Gemini Rising

Thoughts on: Harry Potter, MWSA, and Judith McNaught

Harry Potter/More on McNaught/MWSA
Category: Writing and Poetry


It's been a hectic week - my boys started their swimming lessons this past week. Andrew likes his lessons but is a little apprehensive about floating on his back. Joseph has a good time with Daddy in the pool and yesterday just laughed his but off as Brent twirled him around in the water. Just a little on my kids. It's summertime and time to have fun. Which leads me into...

This summer is going to be a blast with Harry Potter. I haven't seen HP5 yet, but I've finally been able to peg down a date to go check it out.

The New York Times caused an uproar by obtaining a copy of HP7 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and reviewing it! Go figure! Those looking for spoilers - honestly, there's none, so it's a waste of time in that department, but it is a good review. Harry and his friends, Ron & Hermione pursue the Horcruxs that Voldemort has left behind. Is Harry himself a Horcrux? Well, that's my theory. That said - I know there's only one day left, and there's alot of theories out there, but the best one I found was on MuggleNet.

Not only is Harry a horcrux for Voldemort, but because of James Potter's death, Voldemort is a horcrux for Harry's soul. How will the book end? Well, I can predict one thing - Voldemort will die.

Can't wait to get my hands on my HP copy! I ordered my copy from B&N months ago so hopefully I'll find it waiting on my doorstep tomorrow when I get back from work. hehe.

Anyone else have any theories to share?

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I found a great place for military writers called "The Military Writers Society of America." The membership is only $25.00 a year, but it looks to be very active and I just sent in my membership today.

*****

Judith McNaught and "Whitney, My Love."

Well, once I got into it, I can honestly say I didn't want to put the book down. The characterization of Whitney is great - she's headstrong, knows her own mind, and is definately challenged when she meets Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore - as is he when he meets Whitney. It really is a great romance. There's a good focus on characterization and the romance. The time & setting is down well enough so you have a feel for pre-Victorian society. There was a point in the reading when I said, "Waitaminute - Paul is STILL single? What's wrong with him? Why is Whitney waiting for this loser?" haha. By the time the truth slaps her upside her head, she's almost lost Clayton. Anyway, it was hard for me to picture Clayton as a romantic lead, but the problem I assure you was mine. I know a guy at work named Clayton who is very nice, but a tad on the heavy side.

Anyway, I would definately recommend the novel if you want to read a good romance that will allow you escape from the world for a little. I did notice some oddities - there was a punctutation typo, McRae/McRea was interchanged in spelling throughout the course of the book, and McNaught herself used a "lonesome dove perspective," to tell the story, but as I mentioned before, I believe the romance genre is very forgiving when it comes to using the "lonesome dove perspective." I know this is kind of nitpicky stuff, but a traditional publisher was used here, but there were still editing mistakes that weren't caught. Traditional publishers are "infallable" when it comes to checking for that stuff. Believe me, I wasn't hung up on it, but it definately stuff out to me, since stuff like that has been brought to my attention in my own writing.

If anyone has read the book, drop me a line and let me know what you think.