Mysteries, and writing

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

The other day someone asked me if this blog is about writing. It is…… indirectly.

I am a novice at writing so have little to offer that would be useful in perfecting a writer’s craft. I have thoughts and opinions but nothing I would share.

On the other hand, I have much experience as a reader. I’ve learned to recognize good writing and not-so-good writing. I am passionate about the value of an active and robust reading life in an aspiring writer.

Deeply disappointing experiences with books that could have been great and weren’t has ignited this passion to be an influencer.

To be great you have to hang out with the greats.

Discussion of mechanics will only take you so far. Watching a master at work will take you places an instruction book could never hope to go.

Attempting to inspire, here are a few more examples of good writing.

If you get caught up in a story and lose sight of the writing……it was a good book.

hunt for justice   Hunt for Justice Willa Carson Novels – Due Justice book 1, Twisted Justice book 2 – Diane Capri ….

Due Justice …  Judge Willa Carson and her sister have a long history of a rocky relationship and Carly has been ignoring Willa’s attempts to connect with her for over a year. The sight of her sister showing up at her door is a bit of a shock, to say the least. This visit wouldn’t be happening without good reason and Willa is immediately wary of being drawn in, again. If she asks the reason for the visit, and it turns out to be criminal in nature, she would have to choose between loyalty to her sister and the letter of the law requiring her to report to law enforcement. It could mean her job.

Carly is a successful lawyer herself and knows how to make things go her way. Despite her best efforts to avoid involvement, Willa finds herself signed up as legal counsel for a sister accused of murder. Can she manage to walk this tightrope? Helping her sister  while keeping her job? Or will she crash and burn?

Twisted Justice …. Judge Willa Carson’s beloved husband has been arrested for murder. He has been leading the fight to defeat General Randall Andrews’ nomination to the Supreme Court. Andrews has been found dead and the police are convinced the evidence points to George Carson.

Willa doesn’t believe George did it but she feels helpless because he won’t discuss it with her. He says he has an alibi but can’t, or won’t – she’s not sure which – tell her where he was. He is refusing to hire a lawyer or to discuss his defense with anyone.

Willa decides; under normal circumstances George trusts her judgement so hopefully he will this time. One of Willa’s old classmates has become a high powered defence lawyer, it looked like a good fit but things don’t go as smoothly as hoped. George still refuses to cooperate and clues are hard to come by. Things are not what they seem and the truth – when it comes out – is a shock.

dangerous mistakes  Leah Nash Mysteries – Dangerous Mistakes book 2 – Susan Hunter ….. Reporter Leah Nash is back at her small-town newspaper after a disgraceful exit from her big city job. She plans to do whatever it takes to survive this job and work on her true-crime book as a way to get back to the city. This won’t be easy since her new boss seems to have it in for her for some reason.

Escaping the notice of her boss becomes difficult when the daughter of the local surgeon is convinced her father did not commit suicide but was murdered. The authorities  believe this murder theory is a figment of an overactive imagination so in desperation  she turns to Leah for help. Soon everyone in town, everyone that matters anyway, is upset with Leah for poking her nose in where it doesn’t belong.

Even she begins to question the sanity of the murder theory but then odd things begin to happen and it’s clear, this is a dangerous position to be in, chasing a determined killer. Well, so is she … determined ….. to find the truth.

 

If your passion for reading is at a low ebb, I hope you will be inspired to make a change. 

Here’s to finding books that will carry you away to magical places.

Happy hunting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Presence

/ For the Love of Books / 2 Comments

It’s always a special moment for me when a story speaks into my life with something appropriate for the place I’m at. Unexpectedly, this book has done just that, more than once. It feels like validation.

The Presence would have caught my interest even if I was at a different point in life. Having it relate to where I am now is a bonus. Davis Bunn always provides a good read.

The Presence  The Presence – T Davis Bunn ….. The downside to helping his young friend get elected was his own loss for re-election. It seems his sense of integrity was a contributing factor in his defeat.

T.J. Case, lawyer and politician, has always been an honest man. That’s why billionaire entrepreneur Jeremy Hughes hired TJ to represent his company many years before and has never regretted a day of it.

Their relationship is not just business. They have also become close friends over the years. So close that Jeremy can tell when something is bothering TJ. That’s why he knew something had happened while he was out fishing the quiet lake on Jeremy’s large yacht.

TJ wouldn’t talk about it on the drive home and his wife, Catherine, would only say that it wasn’t her story to tell.

