Paging Through the Past

One of my recent projects was to go through our bookshelves.  

Some books went off to new adventures in the hands of others.

 

Everything came off the shelves, including my Go Away, I’m Reading sign, and the two small stone tortoises Mrs. Larry likes to check in with when she’s walking around the house.

 

I dusted everything. Sneezed. Dusted some more. 

 

I put most things back, reorganizing the books as I went. My previous system of loosely shelving by genre no longer worked - mystery/suspense/thrillers spread like sinister shadows onto other shelves, and some favorite authors write in different genres so it was like their books lived in different apartments in the same building. My brain did not care for that – it much prefers alphabetically by author’s last name. 

 

As I held each book, I was reminded how a book can be so much more than the story within its pages. There’s often a story outside its pages, too . . . 

 

Books with garage sale stickers when that was the only way my husband and I could afford to buy books. 

 

Back before anyone had heard of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, my husband and I were in our favorite independent bookstore and one of the people there literally pushed it into my hesitant hands – it wasn’t my usual kind of thing - telling me I had to read it, I would love it. I don’t know why I doubted her. She was right. As usual. 

 

Books where I wrote my name inside the cover, that younger version of my scrawl actually legible.

 

Many years ago, author Chris Bohjalian gave a talk/reading/signing of one of his early novels. I went to get my book signed and somehow the subject of my writing came up (it was probably my husband, he’s always telling people I write.) Even though a line was forming behind me, Mr. Bohjalian took the time to ask me about my work. He was so encouraging and nice, I remember that feeling to this day.

 

Books with pages gone yellow, that slip from spines as if too tired to hold on. Some with print too small for me to read now. Others with ties to people – family, friends, authors - who are no longer with us.

 

Books hold stories in their words, in their pages. We hold stories in our hearts, in our memories. And sometimes all those stories turn and twist and tangle and become a whole other story, one uniquely its own. 

 

*****

Have any favorite book memories? How do you organize your books – or do you? What else lives on your bookshelves – plants, photos, etc? Any summer projects you’re particularly proud of completing? 

July, Here We Come!

Just a quick post to say the writing is going well. I’ve got one flash story done, one in progress, and another slowly revealing itself to be something longer. 

I’m also getting some house projects done – cleaning out, cleaning up and decluttering. (I’m coming for you soon, bookshelves!)

I’ll take a break for our annual rewatch of Jaws around July 4^th but if I stop too long, I’ll melt like a cup of Key Lime Pie ice cream left in the sun. (Sure, like ice cream would ever make it past my mouth, let alone make it outside.) 

 

*****

 

How’s your summer going so far? Working hard, hardly working or something in between? Any summery movies or snacks you love? 

Shuffling Along

So far, The Summer of Making Strides looks more like The Summer of Shuffling Along. 

 

But I'll take it, because even though I'm moving slower than a tortoise, I'm moving in the right direction for me. And on the days when it feels like I'm actually going backwards, I tell myself it's necessary to get a running start in order to take that leap forward. 

 

I'm not sure if it will help my momentum any, but I'm taking a bit of a blogging and social media break. I'll still pop in and out, and I'll be back with a new post in September.

 

All of us here at TSR 

wish you a wonderful summer, 

whatever that looks like for you!!!

Melting

So far, my summer of getting stuff done is going . . . okay. The biggest issue for me is lack of oomph. I'm not sure if it's my meandering mind, my foggy focus or the Florida summer heat. I am convinced, though, that I'm not sweating but melting, like a giant scoop of gelato. (Hey, I'm half Italian!)

 

WRITING – 

I'm struggling with the novel/novella. It's starting to sprawl, and I'm having trouble remembering everything. Apparently, my brain forgot how to hold more than one idea inside it. It's been a long time since I wrote anything longer than flash fiction so maybe that muscle is as flabby as the rest of me. I'm determined to keep at it though. I believe in it! 

 

I revised and subbed one story. Of course, it wasn't the story or the market I was aiming for, but I'll take it.

 

READING - 

I recently enjoyed two YA mystery/thrillers: QUEEN OF THE TILES by Hanna Alkaf (Scrabble tournament! Set in Malaysia!) and THIS GOLDEN STATE by Marit Weisenberg (A family on the run! A home DNA test!)

 

And I loved Chris Bohjalian's historical fiction/thriller, THE LIONESS (1960s Hollywood and an African safari!) 

