Congratulations to Dobie and Suzette! You are our May 2010 Book Winners! Dobie’s name was drawn first, so she gets the first choice between DEWEY by Vicki Myron, a memoir about the famous “Library Cat,” and Terri Blackstock’s novel, LINE OF DUTY. Happy Reading! Next month, more free books!
Last month I told you that our reading group had chosen Mitch Albom’s HAVE A LITTLE FAITH for our May book, but we’ve decided to hold off on Mitch until September 2010. Our book for May is TALLGRASS, a novel by Sandra Dallas. I bought this book a year ago during one of my husband’s and my bookstore excursions. I set it in my “to read” stack – which is actually 5 stacks, all tall enough to teeter. During a meeting at my house, our book group was discussing future book choices, so I raided my stacks and brought down a few of my “can’t wait to reads”. They decided TALLGRASS sounded interesting, so we chose it for our May book.
Now that I have read it, I can give you my opinion: 5 huge stars!
It’s wonderful.
TALLGRASS takes place in the little Colorado town of Ellis during World War II. The main character, Rennie Stroud, is 13 years old. Her family has been impacted by the war in many ways – her brother is a soldier – but Rennie’s life changes completely when the federal government opens a Japanese internment camp less than a mile from the Stroud farm. After one of Rennie’s friends is murdered, the citizens of Ellis convince themselves that the murderer has to be one of the Japanese. Rennie has a different idea…
Author Sandra Dallas has a gift of seeing deep into human hearts, spinning suspense and weaving a touching story into a very satisfying conclusion.
The back cover says it better than I can: “Part thriller, part historical novel, TALLGRASS is a riveting exploration of the darkest – and best – parts of the human heart.”
Blessings, Sue
I hope you’ll post your favorite flower, flowering shrub or tree to be eligible to win one of our May Free Books! You are eligible to post even if you are a previous winner.
This month’s books include LINE OF DUTY by Terri Blackstock. LINE OF DUTY is an inspirational thriller. Here’s a quote from the back cover:
“Attorney Jill Nichols was on the top floor, taking a deposition from CEO Donald Merritt for a case of corporate stock fraud. Directly below them on the twenty-ninth floor, Merritt’s assistant was about to discover the explosive device in time to alert the building – but not to empty it.”
I think you’ll enjoy this rollercoaster ride of a novel from author Terri Blackstock. Blackstock was chosen the number one bestselling Christian suspense author in 2002. This book is from my library, is a gently used trade paperback and in like-new condition.
May’s other book is DEWEY by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter. This is a memoir of “the small-town library cat who touched the world.” From the jacket flap: “How much of an impact can an animal have? How many lives can one cat touch? How is it possible for an abandoned kitten to transform a small library, save a classic American town, and eventually become famous around the world? You can’t even begin to answer those questions until you hear the charming story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat of Spencer, Iowa.
This book is also from my library, is a gently used hardcover edition in like-new condition
Both books are great reads! Good luck!
Blessings! Sue
Hope you will post for a chance to win one of May’s free books. They are LINE OF DUTY, an inspirational thriller by Terri Blackstock; and DEWEY, a memoir about the small town library cat who touched the world, by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter. More about each book next week. The drawing will be on Thursday, May 27.
Post by telling me your favorite kind of flower or flowering shrub/tree! Mine is the lilac.
Blessings! Sue
This week, I had the best time ever at a Kids’ Book Club. This particular club is sponsored by the St. Ignace (Michigan) Public Library, and, because the kids had chosen to read my book SISU, they invited me to come to the discussion group. We had a ball! The kids range from sixth through eighth grades. Their interests are eclectic and varied, but they have one thing in common – they love to read.
I went expecting to do most of the talking and all the question-asking, but they chipped in, had very erudite answers and questions. These are smart, personable kids. I felt very honored to be invited and to participate. We also had some extra joys in that several moms were there, and that one of them prepared a scumptious Finnish pancake treat! How great is that! A local children’s book author came with her kids. I’m looking forward to reading her book, WHAT I SAW ON MACKINAC by Jennifer Powell.
The St. Ignace Library Kids’ Book Club is reading AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS by Gennifer Choldenko for their next selection. The title alone makes me want to read that book!
So, a big THANK YOU to the St. Ignace Library and the Kids’ Book Club for a great, great time, and two new books on my “gotta get” list.
Blessings! Sue
When I present at writers’ workshops, I often quote that ancient Chinese curse,”May you live in interesting times.” My point is that, although it is NOT a good thing for real people to live during interesting times (wars, famines, earthquakes), it IS a very good thing for your characters to live during interesting times, because interesting times are exciting.
I’m not a brave person, but I have lived through a few interesting times – my first deepwater SCUBA dive, a couple of near misses in our plane, a perch on an unhappy horse. This past week, though, I lived through a mini-version of interesting times, nothing scary, but exciting enough to fill my “interesting times” quota.
Last Friday I had carpel surgery on my left hand. I have a great surgeon, personable and excellent at what he does. The surgery went well, and I am already typing two-handed again, but they zonked me out more thoroughly than I had anticipated. Perhaps that’s because when I was in my nice hazy relaxed state just after receiving an IV anti-anxiety drug (I wasn’t anxious), I happened to mention to the anesthesiologist that during my right-hand carpel surgery I was awake and could hear the doctors talking and feel the sugeon saw through the tough tendon at the base of my hand – no pain, just the sensation of tugging and pulling.
He gave me an uncertain smile and said, “Well this time, you won’t feel a thing.” To which I replied with a sweet la-la-land protest of, “‘I really have to have a clear head tomorrow. I really, really do.”
I remember them sticking a long-needled injection into my IV line and I also remember thinking, I’m glad that needle is not going directly into my arm, and the next thing I knew someone was whizzing me along a corridor in a wheelchair and she and my husband were having a conversation about the fact that I was not waking up.
I remember thinking, Oh rats.
You see, I was scheduled to give the Commencement address at Lake Superior State University the next day. I didn’t tell the doctors this, because I didn’t want to sound prideful, (although I was prideful). Which meant I didn’t tell the doctors that the reason I needed my head to be clear the next day, a perfect setup for a situation of acute embarrassment in front of 1,000 people who were expecting a half-way decent graduation address.
Okay, so I was carsick all the way home (not throwing up, but wishing I could), and after that two- hour drive, I slept for hours on our couch. While there, between twilight sleep and the real thing, I was practicing my speech: “Congratulations Lake Superior State University Class of 2010!” I really practiced that line very well. Over and over and over again. And also I practiced the ending: “Thank you, God bless you, congratulations!”
I was also doing a lot of praying, a whole lot of praying, and finally about bedtime, I felt God’s hand ease me back from the precipice of dread. I slept well.
The next morning by the time I had managed to wash my hair wearing a plastic bag on my left hand and put on pantyhose one-handed, I was beginning to feel more confident. I was still a bit nauseated, but I practiced my speech several times and was able to remember the middle stuff between the beginning “congratulations” and the ending “congratulations”. A hopeful sign.
My husband drove us to the University, and, within the first few minutes of our arrival, we began to meet old friends and to feel the warmth of being a part of the LSSU family. We met the new university president, Dr. Tony McLain, a really great down-to-earth guy, and I discovered that my friend Karen Hughes-Beacom, a world-renowned opera singer, was performing the US and Canadian national anthems. Her songs were gorgeous, and she was a calming presence.
My speech went as well as I had ever hoped, and I loved standing up there talking to that incredible group of LSSU grads and their families and friends. It was a wonderful day, but I have to admit that the experience of having minor surgery and giving a commencement-speech all in the same 24- hour period is about as close to interesting times as I want to be. I’ll allow my characters to solve murders and survive kidnappings. I’d rather be reading – or watching LSSU grads claim their diplomas.
So next time I’m in line to have my excitement quota filled, I’ll say to the lady with the ladle, “Just a very small helping, please. You see, I don’t have much of an appetite. Actually, I think I’m feeling a wee bit queasy…”
Blessings, Sue