Sunday, April 5, 2009

Sunday Salon - Ah Grasshopper!

The Sunday Salon.com

Welcome to my Sunday Salon


I have had a icky throat for the past couple days and this morning sound like Lauren Bacall - husky and deep. For some reason, when ever I get a cold, I start to lose my voice, but before it goes, it gets deeper and deeper. A co-worker once told me I sounded sexy. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling too terribly sexy so didn't take it as a compliment. One of our technicians is sick, plus with a multitude of customers coming through our shop, I caught it. Why is it, when someone is sick and they take the day off from work, they feel the need to get errands done and 'spread the love'.


When I checked my emails this morning, I had a wonderful surprise which made me feel much better. Wendy of We Read honored me with an award - The Grasshopper Award.





"This award goes out from grasshopper (or padawan if you weren't born in the 60’s) to all the blogging Kwai Chang Caines out there, who, I know, will be understanding if I do this award thing the wrong way. So if you’ve received this award you’ll see elements of your page here on mine, you will have amazed me & you will have inspired me to find out ‘how can I do that too’. But perhaps more than that you’ll have made me smile and feel good about myself as I recognize I’m not alone if I’m reading."

Wow, Wendy. I am very honored and 'grasshopper' brings back so many memories for me. I used to watch Kung Fu all the time when I was a teenage. Master Po taught Kwai Chang Caines many, many lessons, some which I really didn't appreciate or understand at the time.

One of the many, many things Master Po told Kwai was:

"Grasshopper, be yourself. And never fear thus to be naked to the eyes of others. Yet, know that man so often masks himself. That what is simple is rarely understood. The dust of truth swirls, and seeks its own cracks of entry. And a tree falling in the forest, without ears to hear, makes no sound. Yet it falls."

It reminds me once of a discussion that took place at one of my old work places. "Do you have a public persona versus the private persona. Or do you act the same way no matter what. It was a very interesting meeting to say the least, especially within a corporate setting with my co-workers on whether people wear different masks depending on where they are or what they are doing. I had never realized people felt the need to wear masks. I have always taken people at face value, so the thought had never crossed my mind, that they would be any different at work versus at home. What you see is what you get - basically. I came out of the meeting realizing I didn't wear a mask of any type. That I didn't feel the need to wear any masks and could be myself no matter what.

When we blog, we are essentially unmasking and revealing ourselves to the world. What you see is who I am. Each blog, like a pebble thrown into a pond, creates a ripple spreading throughout the pond. Wendy is a relatively new blogger, a new pebble in the pond, creating a new ripple. Please welcome her to the pond.

The rules of the Grasshopper award are:


1) display the grasshopper award on your blog knowing you have touched someone you may never meet IRL.

2) pass this on to any fellow bloggers who have taught, inspired or entertained you.

Thank you, Wendy.

******************************************************************

Books. I received a plethora of books this week and you can see which one's if you just scroll down a couple of posts. I managed to read two whole books this week - "Long Lost" by Harlan Coben and "The Mystery of Grace" by Charles DeLint. The review for Coben's book in the next post down. I'll be writing up the review for DeLint's book in the next couple days. I enjoyed the story - it was different from most of his other stories and interesting to say the least. The book next up is "14" by J. T. Ellison, another new to me author read.

Getting back to speaking about ripples. I did something really dumb last night. I swore I would never join twitter. In a moment of weakness, went on line and signed up for it. Clicked on a bunch of people to follow. Fooled around with the dang thing for a half hour or so, then completely changed my mind and canceled the account. Why? I got to thinking - 1) I really don't have the time to fool with this, 2) I don't have anything to say about the minutia of my day that anybody is really going to care about, 3) it's a time sucker. Now I know many of you are on twitter and enjoy the heck out of it and it is good for networking. However, it just isn't for me. Even though I canceled the account, I've had some emails of people saying they will follow me. So, if you notice the after ripple come across your bow, ignore me. I don't know how long it will take to dissipate. Sorry!

I'm off to work on my art history, go grocery shopping (maybe I'll get Father to do it today) , plan lessons, and work on my WIP. I swear on a stack of bibles, cross my heart, legs, fingers and whatever else you can cross, that I am going to finish the first draft of this puppy by next Sunday. Wish me luck or say a prayer for me.

