Tag: #Iamreading

Shrinking the TBR Pile (To Be Read) #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

March 25, 2024

Is there a book in your TBR pile that you’re more excited about than the others?

Really? You want me to pick one? Is it okay if I narrow it down to two? How about one that’s pure entertainment and one that’s on the serious side?

First, one from one of my favorite authors, Jenna Bennett. She’s got a new mystery series, set in the 1920s. I read the first one already, Secrets at Sutherland Hall. The second, Death at the Dower House, is loaded on my kindle app, ready for the trip I’m going on this week. (I may have read it by the time I release this post.) The first book was a fun read and set up all the components to make the series delightfully entertaining. I’m really looking forward to the next one.

The second book has been languishing in my TBR stack for three years.

I keep telling myself I’ll get it read. It’s The Time Is Now, A Call to Uncommon Courage, by Joan Chittister. The author is a socially active Roman Catholic nun, and I took classes from her in high school, back in the Dark Ages. I own the book in hardback, but I’ve got it my suitcase, even though I’m traveling light.

In the dedication, Sister Joan says “Everywhere there are people who, despite finding themselves mired in periods of national darkness or personal marginalization, refuse to give up the thought of a better future or give in to the allurements of a deteriorating present. . . These people, the best of ourselves, are legion and they are everywhere.”

According to one reviewer, “Today more than ever we are called to be prophets. To call attention to and fight for change: the poor, the sick, the lonely, the marginalized, the oppressed. This is a template on how to do it, with faith, love and charity. Sister does not mince words or add sugary sentiment to the needs of the people. Walls, incarceration, abandonment, living wage, freedom to move about, loneliness, access to medical…the list is long. We will all be judged on the stand we took.” You can find out more about Sister Joan by checking out her website. https://joanchittister.org/

Not a light read, by anyone’s definition. I hope I have time to get a good start in reading the essays.

To find books to add to your To Be Read list, follow the links below and visit the other authors on this hop.

As always, please stay safe until next time.

P.S. I finished the first book, Death at the Dower House, while on a plane between Atlanta and Florida. As expected, it was a light read with a satisfying ending, and great foreshadowing for the next book in the series. 

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March 25, 2024

Is there a book in your TBR pile that you’re more excited about than the others?

 

Rust On The Allegheny Book Review #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Feb 26, 2024

Write a review for someone else’s book. Now write a review for one of yours.

Disclaimer: I had the pleasure of meeting Corey McCullough at a local book signing event last summer. I bought the book then, but procrastinating reading it until a month ago. The title of the book is what caught my eye. It fits the setting, the area I grew up in, well. I’ve been putting off writing a review for it, so when this prompt came up, it was the perfect opportunity for me to lose some guilt.

Rust on the Allegheny is not my normal genre of book to read. Generational stories often feel disjointed. This book doesn’t.

It didn’t take long for me to get into the story. McCullough found the right starting point, which can be hard to do. I won’t claim that I got sucked into the story and couldn’t put it down, but each time I picked it up again, it was easy to get settled back into the storyline.

The characters and settings felt like coming home—again. Having grown up in the area where the book is set, and having recently returned, I admit to spending time figuring out which local landmarks McCullough was referring to. When I couldn’t place one, it didn’t bother me, because I left the area when I was in my late teens, and I was never part of the local social scene.

It wasn’t just the local landscape that made me enjoy this book. The characters were realistically portrayed, and could have easily been my neighbors if I had stayed in the area. Shoot, now that I am back, they could be the folks down the street or someone I’ve chatted with at a local event. Also, I identified with the struggles of returning to an area that you thought that you’d outgrown.

I’m going to rate this book 5 stars. *****

Now write a review for one of mine.

This may be harder, being honest about something I worked hard on.

I chose Wolves’ Gambit to review, because I recently re-read it in preparation for writing a new book in the Free Wolves series.

This story isn’t your typical wolf shifter story. The protagonist, Lori Grenville, isn’t a brave, tall, dark and handsome alpha wolf-shifter rescuing his fated mate from an immanent life-threatening attack. Instead, she is small, female, and depends on her brains, not her non-existent brawn. There is romance in the book, but it’s muted and not the main theme.

It’s fun to see how Lori manipulates both her friends and enemies to accomplish her goals, and sometimes hard to tell the difference between them. It’s also interesting to follow Lori’s thoughts as she grapples with her own conscience and methods. I’ve always been a sucker for the underdog, and watching her succeed made my day.

If you are a fan of action, friendship and betrayal, and cheering for the underdog, Wolves’ Gambit is the book for you.

Naturally, I rate it 5 stars. *****

What books will the other authors on this hop review? I’m looking forward to finding some new books to add to my to-be-read list. Check out their posts by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Feb 26, 2024

Write a review for someone else’s book. Now write a review for one of yours.

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

My Favorite Bookstore #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Nov. 27, 2023

Do you have a favorite bookstore?

The nearest bookstore to me is 35 miles away. I haven’t been there. There are a few second-hand stores nearer that have a small assortment of books, but no extension selection. None of them are my favorite.

There’s always an on-line store. You know the name. I’ll buy an occasional e-book from them.

So where have I bought my new books this year?

If you follow me on social media, you know about all the events I participated in this past year. Everything from an organized book signing to a comic book con to local community festivals. I’ve met a lot of other authors and bought and traded books. I did nine events this year and I believe I ended up with seven books. (There were two events that I was the only author at.)

The number of authors was limited, but they were all ‘local’ and represented a variety of genres. Local to the bookstore’s location, anyway. 

So, my favorite bookstore is over 100 miles long and about 40 miles wide. I hope to expand that next year. It includes dozens of small towns, farms, and state game lands. Places like Oleopolis and Frizzleburg.  Maybe I’ll even make it into a few ‘real’ bookstores. That’s my goal if I get my work in progress ready for release in time. (I’m making progress. I’m at about 59,000 words. It has gone places I didn’t expect and hasn’t gone a few directions I’d planned!)

What about you? Do you have a favorite bookstore? Tell us about it in the comments.

Don’t forget to check in with the other authors on this hop and find out about their. Just follow the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

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Nov. 27, 2023

Do you have a favorite bookstore?

My Introduction to Epic Fantasy #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Oct 23, 2023

What is a book you admire for something specific: world building, characters, dialogue, setting, plot twists, etc.

As a kid, I read a book a day. I slowed down in high school, but still read lots of books. But a ‘breakthrough’ read for me was The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which one of my brothers brought home from college and left behind. (I’ve mentioned this in an earlier blog, but I still have those books. They’ve put on more miles moving back and forth across the US than some people I know.) They were my introduction to epic high fantasy and fantasy in general. What a great place to start!

I’d always been intrigued by tales about King Arthur, but the adventures of the hobbits and their companions were a far different type of storytelling. The idea that it extended over multiple books was new to me.

Sure, I’d read series like Nancy Drew, but each of those was a self-contained tale and had little in the way of an overall story arc. The four hobbit books opened up a new twist in writing. But I don’t remember feeling that there were artificial cliffhangers at the end of each book. Of course, I did binge-read them and didn’t have to wait for the next book to be released. I’m not that old. (No, I don’t like cliffhangers at the end of books, and I won’t write them, either.)

I didn’t immediately delve into additional books in the fantasy genre, but I haven’t avoided them either. There may be a slight preference for women authors, but it isn’t a determining factor for the books I read. But few of them compare to the magnificence of The Lord of the Rings.

I’m looking forward to learning what books have influenced the other authors on this loop., To join me on the journey, follow the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Oct 23, 2023

What is a book you admire for something specific: world building, characters, dialogue, setting, plot twists, etc.

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

 

One Genre To Bind Them All #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
It’s time for another post for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. 
 
The awesome co-hosts for the October 5 posting of the IWSG are Tonja Drecker, Victoria Marie Lees, Mary Aalgaard, and Sandra Cox!

This month’s question:
What do you consider the best characteristics of your favorite genre?

First off, I would like to protest. I’m only allowed to have one favorite genre? That seems totally unfair to the wide variety of books I read. I have to pick one? Well, okay. I pick science fiction.

Here’s why. I love me some well-written, old-fashioned, world-building science fiction. But I also love that it has become the base for many genres. That may be its best characteristic. It’s used as the backdrop for everything from romance to mysteries to suspense to fantasy. There are even stories centered around pets in space. But I haven’t seen an Amish romance in a science-fiction setting yet. Someone tell me in the comments if I’m wrong!

(By the way, I’m not forgetting that fantasy used to be a sub-category of science fiction. Full circle and all that.) 

What about you? What’s the best characteristic of your favorite genre? Tell us in the comments. Don’t forget to check out some of the other authors on this hop by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

 

All The Genres And I Have To Pick One? #OpenBook Blog hop

  By Open Book

April 11, 2022

What is your favorite genre to read/watch (movies/tv)? Any book recommendations?

