November: A time to be Thankfully Furious

And now ladies and gentlegeeks, the holidays doth approach.

Yes, I love me some glitter decor and some snappy music, but this time of year can be hard. It can be a strange mix of all the greatness of a year mixed with some of the parts we least look forward to. I thought instead of dwelling on all the stuff we feel we need to do, here is what we HAVE to do to survive all the facets of the trickiest time of the year. We must get furiously happy.

And I know just the person for the job. The Bloggess herself, Jenny Lawson. Get ready to get happy. The Geek Girls Book Club book for November 2015 is:

"Furiously Happy" by Jenny Lawson

The Bloggess website

This is truly a book for everyone of the human experience persuasion. The bonus is, if you or someone you love has anxiety, depression or chronic illness, this will speak right to you my dears.

Some highlights and a little explanation from The Bloggess herself:

• The time I lost both my arms in a sleeping accident
• The neighborhood swans that tried to eat me
• The day Australia refused to let me get Chlamydia even though I was wearing a protective koala costume
• Advice on how to survive the zombie apocalypse, the airport, and the zombie apocalypse at the airport
• Completely inappropriate things I’ve blurted out to fill awkward silences at my psychiatrist’s office.

But in all of these odd stories – the darkly serious and the strangely baffling – I go back to a simple truth I learned from The Breakfast Club. “We’re all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it.” I agree completely. Except go back and scratch out the word “hiding”.

Be bizarre. Be weird. Be proud of the uniquely beautiful way that you are broken.

Be furiously happy.

It is no secret that I adore Jenny and her blog, and her first book was so funny, my loud snort laughter scared the dog on more than one occasion. She is about working with what you've got, making the most of the crappier times in life and remembering to hold on to the good times to look back on when the going is rough. She is the giant metal chicken buying, taxidermy animal loving guru of finding the silver lining. You will love her. I dare you not to.

 She is also probably the reason I did this:

Yes, Jenny is the inspiration behind my giant metal dinosaur I bought this summer. Met Daryl Dixon, Dinosaur Butler. He lives on my deck, and soon will be sporting a santa hat and antlers. I found him this summer, and the need for him was clear. I can't wait to give him a basket at easter.

This is what I want for all of us, happy or sad, hard times or living large... go find your metal dinosaur. Go find what makes you smile, what makes you remember how wonderful and damn valuable you are. Maybe that can be our present to ourselves this year. Remember you are entitled to some furiously happy times.

So go and read my dear Geeks, let no one stop you from your you-ness, because we all need exactly who you are. Desperately. We will start the read on November 1st and discuss the last Saturday of the month. I will see you there, I'll be the one with the giant metal dinosaur in a pilgrim hat.

October is going to Hell.

This time of year is known for its unabashedly hedonistic amounts of candy, costumes and pumpkin spice toilet paper. We autumn lovers can't get enough. The leaves, the ability to wear jeans without knee sweat, and our first big to do of the season: Halloween.

I'm one of those people who love October. Scary movies are on all the time, from old creepers to new releases, and it is one of my favorite things to do. Watch a scary movie while cheerfully munching on bags of Halloween candy the trick or treaters will NEVER see because I'm a damn adult and I don't have to share my candy with you kids. GET OFF MY LAWN!

Another favorite here at Geek Girls Book Club, is the announcement of the October read, in all its spooky, frightful glory.

This year, I am going with the first book in one of my favorite book series ever. "Sandman Slim", by the incredible Richard Kadrey.

Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim page, check it out!

This book, and the whole series, has it all... but I'll sum it up with a quote from Amazon.com: "Kadrey (Butcher Bird) provides biting humor, an over-the-top antihero and a rich stew of metaphoric language in this testosterone- and adrenaline-charged noir thriller. James Stark spent 11 years killing monsters in Lucifer's arena for the entertainment of fallen angels, but now he's back in seedy, magic-riddled L.A., trying to avenge his girlfriend's murder and hunt down Mason Faim, the black magician responsible for getting him sent downtown. 

I can't even pretend to be impartial about this book because I love it so. The characters are so fun, the story is so wild, it is just what you want to curl up with to celebrate the coming of Halloween, a smart ass antihero and his compadres in arms, some who are angels, some...not so much.

Richard Kadrey can be found on twitter: @Richard_Kadrey, and please be sure to check out the website link under the book photo for more information, and also to see the rest of the titles in the series, because if this is your bag, you're gonna want 'em all. Trust me.

So enjoy your fall, your candy and your pumpkin spice hangover. We'll discuss "Sandman Slim" the last Saturday of the month on Facebook, Twitter at #GGBC and on Goodreads, all the links are in the sidebar. I'll see you then, I'll be the one waiting with a bottle of aqua regia and some donuts.

We're BACK Geeky Readers! We're not weird...

It's almost FALL! WTF? Weren't we just dusting off the sand from our dollar store flip flops? Just eating our weight in ice cream from the local Dairy Queen? Just burning our fingers on 15 year old sparklers you found hidden in the garage?

