New Year's Meme

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?

Travelled to Alaska, Canada and Iowa; experienced a blizzard and white out conditions; emceed a dog show.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No. I don't do resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, they all had the decency to go to the hospital.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Canada.
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
Good health and peace of mind.

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I have had some success with my art.

8. What was your biggest failure?
Not being a better husband.
9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes, some gastro issues that still plague me to some degree.
10. What was the best thing you bought?
Our vacation to Alaska.
11. Where did most of your money go?
Cats, medical bills, art supplies, food.

12. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

My art.
13. Compared to this time last year, are you:
 a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?

a) Happier in some ways, sadder in others. b) Thinner. c) Poorer.
14. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Making art and playing parchesi.
15. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Worrying.
16. What was the best book you read?

Rollback by Robert J. Sawyer, Portraits: Talking with Artists at the Met, the Modern, the Louvre and Elsewhere by Michael Kimmelman, The Accidental Masterpiece by Michael Kimmelman.
17. What did you want and get?

Success with my art; a great part in the Christmas musical at church.
18. What did you want and not get?
Complete good health.
19. What kept you sane?

My wife, my art and my friends.
20. Who did you miss?
I miss my family, old friends and my youth.

Christmas in Iowa Part 5

Christmas Eve (12/24/07)
We got up late, got ready, dressed warm and walked into town. It was only 24 degrees this morning so it was like having a heat wave. I marveled at the snow drifts against her parent’s condo and the snowplow piles of snow that towered over our heads. We visited a unique gift shop and bought some cool ornaments and a cool birdhouse for my mom. After that, I took pictures of the town crèche with baby Jesus buried in snow and a sleepy church cemetery on a rolling hill. We headed back home, ate lunch and we’ve been pretty much just sitting around the rest of the afternoon. The Burch’s friend Ruth stopped by to spend the night with us. We played a definition game, ate lasagna and went to church.

The lasagna was good and church was pretty dull. The choir was pitiful w/ a couple of screechy sopranos drowning out the rest of the voices. At the end they had communion and a candle-lighting ceremony. Pretty standard. Nothing special.

I know this seems like a pretty dull entry but after the first few days activities we were ready for a dull day.

PS: I'll be posting other pics to my photo site when I get to it. The link is in the sidebar.

Christmas in Iowa Part 4

White Elephants, White Knuckles, White Out! (12/23/07)

On Sunday, we got up and headed to Galena, Illinois…a small touristy town on the Mississippi that Sarah grew up in. We went to church at First Presbyterian, "the oldest, continually used Protestant church building in the Old Northwest Territory." It was easy to tell that that statement was true because I'm quite sure the pews are original to the building. They were quite uncomfortable. The church does have some beautiful stained glass windows however. We sat thru a pretty typical service except for the too long Children's nativity presented on video instead of live. After the service, I met many people, ate a potluck dinner including turkey and dressing sandwiches, had yet another White Elephant gift exchange and then spent the afternoon with friends of the family. Deloris was a sweetheart. She is 90 years old and had a great time opening gifts. She suggested we all take turns and then proceeded to open all of her gifts in succession. It was good to meet Bob and Jim as well. We left quite early so that we could beat the bad weather home but we didn’t succeed. During the last 30 miles of the trip we found ourselves in a white out. Now, being from Florida, I thought white out was this stuff you use to fix mistakes on paper but I was mistaken. It's where the snow is blowing so fast across the road you can’t see a thing. We ended up in a convoy behind a sheriff’s SUV as he escorted us thru the worst of the storm. We passed many, many vehicles off the road and one SUV on its side. We finally made it home and I was thrilled to find out that we weren’t going anywhere the next day. We ate, played Rummikub and went to bed.

