ROLL CALL - Sunday - March 8, 2009

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Please post your name to let us know you were here. Thank you.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Joy H.

[UpstateNYgal]

Donna S. Lake George NY

[Becky]

Becky

[Ngcasey]

Nicole Casey S. Glens Falls

[Carol]

Carol

[[deleted user]]

Alice in gorgeous Colorado where it was like spring today. Thanks for the wonderful email. I sure enjoyed it.

[Catamorandi]

Randi

[Sara]

Sara B., Philadelphia, PA

[Regina]

Regina

[Susan (NY)]

Susan

[Jackie]

Jackie, LG NY

[Eileen]

Eileen in sunny Morocco (I've actually been to Marrakech and "south" the past week)

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Eileen wrote: "Eileen in sunny Morocco (I've actually been to Marrakech and "south" the past week)"

Oh, Eileen... that sounds marvelous!
I didn't even know where Marrakech was until I went to Wiki: ====>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrakech
LOL

What took you to Morocco?

[Eileen]

Joy,
I've been living in Morocco for nearly 30 years now! The question is really "Who took me here?" And that would be my husband...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Eileen wrote: "Joy,
I've been living in Morocco for nearly 30 years now! The question is really "Who took me here?" And that would be my husband..."

Eileen, that sounds like a true love story, especially since your profile says you are a native New Yorker.

I read the description of your novel, _The Strings of the Lute_.
About the story, it says:
===================================================
"Growing up Catholic together on Long Island, NY, shy, free-spirited Lorraine DeVico and outgoing, traditionalist Suzanne Tierney are inseparable. ... But, in college they choose different paths. Lorraine travels to France where she meets Larbi El Maghrebi, a charming Moroccan student with whom she falls deeply in love. Embarking on an odyssey of faith and love, she follows Larbi to his Moslem country to make her home in his world.
====================================================

Hmmm, Eileen, is your book a roman-à-clef?
I've put your book on my To-Read Shelf. Sounds interesting.

[Eileen]

Lol... In the notes to my novel, I acknowledge that it is (loosely) based on my own "Ameroccan" nouba, or song. It is indeed fiction though.

Thanks so much for your interest! I welcome your comments and feedback.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Eileen wrote: "Lol... In the notes to my novel, I acknowledge that it is (loosely) based on my own "Ameroccan" nouba, or song. It is indeed fiction though. Thanks so much for your interest! I welcome your comments and feedback."

You're welcome, Eileen. I see that our town's library system doesn't carry your book yet. So I just now sent an email to our local library asking if it would be possible for them to buy the book so I might read it.

I get all my books from the library.

[Eileen]

Joy,thanks for asking your library to order a copy of my book!

There are some cool photos of Morocco and a Reading Group Guide on my website, www.eileencolucci.com.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Eileen, the photos of Morocco are exquisite! Such beautiful designs in the architecture. I've always loved the gracefulness of arches. It must be a beautiful place to live.

I read the excerpt of your book and I enjoyed your writing style. The story held my interest completely, something the Pulitzer prize winner I'm currently reading is not doing!

I sent the links to the excerpt and your website to my library in a second email, telling them how timely your novel is and quoting the section of your web site where you indicate that fact.

I hope they have time to read it and the money to buy your book. I get all my books from our library. It's very near our winter home and very convenient to get to.

Good luck, Eileen.
Joy

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jaye wrote: "Joy, for many different reasons there has been many the Pulitzer Prize book that I have had to give up on. I'm probably making myself look stupid saying that but...there it is.
SAW CROCUS BLOOMING HERE YESTERDAY !"

Jaye, that's good news about seeing the crocus. I guess Cape Cod has milder weather than we do here in northeastern NY.

About the Pulitzer Prize winners, sometimes I think it's a case of the Emperor's New Clothes. If we say we don't see them, it seems to reflect on us. It's a no-win situation. LOL I think that sometimes it takes more guts to say what we think, than to go along with the crowd.

But then again, I've heard it said that we should try to separate our personal taste from our evaluation of art and literature. But how does one do that? No need to answer. That's a rhetorical question. :)

[Nina]

Joy H. (of Glens Falls) wrote: "Jaye wrote: "Joy, for many different reasons there has been many the Pulitzer Prize book that I have had to give up on. I'm probably making myself look stupid saying that but...there it is.
SAW CRO..." We have daffodils and forsthyia blooming away their yellow glad tidings for the first day of spring tomorrow. We had a very unusual St. Patrick's Day weather for our big parade; in the eighties. No one can ever remember temps like that for that holiday; but it was fun. Everyone at the parade complaing about the heat..I am just finishing, "Just Jane," by Nancy Moser; another fictionalized account of an author(Jane Austen.) and here is a quote of hers: "Why not seize the pleasure at once? How often is happiness destroyed by preparation .foolish preparation." I wonder if that was easier to live by with having servants, like they did? nina

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina, thanks for reminding me that tomorrow is the first day of spring. I think it's time to put my Christmas creche away. :) With all the snow around, it's been feeling like Christmas up to now.

I received a DVD of the movie "Becoming Jane" from Netflix today. Previously, I tried watching it on my computer, but didn't have the captions and missed a lot of the dialogue. So now I'll have the captions on the TV screen and I think I'll enjoy it more.

[Eileen]

Joy, "Becoming Jane" is one of my favorite movies. An intriguing look at how one becomes/lives the life of a writer. Proves once again that fiction can be as authentic as real life - and sometimes more compelling.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Eileen wrote: "Joy, "Becoming Jane" is one of my favorite movies. An intriguing look at how one becomes/lives the life of a writer. Proves once again that fiction can be as authentic as real life - and sometimes more compelling."

One of the reviews posted at Netflix says that the movie: "Clearly embraces the spirit of the beloved novelist."

The film dramatizes Jane Austen's independent spirit, especially in an era when women authors weren't highly thought of. She must have been a determined woman, very confident of her own abilities. We should all have that kind of confidence.

[Nina]

Joy H. (of Glens Falls) wrote: "Eileen wrote: "Joy, "Becoming Jane" is one of my favorite movies. An intriguing look at how one becomes/lives the life of a writer. Proves once again that fiction can be as authentic as real life -..."I did enjoy Becoming Jane as I said and along with seeing it do try reading, "Just Jane," which I think also does an excellent job of "showing" us Jane Austen. nina And alosng with my other suggestion also read, "Two Men Read Jane Austen."

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Below are cover-links to the books which Nina recommended:

_Just Jane A Novel of Jane Austens Life_

_Two Guys Read Jane Austen_

[Emanuela]

Emanuela