Live Big! by Katie Brazelton (sneak peek)

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Katie Brazelton

and the book:

Live Big! 10 Life Coaching Tips for Living Large, Passionate Dreams

Howard Books; Original edition (February 2, 2010)

***Special thanks to Blythe Daniel of The Blythe Daniel Agency, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Katie Brazelton, Ph.D., M.Div., M.A., is a life coach and bestselling author. She is the founder of Life Purpose Coaching Centers International, which trains Christians worldwide to become Life Purpose Coach professionals and assist others to discover and fulfill God’s plan for their lives. Dr. Brazelton was formerly a licensed minister and director of women’s Bible studies at Saddleback Church and now is a professor at Rockbridge Seminary. She lives in Southern California and has two children and two grandchildren. She is the author of the bestselling series Pathway to Purpose for Women and Character Makeover: 40 Days with a Life Coach to Create the Best You.

Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Howard Books; Original edition (February 2, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1439135606
ISBN-13: 978-1439135600

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Introduction

Imagine that you and I are being pampered in first class, relaxing comfortably on an afternoon flight to your favorite world-class resort. As we gaze out the airplane window, it seems as though we're floating through an endless sea of marshmallow clouds, soaring together through the heavens. Up here, dreams somehow seem crystal clear. I think it's because we can pretend we've risen above the rough, mountainous terrain of life and can look down on our hills and valleys, seeing events from a fresh perspective.

From this bird's-eye view, glance down at what is below: your daily routine, closest relationships, untapped potential, and countless opportunities. Let this vantage point help you set your sights on a passionate megadream and an inspiring hope for the future!

I would not dare to author a book on such an important topic as Living Big without practicing what I preach. So, as I write this, I am on a flight to Hawaii (I wish it were first class) for an extended stay to consider living there indefinitely. I was raised in Hawaii and the Marshall Islands in a navy family, so the tropical breeze has always been alluring to me. Might this be where I will plant another Life Purpose Coaching Center...or find the time to launch my long-dreamed-of radio show...or finish this book? I don't know the answers to those questions, but I do know that I can't fail, because this is simply an experiment, with memories waiting to be made. I'm not going to rush the process or force a decision, only enjoy the journey to yea or nay. There is no right or wrong way to dream.

Well, actually, I do believe there's one wrong way, and that is to let the dream stagnate without taking any action!

I am embarking on this time of exploration because I am in a new season of my life, formally ending two decades of single parenting. My son recently accepted an out-of-state job promotion, taking his sweet wife and my two young grandsons with him. Shortly thereafter, my daughter announced her engagement, which means she, too, will be moving away from our home area. In the blink of an eye, without my permission, I have been thrust into a new chapter of my life. On one hand, I am sad and fearful. On the other hand, now I have no more excuses for not doing whatever I want, which is another way of saying "whatever I feel God is calling me to do next."

I am operating in a spirit of supersized living right now, and not just because I may soon be draped in large muumuus, walking barefoot to the local market to buy macadamia-nut chocolates, and blatantly enticing my family with extended holiday vacations in paradise.

Dreaming in high definition and surround sound -- and then taking appropriate steps to live those dreams -- is what this book is all about. You may not have a burning desire to move to a distant land, but what do you want out of life? Are you a student anxiously finishing college? A young mom who's busy raising twins? An overseas missionary on a brand-new assignment? A career woman vying for an enviable position? A widow with only a few pressing obligations? Regardless of your role in life, you and I have a few things in common:

- We love to dream.

- God designed us to dream.

- And there's no day like today to start discovering God's best!

I need you to know that I'm not so far up in the clouds that I am unaware of your everyday realities. Life has prepared me well to be your Life Coach. I have a testimony of brokenness, and I'm honored to help you dream. Check out what I call "My 7 Big D's" -- events that shaped me for nearly twenty years.

My 7 Big D's

1982 Barely survived a serious, four-month depression.

1986 Devastated by a totally unexpected divorce.

1988 Confused about having to rewrite my doctoral dissertation.

1990 Deeply saddened by the death of my exhusband.

1991 Angered by a corporate downsizing, which left me laid off just days after buying a home.

1993 Terrified by a dating incident.

2001 Shocked by the death of my dream when my first book contract was canceled due to budget cuts after 9/11.

What does this list tell you, other than that I must have built up a lot of stamina by now? It says that you can trust me to understand what you're going through and to tell it like it is when I coach you -- without skirting around the issues. I care deeply about making sure you don't get stuck in the quagmire of life, as I did too many times.

These chapters will take you on a journey to find what you're really jazzed about -- what makes you smile, laugh, play, sing, and dance. It's time to daydream about the adventure God has in store for you!

Amos 4:13 tells us that God reveals His thoughts to us: "He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mortals, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth -- the Lord God Almighty is his name." We want to do whatever it takes to be ready for that revelation.

As your Life Coach, I will come alongside you like a Barnabas (a name that Acts 4:36 tells us means "son of encouragement"). We will enjoy life-changing chats about you, stealing precious moments within your hectic schedule. I know how hard it is for you to find time for a conversation about your legacy, your destiny, your divine urge. As you are able to sneak away from your daily routine, it will be my job and my joy to sit with you and draw out of you the distinct calling God laid on your heart eons ago, before you were ever born. And then, equally important, we will put baby steps in place to help you live out your exciting, God-designed purpose, which has long been the desire in your soul even if it has lain dormant.

This book is loaded with modern, true stories of everyday saints, Bible character parallels, inspirational quotes, some of my favorite Scripture verses, heartfelt prayers, ten coaching tips, forty action steps, reflection questions, and practical exercises with sample answers from my own life to trigger your thinking. (Don't miss the Web downloads, too, which are my special gift to you!) You will hear from real women -- students, wives, mothers, a widow, career women, church staff members -- who all have tremendous testimonies to share. I urge you to break all of the normal book-reading rules and jump into the chapters in any sequence you please. Did you know that doing the unexpected can change your perspective, which will then cause you to see your world through new eyes?

I've chosen these particular topics for us to explore in detail as we discover what it takes to Live Big!

1. Face Your Fears

2. Learn to Exhale

3. Honor Your Deepest Longings

4. Don't Ever Give Up

5. Use Your Past for Good

6. Expect Miracles

7. Forgive Someone

8. Eat Dessert First

9. Ask Jesus for Vision

10. Capture Your Live Big! Dream

I can't help but think: If only someone had told me that! or Why didn't I learn that in school? Frankly, I feel there ought to be a law mandating that schools teach us to be tenacious, forgiving, and courageous. We need classes at church that help us reach for our dreams, expect miracles, focus forward, and breathe calmly through adversity. But most important, we must learn how to play and to stop taking ourselves so seriously and to start cherishing God's incredibly specific plan for our lives. In this way, we address the habits that help us attract or sabotage God's boldest wishes for us.

Each of the ten coaching tips will give you a broader, richer understanding of how to run and finish the race well.

You probably picked up this book because you want to travel boldly down the path to purpose and fulfillment, yet perhaps you've lost sight of your dreams, hopes, and longings -- possibly because of regrets, exhaustion, stubbornness, fears, sins, and so on. We're all burdened with something. You want to bring glory to God with your life, but you may be carrying such a heavy weight of boredom, loneliness, doubt, pride, and/or hopelessness that you've forgotten how to unleash your creativity. The biblical perspective in this book will help you hear God's promptings more clearly and act on them with pure joy.

I encourage you to dream big dreams during this eyeopening, heart-pounding quest. Let me share with you forty proven, incremental steps that I personally have used for years and have coached my clients through -- action steps that will help you to live a significance-filled life. God will be honored, and you will be blessed. You will find yourself empowered beyond your wildest imagination as you Live Big!

