tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79128634992478742972023-11-16T11:07:17.378+00:00NovelistaMichelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-33722760077121498582011-07-21T15:56:00.000+01:002011-07-21T15:56:49.652+01:00The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">I tend to forget how much I love historical fiction; especially good historical fiction. And this historical thriller , <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/017847510/chicklite-20">Anatomy of Ghosts</a></i> by Andrew Taylor is just that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYStNFs6GFsGRhF_NczrNwnT3ofAZoa3DUF7cDnlFto03iDjqoizetGXmBw349ypWugO-jpx-k4GtcZthw7f_hbWUXtPDub_GItPp8sE_Pxdk86h9XPIZYht8v94QBpIeu2_DJMn8Qv_4H/s1600/AofG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYStNFs6GFsGRhF_NczrNwnT3ofAZoa3DUF7cDnlFto03iDjqoizetGXmBw349ypWugO-jpx-k4GtcZthw7f_hbWUXtPDub_GItPp8sE_Pxdk86h9XPIZYht8v94QBpIeu2_DJMn8Qv_4H/s320/AofG.jpg" width="200" /></a><span lang="EN-IE" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">It’s set at <st1:city w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:city> college in <st1:city w:st="on">Cambridge</st1:city> <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 1786. John Holdsworth is a book trader who has lost everything: his young son, who drowned in the <st1:place w:st="on">Thames</st1:place> and his business. His wife, Maria, who became obsessed and sold all her worldly possessions to try and contact her son, follows a few months later by drowning as well. Holdsworth, a broke and broken man, is soon summoned by Lady Anne Oldershaw, a wealthy upper crust sort, who is concerned about the welfare of her own son who has apparently gone off the deep end at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city> college after claiming to see the ghost of the late Mrs Sylvia Whitcombe. She wants Holdsworth to investigate her son’s nervous collapse and the ghost on the sly while cataloguing her late husband’s library at the college.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">Holdsworth doesn’t believe in ghosts but accepts the job for he needs the money. He arrives at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:city></st1:place> college and becomes the guest of the Master, the ailing Dr Carbury and his intriguing wife, Elinor. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">While at the college, Holdsworth does some digging and soon discovers the more unsavoury aspects of the place: the behind the scenes wrangling for power, the sinister Holy Ghost club and the unanswered questions of the death of the ghost in question: the young and lovely Sylvia Whitcombe.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">It’s one of those books that makes you resent that you have a life and things to do, like work, dinner, etc. when all you’d rather be doing is reading.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">The historical detail he provides transports you back in time to life that was really harsh for the poor. There were no conveniences for the people at the time and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Taylor</st1:city></st1:place> vividly captures the sights and sounds of the time from the smells from the sick room to the night soil man who made rounds every morning with his wheelbarrow collecting excrement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">There are so many subplots that all come together nicely in the end. And Holdsworth, the non-believer of ghosts, discovers that sometimes it’s the living that haunt you more than the dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IE;">I was sorry to see this book end. Great book to curl up with on a rainy day. Or any day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-31585690503507344872011-07-15T08:21:00.005+01:002013-01-14T13:47:34.811+00:00The Nagging Question<div>
The last few weeks, I’ve been surprised at something unexpected: the nagging question that perhaps it’s time to give up writing and move on with my life.<br />
I’ve wanted to write since I was nine and dabbled with it while I got on with my life: went to college, got a proper job, bought a house, got married, and had babies.<br />
When we decided to move to Ireland five years ago I made a decision that I would be serious about my writing and be more proactive rather than the disconcerted effort that was made while I lived in the US. And I have done a lot more in the last five years than in all the previous 30+. In the beginning, when we first arrived and the boys were babies and needed my undivided attention, I had to wait until my husband came home and every night after dinner, I managed to write and that resulted in a chick lit manuscript which I still love but received 44 rejections none the less. I chalked it up to experience. I became involved in Write Words out of the UK, an online writing group and met some really fabulous people and now am in a private splinter group with them. I published an article in Writer’s Forum. I started two blogs, this one and <a href="http://chicklite-michele.blogspot.com/">Chicklite</a>. I also contribute to <a href="http://www.book-in-a-week.com/">Book in a Week</a> blog. I completed a first rough draft of another novel, women’s fiction while doing <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a>. (National November Writing Month- global effort to write 50k, unedited in one month- great novel starter) Unfortunately I had to abandon that as I couldn’t stand the MC (main character).<br />
Two years ago, I started working on my present WIP- about a teenage girl who has supernatural powers but wants nothing to do with it. I have it completed at 100k words, but I’m in the middle of editing it which is time consuming and sometimes I feel like I’m walking through sand. Once that’s done, I’ll make the starter rounds of querying agents.<br />
But all of this takes time. And a big chunk of it. And I’ve yet to be published.<br />
All my life, the dream of writing has always been in the back of mind and sometimes on the back burner while I did other things; mainly lived life. But when I worked as a hospice nurse and took care of a lot of people on their deathbed, I determined for myself that I didn’t want to end up on my own deathbed, regretting that I didn’t pursue my dream of writing. But after five years, can I say that I gave it my best shot, give it up and <i>live with that</i>?<br />
For the very first time, I’m thinking of giving it up. That has never happened before. Granted, I’ve walked away from it, put it down but I always returned. But now there’s a different feeling underfoot. And I have to ask my self: is my dream of writing worth it? Will my boys remember me as someone who had a computer as an appendage? Is it time to stop fooling around and get a proper job?<br />
And that is the question that I’m going to think about and turn over while I’m on vacation in the US in August.</div>
Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-5767653574685097072011-07-04T15:09:00.007+01:002011-07-04T15:26:12.650+01:00The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson<div>I saw this book on the library shelf and couldn’t resist for three reasons:<br />1) Its a classic,<br />2) I have <em>Treasure Island</em> (also by RLS) on order for Daniel<br />3) Its only 88 pages long and I thought, surely I could handle that<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLJ-CmOJ3dwHQhbrKOS5RI63HURPO_EuinjN8D5LpO4eXl9eHulSHd-emVqm6oc-6Me6VNaV7sRmPLpd-RC1W0sCSqgj4YyZ_8Gov-eh24i1-PhpSLONF2Jq8an-SYrWcl11nvDP5iKPY/s1600/j+%2526+H.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625500879742110546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLJ-CmOJ3dwHQhbrKOS5RI63HURPO_EuinjN8D5LpO4eXl9eHulSHd-emVqm6oc-6Me6VNaV7sRmPLpd-RC1W0sCSqgj4YyZ_8Gov-eh24i1-PhpSLONF2Jq8an-SYrWcl11nvDP5iKPY/s200/j+%2526+H.jpg" /></a><br />I read the book in one day- a lazy Sunday to be exact. The first 2-3 pages were a little difficult to get through and I must admit to having had to reread some of the parts to make it all make sense but once I got into the rhythm of the writing- and it was written about 130 years ago- it became easy and I couldn’t put it down.<br /><a href="http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN0451528956/chicklite-20"><em>The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde</em> </a>explores what happens when one man indulges his dark side through chemical means- more relevant now in our drug addled culture than at the end of the 19th century.<br />It’s a brilliantly woven tale exploring the dichotomy of good and evil.<br />I also wanted to study the build up of suspense as I’m writing my own paranormal. RLS drip feeds you info about Mr Hyde- at first it starts out with innuendo about the nefarious Mr Hyde and gradually the tale unfolds through the eyes of Dr. Jekyll’s lawyer, Mr Utterson. The book opens with him learning of Mr Hyde and no one can determine his relationship with Dr Jekyll. Utterson assumes that Hyde is blackmailing Jekyll. By the end, the whole sordid tale has been revealed to the astonishment of Mr Utterson and another friend, Dr Lanyon and the bizarre truth will be the undoing of the latter.<br />Long after I finished reading it, I found I couldn’t stop thinking about it. In a nutshell, it’s the age old issue of good versus evil. Instead of being repelled by his alter ego Mr Hyde, Dr Jekyll exhibits a mixture of sympathy, fascination and an inability to resist the heady, free side of evil. Mr Hyde, on the other hand, shows only indifference towards Dr Jekyll.<br />This tale is so part of our culture now that we refer to moody (that’s a polite term) people as being a Jekyll & Hyde and in one of my kids’ DVDs, Alvin & the Chipmunks are putting on a school play of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde.<br />It’s a great classic; read it if you get the chance.