 

WALKING – 

Even though we're behind on the miles challenges, we're keeping at it. I, apparently, need some sort of goal to even get up off the couch so quitting is not an option.  

 

Stats as of 6/30/2022 = 

124.2/202.2 miles (walking only)

0/100 miles

0/100 miles

 

I think I'm just going to apply – and repeat! – the tortoises' favorite mantra to everything this summer - slow and steady, slow and steady….

 

*****

 

How's your summer going? If you were a frozen treat, what would you be? Have you read anything good lately? Do you have a mantra, for the summer or in general? 

The Summer of Getting Stuff Done

For a lot of people, summer is about having fun, relaxing and traveling. For me, this summer is about putting my head down and keeping it down. I really need to focus. Need to. Want to. Have to. My emotional, mental, physical health demands it. My writing demands it. My home and weird . . . uh, unique . . .  little family demands it. (Mrs. Larry does not care for the word "weird" in reference to her, thank you very much.) 

 

Some of what I plan to accomplish:

 

* Get at least one draft of my novella done.

* Write and submit at least two stories to markets.

* Finish the 202.2 miles challenge. Maybe start one of the 100 miles challenges.

* Do some cleaning up, de-cluttering and organizing inside and outside the house.

 

I will have some fun, including lots of reading, TV show binge-watching and movie marathon-ing.

 

In the recent free version of Austin Kleon's newsletter, he mentions some advice by poet Jane Kenyon that explains exactly what my hope is for the summer – 

 

"Be a good steward of your gifts. 

Protect your time. 

Feed your inner life. 

Avoid too much noise. 

Read good books, 

have good sentences in your ears. 

Be yourself as often as you can. 

Walk. 

Take the phone off the hook. 

Work regular hours."

*****

 

Do you have any fun summer plans? Any "productive" projects? Looking forward to any summer books, TV shows, movies?

Bins, Boxes, Bubble Wrap - Oh My!

Hmm, apparently in my packing frenzy, I misplaced some items: 

Creativity

Energy 

Focus

 

I didn't realize how fragile they were. I can only hope I wrapped them carefully in bubble wrap. (I know I'm not myself when I haven't played with popping all of those delightful little bubbles.) 

 

Of course, I found some things so easily they might as well have jumped out of the boxes on their own:

Anxiety

Exhaustion

Stress

 

Pfft. Isn't that always the way?

 

Really, though, I am incredibly grateful for all the good in my life and things are definitely okay overall. They're just progressing at the pace of a tortoise dozing in the sun. So, much like the bubble wrap, I'll still pop in and out, but I'm extending my blogging break a bit longer. 

*****

 

What's new with all of you? How's your summer been? Looking forward to fall? 

  

The Books of Summer 2019

I know summer isn't quite over yet, but let's talk about those books we read sweating on a beach, sitting in the shade by a lake, sipping iced tea in a café or, if you were anything like me, curling up in a chair with the air conditioner on high. 

I read a lot of really good books this summer, more than I can list here, so I'm focusing on the ones I read between May and mid-August that I gave "5 stars" to over on Goodreads.  

These four fall into my go-to genre - mystery/suspense: 

THE INVITED by Jennifer McMahon - Jennifer McMahon is one of those authors where I don't even read the description of the book, I just buy it. 

SOME CHOOSE DARKNESS by Charlie Donlea - If you haven't read Charlie Donlea yet, you are in for such a treat. You won't go wrong with any of his novels.

DEAR WIFE by Kimberly Belle - You might think you know what's going on . . . . 

THE TURN OF THE KEY by Ruth Ware - Old-school gothic horror set in a new "smart" house, this story not only has scenes so creepy, they made me shiver (and it was not the air conditioning) but also twists that left me gasping for breath.

This next batch is a mix of middle grade and young adult: 

HEROINE by Mindy McGinnis - Mindy writes across genres, but this is my absolute favorite of her contemporary YA.

AUGUST ISLE by Ali Standish - I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love this book. 

WE WALKED THE SKY – by Lisa Fiedler - This historical fiction novel reminds me in the best way of Sara Gruen's WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. I'm also a sucker for a dual storyline, especially when both – past and present - are told from the points of view of female tightrope walkers. 

I actually read these next two earlier this year in ARC form, but since they came out this summer, I'm including them here with my reviews from Goodreads.

