My daughter was already pained that I wasn’t getting any surprises for Christmas, when we arrived at the store. Close your eyes, she said, and hid something in the cart. I smiled, then wondered what the sales clerk thought when I turned my back while my daughter made her purchase. I didn’t even turn toward…
There are several things I hope to talk about, in regard to the month long road trip I finished two days ago. The one foremost on my mind right now, has to do with conversations, and time spent, with several people I had never met before.
The first one was a man, a client I have been working with, from a distance, for a few weeks now. He is a self-professed Chatty Cathy, has gotten carried away in phone conversations a few times, and invariably said I don’t know why I am telling you all this as he shared about his job history, family, health, and whatever else came to mind in the moment.
This connection has been both interesting, and concerning because I have major trust issues with men, issues that have been growing steadily over the last decade or so as I face the deeply buried truth of my early life (a conversation for another day). It’s fairly easy to be relaxed hiding behind the anonymity of a telephone conversation but a face to face conversation is another story. Would my triggers create an awkward situation in the meeting I knew would happen soon?
Thankfully, he was as respectful and easy to talk to in person as he was on the phone. I felt relaxed and our conversation was honest and natural. He was still a Chatty Cathy and still had occasion to say – I don’t know why I am telling you all this. It would do my ego good if I had the idea he shared because he thought highly of me, but I knew that wasn’t it. I think the truth simply was – I was willing to listen.
The second person was the waitress in a Husky Restaurant. It was a small town on my way home and it was getting close to closing time when I stopped for lunch. There were several tables of local boys having coffee and the rest of the tables were empty. I took a seat at a table near them and after a time of quiet, their conversations returned to the easy relaxed way of friends. The seasoned waitress seemed to be the instigator of many conversations, that was her thing.
Usually I have my protective walls firmly in place and don’t easily engage in conversation but things have changed on this trip. As I went to the cash register to pay my bill I decided to attempt a few comments, to open the door a little, and what followed was a full on conversation about the town, her family, jobs, commutes, and the first trip in 40 years to the next big city. We would have talked longer but she had to finish closing up.
The last person was the desk clerk when I stopped for the night. It seemed to be a slow night for her and she wanted to talk. We talked about her weight problem and all of her concerns, which were many, around that subject. I learned a lot about her family and their health issues. We talked about living in the country while working in town and the things you have to do to make that work. The last subject we explored had to do with recycling and the inventiveness of her father in using everything and anything as building material. Other guests were looking for her attention several times and I finally took the opportunity to slip away, I had to go – if you catch my drift. I came away from the conversation feeling bad, and I still do, because she obviously didn’t want me to leave, and seemed to feel deserted when I did.
I can relate to the way she feels. It is not often we find someone willing to take time to listen to us. Many of us seem to be starving with the need for a listening ear.
Then, there are two little people who come to mind in regard to connection. I’ve noticed their unique need many times over the years and make a special effort when I meet little ones. Probably because I remember being that age, somewhere in the buried memories.
The two little boys are 4 and 6. A great nephew and a grandson, visited in different towns. Eye contact seems to be the key to connection for kids, they don’t do deep conversations but have a need to know they have been seen. I had a good time connecting with both of them.
He has my undivided attention while we are trying to give mommy space to get some things done. It was an unconventional layout for a train track but, hey, we were having fun. Pretty much everything in the room has a function, he remembers what it is all for and explained in detail as we explored one of the bins. The mattress behind him is his dual function trampoline/punching bag. Grandma got to hold the punching bag upright while he practiced his Ninja kicks and chops. It was a challenge but I managed to stay upright myself through it all.
This is a short post to try out a new editor app. Not sure what difference it will make since this is not the device I normally use so I have nothing to compare with. Hmmm, I see now that I need to read some of the provided material to answer this question. Pays to read the instructions 😀
It’s also a good opportunity to say I have been travelling many kilometres the last few weeks so haven’t had much chance to post anything. I am having a good time, I love long distance driving, even in the cold snowy winter, so it has been great. And safe too, so far, I pray it stays that way. It has been special to spend time with family, and a few friends, over the Christmas season.
I’ve finished a few more books and will share them in a later post.
One of them I will mention now though, it was Untangled: A story of resilience, courage, and triumph. Alexis Rose is a fellow blogger and this is her story of surviving a life of unimaginable abuse. Check out both her blog and her book for encouragement and inspiration. I can heartily endorse both.
I will be back soon, hopefully, with a full post. In the meantime, I hope you are all making some positive winter memories too, in one way or another.
Soon!