Christmas in Iowa Part 3

Blizzard (12/22/07)

The next morning we drove a couple of hours to Morrison, Iowa for the family Christmas. The trip started well but the fog continued to plague the state. When we arrived I found that we were having the party at the town’s museum. The town was small…probably 4 square blocks. After we arrived and I met some of the family, Sarah and I went for a walk around the town. I took some pictures and experienced the cold for the first time. My face was extremely numb. I don’t know for sure what the temperature was but it was 7 degrees when we left Solon. I’m sure the wind chill took it down below zero. We arrived back at the museum and the family drifted in one by one. We had a good lunch, exchanged gifts and played M & M bingo. Since our gifts were in our luggage I drew funny pictures of what they would have gotten if American Airlines hadn’t lost our luggage. They loved it!
Later, as the snow began to fall and the winds picked up to around 40 mph, we decided to head back to Solon. On the way back I got to experience a blizzard for the first time in my life. Up until that time, a blizzard for me was an ice cream dessert at Dairy Queen. Well, I'm here to tell you that driving thru that puppy was no fun. Sarah's mother told me not to be scared but that reassurance didn't help when she decided to hightail it thru the storm and take on any and all snowplows along the way. It's a wonder my hair didn't turn whiter than the new fallen snow.

On the way back, we decided to stop off at the Cedar Rapids airport because the Burch’s friend Ruth had heard that the St. Louis airport was going to bus a bunch of luggage in. We pulled up to the front and went inside only to find tons and tons of luggage lined up in the lobby. I immediately got in line but Sarah and her dad started looking thru the piles and piles of bags that had been brought up. Within 2 minutes they had found Sarah’s bag so I jumped out of line and located my bag about 15 minutes later. Sarah’s dad asked if we should tell someone we got our bags but I said, “No, let’s get the hell out of here.” We called Great Lakes to tell them we found it, cursed American Airlines under our breaths and beat a hasty retreat. Finding our luggage took a load off our minds and we were finally able to get a good night’s sleep that night.

While Sarah was making a pit stop in the ladies room, she overheard a bedraggled woman on her cell phone describing their trip by bus from O'Hare. Apparently everyone who went thru there had a worse experience than we did. We are probably the only people that made it into Iowa by air on Friday.

Christmas in Iowa Part 2

The Mist (12/21/07)
We woke up less than bright-eyed and nowhere near bushy-tailed. We washed up, put on the same clothes from the previous day and got some breakfast at the St. Louis Bread Company. After sustenance, we caught the shuttle to the airport and got filled in on the local gossip about some football player from the area. The lady giving the info was bending the ear of the shuttle driver who repeatedly responded with a hearty, "You're kidding!" We finally arrived at the airport knowing much more than we cared to about this fellow and proceeded to check in. There was still no word on our luggage but the Great Lakes people were great to us and said they'd be on the lookout. We tried talking to American again but it was just more stupidity and rudeness. To top it all off, we were flagged by security and had to do the full pat down, go thru your bags routine. We finally found our gate and the information that our flight was delayed another 1.5 hours due to the fog. This fog is like some supernatural beast trying to keep us out of Iowa. I think Stephen King wrote a book about it.
Our flight finally took off at 12:30 and we arrived in Burlington, IA. The airport was small and I mean small. The guy put all the bags out and ours weren't there. We filed a claim with the Great Lakes people who continued to be super nice and we headed out towards Solon.
On the way we stopped at Goodwill and Wal-Mart to get some clothes, undies, socks, toiletries and the like. After a great buffet dinner at the Pizza Ranch (good fried chicken), we headed home with her parents. We caught up, cleaned up, called to check on our luggage again (no luck because the fog continued and flights into Iowas continued to be cancelled) and finally went to bed.

Christmas in Iowa Part 1

Meet Me in St. Louis (12/20/07)
The day started okay. We finished packing and took the boys to the vet for boarding. (Very sad…but they were well taken care of) Joan picked us up and we hit the airport in plenty of time to catch our flight. Everything went great…until we got to St. Louis.
We got off the plane and found that our flight to Cedar Rapids was cancelled due to heavy fog in Iowa. (we later found out that pretty much the whole state of Iowa was shut down) We then proceeded to the red phones (Holy Crap, Batman!) to talk to someone about an alternative. Their first suggestion was that they didn't have anything until Saturday. My strong suggestion back was they they'd better try again. Our alternative ended up being to catch a puddle-jumper w/ Great Lakes Aviation (yeah, I’d never heard of it either) on Friday at 11:10 am to Burlington, Iowa, meaning that her parents now have to drive 2 hours to pick us up rather than half an hour. ur next step was to try to find our luggage. Well, that was the biggest mistake of all. They had no idea where our luggage was. It was so frustrating to talk to those stupid, rude people. At one point, the stupid, rude person told us that our luggage probably went on to Cedar Rapids since that was our final destination. I asked her how our luggage was going to get there if we couldn't. She had no answer. We almost jumped in a rental car with a guy named Jason and his wife to drive to Cedar Rapids but at the last minute we decided to stay hoping we could sort out the luggage crisis. We finally found a very nice American employee (the only freakin’ one) named Earl and he treated us right. We got a hotel for the night and he assured us that our luggage had been marked to be aboard the plane tomorrow.
So we got a 50% discount (act of God) at the Westport Sheraton. We had a luxurious dinner at McDonald’s (actually it was pretty dang tasty), watched some cable TV and went to bed.

I'm Back!

Did you miss me? We arrived safe and sound back in slushy Seattle on the 27th. Man, is it good to be home. We had an interesting holiday and I will be blogging about it over the next few days. Be patient as I unfurl the complicated tableau of our trip. Stay tuned. It's worth it.

Booklist

On A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony

"The Man Who Murdered Death. Shooting Death was a mistake, as Zane soon discovered. For the man who killed the Incarnation of Death was immediately forced to assume the vacant position! Thereafter, he must speed over the world, riding his pale horse, and ending the lives of others. Zane was forced to accept his unwelcome task, despite the rules that seemed woefully unfair. But then he found himself being drawn into an evil plot of Satan. Already the Prince of Evil was forging a trap in which Zane must act to destroy Luna, the woman he loved. He could see only one possible way to defeat the Father of Lies. It was unthinkable --- but he had no other solution!"*

I finished this back before we left for Iowa so this review will be short and sweet. It was pretty good but not near as great as I thought it might be. I was interested in reading it because we have been watching Dead Like Me and I had heard that the concept was similar. It really wasn't that similar. It dragged in a few places but picked up toward the end. I'm not sure if I'll read anymore in the series or not. Probably not.

*From the book jacket

Iowa

Tomorrow morning we board a plane headed for Iowa. It will be my first time to the state and the first time I will meet a bunch of Sarah's family. And...it will cold. Perhaps not as cold as it could potentially be but too cold for me nonetheless. I'm taking every stitch of warm clothing I have. Tomorrow morning will be hectic. We are mostly ready but we have to take the cats to the vet for boarding. That will be crazy. I am taking the laptop with us but I'm not sure if I'll be able to find internet access anywhere. We'll see. So, you may not hear from me for a week. I know that will be hard on you die-hard Renzntzman fans but it might do you good to have a break. Then you can appreciate me all the more.
Merry Christmas. See you in a week...or less.

Score!

This morning was our work party down at the Edgewater Hotel on the water. The food was fabulous but my stomach was acting up so I wasn't able to enjoy it like I would have liked. We had yet another white elephant exchange where I scored a Tracer Projector and Sarah (seen here with our friend Julie) got a cheesy cow bank. We named it Pamela because it's got big udders.
I like this white elephant stuff. It's fun. I've scored some good gifts. Maybe next year I won't be so lucky and the white elephant will fall on my head. Oh well. That's life I guess.

12 Days of Christmas

Listen all the way to the end. It's pretty cool!

Christmas Meme

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Whatever's on hand. My wrapping is terrible. Sarah laughs at my ill wrapped gifts.
2. Real tree or artificial?
Artificial. I don't want to celebrate Christmas by killing a tree.
3. When do you put up the tree?
Sarah decorates...usually on the Saturday following Thanksgiving.
4. When do you take the tree down?
Whenever Sarah gets to it.
5. Do you like eggnog?
This is the first year I've ever tried it. Not really.
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
GI Joe stuff.
7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes.
8. Hardest person to buy for?
Everybody.
9. Easiest person to buy for?
Nobody.
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Crappy art supplies from well-meaning relatives.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail w/ a Christmas letter and photo.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Miracle on 34th Street.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Not early enough.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Certainly. We keep a white elephant box in the closet.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Well, my diet has been dramatically altered. I used to love my mom's sausage balls.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Sarah likes clear but put colored on the tree this year. She doesn't like blinking lights so they don't.
17. Favorite Christmas song?
Linus and Lucy from A Charlie Brown Christmas.
18. Travel for Christmas or stay at home?
Travelling this year. Going to Iowa.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
We have one of those funky foreign thingies on our tree. I don't know what it's called but it could be used as a weapon.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Usually one on Christmas Eve and the rest in the morning. This year, we're having to open our big gifts before we leave. I'm not sure what the tradition is for her family.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Commercialism.
23. What I love most about Christmas?
Time off, time with friends and celebrating with Sarah.

