Gone for Awhile, But Hopefully Not Forgotten

It's been a while -- just a busy month, I expect. Got a bit sidetracked with Labor Day, got a couple of fairly hefty bags of books to read and review, and two knitting projects that are driving me crazy with some deadlines to get those done. Add in the fact that hubby and I are getting ready to be gone for a few weeks in October, with all the pre-preparation for my job that such a trip entails, and the blog has sunk down to the bottom of the "to do" list.

I apologize to followers who may have been checking in--just haven't gotten around to writing anything much.

So what have I been doing?? Well . . . daughter Tracy and I went to a So. California bloggers get-together that was great fun. Hubby just shakes his head.

"How can you find so much to talk about that involves books and for so many hours?"

What can I say? Get a group of gals together in the same room, surrounded by piles of books, mutual love of books, and well . . . the hours just fly by.

And then I have been reading, reading, reading . . . in between knitting, knitting, knitting. I have written some reviews for The Book Binge and made an appearance on Desert Island Keepers but just yesterday I remarked to hubby that I had a "ton" of reviews to write. It reminded me that I hadn't posted anything on this blog either.

So here are some of the books I have been plowing through in the past few days:

Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey. Such a fun book! I was so impressed with the sense of relationship mixed in with family, fun, romance, and rib-tickling humor that this author brought into this story. I had not read anything by this author previously, but I found it to be a wonderful reading experience. I had to get the rest of the series--these characters were just too engaging to be satisfied with

only one book.

The setting of this book is a kick in itself. Romance in the midst of a family camping trip? Way too much togetherness and far too little privacy. Yet they make it work and these two former lovers have some significant challenges in working out their issues.

Prism by Nikki Soarde. This is a MM/F story that brings together three different people, all friends from college years, but whose lives have gone in different directions. Clay and Dax have had an intense attract

ion to one another and they have lived together for a number of years--an "open" relationship that has been compromised a time or two as one or the other of the men has "strayed"into another affair, but they keep coming back to one another. Now their friend Sydney has arrived from Paris, hurting, disillusioned, and newly divorced. Both men are faced with their attraction to her and their latent, long-buried desire to bring her into their relationship as their "third." It is a very erotic, steamy novel that has been around since early 2010 but which is still a great read from Ellora's Cave.

A Forever Kind of Love by Shiloh Walker This is another premier work that illustrates Ms Walker's ab

ility to make characters jump off the page. This story is about loving and loss, about living and dying, about the pain of shattering hearts and grieving over what can never be, about disappointment and betrayal and accepting the truth that those who should have loved just don't. It is not an easy story and was one of those that had me in tears. Walker's ability to make words come alive in the mind and imagination is unsurpassed.

Jace by Sarah McCarty A complicated, engaging story that is a continuation of the Shadow Wranglers series. As I had not read the first two books in the

series I was somewhat lost when encountering ideas and happenings and characters that were carry-overs. That being said, it was a delightful read for anyone who likes paranormal romance and who is a Sarah McCarty fan. It might be characterized as a love-lost-love-found kind of story, but there is far more to it than that. Embracing the tensions that have existed between the vampire community and wolf-shifters, this story also deals with the deep wounds caused by unscrupulous scientists who have imprisoned a wolf-shifter in the attempt to use her as a breeder. Now rescued, Miri and her vampire mate have a lot of baggage to wade through as they seek to find their way back to one another while discovering the location of their lost baby daughter--a child daddy didn't even know existed. Add in the tensions between the two communities and you have a multi-layered story that keeps the curiosity of the reader never quite satisfied. As always, this author manages to make a really good story rise to the level of a great one with characters that are compelling and the knack of bringing fictional characters assume life-like quality. Just a truly terrific story!!

This barely makes a dent in the pile -- lots more books I could talk about, but this is just a smattering of some of the interesting books I have been enjoying. Thought I would give you some in differing categories of romance fiction. Some are more recent than others. But anyone who has been following this blog knows that I like to pull up books that have been around for awhile.

