Friday, August 31, 2012

Guest Post: Kristyn Kusek Lewis

Lilac Wolf and Stuff presents Kristyn Kusek Lewis, author of How Lucky You Are.

Hello! Thanks so much for having me here! With the launch of HOW LUCKY YOU ARE, my first book, just around the corner, I’ve been having lots of conversations with people about the book and my personal journey to publication. Naturally, the first question that people ask is, “So what’s it about?”

My short answer is that it’s about old friends, and how women’s friendships change as we get older. I started writing the book four years ago, when I was pregnant with my first child, so I’ve spent a good amount of time contemplating the topic, and I’ve come to the conclusion that often, we don’t take the subject of female friendships all that seriously. The word itself—friendship—conjures up a hokey, Hallmark-y, “aw, that’s sweet” kind of thing, doesn’t it?

But, man, if my girlfriends don’t play an integral role in my everyday life. Don’t yours? The women in my book are all in their mid-thirties, and they all have very different lives—one is a suburban mom, one is working on her husband’s campaign for governor, and the main character, Waverly, is a single bakery owner. Despite the fact that they lead very different lives, they’re in each other’s lives every day. And that’s the way that it is with me. One of my closest friends is single and childless. Another, from middle school, is the stay-at-home mother of four. I used to think, when I was younger, that you really only had one best friend. For some people, that’s true, and that’s wonderful. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but I’m now lucky to have friends from all different stages of my life whom I can call on for various reasons—a parenting question, a work dilemma that needs solving, a clothing crisis, you name it.

But we also compare ourselves to the other women in our lives, don’t we? It’s so easy—hello, Facebook—to look at somebody else’s life from a distance and feel like everyone else has it figured out--the friend with the killer job and the husband who makes dinner every night, the friend who manages to raise her children and run marathons and make every delicious from-scratch meal she posts on Pinterest. The very heart of my book—and, without giving too much away, the source of the title--is the importance of realizing that the perfection thing doesn’t exist. And that, in fact, thinking that everyone else has it all figured out can be a devastatingly dangerous way to live. I know that I, for one, am way more comfortable when I walk into a friend’s messy house than when I walk into something straight out of House Beautiful. So let’s make a pact, shall we? Let’s all vow, together, to put the perfection thing aside. I won’t sweep up the tumbleweeds of dog hair that perpetually line my floorboards before a friend comes to visit. You won’t wipe the breakfast crumbs off of the kitchen table. Neither of us will check our makeup.

Thanks so much for letting me share today!

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Book Review: How Lucky You Are

by: Kristyn Kusek Lewis

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
In the tradition of Emily Giffin and Marisa de los Santos, HOW LUCKY YOU ARE is an engaging and moving novel about three women struggling to keep their longstanding friendship alive. Waverly, who's always been the group's anchor, runs a cozy bakery but worries each month about her mounting debt. Kate is married to a man who's on track to be the next governor of Virginia, but the larger questions brewing in their future are unsettling her. Stay-at-home mom Amy has a perfect life on paper, but as the horrific secret she's keeping from her friends threatens to reveal itself, she panics.

As life's pressures build all around them, Waverly knows she has some big decisions to make. In doing so, she will discover that the lines between loyalty and betrayal can become blurred, happy endings aren't always clear-cut, and sometimes you have to risk everything to gain the life you deserve.


I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. I even read late into the night and finally finished it before work this morning.

The main character, Waverly is a woman we can all relate to. She feels inferior to her friends, that she hasn't "grown up" yet, and when she gets so stressed out she hides from the issue (like bills). One of her friends is a woman from a wealthy family, whom she is jealous of the money and the beauty. Then her other friend marries a doctor, has a child and settles down in the suburbs. Wavery is sinking under a mountain of debt and she can't seem to appreciate what she does have.

When things start coming apart for her friends, she realizes what she nearly lost. She works on her getting own life together, even as she is helping her girlfriends. This struck me as very realistic. Our lives aren't running a single story-line, we have as many things pulling at us as we allow. Friends, family, work, children, even school. All that goes on simultaneously and the author did a fantastic job capturing that.