Elephants Part Deux

My friend Marshall sent me this link which has the definition for white elephants. Thanks Marsh!

The bleached pachyderm party on Saturday night was alot of fun. We met some new folks from church, ate great food and had great fun. The white elephant portion of the evening was pretty funny. Sarah stole the Moses action figure and I originally ended up with the portrait of Bob but our friend Mary stole it from us so that we could get something else. That was very nice. I stole the Herman Munster bobble head that you see in the pic above. That's Joan holding Sarah's Moses (who now has a place of honor atop her dollhouse). Someone else got a Deluxe Jesus action figure with glow-in-the-dark hands. Good stuff!

We have one more white elephant on Wed. morning...a brunch work party at the Edgewater Hotel. They have awesome food! Last year I scored the awesome Jesus/Mary clock. Here's hoping I score something equally tacky this year. I can put anything in our studio. It's a hodge-podge of weirdness.

Sunday found us at lifegroup in the afternoon where we enjoyed good food and good company. later in the afternoon, we sang some carols accompanied by young Ian and Erik on the violin and cello. After that, we shared Christmas memories and said our goodbyes. It was a nice day.

It's so great to have friends especially around the holidays. Our first Christmas here was nice but we didn't go to any parties or anything because we didn't know anyone. I'm glad we've found a community to be a part of. Even a Scrooge like me likes a bit of social interaction once in a while.

Elephants Abound

Tonight, Sarah and I have another white elephant party. We have 3 total for the season. It's such an interesting concept. Where did the idea originate? Is it called a white elephant because the first gift was a white elephant?
In less than a week we will be in Iowa visiting Sarah's family. It will be my first time there and the first time meeting many in her extended family. I will be under the microscope I'm sure. I'm sure it will be a good trip although I dread the possibility of being colder than I ever have been in my life. It gets below zero there. I'm a Florida boy, remember?
Art has taken a back seat to Christmas but I've got a lot to do when we get back. I have 5 shows in Jan/Feb so far plus Insurrection Vintage (where I have had art on display since May) is opening a new store at the corner of Roosevelt and 65th (a great location) and they want me to be their resident artist at both stores. I've got to get cranking.
So, not much else to report. I'm sure I'll chime in occasionally over the next few days before we depart but I'm not sure I'll have internet access on the trip. If not, I'll journal everything and slap it on the net when I get back.
Feliz Navidad, everybody!

A Lesson Learned?

Winterland was a fun experience but it also gave me some insight into some things that I've been struggling with over the last couple of years. I've been trying to figure out what "my thing" is. I have so many "things" that I enjoy doing that it's hard to focus sometimes on just one of them. My love for art has been rekindled but I missed having opportunities to act and sing. Winterland gave me that opportunity. What I learned is this: I love singing more than acting. The singing part was so much fun and I feel like I did a good job with it. The acting...a bit of a chore. It was fun but I just don't know that I'm an Actor with a capital "A." So, what does that mean? Well, I'll tell you. It means that I will concentrate on what I enjoy. No more lamenting the fact that acting opportunities don't jump up to greet me. I'm going to concentrate on my art and see if singing with Midlife Chrysler satisfies the singing void. Perhaps they'll also let me play some hand percussion...another thing I enjoy alot. We'll see.

Max Update

Our cat Max seems to be doing better. We are giving him liquified baby food several times a day to keep him hydrated. His energy level seems a bit improved. He actually sprang off the chair for treats the other night with Sarah. He hasn't done that in ages. We are still watching him and are prepared to "let him go" if that is what needs to happen. For now, he's doing okay.
We are boarding both Mickey and Max with the vets while we are in Iowa for Christmas. It will give us peace of mind to know that they are being cared for properly.