Happy Reading.






Friday, April 3, 2009

Book Review # 42 - Long Lost



Long Lost

By

Harlan Coben






Front Flap: "Myron Bolitar hasn't heard from Terese Collins since their torrid affair ended ten years ago, so her desperate phone call from Paris catches him completely off guard. In a shattering admission, Terese reveals the tragic story behind her disappearance--her struggles to get pregnant, the greatest moment of her life when her baby was born...and the fatal accident that robbed her of it all: her marriage, her happiness, and her beloved only daughter.

Now a suspect in the murder of her ex-husband in Paris, Terese has nowhere else to turn for help. Myron heeds the call. But then a startling piece of evidence turns the entire case upside down, laying bare Terese's long buried family secrets...and the very real possibility that her daughter may still be alive.

In grave danger from unknown assailants in a country where nothing is as it seems, Myron and Terese race to stay a step ahead of Homeland Security, Interpol, and Mossad. Soon they are working at breakneck pace not only to learn what really happened to Terese's long lost little girl..but to uncover a sinister plot with shocking global implications."

I have fallen in like with another new to me author. I received an Advance Reader Copy of "Long Lost" by Harlan Coben through Shelf Awareness courtesy of Dutton Marketing. "Long Lost" is an excellent story, very well written and entertaining.

Myron, the main character, has a quirky sense of humor and the story is written from his perspective. I generally don't care too much for stories written in first person point of view because I find them hard to get into, unless they are very well written. This one is and captured my attention. It is truly a mystery, full of suspense with many surprising twists and turns. This is the 9th book in the Myron Bolitar series. Now that I've been introduced to Myron, will have to go back to the beginning and read "Deal Breaker."

Myron is surprised to hear from Terese whom he hadn't heard from in 10 years. She needs his help and he is willing to drop everything (especially since his girlfriend dumped him) and fly to Paris. They once had a torrid affair and he has only seen her once since then, when she dropped everything to help him. Now she needs his help. Her ex husband is missing and found dead and she's a suspect. Myron finds himself thrust into the center of a mystery as he is detained by the french police, followed, shot at, and threatened. Both his and Terese lives are put in danger as they uncover secret after secret. I can't say anymore about it without giving away any spoilers. All I can say is that Harlan Coben has earned a new fan.

Pages: 384
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Release Date: March 31, 2009
Genre: Mystery / Thriller


Links to other reviews

Jeff Baker of The Oregonian
"Take a reluctant gumshoe with other interests and deadly skills, an innocent placed in harm's headlights, a dash of romance put on pause pending inevitable heroics, and immerse it all in first-person, dialogue-saturated narrative dripping with enough cynical, self-deprecating sarcasm to make Dashiell Hammett wonder where his genre went, and you have the stuff that keeps Nelson DeMille, Robert Parker and Stuart Woods in their recession-proof German cars."


Mystery Book Review
"Readers will be sorely tempted to finish Long Lost in one setting. The narrative is taut, the pace relentless."

If you have reviewed "Long Lost" let me know and I will add to the links.

Books Galore

It's raining books this week!

UPS is my best friend this week. I received an abundance of books to add to my reading pile. I received a box of three books from my parents which included the long awaited "The Link: The Third Millennium" by B. Sandy.




My dad came across Mr. Sandy doing a book signing in Borders in Las Vegas a few months back. He bought the book for me and had the author autograph it - sweet! However, my dad who generally doesn't read fiction got caught up in the story, so it took him a while to send it. My mom included a couple Sue Grafton books from her alphabet series. Thank you, Mom and Dad.






I also received several books for review:


"A World I Never Made" by James LePore
Release Date: April 14, 2009
Courtesy of FSB Associates






"Stone's Fall" by Iain Pears
Release Date: May 2009
Courtesy: Random House
(Shelf Awareness)



"The Physick Book Of Deliverance Dane" by Katherine Howe
Release Date: June 2009
Courtesy: Hyperion
(Shelf Awareness)


I may have forgotten to mention a couple books I received for review last week.




