Sweet Soliloquies

When I found this poetry challenge at Clover, Bee and Reverie: A Poetry Challenge, hosted by Lu of Regular Rumination, I immediately knew I’d join. While I do enjoy it, I believe I’d be more at ease with writing poetry if I read more of it. It will also be a treat just to study and enjoy the magic that is poetry. The purpose of this challenge... Read→

Look what I found at A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf: It’s not like I need another challenge, even though it is a book challenge, but since I love this genre so much, why the heck not?!  Bella, our hostess, explains the challenge at her 101 of the Best Fantasy Books post.  (The PDF version of the full list is at 101 Fantasy Book List (PDF).) Here... Read→

I discovered and am joining The 2010 Pub Challenge hosted by Michelle at 1More Chapter. You might want to join, too. The rules seem easy to live by: Read a minimum of 10 books first published in 2010. You don’t have to buy these. Library books, unabridged audiobooks, or ARCs are all acceptable. To qualify as being first published in 2010,... Read→

If you’ve not yet heard about Jamie Ridler’s The Next Chapter: The Happy Book Mail-Around, I’m so glad you’re here. If you have heard, you’ll know what all the excitement is about! The Next Chapter is Jamie Ridler’s (of Jamie Ridler Studios) book club, whose participants read a chosen book and blog or comment their... Read→

Click on the name and you’ll be taken to their author page on LibraryThing. Susan Wittig Albert Madelyn Alt Kelley Armstrong Jill Badonsky Coleman Barks Lorna Barrett Michelle Belanger Anne Bishop Annette Blair Barbara Bretton Jim Butcher Julia Cameron Elizabeth Castro Theresa Cheung Tony Cohan Francis Ford Coppola Alice Kimberly Stephen Crane... Read→

October was not my best month, however, when I wasn’t sleeping (due to illness), I did get more reading done. Last month should have been spent writing a short story for an anthology I’m excited about, but my brain could barely fire off a sentence or two. November will need to be very productive indeed! My newest author discovery is Louise... 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→

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→

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→

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→

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→

It’s National Read a Book Day!  Are you celebrating? As for me, I finished up The Sandman Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman.  I cannot write a review for this yet but must let it marinate, and even then, when I’ve had time to feel and remember the stories that came before, I’m not sure if I can do it justice.  I’m feeling... Read→

I could not pass up this book challenge. I mean, the Dream King? Neil Gaiman? Come on! I had heard of this man before, he floated about peripheral shadows, but it wasn’t until my husband introduced The Sandman trade paperback series to me that I truly experienced the wonder that is Neil Gaiman. Mr. Gaiman’s books are charming, whimsical,... Read→

Call me crazy but I joined three more book challenges this week.  I can see how easy it is to become hooked on these things and I’ve barely begun!  I’ve already posted about the R.I.P. IV, or R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril IV, challenge and have been discovering so many titles I’d like to read for that but it’s really only feasible... Read→