C. (Comment, never msg).’s Comments (group member since Jan 30, 2014)

C. (Comment, never msg).’s comments from the Gentle SPECTRUMS group.

New Zealand has always sounded beautiful to me and it was unbelievably Heavenly in the films of "The Lord Of The Rings". Whether standing, sitting, swimming, horseriding, or breathing the air; you have a lovely home. Your birthday is my priority and I want to reassure you that your special mail will not be forgotten.

I am sorry to be late putting it together. I came home from my Dad's place with a cold from him and it took two weeks to shake. I am slow catching-up here. When your mail is ready, I must tidy up around the house, go through my dear Mom's items, pick from the garden.... I am also going to send test mail to Shirin soon. Please know your birthday mail is coming.

I have reviewed this short story with happy thoughts of both of you. Here is my link and I will look at each of yours soon, to ensure that I have remarked on them right along with you. Love, your friend, Carolyn. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Good morning, Shirin. I like to clear other books up first, so let me know when you are doing the same. I will take maybe two more nights to finish my Martha Grimes novel, unless I make good progress today. If so, I can read a shorter book afterwards.

"Roger Ackroyd" is so early in this series, it will be fine for you. I liked the first, loved the second, then disliked the next couple of Hercule Poirots. However, I loved the books in between that had nothing to do with him, hahahaha. We will see if he redeems himself in this story and adventure.

When my friend, Shirin, has a few days available to discuss book updates every night: we are going to read the famous Agatha Christie story "The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd"! Anyone keen to read this may join us. I read all of Agatha Christie's works in order and have arrived at this novel.

I like to be surprised about which protagonists each story features. I know this contains Hercule Poirot, whom I happened to get very tired of in the last few novels. I hope he stops sounding like a know-it-all and that Agatha got rid of references to "little man". I liked him in the first two novels, so it may be that the next few were weaker stories. This is supposed to be an excellent one, so I am keen to hop aboard it.

Thank you for remembering our babies, who have turned 11 years-old yesterday! Conan too, wherever he is for now. We also include their Brother, Love, in our birthday wishes: all four kittens born on this very special day that brightens our lives.

I am sad that Marigold ascended to the afterlife at such a young age, that her kittens will match her 11 1/2 in half a year. It emphasizes how brief a time she is getting. Spirit is away too soon at 16 1/2 too, considering how happy he makes us and how dearly we wish he could be here as well. Especially Love, gone in 2014 for more year then he lived.

We are slowly trying to focus on the happy things. We celebrate birthdays over several days: waiting for kind-hearted messages like yours to come in, taking photos which will soon include Ron, me, and McCartney with them. I got a few shots before it rained yesterday and a few indoors but we want those individuals with them and a group pose of the cats. Your friend, Carolyn.

Thank you for your caring, supportive, positive replies on personal subjects always.

I found a good price for the third "Murdoch Mysteries" novel and there are a couple of copies left for you, Kerri darling! https://www.awesomebooks.com/book/978...

Oh, there is something else I meant to say. I saw on TV yesterday that Lucy Lawless is a New Zealander! I have not seen "Xena" but certainly, the whole world heard of that show. I believe it was in the 1990s. I suppose it was filmed there as well. I don't recall her having an accent so I wonder if she suppressed it for her show. Anyway, it is nice to know another famous person and source of entertainment from your country. My sample was short. Is there distinction between New Zealand's and Australia's accents?

I don't know about Shirin but I know you and many other friends binge read. I like taking a break between authors and try savouring three a year. I don't want to blow through authors or series I love, if they don't have many published items or are gone.

I find I am unlikely to get bored or irritated with one writing style if I read others things in between. I truly believe my pleasure and can be impacted by several of one author's books in a row. It doesn't mean I'm not eager to return quickly, so long as I cleanse that palate with something else for a little while. :) It doesn't matter if I love them and am not outwardly annoyed with anything. The best way I can explain is getting used to a certain voice or environment so as to be lulled by it, not treasuring the nuances and freshness of it as well as a break gives us.

