Multitudes on Monday

Wow! I can't believe that it's been two weeks since the last post,
and here it is MONDAY again.

I'm going to just start with the list and hopefully blog later this week.
Here's the link to the blog that started it all: aholyexperience.com.
For some reason, my link button doesn't work. Anyone know why?

11. Miss B returned from camp and filled with stories about new friends.

12. Miss A working with preschoolers at VBS. She's amazing with the little ones.

13. Safety for both in light of what's going on in this world. They are bathed in prayer every day.

14. Dinner, bluegrass music and conversation with a favorite aunt and uncle.

15. A wedding of friends that allowed us to catch up with other friends.

16. A church who loves us.

17. A goofy golden retriever who stopped at the sidewalk and didn't get hit by either car (even though the rabbit kept going, dodging both as well).

18. Paying off a credit card!

19. Lazy summer days for the kids. Sleeping in.

20. Air conditioning!

Multitudes on Monday

On Saturday's blog, I mentioned my new favorite author, Ann Voskamp. I'm totally intrigued by her writing. It's vivid, unexpected and riveting.

Awhile ago, Ms. Voskamp started what she calls Multitudes on Monday. A time for listing and counting the blessings of life. A time to give thanks for the minute, as well as, the abundant. She challenges her readers to find one thousand of these.

I'll admit I'm a glass half empty person. I tend to see all sides of a situation and dwell on what if's. But, I'm going to try this. At least for awhile. On Mondays.

Will I make it to one thousand? I don't know. But today's, the first ten, will be no-brainers. Easy.

1. an incomparable God who gives unspeakable joy

2. a crazy-talented, God-seeking man who has loved me for over two decades

3. two amazing, creative, sensitive and smart kids who still let their mom hug them

4. a non-leaking roof over our heads, especially during this summer of rain

5. jobs that pay for that roof and food for those kids

6. a church community who comes every week to listen, learn, and absorb

7. an extended family who supports, laughs, cries and allows us to be who we are

8. friends who break bread with us

9. good health in the grand scheme of life, even with medical issues

10. our basic needs met on a daily basis

I am blessed.

Two New Books

Today is a two-fer.

First a second blog post.

Second a first look at books recently published by author friends.

Hold onto your hats!

FLIRTING IN SPANISH: What Mexico Taught Me About Love, Living and Forgiveness by Susan McKinney de Ortega

You've heard me gush about this book before, and now it's finally available to the public. Here's the Publishers Weekly review:

In 1992 the author, the daughter of champion NBA coach Jack McKinney, was teaching English to Mexican teenagers when she met 19-year-old Carlos, who ardently pursues her despite the age and huge cultural differences.

She resists at first, due to their divergent backgrounds–Ortega’s childhood was one of summer vacation rentals and white gloves at Mass, while Carlos was a high school dropout who didn’t have running water until age 10.

But when she realizes that she is surprised a man could be kind to her like her father, “I didn’t feel like a nervous wreck of a person anymore.”

It’s not an instant happy ending as Ortega contends with the extreme poverty Carlos and his family live in, the machismo culture, and her own lingering doubts, with one foot in Mexico and the other wavering.

When she finally achieves hard-won contentment, it’s a joyous moment.

Love, love, love this book! And I'm sending out a huge congrats to Susan!


BORN TO BE A DRAGON - Eisley Jacobs

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup...

This is a new MG (middle grade) book by a local Denver author. I haven't had the pleasure of reading it yet, but I'm totally intrigued by the premise. The following is from Ms. Jacobs' webpage:

The true beginning of a dragon's life starts in his tenth year. During the Rising Ceremony, Lord Edric judges the hatchlings according to the mark branded into their flesh at birth by the first light peeking through their shells. Legend says the one with a dragon shaped mark will be great. But when Deglan’s mark morphs into a dragon, instead of pride, fear ripples through his scales.

Afraid for his safety, Deglan’s parents order him to leave and follow the human voice in his dreams. His path collides with ten-year-old Meia, whose constant dragon dreams have scared away all but her current foster family.

Discovering secrets from both their pasts, Deglan and Meia must learn to fight together to save the dragons from extinction before Lord Edric can stop them.

Huge congrats go out to Eisley as well!

If you get a chance, please look for both of these books. FLIRTING can be ordered through all the major outlets (Amazon, B&N etc.). DRAGON can be ordered at www.eisleyjacobs.com. Eisley is also doing an amazing online publishing party right now.

Happy reading!

Has Writing Ruined Reading?

I've always been a reader (well, at least since the ripe old age of 5).

I used to bring a book with me almost every where I went. Sometimes to the chagrin of my mother who once gently pulled me aside and said, "Please don't take a book to Youth Group. It's kind of insulting to the Youth Pastor."

"Heidi, get your nose out of that book and look at the beautiful mountain, valley, rain, major league baseball game, etc." were also words I often heard during family vacations.

Kind of funny, since my mom was an English teacher, and her mother a one-room school teacher before her.

But reading opened up worlds for me.

Who knew what adventures awaited a little girl named Half-Pint who traveled in a covered wagon to a new home? Or the four Pevensie's who found imaginary lands through the door of a wardrobe.

As a child, I raced through desert sands on the back of an Arabian horse, and solved mysteries with a young girl detective.