Thanks for stopping by.

The Long & Short of It, Through Thick & Thin, Harlequin Thrives!

I LOVE to read! I love books and magazines, newspapers and journals. I just simply love to read. When I was a kid and knew that my mother wouldn't allow one of my books at the breakfast table--had to hurry so I wouldn't be late for school--I read the cereal boxes, often they were the same cereal boxes I had read the morning before. But I read them again anyway--I just loved to read. I can clearly remember the first book I brought home from school in first grade and the absolute sense of "over the top I felt when I could read and pronounce all those words flawlessly remains fixed in my memory. It was probably one of the "Dick & Jane" books. Of course, there were only about 20 words in the entire book, but when one is six and acquiring a new skill, who cares how many or how few words are in a particular book?

I was probably the school librarian's favorite student--I was in the library all the time, every night, turning in books, checking them out, straightening out the card catalogue, straightening out the bookshelves, and never, never keeping books beyond their due date. What a kid! In fact, my very first job was as a student helper (for fifty cents an hour) at the Public Library which happened to be right across the street from the high school and about six blocks from my house--on the same street, in fact. By this time I had consumed all the Sue Barton, R.N. books, the Nancy Drew books, books full of Greek mythology, novels like Quo Vadis, The Robe, Giant, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, A Many Splendored Thing, The Silver Chalice and Ivanhoe, along with the F. Scott Fitzgerald books. All this was, of course, in addition to literature assignments for book reports and English Literature which was a required course for all college prep seniors.

Then the years of early marriage and having kids hit. OMG, noise, diapers (cloth ones, mind you), and babies everywhere. My hubby and I had four kids in five years and by the time the last baby was born, I hadn't been in a bathing suit for five years, owned very few outfits that weren't maternity clothes, had two sets of shoes because some days my feet were swollen and some days they weren't, and was absolutely positive I was going to be pregnant forever. There were several years when I was never out of the house except to go grocery shopping (is it any wonder that I still think of grocery shopping as a personal time activity?). It was especially difficult when we were living in the Chicago area and the snows for several years were quite deep. But . . . the sanity of this woman was saved by Harlequin. Yes, Harlequin romances. . . you know, those short novels that came every month, four at a time, and which all started to read the same and filled with characters that had the most incredible names. In the midst of diaper washing and bottle fixing and wiping kid noses and rocking babies, I had my Harlequin romances--doors to other worlds, entree into other people's situations and circumstances, and a way of using personal time--the miniscule amount I had--that sometimes was even better than grocery shopping.

I've always wondered if the survival of Harlequin has been, in large part, because there were so many people like me, who were literally "tied to the mast" with family responsibilities and who found those little short novels a way of escape. When my kids got older, I scheduled a "Mother's Reading Day" every month. By this time I was teaching my girls to cook a bit, so I would give them all tasks for that day, prepare the main dish ahead of time with directions for getting it on the table, make sure they were all well and away at school, and then I would retreat to my bedroom, hunker down in my comfy bed with a stack of those short novels, and forget the world. Everyone in my family knew that no one came through my door unless it was a genuine emergency. I have to say that I was a much nicer person after that "day off." I firmly believe it was my salvation in more ways than one.

Now Harlequin has a number of imprints and a large number of authors writing for them. I know of several who have a separate pen name for their Harlequin writing contracts, and there are some authors who write lots of books for them. I have reviewed a number of books that are published under one of the imprints and most of them have been really good. I know there are reviewers who don't pay much attention to their Super Romances, but I have found them to be very good reads, not expensive, and written by some very good authors.