Will you take your first small step today?

Three DNF's and Why Bookfool Abandoned Them

Sometimes a book will grab you and sometimes the timing is just wrong or the book is not right for you; that's a fact of life for readers. I wouldn't want anyone to assume a book is awful and avoid it merely because Bookfool chose to set the book aside, hence the occasional DNF post. I'll tell you why these books didn't work for me, whether or not I'll give them a second chance and who I think might enjoy them.

Stormy Weather by Paulette Jiles

Kailana and I were planning to buddy read Stormy Weather, but she misplaced her book and by the time she came to the conclusion that it was hopelessly lost (or at least lost enough that she wasn't going to catch up with me), I was about 100 pages into the book and vaguely bored.

Stormy Weather

is historical fiction set during the Great Depression. Elizabeth Stoddard and her three girls are forced into an itinerant lifestyle as husband Jack drifts from town to town working the oil wells, driving trucks, drinking and gambling. Wherever they go, Elizabeth does her best to make even the worst hovels livable and young Jeanine, the toughest of the three girls, makes sure her drunken father arrives home safely . . . until tragedy strikes.

Forced to move home to the family farm, Elizabeth and the girls find the land dried up and the house a wreck. They are already well acquainted with sacrifice and creative economy (that's one thing I loved -- Jeanine has a dress made from flour sacks . . . or maybe it's sugar sacks, but the point is that they're very creative about survival).

Shortly after their return to the farm, I stopped reading. There were more challenges ahead for the Stoddard girls as the dust storms had not yet arrived. Yes, I had trouble getting into the book; but, I managed to read about 100 pages and I think at another time I might really enjoy this story. In fact, just picking it up to remind myself what it's about, I felt a little tempted to open it back up; but, I've got three books going so I'll wait. I liked the characters, the setting and the storyline. I'm not sure why the book didn't grab me but I will definitely give it a second go and I'd recommend it especially to people who like more recent historical fiction and don't mind a bit of Texas dailect. I speak Texan just fine, so I had no problem with the dialogue.

Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther by Ginger Garrett

As the title indicates, Chosen is written in diary format, complete with news articles to make it look as if the biblical Esther's diaries are the big news story of the decade, discovered and translated to great excitement. I love the story of Esther, a young Jewish woman who was chosen to marry a Persian king because of her beauty and risked her life to prevent genocide. So I was really looking forward to a fictional account of her life.

I only made it to page 58 and had to push myself to get that far. From the beginning, I felt uncomfortable with the the fake news articles and the style of Esther's diary entries, which is very modern. The author has chosen to portray Esther as a young girl in love with a boy named Cyrus and therefore it's part of her "Lost Loves" series; obviously, Esther won't end up with Cyrus. We already know she'll marry King Xerxes.

What did I expect?

Gosh, no idea. I guess I thought Esther (also known as Hadassah, her given Jewish name) would be a typical young girl, keeping house for her cousin, Mordecai, who kindly took her in after she was orphaned. I expected her to be hard-working and quietly faithful to the Jewish religion and then frightened when forced to become one of the king's wives. I presumed she would slowly grow in courage and strength with the help of Mordecai.

Instead, Esther worked at a booth in the market and had, I thought, a bit of modern sensibility. She bemoaned her place in society as a female, longed for Cyrus, stole kisses without worrying about the possibility of being publicly stoned. The story was just too far removed from my own personal image of Esther. I can't say other people would feel that way, so if you enjoy a tale told in diary format and don't mind a story from the Bible (which obviously must be heavily fictionalized to be expanded to novel length) told in a very modern style, this might be the book for you.

I do not plan to give it a second chance. Chosen simply didn't work for me. Had it been written in a slightly more formal style and without the frequent comments about being a girl in a man's world, I might have been okay with the book. The promotional info does call it a "contemporary account" but Chosen is much more modern than I anticipated.

Holly of Two Kids and Tired Book Reviews liked Chosen. See Holly's book review of Chosen, here. Thanks to Audra Jennings and B & B Media for my review copy. I will pass it on to my church family.

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

WWII is one of my favorite time periods in both fiction and non-fiction reading. I was extremely excited about The Postmistress and jumped at a chance to review the book. I only made it to about page 18. From the beginning I disliked the writing, which is a bit dreamy and overwrought, in my humble opinion. But, honestly? I don't think I gave it a decent chance. A single sentence stopped me in my tracks:

The bus churtled past the stark lines of the shingled roofs triangling into the September evening.

Seriously, that's a crappy sentence. I was stumped, though. You never know -- a book that starts off badly can improve. Just in case, I asked for opinions on Twitter. The reviews were mixed. Several folks said they either couldn't finish or regretted wasting their time, but others loved The Postmistress and one gave me a link to her review. The quote she used for her review was the kind of "you were there" quote (with terrific action as bombs were falling) that I love.

I think WWII and, again, historical fiction fans who are fine with a more recent time period are the most likely to enjoy this book but it sounds like The Postmistress has gotten very polarized reviews. I'd advise those who are interested to flip through a copy at the store or library and read some passages to get an idea whether or not it's a good fit before buying. I am definitely going to give this book a second chance. If it still doesn't work for me, I won't say anything further, but if I enjoy it on the next try I will write a full review.

The other book I mentioned not finishing, in a recent post (Live Big!), is a FirstWild tour book and the preview chapter is scheduled for Friday. I'll write my DNF post and schedule it for the same day to coincide with the sneak peek post.

What else is new in the (very small, heavily rural, extremely green) city besides that lush, jungle look?

Fiona got her second round of shots, today, and she did very well. She's feeling fine, active as ever, but she did try to climb up over my shoulder and down my back to get away from that mean man who kept sticking her with needles. The vet said it's the feline leukemia shot that tends to really flatten some kitties and that was one of last week's shots. Wahoo for that!

On a personal level, we have had some interesting challenges within our family and we're still dealing with trouble with the water pipe backing up in the utility area. But, we're all feeling rather zen at the moment. Husband has removed a chunk of wall board (molded, ugh) and is trying one last method to clear the lines. If it doesn't work, I guess we'll go for a plumber or a roto-rooter guy. The washing machine does seem to be working, though. That's another wahoo.

What's up in your world?

The Founding by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

The Founding by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Copyright 2010 - Sourcebooks
Originally Published in 1980
Historical Fiction - 539 pages

Eleanor Courtney is a ward of the influential Beaufort family when The Founding opens. She's beyond the normal marrying age and has assumed that she'll likely never marry, although if she had her choice she would marry the dashing Richard, Duke of York, with whom she's shared a single kiss.

When a marriage is arranged between Eleanor and the son of a wealthy Yorkshire sheep farmer, Eleanor is horrified but sets about making a decent home for herself and Robert Morland. They are dreadfully ill-matched and her father-in-law is a headstrong, sometimes bullying man; the wealth he has accumulated gives him a great deal of power over everyone, including his meek son. Eleanor grimly prepares to do her duty as a wife, to bear an heir and do as she's told. Yorkshire is foreign land to her and she longs for home.

Yet, with the help of her two faithful servants, Job and Gaby, she's able to build a beautiful garden retreat where music and quiet friendship help her to bear her new world. As she settles in, Eleanor shows herself to be a woman of unexpected strength, powerful influence and business savvy. Throughout bloody battles that force the Morlands to take sides and arguments over land with dangerous neighbors, through plague and prosperity, love and loss, Eleanor and her family become the cornerstone of a dynasty.

The Founding, set in the 15th century but written in an accessible modern style, was originally intended to be a single, stand-alone novel but was so well accepted that the author chose to make it the beginning of a series and has continued to write over 20 novels spanning hundreds of years. The Founding covers Eleanor's lifetime and reminds me of a comment that a romance writer once made about why Danielle Steel's novels sell, even though most people agree she's not a very good writer: "Stuff happens." That's certainly true of The Founding, although Harrod-Eagles is a writer of depth and style. The characterization and plotting are stunning.

Eleanor is an indomitable character, fiercely protective of her family and determined to continue expanding their wealth both through the sheep trade, which eventually expands by several levels, and through carefully-chosen marriage partners for her children. She doesn't always win. At times, the family must shift its allegiance and the children don't necessarily cooperate when it comes to the marriage game. There are tragic deaths and exciting moments with kings and queens, battles and romance. The Morlands are a fictional family but their story is seamlessly blended with events of the time so the reader gets a firm sense of time and place.

4.5/5 - Honestly, I probably shouldn't take off a half point because there is nothing I can criticize at all about this book. The characterization, historical setting, plot and action are amazing. I got so caught up with the family that I cried when two of my favorite characters died. The only reason I'm not giving it a 5/5 is that The Founding is not necessarily a book I would call an all-time favorite, wonderful as it is.

I'm thrilled to know that the series goes on practically forever. There are 28 more titles listed and I've been told the series continues up to 1917 -- hundreds of years of expansion from this family's crude beginnings as sheep farmers. I will definitely continue reading this series, although it'll probably take me at least a dozen years to get through them.

I'm not planning to review that long list of books I mentioned on Sunday in any specific order, but I found another DNF, so I'll do a DNF post with three books (balance!) and plan to have a children's day, soon, and post about a couple of books that relate to Earth Day on Thursday. Don't hold me to any of that. My life is crazy. There are men putting together an entertainment center in my den, as I write. Would you believe, we've never had an actual entertainment center, before? We've had TV stands and a crude wooden contraption that I'm pretty sure was made from a set of bunk beds (not attractive, but definitely functional). At this point, I'm looking at the thing and thinking, "Um. Will it fit?" Big pieces, small house.

Fiona is supervising. Go Fiona. I'd better check to make sure she's not getting in the way. Happy Tuesday!

Sunday Mississippi Mud Pie - Sort of a messy thing, actually

I'd take a photo of the Mississippi mud pie in my fridge but it's half-eaten and kind of gooey-looking, so you get the closest thing I could find:

Just try looking for images of that stuff. No two seem to look alike. Wild.

So . . . how on earth does Mississippi mud pie relate to reading? Well . . . maybe not so much reading as life. It's been a messy couple of weeks for us. But, first, let's talk books.

I've fallen way behind on reviews and DNF posts, lately, and I love the way Brittanie regularly updates her blog with a list of books she's read but still needs to review, etc. Hopefully, she won't mind if I do something similar.

Recently abandoned:

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther by Ginger Garrett

Live Big!: 10 Life Coaching Tips for Living Large, Passionate Dreams by Katie Brazelton

Do not ask me why the spacing gods have messed with this section -- I just don't get it. I will write separate DNF posts on these three books, primarily because one is a tour book and if I write a post with an even number of book reviews, it'll throw off your inner balance. I wouldn't want to do that to you. No, no. Not me. Not ever.

Finished and need to review:

The House With a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs
The Founding by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott (I'll review this one at the first of May)
I'll Mature When I'm Dead by Dave Barry (also a May release)
Storylines by Croft & Pilavachi
Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell
Winging It by Jenny Gardiner
College in a Nutskull by Anders Hendriksson

Wow, that's a big list. Very seldom do I fall more than 2 book reviews behind, so that kind of shows you how crazy my life has been, lately. I'll do my best to catch up. Remind me to work on brevity. That should help.

Currently reading:

The Lunatic Express by Carl Hoffman - I am really enjoying this book! It's a travelogue written by a man who regularly works as a travel writer. After mulling what he could do to shake himself out a mid-life crisis, he decided to visit places where people use really dangerous modes of transportation because they have no choice in order to experience travel the way most of the world does it -- not for fun, but by necessity. I love to read about people doing things I'm too chicken to attempt, myself.

Dead End Gene Pool by Wendy Burden - I took this out of the sidebar because I'm focusing on The Lunatic Express and realized I don't need to have Dead-End Gene Pool finished till mid-May (oops, calendar faux pas). Whenever I get the chance, though, I will continue to pick it up and read a little. Another memoir, this time by a descendant of the Vanderbilts with a great sense of humor.

The Secret Lives of People in Love by Simon Van Booy - Yes, again! 4th time. I will tease you a bit, here. I picked up The Secret Lives of People in Love and began reading it after finishing a book that made me very, very angry. I knew Simon would help me recover, so to speak. I'll be reviewing the unnamed book, this week (don't want you to just see "angry" with "Bookfool" and a title, without an explanation included).

I've had to spend some time pondering how to review the unnamed book without jumping all over the author because I just don't think any author deserves the full force of my wrath -- and, I'm sure there are people who would enjoy reading the book. But, when I closed it, I was so upset that I couldn't think of a single positive thing to say. Former blogger Kookie has helped me to gain some perspective. The review will be generally negative but I'll mention who I think might enjoy it. Simon's writing, of course, has also helped me to calm down and see reason (and think of soothing things like rolling hills with sheep).

About to start reading:

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan - for a buddy review with Kailana! John Green!!! Buddy review!!! Squeeeee!

Just purchased:

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev - because I felt like it.

And, why has Bookfool's life been like a Mississippi Mud Pie?

Everything in this blankety-blank house seems to be breaking. First, the dryer kicked the bucket -- abruptly, so that we had no warning and were left without a dryer for two weeks. Our gorgeous, cherry-red dryer arrived and we began washing . . . and the pipes started to back up. So, we've literally had to stand beside the washer and turn it off when the glug-glug noise begins and the water starts bubbling up. So far, husband has attempted three different pipe-clearing options. And, the washer has also been kind of acting funny so we're not sure but there may have to be a cherry-red washer in our future. What the heck. It's just money. Who needs to eat? Oh, and did I mention that we were in the process of repainting the kitchen to prepare for reflooring it (because the last flooring was a disaster) when the dryer sidelined us? And, the garbage disposal seems to have a broken tooth? [silent scream]

Whining ceases, here.

Enough about my life. I will try very diligently to remain focused, get some reviews and DNF posts written and not weigh you down with my whining for the rest of the week. Slap me down if I fail, please. Hope everyone has had a great weekend!!!! I mean it!!! Tell me what's wonderful in your life. I could use an upper.

Fiona Friday

This was a hard week for Little Fi, as she had 2 out of 4 of her booster shots (guess what's in store for next week?). She had a bad reaction the first time she got shots so this time she got the painkiller chaser. It's been a slightly lazy week and I didn't like this week's photos. I've chosen an "older" one. Not that we go very far back. My little girl is up to 7.1 pounds! She's growing so fast!!

The kitty in the new header is neighborhood cat Slim (aka "Vampire Kitty"), the same boy who stars at the bottom of my blog. I may change that footer pic, soon. He's been down there for at least 2 years.

Power Praise Moves DVD - Sneak Peek & Review

My review of this DVD is at the bottom of the post. I think you can get the best idea of what the DVD is like by watching the excerpt included. This is a "Christian alternative to yoga", which sounds a little bizarre but the idea is to avoid doing Hindu poses. My opinion on that is below.

