Fantasy TV Shows - Giving in to my inner child

Okay, I can't be the only one who is loving the increasing popularity of fantasy, sci-fi, supernatural TV shows that keep rolling out! I follow Once Upon A Time religiously, and I just found out that there's a Cinderella movie in pre-production with Lily James and Richard Madden. Love! I've also been checking out the new supernatural Netflix show, Hemlock Grove. I can't get enough of them. In some cases these types of fantasy romance/fairy tale series can do no wrong in my book. I pretty much let my inner-child take over and just enjoy the ride.
I think at times maybe we can become too critical of our entertainment. Certainly we can't ignore poorly created art. Just like the next serious fantasy fan, I have high standards for what I consider my favorites. Yet part of enjoying fantasy is the ability to let go of preconceived notions of what is real and what is not, and instead be swept away into another reality. I don't know about you, but for me, I abandon my critical mind and just open myself up to whatever this new world has to offer. Whether it be a movie, TV show or book.
I was actually really surprised by increasingly negative feedback that The Hobbit movie by Peter Jackson received. Okay, you don't have to repeat all the reasons why it was awful, I've read/heard them over and over. But to be honest, if Peter Jackson is willing to spend years of his life making it possible for me to enter into Middle Earth for another three films? Then I am all for it. Also, I know, I know, it doesn't follow the book exactly, and I had issues with the portrayal of Faramir, my absolute favorite character in The Two Towers film. BUT, thank you Peter Jackson for bringing those books to life! Don't get me wrong, I'm a hardcore fan of the original. We know going into it that, "the book is always better than the film."
I guess I bring up The Hobbit because I happened to enjoy it. It was the full experience, and yes, I felt like I was there once again! Glimpsing Middle Earth...
At the risk of becoming a post solely about my love for The Hobbit, in a world of disappointed fans, I will open up the question. What fantasy TV shows are you following? I would love to hear some suggestions!

Between Books: Writing, Graduate Studies, and Daily Work

Hey everyone!

It has been a while since I posted on my blog, but I have been working hard on my second book among a lot of other things! I am nine weeks into my Masters in Business Administration. It was a big decision for me, but I'm glad I went through with it. I have been learning a lot! Also, I work full time at a university, so I am able to do all three things at once. Although, that doesn't give me much time for other things!

I have been so excited about sharing more about my second book, but I don't want to give too much away. I can reveal at least that I do have a title ready and I will be revealing it soon! So stay tuned.

As far as my masters degree, it has been really tough! I have been working so many hours on writing papers and discussions boards (it's entirely online) that I have just been so tired! I'm looking forward to a two-week break in between seminars where I will devote my time to writing more for Book Two of The Great Oak Trilogy. I can't wait to tell everyone more about it!

In other news, I am enjoying the warm weather! It has just started to really feel like spring and I went hiking with my boyfriend last weekend! It was beautiful, it felt so nice to enjoy the sunlight and be outdoors. We are so lucky we have a ton of hiking trails right behind where we rent our condo, so we can enjoy nature. There were so many streams and rivers, and surprisingly there was still a lot of snow once we reached the higher elevations. We actually had to turn around because it was too deep.

I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying the sunshine!

Best wishes,
Celeste Simone