Winterland Pics

1) Big Tell and Jim Billy Rayburn.
2) Rehearsing with the band.
3) Marshall and Joan.
4) Granger: the Col. Sanders from Hell.
5) The band Midlife Chrysler.
(That's not all me in these shots. I wore a fat suit under the costumes. I've lost about 40 lbs since March.)

Winterland is Over!

The lights are off. The set is struck. The costumes are put away. The show is over.
It is with a mix of sadness and relief that I put Winterland: The Quest for Christmas behind me. I am sad because it was a great experience with a wonderful director and a great cast of friendly folks from NW Church. I was given the opportunity to act and sing again and it was fun. New friendships were forged and Sarah and I feel even more a part of the NW family than ever. I am happy because it took over our lives for 4 months. With life not giving us a break, that made for some stressful and very tiring times. But despite my weariness, it was a great time and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Some highlights include...
- Me as Granger entering with a KFC bucket at dress rehearsal. Just look at the pictures. I look like the Colonel.
- On Saturday, between shows, a few of us got silly and started singing songs from the show in different styles with the band accompanying us. We did reggae, Beatles, Devo, Kermit the frog, James Brown, and who knows what else. It was a blast. Seattle people can be way too serious most of the time. It was nice to be able to just cut loose. At the end of the session, Joan got up off the bench she and her hubby Marshall were sitting on and dumped him on the floor. It was a great ending for a fun time.
- The lifegroups did an outstanding job feeding us. They were asked to provide healthy food for us this year and they hit the ball out of the park. My body thanks you all.
- The band, Midlife Chrysler, is in need of a new vocalist. They want me to come jam with them some time after the first of the year. I'm looking forward to it. I miss being in a band.
Well, I could go on and on. It was fun. It was tiring. We laughed. We cried. It became a part of us. And now it's over...sort of. Tonight's the cast party. One last bit of revelry before we put it behind us for good. So long, Winterland!

For more on Winterland go here and here.

Art Update

I've sold a few more pieces. The small canvas collages I created seem to be a hit. I took 9 down to Twilight a couple of weeks ago and 4 sold immediately. I will have to get cranking on more of those. I hope the prints take off as well.
A guy called me this morning from Candle's Cafe wanting to know if I'd take $75 for a $100 piece. I really didn't want to do it but I did. My justification was that if I had sold the piece somewhere that charges commission I probably wouldn't have gotten that much out of it. But part of me wants to say no. It's art and it's worth at least $100. In terms of supplies involved, the pieces cost next to nothing but the time investment is pretty significant. If I thought I could get more than $100 out of one of them, I would charge that. But alas, people just don't buy art. So I've priced them to move. I just don't know if I want to be haggled down as if it was something at a garage sale. What do you think?
So, the new year looks to be pretty busy. Jan. and Feb. find me with 5 different show opportunities whether they be solo or group. I hope that 2008 will prove to be the year that my art really starts to take off. We'll see.

Booklist

"Ever reliable and responsible, Otis Halstead is a father, a husband (one half of a “well-dressed couple of substance”), and the CEO of Kansas Central Fire and Casualty. He has never done anything out of the ordinary. Until now.
The change in Otis starts with an antique toy fire truck, the exact model he had pined for at age ten but never received. Though it is now a collectible costing $12,350, he will buy it–because he can. Next comes a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun, ordered from the Nostalgia Today catalog. A Kansas City Chiefs regulation NFL helmet follows. But Otis’s real coup is the purchase of his one true childhood passion: a red 1952 Cushman Pacemaker motor scooter. For his baffled wife, Sally, this is the final straw. She insists that he see a shrink–a sloppy man with flowing hair who uses terms like “mature men in crisis” and “second childhood syndrome.” Otis is unimpressed–and extremely insulted–by the doctor’s insinuation that his baldness is to blame for his sudden interest in toys.
But it’s not until tragedy strikes uncomfortably close to home that Otis decides he wants out of his sensible, safe life in Eureka, Kansas. And so, a few weeks before his sixtieth birthday, Otis leaves town, heading west on old U.S. 56, a corporate CEO wearing a football helmet, riding a forty-year-old motor scooter, and with a BB gun strapped to the side. One might say he was in for an adventure. Otis would say he was finally about to experience life."*
Plain and simple, this is a book about a man going thru midlife crisis. Why am I reading a book about this? Guess. Yes, I must admit that, at times, I feel as though I am going thru a crisis. Whether it's midlife or not, I don't know. It has more to do with identity...knowing who I am and what I'm supposed to be doing. Has my life been a waste of time? Have I made my mark? Will I ever find myself? These are questions I ask myself everyday. So, I thought this book might be a good read.
As it turns out, it's quite a disappointing read. It starts promisingly enough with Otis in crisis and really starts to breathe when he "hits the road. The journey starts out great but then grinds to a screeching halt. What happens at the end is pretty dull. Lehrer has a right to end his book however he pleases but I didn't like it. Not one bit. Not only was his writing simple and dull, I found myself wanting more of the journey. I can't tell you how many times I've felt like Otis...just wanting to pack all my essentials in the back of my jeep and hitting the road. I understood how Otis felt and his need for escape. I wanted to journey vicariously thru him...thru the story. I didn't get a satisfying journey with this one. What a let down.