I certainly have a lot of new goodies from which to choose: before and after our summer shopping trip and a few excellent on-line scores. Yes, being back with Ron & our Kitties is divine! The girls & Conan celebrate their first birthday without Marigold in the world on September 7. I prompted Dad to have a card prepared for them that I brought home, as well as a late one for Marigold & McCartney.

Ron & I read Marigold's to her spirit via putting her framed livingroom photograph in front of us and having that moment with her. McCartney, thank the good Lord, is here to see and receive his card in person and so are the rest. I got Dad to do a sympathy card for Marigold as well. Ron & I will look at it another day. It is recent enough. Our girl had a great birthday in January with Spirit still here. It is a tradition for my Mom and now Dad, to give our cats cards to keep as lifetime mementoes.

God bless you as usual for giving me readership, my friend. There are no reviews yet; some of the ones to do are from April. I haven't written in awhile but I am home from my Dad's place, to catch up on various things.

Candace Derksen's story is my Mom's paperback. Barbara Stoppel's is a PDF you can read for free, written recently by the main police officer who reopened her case in 1999. There is sadness but the stories also teach about hope, never giving up, and that there is value in prevention. Both have a "police suck" element but you learn what you can do better. Ron told me that Barbara precipitated a law here that a youth or a female, whichever it is, can't work alone at night.

I was happy to come home to our cats and our dear Ron. I also came home to a wonderful set of 9 books from a recent Awesome Books order. "Under The Dragon's Tail" is among other excellent ones whose covers and colours are smiling and shining at me! I can wait a little bit.

I think Shirin & I should finally indulge in "The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd", which is one of Agatha's most famous and most enjoyed from what I have heard and seen. Then, I would love to read the beloved classic, "The Time Machine" with whomever is game and has a probably easily scored copy.

We are so careful about embarrassing or interefering when it might not be warranted, that it takes ages to go to feel sure that someone needs help. How long do we watch unknown cats until we take their photo, ask around, and realize they might need help home, like our Conan? Four years! Who knows how many places he has been.

One time, we heard horrible sounds from our ex-neighbour's house. We knew they might be embarrassed if we called the police. No one, least of all me, predicts being in an altercation of tempers or alchohol gone wrong with even trusted people. After it is over, anyone would prefer no one had seen it but at the time, how do we know someone wouldn't be accidentally hurt or killed?

Ron begged me to phone the police on the woman's behalf many years ago. Things had subsided by the time police got there and the people blew it off as an unnecessary call. They never spoke to us again but I couldn't have called myself human, if I had not offered the help.

The "Stoppel" PDF is free at the website I provide with the book record, In 1981, Barbara was fortunate that a lady working nearby found the locked door odd and they could see a suspicious guy through the bright windows. Her husband arrived soon to pick her up from work and did something about it right away. But he did not see a small rope tied around her neck. By the time police took it off, she had been strangled for several minutes. She lived for 9 days but died. One nearby police car offered to come right away but was turned down!! Some outrageous rule was cited, that a car from a certain district needed to handle it!!

Candace's story is in a professionally published book by her Mom. In 1984, they knew she was about to come home from school and were certain something was wrong. They called police, who wasted days insisting that she must be a deliberate runaway! Who does that! Her Dad searched the path she took home. Had the police done their jobs instead of being idiots, or had the Dad ventured to look 500 meters from their house in an abandoned shack by railroad tracks; Candace would not have frozen.

Girls, I hope you are obtaining copies of "Under The Dragon's Tail" quickly! I have explained that it is hard to avoid "Murdoch Mysteries" in Canada with the CBC and perhaps other television stations airing a variety of reruns every hour. Today, I am daring to watch a whole 2019 show from the beginning! Eeek!

Shirin, I was saying that there was no lie about Mr. Shipley working hard as a newspaper boy. He only obfuscated the details about his Mom; family privacy I believe he had a right to preserve.