AFTER THE END by Clare Mackintosh - "This story will shred your heart but will also stitch it back together. The process won't be pretty, and it won't look or feel the same, but it will be whole again in its own way. This is a story of so many things - marriage, family, choices, grief, hope - but at its core, it is a love story, through and through." (I received an ARC through a giveaway on Goodreads.)

NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson - "Joshilyn Jackson takes her much-loved Southern fiction voice and her women's fiction genre and edges them with a sharp darkness that is absolutely thrilling. This is not a flip-the-pages-as-fast-as-you-can suspense novel. This is a sit-inside-the-story tale where the twists and turns are slow and subtle yet leave you shaken by their power. As a long time fan of Ms. Jackson's, I am thrilled to see her take on - and thrive! - in this new genre. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next." (I received an ARC through a giveaway on BookBrowse.) 

*****

Have you read any of these? Plan to? Did you read anything this summer that blew you away?  Are we Friends over on Goodreads? (If not, let's fix that! Click on the Find Me On Goodreads link in the sidebar.)

Library Luck, or Books Everywhere

Although right now the heat where I live makes my brain melt, it also does something amazing - it chases almost everyone else away. Mwahahaha! 

No, seriously. Come summertime all the snowbirds fly on back to wherever they live when it's not covered in snow. For full time residents here, this means all kinds of things, like less traffic on the roads and discounts to restaurants and . . . way less waiting for books at the library!

Yes, I am letting my geek girl flag fly because few things makes me happier than coming home with an armload of books from the library. New books that normally would've been plucked up by those pesky snowbirds are just sitting on the shelf as if waiting for me. Bestsellers and big to-do books I'd request then have to wait forever for, I now get the week they come out. (Who needs a vacation? This is my vacation. No sunscreen or bug spray required!)

I am fortunate that I can - and do! - buy lots of books. (The Barnes and Noble Cafe should name a drink after me.) But the library is a fantastic place to try out the work of new-to-you authors and explore different genres. As you can see from the tower on my nightstand:

This does not include the other stack of library books on a different bookshelf. Or the stack of books I recently bought. Or . . . Never mind.

How often do you go to your library? (I'm there once a week, pretty much.) How many books do you have right now sitting on your nightstand or on your Kindle? Does the population where you live change with the seasons or is it pretty much the same all year round?

Summer Vacation or Something Sinister: A What If...? Post

SCENARIO: A family of four - father, mother, two little girls - lives on your street. You know them only to smile and wave to, you recognize their cars - sports car for him, minivan for her - in the driveway, etc. Friendly but not friends. 

Summer starts. You realize you haven't seen the minivan for . . . awhile. His car comes and goes, he puts the garbage cans out, etc but no sign of the mother or the girls. 

What if . . . the mother and girls are vacationing somewhere for the summer, and he visits on weekends? He goes with them that first time, helps them unpack, and they eat dinner together in the local diner. He returns the next weekend, only to find them . . . gone. Not just gone, but as if they'd never been there. And no one in the diner or in town remembers him or recognizes photos of his family. What does he do now?

What if . . . the mother and father kidnapped the girls years ago and raised them as their own? What if the father thinks everything is fine, but the mother is becoming paranoid, is sure the authorities are on their way? She takes the girls and runs, not telling the father where they're going. How can he report them missing to the authorities when he stole them in the first place? What's his next step?

What if . . . the girls are really intelligent alien life forms studying the human race from childhood on up? What if they get sick of not having control over anything in their lives and decide to return to their planet? But they need to travel quite a bit in order to meet up with the mother ship. They need a ride. How do they convince their earthling mother to take them? 

Now, what if you took a turn with this scenario? Any sparks of inspiration? Feeling a stretch in that creative muscle?  

Summer is coming . . .

. . . and I'm taking a blogging break until then. I'll pop in and out, though. You can't get rid of me that easily.

I'll be back for IWSG on June 1st. See you all then!

Goodbye, July!

I don't know about you all, but I am done with July and ready for August . . . .  

* My Camp NaNo experience was a good one - I came out a winner! My goal was less about the word count - 20,000 words, on the lower side for me - and more about achieving a sense of accomplishment, something I've been lacking lately. I'm not sure yet what exactly I'm going to do with this project, but those creative juices are sizzling away on that hot summer sidewalk in my mind. 

* I'm still aiming to get my 2nd flash fiction collection, Garden of Lost Souls, out this summer. I've been stalling for all kinds of reasons, but that stops here and now.