</div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-14315219795747666972011-07-01T14:27:00.003+01:002011-07-01T14:34:32.356+01:00Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich<div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312383282/chicklite-20"><em>Finger Lickin’ Fifteen</em> </a>is another instalment in Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum mystery series. <a href="http://amazon.com/exec.obidos/ASIN/0312383304/chicklite-20"><em>Sizzling Sixteen</em> </a>and <a href="http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN0345527682/chicklite-20"><em>Smokin’ Seventeen</em> </a>have since been released. (What can I say, I’m a little behind). I started reading the series way back when it first came out- early nineties, I guess. Stephanie Plum has been in my life longer than my husband or kids. The major appeal is the LOL screwball comedy. It must be hard to keep that pace up and the stories fresh, but this particula<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITMiWfCkLwCtoUzlttGk_P6NZdqCztO56KctZjQqexNS9cmJY1z2WWq5kipSLDQ1S8s6EmAjqrjqV-PxJlDUukSpoo5PMus9_4iBladCz5eGHYq1ixx6TvKlwhbqaSqlY57Fn5v5rJLNt/s1600/flf.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 133px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624376436460506162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITMiWfCkLwCtoUzlttGk_P6NZdqCztO56KctZjQqexNS9cmJY1z2WWq5kipSLDQ1S8s6EmAjqrjqV-PxJlDUukSpoo5PMus9_4iBladCz5eGHYq1ixx6TvKlwhbqaSqlY57Fn5v5rJLNt/s200/flf.jpg" /></a>r instalment had me laughing out loud so hard I started crying and in the process scared my two boys. I read the book in 48 hours. This one was one of the best in the series. I’ve read all of the books in the series and the last few books in the series have been disappointing. I don’t know why I keep buying them- something to do with hope and redemption I guess.<br />Stephanie Plum is a half Hungarian, half Italian girl from the ‘Burg in Trenton, NJ. She works as a bounty hunter for her cousin Vinnie Plum. She stinks as a bounty hunter. Things always go awry: cars get blown up and her apartment tends to get firebombed. She’s assisted by Lula, an ex hooker who’s 300lbs and likes to wear loud, petite size clothing. Say no more. There’s Grandma Mazur who carries a gun in her purse and whose favorite hobby is going to funerals. There are also two men in Stephanie’s life: Trenton cop, Joe Morelli and the mysterious Ranger.<br />Finger Lickin’ Fifteen opens with Lula inadvertently witnessing the decapitation of a celebrity chef. What ensues is Lula’s OTT idea to enter a barbecue cook off to catch the killers- when they’re not trying to kill her- which they attempt quite often in the book. At one point, Lula, hanging out the car window shooting at them- and her aim is terrible- ends up getting stuck in the window- that scene alone is hilarious.<br />If you’re in need of pick-me-upper or a great laugh, pick this book up- it’s absolutely hilarious.</div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-83216027439870291302011-06-27T13:16:00.003+01:002013-01-14T13:49:25.249+00:00So Many Books....<div>
Once I start a book, I have to finish it, even if I absolutely hate it.<br />
This just happened recently where I looked down and realized that I was only on page 100 and still had to get through about 350 more pages. It was like walking in heavy sand on a summer’s day with the sun beating down on your back and dragging extra weight to boot-you get the picture.
The book, which will remain anonymous to protect the innocent, just didn’t do it for me. One of the main characters was totally unsympathetic. From any angle, I just couldn’t warm up to him and he was also the main love interest. On any level he didn’t do it for me.<br />
But enough about that.<br />
It’s my optimistic spirit *tonguedeftlyincheek* that keeps me turning the page on a truly horrific, badly written, put-downable book. It’s called redemption and I’m looking for it somewhere by the last page. There just has to be some redeeming quality by the end that justifies the time I spent reading it (time is precious), the money spent (recession, anyone?) and the emotional involvement. Sometimes, there is none of these.<br />
And there has been redemption in the past.<br />
Trinity by Leon Uris comes to mind. I picked that book up three separate times before I finally finished and loved it. Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen- initially I struggled with it, but soon fell in love with it and everything else written by Jane Austen. Jane Austen books are in that rare category of books that I will read over and over as I never tire of them. I can not tell you how many times I checked The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova out of the library before finally being sucked into it and the only disappointment was that it had ended. And the list goes on and on.<br />
And yet *sigh* there are the clunkers out there that make me want to cry.<br />
A friend of mine recently gave me this advice with my obsession about finishing crappy books: life’s too short, put it down and read something else. </div>
Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-43900553056689701322011-06-18T07:46:00.005+01:002013-01-14T13:50:44.961+00:00The Waiting Game<div>
There was a time in my life when I used to be a terrible waiter. And I don’t mean restaurant server. Although I did waitress a long time ago when God was a boy and that’s another story for another day.
But getting back to the waiting bit: impatience was-and sometimes still is- my middle name. I was deadly waiting in doctor’s offices and standing in line at the bank or grocery store. And God forbid the person who cut ahead of me. I’d put my hand out and say firmly, “Excuse me but I was next in line.” If there was a hold up in the line ahead of me, I’d start to sigh and shift on my feet and if I was really pushed over the edge, I’d start making tsk, tsk noises. Sitting in reception areas, I was no better. After about 45 minutes, I’d badger the receptionist with questions like, ‘how many more minutes?’ and ‘how many people are ahead of me?’ They must have cringed seeing me walk through the door.<br />
However, I am happy to report that all of that has changed. In an indirect way, I have to credit motherhood with tempering that over the top impatience. Motherhood is a 24/7 job and because of that, my favorite hobby of reading gets put on the back burner- a lot. But a few years ago, I cured that. I now carry my book with me, at all times, in my purse and in my car. Now, I don’t mind going anywhere where there’s going to be waiting. I read in the doctor’s office, standing in line at the post office and waiting outside the boys’ school to pick them up. There have been times that I have been disappointed to hear my name called or my turn arrive in the line as I was usually at a good part in the book. The only place I can’t read is while driving in a car- well not me driving- that would be something wouldn’t it? That would be tricky, trying to read while driving a car- and I drive a manual! That’d give a whole new meaning to the word ambidextrous. Anyways, I tend to get car sick while reading when the car is in motion. But I fixed that too- now I nap- because that’s another thing you get deprived of with motherhood: sleep.<br />
I don’t wait anymore. But I do read a lot.</div>
Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-16268253269407174952011-06-14T22:35:00.006+01:002011-06-14T22:46:56.644+01:00Tomas O'Crohan's The Islandman<div>Tomas O’Crohan’s book, <em>The Islandman</em>, was first written in Irish in 1926 and translated into English 3 years later. It tells of life on the Blasket islands off the coast of Kerry. An Irish only speaking population, the last of the islanders were evacuated to the mainland in 1953.O’Crohan himself lived from 1856-1937 and he gives a detailed, vivid portrait of life on the island during the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. Despite the fact that it was written so long ago, it is a book that is easy to read. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsUQWIQVFtdzb7h6w-RNdprDGiZIL5ibJu8KuPnc7rtHVw8_bfJrwnn6_GmYT_8dRma55RCuMOfKCowQT1Aj9wrxcouYvHOkIyWQKk6KjkJkqKM7KsvA3D-LKsljlNwGQNkqDtnHUBd_e/s1600/The+Islandman.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 128px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 199px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618193894583664034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsUQWIQVFtdzb7h6w-RNdprDGiZIL5ibJu8KuPnc7rtHVw8_bfJrwnn6_GmYT_8dRma55RCuMOfKCowQT1Aj9wrxcouYvHOkIyWQKk6KjkJkqKM7KsvA3D-LKsljlNwGQNkqDtnHUBd_e/s200/The+Islandman.jpg" /></a><br />As I sidebar, I must admit to a love of all things of the Dingle Peninsula and its off shore islands. And therefore, I read anything I can, past or present, regarding the surrounding area. I’ve read Peig Sayers voluntarily and I’m a huge fan of the Antarctic explorer, Tom Crean from Anascaul.<br />That being said, I found O’Crohan’s book to be much more entertaining than that of Peig Sayers.<br />The insight into the way of life on the island- which is no more- is priceless. There were no shops on the island and the most startling revelation of all was the fact that all the animals (cow, asses, cats and dogs) were brought into the house at night. His sisters had to climb up onto the roof in the morning to collect the eggs as the hens had roosted in the thatch. Formal education was dodgy at best: he didn’t start school until he was 10 and there was a whole gap year when the teacher returned to the mainland to get married and it took a year to find a replacement. They made a living by fishing and going to the market in Dingle. They also benefited from shipwrecks when cargo washed ashore. It was interesting to read how they salvaged the wheat cargo from the sea by boiling the salt out of it and then drying it in front of the fire. When a cargo a tea landed ashore, they had no idea what it was so they fed it to the pigs and one woman used it to dye her petticoats- at that point tea had not been introduced to the island. The sea by its very nature was unforgiving.<br />At 22 he married- a marriage arranged by his sister. Together they had 10 children and there was a lot of sorrow: 2 died from measles, 1 fell off a cliff, and another drowned trying to save someone else. All of this appears to have accelerated the path to the grave for his wife but Tomas soldiered on.<br />At the end, he writes: “I<em> have written minutely of much that we did, for it was my wish that somewhere there should be a memorial of it all, and I have done my best to set down the character of the people about me so that some record of us might live after us, for the like of us will never be again.