Sandra Cox's Blog, page 69

Did You Know

 Did you know, the Baltimore Ravens were named after the poem The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe?

 

IWSG Wednesday

 

The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. IWSG was formed by Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh. Members post about their doubts and fears, discuss struggles and triumphs, and offer words of encouragement to others who are struggling.

The awesome co-hosts for the October 6 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pitt, J Lenni Dorner, Cathrina Constantine, Ronel Janse Van Vuuren, and Mary Aalgaard.

 

October 6 question-In your writing, where do you draw the line, with either topics or language? I’m going to have to mull this one over. Short answer, I'm a middle of the road writer when it comes to language and topics. 

I’ll be interested in seeing how others answer this.

 

September/October in no particular order.

* Disclaimer. If I run into an occasional typo, I ignore them and don't factor them into my review.

 

LIFE IS LIKE A MOSAIC by Sally Cronin

Lovely imagery.

This is such a wonderful collection of verse.  There’re poems of nature and her creatures. Poems of childhood. Of aging. And even of food. There’re poems of warning and poems of fun. The one thing they all have in common is the mastery of the verse itself. The collection of words that are strung together and used to spark a reaction, usually a smile and a feeling of warmth, and slide us into the worlds that the author created.

Available at Amazon

 

 

 

 

SECRETS, LIES AND ALIBIS by Jacqui Biggar

Romantic Suspense with a Healthy Dollop of Humor 

 

Amanda and Adam, two headstrong government agents, have a hot affair. Amanda has second thoughts and they part ways. After the split, Amanda discovers she’s pregnant. Tension builds as they try to find their way back to each other all the while in the midst of danger.

This is the first book of the series I’ve read and while it stands alone, it would be helpful to start at the beginning to get more deeply immersed in the other characters.

Biggar has a smooth writing style and does a wonderful job of drawing readers in with her characters and world-building. This is a well-told tale that will leave fans wanting more.

Available at Amazon

 THINGS HE HADN’T TOLD HER by Vicky Whedbee

A heartwarming, sweet romance about two best friends who fall in love with the same woman.

Cole and Chad have been friends since the first grade. Chad has looked out for Cole all his life. Now that they're in college, the friendship is put to the test when they fall in love with the same woman and Chad must decide whether to put Cole's needs first as he's always done or for once, put himself first.

Available at Amazon

 

THE SORCERER’S GARDEN by D. Wallace Peach

Told in Peach’s sirenic style, this story takes on a life of its own when an unfinished story begins to write itself.

Madlyn is hired as a reader for Cody, a young man in a vegetative state. Deciding he wouldn’t be interested in romance stories, she begins reading the unfinished manuscript that Cody was writing before his accident. Entertainment turns to intrigue and intrigue to terror when she discovers herself in the story and the pages in the book take on an energy of their own. Her life begins to twist and turn between the present and past, and in both lives she finds herself in danger.  

Rich in imagery, this story is a must read for Peach and/or fantasy fans. 

Available at Amazon

 

WILLOW’S RETREAT by S. L. Hollister

Another well-done drama about small town life in the coastal South. The story is centered around a couple that love each other but who have misunderstood what the other wants for thirty years to the detriment of their marriage. All the characters are nicely fleshed-out and believable, including a mother-in-law from hell that readers will love to hate. Hate may be too strong a word but she definitely gets on nerves as she frets about what her church friends will think instead of worrying about what her family needs. She has also poisoned the youngest child against his mother which adds another layer to a complex story. A well-told tale that has just the right amount of danger and emotional tension to hold the reader’s interest. It certainly did mine.

Available at Amazon

 

PARANORMAL MYSTERIES by Judy and Keith

This book contains three standalone stories about a mysterious piano, a teddy bear, and a good witch who takes on a dark fairy.

All three novellas were fun but my favorite was the story of the mysterious piano and the affect it has on its new owner (a young girl) and how her abilities go from that of a beginner to a concert pianist.

The teddy bear is not your typical stuffed animal and the dark fairy does what dark fairies do:)

This book is geared for teens but I would also add the young at heart. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories and recommend them for anyone looking to sink into escapism. The well-written novellas are fun, easy reads.

Available at Amazon

 

Read a good book lately?

 

It's Tuesday

How are you, Blogger Buds?