He’d loved God all of his life and had never had an experience like this one.  It was still hard to wrap his head around what happened, even after a few intense days to think and pray. It seemed impossible to talk about, to anyone – including his wife, because it sounded so unbelievable.

With his usual cup of coffee, TJ had gone up on deck – like he did every morning – to read and pray in the quiet of the dawn. The morning started out like any other but then something changed.  It was a new quiet that seemed sacred, one that pulsed with meaning.

When it was gone, TJ  was left questioning what had just taken place. Was it a dream, a hallucination? Was it real?

He did know one thing. He was supposed to go to Washington DC.

How could that possibly happen? You don’t just decide to go to the capitol without invitation. And besides, what was he supposed to do when he got there?

Over the next few days both Jeremy and Catherine wrestled with this new idea that would turn both of their lives upside down if TJ went through with it.

Jeremy announced he needed a few days away to think but he didn’t give any clues as to how he was thinking.

Catherine was struggling with moving away from  everything familiar and going to who knows what; when her daughter took sick and grandma was needed. It felt like a blessed reprieve, giving her more time to embrace a decision she knew she’d make.

Meanwhile, back in Washington, newly elected Congressman John Silverwood was having lunch with two senior Senators and feeling very pleased about it. He was not yet acquainted with political workings and didn’t think to question motives.

The Senators had come with an agenda. For some reason, unclear to John, TJ’s presence was needed in Washington. Filling a position with an outsider was rarely done. The three of them  would have  to get their heads together and come up with an assignment that could be given without raising a great deal of suspicion.

John was then  tasked with persuading TJ it would be in his best interest to come and  accept Education Advisor to the President. He was hoping TJ would feel honored and view this insider opportunity as a favor given. One he would feel obligated to pay back,  somewhere in the future.

The cab arrived at an address that was a surprise to TJ. Hopefully Jeremy, who was obviously waiting for him, would have an explanation for this fancy house.  The thing is – Jeremy knew that Washington would eat him up and spit him out unless TJ had someone in his corner watching his back. That was the reason for the house, and like it or not, Jeremy planned to fill every other need as well…. butler, driver, whatever. TJ was  hoping that, when she got here, Catherine could talk some sense into Jeremy. He hasn’t figured out, yet, that the  two of them are working together on this.

With no idea about what he would be doing, or with whom, TJ could only trust that if God was behind all of this, his presence would be near, and he’d let him know what to do when the time came.

His wildest dreams couldn’t have predicted the way things would go. God moves in mysterious ways….. because he knows the truth about what is in the hearts of men.

Like TJ, I’ve been saying yes to God for decades. Lately, it’s like he has a task in mind for me but hasn’t let me in on the details yet.

It’s scary saying yes when I do know what it’s all about, never-mind when I don’t. Even when I know ahead of time, it’s always something bigger than I could accomplish on my own. This time will be no exception.

God tends to be gentle with me, especially when he’s asking for something outside my comfort zone. He always waits for me to say yes and then he works on answering my fears, bringing me to the place where I am happy to do whatever it is. Everything he’s ever asked of me has turned out to be a blessing, even when it’s been hard. We have a good track record together.

Writing has not been on my radar, nor has the thought of coming-out-in-the-open in such a public way as this.

I’ve been highly resistant to the idea of writing. Especially a book.

I’m beginning to rethink my position on this. I’m finding myself coming around and being okay with working to produce something that could be used, maybe. It all just quietly happened with the beginnings of my newest blog.  Just like the needle you expected would hurt and felt surprise when it didn’t.

I’m left thinking…. wow, smooth move. I didn’t see that coming, God. He just smiles.

The second blog is already started at letterstomamierose.blog “a safe place to talk about PTSD, and other things we wrestle with” The focus will be sharing my journey with abuse and PTSD. This isn’t about me needing a place to talk. It’s about hurting people needing a safe place to land. Most of us hurt in silence and loneliness. Healing comes when we discover community.

The idea of starting a community is not new to me. It has been in the works for over a decade, it seems now is the time. Some of my support community will be with me in this venture. We’re better together.

I’m also working on the courage to start a third blog “God, Creator of the Universe, Loves Me” It will be about my journey with God. He has been with me my whole life, including the darkest years – the first 12. I know I’m supposed to share about this and have to keep my Yes promise.

I think I’m meant to talk about him this way because God wants a chance to say I Love You to others as well. If you think he is saying it to you, and you want to know if he is….. ask him. He will talk to you.

This third blog is in the works and hopefully it will go live soon. I think this post will be  the first post over there. It seems appropriate somehow.

In the meantime ….. may you hear some things you need to hear too.