Yes another 5 star review. I've had a very lucky week.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Book Review: The Salt God's Daughter

by: Ilie Ruby

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
Set in Long Beach, California, beginning in the 1970s, The Salt God’s Daughter follows Ruthie and her sister, Dolly, as they carve out a life in a place filled with meteorological myths and exotic folklore, where female rites of passage are met with startling discoveries. Raised by a mother drawn to the ocean and guided by the moons, their heritage is a mystery and with their mother often absent, they are forced to confront the social and sexual mores of the time on their own as they search for true love and a home. Ruthie's daughter, Naida, is born into this conflicted landscape with a secret she tries to keep hidden as she seeks out the father she never knew. Woven with a traditional Scottish folktale and hints of Jewish mysticism, The Salt God’s Daughter examines how far we’ll go to find our place in a world that is often hostile to those who are different.

The Salt God's Daughter isn't an overly long book, but it is full of poetic and descriptive writing. The story itself is gripping and I enjoyed the writing. But I do want to give fair warning, it does get wordy. Now you just have to decide if you like that or not. I thought it was beautiful and moved quickly through the tale.

It's split into two parts. The first part tells the story of Ruthie's childhood, which was mostly unsupervised and spent homeless and traveling. Ruthie grows up to give birth to Naida and swears her daughter will never question her love. Ruthie has a terrible fear of water, yet lives near the ocean. Her daughter, Naida, loves the Ocean completely.

There were plenty of happy moments within the story, but you spend a lot of time with your heart breaking for Ruthie and Naida. The author doesn't pretend that it's all rosy when you are considered to be on the fringe of society. If you are different, you are a target.

There is a hint of magic in this tale with the tale of the people with animal skins who live in the water, never really belonging on land or to the sea. Ruthie's mother was obsessed with the moon and drawn to the ocean. It wasn't presented in a way to be "true" but it is never quite written off either. I truly loved all the mini-tales within this book. I was sorry to finish.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Talk about a Happy Birthday!

I stumbled upon Plusrose Lane awhile back. They happened to have a giveaway going on. I drooled over all the blog items (backgrounds and such) and then followed the link to their Etsy store...and drooled some more. I entered the giveaway and then forgot. I was very excited when I received an e-mail informing me that I was a winner and could pick out a Key Holder from the store. Don't you love it? Go check it out, I'm planning a blog makeover from this store sometime soon.

And, my good friend, the Shadow Witch, sent me these earrings just because she loves me so. :) You have no idea how wonderful it is to go to the mailbox and find a darling treasure instead of junk mail. Takes me back to my college days when you'd get the occasional care package. The pumpkin earrings are my favorite fall earrings, and will go well with this little Halloween necklace I have. The boys and I decided those ships are pirate ships, and they are tickled when I wear them. ARRRRGGHHH, Pirate mama! LOL

She has an ebay store full of her creations here - http://myworld.ebay.com/shadow_witch/?_trksid=p4340.l2559

My husband, god love him, doesn't really do the gift thing very well. This year I asked if I could buy an easel and some paints. I've been dying to give painting a try. He said, "sure!" happy to get out of the guilt this year. See, at least he feels bad about it...that's better than my dad who just doesn't do it for anyone.

The boys and I went to Jo-Ann's and Wal-mart where I stocked up on Oil paints, canvas, an easel, acrylics and paint brushes. The first painting is done with oil paints. I love the texture but it takes so long to dry that by the time it is, it's covered with pet hair and little boy fingerprints. The 2nd one is done with acrylics. Not as much fun, but it is fast drying.

Before I go, my artistic drive is rubbing off the boys. CW has been on a drawing frenzy. He even picked out some mini-colored pencils and has been working hard. Ivan picked out his own set of acrylics and I got him some multi-media paper. Here he is hard at work painting with me.

Thank you all for the birthday wishes over on Facebook, and also for stopping by and giving me an audience.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Book Spotlight: Blood Seductions

by: Celeste Hall

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
Beware of dark desire…

When a vampire falls in love with a human, there is more at risk than a broken heart. How do you protect the one you love from becoming the thing she fears most in the world? How do you share your life with someone knowing fully well that your blood carries a virus which could destroy her?


**note: book spotlight means I did not read this book, but felt like sharing anyway**
MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected