The new owner of a 16th-century Wiltshire farmhouse, Julia finds herself transported back and forth in time to the life of a woman named Mariana. Enthralled with the long-ago world, in love with a man who lived centuries before, Julia must lay the past to rest if she is to find love in the present. This is my second Susanna Kearsley novel, and I'm hooked. She is reviving my love of a good ghost story. As in The Rose Garden, the heroine travels back in time and falls in love with a mysterious man. And, also as in the first book, I fell in love with the setting as much as the characters. I'm a sucker for an English countryside, manor houses, and picturesque villages. It's one of those places you want to visit over and over, and the background characters are interesting enough to deserve their own story. The "ghost" portion of this story took a different slant than anything else I've read. Rather than connecting with a stranger from the past, Julia relives scenes from her previous life. No, I don't believe in reincarnation, but that suspension of reality is an earmark of a good story. The plot had me wondering "How will this possibly work out?" The answer was not what I expected. With the exception of one tiny plot-point that is left dangling (and who needs to have every detail sewn up? That leaves no room for imagination.), the solution was beautiful and perfect.
This is Kylee, an American Mastiff puppy with a new lease on life. She was adopted by a family who was aware of her heart murmer and the probability that her life would be shorter than average. Unfortunately, Kylee's condition deteriorated more rapidly than expected and the surgery to correct the faulty valve cost $2600 - a price they were not prepared to pay on such short notice. But Kylee didn't have time to wait while they saved the money. So, they turned to other dog owners.
Dave found Kylee's story through the American Mastiff Family Forum site and chipped in a few dollars, as did many other Mastiff fans. Here's a portion of the thank-you email we received:
We were able to raise $2390 toward her surgery. This was no small feat and we couldn't have done it so quickly without the help that you all so graciously gave. Purdue required that we pay half the surgery fee ($1300) in advance and we were able to cover the other $1300 + change when we picked her up. It was such a relief to be able to cover 100% of these expenses. Do you guys realize what you have done??? YOU HAVE SAVED KYLEE!! We'd have scraped every penny to make it happen, but don't know if we'd have made it in time. Please do not think we take this lightly! Kylee is our baby and it was devastating to know she needed this to live, and that we could not provide it in the time frame she needed.
Kylee came through surgery just fine and is now active and growing (and growing....and growing...). Look at that face! Can you think of a better investment for what basically amounted to spare change? There are uncountable opportunities to make a difference with just a minor effort. And it did OUR hearts as much good as it did Kylee's.
Here's a few other opportunities where you can help by just giving a week's spare change, or the cost of a latte at Starbucks:
"The earliest May Day celebrations appeared in pre-Christian times, with the festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, and the Walpurgis Night celebrations of the Germanic countries . . . "* Oh, who cares. At our house, May Day meant creating May Baskets and delivering them, secretly, to your friends.
As children, my sisters and I usually made our May baskets out of Dixie cubs or some other small container, added pipe-cleaner handles, and filled them with penny candy and fresh flowers (mostly candy). Mom typed out little notes saying who the basket was from and we tucked the paper among the goodies. Then came the fun. Mom drove us around town and we took turns leaving the baskets on doorsteps, ringing the bell and running back to where Mom had parked around the corner.
When I had my own kids, we continued the tradition. May 1st became one of my favorite days. Such an easy holiday to prepare for, yet so much fun to celebrate. The custom is, if the recipient catches you leaving the basket, they get to kiss you. Amanda still remembers her "first kiss" when a boy from her pre-school class caught her and gave her a big smack. Now the kids are grown and the grandkids live too far away, so I don't celebrate May Day anymore. But I still have the urge to make and deliver some baskets. Maybe to a nursing home? Maybe to total strangers? Maybe to you...
I have been asked to share with you about a new book. I haven't had the chance to read it yet, but hope to soon. I don't usually post about a book before reading it, but I'm making an exception this time because of the Kindle give-away that is attached. Don't want you to miss out on your chance to win.
Unconquered: The Saga of Cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey
Gilley by J. D. Davis
In 1935 and early 1936, three
cousins were born into tight-knit families in Ferriday, Louisiana. Rare piano
talent, strong parental relationships, the Pentecostal church, family struggle, a variety of musical influences worked together to produce men who
changed twentieth-century music and culture. The individual stories of these
three cousins illustrate their varied paths from small-town America to a world
stage. Woven together, the collective story becomes even more compelling and
amazing.
UNCONQUEREDis a story so unlikely that it would
not be believable if written as fiction. It tells of rock ‘n’ roll legend Jerry
Lee Lewis, televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, and country music star Mickey Gilley.
