Weasel and the Life of I

This has been such a strange two weeks. I’ve been back to work after losing my dog on September 18. Those first days were like a bad dream, the kind where you barely wake up several times before sinking back into the distorted narrative. I was like a Haitian zombie, going where I was pointed and doing whatever task was at hand without really becoming engaged in any process. Coming back to work helped because I have to think to do my job. Once I had to use my brain again, I had to really deal with my grief. What really helped is the love and support I received from friends and family, and the other dogs and doing their part to provide companionship.

Those of you who don’t know me must wonder how I could be so affected by losing a pet. It’s not like I lost a family member, right? Wrong. For me, this dog filled a hole that was left behind when I realized my child would be an only child. She’s a nearly perfect only child, at least for us, but it wouldn’t be fair to stand her under the waterfall of my frustrated need to baby something. And so, enter the dog. While I was being a strong and supportive mother, encouraging my daughter to go out and fully live her life, I was dressing up the rat dog in costumes, painting her toenails Hot Pink, and scheduling vacations around a four-pound dog’s separation anxiety.

Losing that dog was more than losing an animal companion. I lost the focus of much of my time and energy. This may turn out to be a good thing in a way, but moving through the event has been tough. My usual routine doesn’t fit anymore. Blogging has been hard because I haven’t been reading fiction. I don’t have a good, juicy novel to review for you. I’ve only been reading books on software programs and Ebay 101, useful but not very interesting when turned into a blog topic.

After awhile, my thoughts turned to a book I read a couple of years ago, Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Since it’s been some time since I read the book, and I don’t own it, I’ve pulled some information from Amazon to give you a background for this blog. Here are the two descriptions available from Amazon:

Amazon.com Review
Yann Martel’s imaginative and unforgettable Life of Pi is a magical reading experience, an endless blue expanse of storytelling about adventure, survival, and ultimately, faith. The precocious son of a zookeeper, 16-year-old Pi Patel is raised in Pondicherry, India, where he tries on various faiths for size, attracting “religions the way a dog attracts fleas.” Planning a move to Canada, his father packs up the family and their menagerie and they hitch a ride on an enormous freighter. After a harrowing shipwreck, Pi finds himself adrift in the Pacific Ocean, trapped on a 26-foot lifeboat with a wounded zebra, a spotted hyena, a seasick orangutan, and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker (”His head was the size and color of the lifebuoy, with teeth”). It sounds like a colorful setup, but these wild beasts don’t burst into song as if co-starring in an anthropomorphized Disney feature. After much gore and infighting, Pi and Richard Parker remain the boat’s sole passengers, drifting for 227 days through shark-infested waters while fighting hunger, the elements, and an overactive imagination. In rich, hallucinatory passages, Pi recounts the harrowing journey as the days blur together, elegantly cataloging the endless passage of time and his struggles to survive: “It is pointless to say that this or that night was the worst of my life. I have so many bad nights to choose from that I’ve made none the champion.”

From Publishers Weekly
A fabulous romp through an imagination by turns ecstatic, cunning, despairing and resilient, this novel is an impressive achievement “a story that will make you believe in God,” as one character says. The peripatetic Pi (ne the much-taunted Piscine) Patel spends a beguiling boyhood in Pondicherry, India, as the son of a zookeeper. Growing up beside the wild beasts, Pi gathers an encyclopedic knowledge of the animal world. His curious mind also makes the leap from his native Hinduism to Christianity and Islam, all three of which he practices with joyous abandon. In his 16th year, Pi sets sail with his family and some of their menagerie to start a new life in Canada. Halfway to Midway Island, the ship sinks into the Pacific, leaving Pi stranded on a life raft with a hyena, an orangutan, an injured zebra and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. After the beast dispatches the others, Pi is left to survive for 227 days with his large feline companion on the 26-foot-long raft, using all his knowledge, wits and faith to keep himself alive. The scenes flow together effortlessly, and the sharp observations of the young narrator keep the tale brisk and engaging. Martel’s potentially unbelievable plot line soon demolishes the reader’s defenses, cleverly set up by events of young Pi’s life that almost naturally lead to his biggest ordeal. This richly patterned work, Martel’s second novel, won Canada’s 2001 Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction. In it, Martel displays the clever voice and tremendous storytelling skills of an emerging master.

I’ve been thinking about this book because it was the most surreal reading experience I’ve ever had; nothing before or since has left me feeling so off kilter. The book was a 14-day loan from the campus library and I had no prior knowledge of the writer or the plot. I started reading it at lunch and then spent the next 48 hours immersed in this story. It was a slow read, the Best Friend Read from my rating system because I didn’t want to miss anything and it’s a strange story.

The plot is described above but the reviews don’t convey the reality of the book. I began reading it with full knowledge that it was fiction but somewhere along the way, I forgot that it wasn’t real. I have a hyperactive disbelief mechanism that gets suspended easily, like a piñata at a birthday party. This story grabbed me and I started to believe that a boy could be stranded at sea, in a life boat with a mini-zoo that included a mammal-eating tiger. That’s not the worst of it; I even got caught up in the plot line about the free-floating reed island that housed a complete ecosystem of animals and trees and ate tourists if they didn’t climb a branch at night time. (I can’t explain how suspension of disbelief works, but if you’ve ever gone to the movies and sat through an action/adventure, you’ve probably experienced the same thing.)

At the end of the story where the boy’s tale of shipwreck is deciphered into a metaphor of fellow passengers, murderers, pirates and mental breakdown, I was caught completely off-guard. It took me days to deal with the plot resolution and the sense of incongruity stayed with me for a long time. This is an compelling book, one that is on my must-read list. As much as I love to read, and as many books as I’ve read in my life, this is the only story to really leave me surprised.

Sometimes, they say, life imitates art and these two weeks have had some of that not-real/too-real feeling. Never, never would I have thought that grief for a dog could be this overwhelming, but I’m not overwhelmed. I can pick up one of my other dogs and love it, I can sit down to a project and get excited about it, and I can look forward to a vacation. I’m not starting the vacation planning by worrying about the dog-sitter and that’s a real surprise.

I think that’s what reminded me of Life of Pi, this mix of real and unreal, grief but also knowing that things are going to get better.

Book Review: Kabul 24

Everything they did was to help the people of Afghanistan.  The work Shelter Now accomplished was greatly received by the Afghanistan people – so why did eight Shelter Now workers and their 16 Afghan helpers find themselves arrested and in prison?

In Kabul 24, Ben Pearson and Henry Arnold recount the arrest, interrogation, and trial of these Shelter Now workers in 2001.  These people did nothing but help the Afghan people they loved, and now the Taliban has arrested them for reasons that are never revealed to the prisoners or anyone else.

Yet, somehow, these people find a way to worship the Lord God in spite of their harrowing circumstances.  They sing songs praising Jesus, study scripture, and pray.  They remember that God put them in their predicament to bring glory to Him, and show His might and power.  Through their imprisonment, they remember that God cares and loves them and has not forgotten them.

This book reveals that Christians should look to God and depend on Him no matter what the circumstances.  Believers can look at these people and say, hey – they endured all of this and never lost their faith?  I can, too!  This is the message I received from this book.  This book allowed me to see that truly, through God ALL things are possible.  I highly recommend this book to readers everywhere.  You will see Biblical truths fleshed out in a concrete and profound way.  This is truly an unforgettable book.

• Pub. Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Length:  320 pages
• ISBN-13: 9781595550224
• ISBN: 1595550224

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, originally published in 1925, is an “American Classic” that can still be enjoyed today by much of America’s modern youth. For those with an appreciation of the beauty and elegance so often associated with lifestyle before the Great Depression. Fitzgerald does an exquisite job of bringing the characters to life in such a way that demonstrates how the “roaring twenties” shaped their lives. The novel follows Nick Carraway in the summer of 1922 as he both stumbles and soars through trials of romance, deception, and action. One of the things that make The Great Gatsby so unique is that while the novel is told from Nick’s perspective, he does not end up seaming to be the main character; after all he is not for whom Fitzgerald named the book. This of course proves interesting, as the reader hears Nick’s thoughts and feelings despite the fact that it is not he on whom the novel focuses. Readers who fear of being bored with books that take to long to even begin to develop a plot have nothing to be concerned of with this novel. Fitzgerald jumps right in, beginning to set the stage for a wonderful story before you even turn the page. The Great Gatsby provides a wonderful sense of entertaining reliability with such tag-lines as “Old Sport” with out becoming overly predictable. Because it has elements of human nature that are timeless, this novel has survived decades in American bookstores shelves. For that reason, and many more, the human nature of this amazing novel makes it a necessary addition to American homes.

By OdesssaRose M.

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

A Street Car Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, is an amazing novel that demonstrates how love cannot take place between two lovers under harsh conditions. Blanche is the main character in the story and experiences love but it just cannot happen. She visits her sister, Stella, in New Orleans and falls in love with one of her husband’s best friend. However, the relationship between Stella’s husband and Blanche is very stressful. Thus she is unable to love her husband’s best friend. Blanche has a very mysterious past and Stella’s husband is very curious and suspicious of her and once he finds out that she was sleeping around, he immediately informs his best friend. If only Blanche was truthful and did not hide her past from the one she loved, she could have still been with him. If you were to pick up this book in your local library, you would be nothing but satisfied. I personally enjoyed reading this novel, as I believed that the storyline and plot had to deal with everyday life scenarios. I would personally and strongly recommend this book to any reader who is interested in books that deal with realism and true love.

By Justin M.

Want the best Canadian writing? Read short fiction

Rachel Muenz Writes About the Canadian Giller Prize - Photo Courtesy of Stockexpert.com

By Rachel Muenz

A couple of weeks ago, British Giller judge Victoria Glendinning bashed Canadian writing in the Financial Times of London. She said our stuff is too homogenous and that it’s easy to get grants and be published if you’re Canadian, no matter how bad your writing is.

While harsh, Glendinning does have a point about Canadian novels.

Our writing is just fine but Canadian novels don’t tend to be very exciting or really stand out. There are probably only a couple Canadian authors I can name among my favourite novels.

However, Glendinning’s article probably would have been very different if she had read Canadian short stories instead.

One of Glendinning’s main problems with about 100 Canadian novels she read, was that too many of them were set in cottage country or focused on the immigrant experience.

But, very few of the Canadian short stories I’ve read over the past year had anything to do with cottages or immigration. Canadian short fiction is full of variety.

For instance, in Canadian literary magazines I’ve read many different stories, including two marijuana farmers coming across treasure hunters and a twenty-six-year-old woman who starts seeing her imaginary friend again.

At the same time, I don’t buy Glendinning’s opinion that it’s easier to get grants and be published if you’re Canadian. I think there are more “unbelievably dreadful” novels in general, not just Canadian ones.

Most novels, I find, drag on and on for no good reason. It almost seems that authors use as many words as possible just so the story will be long enough for a novel. By the end, you forget what the book is even about.

Short stories are more powerful because they use the fewest number of words possible.

Canadian short stories are especially excellent at getting right to the action and building character and feeling in just a handful of words. The writing is elegant and full of energy, each word strikes like shrapnel. You can’t find stories like these anywhere else.