Walk to Beautiful: The Power of Love and a Homeless Kid Who Found the Way Mr Jimmy Wayne with Ken Abraham
This is the powerful story of a little boy who lives with unimaginable neglect, abuse and hardship and is rescued as a teenager by an elderly couple who knew the transforming power of love.
It is also the story of how, as adults, we don’t have to be held back by the trauma of our childhood. Even with the lack of a positive influence and role models, we can have a healthy, purposeful life.
Jimmy Wayne grew up to become successful in a music career, singing and song writing – there are videos to show the truth of it. Three songs, now in videos on You Tube, are mentioned many times in the book. I would download them here for you but haven’t figured out how…yet. I hope you will check them out. Sarah Smile is one of his first covers, then two songs written by Jimmy, I Love You This Much, and Stay Gone.
His successful career was not enough for him. He remembered the homeless and foster kids in his life, and he wanted to do something to make a difference, in the lives of kids like them. He set out to do a cross country walk to bring attention to the cause not expecting a double benefit – on a personal level – it was a healing journey.
His successful walk is the example he sets for us, to open our eyes to the hardships, and the possibilities in these kids. His efforts are responsible for a major change in foster care rules in his home state, and they shine a spotlight on areas still needing to be addressed. He is hoping to inspire all of us to step up and do something.
I’m glad I read this book, his story and his music touched my heart. That was his goal, and it worked. May I always see the possibilities.
This is my book of the week. To qualify as favorite it must be a book I can’t bear to put down. I was reading this one when I shouldn’t be…that qualifies.
The thing I like about Charles Martin’s books; his characters meet life head on, with what we call these days, emotional intelligence. Stuff happens, there are misunderstandings and disagreements, but they handle them like adults.
Most of his stories are filled with the hard places of life and I think this appeals to us as readers because we see our lives reflected in his stories, we need something deeper and he gives it to us. Watching the way his characters face a dilemma helps us see possibilities in our own situation.
On the downside, he includes a lot of detail that I struggle with at times. I’m not sure whether this is because I am lazy in doing the work needed to see the picture he’s painting, or if my mind doesn’t think in a way that words can paint a picture. It’s probably a bit of both. In spite of this I still feel compelled to read his stories.
If you are not familiar with Charles Martin and you like a story you can chew on, check out one of his books.
and now for the rest of this weeks books
The Gondola Maker – Laura Morelli …. This was my next favorite book this week. It’s set in 16th century Venice and is about a family of traditional gondola makers. Luca figures his father has his life mapped out for him in the family business until a disagreement turns tragic and the course of his life is drastically changed. This was a gripping tale hard to put down.
It also makes you rethink the advantages and freedoms we enjoy in this day and age. Rules of the day said you were to paint your gondola in drab colors with little-to-no other adornments. Bright colours and flashy embellishments were considered excessive and prideful and meant the owner would be fined. This is an important part of the story. Of more general impact though; children/offspring were expected to follow the father’s wishes about occupation and marriage choices, with no regard for their wants or wishes. There were restrictions on clothing choices, as well as free time and movement. Women were denied most of the freedoms and privileges we enjoy today. This lack of freedom stands out in a greater way when we hear of today’s freedom demands. Reading historical fiction on a widespread basis might be a good thing to bring our priorities back in to focus.
Refuge on Crescent Hill – Melanie Dobson … another novel based in history. The mansion has been in the family for 150 years and there are rumors of ghosts, underground railways, and buried treasure. Camden returns determined to see her grandmother only to find she has passed away. Unsettling things keep happening, and it seems other people are trying to claim what is hers. This was a page turner.
Good books have been scarce this week, I started several others but couldn’t seem to get in to them. Not sure if it’s me or the books. I’ll give it a few days and try again.
I hope your week has gone well and it’s been a good one.
Happy reading.
The book I loved this week is Recruits by Thomas Locke (T. Davis Bunn). Davis Bunn is a prolific author and has been one of my favorites for decades. I’ve read every book I could get my hands on and have, fortunately, lived in cities with great libraries that considered him a favorite too and stocked most of his books. He is flexible at writing and successfully spans a number of different genres, there is something for everyone. If you haven’t read any of his books, you will be glad you did.
Recruits is a fantasy aimed at young adults but will be loved by young and old alike. Seventeen year old twins, who have had detailed dreams for years about a city in another world, are approached by a clandestine scout from this other world to see if they would be interested and able to become recruits to the human assembly, they have 30 days to prove themselves or their memories will be wiped.
I don’t know how to put into words the magic that happens when an author gets everything just right and the story becomes real for the reader, this was one of those books for me.
