With all that has been going on lately, it is necessary for me to take some time and catch you up on a few things.

The first is the Four-legged Friends Reading Challenge conceived by and hosted by Kailana. I certainly feel like Kailana is a kindred spirit due in part to the shared experience we have had this year with having to put a pet to sleep. That actually happened to me twice this past year, as I accompanied a dear friend when she had to put her dog Gypsy down and then found myself in the unfortunate position of having to return to that same vet months later to put Razz to sleep. Kailana founded this challenge, which runs from Sept. 26th to February 26th as a way to honor ones pets, and/or the memory of one’s pets. You can find out more about the guidelines for the challenge here.

The challenge is to read 3-5 books. I think I will post about my books as I read them and may end up combining books for challenges. I know that I have a R.I.P. II book that features an animal prominently in it and one of the books I am thinking about for this January’s Sci-Fi Experience does as well.

To begin I am reading a new old favorite, the fifth book in Fantagraphic’s loving reprinting of the entirety of Charles Schulz’s creation, Peanuts, in chronological order. This book features the years 1959 and 1960. Peanuts has been a big part of my life since I was a child and I love the way Snoopy acts and is treated in these earlier incarantions of Schulz’s work. Some of my earliest and most fond memories of trips to my hometown local library involve reading hardbound copies of Peanuts.

And so last night found me curled up in my favorite chair, perusing the opening strips of 1959, reveling in nostalgia and honoring my dogs. As much as I have read Peanuts over the years I am forever amazed when I come across continuing storylines that I don’t remember. The strip below begins a several day episode involving Snoopy hanging all over anyone who admits that they love dogs:

I am sure Kailana would love to have you join in as well.
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The October issue of Estella’s Revenge is online, chock full of interesting articles, interviews, and book reviews centered around the theme of The Unknown. Among other things this issue includes an interview with Unmasqued author Colette Gale, a remembrance of fantasy author Robert Jordan who recently passed away, his current Wheel of Time series unfinished, an interview with the owners of a really cool bookstore, Sleuth of Baker Street, an article about Marvel’s use of comic book characters who have been in limbo for awhile and much, much more. This month’s Estella’s Revenge book giveaway is Cormac McCarthy’s book, The Road.

To honor this month’s theme, which ties in so well with the R.I.P. II Challenge, I will be giving away another of the marvelous R.I.P. II bookmarks created by Ravyn and Lisa Snellings-Clark for anyone who heads over there by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, October 15th and reads and comments on two of the articles, reviews, etc. Pop back over here and let me know that you have done so and you will be entered into the drawing for the bookmark.

And speaking of bookmarks, last night’s midnight deadline has passed, the drawing has been done, and the winner of the first R.I.P. II bookmark is:

Deslily!!!

Congrats! Shoot me an email with your addy and I’ll get this in the post for you!

That is all for today, tune in tomorrow for another exciting R.I.P. II related giveaway and maybe a little bit of art of a Friday Favorite variety to whet your whistles!