Just babble

First things first: Books. Of course. I received just one book in the mail, this weekend, but guess what? It's set in Newfoundland! All right! Canada, baby! One for the Canadian Reading Challenge, eh? The book is Random Passage by Bernice Morgan. I have no idea how I heard about the book and ended up putting it on my wish list at Paperback Swap, but I'll bet a blogger is to blame. So, thank you, unknown likely-guilty blogger.

I finished The Questory of Root Karbunkulus on Saturday. I'm working on the review, right now, and will also post an interview with the author, soon.

And, I'm reading Legerdemain (history, set in French Morocco in the 1950's -- excellent, so far). I'm also still reading Anne of Green Gables and loving it. Washington's Lady by Nancy Moser -- haven't gotten far, but it's well-written and engaging. I have a feeling I'll give it a high rating, but I'm pushing the ARCs to the head of the pile, so it may take me some time to finish.

We had a busy weekend and, typically, I completely lost track of time. In fact, I woke up this morning thinking it was Sunday. As my husband was nicely dressed, I assumed he and the kiddo had decided to go to church without me (it happens) and I had myself firmly convinced that they'd be home around 11am. And, the guys were going to bring donuts. You should have heard my husband laugh, when he came home from work at lunchtime. The places an imagination goes . . . especially when you're groggy.

Here's one good reason to ask your mother lots of questions while you can . . . the things you find after they're gone can be truly baffling. My mother was involved with a geneology group for most of my childhood. Occasionally, I tromped through graveyards with her, but she never bothered to share more than the odd scrap of what she learned from her years studying the family tree. We have piles and piles of records to sort through and here's one little article I found whilst cleaning her house:

Wait a minute! Are we related to Omar? Because my mother's maiden name is Conger. If so, I'd really like to know why she didn't at least share the cool stuff. A shark victim, possibly related to us? That's a story, people! However, I have no idea whether Omar was even distantly related and probably won't until I dig through that whole geneology mess, which could take years.

Bad news on the home front: My favorite camera lens broke.

Good news: Hubby ordered me a new one.

Bad news: My husband tried to burn the house down twice, last week (by using the stove as a countertop and inadvertantly turning a burner on).

Good news: He didn't succeed. I noticed the hot burners, both times, and moved things quickly out of the way, after turning off the heat source.

Thank goodness the good outweighs the bad on all counts.

In other news, eldest son has volunteered to take this ancient poster off my hands if I ever decide I don't want it:

Anyone else old enough to remember Woodsy Owl?

Gotta go. Next up will be the Root Karbunkulus review. Good news about Root Karbunkulus: It's extremely easy to google. There is only one book with the name "Root Karbunkulus" in it, period.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Quote by husband: "That can't be very safe."

Yeah, but it was awfully fun.

Wimp Alert - Giving in to the 2nd Canadian Reading Challenge, Eh?

I'm such a wimp. Last year, I watched as people read Canadian books and thought, "Wish I'd joined that one". I admired the cute button and assumed I'd join in next time. And, then I resolved to swear off all challenges but one. Now, I'm adding a second because . . . well, because I really, really want to and can't stop myself from joining. The name of the challenge makes me grin. The button will look spiffy in my sidebar. And, it just so happens I've been ogling Anne of Green Gables for months and months. I've needed a shove to pick it up, though.

So, it's official. I'm joining the 2nd Canadian Reading Challenge, Eh?, which runs from July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009 (click on link for official rules).

I've chosen Option 13: The Free Spirit because I'm so free-spirited I can't be bothered to write a list. I'm just going to choose the 13 titles as I go. I already own quite a few books by Canadians. First up, Anne of Green Gables, of course.

Reminder to self: Email John each time you complete a book (jmutford (at) hotmail (dot) com).

Self: Thanks! I needed that.

Just so you know, I'm also in this challenge for the chance to say "toque" repeatedly.

Off to read, eh?

Bookfool with Snazzy New Maple-Leaf Button

June Wrap-Up

I can see I've fallen way too far behind to review absolutely everything I read in June, so I'm going to do a wrap-up of everything I completed and move on. I've provided links to the four books I've reviewed. I may dip backwards if I manage to catch up with myself, but we'll just have to see. So, without further ado, my reads during the month of June:

1. Mrs. Lieutenant - Phyllis Zimbler Miller
2. Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior - Ori and Rom Brafman (I liked this one so much that I plan to reread it, so I'll review it in the future . . . assuming my husband ever gives it back)
3. The Well-Fed Self-Publisher - Peter Bowerman
4. Simple Genius (audio) - David Baldacci - didn't care for it
5. Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert - really enjoyed this one
6. Overcoming Hurts and Anger - Dwight L. Carson, M.D. - interesting book from my mother's collection
7. Facts the Historians Leave Out: A Confederate Primer - John S. Tilley - very interesting history told from the Confederate viewpoint; also from my mother's shelves
8. In the Land of Dreamy Dreams - Ellen Gilchrist - excellent; hope to find time to review this one - read for the Southern Reading Challenge
9. Return from Tomorrow - George Ritchie - a little hard to swallow
10. Early Widow - Mary Jane Worden - gut-wrenching, but well-written
11. The Queen of Sleepy Eye - Patti Hill (ARC -- thanks, Brittanie!) - very good, especially loved the ending
12. The Book of Dahlia - Elisa Albert - (ARC from Simon & Schuster) - good job of portraying the human side of cancer but the heroine was just nasty, so I can't say I loved it
13. Human Voices - Penelope Fitzgerald - excellent and very funny, although I had trouble getting used to the author's style
14. Sermons & Soda Water - John O'Hara - loved his writing style, but the characters were very political and I don't know much about politics of the 30's, so it became a bit tiresome
15. Entropy - Anthony Lawrence Gordon
16. Letters of a Woman Homesteader - Elinore Pruitt Stewart

I didn't quite finish the second audio I listened to, Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. It's very good, though, and I'll finish it the next time I have to drive a long distance.

Currently reading:

Washington's Lady by Nancy Moser (just arrived -- thanks, Brittanie!)
The Questory of Root Karbunkulus by Kamilla Reid (watch for sticky post giveaway of an autographed copy of this book -- coming next)

Eldest is coming for the weekend and we'll be helping his girlfriend move to her new home in Madison, MS (just an hour's drive from us -- might be seeing a bit more of the eldest in the coming year). Also, we'll be giving him our toaster or buying him a new one.

Note to my sister: A toaster will not sell a house. Just had to get that off my chest. Sister doesn't read blogs. I should probably be grateful.