Happy reading!

 

Podcasts, vlogs, and blogs

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

Podcasts and live videos have been capturing my attention lately and I am hooked. There is something about live interaction that makes the dissemination of information so much more attractive – at least to me anyway.

Podcasts

Carey Nieuwhof is one of the podcasters I’ve been following lately.    http://careynieuwhof.com/mypodcast/

Carey’s specialty is leadership training and everything he does revolves around that.  He has the gift of finding interesting guests and insightful questions for his podcasts. Every one I’ve listened to so far has been worthwhile and inspiring; even more interesting  than the titles suggested to this non-leader type  person. I examine the subject title and wonder how it could relate to me. It’s a surprise to find there is always something to catch my interest and keep me listening. Most of the interviewees have recently written a book and that’s always part of the conversation as well.

Today’s podcast was to be about organizing your calendar in a way that would make it possible to accomplish a daunting list of tasks without spending mega hours in the office. This guest is a busy man with an overwhelming mountain of responsibility  but somehow he manages to streamline his day and get it all done.  They discussed his methods for a while and then switched to the topic of his new book. It’s called The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self Discovery, by guest Ian Morgan Cron. It’s based on an old psychological system with nine personality types. That’s a higher number than some of today’s more popular systems use, which makes it different before we even get started. They touched briefly on each of them in the hour long podcast. Carey had read the book and applied the test to himself so the informed discussion was enlightening.

The first order of business at the end of the podcast was to purchase my own  copy from Amazon. I’m always interested to see what I can learn about myself with any of these tools. I haven’t started reading the book yet but I’m sure I’ll be talking about it when I do.

Video Podcasts (Vlogs)

Anglican Unscripted is a video podcast/vlog I’ve been following for a year or so. They do a journalism show in live video. The subject is always news as it relates to the Anglican church and happens once or twice a week. I’m not Anglican, (although I am ecumenical –  does anyone even use that word anymore?) but I find their discussions interesting. It appeals to me because I like to have a feel for what is going on in the world.

There are three main participants in the show; Kevin Kallsun and George Conger in the US, (Connecticut and Florida) and Gavin Ashenden in the UK. The link to check them out is AnglicanTV Ministries – YouTube.

Gavin used to be chaplain to the Queen but parted ways with the Anglican Church over doctrinal issues. He is highly educated and has a wise way of expressing himself. George is an Episcopal priest and while he agrees with Gavin, most of the time, he has his own slant on things. I enjoy watching them discuss the issues of the day. Once in a while, we even hear interviews from Australia, Israel, Africa, or several other places.

This week Anglican Unscripted/Anglican TV shared six videos that captured my interest enough  to watch all of them three times. The speakers were polished, knowledgeable, and inspiring; workshop leaders at an Anglican’s For Life Conference in Washington DC. The conference was in conjunction with a Right to Life march happening there that weekend.

The speakers did touch on the subject of abortion, but only one spoke to it in depth. The others spoke on topics like terminal illness and its affect on both the patient and the family; the needs  that stem from this hurting community and how they can be met. Up to ninety percent of a persons support systems fall away after cancer diagnosis, mostly because as a society we don’t know how to deal with the issue and tend to run away from it. The challenge from each speaker was to step up and learn what we can do to be there for these people in our lives. They talked about post abortion devastation and the grief process that is being endured hopelessly, in silence, and about bringing hope to the elderly – their life isn’t over, it still has meaning and purpose, if they look for it.

On the surface the subjects sound depressing but each speaker dealt with their segment in a way that brought hope for a better future.

I found the speakers compelling and know I will be contemplating their thoughts for some time to come. If you would like to hear more, the videos are on YouTube on the Anglican TV channel. It would be well worth your time if you have a heart for hurting people.

The speakers I liked the best were Georgette Forney, Rick Berge, David Bereit, Aveda King (related to Martin Luther King Jr.), Ryan T Anderson, and Cathie Young.

Blogs

Last but not least, I have been following Dr. Perry’s blog at  makeitultrapsychology.wordpress.com.  I recommend his site if you are looking for safe and helpful input in your life. Check out his bio for a clearer idea of what his site is all about.

This time it was an excellent and helpful post about empathy; but what really caught my attention was a comment on the post. A reader mentioned a book she found helpful, by Alan Alda, one of my favorite actors in the old Mash TV series.