"The Soul Collectors" by Charles Quince
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Courtesy: Bostick Communications
Released: January 16, 2009

and



"Re-Deal: A Time Travel Thriller" by Richard Turner
Publisher: Showdown Creations
Courtesy: Lillie Ammann


But, I'm not done yet. My next class which starts May 5th is Modern Fiction and I received the books we will be reading and discussing:




I am looking forward to this class. It should prove to be very interesting.

Happy Reading!


Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Blog Awards

Blog Awards

Feel free to pass these awards on to whomever you chose


I love your blog award

Pass the bloggy love!

Thanks Margot




Your Blog is Fabulous Award

Pass on to newbie blogs or blogs new to you

Thanks Lisa





Friendship Award

The award says: “These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.” Thanks Julie




Sisterhood Award

Pass on to bloggers who show great attitude and/or gratitude


Thanks Desert Rose and Sheri




Grasshopper Award

Give to those bloggers who you have learned something from.

Thanks Wendy




Premio Dardos Award - The Dart Prize

"The Prémio Dardos is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web." Thank you Desert Rose.





One Lovely Blog Award

(Created by Works of Art by Sara)

Give to Bloggers old and new you have discovered and enjoyed

Thank You Kerrie




A Blogger's Best Friend Award

(Created by The World From Down Here)

The “A Blogger’s Best Friend Award” shall be given to your most loyal blog readers. Thus, the award should be given to a follower of yours who takes the time to comment regularly on many of your posts. In addition his or her blog should be creative, funny and always entertaining. Thank you MizB





Super Comments Award

(Created by Sheri of A Novel Menagerie)

Give this award is to those people whose comments have meant THE WORLD to you. It takes time to visit a blog and leave a comment. Take an opportunity to say “thank you” to each and every one who leaves a comment on your blog. Also used to recognize special bloggers whose comments make a great impact on you. Thank you Sheri.




Beautiful Heart Award

(Created by Robin of My Two Blessings)

Give to those bloggers who uplift you with their positive words and spirit. Also give to bloggers who put their hearts, mind and soul into their blogs and give us a glimpse into their worlds. They are positive and may not realize it, but are leading by example. They inspire with their words, educate and inform. They entertain and uplift with their humor. They are welcoming, helpful and friendly and no one is a stranger, whether you've commented once or a million times. They are ever so wise and giving. Most of all, they have Beautiful Hearts.



Thank you Desert Rose

"The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all..."


Thank you Desert Rose

Pass on to Friendly Bloggers

Work in Progress Wednesday


Work in Progress Wednesday is the brain child of Kate from The Lovers, The Dreamers and Me. Kate is unfortunately without internet access at home since she is in the middle of a move, but managed to post from Panera's. Check out what she has to say and fellow WIPer's have to say.




I've been progressing quite well, thank you. I got side tracked by reading War and Peace,(Thank you, Father) found I couldn't put it down and spend most of the last week reading. However, once I finished it, couldn't even think of reading anything else for a while, so concentrated on my writing. My imagination took off and I've written almost 3000 words in the past three or four days.

Our lovers got together, but somehow, someone managed to inject knock out drops in the champagne. An inside job, perhaps. Winter wakes up in the hands of the Villainess, on a boat somewhere and not with her lover. Dominic is awakened by his son and the bodyguard who was supposed to be keeping an eye on Winter. He is confused and suffering from an excruciating headache because he ingested twice as much champagne as Winter. Oh my!

I'm in the midst of it now and decided that since I want to finish this by Easter will start getting up early again. So when the cats wake me around 6:30 to go out, I'm getting up and writing, instead of going back to sleep until 8:00. You'd be surprised what you can accomplish in an hour and a half with a quiet house and no one chattering at you. It is what I used to do during National Novel Write Month and found it to be very effective. However, I got out of the habit as soon as it was over.

My goal is to finish by Easter and I have 12 more days. By george, I think I'm going to make it.

For the rest of today however, I am diving into the sea of taxes and starting that long swim across - see you on the other side. TurboTax here I come!