Happy Independence Day to readers in the U.S.! And, a Happy Belated Canada Day to our neighbors in Canada!

Entropy by Anthony Lawrence Gordon and I've got the I Can't Change My Sidebar Blues

Entropy by Anthony Lawrence Gordon
Copyright 2008, CreateSpace
137 pages, including bonus short story
Author's blog, here

Cover blurb:

When it all seems to be falling apart....
Gradually but irresistibly, events in Nick's life have spun out of control and Nick can only hold on and survive. He finds himself trying to understand the ending of past relationships while becoming involved in new ones, and he finds himself falling in love. As everything seems to be falling apart, Nick tries to piece together the pieces, tries to restore order. Halt the entropy.

What led you to pick up this book? I saw J. Kaye's comment about the author needing additional reviewers and the link to Booking Mama's review of Entropy. It sounded good, so I requested a copy.

Summarize the plot but don't give away the ending. A man who suffers from loss and loneliness gets involved with a couple who are into kinky sex and drugs, leading him into a downward spiral.

What did you like most about the book? It flowed well and was compelling, so I kept reading although what happened in the book really was pretty racy and disgusting. Entropy is definitely different from my typical reading material.

What did you think of the characters? The protagonist is a bit of a wimp, although he occasionally tries to yank himself out of the mess he's gotten himself into. I kept hoping he'd stand up for himself and say, "Nope, I'd rather be in my empty house than hang out with you two weirdos."

Share a favorite scene from the book: Strange but true . . . I liked the tragic ending. Everything in the book led to the ending. It fit; it worked. I won't give away what happens in the end, but I thought it was very well described and perfect for the story.

Iffy on recommendation: Entropy is a pretty good book, but it's about sex and drug addiction. So, it's packed with scene after scene of graphic sex and drug use. I don't enjoy reading sex scenes; I just don't. The description of the book didn't indicate that there would be characters with a sex addiction or I would not have requested the book. However, the book is a very quick read. The "What's going to happen?" question pulls the reader through the book. I would simply caution readers to avoid it if you dislike graphic sex; it's not family friendly. If that doesn't bother you, Entropy is a decent read -- not brilliant or lyrical in any way, but I thought the tone worked for the story. It's just not my thing.

In general, I feel the same as Michele:

"I expected to read about a man's struggle with choices he's made, reactions to things that have happened to him, and his thoughts and actions as he grows or at least moves through the current events in his life. However, that's not what I read. The book focuses on the choices Nick makes, or others makes for him, with a friend from work and his wife. It focuses on drugs and sex, lots of sex that makes him uncomfortable and definitely made me uncomfortable."

Read other complete reviews, here:
Booking Mama
Cheryl's Book Nook
Michele - only one 'L'

Totally unnecessary aside: "Entropy" just happens to be one of my favorite words. I love the sound of it and I'm fascinated by the concept. I'm sure that influenced my decision to request the book.

Yesterday was a good mail day. When the mail truck arrived and the postal worker reversed then pulled into my driveway, I assumed there must be a book or two in the mail. Sure enough, I came inside with a little pile:

The Questory of Root Karbunkulus by Kamilla Reid (fantasy)- I got two copies of this one, so watch for a giveaway
Down to a Sunless Sea by Mathias B. Freese (short stories)
What if . . . ? by Steve N. Lee (eco-thriller, I think)
Legerdemain by James J. Heaphey (history)

I'll be diving into this pile, immediately.

The I Can't Change My Sidebar Blues: For the second time this year, I'm unable to make changes to my sidebar. I can get to the "edit layout" page, but only the top 6 items can be viewed or altered. The scroll bar halts, at that point. So, I'm unable to change photos, add to my links or update my "currently reading" and "recently finished" categories. Grrr, frustrating. Please bear with me while I wait for the situation to resolve itself.

Not a great photo, but here's one of the fun sights I got to view through my mother's window, while I was in Oklahoma -- bunny chase!!! Squeeeee!

Happy Tuesday!

Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart

Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart
Bison Books (University of Nebraska Press)
282 pages
Copyright 1961; Originally published 1914

About noon the first day out we came near a sheep-wagon, and stalking along ahead of us was a lanky fellow, a herder, going home for dinner. Suddenly it seemed to me I should starve if I had to wait until we got where we had planned to stop for dinner, so I called out to the man, "Little Bo-Peep, have you anything to eat? If you have, we'd like to find it." And he answered, "As soon as I am able, it shall be on the table, if you'll but trouble to get behind it." [p.8]

After two more such days I "arrived." When I went up to the office where I was to file, the door was open and the most taciturn old man sat before a desk. I hesitated at the door, but he never let on. I coughed, yet no sign but a deeper scowl. I stepped in and modestly kicked over a chair. He whirled around like I had shot him. "Well?" he interrogated. I said, "I am powerful glad of it. I was afraid you were sick, you looked in such pain." He looked at me a minute, then grinned and said he thought I was a book-agent. Fancy me, a fat, comfortable widow, trying to sell books! [p. 12]

In the center of my room is a square table made of pine and stained brown. Over it is a table-cover that you gave me. Against the wall near my bed is my "dresser". It is a box with shelves and is covered with the same material as my screen. Above it I have a mirror, but it makes ugly faces at me every time I look into it. [p. 141]
It has always been a theory of mine that when we become sorry for ourselves we make our misfortunes harder to bear, because we lose courage and can't think without bias; so I cast about me for something to be glad about . . . [p. 238]

What led you to pick up this book? I snatched up all the history books off my mother's shelves while I was working on cleaning out her house (it's okay; my sister is not a reader and was happy to see them go). I love reading about pioneers in the American West because they had such spirit and were willing to work incredibly hard to create a new life. I picked this one up because it looked fun and I was stuck in bed with a minor back injury over the weekend.

Describe the book without giving anything away. Letters of a Woman Homesteader is a series of letters written by a young widow and mother who left her job in Denver to work as a housekeeper for a rancher in Wyoming, her goal being to learn from him and eventually file for and work her own land. Elinore Stewart wrote the letters to her former employer in Denver, Juliet Coney, and they are incredibly lively, full of stories about her adventures and about the other homesteaders around her.

What did you like most about the book? I loved everything about it, but particularly the strong character of the woman who wrote the letters. Elinore was sharp-witted, extremely upbeat, hard-working, humble and adventurous. She married the rancher she set out to work for within 6 weeks, and then their affection for each other slowly grew, but at the same time she "maintained her independence by filing for land adjacent to that of her husband and proving it up herself" (from the cover blurb). There were many things to admire about the resourceful and independent woman who told her story in this series of letters.