Yes, I know the coachman worried about Alice and Ettie identifying his carriage. What I was saying is if he killed over a little threat like that (a lot of carriages were brown and a lot of horses were light), why did he not chase Theresa out of the men's club? There was no one else in the street, or she would not have frozen. I think that was a mistake on Maureen Jennings' part.

On this subject I am sad. I have finished reading two histories of Winnipeg school girls killed because someone did not find them in time. My Mom had the story Candace Derksen's 1984 abuduction and I found a PDF of Barbara Stoppel's attack in 1981. If police had acted sooner, or someone had known or chanced to look in on them sooner, they would be a little over 50 years-old today. Candace left Earth at only 13 (unsolved) and Barbara at 16 (solved in 1999 but the criminal could not be prosecuted).

About TV, on a happy tone, I admit I have watched the last half hour of "Murdoch Mysteries" two days in a row! In Canada, it airs on CBC every hour and I avoided it for a long time! The theme song is compelling and my interest with the two of you friends, has grown! If only seasons 1 to 15 weren't $200 CDN, I hope to have the DVDs soon. The show airing presently are from 2019. The new season starts September 13, a delicious plot about a son! I will try not to watch them! Today's episode's second half was full of humour and sexy, including sex hinted humour. Naughty! ;>

Ah yes, I remember a funny observation I want to make. We can think of no one but the dear, handsome, gifted Yannick Bisson to be William Murdoch. However, I observed yesterday that he has very central Canadian speech, like mine. He is from Montréal, Québec; easily assumed by his last name but he is clearly an Anglophone. Ah, I am reading that he moved to Toronto, Ontario as a teenager which is our explanation why.

Kerri, you have heard me on video. Our speaking is what the world calls having no accent. See interview footage of our great folk singer, Anne Murray, to hear what someone from Nova Scotia sounds like. A recent example is when she introduced Jann Arden, into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame for this year's "Juno Awards". It is subtle but notice the way anyone east of Québec says their Rs. There is a Nova Scotia animal rescue TV show called "Hope For Wildlife". Hope & Anne say her Rs the same way. I think their Rs are more pronounced and mine & Yannick's are flatter.

I am glad to have your input, Kerri and it will be helpful to hear Shirin's again to understand everything. I think we three think some aspects of the plot were written weakly and don't work out. Others, we need to delve into to understand. You both have given me more think about, which is the gift of reading in tandem. Is there a word like "tandem" that means triplets? :)

Unless I forgot details, I believe Mr. Shipley only revised personal details about his Mom, as is his right. He really was a newsboy and did buy his company from the ground up. He knew the cold, wet nights and did the work. I think where we get the sense of falseness is in his present day prosperity. Should any child earn pennies, work long hours, lack sets of clothes and shoes, and crawl under signs for shelter if he really cared? I think we sense that if he cared as much as he says, he could shell out for higher pay, shorter hours to go around more employees, and better lives; isn't that right?

I don't recall anything to hide except his Mom's demeanour, which he would not have revealed to an employee. Donalda befriended Therese but Mr. Shipley seems like a more traditional Lord of the manner. However, you and Shirin are right about hiding the opium addiction. Maybe that was it but would he let his Daughter be in jeapardy of having anything to do with the scumbag?

Everyone thought Harriet was going to marry Owen, didn't we? Dirtbag Cannon having any interest in Harriet was dumped on us at the end. It was not constructed well, unless surprising us was Maureen's idea of twist. This ill-fitting nonsense is exactly why I wish the trend for twists would be ditched, in favour of smooth stories that are woven well.

Dear me, you don't mean to say Therese would have lived if she hadn't escaped. They might have killed her, whether or not opium created memory lapse. She was aware enough that she felt that she was in danger. Because of the stupid housekeeper's husband, she was already escaping assault and must have been terrified of being in danger of that again.

Another error occurs to me, unless you two can think of a story around it. Not so much Mr. Shipley but Dirtbag Cannon; if he was so worried about such stretches as Alice and Ettie recognizing his carriage; why did they not pursue Therese after she ran? She was alone on the street if no one saw her collapse in time to save her from freezing. Unless they were drugged out of their minds too.