Writing Projects


Floating On The Surface
(2007 Nano)

Currently in Major Rewrite and Edit Mode

The backstory is Samantha retired from teaching at a private affluent school due to an attack which left her partially disabled. The person who attacked her skipped the country because he thought he had killed her. He had mafia ties and thought she overheard something. Did she? She turned to writing and has had two books published. One of them semi biographical from her experiences. She's basically been living under the radar somewhere in New Mexico for three years while she recovers.

Her two brothers currently reside in Holly River Valley, Oregon - one is the Abbott of the monastery and the other has a professional contracting business. Her brother's business partner, Jacob is also her good friend and brother to Benjamin. She travels to Holly River and meets Jacob's brother, Benjamin who becomes the love interest. He is a master sculptor and facing a life decision. While visiting she comes up with an idea for a story - involving the monastery, bats, detectives, sculptures and a mystery. Hence the birth of "Eyes in the Ashes" which will be my 2009 Nano.

Brothers are in the process of building a Catholic Elementary School and will be needing a principal. So talk her into moving for mutual benefit of she picks their brains for her book and they pick her brains about how to run school and best person to hire. In the midst of all this, someone mails a copy of her book to the villain and he returns to finish the job.






Winter's Illusion
(2008 Nano)
First Draft Finished - waiting for edit


Synopsis: Dr. Winter Eliza Scott is a psychologist who has been hired to work at a private coed boarding and day high school. Her boss and co-worker Dr. Brent Blake seems the slimy sort and something is going on at the school. Female teachers are disappearing, 2 professors tell her the exact same dream in graphic detail, students are acting fishy and something is going on in the middle of night in either the computer lab or the auto shop. And they thought she wouldn't notice. What happens when they realize she's more observant and smarter than they thought. Is her life in danger? What will she do? Who will she tell? Will she get away?







Future project for 2009 Nano


Possible Title: Eyes in the Ashes
Mystery in a monastery

Rough idea: Isabella (no last name yet) is an ethologist, she studies bats. She is hired to study new type of bat found at a Monastery or remove and find a new home for bats who are nuisance. In the process they discover bones. Mystery of who the person or persons were. Old bones or someone murdered. Former cop or detective on sabbatical at the monastery - they get involved while solving the mystery. Project currently being researched


21 years in Business


Today, we are celebrating Father's 21st Anniversary as owner of our business, Rainbow Electronics. 21 years ago he made the decision to buy the business from his former employers and closed escrow, yes, on April Fools Day, April 1st, 1988. Father turned the business around and it has outlasted many of the other electronic repairs shops in town. Including the big box stores Good Guys and Circuit City who ended up closing within the past year.

Since we are a warranty service station for many manufacturers, we have customers from all over the united states. Between Father and our genius technicians, he established a reputation for being one of the best in the business. Can you tell I'm proud.

Unofficially I am co-owner of the business and what the IRS likes to call 'volunteer spouse'. Officially I am the office manager and accountant. I became involved in the business back in 1993 when Father and I were dating. I took over the bookkeeping and transferred him over from Peachtree (horrendous accounting system) to Quickbooks. Shows you how much he trusted me - letting me take over the finances while we were still dating. We have made many changes over the years adjusting as needed, expanding to repairing professional equipment as the vcrs and dvd machines became less expensive and easier to replace, rather than repair.

That is the advantage of having a mom and pop business. We can adjust, rather than being at the mercy of corporate board or shareholders. Just yesterday, I was discussing this with one of our technicians, H who will have been with us 19 years. He had the opportunity to go to Handy Andy - They shut down. He had the opportunity to work for Good Guys and Circuit City, but he gave it all up to work for us. And guess what - they shut down as well. And its been to his benefit and our benefit. He has had a steady job for 19 years and counting, and we have had the benefit of his vast expertise which allows us to repair equipment that is over 50 - 60 years old. With both of our technicians and Father having over 30 years experience each, we have been able to establish a niche that most companies can't. We are the only business in town that repairs anything over 10 years of age.

The point is - because we are a mom and pop business, we have a tendency to purchase from other mom and pop business. The big box stores may have lower prices and a large selection (sometimes) but the mom and pop's - they provide quality products, personalized service and they care about your business. I'm proud to be a part of that. Most of all I'm proud of Father for sticking in there and making the business what it is today.

Congratulations - Father!