Share a favorite scene from the book: I've quoted from several favorites, but I also loved her description of a camping trip she and her young daughter took into the mountains. The scenery was described vividly and with such beauty that it was easy to visualize. And, she was so incredibly enthusiastic about the simple food and coffee of camp life that I actually began to crave roasted potatoes. My husband was soaking some ribs, so I asked him to start up a fire and slow roast some potatoes in the ashes, as Elinore did overnight, and cook some baked beans. He did as I asked and ohmygosh. I'd forgotten food could be that good. I highly recommend cooking camp food while you read this book.

Both thumbs up - Fantastic reading. Elinore Stewart was a woman of great character and a phenomenal storyteller. In a world where people "create" their own parking spaces in order to avoid having to walk 50 yards farther across a parking lot, it's refreshing to read about a hardworking woman who not only could do anything and everything she set her hand to but loved every minute of it. Definitely one of the best books I've read, this year.

A RICE and books weekend: I mentioned being laid up, this weekend, but I have to tell you how that came about. I was reaching for a load of laundry and threw my back out. This was a new experience for me. I was bent over, totally stuck, and had to holler for my husband to help me stand up and walk to the bedroom, where (recalling the advice of a paramedic friend to use Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation on fresh injuries) I spent two days with a pile of books, an ice-pack and a bottle of muscle relaxants. I slept a great deal, but I also managed to read 3 books, which has simply served to throw me even farther behind on reviews. I am not complaining. I'm going backwards, here, starting with the book most recently completed.

Ever met anyone with a Laundry Injury, before? I think it's kind of funny, even though it hurt like the dickens.

Other things I read:

On Friday: Sermons and Soda Water by John O'Hara
Saturday: Entropy by Anthony Lawrence Gordon
Unfinished but working on: In the Clearing by Robert Frost and At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon

I'll finish the Frost, but I've discovered that Robert Frost is just a wee bit too rhyme and rhythm, for my taste. As I was reading a bit of his poetry on Saturday, I thought up a rhyme of my own:

If one could drown in books, then I
Would be the very first to die.

I hope that's original. Next up will be a review of Entropy. Thanks to my sore back, I can't lift and move a pile of books to photograph them, but I hope to be able to do so within a few days; then, you can see some of the other books I dragged home.

Many thanks to Maggie for the delicious pecans!! I was one of the winners in her weekly drawing for the Southern Reading Challenge and I have to tell you . . . it's worth taking on the challenge, just for the chance to win some of those pecans. They are soooo good. Thank you, Maggie!!!

I'll close with a piece of my childhood artwork that seems to fit the book review. While home, I photographed some artwork from elementary school and then tossed it all in the trash. Most everything was rendered on construction paper and was literally falling to pieces. I should mention that teachers at the elementary school of my youth worked closely together, so that when we studied pioneers we drew pioneers and when we studied Greek and Norse gods, we made masks in art and did a play in another class. I loved my elementary education. Here's my drawing of pioneer life:

Happy Monday!

Bookfool on ice

I'm back!!! Miss me?

I'm home! And, man, am I glad to be back. Dealing with my sister was a bit like this, unfortunately:

I'm the meek one defending herself on the bottom, there. But, I sneaked in some decent reading time between cleaning and boxing, watched loads of Gomer Pyle and a few movies, enjoyed viewing the wildlife that flitted past my mother's bay window and had quite a few nice walks around the old neighborhood. I'm still reading the two books I mentioned in my last post, At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon and Human Voices by Penelope Fitzgerald -- almost finished with Human Voices. I believe I'll go backward on reviews, once I've got my equilibrium back. I brought home a nice little pile of books and will try to photograph some for future posts.

For the return drive from Oklahoma, I purchased an audio to help pass the time: Journey to the Center of the Earth (unabridged) by Jules Verne. I like Jules Verne but the scientific portions of his books can be rather dry, so I chose that audio based primarily on the description of the reader. And, wow, good choice. I will look for more audio books read by Simon Prebble for future drives. I didn't realize there was a new movie version of this one till I saw the rocking fine cover with Brendan Fraser looking all manly and gorgeous. This is the photo on the cover, although I can only find an image of the soundtrack, not the audio book:

Admittedly, that terrific cover grabbed me like crazy.

I'm just beginning to blog-hop and wow, you guys have been posting like crazy! It's really thrilling to be back to visiting blogs (and to not have to order food or drinks for internet time, although I must add that the Burger King staff in Ponca City, OK is an extraordinarily friendly and courteous bunch). A mere two books arrived while I was away:

Entropy by Anthony Lawrence Gordon and
Housekeeping Vs. The Dirt by Nick Hornby

I'll dive into Entropy, as soon as I finish Human Voices. Hope everyone is having a fabulous summer!

Bookfool, extremely happy to be home

Wave, wave -- last hello from Oklahoma

First, a photo of a baby mockingbird, when he was still at the stage of mostly hopping and flying just a few feet at a time. Parent Mockingbird had just fed him a bug and I thought Baby almost looked like he was thinking, "I wanna do that!"


Book-wise, a very important update. I neglected to include a website URL for Peter Bowerman's book, The Well-Fed Publisher, so here it is.

I'm currently reading the first of the Mitford series by Jan Karon (from my mother's shelves) and Human Voices by Penelope Fitgerald and loving both. I finished a couple of books, but I can't remember the titles -- couldn't sleep last night and look like I've been in a fist fight. So, I'll update when I return home to Mississippi, in a few days. Smiles to everyone!

A Brief Update and a Smooch

First the smooch.

Isn't that a sweet photo? I went for a drive out to the local prairie dog village and there are tons of youngsters. I'll have to go visit them, again. I could sit all day watching the kids play. Sending virtual hugs to all my blog buddies. I'm missing you!

And, an update:

Not that we're unusual in this, but we've had loads of storms and even a trip to Burger King has been a little difficult to squeeze in. Last time I was here (Saturday), the signal was hinky and I couldn't post a thing. Since I'm getting good work done at my mother's house, I'll probably be here another week and then I hope to get back to blog-hopping when I return home. I miss visiting everyone and reading your posts!!

Bookwise, I've finished the following:

Simple Genius - David Baldacci (audio - listened to it on the drive up) - found this one way over the top, but the author's notes at the end made sense of some of the historical background.

Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert - Loved it! The portion set in India bored me, at first, but I loved the way that section ended and enjoyed the final third. It ended up a big thumbs up, at least for me. I've noticed reviews on this one are quite polarized.

