She's odd, he's even

I think it must be really hard to write a novel.  I've never done it, mainly because every time I start something with the assumption that it will turn into a NOVEL, it either dribbles away into short story obscurity, or I go to sleep at night wondering, "you really want to keep this going for another 300 pages?"  Imagine then how difficult it would be to write a novel with someone else.  Someone who you used to date.  An "ex."  And, not a close "ex."  Well,  Lisa Lutz, the author of the very fun and funny Spellman books has collaborated with an ex-boyfriend to produce Heads You Lose.  Alternating chapters (look at my blog heading), Lisa Lutz and David Hayward come together to write a mystery centered around Lacey and Paul Hansen, siblings who grow marijuana, find a headless corpse on their property, and disagree about, well, just about everything as they try to solve the crime.  The humor you liked so much in the Spellman books is here, too, and in case you're feeling skeptical about the real-life relationship between Lisa and David, check out this funny book trailer.

Fulfilling a dream

I recently watched a new dvd called They Came to Play, and if you've ever played the piano and wondered what it would be like to participate in the famous Van Cliburn piano competition, you'll appreciate this very entertaining dvd.  There's a bit of a twist, though; these are not professional pianists, dedicating every minute of every day to their passion in hopes of becoming the next Arthur Rubinstein or Lang Lang.  This dvd focuses on the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs hosted by the Van Cliburn Foundation, and I guarantee you'll be absolutely wowed by the performances.  From a tennis teacher to an ophthalmologist, these "amateurs" follow their dreams of winning a prestigious piano competition.  It just might make you want to practice a bit harder.

For all you Wallace & Gromit fans

If you've never looked at bunnies quite the same way after watching "Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit," you just might enjoy checking out at this new book: Wallace & Gromit: Cracking Contraptions Manual.  In the style of a Haynes car manual, you'll find blueprints, cutaway drawings, and notes of some of Wallace's most creative inventions.  Remember the bed launcher?  Or the porridge cannon?  They're all here in cracking good detail.