* I also need to make health - physical and otherwise - a priority this month. (More on that in August's IWSG post!) Once again, stalling for all kinds of reasons. Once again, that stops here and now. 

So, how was your July? Did you win Camp NaNo? Complete any other projects or achieve any other goals? What are your plans for August? 

Summer Reading - The End

Back at the end of June, I wrote about my favorite books of the summer up until that point  in time - Summer Reading - Part I. Here's the wrap-up - from the end of June until August 28th - of the some of the best books I've read this summer -

*****

That Night by Chevy Stevens - I'm not sure she'll ever be able to top her first book, Still Missing, but this thriller comes very close.

*****

Someone Else's Skin by Sarah Hilary - Sarah was one of the first online writers/bloggers I "met" more years back than I care to admit. A few months ago, I saw an ad for her book on Shelf Awareness and promptly added this gripping, compelling mystery to my TBR list. Add it to yours - you won't be sorry.

*****

Torn Away by Jennifer Brown - this YA novel is an utterly heartbreaking story of loss and an amazingly hopeful story of love. This is my new favorite Jennifer Brown novel and easily one of my favorite books of the year so far.

*****

Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf - I read this with my heart wedged up in my throat. If you ever saw a news story and thought something along the lines of "How could he/she do that? That would never happen to me" or "I would never let that happen," think again. Accidents - terrible, horrifying accidents - can and do happen to the best of us. This novel reminds us of that, and shows how healing and hope can still be possible.   

*****

Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work by Tim Gunn (with Ada Calhoun) - A big part of the reason I enjoy watching Project Runway is Tim Gunn's always dapper, always encouraging presence. I use his catchphrase - "Make It Work" - for everything from writing to making dinner. This is a fun read, not only because it's got behind-the-scenes stories of Project Runway, but also because it's full of wisdom and humor and heart.   

*****

Have you read any of these? Do you think you'll give one or two of them a try? What have you read and loved this summer?

Summer Reading - Part I

My husband showed me this article - "5 Best-Selling Author's Favorite Beach Reads" - and it got me thinking about the books I've read this May and so far - the 26th - this June.

Here are some of my favorites: 

Until You're Mine by Samantha Hayes - this suspense novel kept me guessing. So many twists and turns! And the last line of the Epilogue is fantastic!

*****

The Book of You by Claire Kendal - totally creepy. Made me want to keep looking over my shoulder even though I wasn't the one being stalked. 

*****

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart - this contemporary YA novel took me by surprise with its voice and its style, including the way Lockhart ratcheted up the tension in increasingly subtle ways.   

*****

Bird Box by Josh Malerman - if you're going to read only one book from this list, PLEASE MAKE IT THIS ONE. Utterly terrifying and psychologically intense, it is easily one of my favorites of 2014.

*****

What are you reading - and loving! - so far this summer? Any titles you're particularly looking forward to? Any favorite summer reading memories?

Using the Five Senses - Summer in the City

On my website, I mention that I grew up in Brooklyn, NY.  I've since lived in a number of places, traveled, had different experiences, etc., but whenever summer rolls around, I always go back to Brooklyn in my mind. 
 
One of the "rules" of writing is to use all the senses - hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch - when crafting a scene, when creating a place.  Memories are ripe with all of these sensations.

In the rectangle of dirt next to the garage, my grandfather grows fat, red tomatoes that smell like earth tinged with car exhaust, that drip juices laced with the heat of the summer sun.  My sister's Strawberry Shortcake roller skates clatter over the sidewalk as she races up and down the block, from one corner to the other.  My mother's voice floats out the open kitchen window as she talks on the phone to one of my aunts.  Upstairs, my grandmother leans fleshy arms on the windowsill and watches the goings-on of the neighborhood.  My father and grandfather sit on lawn chairs in front of the open garage, the station wagon's pale blue door a memory of an earlier sky.  The ice cream truck rumbles by, its music a siren song.  My grandfather presses crumpled bills into my sweaty palm, and I race away to join the swarm of kids.  But at the edge of the driveway, I stop and look back...just as I stop and look back now. 

In my mind, my father and grandfather still sit in front of that garage but where once they were guardians of home and family, they are now also guardians of memories.  Memories - summer memories, in particular -  often have soft, blurred edges but using all of our senses will bring them back into focus, will sharpen them, not only for yourself, but also for your readers. 

Do you have any special summer memories you'd like to share?  Can you do it using most, if not all, of the five senses?