Overcoming Hurts and Anger - Dwight L. Carson, M.D. - This one came from a stack of books that I'm referring to as my mother's "angst pile". I read it out of curiosity but it was really fascinating and more about discovering how the reader can determine how s/he handles anger and what to change in order to handle daily hurts more effectively than about overcoming past hurts. I really enjoyed reading it and learned quite a bit about myself and my family.

Facts the Historians Leave Out: A Confederate Primer - John S. Tilley - Originally copyrighted in 1951, this one is from my mother's collection of history books. At only 76 pages, it was a very quick read and engrossing. I don't agree with everything Tilley said, but then there's a lot I don't know. It's basically a book that defends Southerners and describes the basis for Confederate secession and I found it very informative.

In the Land of Dreamy Dreams - Ellen Gilchrist - for the Southern Reading Challenge. The verdict: that new cover shown in my previous post is probably stock art and absolutely does not fit the book at all. Most of the stories are set in the South, all have at least a few Southern characters and there's only brief mention of a kimono in someone's closet -- no other Asian references. New Orleans and Mississippi are heavily featured and the stories are amazing. I'll try to do a full review of this one when I return home. It's a great book.

Return from Tomorrow - George Ritchie with Elizabeth Sherrill - Another book in the same vein as 90 Minutes in Heaven (published in 1978 -- the fact that the author's experience occurred during WWII makes the background alone worth the read) but a little harder to believe as the man claimed his spirit tried to travel to Richmond, Virginia and he realized he had left his body when he reached (of all places) Vicksburg, Mississippi. So, he turned around and floated back to where his body lay covered by a sheet . . . and then met up with Christ. I got a kick out of the Vicksburg portion, but I found myself struggling not to laugh or at least roll my eyes. Sorry.

Early Widow - Mary Jane Worden - Another book I read purely out of curiosity. My mother was widowed at 56 and I was so wrapped up in my own grief that I guess I just wanted to know what her side of losing my father was like. It was a heart-rending, grab-the-tissues book. But, it also spoke of healing as it was the journal of a young widow and each month brought progress in her healing and that of her children.

About to finish: The Queen of Sleepy Eye by Patti Hill

Not sure what I'm going to read next. I'm having fun digging through my mother's books. It's been a beautiful day, although it's clouding up, now. Here's a photo from my mother's garden, taken during a sunny break:

Wishing everyone sunny days and happy thoughts!

Little Bookfool on the Prairie

Hello from Oklahoma!

I am here:See me? Okay, the city I'm in is not actually on the map, but we'll forgive whoever made this little map. I'm about in the "r" of "Bartlesville". And, it's gorgeous outside! The sun is shining! It's cool!! There's a nice, pleasant breeze and I can drive around with the windows open!!!! I love my home state.

So, I drove up on Sunday and stopped at my beloved in-laws' house for supper (thank you, again!). They always feed me. Then, I drove the rest of the way because a storm was moving in and I didn't want to get stuck in it. I wish I'd had my camera handy. As I drove into Ponca City, the storm front was plainly visible and it looked -- I kid you not -- like that image of the shark on the Jaws poster turned sideways. Remember the dark, gaping jaw and the jagged teeth? The outer edge of the storm front was white against a darker sky, v-shaped. That was the Great White outline, you see. And, inside was black and ominous. Along the edge of the white front and the interior storm was the ragged fuzz of cloud that looked like teeth. And, of course, I was driving right into the jaws of doom, there. Wait till you've seen Jaws with lightning in his mouth. Creepy. After 10 1/2 hours of driving, the storm didn't faze me when I got myself unlaoded. I just slept right through it.

I'm still recovering, though. I look a little like I was in a fight. Like these guys, kind of puffy and black around the eyes (only I don't think I'm very green, apart from my shirt):

I should have plenty of reading time, since the TV is unplugged in my mother's house and there's nobody around to chat with (and no internet -- I'm at Burger King). More on that, later. I leave you with a bumper sticker that made me laugh (just before my son's driving made me scream):


Finished reading: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Still plan to review, in spite of having to leave home without it: Sway by the Brafman Brothers . I will not let the fact that my husband stuck it in his briefcase and left his briefcase at work stop me. But, I have to find a second block of time to spend at Burger King.

Wahoos may be delayed. The camera hasn't come out of the bag because I've been so busy boxing and sorting, but I hope to get out, soon. You know, apart from the BK jaunts.

Happy, happy, joy, joy!

Bookfool, surrounded by big, blue sky

Oopsy and a pet peeve about a ridiculous cover

My apologies to those who subscribe to my blog feed. I tried to edit my Southern Reading Challenge post to reflect updates and accidentally hit the "Save as Draft" button, which meant that it went out again as if it were a brand new post when I hit the "Publish Post" button. I hope that makes sense. Just toss that puppy out with the socks that have holes in them and all that nasty spam.

And, here's something interesting to mull. I'm reading an older copy of In the Land of Dreamy Dreams by Ellen Gilchrist. It was printed in 1981 and, thus far, the stories have been set in the New Orleans of the 1970s. The cover illustration shows a woman lying in repose on a cushioned wicker settee , looking dreamy, a shell in her hand:

It fits. The dress is right for the time of publication -- not sure about the time the stories were written or set, but it's close enough. I can easily visualize one of the female characters, who tend to be off in their own world, lying around with that dreamy expression. The furniture would easily fit that of a nice porch in the Garden District in pre-Katrina New Orleans. So, I cannot figure out for the life of me why on earth the current cover looks like this:

What the heck is that? It will be interesting to find out if there's something beyond the mention of a Japanese kimono on page 140, as I continue reading. Either way, it seems like an awfully odd choice for the cover image on a short story collection by a Southern writer. This is a mystery I must unravel. More on that, later. Gotta keep reading.

The Well-Fed Self-Publisher by Peter Bowerman

The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living by Peter Bowerman
Nonfiction - authorship, marketing
294 pages, incl. appendixes and index
Copyright 2007
Author's website

What led you to pick up this book? The Well-Fed Self-Publisher is a book I requested for reviewing purposes. I've read similar books that put me to sleep and wanted to see if this one was an improvement.

Summarize the book without giving everything away. The Well-Fed Self-Publisher is subtitled "How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living," so right up front you know what exactly you're looking at. Author Peter Bowerman delves into the process of writing and publishing a book and marketing it to sell, in painstaking detail. He talks about the types of books that work best (nonfiction), how to write (conversationally), how to design, edit, choose a title and cover, apply for ISBN numbers and listings at Ingram's and Baker & Taylor, etc., how to decide whether or not to hire an outside publicist, how to prepare form letters and do a radio interview . . . on and on. It is truly a manual that takes you through every step of the process.

