Sweet Soliloquies

Greetings and welcome to the holiday happenings here at Sweet Soliloquies! As the post title would suggest, I’ve got some fun things planned for the month of October and I hope you’ll visit me often.  I’m participating in the October Blog Party hosted by Domestic Witch in which I’ve committed to doing something Halloween or... Read→

Today’s question from our benevolent leader Jamie Ridler is rich with possibility: What do you wish to share? Without going into detail, I can say that we’ve had a rough time of it lately.  Struggling just to keep up, pay the bills, feed ourselves and not fall in too deep.  There are moments when I’d like to jump off the mountain... Read→

Well, I did it. I completed the Cozy Mystery Challenge 2009 hosted by Kris at Not Enough Books. Thanks so much for hosting it, Kris! I didn’t think I’d have too much trouble completing the challenge, even though I started over half way into the challenge, because I enjoy reading cozies and also discovering new authors (to me), such as... Read→

I found this meme over at Melissa’s Bibliotica blog and thought I’d give it a whirl. Apparently, it made the rounds during Book Blogger Appreciation Week which was a week or so ago. Here we go… Do you snack while you read? If so, what is your favorite reading snack? I don’t usually snack while reading a book, however I do... Read→

This week has been filled with all of the usual stuff and any extra time I’ve had I’ve tried to read, read, read.  I finally completed the Cozy Mystery Challenge.   The R.I.P. IV Challenge deadline is October 31st and I’ve got three more books to read for that.  I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it since I’ve... Read→

Ghastly Glass (Renaissance Faire Mystery) Authors: Joyce and Jim Lavene Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime 312 pages The story: In this second book of the Renaissance Faire Mystery series, Jessie Morton, an assistant professor at a local college, continues her research on Renaissance crafts by becoming an apprentice at the Glass Gryphon, one of the shops... Read→

I very much enjoyed reading the first chapter of The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Lifeby Martha Beck. She’s got a great writing style and it’s obviously she knows whereof she speaks. If you’re at all curious, it would definitely be worth your time to flip through the pages of this book. I have no doubt once you start... Read→

Time Flies by Pat Brennan Today’s Wishcasting Wednesday question is: What luxury do you wish for? My answer came before I was finished reading the question. It seems that I never have enough time. Time to relax, time to create, to time give, time for me to do all of those things I’ve always wanted to do. I’m always afraid to wish... Read→

Homicide in Hardcover: A Bibliophile Mystery Author: Kate Carlisle Publisher: Signet (February 3, 2009) 304 pages The story: Brooklyn Wainwright is a book doctor extraordinaire. Faded, brittle leather and crusty, smelly pages are like heaven for Brooklyn. The daughter of two 60’s flower children who moved their family to a California commune,... Read→

It’s International Peace Day people!  It’s the day for people across the world to express their versions of peace on a synchronized date.  Welcome to the party!  Our benevolent host is Rhonda Roo at Roo’s Treehouse.  Please take off your shoes and put on your smiles because today is all about peace and love.  To get you in the... Read→

Believe it or not, this was another week of no book purchases.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I would have no problem selecting several books to add to my collection, but I grabbed a few magazines instead.  As usual, my choices reflect my interest in writing, art, creativity, and Halloween!! After deciding I was NOT going to participating in NaNoWriMo... Read→

Book Blogging Group Hosted By Jamie Ridler I”m excited to start reading The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life and compare notes with my fellow participants.  I’ve not read anything yet, mainly because I’ve been trying to finish up some other books for the book challenges I’m participating in. The chapters in this... Read→

It was difficult holding back the tears this morning as I tooled along the freeway with 70 other commuters and read the first chapter of Life Is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally by Patti Digh. Darn you, Ms. Digh, for making me feel so early in the morning.  Read More →

How do you wish to stretch? Our ever inspiring Wishcasting guru, Jamie Ridler, sure asks the right questions, doesn’t she? I don’t know how many times one of us has said that it’s like she reads our minds and knows just what we need to be thinking about and sorting through in our lives. Thank you, Jamie. I imagine this question... Read→

Isn’t it glorious to find something you love to do and then turn it into a a great big party for everyone to enjoy? That’s what my friend Mary Taylor has done with her Knitting On Top Of The World Knitathon. Mary is a mother of one fabulous son and is an extremely busy attorney who felt there just wasn’t enough on her plate. After... Read→

Good Sunday to you!  It’s been a very pleasant weekend, hasn’t it?  My husband and I viewed some faculty art at a visual arts college yesterday and made our weekly trip to the bookstore.  We also checked out some Halloween decorations and costumes to get ideas for our Halloween party. Since we’re still trying to be good, we shopped... Read→

Vanished (Greywalker, Book 4) by Kat Richardson Publisher: Roc Hardcover 368 pages The story: Our heroine, Harper Blaine, PI, begins having visions leading her to believe she should visit her mother in the hope that she’ll discover clues about her past and why she became a Greywalker, one who walks between the two worlds. As she sorts through... Read→

What you’ll find here at Sweet Soliloquies in the next week: A spotlight on an exciting new knitathon My book review for Vanished (Greywalker, Book 4) (Hardcover) My book review for Ghastly Glass (Renaissance Faire Mystery) Some October and Halloween news More Wednesday Wishcasting A little bit of this and that. I hope you’ll join me and... Read→

Our inspirational Wishcasting hostess Jamie Ridler asks the question: What do you wish to learn? This might be one of the easiest yet most difficult questions yet. I could easily say, “What don’t I wish to learn?” I wish to learn more about writing and crafting a great story. I wish to learn a million and one techniques for how... Read→

I’ve heard the siren call of a new challenge, one I believe is important and should be shared with the world.  I do not read many memoirs or biographies, perhaps because I have enough to deal with and do not care to take on the troubles of others, feeling too deeply as I do sometimes.  However, not every memoir is gut wrenching and it is true... Read→