</em>”<br />These people are no more and there is an element of sadness for that which is gone. </div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-17169350093372410372011-05-08T20:02:00.010+01:002011-05-08T20:55:22.455+01:00Queen of the Simile: Ciara Geraghty<div>It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Ciara Geraghty. The last post I wrote on her, I reviewed her second book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0340976578/chicklite-20"><em>Becoming Scarlett</em> </a>and publicly declared that Geraghty was the indisputable Queen of Chick Lit.</div><br /><div>There are a handful of writers that I wait with bated breath for their new releases: Janet Evanovich, Elizabeth George and Ciara Geraghty.</div><br /><div>Geraghty's third book came, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0340998075/chicklite-20">Finding Mr. Flood</a>,</em> came out in January and I was down at my local bookstore before they even loaded it onto the shelves.</div><br /><div><em>Finding Mr. Flood </em>follows the story of a one Dara Flood. A petite brunette, Dara works at the local animal shelter and lives with her mother and her older sister, Angel, who is in dire need of a kidney transplant. Dara lives without expectation; it's simpler that way. That way she can't be disappointed. Days before she was born, her father, Mr. Flood walked out on the family never to be seen again. They say parental abandonment is the one thing a child can not recover from. Well it has certainly shaped the Flood women's resulting lives. Enter into the mix Stanley Flinter a very short man <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEFfcEneXx9JQE34oZ5i3tUg2EZnmqItrYefpWlUkxu276D5Me0ixkmybZKgy8QUht5iOG9pLU6OQPYxodumnNjg07hRjB7Y9dLuKeuHaFiVN8EoF20id7cLlI7ltQUmyZCs67_AYrOqx/s1600/FindingMrFlood.png"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 131px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604434152750657954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEFfcEneXx9JQE34oZ5i3tUg2EZnmqItrYefpWlUkxu276D5Me0ixkmybZKgy8QUht5iOG9pLU6OQPYxodumnNjg07hRjB7Y9dLuKeuHaFiVN8EoF20id7cLlI7ltQUmyZCs67_AYrOqx/s200/FindingMrFlood.png" /></a>(luckily no short man complex) who is a private detective that Dara enlists in the effort to find Mr. Flood to see if he is a match to donate a kidney for Angel.</div><br /><div>As the novel unfolds, Dara begins to test the waters with her toe and steps out of her comfort zone. Dara is not a larger than life character like Grace was in <em><a href="http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0340976548/chicklite-20">Amazing Grace</a>, </em>but she is straightforward and guileless and a casualty of life in a way that makes you want to reach out and right it.</div><br /><div>For those critics of chick lit who dismiss it as shallow and about shopping for shoes, I'd suggest that they pick up a Geraghty book and have a rethink.</div><br /><div>One last thing. It's about Geraghty's writing style and her use of similes.</div><br /><div>I first fell in love with similes about twenty-five years ago when I read Truman Capote's <em>In Cold Blood</em> and in it he described -a corpse, I think- 'as pallid as a funeral lily.' I have never forgotten that.</div><br /><div>Geraghty's books are littered with similes and nobody does it better. They are rich in description and I can't help but drink them up.</div><br /><div>For example:</div><br /><div>'A possibility- as remote as the Galapogos islands.'</div><br /><div>'A cloud closed around her like a curtain.'</div><br /><div>'Clouseau....ran the length of Dollymount Strand, straining at his lead and pulling Stanley along behind him, like a kite.'</div><br /><div>Regarding some one's nose: 'It rose from his face like a bus coming over a hill.' Brilliant.</div><br /><div>''Well,' he said, smiling a smile that revealed teeth like gravestones: long and grey and listing in different directions.'</div><br /><div>Luckily for us fans, Geraghty just signed a two book deal with her publisher, Hodder & Stoughton for six figures. Well deserved, I might add.<br /></div><br /><div></div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-23683531315935812452011-04-25T15:34:00.006+01:002013-01-14T13:51:23.197+00:00Writer Friends<div>
This past week, I had the pleasure of meeting up with my friend, <a href="http://www.clodaghmurphy.com/">Clodagh Murphy</a>, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0340977347/chicklite-20">The Disengagement Ring </a>and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1444705148/chicklite-20">A Girl in a Spin</a>. She was gracious enough to take the train down from Dublin to Limerick. We then spent the afternoon in the picturesque village of Adare having a great chat.</div>
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One of the things I love about living in Ireland is how much more accessible the writing culture is. When I lived in the States, I only managed to finish one manuscript and I hadn't on<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeo_Y9mJuaen-4tNP3v8g3qa7ptHGU4Yd3eX6oZTmPRxVWI3VYC1H_BgW8bW2YoeZhGAuqwHAJvsv49GDsD7cMs4VAhxEyDMP_w7LbTlNsEVU6Kq6v9BLhDAUQBko0XsGaqjTkNjSGxMo-/s1600/adare.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599211206384075938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeo_Y9mJuaen-4tNP3v8g3qa7ptHGU4Yd3eX6oZTmPRxVWI3VYC1H_BgW8bW2YoeZhGAuqwHAJvsv49GDsD7cMs4VAhxEyDMP_w7LbTlNsEVU6Kq6v9BLhDAUQBko0XsGaqjTkNjSGxMo-/s200/adare.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>e writer friend. In the five years that I've lived here, I've written two manuscripts, almost finished with a third, published an article, started blogging and best of all, made friends with other writers. I was lucky enough to get into the chick lit group on <a href="http://www.writewords.org.uk/">Write Words </a>a few years back where some of most fabulous people in writing were hanging around. Since then, I've left WW and joined a splinter group. The camaraderie of the group tempers the isolation that can dog a writer. The networking has introduced me to <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo </a>and led me to write 2 posts a month for the Canadian blog, <a href="http://www.book-in-a-week.com/">Book in a Week</a>.</div>
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But last week, I realized that nothing beats meeting face to face with other writers. It was lovely to spend an afternoon with another writer and talk about all things writing related: from what we're currently working on, to what we're reading and all the nifty stuff in between.</div>
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Clodagh's lucky in that she's met alot of the other 16 members of our group, who are scattered throughout the UK and one as far as Australia. Finances alone have prevented me from flying over to England to meet up with some of them: Debs, Keris and Jacqui just to name a few.</div>
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Half of the group are published and it never ceases to amaze me how generous they are with their advice to those of us who are not published. Yet.</div>
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And all of this is achieved through that marvelous thing called the internet. What on earth did they do twenty years ago? But still, meeting other writers in person is still the best part of the network.</div>
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Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-9209786290268584042011-02-20T19:14:00.031+00:002013-01-14T13:52:11.838+00:00The Book Bond<div>
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My eight year old son, Daniel has started reading chapter books in the last few months. Hardly earth shaking to most, but to a voracious reader like me, noteworthy. Not that it matters, but I'm trying to figure out how his love of reading developed. I suspect it may be a combination<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN0060002026/chicklite-20"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575857870922309410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizo0YQ4s1UweYYWp2tOHhAb5hBB2ckTH5fwTbqdvboYFCewbTI78_v21pguIEFKBXmztlWv4zYw24OLfzCvyZsHUsWG8M6Z30fKtMBfReHhzDiP8oTOrMrxhFKP3TK8bfGw1D4zWrPMKb/s200/i+love+you+as+much.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 168px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a> of two things: he inherited the gene from me and I've been reading books to him since the day he was born.<br />
That last sentence wasn't intended to be smug. Daniel and I had an unconventional bonding after his birth. Born 16 weeks early and weighing only 1 lb 10 oz, he spent the first two months of his life in an incubator. He was 32 days old when we got to hold him for the first time. But everyday, I was there, talking to him, reminding him that he wasn't alone, that Mommy and Daddy were with him every step of the way. In those first early days, someone suggested that I read to him. And read to him I did. <i>I Love You As Much </i>by Laura Melmed and <i>Tumble Bumble </i>by Felicia Bond were favorites.Since the age of two, Daniel has alway<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0694013447/chicklite-20"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575860791852715282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArCZociQFPuE4QLyPOqluifTmdxSbWgynEH7cdQpdn9h0dLJFTuP70LNpTpSi7KE9iA27J3q1JGrDis9dYSWCa57KJnhl9SQZHE7F9DnhVYXJhV322JT7HnchuquZHNNy_DuH1IdMqmvJ/s200/tumble+bumble.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>s taken a book or a magazine to bed with him. We've gone through our fair share of flashlights and itty bitty book lights.</div>
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His aunt in England sent him two Roald Dahl books, <i>Charlie & The Chocolate Factory </i>and <i>George's Marvellous Medicine, </i>which we started by reading a chapter at night. We've graduated to Enid Blyton, Arthur Ransome, JK Rowling and now, Rick Riordan. At Christmas, he read <i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</i> by himself over a two day period.</div>