What did you like most about the book? I thought it was very readable and loved the extensive detail. The author delves into how to make sure you have a quality product, which organizations can be helpful to a single-book publisher, how much each part of the process costs and how you can cut corners, as well as when and where you shouldn't. The author includes loads of websites, extensive appendixes, and possible cost scenarios. He's honest; the up-front cost of quality self-publishing can be painful, even if you cut corners. But, I do believe the honesty is a part of the reason it's the best book I've ever seen about self-publishing. If he isn't an expert on a particular area, he loads you down with references that will lead you to the info you need.

What did you think of the concept and how it was described? It's almost ubiquitous, isn't it? The book about writing a book on writing a book? Okay, yeah, it's really about writing nonfiction, self-publishing and marketing to insure continued sales. Point being, I've seen (and read) many similar books and my first thought was, "It will probably be gimmicky." The Well-Fed Self-Publisher is not really gimmicky at all. He's done everything he describes. He tells you to write a story at the head of each chapter to grab people and you immediately take notice of the anecdotes at the beginning of the chapters. He describes how to design your cover for maximum impact and you realize that the cover is exactly as recommended -- it really does grab you, front and back. The fact is, the book is content-rich. A lot of how-to or self-help books are entirely bullets and headers that shout generalities but are low on usable advice. This book really walks you through the process.

Share a favorite tidbit from the book: There were several suggestions that rang true to my own experience. The author's advice about making your cover stand out, for example, is very good. When I worked at an off-price bookstore with primarily remaindered (over-run) books, my boss and I often unloaded the new stock together. He'd been working in book sales for many years and this is what he said as he sorted: "Junk. Junk. That'll be a great seller. Junk. Why do people even bother publishing this crap? Bland covers don't sell! Junk. Junk. Good one. That'll sell like hotcakes." Covers are critical; no doubt about it.

Thumbs up - Excellent detail, beautifully written, and it covers numerous topics that I've seen covered as individual books, this time within a single cover.

In general: I was stunned. Most writing/publishing books are dry as a bone and I was afraid I might not be able to get through the book, but I was wrong. The chatty writing style makes it a comfortable read and (of course, he mentions this as a critical point when preparing your own book). It's extremely well-edited. I've got a natural critic's eye and almost invariably find some sort of grammatical error, typo, misspelling, etc. If there are any errors, I missed them. I did make the mistake of devoting myself to the book for several days. I need fiction breaks or it actually takes me longer to read a nonfiction book. It's been quite a while since I've made that error in judgment. Oh, well. The old lesson has been reinforced.

It would have been exhausting to visit all of the links provided (and pointless, since I'm not writing a nonfiction book) but I did check some out and I only have one quibble. There's one book Bowerman advises the reader to look up at Amazon. He brainstormed the title with the book's author and thought it had tremendous impact. I looked up the book and was rather appalled to find that the cover was all black with the title in gold. All-black and all-white covers with no illustration were the most common titles that my boss threw in the junk pile. Color is good. I would have advised that author to choose a bright background color over black. Nothing else stood out in a negative way and the title was the point of that exercise, not the cover. I'm just being picky.

Other generalities: So much for an attempt at brevity. The header does say "babble", though, so apparently I knew myself well enough when I came up with my blog designation.

Getting back to: Eat, Pray, Love and The Queen of Sleepy Eye

Just read: 2 short stories from In the Land of Dreamy Dreams by Ellen Gilchrist

Considered but rejected: The idea of beginning a short story forum in which collections of short stories are read and discussed. I simply don't have the time, as I'll be continuing to run back and forth between Mississippi and Oklahoma for a while. But I decided to go ahead and set up a short story blog for writing about the short stories I've read (those I feel compelled to talk about). I named it Put Your Shorts On. Ridiculous, but true.

Next review: Sway by Ori and Rom Brafman - the husband took it with him on the plane, so that's why I'm reviewing out of sequence.

Caught on film: My lizard buddy's girlfriend! She has the most glorious, long tail (and lovely orange-rimmed eyes). This isn't my best shot, but I wanted to show that terrific tail:

Wishing all and sundry a lovely, book-filled, relaxing weekend!

Bookfool, off to read another short story

Oh, no!!!

Look what I heard flapping around in the bottom of one of our trash cans!! A baby wren! Just to clarify, he was bogged down but still alive.

I tipped the trash can, he hopped out and an adult wren followed close behind. Baby Wren is under my car. I'm worried about him because we had a visit from Vampire Kitty, this morning. The garage is suddenly quiet -- no baby chirping in the nest! I'm hoping this guy doesn't come for another visit:

Wahoo! Wednesday: The Animal Episode

This is going to be a very text-light Wahoo! Wednesday because I made the mistake of standing in the shade to snap some photos and I can barely type for scratching the mosquito bites. My boy, above, has got a girlfriend! Wahoo for my favorite lizard! He finally attracted a nice, cute little female; I spotted her on his post for the first time, last evening. Way to go! Notice how happy he is? Here are a few bird photos taken this week. A bluejay:


Red-headed woodpecker :


Carolina wren #1 (on our back patio -- we've got a family nesting in our garage):


My favorite outdoor viewing game of choice: Squirrel Chase!!!

And, carolina wren #2 wahooing (actually, he was really hollering at a cat, but it's Wednesday and I can pretend if I want to) :

Wishing you many wahoos!

Bookfool, soaking up nature and paying for it.

Warning

I just realized how long that last post was. Sorry. I'll work on brevity. It's not a natural talent of mine.

Tuesday Twaddle, including buzzy things, a haiku and the weekend that was

Cactus:Son's new haircut:

Argh! The beautiful auburn curls with blond highlights are gone! I'm in mourning.

So, about that weekend. Remember I said I had an interesting weekend? Well, I was planning to drive to Oklahoma to work on getting my mother's house ready to sell. But, my friend Paula reminded me (as I was frantically cleaning and packing), "You know, there's no hurry." I took that to heart and gave myself an extra day to clean and pack. Then, I decided to add another day because I'm married to Mr. Chaos and any little bit helps. The cleaner the house, the less damage he can do (and I was really too tired to drive but that's another story). All of which left us with a Monday departure date.

Sunday morning, however, a vicious storm swept through Tulsa with 70 mile per hour winds. It knocked down trees, limbs and power lines. Of greatest interest to me: my beloved in-laws (with whom I planned to spend the night) lost their power. Had I decided to leave on Sunday, I would have run into the storm in Arkansas around mid-day and ended up in a house with no lights or air. So, we said, "Close call. Good thing about the delay." Always looking at the bright side, here. Then, my sister called to tell me not to bother coming till further notice because her husband had somehow managed to knock a hole in a water pipe at my mom's house. It's bad enough doing without power when it's hitting the 90's, but water? No way. I need my bath or I become seriously scary. So, I'm on hold. Sometimes procrastinating can be a good thing.