These very different men, raised in the same time and place, with similar
talents, were fated for entirely different destinies even as their lives would
always be profoundly intertwined. Born into poverty, each man, in his own way,
would become an iconic figure blessed with the ability to thrill and inspire.
The story's touchstones of
music, perseverance, and faith could wield such force only in the American
South. There, in the Louisiana lowlands’ Concordia Parish, their story began in
the midst of the Great Depression. (publisher's synopsis)
About the Author: J.D. Davis was raised in Quitman,
Texas, a quiet community in the northeast part of the state. Having grown up in
a small town in the rural South—similar in many ways to the cousins’
hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana—with many similar influences as the
cousins, he has meaningful insight into these three men.
Davis remembers his father
watching Jimmy Swaggart on television and being intrigued by the evangelist's
magnificent piano talent. As a teenager, Davis became a huge fan of Jerry Lee
Lewis. He first attended one of Lewis’s live performances as a college student
and was awe-struck to see this man put on a breathtaking performance. Davis
grew up listening to country music of the seventies and eighties, when Mickey
Gilley was consistently producing number one country hits. He became fascinated
by the ways these three very different cousins achieved and dealt with eventual
success and has been a dedicated fan for years.
J.D. Davis will be giving away a FREE KINDLE! Fill out the form below to
win! This giveaway is only open to U.S.
and Canada citizens. Deadline is June 1
and announced on June 2. If you are the
winner, contact Dorothy Thompson at thewriterslife (at) gmail.com or Tracee
Gleichner at tgleichner (at) gmail.com. You have 48 hours to reply. If
we do not hear from you in 48 hours, another winner will be selected. Thanks and good luck!
This post is part of a promotional tour sponsored by PumpUpYourBook booktours. I did not receive a copy of the book or any other form of compensation. I'm just sharing the info cause I think it looks interesting and everyone wants a chance to win a prize.
Jenny Lawson realized that the most mortifying moments of our lives—the ones we’d like to pretend never happened—are in fact the ones that define us. In Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson takes readers on a hilarious journey recalling her bizarre upbringing in rural Texas, her devastatingly awkward high school years, and her relationship with her long-suffering husband, Victor.
There's a method to reading and enjoying this book. First, read Jenny's blog (www.thebloggess.com - we recommend starting with this post. It had us all rolling on the floor.) Then follow her on Twitter (@thebloggess) and get to know her (as much as you can know an author you've never actually seen). Once you "get" Jenny a bit, and love her as I guarantee you will, then you are ready to read her "Mostly True Memoir". If you read the reviews written by professional reviewers, they discount the book as being too over the top, exaggerated, and random. Obviously they have not followed the steps, or else they are stuffy men who have never laughed at themselves. Jenny suffers from an anxiety disorder which alternately (a.) forces her to hide in the bathroom or (b.) shuts off her self-filter and leaves her spewing a non-stop stream of consciousness (usually about inappropriate subjects) to total strangers. She also has a bizarre fixation on taxidermied animals and the ability to spin every situation as her husband, Victor's, fault. All of which she retells with a caustic sense of humor. But underneath all that is a vulernable woman with a heart as big and open as West Texas. You can see it in the Traveling Red Dress project that began with her donating one red dress to be passed around and turned into hundreds of people donating and sharing dresses to help other women feel better about themselves. You can see it in the money she raised (by what started as a joke) to give Night Night Packages for homeless children.
Jenny's willingness to share all this makes her feel like a friend telling you these stories over a glass of wine, rather than a distant, unknown author. THIS is the crucial information those reviewers missed. Because if you have that info, this book is hilarious! I feel obliged to mention that Jenny is well-versed in profanity and uses it frequently, so if that's an issue, you might want to skip this one (and her blog). But if you can look past it, then her "mostly true memoir" is touching, encouraging and just freakin' funny!
Has food become your source of comfort? After a hard day at work, or a long day with the kids, don't you deserve that big piece of chocolate cake? Lysa TerKeurst used to think so, but that was before God showed her that what she really needed was more of Himself. In Made to Crave, Lysa won't tell you what to eat or how much to exercise, rather she explores why we make unhealthy food choices. She'll help you discover what it is you're really seeking, and how that need can only be met in our faithful Heavenly Father. And when your cravings are satisfied with His love, a healthy body will follow (Focus on the Family Review)
Made to Crave is the missing link between a woman's desire to be healthy and the spiritual empowerment necessary to make that happen. The reality is we were made to crave. Craving isn't a bad thing. But we must realize God created us to crave more of him. Many of us have misplaced that craving by overindulging in physical pleasures instead of lasting spiritual satisfaction. This is not a how-to book. This is not the latest and greatest dieting plan. This book is the necessary companion for you to use alongside whatever healthy lifestyle plan you choose. This is a book and Bible study to help you find the 'want to' in making healthy lifestyle choices. (Publisher description) I have written sporadically about my Nutrisystem journey (3 months and 36 lbs. so far), but haven't mentioned much about motivation. Honestly, I can't tell you what made me decide to start this. Not that it's a big secret, I just don't know. Weight has been an issue for me my entire adult life. I was a 115 lb. little-bit-of-nothing when I graduated high school, but the number has crawled upward for 30 years. I've "tried" a few other weight-loss methods - but not seriously. The thought of giving Nutrisystem a shot has been festering in the back of my mind for ages, but always "when the kids leave home". Well, they left - nearly two years ago. I saw a commercial one afternoon and picked up the phone and ordered before I had time to back out. My incredibly supportive husband, who has never complained or nagged about my weight at any point, agreed to eat the evening meals along with me so that I wouldn't have to cook for him. He takes care of himself for breakfast and lunch.