Today's Wild Card author is:

Laurette Willis

and the book:

Power PraiseMoves™ DVD

December 1, 2009

***Special thanks to David P. Bartlett - Print & Internet Publicist - Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laurette Willis, the founder of PraiseMoves®, is a Women’s Fitness Specialist and certified personal trainer, as well as a popular keynote speaker and an award-winning actor and playwright. She has produced the videos PraiseMoves™ and 20-Minute PraiseMoves™ and written BASIC Steps to Godly Fitness.


Visit the author's website.


Product Details:

List Price: $16.99
Actors: Laurette Willis
Directors: Josh Atkinson
Format: NTSC
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: CT Videography
DVD Release Date: December 1, 2009
Run Time: 120 minutes
ASIN: 0736928456

AND NOW...A SAMPLE OF THE VIDEO:




I always watch exercise videos through before actually trying them out, so I sat and watched the DVD after two days of working out on my treadmill and actually haven't done the workout, yet. While I think it's best to watch the excerpt to formulate your own opinion, the basic idea is that yoga is based on Hindu moves and Laurette Willis created a Christian version that gives you the same benefits but renames the moves (it's been a while since I've done yoga; I can't say if any of the moves are altered), with piano music that sounds very much like soft church music and occasional Bible verses.

My opinion: Parts of this video are a little slow, but there are some moves that definitely look difficult. I tend to enjoy really pushing myself; I've done Power Yoga and liked the fact that it doesn't put me to sleep. There have been times that I've had a problem with a bad hip or a stiff neck and have had to switch my exercise program to easier, stretchier workouts (I actually have a workout video for "people in pain"). I think there's a little of both in this workout -- something gentle but strengthening and very, very relaxing and some parts where you can really push yourself. As with yoga, the workout instructor talks about breathing and posture.

The sensation that you're using your exercise time to praise God is really pretty cool. It gave me the same "refreshed" feeling, just watching the video, that you can get from attending church services. Do I think regular yoga is "spiritually dangerous" because it uses Hindu poses? No, I do not. If you're just doing yoga to exercise, I simply don't see the harm in it unless the instructor is guiding you to worship Hindu gods, which is not something I've ever seen. While I don't necessarily agree that doing ancient poses is spiritually dangerous to non-Hindus, I will say I really like the idea of the double-whammy involved -- spending time focusing on God and scripture while getting a workout.

The instructor has a really soft, soothing voice. If there's one thing I can't stand it's having someone bark at you on a workout video, so that's also nice. I did find the pose names a little odd ("Flapping Tent", "Pulling up the Flaps", " The Altar") but let's face it . . . "Downward-facing Dog" and "Half Lord of the Fishes" are kind of weird, too.

Although I haven't done the workout yet, I do plan to use the video. If there's anything I find worth mentioning after using the workout tape, I'll come back and mention it at the blog. In the meantime, I like what I saw and particularly recommend it to Christians who like the idea of getting a varied yoga-type workout with the extra benefit of having some quiet time with God.

The Secret Holocaust Diaries by Nonna Bannister (review)

The Secret Holocaust Diaries
by Nonna Bannister with D. George & C. Tomlin
Copyright 2009
Tyndale - Nonfiction/Memoir, incl. photos, documents and glossary
298 pages

The Secret Holocaust Diaries is a book in that contains the diaries of a young woman who was taken from Russia to Germany to work in a labor camp during WWII. But, in addition to the diaries that Nonna kept hidden away for decades as she kept her past secret, even from her husband, there are poems that she wrote and a lengthy history about her family and early experiences that give the reader a depth of understanding that's often abbreviated or lacking in personal accounts of the Holocaust. It's such a deeply personal diary that the introduction had me in tears!

The book opens up with the train trip to Germany. Nonna and her mother Anna were packed into cattle cars but, unlike the Jews who were also transported in that manner, they were fed and allowed to go into the woods for bathroom breaks. During their trip to Germany, several horrifying experiences gave Nonna a hint of what was in store for them and one particular tragedy eventually led to the death of her mother, Anna, years later. That's a spoiler, so I won't tell you the details but I will say The Secret Holocaust Diaries is an amazing book.

After the description of their train ride, Nonna goes backward in time and describes her family history. She came from a wealthy family with mills, workers and large houses spread across Russia (I think the correct number is seven mills, but don't quote me on that). Her mother and mother's siblings were accustomed to moving from house to house and because of their frequent moves they were born in different cities. Nonna's grandfather was in the Tsar's Imperial Guard and was brutally murdered at the beginning of the Bolshevik Revolution. For the family's safety, Nonna's grandmother moved with her 6 children to their Ukrainian mill and its large house, which was farthest from Moscow and, she hoped, safe from the violence.

It was a good move. The family grew up happy but kept their beliefs quiet -- both political beliefs during the revolution and religious beliefs after the churches were closed. Nonna's mother married a Polish man who also kept his origins secret and they lived in various homes near the Black Sea. Even during the Depression and as WWII broke out, they lived very well. But eventually their situation deteriorated and they moved back to her grandmother's Ukrainian home. Not long after, the Nazis arrived.

Most Russians were evacuated by train as the Nazis approached, but Nonna's family refused to leave and they lived in tremendous hardship during the occupation, knowing that they'd be equally abused by returning Russians and thought traitors if the war turned in their favor. It was during this time that Nonna's family began to crumble. Again, I think that's a bit of a spoiler, but in the end, Nonna was the only survivor.

Nonna's father was a linguist who began to teach her languages when she was quite young and it was her knowledge of a variety of languages coupled with the fact that she'd learned to keep certain information quiet that eventually saved her.

I couldn't put this book down till I finished it, which meant an all-nighter. I always find the stories of Holocaust survival amazing, but The Secret Holocaust Diaries is a little unusual in that Nonna lived in work camps at times, but she was never in a concentration camp -- and yet she still suffered terribly. It's quite a bit different from most of the Holocaust tales I've read. I was particularly amazed at the ingenuity of Nonna's mother and grandmother.

For example, during a time when they lived in occupied territory, there were no mills in operation because the Russians had blown up all the mills to keep the Nazis from using them. Nonna's mother created her own miniature mill using two buckets, one inside the other. Nails poked through the buckets served as the grinder when the buckets were twisted with wheat between them. The wheat and chaff were separated by hand prior to grinding and then the ground wheat was boiled for hours to make a kind of creamed wheat cereal. This is the kind of thing I think we've lost in modern days, the ingenuity to survive on basics if necessary.

5/5 - An utterly fascinating true tale of a young lady who grew up privileged, only to see everything and everone she loved eventually taken away. The writing is a tiny bit awkward at times, simply because English was the last of the 7 languages Nonna learned but it's rounded out and clarified with occasional notes inserted by the two women who helped put the book into readable form: Denise George and Carolyn Tomlin. Highly recommended.

In other news:

We had quite a wild week, last week, as we're painting walls in preparation for flooring our kitchen and utility area . . . and in the midst of this mess, our dryer died. So, we had kitchen things (the breakfast table and some free-standing cabinets, plus the contents of the shelves) crammed into our tiny living/dining area and dirty laundry piled anywhere we could find space to sort. We have no basement in which to toss things during upheavals, thanks to our clay soil.

What a mess! The new dryer will arrive Friday. In the meantime, Traveling Huzzybuns keeps leaving town. So, the week I expected us to paint and put down flooring in lieu of a family vacation was interrupted by 3 days without the muscle man and a bunch of time tripping over dirty clothing.

I reacted as any good reader does. I holed up in a corner and read, when I wasn't hanging out with the kiddo. It's awfully hard to get much else done when you have no room to manuever. Fortunately, things are improving. Huz cleaned up his mess in the kitchen as much as possible and ran some clothing to the laundromat to dry, then I folded while watching episodes of Burn Notice. Kiddo is back at school, so the job of the day will be clearing off the dining table -- also known as "Kiddo's work table" because that's where he does his school work.