This means I get to hang out with my lizard buddies, keep cleaning up after my husband (really, I'm looking forward to a break from that), and listen to the buzzing tree. If you know what kind of tree this is, please illuminate me:

A few years ago, a nasty virus that devastated the European bees in the U.S. visibly caused a population drop of the little buzzers in our area. European bees make the best honey and I recall reading a few rather frantic articles describing how European bees were slowly coming back but mating with African bees, which are not the best honey producers in the world (and not very polite, either -- remember Killer Bees?). So, I was quite surprised, last week, when I stood under the tree and heard a sound that we haven't heard in quite a while -- a noise much like you'd expect from a hovering spaceship or, possibly, a horror movie. It truly sounded like the tree was preparing for departure.

The volume of that buzzing noise is really something; there were literally hundreds, possibly thousands of bees gathering pollen from the tree. The bees are back! And they were swarming all over those pollen shoots. For those who are afraid of stinging things -- no worries. They have absolutely no interest in chicks or dudes standing under the tree with pollen raining down upon their human heads. It's wild. But, I went inside, anyway, because it made me sneeze. I've noticed the bees are a little bizarre-looking; they have an orange spot on their bodies, rather than just the usual black and gold. So, maybe it's a cross-breed that I'm seeing, but it's still nice to see bees, again. I like honey, don't you?

In other news:

The husband says he doesn't like my new profile photo because it looks frighteningly like the real me -- a cross between a laugh and "I'm going to bite you." What a guy.

The electricians came! Two of them! They were cordial! And, more importantly, they fixed our problem, showed me a couple of burnt metal things and explained how lucky we were that the little zapping popping lightning storms that were caused by the metal arching and the electricity jumping to try to find a connection, scorching everything around them (i.e., the mini fires) stayed inside the power box. Actually, the one fellow was kind of stern when he explained it, but you know. I'm thrilled! Wahoo! I will definitely feel better about sleeping at night, now. Maybe that one should have been saved for Wahoo! Wednesday. Oh, well.

I have a favorite lizard. His tail was lopped off, a couple of weeks ago but it's growing back and he's out on his favorite metal post in the herb garden, displaying away. Why do I love him? He's absolutely not afraid of me. I can lean right down next to him and he'll just look at me as if to say, "Well, hi there, human!" He'll let me sit on the garden border and snap away with the camera. If I talk to him, he turns toward me but never skitters away. I think he might even let me pick him up if I so desire. But, no. I don't want to freak him out. He'll be featured in my wahoos, tomorrow.

A Haiku for the latest contest in the Southern Reading Challenge, allegedly an abbreviated description of The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen:

There's something in the closet
Someone on the floor
Magic and love in the air

The new piles from the library are so huge that I'm positively intimidated by them. How did I get them home? No wonder my bad shoulder hurts. I haven't managed to photograph the books, so you just get a list. I finished Sway, yesterday, and will review it as soon as I can. Huzzybuns is taking a turn reading it and then the eldest has next dibs, so it's a popular title with this family. Anyway, the new acquisitions:

Sway - Ori and Rom Brafman
Greetings from Bury Park - Sarfraz Manzoor
Atmospheric Disturbances - Rivka Galchen
The 4th of July - Peter de Bolla
The Story of a Marriage - Andrew Sean Greer
Final Theory - Mark Alpert
So Brave, Young and Handsome - Leif Enger
A Case of Exploding Mangoes - Mohammed Hanif
The Film Club - David Gilmour
The Boat - Nam Le
Unaccustomed Earth - Jhumpa Lahiri
Rattled - Debra Gallant
How the Soldier Repairs the Gramophone - Sasa Stanisic
The Messiah - Marek Halter
Sitting Practice - Caroline Adderson
Rabbit in the Moon - Deborah & Joel Shlian
Evening is the Whole Day - Preeta Samarasan
Sun Going Down - Jack Todd
Maybe a Miracle - Brian Strause
How to Be Single - Liz Tuccillo
Simplexity by Jeffrey Kluger
And there's another one that the kiddo is reading -- Grantville Gazette IV by Eric Flint

I know, ridiculous. But, I'm really, really enjoying them and so are the guys.

Random Simon moment:

My tea is cold, and the moon, anchored by the hopes and wishes of those abandoned souls churning their way home from the pub, has drifted deeper into the sky.

--from "Conception" in The Secret Lives of People in Love by Simon Van Booy

Kiddo took this picture through the window of the car, at my request. In light of yesterday's post (and given the similarities between America's current involvement overseas and Vietnam -- not a political creature, but even Mrs. Politically Stupid thinks she has this one figured out), I think it's especially meaningful:

Welcome home, Brad. I don't know you, but I'm glad you made it back. And, hang in there, Nikki.

Wishing all a safe and beautiful day,

Bookfool

Mrs. Lieutenant: A Sharon Gold Novel by Phyllis Zimbler Miller

Mrs. Lieutenant: A Sharon Gold Novel by Phyllis Zimbler Miller
www.booksurge.com
486 pages
Author's Website, here

What led you to pick up this book? I was asked to review some books for a June blog tour and Mrs. Lieutenant was one that I requested.

Summarize the plot but don't give away the ending. Four women from diverse backgrounds, each with a husband attending 6 weeks of officers' training school (Armor Officer Basic) at Fort Knox, Kentucky in the year 1970 must adjust to being the wives of officers who may end up serving in Vietnam. As they deal with their conflicting emotions, they also become a part of the community of officers' wives and learn to overcome their prejudices.

What did you like most about the book? I loved the fact that it's emotionally involving, sometimes intensely emotional. Three of the women were totally new to army life and one was an army brat; but, regardless of their backgrounds and histories, they all had to contend with the fear that their husbands might end up in Vietnam and they could become widows. They all each had their own concerns about fitting in and different issues to deal with on the home front. One had a pathologically jealous husband and lived in constant fear that her husband would blow up if she even said a word to another man. Sharon, the main character, was a Jew raised in Chicago. She was quite fearful that she'd be an outcast in the South.