I hope Maureen did better with endings after her first story. Her characterization is really memorable and endearing. I love that aspect enough that I ordered "Under The Dragon's Tail". :) Kerri, I have an inkling that you will fall in love with William and his stories enough to become a fan of the television show. It seems to be more about the compassion and art of solving mysteries than violent or criminal aspects.

Being in Canada, the show is on a satellite dish channel several times a day. Now that we three are sharing the original books together, I smile and think of you two every time I see "Murdoch Mysteries" on the channel list. I force myself not to watch it, which is manageable because they are airing well ahead of the first season of 2008. It has to be good, if it is still going this many years; unusually successful for any television show.

The theme song thrills me, which ends ahead of a show I like to watch week-days, called "Call The Midwife". The theme song sounds modern and mysterious at the same time, which makes me certain that I will have to buy "Murdoch Mysteries" as soon as we are done reading the original series.

I find myself relieved and smiling that my point about not capturing historic Canada quite right is trusted and appreciated. I feared an argument about our many tea drinkers, which is different from the too-English setting that was projected. You both must have seen stories in which you could tell that the storyteller was not raised in your countries. We are very proud to claim Eric and Maureen. I am saying that where we grew up stays with us. I hope the rest of the books feel distinctly Canadian.

Are you looking to move off of the island someday? Why are you at a beach if you aren't swimming? Is it someone's cottage, or just family you know who live on a seashore? Gosh, even getting to use the word seashore is exotic.

Yes! Any copy will be wonderful but if it happens to be the graveyard cover I especially want of "Mystery Of The Stuttering Parrot", that would be the dream.

I am glad Marigold, her Daughters, McCartney & I took many photos on this Mother's Day, with Ron. We are sad it was her last, a very good Mother to her cats and a wonderful Daughter to Ron & I. You know that Marigold lived until June 21, celebrating McCartney's milestone birthday that month as well. God bless our Marigold.

In these months of 2021 that changed so much that is important to our close family, I am reading and slowly catching up on my book reviews. Here is the one for "Hide And Seek". https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Good, Shirin, maybe I can find "Shirin & Khosrow". It looks like one of the names that apppeared in my search at Awesome Books, my favourite book source that still works on dial-up internet connections. They only charge $5.00 CDN postage for your whole order of books. Better World Books gives free postage but has raised the price for Canadians too high, selling in US dollars too. Amazon Canada is hit & miss on good prices for new and used goods. I watch for the best prices. :) I hope the biography and sample books contain your story and more.

What is your opinion of the memoir "Not Without My Daughter"? My Mom gave it to me many years ago to warn me to be careful in foreign countries and also to show how strong a Mother's love is. However, I do not like to read sad or hard stories, even if the ending is good. I told my Mom that I appreciated her gift and asked if she minded, that my reading taste is very different from the life struggles she liked to read about. She understood but now that she is gone, I feel like I should read her gift.

It shows negative sides to Irainian laws and some people but I think it shows a lot of good. Many people helped the woman and her Daughter escape. I will read with an open mind that the whole country is not like that; the same we can say of any country.

I answered you in detail on my review of "The Time Of My Life", which I am honoured you loved enough to become interested in the book! I will review Lisa's book soon but it is emotional because of course, I thought all about Spirit & Marigold when I read it. I want the writing to be right.

It intersects a little with another wonderful autobiography and person, Rob Lowe, both of whom Kerri & I admire. When Rob mentioned that he & Patrick got their start in the same two films, I already had Patrick's book and was excited to read it next. Now I am thinking about them fondly and watching their films. Rob overcame alcoholism, which was my interest at the time but he didn't write much about it. He gives us the best look I have ever seen, at what the television and film industries are like and how they change.

Hm, that is a good point, Shirin. Maybe Mr. Shipley was a drug addict. Maybe Mr. Canning threatened to advertise that, at a time when maybe Canadians worried about reputations, instead of standing up for themselves against blackmailing. However, I found that whole class attitude too English sounding rather than Canadian, attributed to an English born authoress.

