It’s that time of the year: time to take stock of what’s been and look ahead to what may be. And since I love lists, I’m recapping 2009 in a series of five lists of five, starting with…

Five books/authors/series I discovered in 2009:

• INCARCERON by Catherine Fisher: [This is coming out in the US in 2010, but it's been out in the UK for a while now]. I really enjoyed this, most especially for the worldbuilding (a sentient prison world!), but also for Claudia (the warden’s daughter) and her subtle and bittersweet friendship with her tutor Jared. The sequel, SAPPHIQUE, has been on my wishlist for awhile now!
• MY LIFE IN FRANCE by Julia Child: Julia Child is now one of my heroes. She is one of those people who seems to have figured out that elusive question: how to be happy and have a full and meaningful life.
• THE BEEKEEPER’S APPRENTICE by Laurie King: Even listening to a scratchy, occasionally garbled, obviously-much-played library cassette recording of this couldn’t stop me from loving this book. It’s just the sort of book I like to read for pure pleasure, for interesting characters doing clever and amusing things. The dynamic between Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes could have gone terribly wrong in the hands of another writer, but King handled it perfectly.
• FREDERICA by Georgette Heyer: I’ve heard so many good things about Georgette Heyer from so many people who share my tastes in books that I don’t know why I put off reading her for so long. I was absolutely delighted by the wit, banter, humor, and rich historical detail of this book. More, please!
• NINE COACHES WAITING by Mary Stewart: I read Mary Stewart’s Arthurian series many many years ago (in fact, so long ago I should probably re-read them as I have forgotten so much) but I had never before tried her suspense-romances. I am so glad I finally did! I am actually still in the middle of this one, but I am loving it. The prose is lovely and lyrical, the characters intriguing, and the sense of place incredible.

  Five highlights of my writing year:

  • The publication of FORTUNE’S FOLLY, my first novel. Words can’t express what this means. It was truly the fulfillment of a life-long dream.
  • Seeing the cover of my second book, THE MAGICAL MISADVENTURES OF PRUNELLA BOGTHISTLE. I got thrills! I am so pleased with the alligator, with the running, with the creepy swamp and firefly lights. I love it!
  • Finishing my submission draft of my third book CIRCUS GALACTICUS. This was by far the most fun book I’ve ever written, the one that has stayed with me, haunting my brain, and the one I’m most proud of. This is the first time that writing a book was a bigger thrill for me than selling it.
  • Sharing my debut year with the rest of the 2009 Debs. It is not an exaggeration to say that I would have gone off the deep end without them. The debs have brought me laughter, comfort, and much-valued friendship.
  • My very first library visit, where I got to meet strangers who had read my book, and discovered that I actually kind of enjoy speaking in public and doing presentations.

  Five entertainment discoveries:

  • Big Bang Theory: A show about science geeks who love gaming, comic books, and takeout food, and who are all hilariously funny.
  • Project Runway: My husband and I got addicted to this near the end of the year and have now watched seasons two through five. I generally don’t get into “reality tv” but I absolutely love this show, and not just for Tim Gunn. It’s fascinating to watch the challenges themselves, but I think my favorite part is seeing creative people striving to achieve their dreams. And it’s pretty nifty to see how many parallels you can draw between fashion and writing.
  • Last.fm: I have actually used this website in the past, but this year I actually took advantage of more of the customizable radio station options to find new music. My greatest success was in finding a host of moody, atmospheric world-music groups to listen to when I’ve exhausted my Dead Can Dance collection. Some of my favorites: Irfan, Stellamara, and Azam Ali.
  • Blaqk Audio: Discovered via Maggie Stiefvater. I listened to Semiotic Love over and over again while dreaming about CIRCUS. It reminds me of the Depeche Mode I loved in high school.
  • Lady GaGa: Every single one of her songs that I’ve heard has ended up stuck in my head on repeat for about a week. But aside from the catchy beat, I love her over-the-top stage presence, her gutsy attitude, her willingness to go out there and wear a dress made of muppets or a ginormous freaky hairdo. And she really can sing. Go listen to the live performance on the Ellen show and you’ll see. Another big inspiration for CIRCUS.

  Five favorite new foods:

  • Hot chocolate at Florian’s in Venice
  • Ricotta Brown Sugar gelato from The Gelato Fiasco
  • The Special Raman from Ippudo in NYC
  • Chocolate-filled Cornetto from Scudieri’s in Florence
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Cut in half, daub with olive oil, and roast until crisp and brown. My favorite vegetable of the year!

  Five Moments of Pure Happiness:

  • Stepping out of the train station and seeing Venice for the first time
  • Listening to the chants at San Antimo Abbey in Tuscany
  • Biking to work along the Kennebec under a brilliant blue sky
  • Seeing Charlie racing around joyfully at the off-leash park
  • Sitting cozily upstairs drinking tea and reading in our newly painted library, watching the sun highlight the books on the shelves and the bright purple walls.

  All-in-all an excellent year!

  Tags: yir