Alan is an intelligent, educated, and well-read man interested in all things science. He hosted a science show for over a decade and has followed some of his own ideas with an obsession. Communication is dear to his heart and he’s put much effort into testing and understanding his ideas for improvement. Empathy forms a large part of his strategy for good communication and he has a light-hearted way of sharing serious information so that it sticks. He’s written a book called If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?  I’m half way through it and I have to tell you; he has a lot to say. This book is the literary equivalent of a well packed suitcase that must be sat on to be closed successfully.

Empathy is connection with another person. You learn how to notice what they are thinking and feeling. This takes communication, and relationships, to a whole new level. Empathy improves not only verbal exchanges but written ones as well. We can become better writers if we practice empathy. And practice is exactly what’s needed. the more we do it the better we become and our work will improve to show it.

If I understood you

There is so much more that could be said about each and every one of these examples but I wanted only to give you a taste, hoping you would explore these sites for yourself, and be enticed to follow them too.

Happy hunting.

 

 

 

Romance

/ For the Love of Books / Leave a comment

The recent death of my Kindle slowed me down, (read the story here  (Happy New Year ) , but  now I’m back in business with the arrival of the new and improved version.

The upside to technology is; improvements. The downside is ….  improvements – nothing is ever the same, and I’m sad.

It looks like having to adjust to new layouts may help  unearth long forgotten unread books, of which there are many. This may even inspire the reorganization of all 2500 downloads. Cull the herd, so to speak.

Who would have thought it possible to find so many suggestions tempting me to click the download button.

I have to admit, I didn’t love all of the downloaded books when I got right into them. Then I felt bad rejecting them because it occurred to me that others may find them  interesting even if I didn’t. Conflicted emotions only lasted a short while and I moved on.

We all have different tastes and that is as it should be.

I’m hoping you are finding ways to discover books you can get excited about.

Now, on to some of the latest books read.

I liked all of these books well enough to talk about them but the first one was my favorite. I’d like to read the sequel if there is one.

I think I’ll stick to Romance in this post and save Mystery for the next one, change things up a bit from the usual mix.

just the way you are  A Pleasant Gap Romance – Just the Way You Are book 1 – Pepper Basham….. How embarrassing, the contents of her purse are spread across the airport floor because someone bumped her from behind. And, as if that isn’t bad enough, her heel caught in her purse strap and now she’s landed on top of someone. Her mortification is complete – she has squished  a silver haired grandpa.

As she helps him up it’s obvious he is injured, and when he recognizes her as the guest  he was sent to meet, she feels even worse. With a twinkle in his eyes, he assures her it will all be fine but please don’t mention this to his son when he picks them up.

The glare was the first hint about the reason for the strange request. His devastatingly handsome son is clearly unhappy with her visit.

Be that as it may, she has promised her uncle she will research family secrets for his upcoming book and she intends to keep that promise. No matter what kind of disapproval she faces in this handsome but glacial man.

The question is: why is he so upset by her presence? What is there about her that makes him feel so threatened? Does he have his own secrets? Are they tangled up with the secrets her family has been protecting all these years? She plans to find out, one way or the other.

all this love  Seven Brides  Seven Brothers Pelican Bay – All This Love book 3 – Belle Calhoune …..  The Donahue brothers of Pelican Bay are cousins to the Donahue brothers in the popular Cape Code Series. (This distinction is important if you are like me and on first glance you’re thinking wait a minute……)

Most of the brothers in the Donahue family were adopted.  (A miracle in Heath’s life – after the untimely death of his single parent mother.) They are a tight knit, fiercely protective family and they would do anything necessary to be there for each other. If they knew what needed to be done.

Heath has been keeping secrets, he’s come home from Afghanistan with deep wounds of the unseen variety, added to that, the trauma of coming home from school to discover his mother in her  untimely death. Now he is barely hanging on emotionally and no one knows.

Deciding it would be kinder to sever the connection with the love of his life, to spare her  the effects of the darkness in his life, he breaks up with her and walks away. Leaving her confused and devastated.

Five months of intense work with a therapist has made a difference. Now he’s beginning to second guess the break up decision and needs to see Bella, hoping to re-establish their relationship.

He’s devastated to discover she’s pregnant, and he didn’t even know, you’d think in a town this size he would have heard rumors. He wants to do the right thing and be there for her but it’s not going well …. she’s unwilling to let him back into her life just like that.

Secrets are a huge problem… so, how far is he willing to go to fix things?

the only best place   Holmes Crossing – The Only Best Place book 1 – Carolyne Aarsen ….. Her husband’s business has failed and their marriage is in trouble, her husband has admitted to having an emotional affair with a co- worker. He says it’s over but she doesn’t trust him. They have grown so far apart it doesn’t seem like there is anything left to work with anymore.