Fortunately, our Little Fi has kept us in stitches. She is by far the most active, funniest, feistiest and smartest kitty I've ever met. If she has trouble licking up those last few bites of canned food in her bowl, she just sticks her paw into the bowl and uses it like a fork, snatching up a bite and eating it off her paw. Someday, I've got to try to get a picture of her eating with her paw.

Just walked in:

Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloester

Recent purchases that I bought mostly because I could not bear living without the new album by NewWorldSon (look up "In Your Arms" on YouTube -- their homage to the 60s -- if you're looking for a fun, upbeat song that's great for dancing or running):

Solar by Ian McEwan - because I heard it's funny (always good, in my opinion) and about global warming (yes, I believe in climate change)

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan - John Green. 'Nuff said.

How was your weekend?

The Secret Holocaust Diaries by Nonna Bannister (sneak peek)

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Nonna Bannister

and the book:

The Secret Holocaust Diaries: The Untold Story of Nonna Bannister

Tyndale House Publishers (March 4, 2010)

***Special thanks to Vicky Lynch of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nonna Bannister was a young girl when World War II broke into her happy life. She went from an idyllic early-twentieth-century Russian childhood, full of love and comforts, to the life of a prisoner working in labor camps—though she was not a Jew—eventually bereft of her entire family. But she survived the war armed with the faith in God her grandmother taught her and a readiness to start a new life. She immigrated to America, married, and started a family, keeping her past secret from everyone. Though she had carried from Germany the scraps of a diary and various photographs and other memorabilia, she kept it all hidden and would only take it out, years later, to translate and expand her writings. After decades of marriage, Nonna finally shared her secret with her husband . . . and now he is sharing it with the world. Nonna died on August 15, 2004.

Visit the author's website.



Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (March 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414325479
ISBN-13: 978-1414325477

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap

Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap
Copyright 2010
Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers
Historical Fiction/YA
333 pages
Susanne Dunlap's website

Anastasia is used to being a little bit invisible. Her younger brother, the heir to the throne, is ill and the focus of her parents' attention. The youngest Romanov daughter and Grand Duchess, she has lived a privileged but sheltered life. But, when WWI breaks out and the Bolsheviks threaten her family's 300-year rule, things change dramatically.

During a walk around the palace grounds, Anastasia meets a young guard named Sasha. Throughout the Romanov family's exile in Siberia and the downward spiral of the monarchy, Anastasia grows up while her secret friendship slowly changes from infatuation to true love.

Last year I read Susanne Dunlap's first young adult novel, The Musician's Daughter, and enjoyed it (I did not get around to reviewing -- long story) so I've been looking forward to reading more by the author. The fact that Anastasia's Secret is a book about the legendary Anastasia whom many thought to have escaped from the hideous murder of the Romanovs was a bonus. I've read very little about the Romanovs and the Bolshevik Revolution but I've desired to read more.

I think the author did an amazing job of sticking as close to the facts as humanly possible and I also think the story proposed an excellent "What if?" scenario. Anastasia's Secret is what I'd call a "quiet" book; the pace is fairly slow, for good reason. Careful pacing gives the reader an excellent sense of the timing as the Romanovs' world slowly crumbled. Occasionally, the meetings between Anastasia and Sasha became repetitive and the romance was definitely a bit of a stretch, but I enjoyed the historical setting so much that I wasn't particularly bothered by the implausibility.

There is some explanatory material that rounds the book out very nicely. In the introduction, the author describes the cast of characters, Russian naming and the necessity to limit the cast to certain key characters plus the fictional romantic interest. An epilogue and author's notes detail what happened to the family after the story ended, the most recently unearthed information concerning the Romanovs and why she chose to write about Anastasia.

Anastasia's Secret is a Young Adult novel told in first person, from Anastasia's point of view. In one of the other reviews I've linked to, below, you may note that the author says it's for ages 14 and up. That's because the romance becomes less innocent and a little more graphically described as Anastasia ages.

4/5 - Well researched and vividly imagined, an excellent peek into the final years of the Romanov rule overlaid with a sweet, if implausible, fictional tale of teen romance

The historical information that I gleaned from reading Anastasia's Secret came in very handy, last week, when I read The Secret Holocaust Diaries by Nonna Bannister. Nonna Bannister was a Russian whose grandfather was in the Tsar's Imperial Guard. The two books complemented each other surprisingly well and I'm eager to read more about the Romanovs and the Russian experience during WWII.

If you follow me on Twitter you've probably already seen this photo, but I'm such a big fan of wisteria that I thought it was worth sharing on the blog, as well. We've driven around in search of wisteria to photograph twice, this week. Isn't it beautiful?

I thought it fit the purple Anastasia's Secret cover theme well.

Other reviews:

Fantasy Book Critic

Novel Novice

Books at Midnight - I like the way this blogger rated the writing, plot, romance, characters and cover separately.

I received my copy of Anastasia's Secret directly from the author, who chose to bypass the usual route and inscribe the book to me. How cool is that? Thank you, Susanne! I've got another of Susanne Dunlap's books, which I'm really looking forward to reading (and bought with my very own money): Lizst's Kiss.

Taking a Blogging Break + Fiona Friday

Still taking a break, but . . .
I figure you guys need your Fiona fix. So, here you go.

That orange thing is the toy we call her "milk carton tab". It's one of her favorites.

Disaster Status by Candace Calvert (review)

Disaster Status by Candace Calvert
Copyright 2010
Tyndale - Fiction/Romance
340 pages, incl. discussion guide
Candace Calvert's website

Erin Quinn has just begun her much-needed day off from her job as charge nurse in the ER at Pacific Mercy Hospital. But, when a plane crash causes the spread of toxic chemicals, sickening field workers and nearby residents, her day off turns into a stressful disaster status. Called in to the ER, she finds herself in conflict with a handsome incident commander from the fire department, who wants things done "by the book" -- his book, no exceptions.

Fire captain Scott McKenna is no stranger to tragedy. After the deaths of his father and sister and the hospitalization of his nephew with a crushed leg, he has thrown himself into his work; even his off hours are punishing. But, he may have met his match in Erin Quinn. Equally determined and stung by past hurts, the two can't help but clash when their tightly-controlled worlds collide.

While Erin and Scott face off over the handling of the disaster their paths keep crossing outside of work, as well. But, Scott plans to move away to escape bad memories and advance his career. Can Erin help Scott finally find the peace he seeks? Or will he be just one more big mistake in Erin's long history of problem men?

Character-driven, action-packed and romantic, Disaster Status is the second book in Candace Calvert's "Mercy Hospital" series. I haven't read the first, although it's on my wish list. I found the characters very likable. Erin is a Christian who leads a morning prayer session at the hospital while Scott has let go of his faith and no longer prays, since the death of his beloved sister. His young nephew, still hospitalized after several surgeries, may lose his leg.

Erin and Scott each have their inner demons to battle. Scott needs to deal with his grief and Erin is angered and confused by her wayward father's attempts to communicate with her. Both take out their anger and frustrations in physical ways: scrubbing mold, swimming in the ocean, boxing, running, working long hours. They guzzle caffeine to fight fatigue and the coffee and bait shop is one of the places their paths oddly cross.

There are several secondary storylines. An ER doctor whose husband cheated on her takes her greatest comfort from riding her horse. A janitor who served in Desert Storm and wears a prosthetic leg goes off his medication and thinks he's on a mission to save the child who might lose his leg. And, Erin's grandmother spends time comforting patients as a volunteer, in spite of Erin's concern that volunteering at the hospital will only bring back bad memories of her husband's final days.