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Yesterday we went into town to our local bookstore and I enjoyed his excitement as he ordered the second books in the Harry Potter and Diary of A Wimpy Kid series. He has his own library card and has taken books out religiously every two weeks for the past few years.</div>
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Books are the one thing that bonds us together. Every night, I look forward to reading th<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCGYdC4rNFqLAjllKlVLgJhyphenhyphenr190Ve8U4BGFm3Z4zsM-0lchNwKeqB4O3LOSmcnjRAsiTz5QacaORniobi0JKSiCIBoxlUep-mbo491_V_g-IMTTSMbHPKczpy_h9XqfGkET_wuxQz1X8/s1600/The_Lightning_Thief-1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575888415853610930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCGYdC4rNFqLAjllKlVLgJhyphenhyphenr190Ve8U4BGFm3Z4zsM-0lchNwKeqB4O3LOSmcnjRAsiTz5QacaORniobi0JKSiCIBoxlUep-mbo491_V_g-IMTTSMbHPKczpy_h9XqfGkET_wuxQz1X8/s200/The_Lightning_Thief-1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 134px;" /></a>e next chapter of whatever book we're into at the moment and I know he does too. While we read <i>Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,</i> we regularly recited lines from it as well as recalled favorite passages.</div>
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In the last year, his interests have grown to include soccer. He caught World Cup Fever and never recovered. It's an interest that I encourage but don't share. First, I'm not athletically inclined. Second, I was reared on the American sports of football and ice hockey.</div>
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Two people can be as different as day and night, but a love of books can be the bond that brings them together.</div>
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But more importantly, I know the value of books and this is what I want to pass onto him. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/054506967X/chicklite-20"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575857883345575858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTT4NGHGkFqRjSh0rrl7_0f0sU60J-3SuOsY5uTm_Yhyphenhyphen5BJWrhYF0OxvmWC1lnH79DbeIcaJDlRbPqnBVRXtzWdz-GzSKMM5I-2z1HEug_yQUx-pvI6DW1IooqLwC9ck5wXV-5Sh16eG7S/s200/harry+Potter.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>Reading will help him in school, it will help him with spelling and it will introduce to him new worlds that his father and I will never be able to show him. Reading is portable. With a good book, you'll never mind waiting, you'll never be bored and you won't care about rainy days while your on vacation. And when times are tough, as they invariably are in life, a book will be your shelter, your escape route and possibly, even a lifeline.</div>
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Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-76166121723283276802010-12-18T11:47:00.015+00:002010-12-18T12:34:46.234+00:00Becoming Scarlett by Ciara Geraghty<div>Most people (here in Ireland) feel that Marian Keyes is the Queen of Chick Lit. To them it is an undisputable fact. But I have to disagree and put in my own two cents and say tha<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1EDyBTObW3nT_1N_bH71GaVD57-Nw8RL9FCUYMA-I_dOeHcpsZI8XaWz4gGOJZR3cVdO5ruc-QHCtym7l4GXthaePO8BS1gH9gRJTEcdVTVkmxlvCU6lkOk87XCUbEfYF6w3p90_S0XQ/s1600/Becoming+Scarlett.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551995728708588050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1EDyBTObW3nT_1N_bH71GaVD57-Nw8RL9FCUYMA-I_dOeHcpsZI8XaWz4gGOJZR3cVdO5ruc-QHCtym7l4GXthaePO8BS1gH9gRJTEcdVTVkmxlvCU6lkOk87XCUbEfYF6w3p90_S0XQ/s200/Becoming+Scarlett.jpg" /></a>t Ciara Geraghty is <em>the</em> Queen of Chick Lit. Her first book, <em>Saving Grace</em>, was so damn good that I wanted to give up my own writing (what was the point?) and take to my bed. For the rest of my life. Equal parts poignant and equal parts outrageously funny (my stomach hurt from laughing so much).</div><div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0340963506/chicklite-20"><em>Becoming Scarlett</em> </a>is in the same vein- both poignant and funny. The story centers around Scarlett O'Hara, a wedding planner and an all around planner for everything else in her life: she even coordinates her wardrobe by color <em>and </em>season. Anal retentive is the word that comes to mind. But things are soon thrown into turmoil when her equally anal retentive boyfriend, John, ups and leaves her to join an archaelogical dig in South America. Hurt and angry, and very drunk one night, she has a one night stand with a barman named Red Butler. Soon she discovers she's pregnant and she's unsure of who the father is.</div><div>To further complicate things, Scarlett soon discovers that Red Butler is the fiancee of a one Sofia Marzoni, who is looking for a big, fairytale 'pink' wedding, of which Scarlett is trying to plan. Head meet desk.</div><div>We happily follow along for the pregnancy as Scarlett tries to wrestle with coming to some decision about her life and who is best suited to be the baby's father. The stable, ultra dependable John or the infectious, happy Red, who is as opposite of Scarlett as day is to night. He doesn't even own a watch, or apparently a brush, but he is a breath of fresh air.</div><div>Add to the mix the outrageous cast of characters- Scarlett's parents, Declan and Maureen, are both actors and outrageous and pure camp in their own right. There's Filly and Elliot, co workers who also are fun to be around. I want an assistant like Filly.</div><div>But where Geraghty shines is her ability to weave expertly both humor and gravity. In <em>Saving Grace, </em>it was about grief. Here, Scarlett's baby comes early, at 28 weeks (and not according to plan) and being familiar with this personally, having had a son at 24 weeks, I was anxious as to how it would be handled. But Geraghty nailed it. After she delivers and the baby is immediately taken away from her, she writes<em>: "Hands reach for her but they are not my hands. I feel like I am standing with my face pressed up against the window of my life. There is nothing I can do but watch</em>." That is exactly how it feels. And the waiting. She mentions how all she can do is wait. And that is what you do when your baby is born early and spends a lot of time in the neonatal unit. You sit and wait. And try not to go crazy with worry.</div><div>It's lovely to watch Scarlett evolve and 'become' Scarlett.</div><div>Then Geraghty comes in with the sucker punch which leaves you dazzled. You're expecting the book to end one way- the inevitable way and in some ways it does, but she goes off in another direction, veering away from plan and gives you the <em>best </em>ending.</div><div>All hail, Queen of Chick Lit, Ciara Geraghty.</div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-78211527546105053102010-12-08T20:49:00.008+00:002010-12-08T21:10:32.990+00:00Bloom by Elizabeth Scott<div><em>Ahem- sorry for not being around, I stepped away from my desk for a minute. 'Nuff said.</em></div><br /><div><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1416926836/chicklite-20">Bloom </a></em>by Elizabeth Scott is a young adult, coming of age novel centering on seventeen year old Lauren Smith. Despite being abandoned by her mom as a young girl and raised by an absentee father, she has managed to maintain good grades, make great friends and has nailed the 'perfect' boyfriend, Dave, thus making her the envy of every girl in her high school.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh059i44WFVVecIFQtvo_318Bhzg7JLqbyY1Hcz8LNTrJSkWUIoX9f-CFznn0hro93XyQisFOV1mfY2BVnRMWshtqWEHOR0mli3fyI9TP77URgkOl360M4hNFHv8nipb87S7k8LfqUNvzYC/s1600/bloom.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548420992678501346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh059i44WFVVecIFQtvo_318Bhzg7JLqbyY1Hcz8LNTrJSkWUIoX9f-CFznn0hro93XyQisFOV1mfY2BVnRMWshtqWEHOR0mli3fyI9TP77URgkOl360M4hNFHv8nipb87S7k8LfqUNvzYC/s200/bloom.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>But then Lauren runs into Evan, a dark, quite kid, who is quite literally from her 'past.' Evan had briefly lived with Lauren when they were younger and when his mom had been romantically involved with Lauren's dad. </div><br /><div>Inexplicably, she finds herself drawn to Evan and begins to question everything in her life from her choices of friends to her relationship with Dave and even her own future. Her boyfriend <em>is</em> perfect and she feels she should be happy but there's something lacking. He's kind and courteous and includes Lauren on all his family outings which mainly deal with going to church and sitting in the woods with his parents and talking about his feelings.</div><br /><div>Then there's Evan- working under the table and at night and living with his single mother in an apartment.</div><br /><div>I loved the characters, and Lauren is so well written with her confusion, awkwardness and that feeling of not fitting in. She has some marvelous, wry insights.</div><br /><div>I loved this little book so much that I devoured it. Scott explores the very fine line of doing what's expected of us and choosing to do what makes us happy.</div><br /><div>A great read.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-11794940302882433832010-09-09T16:40:00.003+01:002013-01-14T13:52:47.672+00:00Writing, InterruptedLast week, I did not meet my weekly target of 5k words. I wrote only a paltry 600 words and I struggled with that, but managed to limp over the 50k mark.<br />
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It wasn't lack of interest or lack of ideas; it was because life interrupted- and in an important way. The little, old lady that I'd been blessed to take care of for the past two and a half years was dying and at the great age of 96. And suddenly, my three days a week turned into everyday and two overnights. I readily volunteered to be there, even though this lady was no relation of mine. Three months after I moved to Ireland in 2006, my own grandmother died in my sister's home and I was unable to get home to be at the bedside or the funeral. That has bothered me ever since. In a way, this was a chance for me to make amends as well as be there for my friend who had always been kind to me at a time when I needed kindness in my life.
