Solve and Share Mini-Challenge

Hints:  #1 - The answer has to do with objects pictured on the books.
            #2 - The answer is in the titles.
           #3 - The answer is in the authors' names.
           #4 - The answer is in the titles again.
Also - the genre, plot or theme of the book does not come into play.  It is strictly the cover that matters.  Hope that helps.


Welcome, Readathoners!  Here's your chance to make a donation to promote literacy - without spending any money - and have some fun at the same time.

The Challenge:  Below are four sets of book covers.  Can you discover the common theme that connects the three books in each set?   For example, the three books below contain the words Summer, Autumn, and Winter in their titles, so the answer would be Seasons of the Year.

The Prize:  In this challenge, everyone's a winner because the prize goes to charity.  The more people who play, the bigger the contribution.  

0-25 correct entries = $10 donation

25-50 correct entries = $15 donation

51-75 correct entries = $20 donation

76+ correct entries = $25 donation

The money will be donated to LiteracyKC.  Please visit their site and see all the wonderful things they are doing to promote adult literacy and family reading.  Once the donation is made, I will post a copy of the receipt - just to keep things on the up-and-up.  

When you have your answers, you can leave them in the comments, or on Twitter using #solveandshare.  Comments will not be visible until after the challenge.  You'll have to use the honor system on Twitter.   The challenge will stay open for the duration of the readathon.

The Bonus:  There's one more puzzle - for the serious puzzler.  If anyone manages to find the obscure connection between these covers, they will receive a $15 credit at their choice of Barnes and Noble or the Book Depository.  If there are multiple super-puzzlers out there, the winner will be drawn at random.  

Good Luck!

Here Comes the Bride . . . and An Angel

I am a little embarrassed that our son got married four months ago and I am just now getting around to posting pictures.  Says a lot about the amount of time I've been devoting to blogging.  But all that aside, Mitchell married Whitney on Dec. 3, 2016.  It was a beautiful wedding - and I'm not at all biased.  

First they got engaged.  Both Mitch and Whitney are RN's, and Mitch is also a fire-fighter, hence the truck and the stylin' pants.

Twas the night before the wedding and all had rehearsed...  So we celebrated at one of our favorite restaurants (sorry, nothing rhymes with rehearsed).  The hunting theme was a nod to one of Mitch's favorite pastimes.  Centerpieces made from empty shotgun shell casings, No Hunting signs, and a touch of camoflage -- a little corny, I know, but Mitch loved it - including the bride and groom hunting vests.

A quick (and off-center) snap shot before walking down the aisle:  The groom; bridesmaid and sister of the groom, Amanda; and the father of the groom, Dave.

Our beautiful Miss P tossed rose petals and stole hearts.  (This was before her abrupt departure.  News flash:  She's back! see story below*) 

Then came "I do"s and rings and "You may kiss your bride". . .

, , , and let them eat cake.

The happy couple is at home in Hays, Kansas . . . and Kansas City, Kansas.  Their plan was to move to KC after Whitney's contract at her current job expired at the end of June.   Unfortunately, circumstances beyond their control resulted in the hospital being over-staffed and cutting hours for nurses.  Two part-time paychecks were going to make for some penny-pinching months, so Mitch accelerated his schedule for applying in KC.  He is now working in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at St. Luke's Hospital - the same unit where his grandpa had heart bypass surgery 20 years ago.  He makes the four hour commute to KC for three or four days (working 12-hour shifts) then returns to Hays for three or four days.  It's not the start to their marriage they were anticipating, but they are rolling with it. 

We are blessed with a wonderful daughter-in-law, and can't wait for them to both be in KC full time.  Then - God willing - we will have both kids in the same town for a year.  What a joy to have them both 90 miles away!  Amanda will finish her Masters degree - God willing - in May of 2018 and who knows what comes after that. 

*Update on Miss P.  

If you look back a couple posts, you can read about our Miss P., a 7-year-old girl who chose us as surrogate grandparents, and who was taken away without notice a few days after Christmas. I'll let you get the details there, rather than repeating.  

During the time she was gone, I made the trip to visit and was somewhat calmed by seeing where she was living and how well she was doing.  We had a wonderful weekend and I returned home sad, but not as terrified as I had been.   Then, as abruptly as she left, she was back.  There is a long story and her living situation is not perfect, by any means.  But she's here.  She spent Easter with us.  She has plans for a long visit when school is out.  

We will just enjoy each visit and see what God has planned.  Thank you all for your prayers and support.  I was touched by the wonderful messages and your concern for a friend you've never met.  Love you all!