What did you think of the characters? I liked them, although at times I found some of their worries baffling. There was a little bit of a forced attribute to the book -- the fact that there was a Jew, a black, a Puerto Rican and an uneducated Southerner in that little group of friends made it seem almost staged. And, yet, from my limited experience around military folks, I've found that there tends to be a fairly representative cross-section of backgrounds and races in the armed forces. In the 1970's, the friendship between such a diverse group of young women probably would have turned heads and that's the major point. Would it be possible for those four women, each raised with their own fears and prejudices, to forge a deep friendship?

Share a favorite scene from the book: Donna's flashback scene was the most moving and meaningful scene, for me. It was the first time I had to trudge off to get the tissues and set the book aside. The fact that it moved me to tears made it a favorite, though. I liked being emotionally involved with the characters. It would give too much away to say anything beyond the fact that Donna had suffered a horrible loss. But, I can say that all 4 women -- Sharon, Donna, Wendy and Kim -- spent the 6 weeks of officer training adjusting but also occasionally coming unglued from the fear of what might lie ahead. Donna's story moved me the most, but there were at least 5 times I had to close the book to wipe my eyes.

Thumbs up - Mrs. Lieutenant is an emotionally engaging book that gives readers a view into the other side of military life -- the wife's viewpoint. I particularly liked the way the author began each chapter with a quote from the news, followed by a quote from the rule book for military wives. The contrast was startling and really made you stop to think about how wives had to present themselves and follow their own strict rules of society while inside they were wrestling with emotion.

In general: There's nothing lyrical or beautiful about the writing in Mrs. Lieutenant, no flowery language, no lovely scenery. In fact, I'd describe the writing as pedestrian -- with almost a Hemingway-like abruptness to dialogue and prose. There are some grammatical errors and a few tense problems. But, it's a quick read and I didn't feel pulled away from the storyline by the writing style. It didn't stop me from caring about the characters or shedding tears when they were distraught.

If I was going to complain about anything at all, it would be the fact that the author didn't seem to have a depth of understanding about Southerners; vernacular should be avoided if you don't know the language. Beyond that, the book is about overcoming prejudices and misconceptions, dealing with the fear of what may come, learning a completely new way of life and banding together. That's what's important and I think the author did a pretty fine job of describing what it's like to be a military wife, thrown into a totally new place with no acquaintances while facing the terror of potentially saying goodbye to a husband.

Almost finished with: Sway by Ori and Rom Brafman

Later on: Babble about the weirdness of my weekend and the tree that sounds like it's going to take off

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
Released May 20, 2008
Bantam Fiction
276 pages

She looked over to the door and locked eyes with Jake. The force of it nearly knocked her over. As much as Julian could do, as much as he wanted to do, he could not affect her the way Jake could. It was the difference between a tickle and a punch.

Jake walked toward her, Adam on his heels. They got caught in the group of shiny women on their way. Walking through that group was like walking into a sudden dust devil. They emerged on the other side looking rumpled and windblown. [pp. 109-110]

"Books can be possessive, can't they? You're walking around in a bookstore and a certain one will jump out at you, like it had moved there on its own, just to get your attention. Sometimes what's inside will change your life, but sometimes you don't even have to read it. Sometimes it's a comfort just to have a book around. Many of these books haven't even had their spines cracked. 'Why do you buy books you don't even read?' our daughter asks us. That's like asking someone who lives alone why they bought a cat. For company, of course." [p. 180]

What led you to pick up this book? I loved Garden Spells, by the same author, and was fortunate (as in "Wow, this is like winning the lottery!" -- it's the simple things in life you treasure) to find an advanced reader copy of The Sugar Queen for free at my public library.

Summarize the plot but don't give away the ending. Josey Cirrini was a terrible brat, as a child and, at 27 years of age, is still trying to make up for her early years by caring for her elderly widowed mother, Margaret. More than anything, Josey desires to escape from the Bald Slope, North Carolina, where her wealth and her history are known to everyone. From a distance, Josey admires her handsome mailman, Adam, but she's not really allowed any social life and is totally inexperienced with men. To assuage her frustrations, she frequently hides in her closet and eats from her stash of candy and goodies. Then, one day she opens the closet and finds Della Lee Baker sitting on her closet floor. Shocked at first, Josey allows her to stay and even offers to bring her food. Della Lee sends Josey out for sandwiches from a shop at the courthouse. As Josey and shop owner Chloe Finley become friends, Josey slowly gets up the nerve to leave the house more often. There are quite a few threads that eventually interconnect and the story is really about three women whose lives are intertwined and who must all learn to be true to their own hearts.

What did you like most about the book? Golly, everything. It's just a lovely, heartwarming, witty, magical tale. I think the author has a way of creating incredibly warm characters with some sort of magical abilities. Chloe, for example, attracts books; they magically pop up nearby and even sometimes follow her around. Josey is a really nice person, much more of a social creature than she realizes after years of doing little but serving her bitter mother. She always senses the mailman's presence as he arrives at her house. The housekeeper is funny and charming with her superstitious ways and has her own special ability, which doesn't become clear until late in the book.

What did you think of the characters? Wonderful, wonderful characters. I felt like they all made sense in light of their pasts. The author has a way of making characters that are so likable that you can't help but think, "I just know I could be friends with that author if I knew her. I'll bet she's nice." Don't worry; I'm not a stalker.

Share a favorite scene from the book: I particularly loved the scenes in which Chloe was chased around by books like Finding Forgiveness. Chloe would tell them to just leave her alone, but then she'd walk into another room and whatever book wanted her attention would pop up, again. In one scene, an entire stack of books practically stalks her, inching their way into the bathroom.

Thumbs up - Absolutely enchanting. I love Sarah Addison Allen's writing.

In general: The author has officially become a personal favorite with this second delightful book.

Now reading:
Mrs. Lieutenant by Phyllis Zimbler Miller (just started!)
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (the second section isn't keeping my attention, but we'll see)
The Queen of Sleepy Eye by Patti Hill (crazy about this one, so far, and hope to find more reading time to spend with it, soon)

Oh, I almost forgot! Since The Sugar Queen is set in North Carolina (and so is the author -- I mean, she lives there), it qualifies as book #2 for the Southern Reading Challenge. Woohoo!

Tarnished Beauty by Cecilia Samartin

Tarnished Beauty by Cecilia Samartin (ARC)
Released March, 2008
Atria books - fiction
339 pages

When Carmen came home, she stood frozen in the doorway. The grocery bag she held in one hand slipped through her fingers and dropped to the floor with the unmistakable clunk of a six-pack. Her purse was the next to go.