It’s decided that the only alternative they have to stay afloat financially is to move back to Dan’s home town. Leslie is reluctant because she knows very little about his life before they met, and she’s a city girl – what does she know abut farming?

The surprises are huge and daunting. Leslie had no idea God was a big part of family life for him growing up. Not only is she not a farmer, she does not fit the description of a suitable mate for their son and brother.

Dan promised they would stay a year and move back to the city.  Under his family’s influence, she finds he has already gone back on that promise. He has even started making other major decisions about their life and finances without consulting her.

Leslie wants to fit in and gain the family’s approval but it seems like a losing battle.

In despair with no one to talk to, she runs into the most unusual woman at an auction sale. She seems to be a free spirit, totally out of place in this farming community, and yet for some inexplicable reason she seems to fit in. The connection between them is instant and Leslie intends to get to know her better, Maybe her new friend will be able to help her navigate life in this uncomfortable place.

secrets and sacrifice  The Shadows Series – Secrets and Sacrifice book 4 – Juliette Duncan …. Grace is in the middle of closing arguments in a high powered case when her brother Caleb slips into the court room, sending worry into her heart. What’s happened, why is he here?

It’s their sister, she’s been found, in a run down apartment barely alive. She’s in hospital with an overdose and they all need to be there.

Brianna promised to stay clean this time but obviously hasn’t. Drugs was always her go-to place when she couldn’t handle the voices from the past. With Grace it was work. She would bury herself in it to still the voices. She wasn’t destroying her body but she was destroying her relationship with her sister, never there for her when she was needed most.

Determined to be there for her this time, Grace decides to take her sister home with her. Brianna is not comfortable in the posh surroundings and it turns out to be a bigger challenge than expected to make it work. At a loss she think’s maybe a trip with a change of scenery would work better. A plan like this would mean a leave of absence from the District Attorney’s Office. Could she do it? This job is her whole life and she’s worked very hard to get this far.

Her brother Daniel runs a successful recovery program and, with a trip in mind, Caleb is pressuring her to make use of Daniel’s offer to help. Grace is not interested, she has nothing but disapproval for his methods.

It isn’t until she runs out of options coping with Brianna that she gives up and heads in Daniel’s direction.

Now she has another dilemma in her life. Niall, the prosecutor back home is an old flame trying to rekindle the relationship. The complication is the good looking teacher, part of Daniel’s staff, who makes her heart race and her cheeks blush.

Brianna seems to be fitting in well but where does this leave Grace? Go back to her job and Niall or stay here to build a connection with family and explore the possibility of Ryan?

Happy Reading!!

 

Share Your Blog 2019

/ For the Love of Books / 3 Comments

This post is inspired by the brainchild of a popular blogger, Paul, at  https://captain’sspeech.wordpress.com  Check out his post, Share Your Blog 2019, I could never express this idea the way he can.

I would share his post here for you but he received way too many comments in response to his challenge/request. If you do visit his site, you may end up joining his thousands of followers, which would be a good thing.

Basically, his idea is this – as a blogging community we need a shot in the arm. He claims most of us have been moving along sluggishly, if at all,  in 2018. He’s right, we’ve all seen it. Interest seemed to drop off dramatically and it’s been getting harder to find something interesting to read on a regular basis.

Paul’s idea also appeals to every blogger’s need for better stats; more views and more followers. Today’s challenge is something proactive to increase our numbers.

Apparently there was a time when WordPress promoted community by encouraging the idea Paul is suggesting, and it worked. Now, we need to take the initiative to promote community this way.

Paul invited his followers, and anyone else who happened to stumble upon his blog, to introduce themselves and promote their blogs in the comment section of his.

I’ve gone back several times to see what the response has been like. It has been amazing. Many of us have never commented on his site before but many did this time. You could see that the introductions were getting lots of attention too, and conversations were  sparked when like minded bloggers discovered each other.

Paul always encourages comments and interacts with people when they do, which is entertaining in itself.

Comments have never taken off on my site, probably because of my tendency to hide where it’s safe. Also, I’m an introvert and struggle with stilted small talk. Honest reactions though, I can handle. I’m looking to change it up a bit in 2019 and encourage  conversations. If I manage to inspire you in someway, hopefully there would be a little bit of conversation to be had with some honest feeling in it.

So, here’s today’s challenge: introduce yourself in the comment section. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog. What is it about and how/why did you get started?

I don’t know if Paul’s stats improved any in this exercise but I know mine did (Welcome! to the new followers) by speaking up on his site. I know yours will too, if you comment here.

