Mostly words, and some guitar, with a few carbs thrown in just because

 I made myself wait until I'd finished writing the first draft of my own book, to read Moonlight Mile, Dennis Lehane's long-awaited addition to (and probable end of) the Patrick Kenzie/Angie Gennaro series. I am not in the least objective when it comes to Lehane's work- I love it unreservedly (and he deserves every bit of that unreserve), so you might discount it when I say that this book is flat-out wonderful. But you shouldn't discount it, because I'm right- it is wonderful- dark, tense, and beautifully written. I'm not going to talk about the plot, because almost anything I say could be a spoiler, but I will say that it picks up years after the action from Gone, Baby Gone. I don't know where Lehane will go next, but wherever it is, I will follow.

 I had a bit of time to kill yesterday, waiting for a ride, so I picked up Stephen King's Full Dark, No Stars, which is a book of long short stories (or perhaps they're short novelettes). I didn't have time to read more than a few pages of the first story, 1922, but I'm hooked already.

 Since we were driving 100 miles (one way) to watch Frog Girl's Holiday Program, I did have time to listen to Crystal Bowersox's new CD, Farmer's Daughter. Last season (as anyone who read the blog back then knows), Crystal became my all-time favorite American Idol contestant (surpassing previous faves Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks). Crystal's gritty, hard-life vocals and persona translate pretty well to her new CD, which features eight of her original songs. The CD as a whole, is more Smokey Bar Music than I want to listen to in a single setting, but individual songs (Farmer's Daughter, Holy Toledo, Mine All Mine, and Mason) will quickly enter my personal permanent music rotation. And just to be clear- there's nothing wrong with any of the songs, I'm just more of a Ballad Girl (unless I'm on the treadmill, at which time I lean toward disco). It's a good collection, and I hope it sells well for her.

And in the Carb Corner, we find Chocolate Dipped Caramel Pecan Bars, which I am making right now. I'll let you know how they come out. My guess is that they're going to be mega-yummy.