msb-0012 It's finals and I don't have time to talk a lot.

Its finals at MCNY this week and I don't have time to talk a lot.

Bet you're all relieved to hear that.

This week, unless people get back to me with emails, and I really not counting on that, this show is going to be about one book review, "Begging Mercy, Offering Grace" by Rachel Knight, and some podsafe tunes that I want to share with you.

I'm still waiting to complete the interview with Kay Brewster.

The interview with Amanda Manaco is tentatively scheduled for some time in May, 2006.

I'll be going to "Podcasters Without Borders" in June, 2006 in Kingston, Ontario Canada and I'll be trying to interview C C Chapman then and there.

Not onto "Begging Mercy, Offering Grace" by Rachel Knight.

This is not my usual read. I mostly read technical manuals, science books, software books and other non-fiction books.

Well, I also read Terry Pratchetts and news papers.

But my reading is definitely not of a fantasy and romance genre.

Thus I was pleasantly surprised at my reactions to this book.

It was engagingly written and an addictive read. I found myself caring about Jenny/Jehane, Alex, their parents, brother, friends and other close relationships.

This book was well witten, with care and attention. I do not know how many revisions it went through or how long this book took to write but it was definitely worth it.

This book brought me hours and hours of enjoyment.

I started off slow because the subject, an unashamed romance novel, is definitely not my usual read but it took very little perseverance on my part before I found myself mesmerised by the characters. They are extremely well fleshed out and well motivated. I could understand and relate to them.

Also, I have noticed that I suffer from a spelling hiccup. Any mis-spelling in a book tends to halt me in my tracks and destroy the flow of the words as they flow from the page to my brain.

But this time, I couldn't even tell you if any words were misspelt because the book was so well crafted that either, the book is perfect, something which is becoming all too rare, even in the major presses, or the characters were just that engaging, even after the demands of my life demanded many interruptions.

I can definitely recommend this book to anyone, even a nerd like me. It will always stay as a guilty pleasure: I enjoyed a romance novel. (And I'm looking forward to her next one.)

Rachel Knight, Beggin Mercy, Offering Grace.
ISBN 1-4116-5323-8.
ID:168029 at www.lulu.com

This week as a special treat, its The Tragically Hip ( http://www.thehip.com ) as a closer. They got back to me with an email in record time. They are familiar with MS because the webmeister's best friend has developped it. That really sucks. (And to their friend I say: If you wanna talk about it, or just need an ear to listen to what's been happening to you, I'm reachable on my web page dude.)

They are in my humble opinion THE BEST Canadian band ever. They're playing "Blow At High Dough".

Now, if you've been following this podcast at all, you know that I'm Canadian, that I love "Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie," but you've never been exposed to my absolute adoration for "The Tragically Hip".

The are an unbelievably good band and have had Canada in their thrall for simply for fuckin' ever. Why? ... What are you? Hearin' impared? If you are, check out the lyrics... Its absolute poetry set to kick-ass music. Go to their site, ( http://www.thehip.com ), order their CDs, 'cause I haven't begun to describe how damn good they are. They are full of goodie good goodness.