Dying is a funny, unpredictable business. It conveniences no one and although end of life symptoms tend to be universal, what may take one person twenty fours hours to transition will take another person ten days. And for those at the bedside, dying is a watch and wait type of thing. Keeping your patient comfortable is the most important thing as well as supporting them and reassuring them that they are not alone and that it is ok to leave. It's also an exhausting and draining experience- just ask anyone who has taken care of a dying loved one at home.<br />
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But there is a sense of satisfaction in helping someone transition out of this earthly plane to whatever waits on the other side.<br />
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In this particular home last week, there was a sense of calm and serenity. At times, it was almost meditative. In an extraordinary moment, as she embraced her daughter, I saw how she looked at her with a love that was bursting, unconditional and pure. It was beautiful to see.<br />
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By the end of the week, she died a peaceful death with her family by her side.<br />
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And despite being away from my book for a week, I am happy for that rich experience of having the chance to say goodbye to My Darling ( the name we called each other).Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-90136651297352520842010-08-24T23:00:00.012+01:002013-01-14T13:53:18.167+00:00<div>
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My first published article comes out in <b>Writers' Forum </b>on Thursday. On the cover is my fab writer frien<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWwFMQASIz-n18chZIWogLieU_rVHB-bSLI545peZraCwATelCvfSebxLuMwnHN-ZQLS-ia4MZL29E_3N_c77YtU6md0GP1HRVObFLWYB7eqMHR13ZnNs_jKUBFLXPA-ffWT1I3NgZOhL/s1600/Keris+cover.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509105896836542802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWwFMQASIz-n18chZIWogLieU_rVHB-bSLI545peZraCwATelCvfSebxLuMwnHN-ZQLS-ia4MZL29E_3N_c77YtU6md0GP1HRVObFLWYB7eqMHR13ZnNs_jKUBFLXPA-ffWT1I3NgZOhL/s200/Keris+cover.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 158px;" /></a>d, Keris Stainton, who graciously agreed to be interviewed for the article on self promotion for the debut author. Keris recently published <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1408304279/chicklite-20">Della Says: OMG!</a></b></div>
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It's taken me 30+ years to get something published and along the way I've certainly been distracted. My journey to publication has been an overland route. The fact that it's taken so long doesn't bother me as I've made peace with the fact that I'm a late bloomer -with everything.</div>
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A girl never forgets her first time, and I certainly won't forget this. On the way to work today, I heard the song, <i>Walking on Sunshine</i>, and yes, that's exactly how I felt. </div>
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Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-86233497489144303052010-08-16T21:11:00.013+01:002010-08-16T22:47:59.054+01:00The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson<div><div><div>It was a roundabout way that I came to read <em><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0307454541/chicklite-20">The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo</a></strong></em>. I had followed its meteoric rise in the charts and watched it and its sequels, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/030726999X/chicklite-20"><em><strong>The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest</strong></em> </a>and <strong><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN?0307269981/chicklite-20">The Girl Who Played With Fire </a></em></strong>get planted on just about every bestseller list on the planet. But I tend to hang back and watch and wait with these type of books if only to let the furor die down. I did that with both the Harry Potter and Twilight series, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIk6Bf97ASoEfjULNjNE0gnyQ431Bu0mjpNOWlLdJWwC4xY8IhnRdXPjbJ6p2MqI71BF6_OwF-3s_iZzpM_NxNvM5k7iFyozHgr76htoOie-mJWS-kmLOD-BPuScDUillKIoouCT_bFYQe/s1600/ddragon+pic.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506126096895433362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIk6Bf97ASoEfjULNjNE0gnyQ431Bu0mjpNOWlLdJWwC4xY8IhnRdXPjbJ6p2MqI71BF6_OwF-3s_iZzpM_NxNvM5k7iFyozHgr76htoOie-mJWS-kmLOD-BPuScDUillKIoouCT_bFYQe/s200/ddragon+pic.jpg" /></a>probably being one of the last people on earth to read those ones as well. </div><div>Actually it was the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">back story</span> that intrigued me and hooked me into buying this book and reading it.</div><div>The author, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stieg</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Larsson</span>, was a Swedish journalist who wrote all three books under the umbrella of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Millennium</span> Trilogy. According to rumor, he wrote these books for the sheer pleasure it gave him and did not show it to a publisher until all three were completed. In 2004, he died of a heart attack at the age of 50 and didn't live long enough to see his work published. He died intestate, so all the earnings go to his father and brother and not his long time partner.</div><div>'<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Nuff</span> said.</div><div>Now onto our story.</div><div><em><strong>The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo</strong></em> is literary crime fiction at its best, in the same vein as Elizabeth George and PD James.</div><div>This gripping page turner centers around two people. First there's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mikhael</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Blomkvist</span>, a journalist who, when the story opens, is convicted of libel against a businessman involved in a supposed arms deal. While waiting to serve his prison sentence of a few months, he agrees- very reluctantly to delve into the mystery of Harriet <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Vanger</span>- who disappeared decades earlier- at the request <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpPQzvNGY3f_76JkNMXD15pW3TLEQPUnR2lHlaIuc45Z0aQd7BUuRmK_4_Z4_e9GubeWwVQWcxBwTmFCf_c76bMQfIjvCBVFCKj3LzOYarv8lvWvdfdUKuUequnL2L0emOQDQmr3gOMtu/s1600/stieg+larsson.bmp"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 154px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506126357597842786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpPQzvNGY3f_76JkNMXD15pW3TLEQPUnR2lHlaIuc45Z0aQd7BUuRmK_4_Z4_e9GubeWwVQWcxBwTmFCf_c76bMQfIjvCBVFCKj3LzOYarv8lvWvdfdUKuUequnL2L0emOQDQmr3gOMtu/s200/stieg+larsson.bmp" /></a>of her uncle, a wealthy businessman, Henrik <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Vanger</span>.</div><div><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mikhael</span> doesn't hold out much hope and it takes him the better part of a year to sort through the muck of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">mystery</span>.</div><div>Helping him is the mysterious Lisbeth <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Salander</span>, kind of an adult <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pippi</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Longstocking</span> with tattoos. Lisbeth is an expert computer hacker and works freelance for a security company. Her own background and persona are mired in their own mysteries. She's one of the most complex characters you'll ever meet. No description that I could give could do her justice. You have to read about her and discover her for yourself.</div><div>It's set on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hedestat</span> island where the winters are cold and bleak. I loved the feel of the book- it had a crime <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">noir</span> feel the same way that a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dashiell</span> Hammett or Raymond Chandler novel might have.</div><div>I only had two small nitpicks with it.</div><div>First, Lisbeth being a computer hacker involved some passages that covered a lot of technical jargon which at times caused my eyes to glaze over.</div><div>Second, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mikhael</span> an unassuming <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">middle aged</span> man seems to bed every woman he meets and I found that a little annoying. Considering the amount of female characters in the book, his success rate was practically 100%.</div><div>But those are small things. And truth be told, I couldn't put the book down and I can't wait to read the two sequels.<br /><br /></div><div>4/5</div></div></div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-28850637468893522422010-08-09T16:03:00.004+01:002013-01-14T13:54:27.934+00:00Guest Blogger: Clodagh Murphy<div>