Well, our GGBC summer hiatus is over, and now we are on a mission. A mission to find all that is wonderful and weird on the internet, to...

...wait a minute, this just in from Geek icon Felicia Day:

Felicia's Website

What better way to get into the swing of things again than with one of our very favorite Geek Girls. This is Felicia's first book, and it was just released. Like yesterday. It is new, so get on those library waiting lists, head to your favorite book seller and get ready for some much needed delightful weirdness:

"From online entertainment mogul, actress, and “queen of the geeks” Felicia Day comes a funny, quirky, and inspiring memoir about her unusual upbringing, her rise to Internet-stardom, and embracing her individuality to find success in Hollywood.

The Internet isn’t all cat videos. There’s also Felicia Day—violinist, filmmaker, Internet entrepreneur, compulsive gamer, hoagie specialist, and former lonely homeschooled girl who overcame her isolated childhood to become the ruler of a new world…or at least semi-influential in the world of Internet geeks and Goodreads book clubs.

After growing up in the south where she was “homeschooled for hippie reasons,” Felicia moved to Hollywood to pursue her dream of becoming an actress and was immediately typecast as a crazy cat-lady secretary. But Felicia’s misadventures in Hollywood led her to produce her own web series, own her own production company, and become an Internet star.

Felicia’s short-ish life and her rags-to-riches rise to Internet fame launched her career as one of the most influential creators in new media. Now, Felicia’s strange world is filled with thoughts on creativity, video games, and a dash of mild feminist activism—just like her memoir.

Hilarious and inspirational, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) is proof that everyone should embrace what makes them different and be brave enough to share it with the world, because anything is possible now—even for a digital misfit."

I hope all of you will join us on this read for September, and pass the word along to your book loving friends, even with thousands of members, we always are happy to see new faces, or twitter names, in the geeky gathering. 

A reminder that we also have a podcast now, which you can find at Alcohol & Authors. We have two episodes already up, and are soon to have one for August, so join us and give us a shout out if you'd like. We want your earholes to be happy.

So welcome back Geeks, I've missed you! The September read starts on the 1st, and we talk about it the last Saturday of the month on Twitter at #GGBC and on our Goodreads and Facebook groups too. The links are off to the right, here on the blog, you can even get yourself a snazzy GGBC tshirt to show off your book club cred. I look forward to hearing what you think of this book, so join me! I'll be the one in the corner, pretending to talk on her phone so she doesn't look weird.

A GGBC Podcast!

Now that we have our summer reading list and time to relax a bit, I thought it would be a great time to debut the new GGBC podcast: Alcohol & Authors:

Hello! We’re Cara and Nicole, two geek-minded women with an affinity for reading, writing and spreading literary fun while having a drink or two. We love to learn about new indie projects: books, games, libraries… we review books on a selective basis. We actually judge books by covers.

C. Elizabeth Vescio (or just Cara) is the author of the Wasted Series and Adventures of the Dress. She published her first book, Elegantly Wasted in 2012 and is currently on her 4th book. Cara is a photographer, gamer, cosplayer and animal enthusiast. She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and four mutts. She’s passionate about Shakespeare, Paul Simon and Loki as portrayed by Tom Hiddleson.

Motto: Sarcasm is life.

Nicole Girtman is the founder of the Geek Girls Book Club, avid knitter and mother of alpacas. She also founded Geeks United In Crafts, is a gamer, amateur photographer, collector of old cookbooks and loather of raisins in cereal. She lives in Minnesota where it’s cold in the winter, hot in the summer and accents are a way of life.

Motto: If Kiefer Sutherland can get arrested at a strip club on a Tuesday, SO CAN WE.

There should be a new episode every month, and forgive any newbie podcasting mistakes...we're still figuring out how to play with the cool kids. Now you can read and listen to the podcast to connect with GGBC, and be sure to leave us a comment if you'd like and pass it along to your geeky friends. It's cool to be able to talk to all of you after 4 years, and I hope the blog and podcast can help us reach lots of geeky readers and bring us all together! Grab a drink, relax and join us!

Summer Reading List

June! Summer! Time to somehow relax, unwind, and wish that we had more sun filled days of warmth.

Remember the relief when you had school behind you and three whole months to just be what you wanted to be? The one thing I loved from school was that I had a great teacher who would put together an amazing summer reading list. I have always been a big reader, and this was my time to indulge. I wanted hours to myself to sit and read undisturbed, punctuated by trips to the library for a refill.

So that's what I want for us this summer dear Geek readers, to have June, July and August to be our Summer reading months. I'll start a list of too good to pass up titles here, and I hope you'll add your own suggestions in the comments and on Goodreads, Facebook and Twitter at #GGBCSummer.

You can choose some new titles, go back to old favorites and just ENJOY. At your own pace. Because you deserve to read just for the joy of it, just for you. All I ask is that you let us know what your reading and loving during the summer, and leave it in the same places as your book suggestions. We will keep each other reading and keep in touch all at the same time!