We’ve had this discussion before. But for those of you who don’t follow this blog, I’ll tell you now. I don’t watch TV, and I don’t remember that last movie I watched, and that was a couple of years ago. It might have been one of the Star Wars movies. Don’t worry, I won’t review it. Let’s just say it wasn’t one of my favorites. 

I enjoy a good sci-fi movie, although I won’t claim it as my favorite genres. In books, that honor goes to the sword and sorcery genre, (which used to be part of science fiction!) especially with female main characters. That may be where I learned my love of strong women characters who can hold their own and aren’t dependent on men as protectors. The Mercedes Lackey “Vows and Honor” series is an example.

But truthfully, I have a weakness for a well-written book of any genre, everything from a good romance to an engaging biography. I’ve even read Stephen Hawking, although that was a bit of a struggle. However, my definition of well-written has gotten more stringent over the years. That’s made it harder to find books I really love. Which is sad, really.

I considered skipping the next part of the question – any recommendations? – because the temptation is too great. But heck, I’ll do it, anyway.

You know I have a new book out, right? The Fall of Jake Hennessey. If you haven’t read it yet, you should pick up a copy. It features Jake Hennessey, the ‘bad boy’ of the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, at his best- and his worst. You can check it out HERE

Sales pitch over. Let’s go check out what the other authors’ favorite genres are. Just check out the links below. And, until next time we get together, please stay safe!

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Click here to enter

April 11, 2022

What is your favorite genre to read/watch (movies/tv)? Any book recommendations?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

My TBR (To-Be-Read) List #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Oct 11, 2021

What’s on your “TBR” (to be read) list?

 

Winter is on its way, although the forecast has backed off the snow that was predicted for my location this week, and that means more time for reading. (I hope!) So, what’s on my TBR (to-be-read list?)

Let’s start with one that’s been nagging me— Tripwire, the third Jack Reacher book. I got about a third of the way through it, and gave up. I wasn’t getting into the story. I feel obligated to give it another try because I enjoyed the first two in the series. 

Then there’s two books I should be getting for my birthday—a Craig Johnson (Longmire) book and a Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum) novel. Not the newest Longmire, because I wait until they come out in paperback. After my disappointment in the book two (?)  years ago, I’m not as much as much of a fan as I used to be. And I’m backfilling the Stephanie Plum books because I started reading them in the middle.

Next comes “The Time Is Now, A Call to Uncommon Courage” by Joan Chittister. I’ve mentioned her on this blog before. She’s the Roman Catholic nun famous for the quote “I do not believe that just because you’re opposed to abortion that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed.” She also happens to have been one of my teachers.

I also have a personal goal to read at least one book by every author who participates in this hop on a regular basis. I’m not doing a good job on that one. I’ve read books by two of them, bought books by two of them, and I still need to buy books by the rest of them. (No names. I don’t want to get in trouble with any of them!) Hey. I’ll get there one of these days.

What else? I bought a couple yellow-cover Nancy Drew books a while back to add to my collection. I should read them before I put them on the shelf. The racism in the last one I read has made me hesitate.

I’m trying to make it though a bunch of books I’ve downloaded to my Kindle. The quality varies, and I’m not  finishing ones that don’t capture my attention after a chapter or two. I’m even making a mental list of ones I need to remove. (No names here, either.)

That’s enough to last me a month or so. But I’m sure I’ll find more books to add to my list by the time I get done reading the other posts on this hop!

Off-topic- Speaking of the kindle- is there a way to get the library to show books in alphabetical order by author’s name? I’m using the kindle app and haven’t found a way to do it. I can sort by titles alphabetically, but not by author.

Anyway, until next time, stay safe! 

Oct 11, 2021

What’s on your “TBR” (to be read) list?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

Genre Shaming – Are You Guilty? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Sept 27, 2021

Have you experienced or witnessed genre shaming, where readers/authors degrade a genre? If so, how do you deal with it?

I’m guilty, and I admit it. I can’t handle the concept of a dinosaur shifter billionaire US president romance. There’s one out there, somewhere, or at least there used to be. If I recall correctly, it was a novella, and I didn’t finish reading it.

I became aware of genre shaming years ago, when “experts” touted the concept that anything that wasn’t “serious” writing was not valuable. That including science fiction, action adventure, and of course, romance. (And heaven forbid that a comic book might be considered literature!) I didn’t know any better, and accepted it, but that didn’t stop me from reading and enjoying books from those genres.

