Oh, ffs.

This is a tough one. I think it takes at least a small amount of ego to blog. In essence, by throwing these words out into the ether, you’re asserting that you have something to add to the conversation. Some people are egomaniacs. Me? I think I write decent reviews of good books. I still haven’t written a perfect review–the “great white buffalo” of reviews–but it hasn’t stopped me from writing.

Thus, I’m giving myself license to cheat a little bit. This blog is called Books and Movies and Crap, thus I’m going to include two pieces written during 2011’s “Lent in Casablanca” experiment. Basically, I watched “Casablanca” every night during Lent, and blogged it almost every night. I sort of updated the world of “Casablanca” to reflect what it would have been like on regular nights, without Ingrid Bergman stomping on Bogie’s heart. Also, I wrote characters into that world who were never there. It was a messed-up undertaking, and I’m not sure why I did it, but I’ll include two from that series. (If you want to read the whole series, they’re on my “real” blog. Click here to be whisked to Casablanca (make sure to scroll back to the first post))

The first “Casablanca” post is where a new character, Annie the Soapmaker, makes her debut, and administers a verbal beatdown to Ingrid Bergman for breaking Bogart’s heart. (Annie the Soapmaker is a friend of mine, and this is exactly how she’d talk and act, although she claims she’s not that hostile (Don’t believe her for a second–she really is spunky and full of high-powered snark (however, her soaps and lotions, etc, are really awesome and handmade: see for yourself by visiting her Etsy site here)))

The other from “Casablanca” came the night Elizabeth Taylor passed away, a tribute from Rick’s.

Book-wise, I like the review I wrote for Alina Klein’s “Rape Girl.” A lot of people identified with that, which is gratifying.

I was also happy with “The End of Your Life Book Club,” by Will Schwalbe.

Last, but…well, just last, I like my review of “Almost Perfect,” by Brian Katcher. I like the hook in the fourth or fifth paragraph.

Those are my five. I was talking with my book-blogging maven, Kelly, and we agreed this was the most excruciating of the Blogger Challenge assignments. Seriously. Ouch. (Thank God for cheating and “Casablanca” 😉 )

Happy Friday. Besos, t