And so . . . Harlequin Thrives. I, for one, am thankful that during those lean years there were fictional books available to me for a very small price. Yes, I know, I love libraries and I use our Los Angeles County Library all the time. But in those years, when getting out of the house was like outfitting an army in snowsuits, having those books come to my door in the mail every month was a delight. I think I looked forward to them more than I ever did my membership packages from the cosmetic club. After all, why would I really need cosmetics? I never went anywhere. I still buy Harlequin short novels at the used book store near us, and I still am delighted when I can review one of their books. I hope that all of you can look back and see how good books have brought a lot of fun and joy into your life. Until next time . . .

On the Road Again, And It's Cold (!!!!!) Back Here in Missouri!

Time for the mid-winter professional enrichment trip! This time I didn't opt for Wisconsin -- with my hubby having had heart surgery a year or so ago, and even though he is doing well, not wanting to really be away for any length of time, we decided to hop on a train and journey to Kansas City, MO., home of one of our daughters and hopefully site of a retreat facility where I can spend some of my time doing some specific study that pertains to my profession. Well, we did find such a facility and I am here now. And it's cold!!

We had snow over the weekend mixed with rain, a truly yukky experience that I remember from my childhood and which once again reminded me why we moved to Southern California in the first place. But the folks at the retreat center welcomed me "warmly" and I am enjoying the quiet and time to do some professional reading and study. I am also knitting an afghan for my daughter -- she asked me if I could do it in two weeks, so I am giving it the "old college try."

I also have lugged along a layer of romance fiction in the bottom of my suitcase, added to the stash at a second hand book store I found today, and also brought along two -- that's right, two -- eReaders loaded to the gills. Needless to say, when I have those post-menopausal sleepless periods in the middle of the night, there will be plenty to choose from. I don't know when I will be posting again . . . I have a couple of books I have just finished so will try to get reviews up for those, but until then, hope you all will keep reading and checking in from time to time.

Blessings . . .

It's President's Day -- Hail To The Chief . . .

Today is a holiday for schools, governmental agencies, banks, and who knows who else. It is a very nice three-day weekend that is sort of the norm here in the U. S. But that isn't the way I remember celebrating the birthdays of these two patriots.

When I was growing up we always had the 12th of February off from school because it was Abraham Lincoln's birthday. On the days before that holiday we got a solid education on his life, his education (three books in the log cabin to start with), his mother's death and the close relationship he had with his step-mother, his birth in Kentucky and then the family's move to Indiana, and so forth. Year after year we got the work on Mr. Lincoln, and year after year we were taught to refer to him as the Great Emancipator. He took office during the awful days just prior to the Civil War, and was assassinated just after being re-elected to his second term. He was a man of deep personal faith and often said that the War had made him pray far more than he ever planned to and had given him far more gray hair than he liked. It was during those years that he lost his son Tad, and the emotional instability of First Lady Mary Lincoln began to become apparent. What we would call chronic depression today was not so recognized then and after Mr. Lincoln's death, their son Robert really didn't treat her very well, and even had her "committed" a couple of times. Not a happy ending for her life, it would appear.

It was just the norm for February. With Groundhog Day on the 2nd, Valentine's Day on the 14th, and then the two presidential birthdays, February was a star-studded month. (We didn't have Martin Luther King Day then--he hadn't made his appearance on history's stage nor had he been assassinated yet. He was definitely around--learning to endure the frights of prejudice, going to school, learning to preach and being ordained as a Baptist pastor.)

And then, on the 22nd of February, we had another school holiday--George Washington's birthday--"the Father of our Country" as he was always referred to. In fact, when we were really new at school, in first or second grade, we thought that was his whole name: George Washington the Father of our Country. Took us a few years to realize one part was his name and the other a honorific title. He was our first president, a farmer who reluctantly agreed to be the Commander of the First Continental Army during the Revolutionary War--the War of Independence--and a man who truly believed in The Great Experiment--the forming of a country that was truly democratic. No one in the history of the planet had ever seen such a nation. Mr. Washington wanted in on the "ground floor". His home in Virginia was called Mt. Vernon, and he was anxious to return there after the War. He didn't live there for quite a few years as he was talked into becoming the first president of the Republic. Under the newly written Articles of Confederation, a document that preceeded our present Constitution, Mr. Washington took office and immediately ran into trouble with the Congress. Of course, it was a small, new, nation, with no money and no power among the international community, laughed at by Britain and France, and whose men were kidnapped and placed on British ships to serve as slaves for a period of two or three years. (This was the main reason for the War of 1812.)