My sister mentioned Lysa TerKeurst's book to me about six-weeks in, so I downloaded it to Nook and loved it! It gave me some much-needed insight into why I eat what I eat, and the reality of "will-power". There is a big difference between a woman who has a few extra pounds after childbirth or a touch of middle-age spread, and a woman who is a food addict. It is a proven fact (I saw it on TV, it must be so) that, when seen on an MRI, the brain of a food addict presented with food lights up similarly to the brain of a drug addict receiving a fix.
A person who views food in a healthy manner - as a necessity to sustain life - can not understand the cravings and irrational behavior of an emotional eater, just as I can not understand a smoker's need for a cigarette. But Lysa gets it. Her book is like having a best friend who says "I know! I do the same thing. Here's how I handled it." And she backs it up with scripture.
I'm not saying that reading Made to Crave has made this change easy, but it certainly has made it easier. This is not a book for the casual dieter or the latest fad to take off pounds for swim-suit season, but I recommend it - even offer it as a lifeline - to every woman who struggles with her weight, her attitude toward food and her self-esteem. Lysa showed me I am "made for more".
Dancing With The Stars: Motown Week was a hoot - loved the performances by Smokey Robinson and The Temptations. As if you couldn't guess, Jaleel White's cha-cha was my favorite this week. The boy's got rhythm! Katherine Jenkins was also phenomenol. Mark's original choreography, which has been both a blessing and a curse to past contestants, has been only a plus for her this season. On the lower end of the spectrum, Gladys Knight and Roshon Fegan (better known as "Disney Boy" at our house) ended up in the dance off. I expected Roshon to be an easy winner, but some off-beat kicks and frantic arm-waving made it a close decision. Although they say they only consider that one dance, the judges can't help but take the entire season into consideration, and I think they made the right choice. American Idol: Breaking news - - - I don't agree with the judges! At one point last night, JLo took Hollie down (politely, of course) for getting emotional, then told her she needs to let her emotions show. I don't know where they get these judges, but they should find some who know something about music! (*sarcasm*) As is becoming a tradition, I ranked Joshua Ledet at the top! I'm running out of words - Wow, Awesome and Amazing just aren't cutting it any more. So how about "Perfection"? There were a couple of surprises, however. Here's my "leader board": Joshua - 10 out of 10 Hollie - 9 out of 10. Her first song had some beautiful tender moments and emotion, but no "wow" moment. Song #2, "The Climb", earned her a Joshua-style "perfection" mark. Jessica - 8 out of 10. That little, bitty girl has such an unbelievable voice - but she edited "Bohemian Rhapsody" down to the easy parts. It may have been sung beautifully, but points off for no challenge. Song #2 - FINALLY! Finally, she used all that talent and emotion. She even gave Dave "goosies". Elise - 6 out of 10. I was excited for her to get to show her rock side again, and she did the song well technically, but again, no "wow" moment. Song #2 was, evidently, a Jimmy Hendrix song, but unfamiliar to me. Technically complex, but I couldn't understand one single word she sang. Just didn't trip my trigger. Phillip - 4 out of 10. His version of Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls" was sooooo far out of his element that I actually felt bad for him. He tried, but it was too slow and he didn't stand out from the band. One of the judges called his second song "too artsy". I just called it "ugly"! And a special note about Skylar. I gave Skylar 2 out of 10 possible points - 1 per song. I'm not denying she can sing and knock it out of the park, but it's time to move on or go home. For her Queen song she chose an obscure song and sang it exactly like she sings every song - start loud, get louder until she's screaming. I take notes as I watch, and this is what I wrote for Skylar's second song: "Guess what? Skylar can sing a country song, sing it loudly and scream at the end! Blah, blah, blah!" Do I know that, technically she deserved more than 2 points? Yes. But she's going to have to do something else to earn them from me. Cause it's my blog and I can judge if I want to, judge if I want to....
