I finished a book recently and it left me shaking my head. There was so, so very much included in the book. Let me start by saying, it was part of a series—and several books into it—so there were all sorts of references to previous characters and happenings. I hadn’t read any of the other books so some of that was a little daunting. Though I suppose, if you’d read the rest, seeing a little aside and/or update would be fun.

When I finished the book, I looked up the next (and last) book in the series to read the blurb. Yes, the self-admitted non-blurb reader specifically looked up the blurb. I wanted to see if I needed to try and find it. After reading the blurb, there was no way I was picking up that book. Just the blurb alone was dramatic, melodramatic and so convoluted I didn’t want to spend the 2-3 days it might take to get through it all just to see if it had a remotely close HEA that would satisfy after that journey (I almost always have to have an HEA in all my book, it’s just how I roll…anyhoo…)

Between reading the second to last book and the blurb, I got to wondering:can you put too much into your stories? And I’m not talking about adding details and descriptions, I’m talking about actual story and plot points. Maybe because it was a series, the author was setting up the next book too much as well as wrapping up some previous story lines tighter. I don’t know if it was intentional and just her style or trying to do too much—haven’t read her before. The main story could have been told completely and utterly (in my opinion) without any of the secondary plotlines. It would have been shorter, but less confusing and a smoother read.

Don’t get me wrong, I like complex stories and I like peripheral plotlines to books, I just don’t like feeling like a need a character guide and score sheet to keep up with whose doing what, where and when, y’know…

But that is one thing that’s great about books… there’s something for everyone. What do you prefer? More or less? Or is it (with many aspects of writing) all in the execution?

I have loved Star Wars since I was five years old and the very first movie came out. My mom worked at the local movie theater in San Angelo, TX and I got to sit through movies for free (could eat all the popcorn I wanted—but always got lemon drops instead). Cut to adulthood: my hubby is an even bigger Star Wars fan than I am (a match made in heaven!) so naturally when it came time, our kids were eagerly introduced to the franchise.

Out of our four boys, every last stinking one of them has a similarly special place in their hearts for Yoda, Luke and the whole interstellar clan. (Thank goodness because it would have been awkward if we’d had to have disowned one!) We’ve taken the boys to see all the newest movies … okay #4 was not born when Phantom Menace came out—and was only 7mo when Attack of the Clones came out, he went, threw up on me the last five minutes of the movie, but he went.

As a family we have watched those movies over and over again, first on VHS then on DVD. Every holiday we tune in to Spike TV because they often run a Star Wars marathon. We have all the “action figures”, all opened and well played with and any and all sundry of items related to the franchise. But as is with life, the boys have gotten older. Their interests have diverged and often they don’t really relate to what one of the other is doing. It’s sad, but a growing period for them all.

Cut to Saturday. It was May 4th. May the fourth be with you. Since 2007, that has been a day dubbed Star Wars Day. Pretty darn awesome for a geek household like ours. So Saturday, the 14yo asks where their light sabers are. At one point I think he had 8 or 9—when they were little—and they all ended up under my bed to keep them from walloping one another. The 14yo finds one for each brother and they (all 4) spend an hour in the living room reenacting battles from the movies.

Hours later, the four of them where all just sitting around still. Talking. To each other. This rarely happens in a house full of teenagers. They grunt, nod and go their separate ways. But for May the 4th, they sat together and talked and had a great time. (it brought tears to my eyes).

Is there something that brings your family (and/or friends) together? anything that you will drop everything to catch up with? And if you like Star Wars, who’s you fave character? Mine is Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor version); I just love everything about him through the prequels!