We know that he was a fair man, with a deep faith in God, a practicing Episcopalian and one who believed that faith was null and void if one didn't live by its principles. He often struggled to know what was the wise thing to do, and during the War he often used his own resources to buy what little food he could when his troupes were starving. In fact, almost every member of the First Continental Congress ended up bankrupt because they all used their own personal wealth to finance the War. No one can ever say that they didn't put " their money where their mouth was."

So to Mr. Washington and Mr. Lincoln: Happy Birthday!! And thank you again for your service, for your dedication to the principles of liberty and justice for all, and for believing that The Great Experiment was worthy of your time and sacrifice. You have set an example for all our civil leaders and we bless you for your willingness to give not only your service, but your life for our benefit. We are still reaping the harvest of your goodness.

And to all of you, have a wonderful President's Day--stay warm and well, and may all of us aspire to bring the principles these men believed into our own lives. Blessings . . .

Oh Me, Oh My (Groan), Where Has All The Time Gone? I'm Meeting Myself Coming And Going!!

It has been the Week From Hell around here . . . every day I think I have my time planned out and my hubby (who is retired, therefore he is ALWAYS around) says: "What do you have planned for today?" My immediate response is: "Why?" I just know he doesn't ask that question unless he has some cockamammy something or other he wants me to do. I'm usually right. Most of the time he wants to change babysitting days with me -- we babysit two of our granddaughters, i.e. pick them up after school, supervise their homework, get them to their after-school activities, etc. He goes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I go on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Most of the time he wants to change the days I go because he wants to run around the Los Angeles area with my son who travels alot locally in his job. That hubby of mine has never really been happy unless he is traveling somewhere!

Anyway . . . each day I think about this blog and realize that another day has gone by with no posting. This morning I realized that it was nearly a week since I had posted and I was MORTIFIED. Not the way I operate! And what should I post? I look at other blogs and realize that some of them are so incredibly creative and what do I have? Books. Well . . . then I tell myself: "That's what you started this for, isn't it?" And I have to acknowledge that most of the time I just get excited about books and want to share them, whether or not they are the latest publications. Some, like the SEP books I have highlighted, are just so good that I don't care how long since they were released.

So to any followers/visitors who have been lurking or checking in on this site, I offer my sincere apologies for being so delinquent in posting anything at all, least of all even getting enough time to say "Hey." I do have to admit that even though I am frazzled and profoundly glad it is Friday, I did get lots done that has been waiting for my attention, so even though it was nerve-wracking in many respects, there is a sense that some things have been attended to that have been sitting around for a long time. And I DID get books read . . . no matter how busy with other things, I read. Drives my family crazy.

So here's wishes that all of you have a great week and are looking forward to a great weekend. Blessings . . .

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart . . .

Contrary to popular perception, we have "Fall" here in Southern California. It does get cold here, especially in the High Desert, and the trees put on a colorful display. Admittedly it isn't the roaring extravagance of the Sugar Maples of the East, but we are delighted when the cold weather makes an appearance and the Summer has gone away.

Now it is Thanksgiving Day once again--my most favorite American holiday. Perhaps it is because I am a recovering compulsive overeater, and the prospect of all the traditional fare makes my heart beat just a little bit faster. Or perhaps it is about the getting together of our family--an extended family, to be sure, but family nevertheless. It is a time when we re-connect and take the time to acknowledge that we are all important to one another. It is the day that almost forces us to stop and give thanks in a very particular way.