There are great Canadian novels out there too, despite what Glendinning says, but if you want to read the best in recent Canadian writing, Canadian short stories are your best bet.

- with files from The Financial Times of London, the Globe and Mail and the Financial Post

Savory, Salty Food of the Masses - Enjoy!

Bacon, A Love Story: A Salty Survey of Everybody’s Favorite Meat By Heather Lauer Published May 2009 (Hardcover) William Morrow

I have to admit, I had my doubts about an entire book dedicated to bacon – let alone talking for a half-hour about that salty meat.  But I had fun!  Heather Lauer is a delightful  fountain of information.

Welcome to the Bacon Nation!  Heather wrote Bacon A Love Story: A Salty Survey of Everybody’s Favorite Meat with buoyant enthusiasm.   The idea began one night over cocktails several years ago with her brothers, but still held her interest in the light of day.  Heather is a public affairs consultant by day, but she says she just loved blogging about bacon at night.  Talk about bringing home the bacon — eventually she was approached with a book deal.

She’s grateful.  She says there are much better writers out there, slaving away, hoping for that big break.  Hers was right time, right place, right topic.  Bacon is enjoying a culinary renaissance.

On Open Book with Diana Page Jordan, Heather expanded on the surprise development — from drinks to blogs to a book.  She said the entertainment, information industry is  flipped on its ear — before the Internet, the book would come out, and we’d all talk about the book.  Now, the ideas come before the book.  I’ll go one step further.  The fact that she wrote out of joy, expecting nothing, about a topic she loved — magnetic!

For you carnivores, Heather has bacon profiled — from 4,000 BC in China to current cures that differ vastly.  And I’ll let you in on a secret — while my literary tastes fall strongly in the thriller, metaphysical, how-to, eclectic camps — okay, I’ll read anything that’s well-written — there is one big reason why I interviewed Heather about her bacon book.  PDX.FM is holding the 2009 Portland  Baconfest this coming Saturday, October 3rd from 3-10pm at East Burnside and 18th ave, and this book is a total tie-in.  At least it’ll get you prepped for all the fun!

Review - Percy Jackson and the Lightening Theif by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson thinks he is a normal boy. Strange things do sometimes happen to him but that is just a coincidence right? Wrong! Percy, it turns out is actually the son of the Greek god Poseidan and many monsters wish to track him down and destroy him! No sooner has Percy got his head around these startling facts than he is sent on a quest to bring back Zeus’s stolen lightening bolt from the underworld. A very exciting and enjoyable fantasy and adventure.

Review - Love Aubrey by Suzanne M. LaFleur

This is a wonderful book. At the beginning of the story we find Aubrey, an 11-year-old girl left home alone. Her mother has gone away and we are not sure at first what has happened to her father and sister. Aubrey is soon rescued by her Grandmother who takes her to live with her in Vermont. We soon discover that something terrible has happened to Aubrey’s family, something that it will take a lot of strength to get other. With the help of Gram and her new friend Bridget, Aubrey slowly starts to gain the strength she needs to move forward. A very sad but ultimately heartwarming book that I would definitely recommend.

The Other Mr. Darcy, by Monica Fairview – A Review

The Other Mr. Darcy is a new Pride and Prejudice sequel with a unique premise. Spotlight Caroline Bingley, a minor character who we all loved to hate in the original novel, and somehow make her into a likeable heroine. Impossible you say! And so it would seem. Add into the mix Robert Darcy, the unconventional American cousin of Mr. Darcy, and you have an intriguing concept that could challenge the most accomplished writer. Let’s hope author Monica Fairview’s fairy godmother mojo is stronger than Caroline’s predilection to snark. 

After attending the marriage of Fitzwilliam Darcy to Elizabeth Bennet, the distraught Caroline Bingley uncharacteristic breaks down. Unbeknownst to her, she has a witness to her emotional outburst, Robert Darcy, Mr. Darcy’s American cousin. Shocked and embarrassed to be seen in such a state, their first meeting gets off to a very bad start. When they meet again a year later, Caroline is horrified to see him. Will he keep her secret, or use it against her? As they travel together from Hertfordshire to Derbyshire, complications delay their journey in Nottingham and their party takes refuge at a local estate. While there, Caroline will receive two surprising marriage proposals. One from Colonel Fitzwilliam who she suspects is motivated by her dowry, and the second by the last man in world she would be prevailed upon to marry, Robert Darcy. To save her honor, he has gallantly stepped forward offering a fake proposal to quell rumors of her engagement to the wealthy and distinguished Sir Cecil Rynes, the one man she truly aspires to marry. Dumbfounded and numb with shock, the proper Caroline has no choice but to temporarily play along with the scheme to save her own reputation. Also included in the ensemble are many familiar characters from the original novel: The Bennet’s, the Bingley’s, Louisa Hurst, Lydia Wickham, and of course Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, all ready to offer help or hindrance to the couple. 

Cleverly crafted and humorously engaging, The Other Mr. Darcy will delight Austen fans as they travel with Caroline Bingley on a journey of self discovery to Pemberley and her heart. Monica Fairview is a skilled storyteller, creatively continuing Jane Austen’s characters, presenting a captivating but un-haughty version of the iconic Mr. Darcy in his American cousin Robert Darcy, and a Caroline Bingley who clings to her structured propriety sparking brisk repartees between them. Surprisingly, this Caroline has evolved beyond that snobby and gossipy “mean girl” that we remember in the original. I did not object to her change in attitude, but I think it would have been a tad more interesting if Caroline was that “mean girl” at the beginning, and grew away from it with new experiences. Despite this small quibble, I commend Monica Fairview for waving her magic wand and cleverly transforming Caroline Bingley into a human being worth knowing! 

4 out of 5 Regency Stars 

The Other Mr. Darcy, by Monica Fairview
Sourcebooks, Landmark (2009)
Trade paperback (368) pages
ISBN: 978-1402225130

Light Land book Review

“Light Land” by H. L. McCutchen

I stumbled upon Light Land during a resent excursions to the library. Our local library has a wonderful children’s department where I can spend hours roaming the shelves. Afterwards I trek home with my bag stuffed with colorful, imaginative volumes.

Light Land is a delightful fantasy about two children growing up in rural Iowa. Both children are quite unique. Lottie is an imaginative, willful girl with a memory and talent for stories. Her best friend Lewis hasn’t spoken a word to anyone except her since age three. We meet the pair as they enter the first grade, but quickly jump to grade six. A new teacher comes to their school making them both quite nervous. On their first day Ms. d’Avignon gives the class an interesting assignment, an essay entitled “Everything I Know”. As Lottie begins thinking about what she will write she comes to the disturbing realization that she has forgotten all her stories. This causes her father to find her story box which he made for her just before she started school five years before.

As Lottie discovers, the story box is very special; it’s so much more than a mere wooden box made from her favorite tree . . . it’s a portal to a mysterious place where something quite sinister is happening. Now Louis has disappeared into this world where the evil Night King is causing people to no longer exist. Lottie must find him before his mother returns. To accomplish this, she is forced to trust the adults in her life: her father and a teacher who seems to hear what she’s thinking.

This book is one adventure after another from start to finish. I was drawn in my the plot and the young characters. Light Land is well worth reading.

Book Review: Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss by Kyra Davis

• Title: Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss
• Author: Kyra Davis
• Type: Chick Lit Mystery
• Genre: Semi-comic amateur sleuth
• Sub-genre: Series with mystery writer sleuth
• My Grade: B (4*)
• Rating: PG-13
• Where Available: Everywhere books are sold

Yes Virginia, there are still clever amateur sleuth mysteries out there, they’re just awful hard to find.  A once respected genre of the mystery family, cozies have gotten a bad name with me thanks to the rash of moronic books that now dominate the market.  Classic cozies by superb writers like Rhys Bowen, Victoria Thompson, Jacqeline Windspear have fallen to the glitzy, glassy, brainless, annoying pile of clones doing too-stupid-to-live fashionista mysteries or Stephanie Plum wannabe’s complete with a cast of crazed friends.  Even Lisa Lutz’s very original Spellman series was weak in the most recent entry.  Somehow, chick-lit mysteries have come to dominate the cozy market.  Yes, there are bright spots help mostly by older authors who still think a mystery is supposed to be A MYSTERY, not an idiot vehicle for nutty family antics or a bemoaning tribute to longing for $400 shoes and designer dresses.  Some series started off well, but recent entries went down the tubes (Gemma Halliday) and some never got off the ground (Rhonda Pollero).  A very few have held onto a consistent performance – Ellen Byerrum’s Crimes of Fashion does an excellent job with this genre and Nancy Martin is usually OK, though the series is inconsistent – others hope like hell to just cash in on the craze.  Granted, this is the first Kyra Davis book I’ve read, and fourth in her Sophie Katz series, but it was GOOD!

Sophie Katz is finally making enough money as a mystery writer to look into buying her own home in San Francisco.  She and Anatoly Darinsky, her Russian American PI boyfriend (Chick lit mystery heroines usually have a cop or PI boyfriend.  Spec ops, or a RARE reformed hood is allowed.  No dentists or accounts need apply.) want to move in together and she wants a solid investment for the money from her books – and please dear God, parking for BOTH their cars!  Even with a million dollar budget, about the best she can hope for is complete wreck that needs a ton of money to make it habitable.  She is visiting one of these million+ dollar hovels with a lot of other potential buyers and has the misfortune to run into her sleazy ex-husband realtor Scott Colvin.  In a desperate attempt to avoid him she all buts runs for it, but he sticks like a burr and offers the one thing she wants more than his eternal suffering – a fully restored Victoria row house in a great neighborhood with parking – for well below market value!  There has to be a catch, right?  Why would this slimy, conniving liar offer this house to her supposedly to make amends for his shabby treatment of her in their married life and crappy divorce?  Has his body been taken over by another person?  Who cares, it sounds like the house of her dreams!  One that’s too good to be true.  You know what they say about things that look too good to be true.

Sophie meets Scott at the house at night for a tour.  The owner seems awful anxious to sell to allow an 8PM tour.  Scott’s confused by the re-arrangement of the furniture, but hey, the owner is obviously eccentric.  Sophia falls in love in minutes – complete and total lusting love – for the house.  The restoration was fabulous, the house just the right size and exactly what she’s been looking for – at an insanely low price, by SF standards anyway.  The master bedroom would be perfect – except, the owner is dead on the floor.  Sophie isn’t worried about someone dying in her dream house, especially since it looks like natural causes, she is worried that she won’t be able to buy the house from the family because they won’t honor the price.  But next night Scott meets Sophie and her friend Dena, owner of an adult ‘toy’ store, he says the owners son, Kane, will honor the price to her only.  Kane is convinced the not only does she want the house, the house wants her.  The catch?  She must become a lifetime member of the San Fransisco Specter Society.  Disturbingly, Kane, Scott and Scott’s latest girlfriend-sugarmomma, Venus, are all members.  An hour or two twice a month and the house is hers.  There is a benefit – Enrico Risso, one of the top 20 chefs in the US is a member and usually has them sample a dish he’s creating.