So don’t be shy, speak up, you never know who you will get to meet and, your stats will get a shot in the arm. What have you got to lose?

I would value the opportunity to learn more about my followers, so I’m personally  looking forward to seeing your comments on here too.

Go for it!

Janette  (I’m coming out of hiding in 2019)

P.S. I’m grateful for those of you following me on this blog, you keep me posting.

Happy New Year

/ For the Love of Books / 1 Comment

January 1st is a good day to wish all of you a very Happy New Year. May 2019 be kind to you, kinder than you expect it to be. And, may your travels bring you many great books in 2019.

Finding books to read is a challenge for me this week, all because the unthinkable happened on Christmas eve. My Kindle died with a broken screen.

It seems I crammed my constant companion into my purse one too many times. Imagine the shock and dismay to pull it out and see a frozen fragmented screen.   Just when I wanted to catch a few stolen reading moments too. It felt like the end of the world. Panic set in.

Of course, at that moment I didn’t know the problem was the screen. I thought maybe a reboot would resolve the issue. A half dozen attempts later and I had to admit defeat. Not ready to lose hope, I wondered if travelling in our cold winter weather was the cause, maybe a warm up would wake things up. With high expectations for a positive outcome,  I looked for the warmest spot I could find in a cool bedroom – under the covers with me. It was a sad moment, facing the truth of the death of my friend.

Did I ever mention I’m addicted?

The next question was how to replace it in a timely fashion. I wanted to walk into a store and walk out with a new one ready to read. I decided the best option was my most favored office supply store and I hurried over there at the first possible moment. I was crushed to find they didn’t carry Kindles. They used to.

You would think I would scurry home to figure out what to do next. Nope. I figured while I was there I should check out some other things I have been thinking about lately. After about a half hour of cruising up and down one section, thoughtfully reading all the labels, considering what they meant in relation to my needs – a clerk (who turned out to be the store manager) stopped to ask if I needed help. He didn’t know what he was getting into when he asked that question.

To make a long story short, he answered my many questions, listened to my many needs and this old lady walked out of the store having purchased a powerful gaming computer. I chuckle out loud every time I think of it. I love my new computer.

The need for greater power comes because I have started another blog, with a totally different slant, and some of my plans for it will require a capacity I don’t currently have in the computers I’ve been using.  I know I will tell you more about it once it’s ready to go public, in case you are interested.

In spite of no Kindle, I left the store a happy camper.

At home I took the plunge and ordered a new Kindle online. It will show up in about a week. In the meantime, I do have the Kindle app on several devices so it’s not like I can’t read if I want to. Telling you about the latest books I’ve read has been the challenge. The app on the computer sorts differently and I’m lost. In the fruitless search I’ve also discovered I can read many books again, because I don’t remember reading them the first time. Good to know, when I am out of recent books appealing to me.

I am feeling pretty excited about the surprises 2019 could hold. I’m excited about new ventures already unfolding in my life. I have two major passions (more than that if I’m honest but only two to blog about – although I will admit that could change) one here about books and the new one. The new one is stretching me into unexpected first time areas.

There seems to be a general sense of positive expectancy about the future. I feel it but I’m also hearing other people talk about it. Talk that is encouraging us to take risks….. to be all that we can be. To live up to our potential. To dream, ignoring the naysayers.

The purchase of the new Kindle and the expensive new computer is evidence of my commitment to becoming more than I’ve ever been before.

I hope that many of you will hear the challenge too, to become more than you’ve ever been. I think the world needs us, more than ever, to stand up and do this.

That’s my challenge for 2019…. Dream big and go for it!

I will save books for the next post but will  still challenge you to keep reading! I am reading too.

All the best for 2019

Happy reading!

 

A boxed set, of Christmas Lights

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Comfort & Joy

In my mind it’s never too early. I love Christmas any time of year.

Maybe it’s because I don’t get caught up in all the stressful parts of the season like I used to – the shopping, baking, obligatory social events – I’m past all of that these days. Now I relish the positive parts of the season – lights, music, family, the reason for the season. Every year it seems to feel a little sweeter, in spite of some circumstances, I love how that happens. So…. pardon the early start 🙂

Looking at the cover of this Christmas boxed set, you might be thinking fluff – but you would be wrong. The one line teasers on Amazon even give a feel-good impression. That’s why it was a bit of a shock to find these stories were definitely not light reading. They would fall more into the category of Romantic Suspense. There was romance alright but the details of their lives  took them to unexpected, and sometimes dangerous, places.

Having said all that, I enjoyed this set. The exposure to different authors is great. It  provides a first introduction, if we haven’t already met, and gives us a chance to see if we enjoy what they have to offer.

Alana Terry is author of the first book Frost Heaves and is someone to keep your eye on. She’s young and relatively new to the writing scene but is prolific, with an impressive number of published books to her name. She has participated in boxed sets before, I enjoy her writing and look forward to reading more from her.

Toni Shiloh is author of the second book Deck the Shelves and is new to me. She is listed on Amazon with 8 or 10 books and looks to be a promising author as well. BookBub also carries Toni’s books and that accomplishment is a recommendation in itself.

Cathe Swanson is author of  the third book The Christmas Glory Quilt. I don’t believe I’ve read anything from her before. This was a good experience for me and her offerings on Amazon look promising.  I’ll be watching for more from her as well.

Chautona Havig is no stranger to this blog, having been mentioned here many times. She is highly involved in the writing scene and shows up in different places, in different ways, and is a regular participant in boxed sets. Not just Christmas sets either. The Ghosts of New Cheltenham, the fourth book in this set belongs to her.

I like the way they’ve planned and tied the stories together; it makes for a unique and  interesting reading experience. All of the books in this set are stand-alone but there are familiar elements threaded through them.

They are all captivating and well written but my personal favorites were books 1 and 4.

The set has been offered on Amazon for .99, (in US and Canada anyway, not sure about other countries) which is a steal and makes it easy for us to take a chance on new authors.

Comfort & Joy

 

I hope you are feeling inspired to search for captivating books. There are so many out there just begging to be read.

Happy searching!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lawman Returns, after football

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Sunday was a great day. Our football team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, won their Canadian Football League Western Semi Final game and will play for Western Finalist next weekend. If they win that, they will play against the Eastern Finalist team for the Canadian Grey Cup in two weeks.

We were all pretty excited, the whole house full of football fans. I’m the only one in the family not really understanding much of what is going on. I mean, I have a general idea about what is happening …… it’s the rules that escape me. I like watching anyway.  Especially when they are winning.

I’ve decided there’s not a lot of hope for me, I’ve been not understanding the game for a very long time. I used to cheer for the BC Lions, decades ago when I lived in Vancouver. (I really liked the Lions even though they have a terrible track record.) The last few years I’ve been following the Bombers, and watching my grandsons football games, every now and then. You’d think with that much exposure over the years something would stick in my brain. Nope.  Thank goodness for commentators.

Winnipeg is definitely excited over the chance their team could be going to the Grey Cup.

Enough about football. Let’s get back to the subject of books…

I’m always excited when Lynette Eason’s name shows up in my daily suggestions email. Her stories are gripping and interesting, and I enjoy reading them.

 

The Lawman Returns Wrangler’s Corner – The Lawman Returns – Lynette Eason …..

Social worker Sabrina Mayfield answers a call to find Jordan, one of her kids, in a panic, wanting a ride. She’s getting directions when he changes his mind and tells her to stay away, it’s too dangerous. He hears someone coming and is suddenly afraid for his life. He has seen something that tells him who killed deputy Steven Stark. If they notice he has seen it, he’s dead.

In a panic, Sabrina requests backup and hurries out to the trailer park to find out what’s gong on. The place looks deserted and creepy, and there’s no sign of the police yet.

Calling for Jordan, she approaches the rickety steps. It feels like someone is watching her but she looks around and can’t see anyone. About to go back to her car and wait, she hears a cry, like that of a small child. Now she’s torn. She knows better than to go in without police backup but how can she ignore a cry for help.

She tries the door, it’s locked. Before she can decide what else to do, there’s a loud crack and something whizzes past her head, slamming into the trailer. Someone just took a shot at her.

Pulling into the driveway as the shot was fired, Deputy Clay Stark yells at her to get into his car. He is about to tear out of there, to safety, but changes his mind when she tells him why she’s there.

He is not about to pass up on new evidence and the chance to find out who killed his brother.

She doesn’t want to leave yet either, because she still thinks she heard a small child crying.

She did hear a small child. She recognizes the face in the trailer window. What was Jordan’s little brother doing out here alone in this dangerous place?

Check this author out, if you haven’t already.

Happy reading

Christy Barritt Mysteries

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I cannot believe how quickly the weeks are flying by. It feels like a new month is starting every couple of weeks. I know it’s not but it sure feels like it

Lately, I find myself spending more time in front of my work computer and less in front of my blog computer. I have mixed emotions about this. I appreciate the heavier workload but ……  like my favorite bumper sticker says I’d rather be reading. I’m gradually working up to I’d rather be writing and I do see a little progress in that area.