Yes, Therese's freezing was accidental due to the drug. But why did they abduct her in the first place? What a needless loss of life for a stupid, criminal impulse. I really believe Therese should have run away then, not after she was at the Yeoman club; unless they lied and said they were giving her a ride to the church. Wasn't it close enough, if it is where William dedeuced Therese was going?

I don't see "Shirin & Farhad" but another that seems to be famous: "Layla & Majnun" possibly misspelled as "Laili". I see two books about Nizami: "The Great Azerbaijani Poet" https://www.awesomebooks.com/book/978... and "Treasury Of The Mysteries" https://www.awesomebooks.com/book/978... which might contain "Shirin & Farhad".

Are you familiar with the 1980s to 2000s film star, Patrick Swayze? He went to Heaven in 2009 from pancreatic cancer and lived 2 years, instead of the months most people get. He & his writer / dancer wife, Lisa Niemi, persisted in qualifying for drug trials, healthy, and happy living to prolong his life and it worked. He filmed a whole TV series called "The Beast" on week-days, while having chemotherapy on week-ends. As a kid, I loved him in "Ghost", "City Of Joy", "Point Break", and "Dirty Dancing".

It is enjoyable to read Patrick's autobiography first, "The Time Of My Life", which is very little about pancreatic cancer and mostly about living. Lisa's book continues where he left off but Patrick is alive in almost that whole book too, which is a nice surprise because it is said to be about overcoming grief. It helped me a lot regarding Marigold and I hope to write a review worthy of that helpful experience soon.

You see, Marigold lived more than a year longer than doctors expected. I know in my heart it is from loving each other so well, the heathfulness of going outside everyday and sitting wherever she wants in the grass and among the trees. Coming inside at night to cuddle. We tried alternative healing, like energy medicine and a herb called "Essiac".

I thought of Marigold immediately, because Patrick went back to normal and had unbelievable energy and enthusiasm, by working on the TV show and audio recording of his book. Sitting in a bed is no good unless you need to rest temporarily. Having something to do that you enjoy keeps your spirits up. I hope Dad goes home soon. One of us 3 talks with him by phone everyday. Thank you for wishing him well, Shirin.

Thank you for all the anniversary wishes, my friends. It was a very nice time with Ron. We decided to try two new boardgames we had bought second-hand a few years ago; nothing bothering with rules and game pieces but trying questions out on each other. We love creative thinking regarding music and general knowledge and we both did well.

We exchanged cards from lovely stock we already have at home. We both honoured Spirit & Marigold in our cards, wishing they were here, which meant a lot to both of us. Marigold has only been gone a month and although ascended 5 months before, Spirit was only laid to rest 2 months ago. Too much too young, we needed a day that was good for us. Dad is better too. Will share most of those things in e-mails with you both.

In the end, I see why you gave 4 stars, Kerri, even though I am in love with the literary William Murdoch just like Shirin. I felt a 5 star enthusiasm and investment. Endings is where some authors lose me, with convaluted or unbelievable motives, or behaviour that doesn't seem natural for the psychology of the person. Maureen's first mystery is very good but I have criticisms.

Worst of all, you know my mysophonia type trouble, don't you, whereupon one of the worst triggers is whistling with teeth. Did we need that whole fucking part about horses; which would irritate me, much less horses!!!! It was entirely superfluous to the plot, which was worse. The book had to be very good after that to receive 5 stars.

Historical accuracy was off for me as well, even though I suspect there might be Canadians who would argue, unless they listen to my details carefully. Maureen and her consultant, the late Eric Wright of whom I am a fan, are proud Canadians who were born in England. That makes a difference to the impression given that Canadians call "tea" anything but the mere drink itself. I knew my broad variety of relatives and other elders, who were the first generation born here. We do not have a tea time and never refer to "tea" as one of the meals of the day.