<i>Clodagh Murphy, author of <b>The Disengagement Ring</b> and <b>Girl In A Spin</b>, has graciously agreed to do a guest blog today. She tells us about the novel that she's currently working on and even provides an excerpt of it for the first time. I'm so excited my feet are barely touching the ground. Read on:</i><br />
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The initial spark for this novel came from a house I saw when I was out walking – a big detached pink house with a green gate. I fell in love with it, and since I couldn't buy it myself, I decided I'd let one of my characters live there – much cheaper, and the moving is effortless!<br />
So that's where Romy lives. She sort of grew from thinking about who would live in this house, and she was one of those characters who came fully formed. However, I had no idea what her story was when I started writing this novel during National Novel Writing Month (NaNo). <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXf-WcgqVvO-ZNFkSTpxgXmn65YR5MalWR9MyYgLwdtcXo7tJfABktwKQruLQZ3FuvKKDxCKhE5ANSPzjSb_VYoZ0yPNRygABMJRaJHx4BTfib1gnlQm-OkmDMyhF3qdxPcVDD2hFStSw/s1600/TDR.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503424518724431202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXf-WcgqVvO-ZNFkSTpxgXmn65YR5MalWR9MyYgLwdtcXo7tJfABktwKQruLQZ3FuvKKDxCKhE5ANSPzjSb_VYoZ0yPNRygABMJRaJHx4BTfib1gnlQm-OkmDMyhF3qdxPcVDD2hFStSw/s200/TDR.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
As NaNo happens in November, I guess it's no surprise that the first scene that popped into my head when I started writing on November 1 was a <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2oEp5kWDDqdflEtpBvu6PV5LmdvMf1AqXeRvpi0vvGfh8cEPZL9qCzZLZJmwFJRKSKYsXp8lC9zH78hYBZ8vunUnMa9TYTv-oY8RCkWwfFzfdPhVEpCHAzsf21Sbq3Tpm2sLNESAg9G8/s1600/C+Murphy.jpg"></a>Halloween party. What was a surprise – a big one – was that next thing I knew Romy was having a close encounter of the sexual kind with a stranger dressed as Darth Vader. I knew that was totally out of character for her, so I had to decide whether I should discard it as a bit of NaNo madness or give her a reason for behaving so recklessly. The idea of Darth had taken hold, though, so he had to stay.<br />
The fact that Romy is a property developer got me thinking about the recession and how it affects people's lives. Around the time I started writing this, I'd read an article about people who had lost their jobs and had to move back home. Some had reverted to living like teenagers, relying on their parents for everything while they went out every night and enjoyed themselves. It seemed like a situation with a lot of interesting possibilities and that's where the idea for Kit's story came from. Kit is based on a celebrity crush, as is his brother Rob – but I won't say who because one woman's meat is another woman's wet lettuce. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiS4DMOH6BmZQh1NVRIsPfDaEckc1I_E9Sz-3sL7rfnVm_6vR-O4IouZSbVzSJMh7GIecUdmavipQkLPOZuXIBA7aPr3jWw1WY5AC9Khc2wvr9wFUk008ktwYqQ-8uDSZN4EmLHgx1N9R/s1600/C+Murphy.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503424483275249970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiS4DMOH6BmZQh1NVRIsPfDaEckc1I_E9Sz-3sL7rfnVm_6vR-O4IouZSbVzSJMh7GIecUdmavipQkLPOZuXIBA7aPr3jWw1WY5AC9Khc2wvr9wFUk008ktwYqQ-8uDSZN4EmLHgx1N9R/s200/C+Murphy.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 137px;" /></a><br />
I don't do much planning, so the story and characters are still evolving as I write. But here’s the story so far ...<br />
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SYNOPSIS<br />
Romy Fitzgerald’s son, Luke was conceived last Halloween when Romy had an encounter in a cupboard with a stranger dressed as Darth Vader.<br />
Now, one year after the fateful Halloween party, she is no closer to discovering the identity of Luke's father, and she is ready to give up the search. It has got her nowhere and she needs to move on. Her professional life is in a holding pattern too. As a property developer, she made enough money during the boom years to enable her to ride out the recession living on rental income, but she misses the buzz of developing.<br />
So when her first ever boyfriend, Kit suddenly turns up at her door with a proposition, she thinks it might be just what she needs to shake things up. Joined at the mouth in their teens, Kit and Romy spent their days snogging and their nights snogging some more. But when school ended, Kit emigrated to America, and Romy hasn't seen him since.<br />
Now he has lost everything in the recession – his job as a trader on Wall Street, his trophy girlfriend and his New York lifestyle. He has been forced to return home to Ireland and move in with his parents, and he wants Romy's help in putting his life back together. She is only too happy to throw herself into helping him renovate the dilapidated mansion in the country he has inherited, which he's hoping will help him get back on his feet. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQEW9Xip9xLvVGIYzC94r_WaRzgT34Vcn9D1TasUxMu7rnVitSHdu3TitewSy9Jit6qsHT7SQ6I_mZrvXVOZhgGLe2dZgjIxduLyj1CjQEdnxHptREp8xEIkuAYhYozgUWaKsRk_SQXsg/s1600/clodagh-murphy-girl-in-a-spin.png"></a><br />
As they spend time together, Romy begins to wonder if she got it right first time all those years ago, and Kit is the one for her. They used to love each other – maybe they can again. But she's getting mixed signals from him – and why is he so secretive about his life in New York? <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGBFyIboiFkPM4sQubjXHjtQCNu-3DtJxwHhEtmR3ckoN8Ed59cskx5qBOzoV4vbjOUsUJRbkN3paT5BO2Ju3fxz4YsfIKcPYzTO7AZfOYSfVWACROJGK8EvKEZmx8pb4PqztZ8CpDTVq/s1600/Girl_in_a_Spin_cov.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503434089382507394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGBFyIboiFkPM4sQubjXHjtQCNu-3DtJxwHhEtmR3ckoN8Ed59cskx5qBOzoV4vbjOUsUJRbkN3paT5BO2Ju3fxz4YsfIKcPYzTO7AZfOYSfVWACROJGK8EvKEZmx8pb4PqztZ8CpDTVq/s200/Girl_in_a_Spin_cov.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 131px;" /></a><br />
As she finds herself seeing more of his ramshackle house than she does of Kit, Romy starts to wonder if he's only interested in her skills as a developer. And when his little brother, Rob, is roped in to help it only adds to her confusion. She remembers Rob as a sweet kid, but he's all grown up now and hotter than coffee from a polystyrene cup. Maybe a fling with a younger man is just what she needs. But isn't it wrong to be thinking that way about someone who used to be twelve?<br />
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If she just lets go and follows her heart, where will it lead her?<br />
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EXCERPT<br />
[Ian is Romy’s brother]<br />
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She knew Ian had always assumed that she knew who Luke's father was, and was keeping it a secret because he was married or just didn't want to know. Finally one night, feeling a little drunk and very much in need of an ally, she confessed all. She told him about the Halloween party, Darth Vader, the cupboard – everything.<br />
'So, what you're saying is, Luke's father is ... Darth Vader?'<br />
'Yes.' She glanced at him warily, bracing herself for his response. To her amazement a big grin spread across his face.<br />
'Cool!' he breathed.<br />
She laughed in relief. 'Well, that wasn't the reaction I was expecting.'<br />
'So that was why you were always asking about him. I wish you'd told me this sooner.'<br />
'What difference would it make? We've already asked everyone we know who as at the party. No one knew who he was.'<br />
Ian sighed. 'Let's go over it again. What do we know about him?'<br />
Romy shrugged helplessly. 'He was tall,' she said eventually.<br />
'Okay, good,' Ian nodded encouragingly. 'And he likes Star Wars, we know that.'<br />
'I suppose.' Romy bit her lip. 'But he might not. I mean, what if that was the only costume he could get?'<br />
'Okay, tall and possibly likes Star Wars. Anything else?'<br />
'Um ... I think he might be asthmatic.'<br />
'Really? What makes you think that?'<br />
'Well ... he was breathing really heavily the whole time – sort of wheezing.'<br />
'Romy,' Ian said, smiling pityingly, 'you were having it off.'<br />
'You know I hate that expression.' She frowned.<br />
'Okay, you were ... making love, whatever.' Ian sniggered. 'You were making love in a wardrobe with a guy you couldn't pick out in a crowd –'<br />
'Oh, shut up!' She grabbed a cushion and swatted him with it.<br />
He laughed more, raising his hands to defend himself. 'Okay, okay. But y'know, everyone breathes deeply when they're in the throes. Plus you were in a wardrobe – it was probably pretty stuffy in there. And on top of all that he was wearing a mask.'<br />
'Yeah, I know. I'm just clutching at straws.'<br />
'And he might have just been getting into character – you know, if he thought the Vader thing turned you on. Did he say anything?'<br />
'Ugh! I'm not giving you details.'<br />
'I don't want details, thank you very much. I just mean, did he say anything to make you think he was trying to fulfil your Darth Vader fantasies?'<br />
'Like what?'<br />
'Like, "can you feel the force, baby?" he boomed in a Vader-like voice. "Get a load of my light sabre". Ian collapsed in giggles.