Nothing is as simple as it seems.  Venus is a half bubble off plumb, the house seems haunted and then her mother, a nice Jewish Brooklyn girl who came to SF after the death of her first husband, enjoyed the free-wheeling indecent fun, then met the man who was the father of her daughters,  proceeds to tell her that she KNOWS this house.  Sophie and her sister Leah thought it a happy marriage, but a Jewish woman and a black professor had a lot of problems.  He converted and changed his name to Katz.  His family thought she was a witch and her’s was none too pleased she married a black man.  But Her father’s death and the awful loss Sophie faced is what lead her marry that idiot Scott – who then ran through her inheritance, hocked her jewelry to a bookie named Vinny, and ran around screwing every woman he could.   Suddenly Sophie’s world goes upside down as her mother tells her the rough patch her marriage hit with their beloved late father culminating in a renewal of their vows in the very house Sophie bought.  Her father was tryng to buy when Oscar, the owner she found dead, suddenly left his wife and moved back in, refusing to sell.  Sophie has the house she wanted as a child.

More determined than ever to keep her new home, Sophie becomes convinced she isn’t going mad and the house isn’t haunted.  A human is trying to drive her out of her dream home, a home that just keeps meaning more to her each day, especially now that’s she’s heard her mother’s story.  But something, or more likely someone, is determined to get her out, dead or alive.  Sophie is convinced it’s Kane, Oscar’s son by the woman he deserted.  Besides, Kane is trying to set Sophie up so escrow can’t close, even though she already moved in and started unpacking.  What the hell is going on?

This book has a bit of something for everyone – a bi-racial Jewish heroine, motorcycle riding Russian American PI boyfriend, an ex-husband who gets screwed as deserves – not like he wants, a best friend who picks up college student busboys for wild recreational sex, a Jewish mother who uses all the Yiddish slang you could ever want, a divorced sister who worries about her babysitter charging $22/hr and quotes Israeli law, a nice gay friend, strange voices, moving furniture, and a possible murderer who might just be too smart to get caught and has her scheduled for his next victim – and the memory of strawberry lip gloss, all capped by a surprising double ending.  The dialogue is often witty, the relationship between Sophie and her mother and sister rings true, though mom is just a shade too much Jewish mother at times.  And Sophie is an intelligent, self-reliant woman who doesn’t obsess over the latest designer fashion!   With the story told in the first person, as most of these are, that’s important.  Plus, there’s no stupid slapstick comedy that includes dogs or monkeys.  That’s something of a new ‘must’ for me thanks to Janet Evanovich.  The story moves well, though occasionally the dialogue can be a shade ‘lecturing’ for informal conversation.   This was what I think all chick lit mysteries should be, a true amateur sleuth, good ensemble cast, an intelligent, capable heroine, wit, colorful characters who don’t take over the story burying the mystery in their idiot antics, solid plot, and a neat twist at the end.  Recommended read!

StarCrossed by Linda Collison

I just recently read Star-Crossed by Linda Collison, and it was an excellent book! It is about a girl named Patricia Kelley who is a very well-off gentlewoman. But when her father dies suddenly, she hides on a merchant ship to get to Barbados and claim the sugar cane farm that her father promised her. Little does she know that along the way she would meet friends she never expected, and fall in love. Star-Crossed is a wonderful read that had me practically cheering at the end. 5 stars for Star-Crossed!

To reserve this book at the library, click on the image

No more review books

not at least until I get some up and going – I guess I thought I’d be able to get some books for review – read them and get up a review and so on, well, and humiliated to have to admit there are some review books that have been on the shelf waiting to be read and reviewed for months (e.g., 6+ months) - this is not right (and not fair to the publishers who so graciously sent them along).  So until I can get significant amount of reading and reviewing done soon, no more review books!  (except of course those won in contests or those sent gratis by authors or those who are generous).  I sort of do have the hope I can plow through and get a lot done before the end of the year.

Peace by Richard Bausch

The news that Richard Bausch has been award a Dayton Literary Peace Prize for his novel Peace, made me dig through the archives for the blurb I wrote for it last year.

Peace is the intense story of the long night of the soul faced by a  three American GIs when their sergeant casually murders an Italian civilian while on patrol behind enemy lines in the last year of WWII. Their struggle to do the right thing, to understand whether one more killing makes a difference during the insanity of war, reflects our own uneasiness at the messiness of conducting a war, no  matter how justified, and shows that though the technology of war and the speed of reporting it may have changed, the basic moral confusion and chaos remains. This will be of great interest to  military history buffs, military families, as well as lovers of fine writing. Peace is strong liquor; a visceral, intense reading  experience, which brings on a mellow reflectiveness.

I’m glad to see it wining the award.

Whitney Rules Update

Robison Wells has posted about a couple of new rules for the Whitneys:

1-there will be no finalists for Best Novel and Best Novel by a New Author, so that the books nominated in that category will not automatically skew the voting for the genre categories, and
2-Everyone has to read all the books they vote about, and check a box saying that they’ve done so.

Makes sense to me.

And now, Whitney-eligible books I’ve read so far this year (not enough, I’m sure; I was scrambling to read them all last time), with a brief assessment:

Warbreaker. Brandon Sanderson. Brilliant, of course. I loved it. Should Brandon Sanderson be eliminated from consideration if he wins too often? Just wondering. It hardly seems fair to anyone else writing in the science fiction category.
The Princess and the Bear, Mette Ivie Harrison. Oh this is a good book. It started slow for me, but I ended up loving it. Elegant writing.
Princess of the Midnight Ball, Jessica Day George. This was cute; I found myself wanting a couple more layers, but it was a fun read.
The Hourglass Door, by Lisa Mangum. A quick Google search on reviews reveals that most people compare it to Twilight, and that’s exactly what I thought of it–it seemed to be a new take on Twilight themes, with a teenage girl falling for a handsome and unkissable stranger.
Tower of Strength, by Annette Lyon. Love the strong female protagonist! Go Tabitha! May all the other historical fiction nominees be this much fun. Or maybe not quite this much fun.
The Chosen, Carol Lynch Williams. Oh my this is a haunting book, but the writing is stunning, and everyone should read it. With a box of kleenex.
Brandon Mull, Fablehaven 4–my son loves these. I enjoy them too, although I am not quite the fervent fan he is.

On my to-read eligible list:
Shannon Hale’s books, The Actor and the Housewife, and Forest Born.
Ann Dee Ellis, Everything is Fine.
Brandon Sanderson, Alcatraz #3 (not released yet)
J. Scott Savage, Farworld: Land Keep
James Dashner, 13th Reality #2, and his other new book out from Delacourt
Dan Wells, I am not a serial killer.
Josi Kilpack, English Trifle
***
That’s what I come up with off the top of my head. I know there are plenty more eligible books out there, but these are the ones I am probably going to read (and possibly even shell out money for) before all the nominees are announced.

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

Mini “earth” trend here after The Pillars of the Earth.

I was happy to see that I would be reading non-fiction again.  I wasn’t too put off by it seeming to be a self-improvement book; I think reading The Artist’s Way this spring helped inspire me to start the Book Club project and I like to read about cycling training lately.  Self-improvement is a good thing and books can definitely be helpful and inspirational.

Initially, A New Earth resonated with some things I had thinking about.  Tolle talks a lot about meditation and observing your own consciousness.  I am a failed meditator (so far, keep meaning to try some more), but I see a lot of value in it for quieting the running monologue and putting the day’s stresses in perspective.

Tolle’s formulation is unappealing, however, because he says that the goal of meditation is to let go of everything that makes one an individual (interests, intelligence, values) because it is “of the earth” and to get in touch with a universal consciousness.  He challenges readers to look past the actions and characteristics of others to see the universal consciousness in them as well.  But how can I be interested in one person rather than another if I only see their fragment of a universal constant?  The things I love about the people in my life are what make them unique, even if flawed.  I found this aspect of the philosophy recognizable as an outgrowth of various religious traditions of seeking God or the universal in everyone, but taken too far, diminish the meaning of human relationships.

Where  really wrote off Tolle was his leap to the global effect of a lack of higher consciousness.  First, he seems to believe global warming is one such effect, not in the sense that if people were more in tune with themselves they would be more conscious of their effects on the earth, but in the literal sense that lack of transcendance has an effect on natural phenomena.  He also indulges in some “law of attraction” nonsense, which I think is more like blaming the victim.

At times I wanted to put this book down because it so frustrated and annoyed me, but I couldn’t help wondering where it was going.  I found myself mentally rewriting sections to turn Tolle’s ideas into something reasonable and palatable to me.  As with Follett, I know Tolle is immensely popular, but on the basis of this book, I can’t see why.

Imogen Cunningham - Capturing the Spirit

Imogen Cunningham, Self portrait 1913, copyright of the Imogen Cunningham Trust,  courtesy of Cavallo Point Lodge

In 2008 Cavallo Point Lodge published their photobook on Imogen Cunningham (b. 1883 – d. 1976), titled Capturing the Spirit in conjunction with their exhibition of her photographs, titled Celebrating Imogen. I was not aware of any Cunningham books that had been published recently, and subsequently found out that the last one was the Taschen’s publication of Imogen Cunningham in 2001, with 176 photographic plates, edited by Heiting with another essay by Richard Lorenz. I have not seen the Traschen book, but from what I have heard from others, it’s a huge and beautifully printed book.

Thus I was really interested in what Cavallo Point was going create about her in their on-going series of photobooks. The resulting book was developed by Anne Veh, the Cavallo Point Lodge curator, in conjunction with the Imogen Cunningham Trust, led by Peg Partridge, Imogen’s granddaughter.

The book is a delightful mix of her iconic photographs and images that you may have not seen before. Her early photographic work included Pictorialism in the 1910’s, becoming a founder member in 1932 of the f/64 group, a staff photographer for Vanity Fair in NYC and finally back in San Francisco in 1945 working on her own photographs while on the faculty of the California School of Fine Arts, initially with Adams, Weston, White and Lange.

The book progresses more or less chronologically through her career, but occasionally pairs up images that were of a similar style, such as a print in the negative or a multiple exposure made in the 1920’s with a similar stylistic image made in the 1950’s or 1960’s. These combinations provide some insight about her on-going technical processing experimentation to explore the capabilities of this medium. Regardless of her theme, she was interested in studying form, shape and space. She is sometimes unjustly pigeon-holed with the label of a straight photographer due to her association with the f/64 group.

There were early themes that she had repeatedly returned to over the years of her career; the nude and human form, botany and portraits. As a young woman, Imogen Cunningham’s nude photograph of her husband Roi Partridge became one of the earliest known photographs of a nude male made by a woman, circ 1915 in the history of the photographic medium.

Included in the book are the iconic photograph of her grandfather sitting on a pile of cut wood, the portrait of Edward Weston with his many cats, portrait of Alfred Stieglitz from 1934 in his NYC gallery, the portrait of Frida Kahlo as a young woman in 1931, the image Phoenix Recumbent made in 1968, the Unmade Bed in 1957 and her Magnolia Blooms in the 1920’s that for me rival the paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe.

As noted by Anne Veh, the Cavallo Point Lodge curator for this exhibit:

Imogen’s book is a selection of very special images rather than a retrospective, as the images were carefully chosen by the Imogen Cunningham Trust with input from our dear friend Linda Connor.  Some of the images have rarely been seen or published.  There hasn’t been a book published on Imogen for many years and I believe all of Imogen’s books written by Richard Lorenz are out of print.  This makes the Cavallo Point book very special.

This little book is a delightful collection of Cunningham photographs, an iconic San Francisco Bay photographer.

Note: The Imogen Cunningham photographic exhibition dates for “Celebrating Imogen” at the Cavallo Point Lodge are May, 2008 – January 2011, curated by Anne Veh and in conjunction with the Imogen Cunningham trust.

By Douglas Stockdale

Surviving the Extremes

A book by Kenneth Kamler. Subtitle: What Happens to the Human Body at the Limits of Human Endurance.

I was afraid it was going to be testosterone-laden but, in fact, there are few superlatives. Kamler gives detailed physiological explanations of the how the body reacts to cold, altitude, poison, heat. It is quite fascinating and might even be useful for those of us who feel better outside in -30 °C than inside on the couch—which couch? Didn’t I trade it for a pair of skis?

I found the chapter on the jungle the most amazing. How people have been able to adapt to this hostile environment and, not the least, the incredible biodiversity. Kamler reminds us that, sadly, these guys are being lured by our unsustainable lifestyles. The old guide knows it’s wrong but he’s powerless against the carefree youngsters.

A Taste To Change Your Life

Not every book offers a chance to change your life in ways so tasty that words are useless.  Out of Adam Leith Gollner’s experiences searching local markets everywhere for the heirloom, the exotic, the forgotten, the experimental, the delicate, the noncommercial fruits to lift body and soul in one bite has come his The Fruit Hunters: A Story Of Nature, Adventure, Commerce And Obsession.  This book will bring smiles and aspirations to those who love fruit when it is the very best and to those who enjoy shopping for the very best to eat.  It will stir plans for the future in all who are so fortunate as to own a bit of soil with direct sunlight.

He traveled everywhere locating these new taste experiences but he also found them close to home in farmer’s markets, roadside stands, and produce markets.  He learned that a friendly chat at the market can result in a contact who will be happy to share the next season’s harvest at just the right moment.  You may not meet fruit producers quite as colorful as he found, but with any luck you might.  So it is obvious, wondrous new fruit is for both eating and talking about.

He gives lots of sources for those who want to plant something special and make the adventure a long term affair.  One tree, one bush, one small garden patch is all it takes.  There is no way anyone will regret becoming a fruit grower.  I recall my childhood with a huge mulberry tree in the side yard and a pawpaw tree in the back yard and a wild blackberry thicket down the road.  I never knew I had it so good.

There is, however, a dark side to the book.  Gollner tells you in detail what urbanization, commercialization, and globalization has done to your food and health and to our environment.  It is not a pretty picture nor does it taste all that good either.  He doesn’t whine about the past or suggest a return to never-never land.  No street demonstration will ever produce fruit, but he suggests that individuals can search out and support the farmers, orchard owners, green grocers, and neighbors who do care about what you put in your mouth.  In this battle for the best, no one need eat alone.  Charles Marlin

Book Review: The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards by John Carrick

My interest in Jonathan Edwards grew over the years from my reading and listening of pastor-theologian John Piper.  So it was great pleasure I was looking forward to reviewing The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards by John Carrick.

Many thanks from the kind folks at Banner of Truth for this review copy:

Hardcover: 465 pages

Publisher: Banner of Truth (August 1, 2008)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0851519830

ISBN-13: 978-0851519838

Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches

A Summary:

Even an atheist like Perry Miller (1905-1963), Cabot Professor of American Literature at Harvard, characterized Jonathan Edwards as “America’s greatest genius and as a profound modern philosopher who happened to use Calvinistic categories” (p. 11) and “the greatest philosopher-theologian yet to grace the American scene” (p. 15).

It must be noted that “above all else” this New England divine was “a Calvinistic preacher-theologian” (p. 18).  He was against the Hyper-Calvinism of his day (p. 3) and consistently put “great emphasis upon this responsibility of man, whether that of the sinner or of the saint” (p. 66). 

In a time when both Rationalism and Deism held sway, the controlling idea that runs throughout his Works in “the concept of divine immediacy” (p. 23).  The New England preacher was both “God-Centered” (pp. 21-41) and “Christ-Centered” (pp. 97-113) in his Works.

“Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God”:

Edwards had preached this now famous sermon before to his Northampton flock, in June, with little results.  But, in July, during that Great Awakening of 1740-1742, Edwards would preached “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God” to “impious Enfield.”  It is said that “Before the sermon was ended, the assembly appeared deeply impressed and bowed down, with an awful conviction of their sin and danger” (pp. 51-52).

His Preparartion and Contents:

Edwards followed “the triadic Puritan from of Text, Doctrine, and Application” (p. 121).  His “Doctrinal Exposition” would follow the classic Doctrine-Application of the Puritans (p. 132).  The New England preacher-theologian was a master of illustrations.  He would often draw them from Scripture and nature (p. 160).  Edwards devoted great skill to his conclusions.  He would deliberately use the second person in both the indicative and the imperative moods (p. 180).  Regarding imagery, “he seems to have done more with imagery in composing his discourses than with any other device” (p. 191).  His use of Scripture was masterful: “The vast majority of his sermons are characterized by a very judicious selection and a very well-integrated us of the Scriptures” (p. 234).

Motives, Style, and Delivery:

The New England preacher-theologian was dismissed by his Northampton church.  On July 1, 1750, in his farewell address he said, “I have diligently endeavoured to find out and use the most power motives to persuade you to take care for you own welfare and salvation” (p. 375).  In his style, Edwards had “a considerable internal struggle between the lure of academic and literary fame on the one hand and the call of Christ to preach the offence of the corss on the other” (p. 397).  At first, read his sermons.  But his grandfather Solomon Stoddard, who despised the reading of one’s sermons, encouraged Edwards to preach extemporaneously.  The New England divine began to take that journey toward a more extemporaneous style.

The Spirit of God:

The New England preacher-theologian finest works came after he was removed from his Northampton flock and was serving as a missionary to the Stockbridge Indians.  He penned Freedom of the Will (1754) and Original Sin (1758).  Daniel Webster (1782-1852), the American lawyer, statesman, and orator, said that “Freedom of the Will by Mr. Edwards is the greatest achievement of the human intellect” (p. 449). 

Edwards was especially Trinitarian.  Regarding the Holy Spirit, he writes, “I have, many time, had a sense of the glory of the Third Person in the Trinity, his office as Sanctifier; in his holy operation, communicating divine light and life to the soul.  God in the communication of his Holy Spirit, has appeared as an infinite fountain of divine glory and sweetness” (pp. 431-32).  The New England divine believed Arminianism robs the Spirit of the glory due to his work and to his name.  He charged Arminianism with being anti-trinitarian and deistic.

Jonathan Edwards Had Feet of Clay:

Much is to be admired of this New England preacher-theologian.  But he had feet of clay.  He was aloof, brittle, and unsociable.  It is said that the only time his Northampton flock saw their minister was when he was in the pulpit.  Some attribute his dismissal in 1750 to his poor personal skills.  His people “had more than enough of their pastor’s aloof and austere ways and were glad to see the back of him” (p. 453).  Edwards got up at four or five in the morning and would spend thirteen hours in his study.

Despite his feet of clay, Jonathan Ewards was used mightily by the God of heaven.  In this fine book on The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards, John Carrick fittingly concludes about such a towering figure: “Once every few centuries the great God of heaven raises up in the church of Christ a man, the sheer brilliance of whose gifts appears to surpass all the light of all his immediate predecessors, contemporaries, and successors combined” (p. 460).

John Carrick is Associate Professor of Applied and Doctrinal Theology at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Taylors, South Carolina.

Murder at Longbourn, by Tracy Kiely – A Review

Fall is in the air, and if you are looking for a great new murder mystery novel to cozy up with, Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely is a excellent choice. Cleverly combining a traditional drawing room detective story and a comedy of manners, this surprisingly witty and beguilingly suspenseful whodunit is actually a contemporary chick-lit romance detective story. Whaaat? you say? Yes, that’s right. Just think of Pride and Prejudice meets Ten Little Indians meets Bridget Jones’ Diary and you will get my drift. 

Singleton Elizabeth Parker has just dumped her two-timing boyfriend and accepted an invitation from her eccentric Aunt Winnie to help host a theatrical “Murder Mystery Party” on New Year’s Eve at her new Cape Cod B&B, amusingly named The Inn at Longbourn in honor of Elizabeth and her aunt’s affinity to all things Austen. When Elizabeth arrives and discovers that her aunt has employed her childhood nemesis Peter McGowan to help run the Inn, she is less than pleased at the prospect of meeting him again. Their awkward reunion reminds Elizabeth’s of painful memories as an over-weight, buck toothed ten-year old tormented and locked in a basement with the spiders. Bruised ego throbbing, Elizabeth endeavors to subdue her anger and Bridget Jonesish self-depreciating insecurities by chanting aphorisms: “I will have inner poise. I will not let Peter McGowan get under my skin. I will not allow myself to be locked in a dark basement. I will have a calm and relaxing New Year’s.” Peter on the other hand, is just too broodingly arrogant to believe in inner reproach. 

The New Year’s festivities are going well until the “Murder Mystery” party turns deadly, when one of the guests becomes a body in the library so to speak. The local police suspect everyone in attendance, and especially Elizabeth’s aunt Winnie who has means, motive, and opportunity to do the deed. To clear her aunt as a prime suspect Elizabeth must become an amateur sleuth discovering clues and following leads to uncover the back story of the relationships of the guests. Odious Peter, the last man in the world whom she could ever be prevailed upon to ask for help turns out to be not such a shmuck after all, once Elizabeth moves beyond her prejudices and Peter his pride! Hmm? Sound familiar? 

In the tradition of the popular Stephanie Barron Jane Austen mystery series, Murder at Longbourn is a cleverly crafted mystery infused with endearing characterizations and a satisfying romance. Janeites will be thrilled with all of the Pride and Prejudice lore as they encounter references to shelves in the closet, a snooty cat named Lady Catherine, and a hero and heroine that mirror Austen’s protagonists Lizzy and Darcy. Mystery novel lovers will be enthralled with the large cast of possible suspects, a minefield of clues, and the great red herrings thrown in to keep them guessing until the very end. Unfortunately,  I did have a difficult time keeping track of the multiple characters introduced in the beginning of the book who soon fade away, and much to my disappointment as the pages progressed the story became more reminiscent of Agatha Christie than Jane Austen. Not to worry. These flaws are minor quibbles in comparison to its burgeoning charms.

Once in a great while I have the pleasure of having my bonnet blow off by a new author from left field. Kiely has crafted a winning combination of cozy mystery and Austenesque wit, and I hope that she finds her audience. I am looking forward to solving another murder mystery with Elizabeth Parker when the next book in the series, Murder on the Bride’s Side, arrives next year. Let’s hope her publisher gives it a more attractive cover. 