I thought the main storyline was great. Character-driven romance is not necessarily what I'd call "my thing", but I like it now and then, if done well. Calvert's writing is clear and her characters are well-defined. I enjoyed "hanging out with them", so to speak, and Disaster Status turned out to be one of those rare books that I read in a single day.

Most of the secondary storylines fed nicely into the plot (one was a little weak and could easily have been cut, but it wasn't annoying -- just unnecessary). There were also some lovely little quirks that I enjoyed, like the story of how Erin's grandmother acquired her elderly goldfish and the names of the coffee flavors: Sea Dog black (Scott's favorite) and Starfish Latte extra cinnamon (Erin's coffee of choice). I found myself craving a latte with cinnamon and smiling every time they ordered the same old coffee.

4/5 - Excellent characterization; a plot-driven novel with plenty of action, some fun quirks and a sweet romance with mild Christian elements. In spite of the fact that my preference is plot-driven novels, I found the book entertaining and fairly fast-paced.

Disaster Status by Candace Calvert (sneak peek)

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Candace Calvert

and the book:

Disaster Status (Book #2 in Mercy Hospital series)

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (March 4, 2010)

***Special thanks to Mavis Sanders of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Candace Calvert is an ER nurse who landed on the "other side of the stethoscope" after the equestrian accident that broke her neck and convinced her that love, laughter—and faith—are the very best medicines of all. The inspirational account of her accident and recovery appears in Chicken Soup for the Nurse's Soul and launched her writing career. The author of a madcap cruise mystery series in the secular market, Candace now eagerly follows her heart to write Christian fiction for Tyndale House. Her new medical drama series, launched with Critical Care in 2009, offers readers a chance to "scrub in" on the exciting world of emergency medicine, along with charismatic characters, pulse-pounding action, tender romance, humor, suspense—and a soul-soothing prescription for hope. Born in northern California and the mother of two, Candace now lives in the Hill Country of Texas.

Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (March 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414325444
ISBN-13: 978-1414325446

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Fire captain Scott McKenna bolted through the doors of Pacific Mercy ER, his boots thudding and heart pounding as the unconscious child began to stiffen and jerk in his arms. He cradled her close as her small spine arched and her head thumped over and over against his chest. “Need help here. Seizure!”

“This way.” A staff person beckoned. “The code room. Someone page respiratory therapy stat!”

Scott jogged behind a trio of staff in green scrubs to a glassed-in room, laid the child on a gurney, and stepped back, his breath escaping in a rush of relief. He swiped a trickle of sweat from his forehead and tried to catch a glimpse of the girl’s face. He’d swept her up too fast to get a good look at her. Now, with merciful distance, Scott’s heart tugged. Six or seven years old with long black braids, frilly clusters of hair ribbons, little hoop earrings, she looked disturbingly pale despite her olive skin. Her dark eyes rolled upward, unfocused, as the ER team closed in to suction her airway, start oxygen, and cut away her flowered top and pants.

The alarms of the cardiac monitor beeped as a technician attached gelled electrodes to her tiny chest. Thankfully, the seizure ended, although saliva—foamy as a salted garden snail—still bubbled from her parted lips.

Scott inhaled slowly, the air a sour mix of illness, germicidal soap, and anxious perspiration. He thought of his nephew, Cody, lying in a pediatrics bed two floors above.

The ER physician, a vaguely familiar woman, gestured to a nurse. “Get an IV and pull me some labs. I’ll need a quick glucose check and a rectal temp. Let’s keep lorazepam handy in case she starts up again. What’s her O2 saturation?”

“It’s 98 percent on the non-rebreather mask, Dr. Stathos.”

Leigh Stathos. Golden Gate Mercy Hospital. Scott nodded, recognizing her—and the irony. She left San Francisco. I’ve applied for a job there . . . and everywhere else.

“Good. Now let’s see if I can get a medic report.” Dr. Stathos whirled to face Scott, her expression indicating she was trying to place him as well. Her gaze flickered to his badge. “Oh yes. McKenna. Didn’t recognize you for a second there. So what’s the history? And where’s the rest of your crew? Are they sending you guys out solo now?”

“No. But no crew. And no report. I was here as a visitor, until some guy waved me down in the parking lot. I took one look at this girl and decided to scoop and run.” Scott nodded toward a woman crying near the doorway. “That could be family. They were in the truck with her.”

“Seizure history?”

“Don’t know. My Spanish isn’t the best. I think they said ‘sick’ and ‘vomiting,’ but—”

One of the nurses called out for the doctor. “She’s starting to twitch again. IV’s in, and the blood glucose is good at 84. No fever. How much lorazepam are you going to want? She weighs about 20 kilos.”

Dr. Stathos moved back to the gurney. “We’ll start with one milligram slowly. But let me get a look at her first, listen to her lungs, and check her eyes.” She looked up as a blonde nurse appeared in the doorway. “Yes, Sandy?”

“Sorry, Doctor. I couldn’t get much, but her name’s Ana Galvez. Six years old. No meds, no allergies, and no prior seizure history. I think. There’s a language barrier, and I don’t have an official interpreter yet. But thought you should know I’ve got a dozen more people signing in for triage, all with gastric complaints and headaches. The parking lot’s full of farm trucks, and—” She stopped as the child began a second full-blown seizure.

Two respiratory therapists rushed through the doorway.

Scott tensed. A dozen more patients? Then his Spanish was good enough to have understood one last thing the terrified family had said before he took off running with their child: “Hay muchos más enfermos”—There are many more sick people.

He glanced back at the child convulsing on the gurney. What was going on?

+++

Muscle it. Punch through it. Control it. Be bigger than the bag.

Erin Quinn’s fist connected in one last spectacular, round-winning right hook, slamming the vinyl speed bag against the adjacent wall. And causing a tsunami in her grandmother’s goldfish tank. Water sluiced over the side.

“Whoa! Hang on, buddy. I’ve got you.” She dropped to her knees, steadying the tank with her red leather gloves. Everything she’d done in the last six months was focused on keeping Iris Quinn safe, secure, and happy, and now she’d nearly KO’d the woman’s only pet.

Erin watched the bug-eyed goldfish’s attempts to ride out the wave action. She knew exactly how he felt. Her own situation was equally unsettling: thirty-one and living with her grandmother and a geriatric goldfish named Elmer Fudd in a five-hundred-square-foot beach house. With two mortgages and a stubborn case of shower mold. She caught a whiff of her latest futile bout with bleach and grimaced.

But moving back to Pacific Point was the best option for her widowed grandmother, emotionally as well as financially. Erin was convinced of that, even if her grandmother was still skeptical . . . and the rest of the family dead set against it. Regardless, Erin was determined to put the feisty spark back in Nana’s eyes, and she had found the change surprisingly good for herself as well. After last year’s frustrating heartaches, being back in a house filled with warm memories felt a lot like coming home. She needed that more than she’d known.

Erin tugged at a long strand of her coppery hair and smiled. The fact that her grandmother was down at the chamber of commerce to inquire about volunteer work was proof they were finally on the right track. Meanwhile, she had the entire day off from the hospital. March sunshine; capris instead of nursing scrubs; time to catch up with her online course work, jog on the beach, and dawdle at the fish market with her grandmother.

She turned at the sound of her cell phone’s Rocky theme ring tone, then struggled, teeth against laces, to remove a glove in time to answer.

She grabbed the phone and immediately wished she hadn’t. The caller display read Pacific Mercy ER. “Yes?”

“Ah, great. We caught you.”