I for one am glad the full moon has waned. Last week was crazy. Someone got shot at the Walmart we shop at. I'm very pleased to say we weren't there at the time.  Cattle were ambling down the main street of town. And a car down the street caught fire.   

Callie 
 

So,

We were on our way to see the Grands over the weekend when we saw the Great, no make that Great-Great or Great-Great-Great Pumpkin. It was tied under a tarp in the back of a pickup and took up the whole bed. Biggest darn pumpkin I've ever seen. Wish I'd taken a picture instead of gawked.

Saturday we went to an open market that sold every kind of pumpkin imaginable, except the Great Pumpkin, flowers and preserves. I picked up two that caught my fancy and a red coneflower. I've been lusting for one since I saw them this summer at one of the local gardens we visited  when we went to see our daughter and SIL. It looks pretty puny compared to the established plants but it will catch up.

AND

We went to visit a friend's property last week. It was like visiting a National Park. So serene and pretty. The water rippled as it flowed in the creek adding to the sense of peace.

 

AND

We are seeing cotton fields pop up. We haven't seen them in years. We are wondering if it's possibly crop rotation? Anybody know?

Got pumpkins? Coneflowers? Creeks? Serenity? Know anything about cotton fields?

Friday's Read: MORE TIME

 

Tag 

If only we had 'More Time.'

Who would you save if you had a time machine? 

Anything you’d change and do different?

The answer isn’t always obvious. You might want to help a childhood friend who you lost touch with as a teenager, or resolve one of the many if-only I had more time situations.  

Are you ready for a life do-over?

 Sophie is, and this is her story. 

 

  Short excerpt

 Kevin was my best friend from kindergarten and all through high school. He was a few years older than me and lived down the road from my grandparents, who basically brought me up. The two of us encouraged each other and got into a lot of mischief. One time, we decided to have a fire on the outhouse’s flat roof to warm up the fish and chips we purloined from Nana’s shop. Luckily for me, Papa spotted the smoke before we burnt the building down. I was grounded for an entire month! Kevin’s the only person who has ever challenged me.  

Then, there was the time we picked clean the entire elderberry bush and quickly discovered they’re too sour to eat. Kevin suggested we make wine. I mentioned reading about squashing the little berries with our feet. I think I confused elderberries with grapes. He asked me to demonstrate and I forgot to take off my white socks. He kept a straight face for all of two minutes then laughed as I promptly stained them a dark blue-black.  

At least, when he wanted to play doctors and nurses, I said, “I’ll strip after you.” We were too young to do anything. After a few minutes, it got boring as the novelty had worn off, and we just got dressed.  

Come to think of it, Kevin was the instigator most of the time. Mustn’t forget the time he washed my legs down the toilet to clean them. We’d been wading in the local muddy stream looking for tadpoles. I got a wallop from Mom that time, and deservedly so. It wasn’t just my legs covered in mud! 

As kids, we had such fun together, two peas in a pod. Admittedly, he was older, but we understood each other. Why didn’t I date him? His mates making fun of us at high school didn’t help with comments like robbing the cradle.  

Too late now, he graduated and got a job locally. A couple of years later, I left to go to university, and we lost touch. In under two years, I graduated with a first in physics. Consumed by the flow of time, I quickly achieved my doctorate in theoretical physics with mathematical premises and proofs on tachyons enabling time travel, plus the effect of gravity on muons.  

Bio

 Judy and Keith have been married for over forty-five years. They’re semiretired and live in the South Bay, Los Angeles. Both were born and raised in England in the early fifties and relocated to Los Angeles in the late eighties. They have two sons and two grandsons. 

 You can contact the authors on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JudyandKeith/ 

or Twitter @JudyandKeith 

 Their inspiration comes from their extended family and have released several illustrated collections of short-stories for children aged five to twelve, including ‘Bedtime Stories,’ ‘Quests and Adventures,’ and ‘The Wicked Witch Anthology.’  

 As their grandchildren are now older, their later releases are written for young adults and teens of all ages.

Three quirky facts about the authors

One, we're been married 47 years

Two, we went to the same Grammar school in England and competed against each other in a music competition. Judy won. Grammar School ran from 11 to 18.

Three, we love to dance...Lindy Hop is our favorite.