5 out of 5 Regency Stars 

Murder at Longbourn, by Tracy Kiely
Minotaur Books, New York (2009)
Hardcover (320) pages
ISBN: 978-0312537562

Additional reviews

• Jane Austen’s World
• She is Too Fond of Books
• AustenBlog
• Lesa’s Book Critiques

Book Review: Deadfall (A John Hutchinson Novel)

“Four friends, beautiful scenery,
and a high tech satellite weapon
in the hands of indulgent, maniacal teenagers.”

In “Comes a Horseman“, I was intrigued. In “Germ“, I was astonished. In “Deadfall (A John Hutchinson Novel)“, I am hooked. Robert Liparulo has become one of my favorite authors.

All three Liparulo’s novels have the key elements that make for a fine suspense thriller; thorough research, educating the reader as well as entertaining them; descriptive and engaging scenery as well as character dialogue; and a mind tripping plot.

In this novel, four friends arrive in Canada on a hunting trip. On route to the isolated area in Canada, all four men, save one, discuss their personal and professional problems and express their hope that this trip will be just what they need.

They no sooner arrive when they stumble upon a spoiled billionaire teenager and his band of misfits bent on capturing footage for a new video game. This group of teenagers know little and care less about the people in the nearby town of Fiddler Falls.  Declan Page, their leader, is set on gathering real-life blood and gore footage to use in the new video game.

After capturing the town and killing two townspeople using a hightech GPS tracking system combined with a prototype military defense weapon called SLC,  the militant teenagers discover  John Hutchinson (Hutch) out hunting.

The race is on from this point and what follows is not stop action, a survival story at its best. Hutch and his friends, save one, head toward Fiddler Falls in hopes of finding help.

They find no help.

The townspeople are being held hostage and all resources either disabled or destroyed.They stumble upon the sheriff’s wife (now a widow) and her son as they attempt to escape as well.  The small group is quickly separated when Declan and his group return.

The story develops on to a wonderfully enjoyable suspense thriller.  I especially enjoyed the thought processes of all the characters. The part of the evil Declan and his bumbling gun-loosing girlfriend had me wondering how Declan ever swayed the others on his team to follow him.  Then again, the Bible records the answer- “money answereth all things“.

I have no doubt that you will enjoy this book. I am certainly looking forward to reading the sequel “Deadlock“.

Deadfall: A John Hutchinson Novel
By Robert Liparulo / Thomas Nelson

# Hardcover: 496 pages
# Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 6, 2007)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0785261796
# ISBN-13: 978-0785261797

Forever by Judy Blume

Forever… is a timeless account of a young boy and girl falling in love and embarking on a sexual relationship. Katharine is in her last year of high school when she is introduced to a friend of a friend named Michael at a party. Michael is instantly impressed with Katharine’s sarcasm and seemed indifference. After a surprise meeting, a mutual attraction is realized and the pair begins dating. Initially, Katharine struggles with the sexual aspect of her new relationship and we see her try to come to terms with what she really wants. She also struggles to legitimize her relationship to her parents and grandparents. Ultimately, however, after choosing to go on the birth control pill, Michael and Katharine decide to take their relationship to the next level and begin having sex. Like many people their age they believe that their love is unique and will stand the test of time. However, they come to realize that sometimes people are just not ready for “forever.”

 Judy Blume’s Forever addresses many of the main aspects of being a teenager embarking on a first serious (sexual) relationship. Despite being written in the 1970’s, the themes and language are still very relevant, especially aspects of feeling like one’s current relationship will last forever and feeling one has to prove something to the adults in one’s life. While criticised for the sexual content and the promotion of birth control (American Library Association’s list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000 at number eight), in today’s age of shows like Gossip Girl the book is actually tame. While the couple does have unmarried sex, it is not handled with the same laissez-faire attitude that seems prevalent in our current culture. The characters were in a committed relationship, it was a mutual and thought out decision and they used protection. Overall this book is a classic and should be included in a collection because of its relevance and the mature way it handles teen sexuality.

Other books by Judy Blume: Are you there God? It’s me Margaret; Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing; and Summer Sisters.

4Q 3P (only because it is an older book) JS

Canada stuck-up about its writing, but not too much

Rachel Muenz Writes About the Giller Prize - Photo Courtesy of Stockexpert.com

By Rachel Muenz

Canada has often been criticized for being too snobby about its writing.

William Deverell recently wrote in the National Post that in Canada “there is a push to reward insipid stuff that will never sell” and Canadian publishing is suffering because of this.

I partly agree.

Though I’ve liked most Giller Prize and Governor General’s Award winners I’ve read, they usually aren’t packed with thrills and excitement. If they hadn’t won awards, I probably wouldn’t have bought them in the first place unless someone told me they were really good.

But this doesn’t mean that Canada should break out the awards for anything that sells well.

Canadian schools, libraries, and literary awards should choose books that both entertain readers and change them through the themes and techniques the books use to tell their stories.

There’s not much point in rewarding beautifully-written, thought-provoking books that people find too boring or difficult to read. A book’s message will never make an impact if only three people read it.

Yet, books that are just dumb entertainment without getting readers thinking shouldn’t be pushed either even if they do make big money. Canadian popular fiction writers should only be honoured if they also give their readers something meaningful to think about and debate.

Along with excellent storytelling and entertainment, good writing should always be important as well.

It wouldn’t be fair to writers who spend hours perfecting every sentence to give the Giller Prize or Governor General’s Award to a book that sells millions but is badly-written. Crappy writing should never be encouraged.

Yes, Canada needs to open its heart to popular fiction, but not too wide.

- with files from the National Post

'John Lennon - The Life' by Philip Norman - Book Review

For such a towering figure, whose influence on popular music continues to reverberate almost 30 years after his death, there have been surprisingly few quality John Lennon biographies. Philip Norman’s exhaustive effort claims to be definitive largely due to the cooperation and input of several key players, namely McCartney and Ono, though Lennon’s widow has subsequently withdrawn her blessing, deeming Norman’s treatment ‘unfair’.

That said, ‘The Life’ is still a Herculean effort but ultimately it’s a book that, like much of Lennon’s life – what he actually did – Philip Norman’s book is near indispensable, though it ends abruptly, with no discussion of his greatest achievements or the essential contribution of others, notably producer George Martin. Which is all very well. As a chronicle of Lennon’s solo output, you’ll admire rather than love. http://www.whatswinning.com/reviews/john-lennon-the-life-by-philip-norman/ depending that, on like whether much or of the pine-clad apartment immortalised in ‘Norwegian Wood’, and the true essence of genius that lifted John Lennon biographies.

Philip Norman’s book is near indispensable, though it ends abruptly, with no discussion of his subsequent elevation to sainthood. But if you want insight into the inspiration, the lightbulb-above-the-head moments and the true essence of genius that lifted John Lennon biographies. Philip Norman’s exhaustive effort claims to be definitive largely due to the cooperation and input of several key players, namely McCartney and Ono, though Lennon’s widow has subsequently withdrawn her blessing, deeming Norman’s treatment ‘unfair’.

Which it may or may not be, depending on whether or not you thought Lennon was a total git. In terms of events, ‘John Lennon: The Life’ contains every detail you could wish for, describing the minutiae of Lennon’s life – what he actually did – Philip Norman’s book is near indispensable, though it ends abruptly, with no discussion of his greatest achievements or the essential contribution of others, notably producer George Martin.

Funny people, choppy rhythm

Been reading a slew of books by comics lately, because there are a number of them coming out, and who couldn’t use a laugh these days? What surprised me most — and probably shouldn’t have — is how uneven they have been.

Why should I expect funny men and gals to be able to write sustained comedic prose? That’s not what stand-ups or sketch comics do; they tell a funny story then move on the next gag or anecdote. Without an overarching theme or connective narrative thread, pacing can be a problem: When books are written as a string of self-contained stories or anecdotes, it’s easy to put them down for a while after you’ve finished a chapter.

Such has been the case for three of the four books by comedians I’ve read, wholly or partially, the past few months. The exception? Kathy Griffin’s unexpectedly soulful memoir, “Official Book Club Selection.”

The brassy comedienne, who wrote the book with the help of journo Robert Abele while filming her reality show, writes candidly about growing up the youngest in an Irish Catholic family, her struggles to make it in L.A., plastic surgery and marital travails. She also tackles an extremely difficult subject – her brother Kenny’s incest and drug problems – with sensitivity and grace.

The comedienne is very clear in her goals: She promises to follow a recipe “of equal parts shit-talking about myself and others.”

“Yeah, I go down pretty hard on myself in this book,” she writes in the first chapter. “But I’ve had some heartaches and bumpy passages on this road to notoriety. Basically, I take great pride that I’m a professional. You’re in good hands.”

And so we are. Griffin cracks jokes but not incessantly; the focus is on the larger life story, and it’s a good read. After finishing the book, I was convinced I had the wrong impression of Griffin and her comedy. Then I caught part of her appearance on Larry King to flog the book and she was her usual brassy self, joking that he was staring at her chest, and batting her eyes suggestively. Fear not: Her comedic persona remains intact.

Carol Leifer and Susie Essman also tackle tough issues in their books (“When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win” and “What Would Susie Say,” respectively), but do so in chapters organized like bits. The tone — and topics — vary considerably from chapter to chapter.

Essman, so hilariously foul-mouthed in “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” writes about depression in her twenties in one chapter and segues to her husband’s fondness for the Weather Channel in the next. Loosely fashioned as a compilation of “bullshit wisdom about love, life and comedy,” the book, due next month, is laugh out loud funny in parts, just as expected.

Leifer, meanwhile, focuses on the comic indignities of middle age in her book. She moves from her midlife discovery that she’s gay to a comic rant against plastic surgery. The chapters move along at a steady clip, her work as a TV writer paying off in her vignettes.

David Cross’s book, “I Drink for a Reason,” however, is much more uneven. It started strong, but quickly lost me. Cross keeps saying that he didn’t set out to write a memoir because “I’m a bit young for that,” but maybe he should have reconsidered. Or at least found a theme or topic to better focus his comedic riffs.

That just goes to show you: Funny people don’t always translate from stage to page. Their books may well surprise you –for better and worse.

Reimagined Fairy Tales

I love reimagined fairy tales. I don’t know why, I just do. It might have something to do with the thrill of the almost-familiar going in a new direction, one that’s usually more exciting for our sensibilities in this day and age. After all, what modern day Cinderella is contented with just Prince Charming? Most of us want dream careers, dream lives and yeah, the dream significant other. Or maybe it’s because they conform to the archetypal story: the hero or heroine’s quest, which somehow resonates with our need for stories at our deepest levels. Whatever the reason, here’s what I’ve been reading lately.

Everything I can get my hands on by Shannon Hale this year, as she was a new discovery. My first introduction was The Book of a Thousand Days based on Maid Maleen, which I wasn’t familiar with. From her website:

When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years because of Saren’s refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment. With Shannon Hale’s lyrical language, this little-known classic fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm is reimagined and reset in a land inspired by the Asian steppes; it is a completely unique retelling filled with adventure and romance, drama and disguise.