Romy looked at him crossly.<br />
'Sorry, sorry,' he said, trying to rein in his grin.<br />
'If you're not going to take this seriously –'<br />
'I am, honest. Sorry.' He reached out to her and pulled against him and she laid her head on his shoulder.<br />
'I just think he should know he has a child, whoever he is,' she said. 'And Luke should have a chance to know who his father is.'<br />
'Well, there has to be some way of tracking him down. We just have to be more creative.'<br />
'How?'<br />
Ian was silent for a while, thinking. 'We could hold a DNA party!' he said finally, shaking her off and sitting forward.<br />
'A what?'<br />
'A DNA party. We throw a party, right, and then we keep a glass or something that everyone's touched, so we have their DNA. We'll get a load of freezer bags and mark who each glass belongs to. Then we send them all to the lab –'<br />
'What lab?'<br />
'You know – the lab. The DNA testing lab. You've seen Sea of Love, right? They did that. They went on dates with all these women and –<br />
'They were cops. They had access to a lab.'<br />
'Well, there are places that do DNA testing, aren't there? What about all those skanks who don’t get onto the telly? They must have somewhere to go to find out who the father of their baby is if they don't get picked for Jeremy Kyle.'<br />
'And what kind of skank would I look like, turning up at the baby-father clinic with a hundred-odd DNA samples? Even those ones on the telly usually have it narrowed down to three or four suspects. Anyway, you can't collect people's DNA without their permission.'<br />
Ian flopped back against the sofa defeatedly. 'Well, maybe he'll start to look like his father.'<br />
'Big helmet?' Romy said, her lips twitching.<br />
'Big helmet, mouth breather. Seriously, though, maybe he'll turn into a dead ringer for someone we know.'<br />
'You know, sometimes he does almost remind me of someone. But I can't put my finger on who it is.'<br />
'Mr Potato Head.'<br />
'Sorry?'<br />
'Mr Potato Head – that's who he reminds you of. I've often thought that myself.'<br />
'My son does not look like Mr Potato Head.'<br />
'Hey, calm down. I'm talking about if you do the button nose and don't use the moustache.'<br />
'He still doesn't look like Mr Potato Head, okay? Anyway, it definitely wasn’t Mr Potato Head. This guy was much taller. And less ... potatoey.'<br />
Ian sighed heavily. 'I guess we're back to square one then.' </div>
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Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-12771256635393052372010-08-01T12:18:00.008+01:002010-08-01T12:41:59.822+01:00My New, Old WIP (Work in Progress)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMEQcE7fE5Fpq-XJZhMIU-lpOG6leNIOw0PTYM-w6Nl2KK-b-MMsyCc8rVbpAXqdMa18hDHO8fIHbcOlze-WbXxtnYQaOGblDZOL0vyplJ2dg-ADB-SV_QOX-80Fm2LdGyhnitfjPpagZ/s1600/chp_writing.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 152px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500404672791506162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMEQcE7fE5Fpq-XJZhMIU-lpOG6leNIOw0PTYM-w6Nl2KK-b-MMsyCc8rVbpAXqdMa18hDHO8fIHbcOlze-WbXxtnYQaOGblDZOL0vyplJ2dg-ADB-SV_QOX-80Fm2LdGyhnitfjPpagZ/s200/chp_writing.jpg" /></a><br /><div>As you can see by my wordometer on the left hand side of the blog, I'm no longer working on <em>A Blast From The Past - </em>that's been put away for future use.</div><div>Instead I'm working on WIP- work in progress as it is yet untitled. I call it my newest, old WIP, as this is my 3rd attempt to write a paranormal YA.</div><div>This story came to me in an idea in February 2009 as I stood outside staring at a cloud- I know, what can I say? During that year, I wrote 2 different drafts of the same story and each stalled out around the 30k-40k mark. I knew the characters and basically what I wanted to write but I could see no end in sight and worse, I had no plot. I shelved it for a while and moved onto something else.</div><div>Fast forward to July 2010 and after a rough personal year, I'm finally separated from my husband and living on my own with the boys. I also have some spare time. The idea of the paranormal YA came back to me with a vengeance- well, the characters had never really left my head- but all of the sudden all these ideas for it kept popping up out of nowhere, when I'd least expect it. I had no other choice but to sit down and write it.</div><div>On July 7, I started writing the 3rd attempt, with an aim of 5k words per week with the week ending every Sunday. As of today, I'm just shy of 25k.</div><div>There is one thing that is different this time, than the previous 2 attempts. I'm writing it in longhand. For whatever reason, this works for me. There's something about the physical act of writing- pen to paper- that propels me forward. Looking back, I realized that 2 previous manuscripts that I wrote- one mystery, the other chick lit- were initially written in longhand. In the end, both were completed and sent onto agents. So, I'll stick with what works.</div><div>I'm curious: does anyone else write any of their drafts in longhand or do you sit right down at the keyboard?</div><div>One thing is certain: I'm happy to be writing again.</div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-62100271151900893202010-07-26T10:52:00.000+01:002010-07-26T16:03:30.620+01:00Girl in a Spin by Clodagh Murphy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6t83_lpnZvU3l6LCtk9g3npYWLcQ-pcl5N3Ttm0nta-vc8PvnR445XCoOjDKE3MN-_pWHstJ9HAqsf9_BU35I-omLYqRQLkrqI_79AhmEiv7yR5V7zupQ7c9Vgexk_P39tOop9zf5lpU/s1600/Girl_in_a_Spin_cov.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 131px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485533999273710466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6t83_lpnZvU3l6LCtk9g3npYWLcQ-pcl5N3Ttm0nta-vc8PvnR445XCoOjDKE3MN-_pWHstJ9HAqsf9_BU35I-omLYqRQLkrqI_79AhmEiv7yR5V7zupQ7c9Vgexk_P39tOop9zf5lpU/s200/Girl_in_a_Spin_cov.jpg" /></a> 2010<br />390pps<br />Hachette<br /><br /><br /><em>Jenny Hannigan might be a good-time party girl but all she secretly craves is a life of domestic bliss and solid respectability- worlds away from her troubled upbringing back home in Ireland.</em><br /><em>So when she crashes into the arms of Richard Allam- the young, handsome, recently separated politician hotly tipped to lead his party to victory in the upcoming election- she thinks she's found exactly what she is looking for.</em><br /><em>But Jenny isn't exactly politician's-wife material so Richard recruits the intensely private, charismatic publicist Dev Tennant to 'spin' Jenny to the party...and the public.</em><br /><em>As the election gathers momentum, it turns out that Jenny has more than one skeleton in her closet and Dev is working overtime to try to keep them there.</em><br /><em>And suddenly Jenny isn't sure what she wants anymore...</em><br /><br /><em>-</em>Back cover blurb from <em>Girl In A Spin</em><br /><br /><br />This is Murphy's 2nd book and she really flexes her writing muscles here. Her debut was the hilarious rom com, <em>The Disengagement Ring</em>. However, her current novel, <em>Girl In A Spin,</em> would be categorized more as mainstream or women's fiction.<br />Jenny is a petite, platinum blonde pixie of a girl. That alone was refreshing- it seems lately that all heroines are tall, redheaded and big boobed. Jenny isn't a 3 dimensional character, she's a multi dimensional heroine. She's a complex yet lovable character whose ex-boyfriends form a 12-step program just to get over her. A rough childhood sets the foundation for who she is and if you're like me, you'll fall head over heels in love with her roughly around page 73 when she justifies the existence of a certain Mr. Hodge in her life. That whole scenario was brilliant.<br />It's set in contemporary London with a trip to NYC at Christmas. It's hard to resist Rockefeller Center and skating at Christmas time.<br />As soon as I met Dev Tennant, I immediately thought of Colin Firth as either Mr. Darcy or Mark Darcy. A young Patsy Kensit would make a great Jenny and I kept seeing David Cameron as Richard Allam, don't ask me why. Dev Tennant has his hands full with spinning Jenny. Initially, he's bewildered and at times, frustrated by the free spirit Jenny but as the book evolves, he proves he's inherently kind and decent. And Richard is what I think all politicians are- consumed with politics and one can easily see why someone like Jenny would appeal to him-she must have seemed like a breath of fresh air for him.