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

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

I have wanted to do this for a long time! I have dared to clarify and pare down the definition of the "cozy mystery genre". I have seen series and authors mislabelled numerous times, as you must have as well. If we can agree to the fundamental basics, we can replace the unhelpful, clogged websites that people have been pointing inquirers to. https://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2016/0...

I am going to tell this story in parts, partly because it takes time to tell and I mustn't sit in one place on a week-end afternoon. Secondly, it takes a lot of energy, if folks aren't going to be reading along. The rare occasion I am asked for my vegetarian story I am pleased to tell it, because it is a great chance to clear up misunderstandings of this word. There are many who adore animals and/or ponder healthier nutrition but do not conceive of doing this. For some erroneous reason, this is perceived as a large deprivation of food. It is in fact, solely a replacement of ONE FOOD CATEGORY. Protein is one food category and it does not need to come from (formerly) live meat, nor meat at all. Truly, the only folks who would have difficulty with this swap are those who incorrectly view meat as "the big event" on a plate, instead of MERELY ONE FOOD GROUP. If you view meat protein as equal or more correctly, as inferior to fruits / vegetables / pulses & grains; a change is easy. It is solely difficult for those who view every other food group as a garnish on their plates.

The second mental, perceived barrier to a food group swap is that it need be all or nothing. It needn't. Every little step matters. I started out by sparing mammals. My spouse is pescatarian; occasionally consuming fish. [I will stop here for now. I leave room for people to take up our discussion and will re-join later].

I love to see folks chatting on any subject. We start with literature but this is a socializing lounge. We happen to have a "FOOD" category this year. When "Ms. Nose In A Book" sought the story of me becoming vegetarian, which can't be said in a few words; it is a much easier forum to share that tale here. :) Questions, observations are welcome. Kristianne & I approach it from a gentle viewpoint, literally.

(10) “The Cold Blue Blood” David Handler 2001 (4 stars)
https://www.amazon.ca/review/R1KT7IUV...
11) “The House With A Clock In Its Walls” John Bellairs 1973 (5 stars)
https://www.amazon.ca/review/RWW4NP8W...
(12) “The Thirteenth Tale” Diane Setterfield 2006 (4 stars)
https://www.amazon.ca/review/R364EYIN...
(13) “The Forgotten Garden” Kate Morton 2008 (nearly done, will probably allot 4 stars).

By coincidence, I am potentially enjoying all of these at a five-star level. Something I disliked somewhere in the book, in most instances a weakness of writing or motive, necessitated one star fewer. Excepting the 1973 classic previously unknown to me. The first, famous volume by the late David Bellairs received an emphatic five stars! I would be grateful for "helpful" button votes at Amazon Canada, where all of my reviews lead.

For all who missed it: I wrote a special post about my blog's anniversary. Honouring that is kind but reactions to one photograph on there in particular is what I look forward to. It was a big reveal for me. I show for the very first time, the full photograph from which my blog's narrow banner comes. It is my wilderness backyard in snow, like we have today, with the trails Ron pushes through it. Upon this trail: you see four of my dear kitties trotting along it! It was their first time walking in snow, the three youngest. The white in front is our dear Love as a baby. At the rear is McCartney, who is not seen in my blog's top banner because a small view of this very special tableau fits. I wish for enthusiasm about this more than anything. https://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2016/0...

They cut Jenny Beavan from being any longer, because it was as soon as she declared "I would just like to add in closing". Rude. Her speech was not long. Someone was too gung-ho. I meant censored from adding any more to her acceptance speech. Uncalled for because it was one more very nice sentence about making sure the "Mad Max" film doesn't become prophetic. You clearly see the body of Leonardo's acceptance speech itself was far longer, before he added on. Anyway if you commented at my blog, that's even more rewarding and I will follow-up there. Thank you and thanks again for saying something about Spirit's biological sister, Nirmal. I reiterated what it meant in comment #18. I'll have to take him to visit his remaining sister, Boots. We really must.

What has me revise my answer is that Ron has been reading a nature book and says there is more to it than us not staying warm enough for other reptiles or insects. While garter snakes are extremely common and completely harmless, apparently Canada's home for them is rare in the world. I wouldn't have known. I keep our cats from bothering this sweet little guys when they happen by. I saw them more our first year here but the cats must keep them from our flowerbeds and the periphery of our house.