It seems I’m not the only one writing less these days. I’ve noticed many of the bloggers I follow aren’t writing as often as they once were, either. It would be interesting to know why this is. Is it a busier life? Less interest in writing… or in life? Is it a normal cycle, maybe, to start out strong and fade after awhile? Every day, as I check emails for new notifications of blog posts, I wonder about the answer to this question of why. I miss the writers I used to count on as being there. I miss seeing the regular readers for my posts too. They still pop up now and then but not like before. Hopefully things will change one day and we will find our motivation again.

It would be nice to overcome the lethargy I feel at the end of a work day, and find the energy to spend time blogging. The writing process can be an uplifting experience, releasing some of those feel good endorphins. My intentions are good, to do better……. but you know what they say about good intentions…..

In the meantime, I’m still finding good books. Today I have a couple of mystery books to share with you. Author Christy Barritt is showing up often these days and her books are always a good read.

shadow of intrigue  Lantern Beach Romantic Suspense – Shadow of Intrigue book 2 – Christy Barritt …… Lisa Garth feels out of place, all of her friends have someone to share life with and she is odd man out, having no one. It’s most noticeable in the off season with tourists gone and reduced hours at her restaurant leaving her too much time to think.

Braden Dillinger plans to spend several weeks at Lantern Beach, on the recommendation  of his therapist. The hope is that beach time will bring some healing for the debilitating scars of his Special Forces days in battle.

Friends have loaned him the use of their cottage while they are away visiting family. Lisa promised Ty and Cassidy she would play hostess to their guest and cook for him while they are gone.  Things have gotten off to a rocky start, and now she wants to turn her back on that promise.

With no car in the driveway , Lisa assumed their guest had not yet arrived and let herself in to prepare dinner. Braden, forgetting about the special arrangement for his meals, has gone to take a shower and doesn’t hear her come in. She knew he had an injury of some sort but had no idea just what it was, or what reaction her presence in the house would trigger.

She thought she was going to die at his hands.

She explains her presence, he apologizes and, eventually, they begin an uneasy truce.

Distressing, inexplicable events keep happening to them both. Evidence of break-ins in his cottage, shadowy figures watching both houses, shots fired through her window.  With his blackouts, Braden is afraid the memories of these events are part of his paranoia and he is only imaging things. Lisa is labelling her attacks as bored teenage pranks.

Gradually, Braden is convinced someone is trying to kill him, but who is it and how did they know where to find him? Then, there’s the question of Lisa’s attacks – are they connected to his or is something else going on with her?

When he sees Lisa is busy and short handed, Braden decides to offer his services at the restaurant . He thinks listening to the town’s gossip may give him clues as to who and why.  He’s hoping he can figure this out before it’s too late.

 

Random Acts of Outrage  Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries – Random Acts of Outrage book 6 – Christy Barritt ….. As usual, Holly arrives on time after school to pick up Sarah, her fourteen year old foster daughter. She’s even a little early today. The line keeps moving up and eventually Holly realizes, all the other students have gone, and Sarah isn’t here. Convinced something is terribly wrong she runs to the school staff and calls her case worker, but no one takes her seriously. They are all of the opinion Sarah has run away, that’s what foster kids do. Holly doesn’t believe it. There are too many indicators, in her mind anyway, that Sarah has been taken against her will.

Holly is desperate and can think of only one person with the ability to help her. He is her ex fiancé, and it will be awkward, but she asks them to call Detective Chase Dextor. Sarah has Type 1 diabetes and without her meds, she could die, they have to find her..

Holly is convinced Sarah hasn’t run away. They have developed a close relationship, and this home situation is the best she’s ever had. She’s even more convinced now that she’s   talked to the teachers responsible for supervising after school pick ups. Someone saw  Sarah get into a lady’s car in the student parking lot and drive away. Holly doesn’t believe she is running, there is something else going on here.

Once she’d gone through her house and found all of Sarah’s meds still there, Holly knew this wasn’t a planned meeting. The deeper she searches the greater her conviction, something is desperately wrong.

Fortunately for her; Chase believes her and is doing everything he can to help figure out what happened. The problem is; they have very little to go on.

It’s a good thing they are looking, because Sarah needs them more than they could ever imagine.

How is your book search going?  Have you discovered a good source for books? What is your favorite? My favorite is still BookBub.

Happy searching, and happy reading this week!