Book Meme

OK, I'm way slow on this one - I kept forgetting about it:

Choose five of your all time favourite books. Take the first sentence of the first chapter and make a list in your journal. Don't reveal the author or the title of the book. Now everyone try and guess.

I'm gonna do six, just because. I can't say that these are my Top 6 Favourites, but they're ones I liked alot. Publishing dates range from 1943 to 2002.

1. I was fifteen when I first met Sherlock Holmes, fifteen years old with my nose in a book as I walked the Sussex Downs, and nearly stepped on him. - The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King (Guessed by beadtific)

2. The villagers of Little Hangleton still called it 'the Riddle House', even though it had been many years since the Riddle family had lived there. - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (Guessed by mireille719)

3. It was half-past nine on a dark April night that all the excitement began. The village of Peterswood was perfectly quiet and peaceful, except for a dog barking somewhere. Then suddenly, to the west of the village, a great light flared up. - The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage by Enid Blyton (Sort of guessed by flurblewig)

ETA: Last one left! This is the one that was published in 1943. Those on my flist who live across the pond have a better shot at this one.

4. The priest struck the gong. (That's not much to go on, is it? But I don't think the next couple of sentences would help.)

ETA: (The next couple of sentences) The sound reverberated off the temple's vaulted domes, splendid with brightly colored carvings. The solitary note echoed back and forth, diminishing to a remembered tone, a ghost of sound. - Daughter of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts (Guessed by phendog)

5. They didn't say anything about this in the books, I thought, as the snow blew in through the gaping doorway and settled on my naked back. - All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot (Guessed by mireille719)

6. My father had a face that could stop a clock. - The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (Guessed by beadtific)

(I was going to throw Chaos by James Gleick in there, but I figured that was just mean - only fellow physics nerds would have a chance at getting it.)

American Idol

OMG, I can't believe I got that one right. Anwar was sent home. :-(

WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP VOTING FOR SCOTT??? At least he was in the bottom three again - maybe he'll go next week.

I think Constantine is very, very safe - maybe that'll cheer jwaneeta up a bit? :-)

Kristina - 5, American Public - 1

Fanfic Meme

I thought I'd try a take-off of the book meme that went around recently:

Choose five of your all time favourite fanfics. Take the first sentence (or first few sentences) of the first chapter and make a list in your journal. Don't reveal the author or the title of the fic. Now everyone try and guess.

The fandom, of course, is BtVS and AtS. I'm going to try to aim for authors who don't read my journal (at least, I don't think they do). You're not allowed to guess yourself, in any event. And I'm doing six instead of five again.

ETA: Don't seem to be getting any more guesses, so I'm revealing the rest.

1. The rain had stopped, but the sky overhead was still mantled with clouds that reflected the city lights and threw an eerie reddish glow over the midnight landscape of downtown Sunnydale. - A Raising In The Sun by rahirah

2. Spike runs. Up the tower, as fast as he can. As he reaches the top, the girl screams out to him, and the old man--demon, whatever the hell he is--turns to greet him. - Future Imperfect by cousinjean (Guessed by speakr2customrs)

3. The demigod leaned forward in his chair of fire, delighted with the events as they unfolded. - Four Wishes by redeem147

4. He has led them to this moment and they have all come willingly, those who remain. Looking at their grim, bloody faces, he wonders for a moment if this is folly, if he has led them to ruin with this upstart battle. What they do here will only make a difference in the short term, but then that is all they have ever done. - In The Alley: How It All Comes Down by thenyxie.

5. 8.30 am:

Finally reach office. Parking garage still too brightly lit for my tastes. Prefer to do my in car brooding in a darker environment. - I Really Don't Like Mondays by booster17 (Guessed by doyle_sb4)

6. Prologue

Sunnydale, California

The riot fires blaze bright against the midnight sky; the piercing sounds of shrieking motorcycle tires and breaking glass assault them from every angle. From the darkness of the graveyard, three figures move in tandem into the orange glare of the streets. - The Returning by theohara (Guessed by speakr2customrs)