Few of my relatives care for tea, some offer it as an option to coffee. Yes, a lot of Canadians adore tea, just like it is popular in every part of the world nowadays but only as a choice of drink. You did not find the whole city of Toronto, the way Maureen made it look like yet another setting in England, "going home for tea". No one did that; not as a ritual or a meal. If you can name anyone who referred to "tea" as a meal, it was because they were from England. I think it would be easy for Maureen to know or research that a lot of Canadians (or English immigrants) liked tea but to spin her interpretation too far into the custom from her upbringing and Eric's.

It seems like a small thing to criticize but I said previously that book settings, especially historic ones, portray England and the United States too often and this book, finally placed in Canada, sounded too much like England as well. The super affluent had maids, servants, and butlers in that period but the emphasis on classes petered out quickly here. There were, however, boardinghouses aplenty.

I briefly worked in a heritage house museum and learned enough about it to give tours. :) I rocked at it, the short time I did it. I only left because the pay, week-end hours, and manager were a bitch. I let someone on the board and another on the staff know her comportment was why I was leaving and soon after, she was no longer there. Oops. ;>

I should say that I finished the novel last night. I only had a few chapters to go when I fell asleep again. I loved the novel. However, Kerri being unclear about Therese's death and for me, her abduction entirely, should not be. Everyone being guilty of something in their personal life is one way to divert us with red herrings. Too many being guilty of something in the crimes of assault, abduction, drugging, and murder is convaluted. We know the motives and opportunities were written poorly if we are unconvinced.

Do you see the mystery as we do, Shirin? Therese was assaulted by John Foy. I think Therese should have known she had an unusually good ear and it was obvious that Donalda disliked the Foys anyway. She would have found a sympathy and action for reporting John. I don't think Maureen got her silence right, because these werent the usual circumstances of worrying that you were reporting a beloved employee to an unsympathetic ear. She & Donalda were friends and her boss confided in her profoundly. However, Therese chose to get herself out of the attacks and at least see her church leader for help. Another intelligent alternative.

Along the way, Mr. Shipley and his stupid coachman Cannon picked her up. This rings untrue too. There was supposedly no struggle, so did they offer her a ride to her destination? That was something unusual to offer to a maid. I think she would have declined and carried on. Had they been forceful, she was in public and she was determined about her goal. They smuggled her into the Yeoman club where women aren't allowed and drugged her.

She was not murdered. She died because she ran into the snow and froze after she passed out from the opium. That was sad and unnecessary. Because Alice mentioned witnessing it, she was killed. A newspaper boy or two witnessed it as well. Wasn't Mr. Shipley their mentor, the newspaper owner? Another mistake. If he knew them as well as he said, they have eyes and ears everywhere. He should have interrogated those working on the street where his carriage had stopped.

Why did his coachman have control over him and his Daughter, who happens to be Owen's fiancee, Harriet? Did he say he would reveal the abduction and drugging on Therese? Wouldn't most people who were newspaper magnates say "No one would take your word against mine"? How did he manage to drug him and Harriet? Then Mr. Shipley dies of an overdose but we find out so subtly, we have to pay attention for that to be clear. What say you, ladies?

Kerri, do you dislike boats or water? Is it common for people to take swimming lessons there, for safety? I love water and boats but would need proper training to handle them properly. The one time Ron & I rented a paddle boat around a near, miniscule island; the shore waves were hard for us to navigate. Life jackets are a must and we stay aware of basic safety. Don't go farther than you can handle, don't panic, take a break on land, keep life jackets secured, go back in daylight. However, I love water and thrill at the rare time I have seen and been inside a lighthouse.

You asked if $700 CDN was the estimate for a whole PC. Yes: monitor, harddrive, keyboard, mouse, tower with CD drives, and all. That is without price-shopping. It would eat up the $200 cost of a Windows 10 CD.

Shirin, I thought Iran had mountains like Afghanistan and as a result, plenty of water. Is Iran a desert, or multi terrain like Canada? Forest, marsh, prairie, lakeland, ocean? I was in a water cave by boat in England, with an internet friend there. Many times, I have met my dear mail pals and internet friends in person around the world and a few times at my home. :) Dreams come true, my friends, dreams come true!

