Sandra Cox's Blog, page 86

It's Tuesday

Greetings Blogger Buds. Per usual Tuesday is a mishmash, beginning with these beauties I received Saturday from my daughter and SIL for my birthday. 

AND...From the boy and family.  

Sweets and flowers. The kids covered the bases:) And the HH came through  like the trooper he is with a DNA kit, money for a phone and various and sundry fun items. My i phone is so old they no longer accept it for trade-ins. 😂

AND...Thank you for the well wishes in emails, comments and e cards, friends. Much appreciated.

AND... My coffee calendar:) Thanks, HH.

AND...Here's Frank, helping us unload the groceries. Like I said, Tuesday's a mishmash.

OKAY, I found this one a tad bit weird. My guess is that somewhere along the food chain, when I had the plaques made for the kitties' grave sites, my marketing info was sold.

What about you, buds? Was your weekend a good one? Got any weird mail? Do your critters help with the groceries? If you had a birthday, was it wondrous?

Weekend Wishes

 

AND....Since I have a birthday this weekend, have a free read on me. Apologies that it's not offered free outside of the U.S.

Available at Amazon

AND...

Starting the 16th Gwen will be on sale for the first time for $.99.

 Available at Amazon

AND...Belated

 AND...

 

 

Did You Know

 

Did you know, at the end of his life, and after Abigail had died, John Adams slept in his library room among his beloved books (which included novels by James Fenimore Cooper).

Wacky Writerly Wednesday

I found this and nearly choked....

It's Tuesday

*Spoiler alert. There is nothing uplifting about this post. If you are saturated in sadness, feel free to skip today and come back tomorrow. Believe me, I understand.

 January 6, 2021. America's Nightmare.

For months, I've been expecting something like this.If  you connect the dots, you know where you are going to end up. But I expected it in the abstract. Expecting something to happen isn't like witnessing it. Seeing a policeman being crushed by a mob. A noose hanging. The confederate flag waving. A policeman being beaten with the American flag. Our capitol, our house, desecrated. Windows smashed. Congress members' offices ransacked.Insurgents wearing sweatshirts with January 6, 2021 Civil War on them and others with antisemitic slogans. 

Worst of all, five people were killed, one a policeman. Why? To overthrow our election, our government.  To turn democracy into an autocracy. Over the months votes have been counted and recounted then recounted again. The results were taken to court over sixty times and found to be legitimate. But just like 'Fake News', if 'rigged elections' is repeated often enough, people begin to believe it.

For years, congress men and women were willing to reach across the table, willing to put aside their differences and compromise for the good of the country.  It was healthy. It insured democracy survived. And sprinkled amongst congress  were heroes, on both sides of the aisle. Then we lost John McCain and John Lewis and the last of our heroes were gone. 

What are we left with? A man whose first and last concern is himself, and his enablers. There are rumblings about another uprising the seventeenth and the twentieth. I hope we aren't on the verge of civil war.

Arnold states it much better than I ever could.

 

AND...

I hate ending on such a negative note, so let me add, an innkeeper was once fined and jailed for making uncomplimentary remarks about John Adams' posterior.

Weekend Wishes

 

Did You Know

 Did you know, after John Adams retired from the presidency he took to reading (and enjoyed) romantic poems and novels, of the day, such as Lady of the Lake, by Walter Scott and Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter

 

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IWSG Wednesday

 

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

Thanks, as always, to Alex Cavanaugh, founder and Ninja Captain extraordinaire and our awesome co-hosts.

The IWSG monthly question can be found under the IWSG Sign-up tab on the Insecure Writer's Support Group Blog.  Remember it’s optional.

January 6 question - Being a writer, when you're reading someone else's work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people's books?

 

For the most part, if my interest wanes. I like a book to grab me from the beginning and keep me turning pages. And while good descriptions and backstory are necessary to pull a reader in, I want them tight. A couple of sentences usually does it for me then I want action. I like a succinct story without wasted verbiage and want each word to count.  Do I always practice what I preach? Uh, no.

 

AND…

 

December/January Reviews in no particular order.

 

ARRANGING A DREAM by J.Q. Rose

I don’t normally read memoirs but I had the privilege of reading the author’s ARC and loved it. It held my attention the entire way through. Knowing the author and being fascinated by the flower industry kept me turning pages.  She was even kind enough to throw in free information about floral arrangements including ‘flower water buckets are always cleaned and bleached between each use’. Who knew?  ARRANGING A DREAM is a fascinating true story of a young couple on a journey to find and realize their dreams.

Amazon.

 

WHAT’S IN A NAME by Sally Cronin

This book is filled with fascinating short stories, each one based around the named character of the book. Each story is different and might revolve around a child, an adult--young to old--or even a ghost. What they all have in common is the emotion they bring to the story. The scenery is detailed and pulls you into the location and the characters are relatable. I enjoyed these stories and think you will too. So, grab a cup of coffee or tea, put your feet up, relax and sink into these stories.

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DOLPHIN’S CAVE by D. L. Finn

 

I’m a D.L. Finn fan and try to read everything she publishes. This is her best story yet.

The storyline is strong. It hooked and held my attention from the beginning.

The characters are wonderful. I found myself rooting for Coral, hoping she would find her parents.

The romance is subtle, just the way I like it. And her love interest is, well, lovable

It's Tuesday

 Greetings, blogger buds.  I trust that so far 2021 has been good to you.  I'm finding it politically and COVID stressful and will be glad when January is in the rear view mirror. Overall, I have high hopes for 2021. Bring on Jan 20th and the vaccines.

Back when Sweet Belle was alive she had a bad habit of clawing at carpeting in front of a closed door. SO we took out the carpeting at the door and added a stained wooden strip. Here's the strange thing about that strip. Frank NEVER walks across it. ALWAYS jumps over it. Why? Heck if I know. Maybe he subscribes to the theory step on a crack  strip, break your mother's back.

AND...

This was my little tree prior to Callie.

This is my tree now.

Nothing is sacred:)

AND...

The Christmas roses are blooming or the next thing to.

Tuesday's question: What's your go-to snack? Mine is banana chips and walnuts.

What about you, blogger buds? Got flowers? Got ripped carpet? Knocked over Christmas trees? What's your go-to snack?

Happy New Year and Great Read's Friday

 

 Happy New Year, friends. I'm happy to ring it in with information on a new book by good friend and fellow author D. L. Finn. I love the Finn Facts she always includes with her releases:)

Thank you for having me here today, Sandra