue.com/fifty-shades-of-grey-fort/


3.) A murder weapon. No one would suspect this book as a weapon. If found at the scene of the crime, officers of the law would immediately come to the only logical conclusion: Bored to Death

2.) Kindling - Bundle it up, box sets will burn longer than each individuals. There are countries that are burning poop, so why not light up this turd and warm your home, or drunken bonfire. Trees will sigh a collective relief when you put their ill used brethren to rest at long last.



1.) An Effigy of 2016; Mold them into the shape of 2016. Then burn it. Kill it with Fire. With any luck, your efforts will purge us of last years carnage and political circuses and bring in the new year with more cheer, less death and a happier out look on life.









*The following is a failed submission: 5.) Re purpose the cover -- Why not attach some hip new thing grandma is reading? Tape some doe eyed Amish chick or 1800s prairie farmer to the cover and pass it along to the sweet old lady. She could probably do with some titillation and the writing may very well be on par. Her husband might even thank you. 

** I don't know why Bruno Mars. Replace it with your own loathsome celeb if  its irks you that much. 

Monday, December 26, 2016

Reading this Year

What did I read this year?

Having come back to the book store for well over five months, I've got a good chance to restock on my reading, from all angles and get into the good stuff I may miss when one is away from a litany of literature.

In the start of this year I jumped into a book called Being Caribou. It follows a couples journey alongside the caribou of the North West Territories and the Yukon. It is their honey moon and a journey into better understanding the wild creatures and their habits while coming to terms with being human in a truly wild land.

On the trail of this book was a 6 part series started and chosen completely based on the cover of the book Dragon Champion. They were fun, Watership Down-esq tales around three dragon siblings, who face a violent trauma in their formative years, resulting in different paths, different lives and different out looks on the world. All three siblings were in their own way captivating and interesting. They were fun, and the final book still sits in my to be read pile!

After this I delved into a Linda Howard book. Sometimes the premise of Romantic Suspense books intrigue me. One of hers, called Prey, about a bear and a murderer hunting people through the woods was fun, and just spicy enough. I don't remember the name of the one I read on the plane to Scotland but by gum was it dumb. Plot holes galore. Contrived and lacking in so many respects. Such are romance novels for me sometimes. It was just too plot hole filled and unrealistic.

After this, I discovered I had a heap of books waiting to great me over yonder. I could have read some of my Viking History books, but instead I ordered a copy of Gloryland, by Shelton Johnson. This book came to me after watching a documentry in which the author was there speaking with such proficient prolific-ness that I needed to know more about him. Of course I found his only book a read it. What a wonderful book and indeed my favourite book of the year. Profound, thought provoking. An adventure through the mind of someone suffering from the trauma of youth, growing again into a man in the wilds of a National park.

After this I plucked from the internet, an audio book. I had some spare time on my hands, being a house wife and decided to do some sewing projects, so I made a stuffed elephant while listening to Stephen King's Drawing of Three. Part of the Dark Tower series, it was a great listen. A twisted adventure. Long live the King.

Between Stephen King, I read a book called People of the Lakes, by  Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear. This book is part of a larger series, circling around Native American Culture in North America. Both authors are well researched and while I did enjoy the others by them, they weren't as fun as this. It’s a journey and one really falls in love with the characters, especially those who end up in the canoe. Because I'm from the areas around where they're describing, it really strikes me visually, and wonder about the pre-Colombian world of North America.

What did I read after this? Not much if I am to be honest. I struggled part way through a bio of John Muir, and read some science things from Randal Monroe, but nothing leapt out to me. It’s the prblem with reading a string of great novels, then looking for more greatness. It's not always there.

Eventually I returned to Canada, where I found fresh flesh in the book store. Anthony Bourdain. I read his Kitchen confidential in completion. It was a great read. I learn a lot about Kitchens and they were a good series. He's a great writer, channeling some dark demon writers. If he's that good a writer, I'd love to try some of his cooking.

I did read a young adult book called 21 Balloons. That was a fun kids read. One of those ones I wish I had read as a kid.

I had a few trip ups after that. I couldn't seem to sink my teeth into much of anything. Name of the Wind, The Wastelands, Sibir, Dragonshadow and still the stinking Muir Biography. I do want to finish Name of the Wind and Sibir, but I think King will have to fall and Muir will look nice on the book shelf.

Finally I picked up a book called Golem and the Jinni, by Helen Wecker. It was good. It was nice to be immediately pulled into good writing, for something so refreshing. Again great writing.
The last book I've read was Hogfather by Terry Pratchett. I've always prefered the Watch and Witch series by him. Of course it was interesting but just couldn't sink my teeth into it.



Want to know what's in my to read pile before I ship off for Scotland?
Kingdom For Sale: Sold! - Terry Brooks
True Grit - Charles Portis  
Storm Front - Jim Butcher
ExHeroes - Peter Clines
Loamhedge - Brian Jaques
Dragon Fate  - E.E Knight
The Family Fang - Kevin Wilson


This feels like a lot…

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

When the Music Stopped

The music stopped
the connection broken
And I fall to my knees, weeping in disrepair.
A cry so long crushed,
as though I have not cried in 100 years
It has only been a few days
I cry alone so no one will stop me
They wont tell me
"It Will Be Okay."
No Lies

In the day I adorn myself in trappings,
those reminding me most of you
Still I am naked,
Stripped by my own hands.

Friday, December 2, 2016

Half of Paperback Fiction Sold are in this Genre

Romance!!

So I've gone down the rabbit hole on a Friday night. The Nora Roberts Rabbit Hole!



For those of you who don't work in a book store, or read romance novels, and I'm not talking about your Water for Elephants, Notebook, Best Seller section of mush. I mean the down and gritty, Harlequin, Silhouette, etc published books.

The oceanic mass that makes the foundation of the romance industry. For moi, in the used store, we subcategory the romance novels into the following: Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Erotica, Christian/Amish Romance, British Historical Romance, and Historical Romance. On top of those, there are the Harlequin Novels.

The aquatic queen of this section is Nora Roberts.

My heavy research on Wikipedia tells me she's published something like 208 titles in total.* She dominates 5.5 shelves(dollar shelves), more than any other author in the store. When people tell me the bible is the most wild selling book, I want to take them to the basement...



Confession, I've read one portion of her books once, when I was hunting around for the dirt scenes. However I've never completed a full novel by her.

Anyway, I went to the Wiki, leaping down to the footnotes regarding her beef with Cassie Edwards and Janet Daily. Lo! Did I find this website.  I know there something in the Romance genre that I've sampled into, but its like looking into the maw of some beast many others have mastered, while I can't even grab its horns.

Book stuff huh.

Oh yeah its my 1st anniversary. The Irony of this romantic rabbit hole does not elude me.






*Fun fact: Nora has a B&B and the rooms are themed off characters from her books. Intriguing. It would be Brilliant if Stephen King had the same...