After that I wanted more. I read River Secrets, which is not actually a retelling of fairy tale, but the third book after The Goose Girl, which is. I enjoyed The Goose Girl, and the main character starting out kind of wimpy and clueless and eventually becoming the author of her own fate, but River Secrets is my favorite of the three (the second book is Enna Burning). I loved the main character, Razo. He was such fun, always getting into trouble and out again. The Princess Academy, also a new story, had strong female friendships and an interesting antagonist who isn’t all that she seems. Also a good twist at the end.

Who could resist Golden, A Retelling of Rapunzel by Cameron Dokey? Rapunzel is bald in her version! I also read and enjoyed Before Midnight (Cinderella) and Beauty Sleep (Sleeping Beauty) although I admit I remember Rapunzel the most.

I also re-read Deerskin by Robin McKinley. I love everything by her and have ever since I first discovered her in the 8th grade, but I was surprised because I didn’t remember how dark this story starts out. It’s based on Donkeyskin. I guess I’m a lot more sensitive to violence now than I was as a child.

In a desperate moment I read The Snow Queen by Mercedes Lackey. At one point (oh say, when the Vanyel series, Magician’s Pawn, etc. came out) I would have read anything by her, but those times are past. Her books still have heart, as in this book with the snow queen playing the part of the evil witch to keep self-centered smarty-pants from going really bad. And the central idea, that there is a magical force, called The Tradition, that forces people into recreating fairy tales is fascinating. I’m not actually recommending the book though.

Sarah Beth Durst plays with a similar concept in her books Into the Wild and Out of the Wild. All the fairy tale characters defeated the inimical Wild, which forced them to endlessly replay their stories, eyes plucked out by ravens and all. They escaped to reality and now the Wild is living under Rapunzel’s daughter’s bed. It’s a really fun whirly tour through a bunch of different fairy tales. And just now when I looked for her website I saw she’s coming out with a new book in October. Yay!

Is your bank account a measure of your success?

In a very interesting conversation with a colleague, he made a statement saying that because he was unemployed and his bank account was low, he felt that he didn’t have the same expertise or voice of authority that he used to have in business 2 months ago.

I was shocked at this and couldn’t really understand the thought process. This made me think are we our bank accounts? Have we gotten so caught up in finances that our self-worth is directly tied to our Chase bank account?

The Ballers Guide to MAJOR Figure$

It immediately made me think of why my mother focused us so heavily on faith and belief. The guy I was talking to lives in Oakland, is a young dude, and said that money rules his world. Interesting attitude but we’ll run with his attitude for a minute. Because money is his God, he is setting himself up for failure. Just because he doesn’t have a job, does not make him less of an authority on his chosen field. I listen to him and had he not told me about his bank account, I would never have known. His advice was still very valid for an investment banker and I appreciated everything he said.

He hooked his whole self-esteem and confidence to his job and that’s simply not true. Because he is momentarily out of work, does not make him a bad person, or someone who doesn’t want to pay his bills, or less of an authority. His advice was/is welcomed and he knows a great deal about strategic investments, portfolio management, and institutional investing. Ok, his industry is mired in some mess right now but so is mine. It doesn’t make me less of a business mind or millionaire mindset because my industry is upside down. The industry is not what makes you. You make the industry.

Be sure not to make this mistake of attaching your emotion and your self-worth to Bank of America and the ATM receipt. Yes, it sucks to go to the ATM and see that damn little piece of paper say $48 remaining in your account and you’ve got to float until the end of the month. Yes, it’s crazy. Yes it’s difficult. No, it doesn’t make you better or worse. If it said $48,000 it would make you and I both feel better but it doesn’t make you a better you. It’s a blessing but it doesn’t improve your self-worth. It improves confidence indeed but it cannot improve self-worth. If you see yourself as a millionaire, claim it, be it, go after it. Don’t stop. Don’t listen when people say that’s not you. It is you. It’s what you think about. You need a millionaire mindset in order to make it today. Don’t forget it and leave it in the dust. To succeed as a black business, you need this times 2.

The 24 Hour Turn-Around - Discovering the Power to Change by Jim Hartness & Neil Eskelin

“The 24 Hour Turn-Around: Discovering the Power to Change” by Jim Hartness & Neil Eskelin is a quick, enjoyable, read with a positive message that contains good advice, biblical affirmations, and inspiring examples. Having read and reviewed many “Self-Help” books, I enjoyed this one, even if I was familiar with some of the examples the authors used in some chapters.

motivated and on the principles they share, you can turn your life and circumstances, you would undoubtedly further ahead toward success. Jim Hartness & Neil Eskelin is a quick, enjoyable, read with a positive message and how it could relate to your life around, or if you decide to act on the right track, it will keep your motivation up to continue to succeed. Recommended for anyone who needs a positive message and how it could relate to your life around, or if you decide to act on the right track, it will keep your motivation up to continue to succeed.

Recommended for anyone who needs a positive message the authors suggest you read a chapter and meditate and think about the message and encouraging advice toward succeeding in life. some not of share biblical this affirmations, faith and will reviewed keep many your “Self-Help” life books, around, I or was feel familiar like with bathing. Zig Neither Zigler lasts, that so do that think reinforce about the message and how it could relate to your life and circumstances, you would undoubtedly further ahead toward success.

Jim Hartness & Neil Eskelin is a quick, enjoyable, read with a positive message that contains good advice, biblical affirmations, and inspiring examples. Having read and reviewed many “Self-Help” books, I enjoyed this one, even if I was familiar with some of the chapters, or hours to ponder, include: A New Look at Your Goals, Bend Without Breaking, Winning by Quitting, How to Reorder Your Day, Your Newborn Body, The Look of a Winner, The Power of Persistence, and Celebrate a Grand New You! I agree with Zig Zigler that motivation is like bathing.

Neither lasts, so that is why he recommends each daily.

The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett

Up front I have to admit, I didn’t finish this one.  I didn’t even come close.  While I was debating whether to go on, a law school friend posted on Facebook about his love of Follett’s books and encouraged me to keep reading, but I just couldn’t.

Why?  I am very picky about fiction, and I hadn’t read much historical fiction before.  I like the concept, but this book felt like it was cramming in history at the expense of the fiction.  Not so much historical facts as historical color about what the cathedral town might be like.  That’s interesting, but you could have an entire book about the rhythms of life in a cathedral town, and it feels excessive to jam it into 10 pages that are also supposed to be a chase scene.

But the real probably was that I just didn’t like the fiction.  The actual or near death of 2 seemingly main characters in the first 2-3 chapters was unwelcome toying with my emotions (part of why I avoid fiction – life is hard enough without grieving over the fates of fictional characters).  The relationship between two other characters was so spelled out, along the lines of “he felt a stirring in his loins” and “who was this strange woman”, that I felt like a 14 year old me, trying to write a romance novel, would have produced similar work.  Actually, the novel overall reminded me strongly of an actual 8th grade social studies project, “A Day in the Life of a Noblewoman”.  The only characters about which I felt curiousity were the monks, but it wasn’t enough to face another 500 pages.

I know Follett’s books are wildly popular, but I just don’t see it.  Anyone want to explain?

Book Review: You Were Born for This *Win a Free Copy!*

Title: You Were Born for This

Subtitled: 7 Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles

Authors: Bruce Wilkinson as told to David Kopp

Publisher’s Synopsis: Anyone can do a good deed, but some good works can only happen by an act of God. Around the world these acts are called miracles–not that even religious people expect to see one any time soon. But what would happen if millions of ordinary people walked out each morning expectingYou Were Born for This starts with the dramatic premise that everyone at all times is in need of a miracle, and that God is ready to meet those needs supernaturally through ordinary people who are willing to learn the “protocol of heaven.”

In the straightforward, story-driven, highly motivating style for which he is known, Wilkinson describes how anyone can be a ‘Delivery Guy’ from heaven in such universally significant arenas of life as finances, practical help, relationships, purpose and spiritual growth.

You Were Born for This will change how you see see your world and show you what you can expect God to do through you to meet real needs. You will master seven simple tools of service, and come to say with confidence, “I want to deliver a supernatural gift from God to someone in need today–and I expect to!” God to deliver a miracle through them to a person in need?

This book is about seeing the miraculous around us and being a part of delivering and receiving those “miracles”.  I must confess, I have a very difficult time using the word miracle.  People often mock me for that– they assume it’s a lack of belief in them or a discomfort with God so directly intervening in our lives.  They are wrong.  I am uncomfortable with the loose way the word is tossed around.  We use miracle these days like we do love.  We say we love ice cream, pizza, a good TV show, our friend, our mother, and our Lord.  We also facetiously use it to say we love that which we do not.  Miracle has become just as equally and liberally sprinkled over our conversation and I’m uncomfortable with it.  I keep trying to teach myself not to misuse love and I don’t want to get into the habit of saying that the amazing is a miracle.

I define miracle very strictly.  To me, a miracle is a supernatural event that runs contrary to nature.  So I’m even one of those obnoxious people who is not comfortable talking about the “miracle of birth”.  I don’t see birth as a miracle.  It is a carefully designed and orchestrated event that God set into the natural motion of living on this earth.  It is marvelous, wondrous, amazing– but it’s not a miracle.  Turning water into wine is a miracle.  Feeding five thousand with enough food for four or five tops– that’s a miracle.  Especially when you consider that there were LEFTOVERS.  It isn’t a miracle if you meet a need that you didn’t know was a need.  It’s wonderful, God be praised and all glory to Him for leading you in that direction so He could bless someone through you, but it’s not a miracle.

So, reading a book with the subtitle : 7 Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles was kind of difficult to do.  Somewhere in the first couple of chapters, I decided to see the words “every day miracles” as one word.  It was a little mind game I played on myself, but it really helped me to read the book and give it a “fair shot” so to speak.  I kept reading everydaymiracles and voila… it seemed to transform into a completely new word that was easier for me to follow.  If you decide to read the book (and there truly is a lot in this book that I think Christians today need to read), if the word miracles used in this context bothers you like it did me, perhaps seeing it as one word or changing it to blessings or something will help you.

One of my biggest objections was the seemingly constant reference to The Prayer of Jabez.  Anyone who knows me at all knows that I do not like most trends in Christian circles.  If it’s “spiritually popular” it usually means I’m not going to like it.  I didn’t like Left Behind, The Prayer of Jabez, The Purpose Driven Church/Life, and similarly popular things.   I joked once that I expanded my territory by removing the book from my house.  Instead, I bought The Mantra of Jabez from Canon Press and that now holds the place Mr. Wilkinson’s book once did.  Because of that, I nearly rejected the opportunity to read this book.  I was afraid I wouldn’t like it.  But as I’ve said before, I LOVE being proven wrong, love being stretched and this book was an opportunity to do that.  I’m very glad I did.

Mr. Wilkinson says something in the first few chapters that was a lovely breeze of fresh air over me.  I loved it.  He gave a picture of heaven (I won’t spoil it for you) and my first thought was, “Finally someone sees heaven a bit more like I do.”  I’ll admit, that one thing, combined with really inspiring stories about real people doing real things to make a difference in the lives of others, was worth reading even if nothing else he said was applicable to my life.  (And yes, there were things I needed to take to heart, take to the Word, and ask the Lord where He wanted me to make changes– the book is very encouraging that way.)