Four, the secret to a long relationship is communication and doing things together.

Sorry, can't count!

Five, we both love to cook, Judy's better.

 

 

Buy link amazon.com/dp/B09DW8CZCD  

 

Did You Know

 Did you know that Jefferson had such an inquisitive mind about so many things he became known as a walking encyclopedia.

 

Writerly Wednesday

 What's your go-to word for family, Blogger Buds? Mine: Everything:)

There are many types of family. Some we are born into. Some we create ourselves.

It's Tuesday

 Hey there, Blogger Buds, Do you believe it's nearly October? The HH surprised me with this. Purrfect. 

Halloween Kitty in the daytime. (The dog is on one side of the door and I'm on the other:)

And this is at night.
AND in the garden, Miss Molly is blooming right along as is the little hibiscus.

 

I was going to exercise but there was a cat on my lap;)
AND, a sweet vid about a little rescued fox.Thanks, Rye.
Got Halloween decos out? Flowers? Cats? Foxes????

Friday's Great Read: LIFE IS LIKE A MOSAIC

 

Blurb

“Use a picture. It’s worth a thousand words.” Arthur Brisbane 1911          

 An image offers an opportunity to see endless possibilities depending on the viewer’s perspective. Where some might see beauty and joy, others imagine sadness and loss of hope.

 In this collection, images and syllabic poetry are brought together to tell a story based on the author’s perspective. The poetry explores our human experiences such as love, happiness, hope, aging, friendship, new beginnings, dreams and loss.

 The world around us is an amazing playground and source of all our essential needs as well as sensory experiences that bring wonder into our lives. What lies beyond the horizon? What surprises will we discover as a garden bursts into bloom? Where do the night creatures live?

 At the end of the collection there are some longer poems celebrating memories of the author’s life of travel, teenage exploits and love of food!

 

Introduction

In this latest collection of poetry, my intention was to share aspects of life and nature that we experience on a daily basis, but also can sometimes catch us by surprise.

As you turn each page you will find images and verses that combine to tell stories I hope will surprise and delight you.

At the end of the collection in a special section called Slices of life, I share memories of my childhood and teens and a little humour.

I am a still a student of the syllabic form of poetry and I hope you will enjoy my interpretations of this ancient form of storytelling.

Excerpt - As the book is all poetry I have selected one of the longer ones at the back of the book with a touch of humour.

 

The Leftovers

 

I opened the fridge this morning
To check on the state of the world,
I hoped to see that the turkey,
Was not all dry shrivelled and curled.

It peaked from its packet of foil,
Still juicy and raring to go
I shredded it into some sauce
With mushrooms and onions for show.

I took the spuds, carrots and peas
And slathered with butter and oil.
The brandy was down to the dregs,
I added and brought to the boil.

But what to do with the trifle
Still lush with custard and berry
Guess I shall just have to eat it
Topped with a schooner of sherry.

So if I sound a bit pickled
The leftovers carry the blame.
Since to throw good food in the bin
Would be a dire waste and a shame.

My waist has expanded to fit
All the goodies that have been served
But thankfully my beloved,
Likes his women rounded and curved!

 

Bio

Sally Cronin is the author of fifteen books including her memoir Size Matters: Especially when you weigh 330lb first published in 2001. This has been followed by another fourteen books both fiction and non-fiction including multi-genre collections of short stories and poetry.

Her latest release, Life is Like a Mosaic: Random fragments in harmony is a collection of 50 + images and poems on life, nature, love and a touch of humour.

As an author she understands how important it is to have support in marketing books and offers a number of FREE promotional opportunities in the Café and Bookstore on her blog and across her social media.

Her podcast shares book reviews and short stories Soundcloud Sally Cronin

After leading a nomadic existence exploring the world, she now lives with her husband on the coast of Southern Ireland enjoying the seasonal fluctuations in the temperature of the rain.

 

Buy Links - Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B099X29LTD

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B099X29LTD

Blog/Free Book Marketing: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com

Book Page and Reviews: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2021/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sgc58

Did You Know

 

Did you know, Thomas Jefferson was the driving force behind Congress founding the U.S Military Academy at West Point in 1802?

Writerly Wednesday

What's your go-to word for easy? Mine: nothing.