I think you would enjoy the John Krasinski "Jack Ryan" series because it mostly takes place in the Middle East, where I get to know different stories. Season 1 ended with a Yemen or Syrian woman escaping with her children to the USA, from her husband who had become a terrorist leader. The rest is the personal story of young, handsome Jack Ryan, who retired from the marines and is with the CIA. Ron said most of it is changed and is nothing like the books.

You both might ask: "Would Carolyn be interested in something political like that"? Not to read it but I have loved cultures and people, since I was a little girl in grade 2 (age 7!) and refugees from Laos came to my school. I never forgot them, which is why I read Colin Cotterill's "Dr. Siri" mystery series today, with great excitement. :) So maybe the plots are about politics but you hope the best for the people and the action is so fast, you are always interested!

When an episode ends, Ron & I say in unison "The next one, please"! We watched all of season 1 in two nights. It was good to have that fun together, before our anniversary. Now we can celebrate it, already feeling good after our nice long week-end.

Hi Shirin! Thank you for the anniversary wishes! I will tell Ron, who often hears me talk of my dear friends, Shirin and Kerri. Even my Dad, still in the hospital recovering, I phoned today so he could wish Ron & I happy anniversary. Then, since he & my Mom loved "Murdoch Mysteries" on TV for years, I said "Did you know there are books" and he didn't either. I told him "Shirin is buddy reading it with me from Iran and Kerri from New Zealand". He loved this.

Yes, I was saying it would be nice to read anything from Iran that is not about politics or the difficulties of women's equality. It is a dictatorship, is it not? Or can you vote a new leader these days?

Yes, poems turned into stories, or straight stories would be wonderful! Especially if they are about your name, Shirin! I mighit not like to read a made-up book about 1800 but you see, I love reading books authentically written in 1800. If I can afford it, I will look for these. Kerri for my birthday last year, gave me 3 special New Zealand books and the one I finished so far is beautiful. I must catch-up on reviews soon.

You and Kerri are very right that multiple viewpoints give readers more information. But is that how life works? Also, if I get to know one person well, I hate to stop following him and feel impatient to read pages where I get used to someone else. I want to follow one person and obtain information while he or she discovers it, you know?

I prefer modern fiction because it represents our times properly (like 1800 actually composed in 1800). And do we want to feel that all the action and wonders are over in our generation? Don't we want to feel we can discover a secret cave, treasure, mystery of life, or a fun adventure now? I don't want to feel like the good times are over and we have to make-up a fictional story. Also, most of those are about wars and I do not believe it is right for anyone to think wartime is romantic. It was horrible for the people in it. God willing, may we never see such a thing.

I am not going to say too much because I heard one thing about the series that is different from the television shows. But on one hand, I don't think a married couple calls themselves "Mother / Father", unless they have kids. However, I have a reason to believe that Arthur & his wife are not old enough to have grown-up kids, which I can't discuss until we reach whichever book tells us about it in the series.

Speaking of holding back: did I get any mysteries right? Are you smiling about it, Shirin? Congratulations for finishing the novel like you thought! You must have read 100 pages right through the night! I hardly read last night because I was on our slow internet too long, looking for book deals, as I said this morning. The day before, Ron & I treated ourselves to the "Jack Ryan" television series, season 1. I love John Krasinski from "The Office" and he loves Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novels. So less reading lately and tonight is our anniversary, for spending time together. Tomorrow!

Oh yes, I thought of a cheeky thing to ask you, which i was joking about with Ron. How on Earth do you read Persian, with those letters looking alike!? I know many languages but at least the Greek alphabet is used, haha. It is impressive, my friend. You know, I read this summer "Worth Fighting For" by the wife of Patrick Swayze, Lisa Niemi. They had two horses with your name! One Shirin and another, Shirin Jewell. :) Love, Carolyn.