Part of the twins gifting was the ability to transition from one location to another, to far off worlds in other parts of the galaxy where they met up with many people of other races. I don’t want to spoil any of the story for you so will not give many details, I’ll just say there are lots of great characters, conflict and situations, family relations and stresses. The story grabbed my attention from the first page to the last and I didn’t want it to end.
I am a trekkie, a fan of Star Trek movies and TV shows, and this book felt, to me, like Star Trek Voyager and Deep Space Nine did when I used to watch them. As often happens, one thing led to another, and I started thinking about the whole question of whether or not there could be other inhabited worlds out there.
With recent discoveries about the beauty and vastness of outer space, and with newly uncovered marvels in our own world, it occurs to me that the mind behind all of this is highly creative. If I were the creator, I wouldn’t be content to have just one populated world, I would have many worlds, with a great variety of life forms. I can’t imagine that the creator of this universe would be content to stop with just one world either. Maybe the stories birthed in the minds of writers like Thomas Locke are like the twin’s dreams of another world in Recruits. Maybe there are other inhabited worlds out there.
You will have to read Recruits, maybe you will agree with me.
I think Dream With Me Cowboy by Debra Clopton was the most fun I’ve had this week. I love it when a book makes me laugh out loud and this one did. With a pink convertible, a take charge attitude, a mind full of great ideas, and the personality to charm people into following her, it made for interesting situations. On top of it all, the match makers are at work behind her back. She may not think of herself as a good candidate but that doesn’t mean they agree with her. 🙂
Texas Matchmakers – Dream With Me Cowboy book 1- Debra Clopton . …… a fun romance that doesn’t go the way it was intended. Some of the town’s elderly match makers decide to address the lack of potential wives by placing ads to attract young women to their small town. Lacy Brown sees the ad and drives her pink convertible into town intending to open a hair salon and do her part to help make this all happen. She has NO plans to be part of the solution by becoming a bride!
If you enjoy a fun read be sure to check this one out.
A few more good books this week:
The Sterlings Series – Secrets & Chance book 1 – Lynn Hastings and Z L Arkadie …… Rosalie escaped the abusive marriage but has not lost her close relationship with his matriarch grandmother who has invited her to a special birthday party. She arrives to find she has stepped into the middle of a major family dispute regarding said grandmother who has also disappeared….. because she is up to something. I liked the twists and turns in a new presentation of a familiar story idea. It was well written and attention grabbing.
A Deadline Cozy Mystery – Sunny Side Up book 1 – Sonia Perrin ….. another story with a bitter divorce and an elderly, disappearing, family member. Eve decides to accept the invitation to spend time with her mystery writing aunt only to find she has mysteriously left town (as she sometimes does when a new story is brewing) and there is a dead body. Of course. Eve is now a suspect but has to find the real killer….. it’s her civic duty. An entertaining and fun read.
Song of Suspense Series – A Melody for James – Hallee Bridgeman ……. Romantic Suspense, a bond forms when their plane is storm grounded and he strikes up an uncomfortable conversation, intending only to pass some time. In the end they discover they have much in common and want to explore the idea of a relationship after this trip is over. Their plan to meet for dinner never happens due to bizarre circumstances, which also means they lose track of each other. Years go by but neither can forget the other. There are sinister forces at work in each of their lives, forces that separated and will reconnect them. This book keeps you guessing until the end, wondering if they will ever meet again.
Daniel Trokic Series – Under a Black Sky – Inger Wolf ….. a Scandinavian Mystery…. a prominent Danish volcano scientist in Anchorage Alaska is found brutally murdered in his home, along with his wife and son but their daughter is missing. Is she in hiding, or has she been taken? Is she alive or dead? Why has this happened to a seemingly well liked man, without enemies? Danish authorities send one of their top detectives to help solve this mystery involving one of their own. I enjoyed this enough to want to read the next book in the series. Sadly, it hasn’t come out in English yet.
Lei Crime Series – Rip Tides book 9 – Toby Neal …. poised to win the Triple Crown of Surfing, the Maui surfing star is discovered dead after a collision and fall in a wave he could have easily conquered. A high profile murder case with many unexpected secrets in the surfing world. This complex story made for a good read.
As always, I hope you will find some inspiration here, if not to a specific book then to the search for an interesting book, there are so many out there just waiting to be found.
Happy reading!