As a college student, I pondered Heathcliff & Catherine's love while their moor's harsh winds whipped around me, and Oliver's want for family while I walked his London streets.

As an adult, I still fall asleep most nights with a fresh adventure or romance swirling in my brain.

However, after writing Pearl, books have taken on a new edge.

Sometimes as I'm reading about what happened before the actual story, I find myself screaming, "Backstory. You're using backstory." Or, I'll subconsciously (1) count adverbs.

With better, more engaging writing, I'll wonder, "How does she do that? Put words together to make phenomenal, picturesque phrases?"

(The most recent author who has caused me to suck in my breath in wonder is Ann Voskamp -- her blog link A Holy Experience is to the right. Click on it. You won't be disappointed.)

So, to answer the original question, (Has writing ruined reading?) I must admit that yes, sometimes it has. But mostly, it has enriched my reading experience.

I now dismiss poor writing quickly.

But rich writing intrigues me more fully.

And shouldn't engaging the reader be the sole intention of the writer?

Water for Elephants

My mom was in town this weekend.

Like most times when she is here, we packed in as much activity as we could. A band concert with A. Shopping. A choir concert with B. Shopping. Church. Shopping. The Melting Pot.

Then Sunday night, I said on a whim, "Let's go to Water for Elephants."

We hesitated. After all, Mom's flight left early on Monday morning.

And we were pretty satiated from the cheese and chocolate fondue.

Sidebar Recommendation: The Bananas Foster White Chocolate dessert fondue.

AMAZING.

But we went to the theater.

If you haven't read Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, go get it.

Right now.

From a bookstore. Download it on Kindle.

Read it.

The premise is about a young man, Jakob Yankowski, whose parents are killed in 1931 on the day of his final test to graduate in veterinary science from Cornell. He runs away and joins a circus (sounds cliche, huh?). However, Gruen brings to life the small circus life during The Depression.

The descriptions are amazing. The plot riveting. The conflict stellar.

Read it.

Then go see the movie.

Reece Witherspoon.
Robert Pattinson (I will admit to being back on Team Edward :)).
An elephant.
A controlling ringmaster.

Good stuff!



What's Up with Pearl/Frost/The Book that Must Be Named?

Two agents have the MS (one has a full; one a partial). I haven't heard from either. :( Which begs the question:

Is no news, good news?

or

Is no news, no news?

*sigh*

I Am Not Shakespeare

Just wanted to put that out there. :)

My eldest had to write an essay on Romeo and Juliet this week. She talked about how hasty every decision in the story was.

Here's the low down:

Romeo and Juliet meet at a party. They talk later that evening, and Juliet asks Romeo to marry her (Do you remember that? I didn't.) They marry the next day. He kills Tybalt. She takes "poison." He kills Paris. Romeo takes poison. He dies. She wakes, sees Romeo dead, and kills herself. All within a week.

Where's the communication here, people?

The whole time, the reader is going, "Just talk to each other, for Pete's (or Romeo's or Juliet's) sake!"

And that's what makes a great story.

Throw in some good fight scenes. Some great language. Some all consuming love.

*sigh*

And you have a classic.

So....

As pointed out before, I am not Shakespeare.

Not in any sense of any illusions. Really, I'm fine with that.

However, my main characters are star-crossed lovers.

She's human.

He's a Norse god.

The Norse world is ending, and they cannot be together.

He has a job to protect the only human girl who survives the end of the world...and it's not her.

He is duty bound, but love struck.

She understands his duty is more important than their love.

What will happen?

Hopefully, readers will find out soon. Hopefully, readers will want to know.

And maybe, just maybe, I have spun a story that warrants reading.

We'll see.

Bitter End

Jennifer Brown has done it again!


I received my ARC in the mail last week, but was in the middle of another book, so I didn't get to crack Bitter End open until Sunday.

Here's my review:

Wow!

Okay, :) here's more:

Ms. Brown has taken another challenging subject -- relationship abuse -- and woven a story that is poignant, tragic, and gut-wrenching.

The story revolves around Alex, a senior in high school, who along with her two best friends (one a girl, the other a guy) is planning a graduation trip out to Colorado (the place her mom was headed before being killed in a tragic accident). But then, Cole starts at Alex's school, and she falls for him.

Hard.

Everything seems good about this new relationship at first, but little ugly jealousy heads start popping up and Cole starts to do things that go way beyond acceptable. But by the time Alex realizes she's being abused (physically and emotionally), she is so in love with the guy that she starts making excuses for him.

I read way too long into the night last night just to finish it. Trust me, the ending did not disappoint!

Way to go, again, Ms. Brown!

It was really fun to read the credits and see TS Ferguson's name (the editor who just free-lanced my book) there with a big thanks to him. Good job, TS!

Bitter End comes out in May. Publisher's Weekly gave a great review (and starred it) this week. Here's the link, if you're interested:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-316-08695-0


What's Up with Pearl Edda?

The agent emailed yesterday with a request for the most recent recent recent copy. I sent it last night. Fingers and toes still crossed. Seriously, it is in such a good place right now.

Hope. Hope. Hope.

It still needs a title.

Frost, Edda, and Messing with Fate are the top three choices (at least for me).