So Banned Book Week came and went. Did you notice? Did you do anything to celebrate? Did you read?

For my part, I had planned to pick up a book on this year’s banned book list and read/re-read it. Although my plan didn’t totally work out, I did have one. An epic one. A damned near historical one.

This past year – after picking up Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead – I had planned on reading the Vampire Academy. So much so was I planning this I picked up the first in the series. Partially this was due to an interest in YA both as research for my grandchildren and as a potential writing style. Partially it was due to the fact that I was going to Romantic Times which afforded me the opportunity to get the book signed. Ironically I didn’t manage to get either of those books signed – even while at the Rock Band Party.

What does this have to do with Banned Book Week? Well Richelle Mead has managed to do something awesome. I am sure you can guess that she was banned somewhere – but there’s a twist. Not only did Stephenville Texas ban the Vampire Academy, but they have also banned future books in the series! You heard me right, she has had books banned that she hasn’t even written yet!

Seriously, I could not comprehend how they could justify banning something they obviously have never seen. I had strange images of the T-1000 coming from the future in a little wormhole to take her out so that she could never write the series. In my mind that seemed easily as plausible as the truth.

So my way of commemorating Banned Book Week is to remember some of the great novels that have made it onto this list, and to bump the Vampire Academy up on my list of To Be Read books. So in addition to making the same list as such great works as To Kill a Mockingbird and Catcher in the Rye, I am going to salute this historic occasion and read the series.

As a small addendum though, I feel obligated to state there are two books that are going into rotation first. They are the anthology Hungry For Your Love (just released by Ravenous Romance) and Four Thousand Miles by Jesi Lea Ryan (releasing in ebook on November 7th). While I stand by supporting banned books, I have to put my locals up first. Both Jesi Lea Ryan and Mercy Loomis are in my local writing group, so I will not only read these (even though only one is in my normal genre) but I will also go so far as to suggest everyone give them a read.