I think Dream With Me Cowboy by Debra Clopton was the most fun I’ve had this week. I love it when a book makes me laugh out loud and this one did. With a pink convertible, a take charge attitude, a mind full of great ideas, and the personality to charm people into following her, it made for interesting situations. On top of it all, the match makers are at work behind her back. She may not think of herself as a good candidate but that doesn’t mean they agree with her. 🙂
Texas Matchmakers – Dream With Me Cowboy book 1- Debra Clopton . …… a fun romance that doesn’t go the way it was intended. Some of the town’s elderly match makers decide to address the lack of potential wives by placing ads to attract young women to their small town. Lacy Brown sees the ad and drives her pink convertible into town intending to open a hair salon and do her part to help make this all happen. She has NO plans to be part of the solution by becoming a bride!
If you enjoy a fun read be sure to check this one out.
A few more good books this week:
The Sterlings Series – Secrets & Chance book 1 – Lynn Hastings and Z L Arkadie …… Rosalie escaped the abusive marriage but has not lost her close relationship with his matriarch grandmother who has invited her to a special birthday party. She arrives to find she has stepped into the middle of a major family dispute regarding said grandmother who has also disappeared….. because she is up to something. I liked the twists and turns in a new presentation of a familiar story idea. It was well written and attention grabbing.
A Deadline Cozy Mystery – Sunny Side Up book 1 – Sonia Perrin ….. another story with a bitter divorce and an elderly, disappearing, family member. Eve decides to accept the invitation to spend time with her mystery writing aunt only to find she has mysteriously left town (as she sometimes does when a new story is brewing) and there is a dead body. Of course. Eve is now a suspect but has to find the real killer….. it’s her civic duty. An entertaining and fun read.
Song of Suspense Series – A Melody for James – Hallee Bridgeman ……. Romantic Suspense, a bond forms when their plane is storm grounded and he strikes up an uncomfortable conversation, intending only to pass some time. In the end they discover they have much in common and want to explore the idea of a relationship after this trip is over. Their plan to meet for dinner never happens due to bizarre circumstances, which also means they lose track of each other. Years go by but neither can forget the other. There are sinister forces at work in each of their lives, forces that separated and will reconnect them. This book keeps you guessing until the end, wondering if they will ever meet again.
Daniel Trokic Series – Under a Black Sky – Inger Wolf ….. a Scandinavian Mystery…. a prominent Danish volcano scientist in Anchorage Alaska is found brutally murdered in his home, along with his wife and son but their daughter is missing. Is she in hiding, or has she been taken? Is she alive or dead? Why has this happened to a seemingly well liked man, without enemies? Danish authorities send one of their top detectives to help solve this mystery involving one of their own. I enjoyed this enough to want to read the next book in the series. Sadly, it hasn’t come out in English yet.
Lei Crime Series – Rip Tides book 9 – Toby Neal …. poised to win the Triple Crown of Surfing, the Maui surfing star is discovered dead after a collision and fall in a wave he could have easily conquered. A high profile murder case with many unexpected secrets in the surfing world. This complex story made for a good read.
As always, I hope you will find some inspiration here, if not to a specific book then to the search for an interesting book, there are so many out there just waiting to be found.
Happy reading!
I love it when I find a book that rises above all the rest and is a magical read.
Glass and Steele Series -The Watchmaker’s Daughter book 1 – by C.J. Archer is one of those books. The story has elements of the Count of Monte Cristo, one of my favorite books. It’s hard to put the euphoria of the reading experience into words but I’ll try. I think the thing that tickles me most is the mystery and intrigue surrounding the characters, and the subtle humour in actions and dialogue. Like in the Count of Monte Cristo, the characters seem out of place in the opulent surroundings, and yet they seem to have the right and the means to be there. There are secrets lurking beneath the surface but there is nothing to grab hold of to expose them or even prove the secrets are real. There are great characters who frighten and charm all at the same time, there is also risk, romance, and unexplained magical moments. Nothing is given away as details come out in layers. with the whole truth being saved to the very end. I am still basking in the glow of an enjoyed book newly finished. 🙂
A Sydney Brennan Mysteries – Back to Lazarus book 1 – Judy K Walker …… Another of my favorite books this time. A private eye is hired by a woman to solve a cold case involving the decades old murder of her mother and the more recent suicide of her convicted father. I liked how this story was unpredictable and believable, I liked the characters and how they played off one another…. and the trouble the PI could get into with her won’t-quit attitude. There was a humorous side to all of this that helped make it an enjoyable read.
The Brides of San Francisco – Nellie book 1 – Cynthia Woolf …. post civil war era, Nellie, to escape the cruel influence of her late husband’s wealthy family, decides to take her two young children and become a mail order bride in San Francisco. Bachelor Blake is a successful saloon owner wanting to branch out to become a legitimate businessman, but council rules say he must be a family man. This scenario made for an intriguing story.
