tell you, you’ve never heard such b*tching and moaning in all your born days (and that’s just from me). I want to move. I just don’t want to do the other stuff I have to do in order to move.Getting the house ready to put on the market sucks. Big time. If for no other reason than it has proven to me beyond a shadow of a doubt (not that I had one) that I am a lousy housekeeper. Dear dog, the dust! Did you know that dust can get behind your furniture? Or that occasionally you should probably take down your curtains and run them through the washer?
Seems I learn something new all the time...
But enough about that. Getting the house ready to sell also involves boxing up 80 percent of what we own and putting it into storage so that the house will look bigger and less cluttered. So anything I don’t use on a regular basis was fair game for boxing up. This included my Keeper Shelf.
Of course, going anywhere near the Keeper Shelf is dangerous. Passion and drama and excitement awaits! Heroes I love, villains I love to hate, and heroines I want to be are lined up, ready to be read again. These are the books that touched my heart, so getting anywhere near them is dangerous. I might not be useful to you for the rest of the day. Possibly longer.
My Keeper Shelf is actually a bookcase in and of itself, and the books there are well-loved. Splintered bindings, torn covers, water-damaged pages, Books that, when laid flat, fall open to *that* scene. These characters are like my friends – we’re on a first name basis, after all. I miss them and like to catch up occasionally. These are the books that I can open up in the middle and start reading since I know the beginning by heart. These are the books that I turn to when I know exactly what I need, and they deliver it every time. When I need a good cry, I know which book to grab (and oh, to be that talented -- I *know* what’s coming; how can the author make me cry AGAIN over it?). I know who to turn to when I need a laugh.
Don’t ask me titles, because I’m not the best at remembering those. Jamie and Alec. Elizabeth and Ian. Blair and Wyatt. Min and Cal. Simon and Kimberly (Okay, so her name’s really Tawny, but I *know* Simon’s really saying “Kimberly”…)
Ah, the Keeper Shelf. It’s a dangerous, wonderful place to be.
Let’s play a game, ‘kay? Do you recognize any of the couples above? Name the books. Or list your favorite romance couples, and we’ll take a stab at naming the books. Or just tell us some of your Keeper books. I’ll even choose a winner to get one of my books – maybe it will end up on your Keeper Shelf…
(Bonus points to those who haven’t washed their curtains in years either…)
PC
29 comments:
Blair and Wyatt! TO DIE FOR by Linda Howard. That book came into my life at a very low point and laughing at Blair (Plus, I went to college on a cheerleading scholarship. Is this a cool country, or what?) kept me sane.
My faves? Jack and Lucy, Luther and Cleo, and Emily and Beau to name a few.
As for the move, just keep focused on the new house and that dusting and curtain washing will be so worth it.
Jamie and Alec - The Bride by Julie Garwood
Elizabeth and Ian - Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught
Min and Cal - Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
My favorites include: Sheridan and Olympia, Webb and Roanna
Do I still get the bonus points if someone goes behind your back and washes the curtains and shrinks them so they no longer puddle let along touch the floor - UGHHHH!
OT - Should I be concerned if Smarty Pants hasn't acknowledged the email I sent in to claim the prize for the Website Revamp Contest?
Wow Sue, I'm impressed. I knew I knew most of those people but couldn't remember the titles either.
I don't just have 1 keeper shelf...I have 4. And piles in the bedroom. And a couple of random drawers in the house. I have a hard time parting with my books. If I enjoyed the read I want to keep it. I don't usually reread books - there are just too many new and exciting options for me to do that. But I just can't let them go either. It's a sickness Zilla would really like to find a cure for. My clutter is really driving him crazy.
Instigator
(Sue, I'm sorry you haven't heard from me - I've been distracted by the holiday weekend here. I'm back in the office later today though so you should be hearing from me soon. Thanks for your help!)
I haven't washed my drapes ever! I think they'll probably fall apart! The worst dust would be behind the beds ! I can easily move the other furniture.
Couples:
Jane & Cal
Shay & Ian
Eve & Rourke
I know I'm supposed to wash my curtains but that doesn't mean I do. You're also supposed to put your mini blinds in the bathtub, but I don't do that either.
My favs: Skye & Adam, Jamie & Claire, Wesley & Buttercup... :)
Sue - I passed your info on to Instigator. She'll take care of you.
Oh, I know all of SP's!
Skye O'Malley
Outlander
The Princess Bride.
PM, I'm stumped.
Sue got three of mine. (Love a big historical!) Webb and Roanna sounds familiar, but I can't place it at the moment...
And, good. I'm not alone in the curtain drama. (Haven't hung mine back up yet, so now I'm worried about shrinkage!)
Eve and Rourke -- that's Nora Roberts isn't it?
Oh, and I should probably state publicly that I have the World's Greatest Mom. Y'all didn't think I was actually doing all this dusting by myself, did you?
~hysterical laughter~
Good luck on the packing, cleaning, moving, etc. It will be so worth it when you're in your new home. :)
I love my keeper shelf!
Wolf & Mary
Sebastian & Evie
Cameron & Anna
Webb and Roanna -- one of my faves!! Linda Howards Shades of Twilight. I'm also partial to Faith and Gray, and Evangeline and Robert.
Lachlain and Emmeline
Wrath and Beth
Liz and Steve
Oohh, this is fun!
I did finally wash my curtains when I was preparing for a big Christmas party this year. Unfortunately, the set that goes over my double doors in the back shrunk about half a foot. Now they only just cover the glass in the door. Never again!!!