"My God," she said, tugging on the loose flesh under her chin. "I didn't realize how big this place is." [p. 58]

Who can deny the beauty of the first days of spring, when tender buds begin to yield their secrets, and the sun spreads its glory across the land with unparalleled brilliance? I suppose there are some who when confronted with such beauty are not affected by it. The very same who happen upon the most spectacular of sunsets and continue their daily routines with little more than a glance. I am the sort who stops in my tracks to consider each subtle phase, every errant beam of light that dances across the sky. I am spellbound until the end, and so I was with Rosa. [p. 153]

T wo steaming cups of coffee, one with plenty of cream and sugar, were waiting at the bedside once the morning chores had been completed. The trays and clothes had been moved into the corridor and still needed to be taken downstairs, but the room was spotless and the linens on the bed crisp. Jamilet opened the window and midmorning sun stretched across the room like a soft golden arm, beckoning them to sit and meditate upon the warmth of its embrace.
[234]

What led you to pick up this book? Tarnished Beauty is an advanced reader that was sent to me by Simon & Schuster (thank you!).

Summarize the plot but don't give away the ending. Jamilet is a girl born in Mexico with a huge, ugly birthmark that villagers believe is the mark of the devil. Because of the mark, Jamilet must dress with extreme modesty and endure vicious taunts. She's unable to attend school because of the villagers' beliefs about her birthmark, yet she is a sweet, angelic girl. Eventually, Jamilet manages to cross the border, find her aunt in Los Angeles and obtain illegal documents. With her forged documents and the advice of a friend, Jamilet finds a job at a mental institution, caring for a single patient who calls himself Senor Peregrino. The nurse has warned Jamilet not to listen to Senor Peregrino's ramblings, at risk of losing her job, but when Peregrino saves Jamilet's life and hides the real documents that give away her true identity, Jamilet agrees to hear his story in return for her papers. As the story unfolds and Senor Peregrino eventually teaches her how to read, Jamilet realizes that she and Senor Peregrino have much in common and, in turn, learns how to follow her own heart.

What did you like most about the book? I loved the characters, the way the story is told (with Senor Peregrino telling his story, little bits at a time, when he feels like it), the contrast of beautiful descriptions with realistic dialogue, the relationships -- I really had a terrible time putting the book down, I liked it so much.

What did you think of the characters? You can't help but love Jamilet and Senor Peregrino. Jamilet's aunt Carmen is kind of bizarre and a little disgusting but hilarious. There's an excellent blend of characters.

Share a favorite scene from the book: I'm particular fond of a scene near the end of the book, when Jamilet puts all the pieces of Peregrino's story together and she finally stands up and does what she knows is right rather than what others desire of her.

Thumbs up - Completely captured me. I had so much difficulty putting the book down that it pretty much dominated my weekend. Definitely worth the time; I was particularly fond of the fact that there were likable, unlikable and dubious characters but they were all plain-spoken and easy to visualize. I loved the contrast of beautiful prose with blunt dialogue.

In general: Excellent reading. I did figure out the mystery of Senor Peregrino long before it was revealed and that was a bit of a let-down. But, otherwise, I was utterly captivated.

Tarnished Beauty was also reviewed by Kris at Not Enough Books.

Just Finished: The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

Just about to: Take a nap. I can't keep my eyes open. Hope everyone has a terrific day!

Wahoo! Wednesday

I really need my wahoos, this week. The lights are still flickering in our house and now it's gotten to the point that we often hear fizzing, popping, crackling noises. The refrigerator goes off and on, the computer monitors blink, the light bulbs are more lightning than light. Scary.

So, wahoo #1 -- Wahoo! for the fact that the electricity problem hasn't killed us, yet. Might want to follow that one up with a request for crossed fingers and prayers till we find an electrician.

2. It rained cats and dogs, this morning, and I had to drive on Interstate 20 to Jackson in a deluge. It was just a wee bit bracing. Fortunately, all went well apart from one brief moment during which an 18-wheeler passed me and I was temporarily blinded by the splash he generated. Well, wahoo! for making it home in one piece.

3. You can't help but love this wahoo if you're a bibliophile (and which of you is not?) . . . Wahoo! for that ARC giveaway at the library. Oh, oh, oh, oh!! I'm so excited to have a fresh, pretty pile. I'll have to take some photos, soon. Both hubby and I are having fun with the new books. But, my most thrilling find on those library carts -- and, I'm telling you, it is such a lucky thing that I held that wahoo noise in because they would have kicked me out faster than you can say, "Gosh, look at the greedy book pig" -- is The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen. Garden Spells was one of my favorite reads, last year, so I've been just salivating at the thought of another luscious read by the same author, ever since a friend told me she'd received an advanced reader. You have never seen an arm move as fast as that motion I made to snatch The Sugar Queen off the FREE books cart.

4. Wahoo! for new life. I meant to mention this little guy, whom I plunked into my sidebar, last week, but then events intervened. Gah, small-town weirdness that I can't talk about, but it's mostly over. Anyway, I was standing out on our driveway, one day (I do that a lot, just watching the birds) and a mockingbird was dive-bombing Gray Kitty, the cat whose image I've just turned into my new profile photo. Naturally, I started to think, "Hmm, maybe there's a nest, nearby." The next day, when I was outside I noticed a nest in a big green thing -- which is either a big shrub or a small tree; honestly, I can't tell. It's just fat and leafy. And, there was a whole lot of tweeting going on. So, I walked across the street and saw this little fellow hanging out of the nest. Up above on the wire was either Mama or Daddy Mockingbird with a mouthful of blackberry. What an awesome sight. Look at that cute, downy little head!!!! And here's Mama or Daddy:5. I signed a contract with a roofer, last week. I told my husband the roofer is very soft-spoken and likable and he has these nice little smile crinkles around his eyes, but I have no idea whether he's any good at replacing a roof. My husband just laughed. So, you know, wahoo! for having a husband who trusts me and thinks I'm kind of funny. I think I'd probably drive most men crazy, so that's a biggie.

In other bookish news . . .

I had this overwhelming need to actually buy a new book, over the weekend, and The Blood of Flowers has been on my wish list for quite a while, so I grabbed that one on a jaunt to Borders. I have no idea when I'll actually read it, but it's very pretty and comes highly recommended.

And from our library's perpetual sale, I got a copy of Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner. Squeee! I've had that one on the wish list forever -- like, years. Again, when I'll get to it is anyone's guess, but I'm happy to own a copy. I love Stegner.

I was also thrilled to see a message saying I've won a copy of The Used World by Haven Kimmel from This Book for Free. I've been planning to give her fiction a try and that'll make it easy. Many thanks to Shoshana!

Wishing everyone a deluge of wahoos,

Bookfool, aka That Greedy Book Pig