Two things happened around the same time frame. I realized that the act of reading is more important that what genre is read, and I started doubting the experts. What’s wrong with reading to escape the real world for a few hours? Any story that opens a reader up to new ideas and new ways of thinking is valuable. There are benefits to reading what is comfortable and easy as well.

I’ve read poorly written “high literature” and well written Westerns. The storylines of comic book heroes resemble classic literature. While I may prefer vampires that smell like dirt over ones that sparkle, I won’t deride someone else for their choice. I’ll be glad to share my opinion on a particular book, but I won’t give bad marks to a story because of its premise. (Okay, I might make an exception in the case of that dinosaur billionaire shifter story.)

My response to people who genre shame? I ask them what’s wrong with reading paranormal or motorcycle club or an apocalyptical combination of the two? And who gets to define what “literature”? Today’s popular but scorned book may become the next decade’s classic.

I think I’ve rattled on long enough. Let’s find out what the other authors on this hop have to say. Just follow the links below!

As always, until next time, please stay safe. And read!

Sept 27, 2021

Have you experienced or witnessed genre shaming, where readers/authors degrade a genre? If so, how do you deal with it?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


Audiobooks – The Future or a Fad? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

July 12, 2021

Are audiobooks the future of book sales? Do you have your stories on audio?

First it was large print books and books for the blind. Then there were books on tape. Now we moved into proprietary formats based on what platform you listen on. Alternative ways of reading have been around for years.

I own copies of James Bond books as MP3s that I got back in the late 90s. (I think – I’ve transferred them from one PC to another so many times that I’ve lost track of when I got them.) I listened to them when I was doing chores that didn’t demand my total attention but found my enjoyment was based on the voice of the narrator—when the narrator changed in the middle of the series I didn’t like it—and I never got ‘addicted’ to the format.

To be honest, I don’t understand people who listen to audiobooks when they’re driving. I need to concentrate on the road, and the radio is background noise to keep me company, especially on long drives. I can’t imagine trying to pay attention to a book and still giving traffic the needed attention. Even on the long, flat, lonely stretches of Wyoming roads, you never know when someone is going  to fly around you doing over 100 mph. Obviously, that changes if you are the passenger and someone else is driving.

Are audiobooks the future? Maybe, in the same way that ebooks were the future not too long ago. There will always be an audience for all forms of books – print, ebook, and audio, as well as any form that hasn’t been invented yet. (Neural implant, anyone?)

I’ve looked into audio for my books. (NOT Audible, because that’s part of the Amazon monopoly.) I looked is as far as it’s gone. The price to have audio books done right is out of my budget and I don’t have the skills or equipment to do it myself. It’s more than just reading your story out loud. I think I’m an expressive reader, but I am aware of the slight mistakes I make. To have a recording edited to make it error-free would be more work than many editors would tackle. I need to sell many more of my books before an audio book would fit into my plans.

We have authors on this hop that have audiobooks, and I’m looking forward to their input. You can find them by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

July 12, 2021

Are audiobooks the future of book sales? Do you have your stories on audio?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

What’s My Favorite Genre? #IWSG

  By IWSG

March 3 question – Everyone has a favorite genre or genres to write. But what about your reading preferences? Do you read widely or only within the genre(s) you create stories for? What motivates your reading choice?
The awesome co-hosts for the March 3 posting of the IWSG are Sarah – The Faux Fountain Pen Jacqui Murray, Chemist Ken, Victoria Marie Lees, Natalie Aguirre, and JQ Rose!

Cereal boxes. Yes, I used to read whatever I could get my hands on, including cereal boxes. I was raised that it was impolite to read at the table, but no one complained about cereal boxes. So, I read them.

I don’t have that kind of time anymore, and I’ve become more selective in my reading. A book’s description has to stand out for me to add it to my TBR list. I’ll also read reviews. The star rating isn’t as important as what the reviewers say. If the book has a cliffhanger ending, I’ll probably pass.

One thing I avoid is reading books in the same genre I am writing. I don’t want my story and characters influenced by someone else’s work. I’ll wait and read that great-sounding mystery after I’ve finished writing mine.

What’s my favorite genre? I don’t think I have one. I’ll read just about anything. Remember those cereal boxes? I am less forgiving of poorly written books, and will set aside a story that doesn’t capture my attention much sooner than I used to.

Writing this post reminds me- I should take the time to read a mystery or two as I wrap up my final Harmony Duprie mystery. I’ve got the next project in my head, but I can indulge myself for a bit!

Check out some other authors on this hop. There’s a long list down below!

Until next time, please stay safe.