Angel
Ooh, I want to play!
Wolf & Mary - Mackenzie's Mountain (love that series, but Zane and Chance are my faves)
Wrath & Beth - Dark Lover (thank you JR Ward!)
I am terrible with names, but two of the couples I love are:
Jack and Briony OR Ken and Mari
(Here's a hint: I love twins!)
Angel great job! I started adding Faith and Gray too, but on second thought decided it would give it away as being Linda Howard. Loving Evangeline is also on my keeper shelf as is Maddie and Reese's story. I so feel for you Angel regarding the curtain shrinkage!
Wolf & Mary - Mackenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard
And thanks everyone at the Writing Playground for helping me out!
PS Moms are great - mine steps in where I fear to clean too!
Well I can at least say I haven't cleaned my curtains in yearsssss. I tried to buy replacements but they aren't a standard size so I'm just waiting for them to disintegrate right in front of me. I'm horrible at remembering titles and every book is a keeper for me - I know - I need help and room lol.
Lucy and Jack are from Roxanne St. Claire's NOW YOU DIE where Lucy ends up with the hero everybody thought was wrong, wrong, wrong for her but was right, right, right. Luther and Cleo are from CAPTURING CLEO by Linda Winstead Jones and is set right here in the Rocket City. It was a Rita nominee too. Emily and Beau are from the first category romance I ever read back in 2001 -- THE FIVE MINUTE BRIDE by Leanne Banks. I fell in love with category romance right then and there.
Verification word: cronaliz. Is that to cover with a layer of crone? ;-)
my Fave is Brodrick and Gillian - The ransom by Julie Garwood.
A couple of old schools here:-) Heather and Brandon
Ginny and Steve
and my all-time favorites who have already been mentioned Claire and Jamie.
Shelf?!?! We are supposed to just have *A* shelf for keepers?!?!? Please, please, please don't tell my Hubby that!!! Some of my favorites are Elizabeth and Darcy, Edward and Isabella, Lauren and Aiden...the list goes on and on....
Sheryl M.
Nope, haven't washed curtains, either. But ... we don't have any in this house. Just blinds.
Anyway... I'm not dropping in to enter, but to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.
My favorite couples are Gabe and Jenna, Nick and Charlotte, Vere and Lydia and Dean and Sonia.
My Keeper Shelf is boxes and boxes. I've been collecting since 1965. I had so many I had to store many bookshelves in my sister's basement. My brother-in-law wasn't too pleased. :(
So many through the years. Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer is a real keeper. The Diplomatic Lover by Elsie Lee still steams after all these years. Betty Neels always a favorite. Margaret Mayo even after all these years still gets the message. One of my favorites is Trinity by Leo Uris. If you love Ireland as I do this is a must read.
If I had to pick recent books it would have to be the following series. They have it all: Love, Conflict & Pursuit of Happiness.
Olivia Gates two trilogies, The Throne of Judar, The Castaldini Crown.
Another one is The Royal Seduction series by Michelle Celmer.
The Kings of California by Maureen Child.
Slan.
Heather and Brandon -- that's um, um, the book you gave me, right? Kathryn Woodiwiss. It has one of those "Blank and the Blank" titles. It's in a box...
Ginny and Steve -- I've never read this one, but I've heard my mom talk about "Ginny and Steve under the wagon." Rosemary Rogers, but don't know the title.
Rebekah E -- I totally agree. Love that book.
Sheryl -- you got major points for Elizabeth and Darcy (Pride and Prejudice), then lost those points with Twilight. ~ducks and runs~
Jane and LeeAnn have me stumped...
The Flame and The Flower!
How could you forget the original Silhouette Nora Roberts series on the MacGregors. One of my first loved books was Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart.
A nun who told me ages ago when I was in 2nd grade that reading is for free. And it will give you the most joy of anything in your life. Tis true reading can take you beyond your mind's journey. It's a place that has taken me from present to the past and back to the present where life is the best.
Without books and reading the world would be boring, very boring.
Remember the mind is a terrible thing to waste. Reading is the mind's imagination.
Slan
I totally agree, Maire Aine. I can't imagine a life without books.
You just had to throw in the Twilight dig, didn't you?
Hi PC,
I also love Webb & Roanna, Steve & Ginny and Eve and Roarke, Lucy & Jack and Faith & Gray from everyone's list.
My list of favorite couples are:
Cameron Campbell & Captain Jackson Logan
Captain VanRyker & Imogene
Rye Evistock (aka Captain Kells) & Carolina Lightfoot
Steve and Ginny's books in order:
1. Sweet Savage Love (1974)
2. Dark Fire (1975)
3. Lost Love, Last Love (1980)
4. Bound by Desire (1988)
5. Savage Desire (2000)
My keeper shelf
Black Cross
Drums of Autumn
Deception point
I did wash my curtains before I put them up a few years ago.
Some favourites
Jamie and Claire
Eve and Joe
Lindsay and Joe
any of Debbie Macomber's books
Sandra Brown's Texas Trilogy
LOL, P.C.....not everyone has the same reading tastes...I just enjoy a very wide range of books....Historical to paranormal to contemporary to young adult, well, you get the idea. For the record, I was not a Twilight fan until this past Thanksgiving. I don't watch a movie based on a book until I read said book....and since my girls really wanted to see the movie, I caved...and got hooked!
Sheryl M.
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