Source

Tortured Artist Test

I am 45% Tortured Artist.

I have some artistic ability, but it is probably a hobby and doesn't drive my life into a dark abysmal hole were I am alone and against the world.

Take the
Tortured Artist Test@ FualiDotCom

This cracks me up because people always tell me that I seem too "normal" to be an artist. What's normal? If normal for an artist is to live in squalor, never bathe and to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown every few hours, count me out. So, go ahead. Don't count me as an artist. My work speaks for itself.

White Snow, White Elephants and Winterland

Sarah and I attended a Christmas party/auction on Saturday night. It's an annual event among some of the folks at church. People bring wrapped gifts of value and they bid on them. They can also steal them "white elephant" style. It was fun. It was still snowing but we drove to Everett and rode over with Marshall and Joan in their 4-wheel drive SUV. I'm glad we did that because these folks lived out in the boonies (for Seattle) in a magnificently macked out log cabin. The roads were a bit too much for our jeep.
We didn't do any bidding (on purpose). Marshall and I sat in the back quietly (we thought) making snarky comments as the auction proceeded. At one point I guess we got a little loud and almost accidentally bid on something. It was funny and scary all at the same time.
The food was fabulous. I don't eat like that anymore but I made an exception last night. It was quite tasty. I, of course, paid for it today but not as badly as I thought it might be.
It was nice to have a little fun before the week begins. The musical is in full swing now and we have major rehearsals the first of the week. First performance is Thursday night. We're not quite ready but we're getting there. It should be fun...it's just going to be an exhausting week trying to juggle work, cat care, and the musical. Thank goodness they're feeding us every night. That's one less thing to worry about.
So, if you don't get too many blog entries this week it's because I'll be elbow deep in Winterland. I'll try to chime in from time to time and I'll catch you up when it's all said and done.

First Snow

It's snowing. The prediction is that it will turn to rain later. I love snow but we were supposed to go to a Christmas party tonight that is up north where they get it worse than we do down here in Seattle. I hope it will not be too bad so we can still go. I was looking forward to it. Although, a night at home with a cozy fire might not be too bad either.

Booklist

"From the New York Times bestselling author of the Deathstalker and Nightside series comes a new kind of hero in an old kind of war.
All those things you hear about as a kid? The boogeyman under the bed? The creature in the closet? They're for real, people.
Eddie Drood knows they're for real. His family has kept humanity safe from the things that go bump in the night. For ages, they've held back the nightmares, locked the doors, barred the gates, and put righteous boot to monster arse on a nightly basis.
But now Eddie's in trouble. One of his own has convinced the rest of the family that Eddie's become a menace, and that humanity needs to be protected from him. So he's on the run, using every trick in the book, magical and otherwise, hoping he lives long enough to prove his innocence. And he knows how dangerous the Droods can be-because he's one of them."*
The overall premise of this book (and future ones I'm sure) is simply this: What if James Bond existed in a world of magic? Pretty straightforward. Secret agents in a Harry Potter world. The only reason I picked this up is because I am a fan of Green's Nightside series. This series might draw me in. The story was pretty so-so but it picked up at the end and I can see where it might become a good series. Even Nightside's first book was only so-so but the plot arc introduced gave me hope for a future of better stories and they did get better. So, I will look forward to seeing more from this magical 007 in the future.

*From the dust jacket.