Last night we met with local friends and friends from out of state, had a great dinner and fun conversation at a local restaurant. The conversation went in many different directions and it was all good!
picture from pinterest:)
Month: May 2015
“Heaven Sent Rain,” by Lauraine Snelling
Dinah Taylor is a scientist and successful business woman with a well-ordered life. She’s single with no desire to marry. One morning, Dinah meets Jonah Morgan, (7 years old) and his dog Mutt, buys him breakfast and her life has changed forever. You might ask, where are his parents? I’m glad you asked. All is explained to the reader, as the story proceeds.:)
Garret Miller is a successful veterinarian and artist. One night, Dinah and Jonah bring the seriously injured Mutt to Garret’s clinic in need of medical assistance. Jonah likes Garret immediately, but Dinah and Garret have a rough start. Jonah needs Garret and Dinah, so, as Garret attempts to keep up with his successful practice and Dinah deals with her own business along with the press and a grieving little boy, Garret and Dinah need to somehow process through everything for Jonah and Mutt.
This was the first time I have read a book by this author. Normally, I read a very different type of fiction, but I was not disappointed with this gentle read. The book grabbed my attention and held it throughout the story. Although I did not like the press, all the main characters in the story were likable. If you would like to read a easy, well-written story, try Heaven Sent Rain. Happy Reading!
picture from pinterest.
Do NOT . . . I repeat . . . Do NOT Go to the MOON! or Lunar Escapades!
My husband, Rick, read the creepiest book of the year! the decade! the century! . . . ok, maybe just the creepiest book of the day! Ahem.
Please note – I did not read this book.
RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! Trust NO ONE!
So, NASA has not sent anyone to the moon for a very long time. To determine who will go to the moon, they decide to have a lottery. Three teenagers win the lottery, or should I say LOOOOOOSE? Altogether, there are 8 in the crew. Before they blast off, the teens are warned by an unidentified person or persons not to travel to the moon, but off they go. Trust NO ONE!
:(Beware or things that go BUMP in the night!
Well, he gave it four stars on goodreads and he reports it reminds him of the old, classic movie, “Invasion of the Body Snatchers!” I thought – the story sounded creepy.
Be prepared to sleep with the light on!
picture from pinterest.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sir Arthur Conan Doyle!!!
picture from pinterest.
Welcome Welcome Traci Borum! It’s a pleasure to visit with you today!
1.) How long have you blogged and why do you blog?
Answer: I started a writing blog back in 2008, after watching the movie Julie & Julia, about a young woman who starts blogging about food, just because she loves to cook. And it inspired me to start a writing blog, because I loved to write (and I teach creative writing, so I wanted to share some of the techniques or lessons or truths I’d learned along the way). The blog was pretty invisible, sort of tucked away online. Not many people knew about it or followed it, but I’ve archived it on my author website, so that maybe it will inspire some writer who stumbles upon it someday.
2.) What is your favorite genre?
Answer: Women’s fiction, for sure. I like how broad of a range the genre is, how it can span from chick-lit like Bridget Jones’s Diary to literary fiction like Anne Tyler’s works. But my favorite type of women’s fiction is somewhere between, the kind Rosamunde Pilcher writes. On my grandmother’s and mother’s recommendation, I read Pilcher’s novel, The Shell Seekers, when I was about eighteen years old. And since then, I’ve read it three more times. Rosamunde Pilcher (a Scottish author) probably influenced my style of writing more than any other author. It’s not that I would ever (or could ever!) compare my style to hers. But as a reader, I loved the way she relaxed her descriptions, painted word pictures, took her time with vivid imagery. She wasn’t afraid to slow the story down a bit in order to have a look ’round, to show the reader the setting involved. I tend to do the same thing in my writing. It’s old-fashioned, I know. And some people have accused me of being too slow-paced. But I like to savor words and images, both as a reader and as a writer.
3.) Who is your favorite author? If you want to, name more than one!
Answer: Oops, I think I got carried away with the previous question and stole this one’s thunder! But I can name other women’s fiction authors I admire. Elin Hilderbrand, Elizabeth Berg, Raffaella Barker, Jeanne Ray, Harriet Evans, to name a few. They’re each so different (some are humorous, some are serious), but the minute I hear they’ve written a new novel, I snap it up quickly without a second thought. I trust that whatever the new story is, it’s going to be good.
4.) You are going to meet your favorite fictional character at a local coffee shop. You can visit with this fictional character for one hour. Who are you going to meet and why? What are you going to talk about?
Answer: A hard question! So many to choose from. But I think I’d go with Jo, from Little Women. I love how flawed she is, how vulnerable and tough and loving and stubborn she is, rolled into one. And, of course, if I had coffee with her, I’d have to talk about writing. And I’d have to ask more about Laurie and her sisters and the Professor. I think an hour wouldn’t be long enough for that!
5.) If you could live inside a fictional story, which book would you live in and why?
Answer: Any of Rosamunde Pilcher’s novels because of their settings (Scotland, mostly). Pilcher lives there, and so her descriptions are accurate and specialized. I like the comfort of the countryside or the seaside, as Pilcher describes them. She also creates a lot of small-town settings, which I also enjoy. They seem cozy, somehow.
6.) Has a book ever inspired you? What book? How did it inspire you?
