Saturday, November 5, 2011

Feeling a little wicked?

Me too. I think it's because I am coming out of a fall induced funk. And also my good friend Magaly has inspired me. Magaly if I ever make it that way again, we are so going out for coffee. On the other side of probably not ever going to happen - if you ever make it to Michigan I'll get you some Biggby. lol

So onto how she inspired me. She talked on her blog Pagan Culture about her friend who is getting divorced after years of marriage...a marriage that had stepchildren. What an awful place to be, children she's taken care of all that time are understandably upset and taking out their hurt by using angry words on her. It stinks that she is just supposed to walk away from them and it's breaking everyone's heart. Then Magaly spoke of her own experience with her own stepdaughter. There's lots of love, but love brings pain. It's unrealistic to expect anything else. But it also brings unbridled joy.

Along with this she was given...and I think stole...a few blogger awards and then insisted we all do the same. I am going to follow through on that because I feel like it. See? Feeling a little wicked. When I am done, feel free to go visit Magaly and steal them for yourself.



Which actually comes from another blog I love - MagicLoveCrow - see that crow picture up there? She painted that for me.

There's math involved here too. Magaly did 13 things about herself. But the 1st award says to do 7, the 2nd says 5, and the third calls for 2. That's 14. Hmmm...but since you get to make your own rules, I think I'll go with 7...the max number.

  1. I let my boys sleep with us for the first 6 years...they still join us occasionally but their growth demanded we all get our own sleeping space.
  2. I am afraid of the dark...most especially mirrors and under my bed. I have to force myself to stand next to my bed in my dark bedroom without screaming and jumping into bed.
  3. I can't sleep in a lit room. Ironic right? I'm afraid of the dark but it must be dark in order to sleep. LOL
  4. I wish I could go back to school for computer programming...but my already outrageous student loan debt prevents that.
  5. I had a hard time breastfeeding my boys. It's why I think you should never judge a woman for not breast feeding. I tried my hardest, it took 2 months to get CW to latch on and after 2 1/2 months with Ivan I finally gave up the fight. I was drying up. It broke my heart, it still does. And passing judgement on a woman who might be going through that is just mean.
  6. I think anyone should be allowed to marry. At this point it's more a government thing than a religious one anyway. It gets you on your partners insurance, helps if there's a death, and cements a family that very well may have children in it.
  7. I have a raccoon skull and an alligator head (dried out of course) in my house. CW found the raccoon skull out in the ditch behind our house. The alligator head I won from Me vs. College...which is now All Rocks go To Heaven.

And now onto you my lovely readers. Explore, go visit the links on this page. Feel free to steal the awards for yourself. Post your link in the comments so people can visit your page too.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Three Girls and a Wedding

by: Rachel Schurig

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Synopsis:
Jen Campbell loves weddings. In fact, she loves them so much that she became an event planner in the hopes that she would one day get the chance to help women create the fairy tale day of their dreams...Unfortunately, the only thing Jen has been allowed to plan so far are boring restaurant openings and children's birthday parties.

When Jen’s big break finally comes, she realizes that wedding planning is a heck of a lot more complicated than picking out the perfect flowers and cake.

Add to the chaos a pair of fighting friends, a totally pressuring mother, and a ridiculously gorgeous (but moody) best man, and Jen has her work cut out for her.

In Three Girls and a Wedding, Jen Campbell will try to plan the perfect wedding and maybe—just maybe—create her very own happily-ever-after.


This is the story that continues the lives of Ginny, Annie and Jen. 3 girls...now women...who have been best friends since High School. After college they rented a small house in Ferndale. The first book, Three Girls and a Baby, was centered around Ginny who had broken up with her long-time boyfriend and found out she was pregnant. This one is from Jen's view. Jen is a very organized event planner. She just received the opportunity of a lifetime, plan the wedding (and all the events relating to it) for Kiki Barker, daughter of a rich real estate investor, David Barker. At the same time her best friend Ginny gets engaged. Can Jen plan both without losing her mind?

Jen's boss takes away all of her current projects and tells her she will be assisting newly-promoted partner Jason Richardson. While excited by the opportunity, she is less than thrilled at the prospect of working with smarmy Jason. Jen is determined to make this a success, knowing if she does everything right she will get a promotion and be allowed to work on the events she wants to work on. Jason leaves her with almost all the work, and the next 5 months are spent in a haze of overwork and sleeplessness. Ginny's wedding is barely on her radar.

There are also 2 love interests. When the first one was introduced, Matt - the best man and groom's brother, I thought I knew exactly what would happen. But then she kept getting mixed signals and started dating Jason, reluctantly of course. I didn't know what was happening until the very end. It wasn't predictable at all!

Rachel Schurig uses a light, conversational tone throughout the story. For example, I kept seeing the word "gonna." At first it bothered me, very poor grammar and all. But then I realized if I were talking that's what I would say. Does anyone actually say "going to" anymore?

The title is long, but catchy. The first book was Three Girls and a Baby, about Ginny. This book is Three Girls and a Wedding, about Jen. The third book will be titled Three Girls and a Leading Man, about Annie. The cover art is so cute, and it fits in with the first book. Rachel is making it obvious that these three books are connected. It doesn't always work, but in this case it is both necessary and fun.

The story was a very fast read, even at 198 pages. I started reading Sunday afternoon and finished it Monday morning. I couldn't put it down. The story doesn't slow down for a minute, but it's not too fast either. It does, however shift pace. When tensions are high, the story moves faster. When Jen hits the wall and slows down, so does the story. It forces your own feelings to play along.

These stories are set in Metro Detroit, so I actually recognize a lot of the places mentioned in the book. Like the RenCen, which is the Renaissance Center in Detroit. It's a beautiful and large building right in the city.

I was so excited to read this story. As soon as I heard it was out, I wrote the author begging for a copy. I couldn't wait to read it and after the first book I knew I would love it. It did not disappoint. Rachel is a great author and this is a great piece of chick lit.

And now, sadly I must wait for that third book. I swear, I want to volunteer to be a beta reader just so I can read it sooner.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Free eBooks November 3, 2011

Here are some eBooks I found that are free to download. I looked at Barnes & Noble first, I will link there and Amazon if they have it as well. I have not read these books, so this list isn't one of recommendations, just a list of free books I thought looked interesting.

1. Five Little Caskets by D. R. Bennett - B&N, Amazon for 99cents.
Darryl's life was humming along. Great job, good friends and a solid family. Until the Akamak made their presence and intentions known.

American political folly and selfishness are portrayed in this dark tale of one man's trials and tribulations in the aftermath of first contact with an advanced alien race.

2. Star Wars Lost Tribe of the Sith #7: Pantheon by John Jackson Miller - B&N, Amazon
When the Sith ship Omen crash-landed on Kesh two thousand years ago, the crew encountered native barbarism and superstition. Now a violent millennium has reduced the Lost Tribe of the Sith to a similar state. While Sith teachings are remembered, honored, and violently practiced, knowledge of the Lost Tribe’s true origins has all but vanished. With a dark age imperiling the Sith, the future rests in the hands of the unlikeliest of people: Caretaker Hilts, the official keeper of lore. Mild-mannered by Sith standards, the aged Hilts hopes to use the wisdom of the ancients to reunite his people. But the truth he uncovers becomes anything but the Tribe’s salvation. Rather, he may have set loose forces leading to its destruction—and his own. BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Ascension.

3. Viridis - A Steampunk Romance by Calista Taylor - B&N, Amazon
In steampunk Victorian London, where airships dot the sky and tinkerings abound, Lady Phoebe Hughes develops an herbal elixir, Viridis, unlike any other. London’s elite flock to her club to experience the euphoria and heightened senses the drink brings, an orgasm brought on by a single kiss. But when Lord Hawthorne is murdered after leaving her club, Phoebe is shocked to find that not only was he working for the Special Services to infiltrate the Cause, a movement fighting for the city's poor, he was also in possession of her secret formulation for Viridis.

Adding to her difficulties is the unexpected return of Mr. Seth Elliott, a brilliant tinkerer who stole her heart and imagination, only to abandon her when she needed him most. Unable to ignore all that is between them, Phoebe finds herself falling for Seth once again, only to have a powerful rival for her affections wrongly accuse Seth of attempted murder. As Phoebe struggles with a way to free her love, revolution, conspiracy and murder threaten to ruin it all.

*** Author's note: Some scenes may not be suitable for those under 18 years of age. ***

4. Axel the Truck: Rocky Road by J. D. Riley (Author), Brandon Dorman (Illustrator) - B&N
Axel is a little truck with big, big wheels, and he races off to explore the rocky mountain roads. VROOM!

In this NOOK Kids Read to Me book, children can choose to hear the story read aloud, tap to enlarge text and pinch & stretch to zoom in on pictures.

5. Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo by Heather Wardell - B&N, Amazon
When Candice's in-laws died in a car accident eight months ago, she lost her husband Ian too. After only two years of marriage their guilt and pain have left them living together but apart. During Ian's month-long trip overseas, Candice plans to decide if her marriage can be saved, but when the first man she ever loved is the new client at work, she wonders what she truly wants from life and love.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Microcrafts - Tiny Treasures to Make and Share

compiled by: Margaret McGuire, Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz and Friends

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
It is a small world, after all!

Here are step-by-step instructions for making tiny teddy bears, little ladybugs, petite porcupines, itsy-bitsy bikinis, and much, much more! Microcrafts shows crafters how to create dozens of miniature treasures, each no larger than a spool of thread. No previous crafting experience or pricey materials are necessary—just a love of all things small!


I'm still enthralled by all the tiny crafts in this book. There are pictures, traceable patterns and step-by-step instructions to walk you through whichever craft you'd like to attempt. There weren't too many that were my style, but I saw many that I want to try or that I think friends would make.

There are candy charms made with clay, tiny felted cats and dogs, boats, microtaxidermy (little deer heads, bears, birds, etc), fabric buttons, tiny flower pots with a tiny plant, greeting cards and even books. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Things we all love making, with a tiny makeover.

I want to try making the cats and dogs and teddy bears...in fact I think that would be a great Christmas gift for the kids in husbands family. If I can find the tiny pots, I think the little plants would be cute for adults.

The tiny cat next to the spool of thread on the cover really gives you a clear idea on what this book is all about. It's ironic that its a fairly large hardcover book. Not thick but tall.

Each project has a small tag on the page sized picture with the actual size and who designed it. Considering that this is a "compiled by", it is interesting to see who is involved in each craft.

So the question is, do you like exploring your crafting skills? This book will challenge even the most talented crafter - and it's a fantastic way to use up all your odds and ends!

Monday, October 31, 2011

Drama - an Actor's Education

by John Lithgow

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Synopsis:
Through the vivid stories in "Drama", John Lithgow shares a backstage history of his struggle, crisis, and discovery, and the scenes of his early life and career that took place before he became a nationally-known star. Above all, "Drama" is a tribute to the most important influence in John Lithgow's life: his father, Arthur Lithgow. An actor, director, producer, and great lover of Shakespeare, Arthur brought theatre to John's boyhood, where performance and storytelling were a constant and cherished part of family life. Lithgow brings the theatre worlds of New York and London to life as he relives his collaborations with renowned performers and directors including Mike Nichols, Bob Fosse, Liv Ullmann, Meryl Streep, and Brian De Palma. Lithgow's ruminations on the nature of theatre, performance, and storytelling cut to the heart of why actors are driven to perform, and why people are driven to watch them do it. At once hilarious and reflective, "Drama" pulls back the curtain on the making of one of our most beloved actors.

For such a mundane and simple cover, I was dazzled at the direction the book and Lithgow's life took. He moved around a lot because of his father, who had this dream of starting the next great Shakespeare festival. So for all the goofy roles you've seen Lithgow in, he's been acting in Shakespeare plays since he was a child. John writes of the excitement of acting as a child, but his real dream was to be an artist. His parents were so supportive, they even sent him to an art class for teenagers in New York when the high school's class was too rigid.

But he continued to act, for his father and in high school. If you've ever seen Buckaroo Bonzai, you will remember Dr. Emelio Lizardo. He says that not only was this his favorite role, but he played it based on Dr. Pinch whom he played way back in high school.

While doing the art and acting, he was also a model and active student. Graduating with honors, he attended Harvard on a full scholarship. He had planned on pursuing art, and his father took him to see a respected artist and the guy's question to Lithgow was "If you want to be an artist, why the Hell are you going to Harvard?" It opened Lithgow's eyes, it really didn't have a program that would take him where he thought he wanted to go. When he got there he fell in love with the Drama area. There wasn't an actual program, but there was a theater and students working in it. He majored in English and went to town with the other Drama students.

He married before he finished college and went to London on a Fulbright scholarship to study acting. It had been decided, he would be an actor. His wife was a special education teacher, 6 years his senior. She went where he went, working to support them and occasionally acting with him. He worked for his father first but then moved on to pursue more challenges. He really had a slow start, but by the 70s he was a Broadway actor, in fact he was in 12 plays through the 70s. He's done some movie work, and some TV but he absolutely adores the theater.

I had no idea I would enjoy this book so much. He didn't have a terrible childhood, his parents loved him. The only trauma that shaped him was the constant moving around. But it certainly helped his acting career - he knows how to fit in. He didn't spiral out of control on a drugged-out bender. The worst period for him was in his 30s when adolescence finally hit. He was an ass, and he admits he was an ass. I finished this book with a lot of respect for the man, even though some of his actions I didn't like or agree with.

I also learned that I really enjoy a well-written autobiography.

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