I would say my biggest objection in this book was a story he told about the death of a child.  Without giving away the details, he quite plainly states that because someone didn’t follow God’s nudge, this child died and the implication (or was it more overt– I can’t remember) was that the child’s death was the worst thing to happen to the child.  I had several problems with his conclusion and one being that we do not know the mind of God.  We don’t know if this child was a Christian and was going home to be with Jesus or if he was lost forever.  We don’t know so much and to make the statement that he died as a direct result of some unknown (and possibly non-existent) nudge bothers me.  I think it’s wrong.

At the risk of being accused of quibbling, I also took issue with his assessment of his own story.  He told about trying to do work and being interrupted until finally he decided to lay it aside and embrace the interruption and the result was heart wrenching and heart warming at the same time.   He saw his determination to do “his own thing” as something wrong, but as I read the story, I saw it Divinely orchestrated.  Had he not kept working when he did, the interest that the interruption developed in him and his work would potentially (actually almost certainly I would think) have never happened.  What he saw as resistance to the Lord’s ‘nudge’ seems to me more like the Lord holding him back from following it until the best moment.  Quibble?  Yes.  But I do think it shows how easily we assume we’re so pivotal in the Lord’s work rather than the Lord’s work through us as being what is so pivotal.

One of my favorite points in his 5 point list of things to do to “experience an everydaymiracle” was the last.  Number 5.  “Transfer the credit.”  I get very frustrated with formulas to follow for “success” in Christianity, life, or anything else for that matter.  We’re people– humans.  We’re diverse, unique, and formulas while great in the kitchen and the laboratory do not work so well in people.  I know why he wrote it with his little bulleted lists and numbered steps.  Modern people, particularly Americans, like their “steps to” success.  We want a brief to-do list with everything carefully outlined and summarized for us.  It’s who we are as a culture and I understand that.  I think, to a certain degree, he had to write the book that way, and I don’t fault him for it.  However, that last “step”… transfer the credit, it spoke to me because it is the one thing you rarely see in these kinds of lists.  It was like a reminder– stating the obvious, yes, but a reminder.  It took the sterility out of the formula.  I loved it.

A buzzword he coined “God Pocket” blessed my socks off.  I have a tendency to be what is kindest to call “thoughtlessly generous”– generous without giving thought to if it is how the Lord would want me to give.  I’m a need meeter.  If I see a need, I have the funds/ability, I try to meet it.  I love to try to help meet needs.  However, just because there is a need, and just because I can meet it, doesn’t mean that I am the best one for it and it’s hard to know when/where/how.  His idea of  the “God Pocket” really encouraged me to become deliberate in preparing to meet needs rather than reacting to the needs in front of me.  I think it is what I’ll take from the book and use/value the longest.

So, as I finished the book, I really examined my heart.  Was I willing to ask the Lord to let me be a part of the everydaymiracle that Mr. Wilkinson encouraged?  Did I want that?  Was I willing to risk the kind of vulnerability that it requires?  Did I think it was what the Lord wanted of me?  I really prayed about it because I’ve known people who lived lives very much like the author describes and they are wonderful lives.  However, after much prayer and wrestling with desire over expectation, I truly thought that instead of praying for something to come my way, I’d ask the Lord to prepare me if He chose to bring something my way.  Then the words of Isaiah came back to me and I realized that I did want to be sent– even if just once.  So I prayed again and I have asked the Lord for just one moment– one everydaymiracle to remind me of how  God works in the lives of people, through His people, and as He is glorified, we are blessed.

I’ll share what happens if I can.  I don’t know when it’ll come, but I truly expect the opportunity.  I look forward to it.

If you want to be encouraged and see what the Lord is doing around us, read the book.  If you need to see how the Lord might want to use you in your every day life, read the book.  If you want simple ideas for how to see life through a new perspective, read the book.  It isn’t theologically flawless.  I took issue with several things.  However, with its faults, this book had a focus that I can sink my teeth into– doing all to the glory of God, stepping outside our comfort zones to serve others, and seeing opportunities where once we’d have seen nothing.

To win a copy of the book, just post your name and I’ll do the rest.  Hopefully I’ll do this book and Stray Affections on Friday.

The Quarterback Mindset to Success

Ok, yes, I’m biased. I was a quarterback and I coach Nike Sparq Elite quarterbacks but I must say, the mindset of a quarterback truly applies to business. I know many women and some men are very tired of sports cliches in business but this one is true and relevant. If you watched the Michigan vs. Notre Dame game last Saturday and saw this kid Tate Forcier play, you will agree. Peter Schrager at Fox Sports wrote an excellent article on this.

The Quarterback Mindset to Success

When all chips are down and it looks like everything is closing in around you, as in our lives today, you must stay confident and diligent like a quarterback. As a youth, I was taught that in order to come back from a serious deficit, you must stay positive and you must keep your wits about you even when you are losing. I know it sounds impossible to do, but it is true. Even if you’re deep in your own territory and you have 88 yards to travel down the field with 2:00 minutes left on the clock, you must be able to think like a quarterback and relax and do not get any teammates rattled.

In the real world, you’re the quarterback of your team and your teammates may be your family and/or friends. It is imperative that you relax, chill, and be calm even despite MASSIVE setbacks. It seems insurmountable but like this kid Tate Forcier did at Michigan, you must calm down and move down the field with passion even with nothing in the bank and your tank on empty. A quarterback mindset doesn’t dwell it what is happening or dwell on what the deficit is. A leader/quarterback dwells on the possibility and moves with passion and confidence down the field of life towards this vision.

Even if you don’t know the answers or exactly how to move down the field, just relax and move as slowly and as quietly as you can and know with all confidence that you’re doing the right thing. That’s what Forcier did. He moved the team down the field even though he had no experience, is a freshman, and supposedly didn’t know what he was doing. My secret is that I was taught this mentality as a high school and college quarterback and this is what I pass on to high school elite quarterbacks and the business world.

You are NOT your bank account in its current state. Act differently. If your bank account has $10 in it and that’s all you have, who cares. Don’t dwell on the $10, dwell on doing something that puts you in a position to make $100,000 in the next year. Have vision and think long term field planning as a field general and quarterback of your own brand. Think outside of yourself and outside of what’s happening right now. This is vital to your personal success.

Written by Gerard Spinks, CEO, of Spinks Industries a web content development and marketing agency in Atlanta, GA. Gerard is also a writer for the Atlanta Examiner and author and publisher of two books.

Fashion's Night Out and Book Review.

Hope some of our readers got out to Fashion’s Night Out last week!

Audrey Hepburn’s infamous Givenchy gown was a treasure for Breakfast at Tiffany and Audrey fans alike. It just so happened that King of Prussia Mall was also hosting the dress at Tiffany (But, of course.) on the very night of Fashion’s Night Out. I’m sure it was a treat to see for Breakfast at Tiffany and Audrey fans alike. Unfortunately, work priorities prevented me from seeing the dress in person myself. But, I told a friend of mine (another Audrey fan) about this who managed to stop by the event that night and snap this lovely picture of Audrey’s gown.  I thought I would post it here for all of my other readers who are fans.

Secondly, there’s nothing better than to start the Monday off with a delightful book review. This week, I came across a book called Five Good Minutes In Your Body by Jeffrey M.D. Brantley. It’s a relatively quick read where I learned some valuable lessons in the end.  When I started, it was nothing that I didn’t know already.

As most of us operate by routine, this trains the mind to operate via habits. Good habits, bad habits, and addicted habits. All it takes is practice and the ability to listen to your body. It also reminded me of what I learned from somatic psychology: “Whatever happens in the mind, is reflected in the body.” as people will often hold different tension patterns and some acute and chronic problems can be reflected from neurological problems.

After awhile, I think the reader will strike up a healthy balance and discover how very little their body actually demands of them, instead of what we think it deserves.  Is it really our body or our mind playing tricks on us? With this interesting book, you may find that the joke could be on you. Pick it up!

The Hypertufa How to Manual - Review

The Hypertufa How To Manual on How To Become a Creative Mud-Pie Maker Extraordinaire is a sensational eBook written by Claudia Brownlie; simply, it tells you how to create wonderful mud pies. If there’s anything you need to know about making astonishing hypertufa artwork that’s going to last the whole year and survive climate changes easily, this is it.

is also sturdy. However, she doesn’t just stick with one type of garden creation in her eBook; she also uses many garden attributes like free form molding, spheres, troughs, rocks, sculpting, and stepping stones — all of these things enhance your garden’s beauty, but they will also prove to be beneficial in the efficiency of your garden. When you purchase Brownlie’s manual, you’ll receive the manual in eBook form, of course, but you’ll also receive the manual in eBook form, of course, but you’ll also receive the manual in eBook form, of course, but you’ll also receive the Hypertufa How To Manual, and it, too, will be a great addition to your collection of garden books.

Claudia Brownlie wants you to enjoy her eBook, she’ll share her expertise with you, the reader, so that you have some dissatisfaction with the product, you have 60 days to have a beautiful garden but doesn’t want the hard work and fuss other manuals can give you. Why wait? Begin creating amazing hypertufa products today with the product, you have 60 days to have your money returned — more than enough time to decide if you like the product or not. Not only will you receive a full refund, but you will be a great addition to your collection of garden creation in her eBook; she also uses many garden attributes like free form molding, spheres, troughs, rocks, sculpting, and stepping stones — all of these things will improve your garden’s beauty, but they will also prove to be beneficial in the Hypertufa How To Manual, I doubt you will be a great addition to your collection of garden creation in her eBook; she also uses many garden attributes like free form molding, spheres, troughs, rocks, sculpting, and stepping stones — all of these things will improve your garden’s appearance.

Not only will you receive a full refund, but you will be willing to let it go. However, if it should be true that you can rest assured that the Hypertufa How To Manual is a bonus eBook also written by Claudia Brownlie; simply, it tells you how to manuals try to use the “kitchen sink” approach, which makes them hard to follow; this is also very easy to follow Hypertufa How To Manual is easy, not complex. Besides being easy, this is it. Anyone who is serious about having a beautiful garden should give this book a look over, for you will also get it without any questions as to why you want a refund.

Claudia Brownlie is so confident with her Hypertufa How To Manual is easy, not complex. Besides being easy, this is it.

Book Review: Three Erotic ebook Paranormal Romances, One Romantic Suspense, Ménage

Well, I FINALLY caught up with reading a paranormal from last month – I’d completely forgot about it – and I bought two full length menage novels from Siren, one short novel from Loose-Id.  I know, shame on me for letting things slip, but I do read stuff besides erotic romance, I just never get a chance to review it!  Having come off a binge of romantic suspense books, I’m having a bit of a time adjusting my expectations downward for the vast majority of erotic romance storylines, so two of these were very pleasant surprises.  There’s a bit of everything here, witches, angels, demons, and contemporary.  OK, so reality isn’t available in 3 of them, but hey, they’re paranormal!