It's cool to know more about where you are from! You are among the earliest writing to me here. I knew it was upper east United States with three unique kitties, a husband, and two David Bowie memories. You might know I am halfway to Winnipeg west and a little further from Ontario east. I could be in the U.S. in two hours, in another direction. North: Manitoba goes all the way to the Arctic circle. My instinctive response was going to be that somewhere that doesn't hold a +Celcius temperature all year can't have dangerous reptiles or insects but you sound like you have a few.

In Canada, British Columbia has rattlers but that's it across the board. Quite a safe land, if you don't bother mammals who are Mothering. Otherwise even the black bears that stroll through our own property are fine. We watch them go by if we have a chance and they keep going. Only scary moment was setting a massive flock of Canadian geese after me in the city about 7 years ago. Those guys are powerful and chase you quite far!

Wow! I consider this first Georgetown book early but she has earlier ones. If you say it appears to follow other plot lines, earlier ones must be what you mean. Hm.... I am only missing a few of those.

I think is it's a compliment. For some, it might be too good to be true! I should probably expect people to blink twice. There has never been a place for everything spiritual, paranormal, and magical (hence "ethereal"). If people like witches, they're in Melissa's group. Many were drawn to the new "Flights Of Fantasy". The only other paranormal group was vampire-oriented or maybe worse, YA-oriented. ;-) Wouldn't they freak and run over to my blog, when they realize there is finally a place for ALL OF THAT? :-) Your blog post will help and I'll be earlier next year, so that everyone's blogs; presumably with more traffic and different circles than mine, will help too.

"Ammie Come Home" is similar to other books Barbara Mertz published? Then am I in for a treat. Don't name any names. I want to be surprised and do own a pile of her novels. However I have been going in release order, as is my way. I really find this one unique so this is good, surprise news, that better is in store! :) The ultimate ghost story for me would be a ghost simply wanting to communicate or enlist help, without evil crap going on. Authors should know a good ghost encounter for grown-ups is all we need. It doesn't need to be any more muddled than that.

Of course! My only concern was that my main blog post conveys this and I think it does. While one word like "Flight Of Fantasy" or "Witch" draws huge crowds in those challenges, I've been confident for three years that my write-up explains that I include all of this and much more. I am sure not posting my new pages in December (or November!) are what reduced my visibility.

I chose the word "ethereal" itself because it encompasses everything as I intend: it means spiritual, or paranormal, or magical, or mythical, and concepts that are very real but considered out there by the black and white types. ;-)

And so message #6 gets missed. ;>

On a much less sensitive scale, on the topic of hoping people don't miss seeing or hearing something shared aloud: here is a post I wrote about the Academy awards. https://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2016/0...

Are there major cities other than Boston? Do you get hurricanes? How about Erin? Interesting about Manitoba: we might get darn cold but have wonderful versatility of temperature. We can also be as hot as Florida. Another benefit to our less popular niche in the world is that there are no dangerous snakes / reptiles / amphibians and our only dangerous storm is a blizzard. This would be perilous to anyone out of doors but it isn't something like a tornado / hurricane / typhoon that could threaten anyone's home.

I have heard ot Raymond Chandler, Humphrey Bogart, and Lauren Bacall. I have a little set of Humphrey movies I really must watch. It may be among them.

Chris DeBurgh is very famous from way back. most popularly for "The Lady In Red" world hit ballad but that is not at all like what he usually writes. He can be folk, rock, adult contemporary, romance, but most especially his songs brought him the title: "Storyteller". It is awesome stuff, especially the song and album "Spanish Train" from 1975. God battles the devil for souls by playing poker and then a game of chess. ;-)

I really hope I have taken your hesitancy away in my most recent description. I'm kind of freaking out that it isn't clear, stuff like "Uprooted" is EXACTLY what my group is for. That's the stuff!

Of course anything remotely paranormal or spiritual applies. Do you need me to clarify what ETHEREAL is about? I describe it the best I can: anything beyond standard, black & white, physical, mathematical life. Religious book? It counts. Ghosts, witches, psychics? It counts. Non-fiction certainly: dream analysis, alternative healing like Reiki, music therapy, chakra-balancing, plants.... The question is, what *doesn't* count? EVERYBODY is reading this stuff, which is why I hope to find many more people learning about our group. Even a baby's book with talking animals; which you will find if you haven't learned about me already, I considerly wholly non-fictional. :)

One of the best adult ghost stories I have ever read. I have finished the sequel too and am savouring the third instalment. It doesn't matter that they aren't related very much. Christopher Pike is on my shelves. You are collecting great lists of Ethereal and My Kind Of Mystery. I will be grateful when your blog posts go out, even if it grows later for people to join. We are so small this year, any boost is good.