Watch the blog for any fun posts and updates, and check in with how the Summer Reading List is growing!

So relax. Breathe. Remember you are amazing. Keep reading. Keep your face to the sun. And back to business in September.

I'll see you soon dear Geeks, I'll be the one in the big floppy hat, sweet tea in hand, reading Neil Gaiman. Again. <3

GGBC Summer Reading List (so far):

Jaws

Jurassic Park

The Fault In Our Stars

Bossypants

Stardust

A Wrinkle In Time

The Mists Of Avalon

Harry Potter (read every single one, they are magic)

Redshirts

Ready Player One

Horns 

Joyland (Stephen King)

Happy 4th Birthday Geek Girls Book Club!

Four years. Can you believe it? Over 40 books, countless blog posts, meeting Geeks and new friends from all over the world. I can't believe we are all still reading together, making sweet mayhem and nerdy laughs together.

I am so grateful for all of you amazing Geeks.

Looking back, you see all the people you've met, and friends you've made. You also think of what is no more, and what has changed. I think remembering is often bittersweet. The sadness of what will not come is always gently held with the honor of being a part of what was.

As we keep moving and keep reading and laughing and being here together, I thought the May 2015 read would be to remember an author who we all truly miss and although we are sad his words will come no more, we are blessed to have his words forever.

We will celebrate with a title by the incomparable Sir Terry Pratchett, with his delightful book, "Dodger".

 Amazon Link for Dodger

From the book description: 

Beloved and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett's Dodger, a Printz Honor Book, combines high comedy with deep wisdom in a tale of one remarkable boy's rise in a fantasy-infused Victorian London.

Seventeen-year-old Dodger is content as a sewer scavenger. But he enters a new world when he rescues a young girl from a beating, and her fate impacts some of the most powerful people in England.

From Dodger's encounter with the mad barber Sweeney Todd, to his meetings with the great writer Charles Dickens and the calculating politician Benjamin Disraeli, history and fantasy intertwine in a breathtaking account of adventure and mystery.

So join me on a journey  with Sir Terry one more time, and look forward to all the adventures we have in store for us dear GGBC, may there be many years and many pages ahead of us.

We will discuss "Dodger" the last Saturday of May, here, on Twitter and on Facebook and Goodreads, links are on the side of the blog.

I will see you then sweet Geeks, I'll bring the shiny balloons and cake. You, as always, bring your amazing, one of a kind selves. You are all irreplaceable. Thank you for your time with us.

A cool, new book to read? Yes Please.

Oh it's April, and we're no fools. 

It's time to laugh our way into spring with our favorite on-screen gal pal. Want to spend 

some time with Amy Poehler? Yes Please.

Follow Amy at: @smrtgrls

Amazon link: Yes Please

I could go on and on about this awesome woman and her book, but I think the back of 

the book says it better than I ever could. Start your warmer weather reading with this, and 

you are sure to be smiling and feeling like life is just a little brighter:

In a perfect world . . .

We'd get to hang out with Amy Poehler, watching dumb movies, listening to music, and swapping tales about our coworkers and difficult childhoods. Because in a perfect world, we'd all be friends with Amy—someone who seems so fun, is full of interesting stories, tells great jokes, and offers plenty of advice and wisdom (the useful kind, not the annoying kind you didn't ask for, anyway). Unfortunately, between her Golden Globe-winning role on Parks and Recreation, work as a producer and director, place as one of the most beloved SNL alumni and cofounder of the Upright Citizens' Brigade, involvement with the website Smart Girls at the Party, frequent turns as acting double for Meryl Streep, and her other gig as the mom of two young sons, she's not available for movie night.

Luckily we have the next best thing: Yes Please, Amy's hilarious and candid book. A collection of stories, thoughts, ideas, lists, and haikus from the mind of one of our most beloved entertainers, Yes Please offers Amy's thoughts on everything from her "too safe" childhood outside of Boston to her early days in New York City, her ideas about Hollywood and "the biz," the demon that looks back at all of us in the mirror, and her joy at being told she has a "face for wigs." Yes Please is chock-full of words and wisdom to live by.

Amy is one of the original geek girls, and her attitude about life and living in the positive are 

not only great for us to hear, but to pass down to the younger girls coming after us. It takes 

a village of furious happy to change the world. One laugh at a time.

Speaking of the smart, amazing up and becoming geek girls, be sure to check out Amy's 

website Amy's Smart Girls for this kind of awesome:

"Amysmartgirls.com provides a hub for teens, parents, teachers and fans of all ages to learn, to become a part of the greater Smart Girl community, and to participate in Smart Girl projects. The website has grown and evolved toward online campaigns to engage followers in volunteerism,

civic activism, cultural exchange, and self-expression through the arts."

If that doesn't make your Geeky heart happy, I don't know what will. So grab a copy, and join us April 1st to begin reading. The discussion on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads will be the last Saturday of the month. I'll see you there, I'll be the one handing out the high fives.