• Title: Rane’s Guardian
• Author: Carmen Marie Aimer
• Type:  Paranormal Romance
• Genre: Witch – thwarted love and angsty male; suspense
• Sub-genre: You deserve better than me
• My Grade: C+ to B- (3.6*)
• Rating: NC-17 to x
• Length: Novella – about 39,000 words
• Where Available: ebook at Cobblestone Press

Rane and Genevieve, Evie to Rane,  Silverwolfe are twin sisters and witches, but couldn’t be less alike.  Rane is an artist and a bit of a rebel.  Evie is quiet and the kind who will give up what she wants to make her family happy.  The Silverwolfes are a respected, old and powerful witch family living in London and a year ago, much to their dismay, Rane got involved with with a Guardian, Luken.  Guardians are extremely powerful witches that protect other witches from various evils.  They are male, over-sexed, and beyond intimidating.  Rane ran from Luken and her family shielded her when he came looking for her to get her back.  Now, as Evie and Rane leave the movie theater, she thinks maybe they did the wrong thing by meddling in Rane’s life.  Rane has been lifeless and depressed since she left Luken.

That night Rane is awakened by a scream – her own.  She reaches out mentally for Evie and nothing is there.  After failing to reach her sister by phone, she calls her brother and he felt it too.  Together they go to Evie’s place and find her body, but not her.  There’s no medical explanation for Evie’s condition, but the Silverwolfes  know what happened and who they need to go to for help.  Luken, a Guardian.

Despite Rane’s occasional too-stupid-to-live moments and Luken’s I-must-let-you-go-for-your-own-good routine, this is actually a pretty good story.  I could have done with less of the self-sacrificing nonsense which just got in the way by the second time around and annoyed me by the third.  Neither Luken nor Rane are fully realized as characters, but for a novella there was a good plot with fewer than usual holes in it, the villain was trite, but the pace never flagged.  Plenty of sex and just atmosphere to keep from being bland.  The

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• Title: Perfection: Eternally Three
• Author: Kris Cook
• Type: Urban Fantasy Romance
• Genre: Demons and Angels
• Sub-genre: Sex-for power; ménage
• My Grade: B- (3.7*)
• Rating: xxx
• Length: Novel 70,700 words
• Where Available: ebooks available at Siren

This rather dark urban fantasy books has an interesting premise combined with some well worn plot elements in a good, atmospheric, if somewhat predictable, novel.  Eric Langley has gone missing.  He left his sister a cryptic message to take a book and his flash drive to a person named David at a semi-notorious club, Zone Three.  Uncomfortable and totally out of her element, Micki Langley is more than a little shocked to actually gain entrance to the club, but the open sexual activity is even more  disturbing.  But getting in wasn’t the hardest part, trying to get anyone to talk to her is.  All she gets is complete silence and speculative looks, but no one will speak to her or tell her where the mysterious David is.

Jared is a disgraced Jinn who half fell to the Dark.  He left the battles between good and evil but has resisted the Dark all through his years of isolation.  He’s barely tolerated in Zone Jared has no desire to be around angels and jinn again – or their human power sources.  He’s here because David asked him to protect Micki Langley.  Also there is Bradley, an angel who hates Jared for being a traitor to the Alliance, has also been tasked with her protection by David.

Angels and jinn get their power, and their immortality by ‘tripling’ with humans.  This power is held within them then expanded and used battles against the forces of the dark, ifrits, demons, and the like.  In order to ‘triple’, the triad is formed of one jinn, one angel and one human and the power transfer from human to immortal happens during sex.  That’s what Level Three is all about – immortals finding a suitable human for a threesome.  But Micki is different, very different.  The immortals see the red light forming around her and the calls to them.  It’s so strong that Jared fears it will summon the dark soon.  Micki needs to be drained to keep her safe.  Jared has a terrible fear of ever tripling again.  He killed a woman, draining her of all f her life force and nearly became an ifrit.  Her death caused him to be kicked out of the Alliance.  Bradley hates the jinn for what he did, but the power signal that Micki is exuding is so great they must drain her.  In the private room upstairs, these two men – the men Micki has seen in her erotic dreams – bring her fantasies to life.  But just before she climaxes, Micki sees white wings on Bradley and green smoke around Jared – and Jared sees a door to the Ether, a place where the worst demons are exiled, starting to open.  The climax is so huge she collapses.  Fearing the door and the demon lord who calls to his dark side,  and thinking he’s killed another human, Jared runs.  Bradley stays.

Come morning, Micki learns somethings that have her infuriated and storms from the club.  Finally Eric’s girlfriend is back in town and together they return to Level Three the next night.  They get attacked on the way to the club and Micki learns that David has been meddling, but it takes some time before she learns just how much.  He also has a much to strong interest in Brooke, Eric’s girlfriend, which Micki is not comfortable with.  Micki is furious with David, but agrees to hand over the flash drive.  When she and Bradley are attacked in the bank accessing the safe deposit box (and having sex on the bank floor!), it’s Jared who comes to their aid, not David’s watchers.

Further in the story, after another tripling, Jared and Bradley leave her alone to go talk with David.  Then Micki does one of those too-stupid-to-live things that drive me nuts.  Why must writers constantly rely on the heroine committing an act of supreme stupidity instead of something more creative to put her in danger?  At any rate, she ends up imprisoned by the dark forces trying to release a great evil trapped in the Ether.  Her brother has been tortured near to death.  The big denouement involves more sex and the power of a true Triad – a permanent threesome.  And a lot more comes out about David’s involvement in the death 200 years earlier that Jared has carried the blame for.

The plot is complex, the characters well drawn and evolving during the story, the sex was hot, thought a bit D/s and kinky at times, and the ending leaves the story far from finished, so further installments are expected.  This will sound like a petty quibble, but I just HATED the angel’s name, Bradley.  Not Brad, Bradley.  All I could think of was an uptight, balding, old money, middle aged banker.  It is profoundly not a name to conjure with for a warrior.   I probably would have liked the book a lot better had he had a different name, because my mental image stumbled each time I read it.  The flaws cannot take away from what is a really good story that would have been better had there not been that trite TSTL act by Micki, the sex in the bank (eye roll), and the angel’s name.  The unusual ending compensated for them. My guess is there’s a traitor on the high counsel of the Alliance, but that will be in the future.  A very good, if somewhat grim read and a worthwhile buy if you like darker paranormals.

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• Title: The Collision – Guardian’s Realm series
  
• Author: Crystal Kauffman
• Type: Urban Fantasy Romance
• Genre: Vampires, Fae – good guys, bad girl
• Sub-genre: Sex/vampire drug addiction, ménage
• My Grade: DNF
• Rating: xxx
• Length: Short Novel – about 58,000 words
• Where available: ebook at Loose-Id

There was a huge issue for me with this story – I didn’t even remotely like the heroine.  Gladiolus (yes, I even hate the name) is a human female sex slave in a vampire house of pleasure.  She entered into the contract voluntarily and stayed for many years because she was addicted to a special drug that vampires create with their plasma – and fangy kind of ecstasy.  Even worse, she’s one of those intensely annoying, saccharine, fragile flowers who just seems to love being used and abused.  Gag!  Our heroes are a young, self righteous prig – Balin, a fae and a Guardian, and Fitch, a world weary, been-there-done-that  vamp in the Vampire Secret Service.

It’s not often I say this, but I gave the book to page 50 and I just didn’t care about any of them and gave up.  Honestly, she was just so cloying and Balin was so immature I couldn’t take any more.  A treacly sweet, drug addicted, sex addicted female has ZERO appeal as a heroine.  And Balin was a snotty, patronizing, condescending prick. The only character I remotely like was Fitch and that’s it.  I hope the hellhounds ate the other two.

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• Title: Beautiful Triad – Sexual Studies 3
  
• Author: Kate Waterman
• Type: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
• Genre: Isolated cottage in the woods; suspense
• Sub-genre:  Friends-to-lovers; unexpected ménage
• My Grade: D+ to C- (2.6*)
• Rating: PG-13
• Length: Short Novel – about 56,000 words
• Where Available: ebooks available at Siren

This unexpected short novel/long novella is not the usual brainless three-way sexfest that the vast majority of  ménage books are.   “Fuck” is not the main word for sex.  The guys are handsome, but they don’t have erections the size of Volkswagens – and they don’t have sex 6 times a day and 10 minute recovery times.  Basically, they’re just young, good looking men that have been friends for 20 years and one falls in in lust/love with the others girlfriend, but he’s much too honorable to ever act on it.  How refreshing is it that these guys aren’t scarred by some awful childhood trauma so they can only enjoy sex together?  These guys are just, well, guys.

Lauren Hanes is a 24 year old actuarial science graduate that’s in a long term relationship with Drew Fletcher, a pilot for a corporate jet who spends as much time overseas as he does at home.  Drew’s best friend for 20 years is Rob Hanson who has been dating an aggressive female attorney.  Unfortunately, Lauren is getting increasingly uncomfortable around Rob and vice versa.   Drew might be the poster boy for the easy going, footloose bachelor, but he’s very intuitive and long ago learned long ago to listen to those instincts.  Right now they’re telling him that the strain between the woman he’s come to love and his best friend is a strong, mutual attraction.  Drew is very straightforward even with himself and when he looks inside, he realizes he doesn’t feel any jealousy about it.  He knows how honorable both of them are, so regardless of what happened neither would ever act on their attraction.  Drew would.  It’s Drew who brings up the idea of sharing and Rob and Lauren who are both hesitant and intrigued.  They’re both solid, conservative, family types that worry what others will think – especially family.  Drew’s biggest challenge is getting them past inhibitions and into openly acknowledging what they already know – both men are deeply attracted to Lauren and she is equally drawn to both men.  Slowly, they begin building a ménage.

The entire first half of the story is about the budding relationship between Drew, Lauren and Rob, with just the barest hint something else is happening.  Then the police are there and so is the creepy neighbor, Dr Ben Heaton.  Dr Heaton’s wife has gone missing.  He more or less wrangles an invitation for dinner and tries to convince Lauren to speak ith him about research for his newest book.  He’s convinced she’s involved with both Rob and Drew and he’s he’s dubbed them ‘Beautiful Triad’ for their good looks.

The nature of the story shifts abruptly from a fairly modest romance to romantic suspense.  This shift is disconcerting because the very minor hints at things just don’t let the get the slow build up needed to make the transition.   Rob’s ex-girlfriend – who showed up at the house unexpectedly and uncomfortably after canceling on Rob – has gone missing on her way back to the office.  The guilt the three have overshadows the fragile start to their relationship.  Suddenly there’s an FBI agent on the scene with questions about Heaton.  The ending is abrupt and odd, then suddenly you have an epilogue.

The story just doesn’t gel.  The characters are quite believable, the romance more sweet than hot, but the suspense part of the story just felt awkward.  It was rather like watching a jerky film.  The disconnect between the the two parts of the book and then the strange ending that failed to wrap things up, except in the most perfunctory manner, was disappointing and unsatisfying.  Yes, I can see the contrast between the warm, gentle relationship between the 3 people, the unease with the neighbor, but out of nowhere – BANG! – you wrap the whole thing up in a chapter that had more action than the whole rest of the book.  Ms Waterman needed to build up to the denouement and then weave the pieces together more cohesively.  It was the literary equivalent of taking an increasingly strange thrill ride and then just dropped off a cliff and told – “That’s it.  Good-bye.”  I was left wondering what the hell just happened to the story.  There should be a ‘Reader whiplash’ alert on this book.