“Not really,” Erin said, recognizing the relief charge nurse’s voice and glancing hopefully toward the door. “In fact, I was just heading out.”

“Dr. Stathos said she’s sorry, but she needs you here. Stat. We’ve got kind of a mess.”

Mess? Erin’s breath escaped like a punctured balloon. In the ER, a mess could mean anything. All of it bad. She’d heard the TV news reports of a single-engine plane crash early this morning, but the pilot had been pronounced dead on the scene, and there were no other victims. The hospital shouldn’t be affected. Then . . . “What’s going on?”

“Eighteen sick farm workers,” the nurse explained, raising her voice over a cacophony of background noise. “Maybe a few more now; they keep coming in. We’re running out of gurneys, even in the hallway.”

“Sick with what?” Erin asked. The sheer number of patients qualified as a multicasualty disaster, but only if it were a motor vehicle accident, an explosion, or a similar tragedy.

“Dr. Stathos isn’t sure. But she’s thinking maybe food poisoning. They’re all from the same ranch. Everyone’s vomiting, and—”

“It’s a real mess,” Erin finished, sighing. “I got that part. But how come the ambulances are bringing them all to us? Dispatch should be sending some to Monterey.”

“They’re not in ambulances. They’re arriving in work vehicles. A couple of guys were even sprawled out on a flatbed truck. They’re lucky no one rolled onto the highway. The police are at the ranch investigating, but meanwhile we’re overwhelmed. And of course the media got wind of it, so now we have reporters showing up. You know how aggressive they get. I’m sorry, but I feel like I’m in over my head with this whole thing.”

The nurse was new at taking charge, and Erin remembered how scary that felt when things went south in the ER. Monday shifts were usually fairly tame, but this sounded like . . . “Tell the nursing supervisor I’m on my way in and that we’ll probably need to go on disaster status and . . . Hold on a second, would you?” She yanked off her other glove and strode, phone to her ear, toward the miniscule closet she shared with her grandmother. “Close the clinic and use that for overflow. Get security down there to help control things, the chaplain too. And see if the fire department can spare us some manpower.”

Erin pulled a set of camouflage-print scrubs from a hanger, then began peeling off her bike shorts with one hand. “I’ll get there as soon as I can. Just need to take a quick shower and leave my grandmother a note.” And kiss my free day good-bye?

No, she wasn’t going to think that way. As a full-time charge nurse, the welfare of the ER staff was a huge priority. Besides, Leigh Stathos wouldn’t haul her in on her day off if it weren’t important. Erin had dealt with far worse things. Like that explosion at the day care center near Sierra Mercy Hospital last year. In comparison, food poisoning wasn’t such a big deal, even two dozen cases. Messy, yes. Life-altering, no. Central service would find more basins, she’d help start a few IVs, they’d give nausea meds and plenty of TLC, and they’d get it all under control.

“No problemo,” she murmured as she hung up, then realized the inarticulate phrase was pretty much the extent of her Spanish. She made a mental note to be sure they had enough interpreters. Interpreters, basins, more manpower, and a full measure of TLC to patients—and her staff. That should do it.

Ten minutes later she snagged an apple for the road, wrote Nana a note, and stowed her boxing gloves on the rack beneath the TV. She wouldn’t need battle gear for this extra stint in the ER. And then she’d be back home. In a couple of hours, tops.

+++

When Erin turned in to the hospital parking lot, she realized she’d forgotten her name badge. Good thing security knew her. Her eyes widened as she approached the ambulance entrance. She braked to a stop, her mouth dropping open as she surveyed the scene at the emergency department’s back doors: four dusty and battered trucks—one indeed a flatbed—at least three news vans, a fire truck, an ambulance, and several police cars. She quickly put the Subaru in park, then opened her door and squinted up at the sky. Oh, c’mon, was that a helicopter? A plane crash wasn’t big enough news today?

Several nurses stood outside the doors holding clipboards and dispensing yellow plastic emesis basins to a restless line of a least a dozen patients in long sleeves, heavy trousers, and work boots. Including one elderly man who seemed unsteady on his feet as he mopped his forehead with a faded bandanna. A young uniformed firefighter paramedic, the husband of their ER triage nurse, was also helping out. Good, Erin’s request for extra manpower had been accepted.

Reporters in crisp khakis and well-cut jackets leaned across what appeared to be a hastily erected rope-and-sawhorse barricade. It was manned by a firefighter in a smoke-stained turnout jacket with the broadest shoulders she’d ever seen. And an expression as stony as Rushmore.

Erin locked the car, grabbed her tote bag, and jogged into the wind toward the barricade, trying to place the daunting firefighter. Tall, with close-cropped blond hair, a sturdy jaw, and a rugged profile. He turned, arms crossed, to talk with someone across the barricade, so she couldn’t see all of his face. But he wasn’t a full-time medic; she knew them all. An engine company volunteer? Maybe, but she hadn’t met him. She was sure of that. Because, even from what little she’d seen, this man would have been memorable. Her face warmed ridiculously as she slowed to a walk.

But her growing curiosity about his identity was a moot point. There wasn’t time for that now. She needed to slip between those sawhorses, hustle into the ER, touch base with the relief charge nurse, brainstorm with Leigh Stathos, and see what she could do to help straighten out this mess.

Erin stopped short as the big firefighter turned abruptly, blocking her way. “Excuse me,” she said, sweeping wind-tossed hair from her face as she peered up at him. Gray. His eyes were granite gray. “I need to get past you. Thanks. Appreciate it.” She attempted to squeeze by him, catching a faint whiff of citrusy cologne . . . mixed with smoke.

“Don’t thank me. And stop right where you are.” He stepped in front of her, halting her in her tracks. There was the slightest twitch at the corner of his mouth. Not a smile. He crossed his arms again. “No one can come through here. Those are the rules. And I go by the book. Sorry.”

By the book? As if she didn’t have policies to follow? Erin forced herself to take a deep breath. Lord, show me the humor in this. Called to work on her day off and then denied access. It was funny if you thought about it. She tried to smile and managed a pinched grimace. This was about as funny as the mold in her shower. She met his gaze, noticing that he had a small scar just below his lower lip. Probably from somebody’s fist.

“I work here, Captain . . . McKenna,” Erin explained, reading the name stenciled on his jacket. “In fact—” she patted the left breast pocket of her scrubs, then remembered her missing name badge—“I’m the day-shift charge nurse. But I forgot my badge.”

“I see,” he said, uncrossing his arms. He pointed toward the trio of reporters leaning over the barricade. “See that reporter over there—the tall woman with the microphone and bag of Doritos? Ten minutes ago she pulled a white coat out of one of those news vans and tried to tell me she was a doctor on her way to an emergency delivery. Premature twins.”

“But that’s unbelievable. That’s—”

“Exactly why I’m standing here,” the captain interrupted. “So without hospital ID or someone to corroborate, I can’t let you in.”

Her jaw tightened, and she glanced toward the ER doors. “One of your paramedics is back there somewhere; Chuck knows me. He’s married to my triage nurse. Find him and ask him.”

McKenna shook his head. “Can’t leave this spot.”

“Then call.” Erin pointed to the cell phone on his belt. “Better yet, ask for Dr. Leigh Stathos. Tell her I’m here. She’ll verify my identity. The number is—”

“I’ve got it,” he said, lifting his phone and watching her intently as he made an inquiry. He gave a short laugh. “Yes. A redhead in what looks like Army fatigues . . . Ah, let’s see . . . green eyes. And about—” his gaze moved discreetly over her—“maybe five foot nine?”

Erin narrowed her eyes. What was this, a lineup?

The captain lowered the phone. “Your name?”

