What are the news stories that capture you attention?

As we start winding up this year, I’m thinking about this. I just saw a news headline that Prince Charles is being questioned in Diana’s death. I actually believe that Diana died in a very sad, tragic accident. I think the world lost a compassionate, caring woman, and her boys a loving mom, way too soon. But it was just an accident, the kind of tragedy that strikes families every day.

But the writer in me thinks, WOW! That story has it all, powerful families, intrigue, sex, murder and betrayal. It captures my imagination. Deep down, I want a REASON for Diana, a woman who was bigger than life, to have died. It’s so hard to accept that it was just a stupid, pointless accident. The writer in me wants to rewrite that story.

A really sad story that has stayed in the media is the teenage, Natalie Holloway, that disappeared while on a trip to Aruba. That one captured my attention at first, because it’s just so awful, and as a mother, it’s my nightmare. But what really, really got me annoyed was Dr. Phil and his show suggesting Natalie Holloway was kidnapped as a sex slave.

Why? Could it be true? Sure, anything is possible.

But I have an uneasy feeling that Dr. Phil is playing the ratings game with a teenage girl’s tragedy. And he’s not the only one. Natalie’s mother, desperate for answer, evidently cooperated. I would have too. I would do anything to find my missing child. But that doesn’t change my feeling about Dr. Phil’s show. On the up side, that show did expose the sex trade, and we need to know about the horrible abuse going on in our world.

Moving on, the dumbest story that got way too much attention this year? The Runaway Bride. Hands down, she and the media get Jen’s Dufuss Award. And if that guy still marries her, he gets Jen’s Dufuss Award too.

Any stories capture your attention? Or anyone you want to nominate for Jen’s Dufuss Award?

Bonus (Ha! I should say Insomnia Cure Here) Deb tagged me for meme about 10 Reading Secrets. I have no clue what I am supposed to do, but I’m game. I’ll put 10 of MY Reading Secrets here.

1) I got hooked on reading by dog books. BIG RED, OLD YELLER etc.

2) My sister used to read me the Oz Books, and I was so impressed with my sister that I desperately wanted to read too. (Somehow I thought that would make me as beautiful as my sister—didn’t happen!)

3) Both my parents were voracious readers. I grew up thinking everyone read books. I married a man who isn’t a book reader. What happened there? Happily, he does read MY books. (He may not be a reader but he is very smart)

4) Reading is my escape. When I can’t deal with life, I read.

5) I love books, but I don’t hang on to books. In my family, we passed around books. I don’t feel possessive about physical books. I think passing around a book is the greatest honor to the book (and the writer). I had a very lovely woman bring one of my books to a signing and ask me to sign it, but she apologized over and over for it being “ragged.” She took the book with her everywhere and read it when she had time. I was honored.

6) I love books that surprise me.

7) I don’t get the big sex debate. If you don’t like, don’t read it. If you like sex in your books, read it. Enjoy. I personally like writing sex into my books because sex tells me so much about my characters. But it’s a personal choice. I read many, many books without sex and don’t give it a thought.

8) I don’t get the big Harry Potter Debate. It’s good against evil and good wins. However, it was that debate that got my mom to read the Harry Potter books, and she nagged (oops, suggested) me into reading them. I loved them! And the Harry Potter books helped me through losing my mom.

9) I once tried to hide Stephen King’s MISERY from myself because it scared me so much. Do you all see the flaw in that plan? Yep, I found it and finished the book! Actually I thought if I buried it deep enough in a closet, I’d be happy reading any other book. Nope, I had to know how it ended.

10) After years and years of finishing every book I started, I no longer do that. Depending on the book, I’ll give it between 30 and 100 pages to catch my interest. Life is too short, and I love reading too much to waste the reading time I can carve out on books I don’t care for.

I did it! Anyone still awake? Okay I guess I tag three people. Hmmm…I’ll bet these people won’t see this :-)

Michele Cweirtny http://thewritersvibe.typepad.com/the_writers_vibe/

Wendy Crutcher http://super_librarian.blogspot.com/

Miss Snark http://misssnark.blogspot.com/

Happy Monday!