Hot Chocolate in June: A True Story of Loss, Love and Restoration – Holly Mthethwa
Thomas Kincaid Cape Light Series – Songs of Christmas – Katherine Spencer ….. Two protagonists, one a young musician trying to advance her career, the other an elderly woman resisting changes with a less than charitable attitude. I am now the proud possessor of a public library card (the first one in 5 years) and this was the first book signed out. I had not read any books by this author so it was a pleasant change.
The Women of Valley View – Pam book 3 – Sharon Srock …… a story of love, abuse, bitter divorce, and pain that won’t go away. Then the unthinkable… he moves back to town and all of the hurt resurfaces. She doesn’t know, he is dying. Some weeks most of the books fall into the “OK” category. This week had more than a few rising above the OK assessment. This was another well written and gripping story.
Arcadia Valley Romance – Romance Grows in Arcadia Valley book 1 – Mary Jane Hathaway and five other authors….. 6 books in this collection all set in Arcadia with stories that intertwine with the other authors. These books are the first in a three book series for each author. They were all good and I look forward to reading more of them. This collection is still currently free tonight.
There are still a few more books on my list but one of them is an author I have been wanting to showcase so I think it needs a separate post.
I hope you have been inspired to check out some of these authors and will discover some books you love too.
See you soon.
Happy reading.
This week is about books, some I loved and some…I didn’t.
Generally, I don’t like to talk about books I dislike in a blog post (I save my rants over pet peeves for in person conversations not caught on camera) Putting dislike into words in a blog post just feels too much like a written rejection letter. I would rather stick to the positive and tell you about the books I liked and let the negative be shown subtly by the book’s absence from my list.
But, there’s a downside to positive only comments, it gives the impression I am an indiscriminate reader.
So, I will give you a reason to believe I have opinions about what’s good and what’s not. There were a half dozen books this week that didn’t survive past the first few pages. There were two in particular, though, that caused a high level of disappointment. I had great expectations for them because they were written by popular public figures with something to say. I kept reading longer than usual, wanting them to get better. They didn’t
The first one is an allegory, I’ve read other books in a similar style and loved them, I expected to love this one too. The first off putting thing was, the hype overkill at the beginning of the book. How many endorsements do you really need! The second off-putting thing was, the story didn’t live up to the hype. It was disjointed, hard to follow, and the symbolism didn’t marry well with descriptions and actions, which was frustrating.
The second book was also similar in style to several other books I’ve read and enjoyed recently. My expectations were high because I’ve not seen another book address this particular topic, at least not from this angle. The introduction gave me hope because it talks about how the book came to be, and how it was originally longer but they pared it down significantly. It could have been pared down even more, in my opinion. How many ways should you say the same thing?
The major downfall I see with both of these books; they had something worth saying, but the process of writing is not a strong skill for either of them. An experienced editorial team would have been a great asset.
I give them kudos for trying though because writing a successful book is not as easy as it looks.
So, having mentioned books I didn’t like, it’s time to mention some books I did like, enough to stay up reading half the night in some cases.
Kiya Trilogy – Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh book 1, Kiya: Mother of a King book 2 – Katie Hamstead …… this is a fictionalized story of King Tut, an excellent read and my favorite this week. I’m looking forward to reading book 3
Detective Madison Knight Series – Deadly Impulse book 6 – Carolyn Arnold …… I enjoy Carolyn Arnold and this was another good one from her, lots of believable twists and turns while looking for the killer.
Bridge to Haven – Francine Rivers ….. this story starts when an abandoned newborn is mercifully found by a tender hearted man, under the bridge at the edge of town. Sometimes the sad places of our lives cause us to make devastating decisions. This is a book of second chances. Francine Rivers has been one of my favorite authors for many years and still is.
A Riley Paige Mystery – Once Gone book 1, Once Taken book 2 – Blake Pierce …. a brilliant female police detective with a broken past that makes her more than a little prickly. Blake Pierce is a new favorite author of mine.
The Kate Lange Thriller Series – Damaged book 1 – Pamela Callow ….. Suspense…. recovering from the death of her sister and a messy break-up, Kate finds herself with a new law firm, embroiled in a dangerous mystery.
Skye Cree Thriller – The Box of Bones book 3 – Vickie McKeehan …. a serial killer, dismembered bodies, and not much to go on. This was believable too, a mystery that keeps you guessing to the end, the best kind.
The Retired Gardener – Gideon Williams ….. this is definitely not your usual thriller, a retired gardener who always seems to side step away from harm directed at him. A new slant on thrillers.
As always, I hope you will be on the lookout for good books, there are so many out there waiting to be found.
Happy reading!
For the Love of Books 