Answer: Probably the most inspiring book was a children’s novel, written by L. M. Montgomery. She’s famous for writing Anne of Green Gables, but I happened to love her other series, Emily of the New Moon. Emily was a writer, and would often carry a notebook around and jot down thoughts and stories. As a twelve-year-old, I wanted to be Emily. I wanted to be a writer. So, really, that book perhaps planted the seeds that led me to my writing career today.
7.) If you could travel anywhere in the world – no cost to you – one location, where would you go and why?
Answer ; The British Isles, for sure! I’ve been there once before, at age seventeen, but I’d love to travel back there again someday. Last time, I saw all the castles and cathedrals and landmarks. But this time, I’d like to rent a cottage (in Cotswolds, of course!), learn to drive a rented car on the “wrong” side of the road, visit some local pubs and shoppes, and talk to the locals. That would be my dream vacation.
Thank-you so much Traci for visiting my blog today! You can find Traci at http://www.traciborum.com
She has wonderfully provided me with the cover photos of both of her books, above and I understand her new book should be available by Christmas! She has also provided a picture of the desk where she writes and the view from her window! Very nice!
Been sick . . . will return soon. The good news – my injured foot is better!
picture from pinterest.
I was reading “The Auschwitz Escape,” when a library book I ordered arrived. So, I briefly put down the “Auschwitz” book and read, “The Stormy Petrel,” by Mary Stewart.
Rose Fenemore needs time away, where she can be alone and write poetry. She wants an “ivory tower.” So, Rose and her brother Crispin make plans to meet on the island of Moila off the west coast of Scotland. Well, she did get more than rest! Her brother, through no fault of his own, was delayed and Rose had quite the adventure. Oh yes. She is awakened to a noise in the cottage. She puts on a “dressing gown,” walks downstairs and finds a man standing in her kitchen holding a “kettle!” I think I would have screamed and threw something at him! ha! Or better yet, RUN!
I enjoyed this story. I loved the imagery and the atmosphere. Mary Stewart describes the island beautifully, the birds, the otters, the storms and the sea. There are only a handful of people on the island and I would love to visit Moila. The book might be a little predictable, but I was ok with that. This wasn’t my favorite book by this author but I did enjoy it, very much. Happy Reading!
picture from pinterest.
“A Thing of Beauty,” by Lisa Samson
Good morning! Fiona Hume is a former child star, still recognizable, and an artist with a home full of stuff. When she was a teenager, she divorced her parents? I know? She bought a mansion in Baltimore, wanting to restore the old home. Now, she’s in her early thirties and she’s run out of money. She decides to rent out one of the rooms in the old mansion to bring in some cash. Josia Yeu, a blacksmith answers the call and rents the room, actually, it’s the maid’s quarters in the mansion. And so, we have another interesting and unique story by Lisa Samson.
I liked it! Not knowing where exactly to begin, I guess I will start with the characters. With the exception of Fiona’s mother, a real pain in the neck, and an icky guy from the past, I loved all the characters! Let’s see here – we have Randi, the owner of the coffee shop, Jack, a great guy who adores Fiona and is a good friend to her, Big Mike, a dependable and lovable taxi driver, her dad and Josia the blacksmith. I thought it was interesting that she was surrounded by great men. She needed that. And, this is such a human story.
It’s quirky, it’s cluttered It’s just a really good read. Just on FYI, it has a mild amount of bad language. Happy Reading.
picture from pinterest.
TBR
Good morning. As many of you know, I recently injured my poor foot. I’ve been propped up on pillows and much to my impatience, I’ve been staying off it. 😦 I’ve been doing all my exercises the doctor suggested and my pathetic foot seems about the same. It has good days and bad days. Sigh. However, I did manage to hobble outside into our back yard yesterday and take a picture of our flowering bush! AND! I’ve been reading. Sooooo, without further ado . . .
This is our wonderful, flowering bush!
Oh my goodness! My TBR pile is so much shorter! That raggedy purple thing is my kindle cover. I have a few books on my kindle to read, but this is the shortest stack of books I’ve had to read in a long time. So, trying to see the bright side, my foot has enabled me to do a LOT of uninterrupted reading! Right now, I’m reading “The Ivy Tree,” by Mary Stewart. I set a goal on goodreads – books to read! – for the year. I’ve almost reached my goal! lol.Have a great day and HAPPY READING!
Children’s Book Week – Chapter Books!
I love chapter books for kids! Every time I go to a book store, I trot right on over to the kid’s books and check out the chapter books. I never know which books to choose. I’m always so excited and curious. Which new land will I journey too? Or will I travel back in time? Or into the future? What adventure awaits me? What new friends will I meet? I’m going to share a list of chapter books I have read and love. If you have any chapter books to recommend to me, please do! I would love to hear from you! The books listed are in no particular order. To choose a favorite would be a daunting task! haha. 🙂
- The Chronicles of Narnia by. C. S. Lewis
- The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye
- The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
- The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall
- The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall
- The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall
- With A Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo
- Crispin The Cross of Lead by Avi
- The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
- The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
- The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
- Red Butterfly by A. L. Sonnichsen
- Our Intrepid Heroine by Ness Kingsley (I’m not sure what age this short story is intended for, but I love this story and think it’s good for all ages, so I am including it in my list!) Enjoy!
HAPPY READING!
picture from pinterest.
*Just a friendly reminder! This blog is a no dragon zone! ha! 🙂
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