“Erin Quinn,” she said, feeling like she should extend her hand or something. She resisted the impulse.

“Hmm. Yes,” he said into the phone. “I see. Okay, then.” He cleared his throat and disconnected the call.

She looked at him. “Did you get what you needed?”

“Well,” he said, reaching down to detach the rope from a sawhorse, “it seems you’re who you say you are. And that I shouldn’t expect a commendation for detaining you. Apparently it’s because of your request that I’m here. Not that I wanted to be. I still have men out on the plane crash, but . . .” He hesitated and then flashed the barest of smiles. Though fleeting, it transformed his face from Rushmore cold to almost human. “Go on inside, Erin Quinn. You’re late.” His expression returned to chiseled stone. “And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry. But that’s the way this has to work.”

“No problemo.” Erin hitched her tote bag over her shoulder and stepped through the barricade. Then she turned back. “What’s your first name, McKenna?”

“Scott.”

She extended her hand and was surprised by the warmth of his. “Well, then. Good job, Scott. But going by the book isn’t always the bottom line. Try to develop a little trust, will you? We’re all on the same team.”

Twenty minutes later, Erin finished checking on her staff and rejoined Leigh Stathos in the code room. They both looked up as the housekeeping tech arrived at the doorway.

“You wanted these?” Sarge asked.

“Yes. Great. Thank you.” Erin nodded at the tall, fortysomething man wearing tan scrubs, his brown hair pulled back into a short ponytail and arms full of plastic emesis basins. “Put those in the utility room, would you? And I think we could use some extra sheets and gowns too. If you don’t mind.”

His intense eyes met hers for an instant before glancing down. “Yes, ma’am, double time.”

Erin smiled at Sarge’s familiar and somber half salute, then watched him march away, his powerful frame moving in an awkward hitch to accommodate his artificial leg. She returned her attention to Leigh and the dark-eyed child on the gurney beside them. The ventilator, overriding her natural breathing, whooshed at regular intervals, filling the girl’s lungs. “She had two seizures but none before today?”

“Looks that way.” The ER physician, her long mahogany hair swept back loosely into a clip, reached down and lifted the sheet covering the child. “But see how her muscles are still twitchy? And her pupils are constricted. I’ll be honest: I don’t like this. The only thing I know for sure is that the X-ray shows an aspiration pneumonia. Probably choked while vomiting on the truck ride in. I’ve started antibiotics. Art’s coming in,” she added, referring to the on-call pediatrician. “And I paged the public health officer.”

“Good.” Erin’s brows scrunched. It was puzzling; an hour after arrival, Ana Galvez remained unresponsive, her skin glistening with perspiration. Though Leigh had inserted an endotracheal tube and the child was suctioned frequently, she was still producing large amounts of saliva. Her heart rate, barely 70, was surprisingly slow for her age. She’d had several episodes of diarrhea. Poor kid. What happened to you?

Erin glanced toward the main room of the ER, grateful things appeared to be settling down out there. “I still don’t get this, though. Ana came from home? Not the ranch where everybody got sick?”

“Yes, but—” Leigh fiddled with the stethoscope draped across the shoulders of her steel gray scrub top—“she’d been there earlier. Felt sick after lunch and her father took her home.”

“So that goes right back to the food. But salmonella takes time. Still, the symptoms fit. Triage says most of the patients are complaining of headache, nausea, cramps, and diarrhea.” Erin checked the monitor: heart rate 58. Why so slow? “What did they eat?”

Leigh sighed. “Sack lunches. Every one different. That doesn’t fit at all. I wanted it to be huge tubs of chicken stew that everyone shared. That would make sense. But Sandy’s seen twenty-six patients in triage now, and the story from everybody sounds the same: picking strawberries since 6 a.m., lunch together around eleven, and—”

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but something’s . . . wrong.” Erin and Leigh turned at the sound of the triage nurse’s voice at the doorway.

Erin’s eyes widened. The triage nurse looked awful—pale, sweaty, teary-eyed. Sandy was holding her hand to her head, trembling. What happened?

Before she could ask, Sandy’s eyelids fluttered and her knees gave way.

Reading Glasses Shopper *GIVEAWAY* - CLOSED to further entries

This drawing is now closed to further entries.

Time for a slight change of pace. Instead of giving away a book, I'm going to offer up some reading glasses. I won a pair of reading sunglasses from Book-a-rama Chris, a couple months ago and I love them so much that I asked if I could host a giveaway, as well. Here are mine:

Reading Glasses Shopper sells tons of different reading glasses for under $20. The pair I won have been lifesavers. I've gotten to the point that I can no longer read without reading glasses, but my eyes are blue-gray -- extremely sun-sensitive -- so I figured I was going to have to buy expensive prescription bifocal sunglasses. What a terrific way to save money!!

I absolutely love my reading sunglasses and have used them almost daily since they arrived (I got The Princeton Bifocal Sunreader).

One winner will have a choice of $25 gift certificate or the glasses of their choice.

The Rules:

1. Go to the Reading Glasses Shopper website to see what they have to offer.

2. Tell me the name of a pair you're interested in. You won't necessarily have to choose that pair if you win. I asked the rep at RGS to tell me if she thought the style I'd chosen would fit and it turned out they were a little too wide for my face. She helped me measure properly so that I was able to choose a pair that fit perfectly.

3. Very important!!!!! Leave your email address, so I can contact you if you win. No email, no entry and you may only enter once.

4. *This drawing is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. No P.O. Boxes.*

5. Drawing will be held Sunday, April 18 at about 6pm Central Time. I will contact the winners and you'll have about 72 hours to respond, so I recommend following my blog (but you don't have to) in case your email goes astray.

I am not receiving any compensation for hosting this giveaway; I've just really enjoyed the product and thought it would be nice to share the joy.

Since I know you're going to ask . . . that's The Postmistress that my sunglasses are perched upon. I DNF'd The Postmistress, but I'll try it again, soon.

Fiona Friday

Babbling about Postcardfoolery: A guest post by Kirk Farber, author of Postcards from a Dead Girl

Babbling about Postcardfoolery

A guest post by Kirk Farber, author of Postcards from a Dead Girl (reviewed below)

Thank you, Bookfool, for having me on as a guest today. If it's okay, I'd like to babble about postcards. In my debut novel, Postcards from a Dead Girl, the main character, Sid, receives postcards from his ex-girlfriend, Zoe. He hasn't spoken with her in over a year, but her messages arrive from beautiful places like Barcelona, Paris, and Costa Rica.

I’ve been visiting bookstores this past month, reading these scenes aloud to people. And now I can’t stop thinking about how fun it would be to send postcards from exotic locales. In the book, Sid travels to a few foreign locations in search of his lost love. I’m not Sid, but if I were, I might add these places to my list . . .

IRELAND – Rumor has it my red-headed relatives are from the west coast, near Galway Bay. I’ve heard the people are ridiculously friendly, and the Guinness tastes like Heaven.

NEW ZEALAND – Mostly because I want to learn to surf. I boogie-boarded in Virginia Beach once, and refused to leave the ocean, causing myself bodily exhaustion and over-consumption of sea water. I'm thinking continuous wipe-outs are easier in sub tropical water.

ICELAND –To climb glaciers and dodge lava flows! Or at least take zoom photos of dangerous geological phenomena from a safe and reasonable distance. Also: cool spas.

BALI – I recently read that the citizens of Bali were considered to be among the Happiest People on Earth. Sid probably could have used their help early on.

TOKYO, JAPAN – High-tech super-urban metropolis. Low-tech car washes.

NORWAY – Fjords!!!

If you could send a postcard from anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?