Each Thanksgiving Day we have a short service at our church and one of the traditional components is that each person lists something for which they are truly thankful. Without exception it is for special friends and for family--whether biological or not is unimportant. Those that function as "family" are the people who love us no matter what we say or do, who have patience in letting us be ourselves, who encourage with their words and actions, who give unconditional, non-judgmental love. It isn't always easy to be that kind of family person. We all want to hold one another to a standard, and perhaps that is a part of tough love, too. But most of all, I have learned that each person in my "family" is one who makes me a better person by forcing me to care about them for themselves and not because they conform to my ideas of who they need to be.

So here's to all of us . . . friends, family, book-lovers all, whether American or International, how ever you spend the 25th of November 2010, may your heart be filled with gratitude for blessings of many kinds and varieties. And for those of us who love to eat, have a great time on Thanksgiving Day, and savor those left-overs. Until next time . . .

Comment: Getting "Stuck" on Certain Authors

Just a quick few lines that I have been pondering for some time.

I think we all get stuck on certain authors. I was never more aware of this than the last trip I made to our local Used Book Store in Palmdale, CA -- The Little Book Bug Bookstore -- when I was looking for some books by my usual favorite authors. Guess what: they weren't there. They are favorite authors of lots of other people, and as I stood by those shelves looking at the other books being offered, I became aware of how limited my "favorite author" list really was.

I know I definitely have my literary comfort zones. There are just some kinds of books I don't like nearly as well as others. But by virtue of my reviewing hobby, I have read sci-fi (which I would never have chosen on my own) and lots of paranormal romance (which has gradually become more and more a favorite of mine) and I see my tastes changing and my comfort zones expanding. Now that has not always been an easy transition. Expanding comfort zones is sort of like doing a new exercise: you use muscles you had forgotten you had. Mental expansion is very much like that, and I don't enjoy it anymore than the next person. But I have learned that not to allow new ideas and new ways of enjoying the world of fiction is to miss out on so much creativity that is absolutely mind-boggling in its scope and beauty.

Those of us who review and have book blogs certainly have to appreciate the creativity of the authors whose books we read. And I think we have to be creative in expressing our feelings about those books. I have come to believe that if I don't keep on opening myself to new genres and greater exposure to some kinds of books I have previously avoided, then I limit my own ability to be creative. I have to admit that I have read some books that have been very oblique in their message. As I try to get my mind around what their story is relating, I find that mental stretching very satisfying. And at my age, the ability to do any kind of stretching is a victory.

So here is a question I am posing: How have each of us expanded our literary comfort zones in the past months or years?

I would love to hear your responses.

San Francisco is a beautiful as ever . . . and I have my eReader along for the ride!

Can't even imagine what it would be like to go somewhere without the ole eReader. I got all fixed up with a new crop of ebooks and I should be set for a few days at least. At first the old hubby was a little puzzled about the blogging thing and writing reviews and such, but I think he is beginning to realize that it is something that I find enjoyable and something of a challenge. So now he is asking more about the books and " . . . which one are you reviewing now??"

We are driving up and down the beautiful hills and dales of San Fran -- the Golden Gate Park with the Japanese Tea Garden is absolutely beautiful!! One cannot even describe the beauty of the Japanese Cherry Blossoms this time of year. The floral clock has been redone from when I was a kid and visiting with my grandparents, but it is just as beautiful now as then. We are on our way to the Muir Woods Redwoods -- some of those trees are over 1,000 years old. It is humbling, to say the least. Wish all of you could be with us! Tomorrow we wind our way home down Highway 101 -- El Camino Real, or the King's Highway. We'll drive through ancients stands of eucalyptus trees, pass by some of those wonderful old Spanish missions, glimpse the ocean from time to time, and start inland when we reach Ventura. For me it is a trip down memory lane; for our granddaughter I hope it will be a new and cherished memory. Until next time . . .