<br />Serious issues such as child abandonment and anorexia are a core thread throughout the book and Murphy deals with them deftly and realistically without being trite.<br />With this second book, Murphy proves that she has the potential to wear many hats as a writer. Can't wait to read her next book.<br /><br /><br /><br />4/5Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-27628843851250431582010-06-07T22:04:00.004+01:002010-06-07T22:27:00.643+01:00Book Review: A Spring Affair by Milly Johnson<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggy4xufwnCy-9Ufkf0a_xyEPkxPcWe7YeKIBFDlh0NWxOjZ4nJ7t3afrj5-xBZBNWGP4eGRqEcc5lrpEDy9rpfC0r8HYOhjDtBXNShU6T08IViu4aL5oA8istAIIUKx1VWcVoNB8gRsG6u/s1600/milly+pic.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480140858866867442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggy4xufwnCy-9Ufkf0a_xyEPkxPcWe7YeKIBFDlh0NWxOjZ4nJ7t3afrj5-xBZBNWGP4eGRqEcc5lrpEDy9rpfC0r8HYOhjDtBXNShU6T08IViu4aL5oA8istAIIUKx1VWcVoNB8gRsG6u/s200/milly+pic.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Pocket Books</div><div>2009</div><div>482 pages</div><div> </div><div><em>Long gone is the outrageous girl who once dreamed up wild plans with her best friend Deb. Now Lou is a lonely, picked-on woman who no longer realises when she's being taken advantage of - whether by her never-satisfied mother or unfaithful husband Phil.</em></div><div><em>Then one day she picks up a dog eared magazine and spots an article about clearing clutter, little realising how it will change her life. What begins as an earnest spring-clean soon spirals out of control. The more Lou lets go of, the more light and air can get to those painful, closed-up places at the centre of her heart.</em></div><div><em>When she meets hunky local man, Tom Broom, she sees her philandering husband in a very different light. But, even with Tom's help, can Lou Winter manage to put the spring back into her step? And who knows where her newfound zest for the stripped back life will take her next?</em></div><div><em></em> </div><div> </div><div><em></em> </div><div>-Back cover blurb</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>I happened to read this book just as I was packing up my own things and moving house. It made me realize how tied we can be to material things, especially if there's any sentiment involved. Lou's life is weighed down by her clutter. And as the story evolves, it's nice to see her detach from her current miserable life with every load she throws into the skip.</div><div>It's a story that many women can relate to- myself included- where you get bogged down by an unhappy marriage and soon, you no longer recognize the person you've become. You can't help but cheer Lou on as she puts her foot down to her circumstances and the people who clearly take advantage of her. Lou's a likable sort- you'll see yourself or your best friend in her. One endearing trait she has is that she butchers sayings and words, but you know what she means.</div><div>All the characters in this book are well drawn. Her husband, Phil is such a cad and bounder that you'll love to hate him. I kept looking forward to his scenes because I wanted to see what the sneak was up to. Tom Broom provides a great contrast to Phil as the sensitive, thoughtful skip man with a sense of humor who sweeps (sorry, pun intended) Lou off of her feet.</div><div>One thing the author does really well is provide multiple points of view in the same scene. Knowing how difficult this is, I must tip my hat off to Milly Johnson for making it fluid and seemingly effortless.</div><div>A definite feel good book.</div><div> </div><div>4/5</div><div> </div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-30736107914276236992010-06-01T10:32:00.002+01:002013-01-14T13:55:06.358+00:00Book Habits MemeI have to tip my hat off to Cara Murphy, fellow blogger, 'Murf-more than meets the eye!' for this post. I pinched it from her.<br />
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<b>Do you snack when you read? If so favorite reading snacks?</b><br />
Not really, only because I find it hard to eat and hold the book open and turn the pages at the same time.<br />
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<b>What is your favorite drink while reading?</b><br />
Tea, however, it usually has gone cold by the time I get around to drinking it.<br />
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<b>Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?</b><br />
The only books I mark up are self help books. And my weapon of choice is a yellow high liter.<br />
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<b>How do you keep your place when reading a book? Bookmark? Dog ears? Laying the book flat open?</b><br />
I've never done dog ears. There was a time when an official bookmark couldn't be found in my life, so anything would do: envelope, flyer that arrived in the post, post it note...<br />
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<b>Fiction, nonfiction or both?</b><br />
Both.<br />
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<b>Are you a person who reads to the end of the chapter or can you stop anywhere?</b><br />
My goal is always to get to the end of the chapter, but my eyes dictate it in the end. If they start closing, I have been known to stop in the middle of a sentence.<br />
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<b>Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?</b><br />
No, I treasure my books, so I take care of them. In high school, my friend Barb M., an avid reader herself, showed me the perfect spines on her paperbacks- she didn't crack them. Since then, I'm conscious of how I open a book and aspire to take great care to keep the spines intact, although it doesn't always work out that way.<br />
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<b>If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?</b><br />
No. But that word will stick with me and I will look it up when I get a chance. I still remember the word, 'moue' from an Elizabeth George novel I read. I had never heard of it before. In saying that, I find that when I read George, I'm going to the dictionary at least once.<br />
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<b>What are you currently reading?</b><br />
The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent by Esther and Jerry Hicks. But I'm dying to read Clodagh Murphy's Girl in a Spin which is on the top of my books at the bedside.<br />
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<b>What is the latest book you bought?</b><br />
Girl in a Spin by Clodagh Murphy and A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve.<br />
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<b>Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time or can you read more than one?</b><br />
I prefer to read one book at a time if only to give it my undivided attention. I'd never be able to read 2 fiction books simultaneously but I have, in the past, read a fiction and nonfiction book.<br />
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<b>Do you have a favorite time or place to read?</b><br />
Anytime, anywhere. But my favorite is at bedtime, curled under my blanket late at night and knowing that I won't be disturbed.<br />
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<b>Do you prefer series books or stand alone?</b><br />
Both.<br />
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<b>Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?</b><br />
Carlos Ruiz Zafon's Shadow of the Wind.<br />
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<b>How do you organize your books?</b><br />
First by fiction and nonfiction and then by genre.Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-68956042558107272362010-05-28T20:19:00.001+01:002010-05-28T20:21:01.405+01:00Review: An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean- Antartic Survivor by Michael Smith<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbzxxT4f8guljCjTCbUD6Q5maTU_LCh6kEDGokgxwrZ6RKWvL9e-ZLMiGVD66ts3eRPlk8uoVKRzBVK9W9qXM4DMy8T6wBNO0kRVjR9WRkLEcAgdmUQtMbYeWbBgMSEAQnm3pSiQQD_M1/s1600/hero+pic.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471911265068227426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbzxxT4f8guljCjTCbUD6Q5maTU_LCh6kEDGokgxwrZ6RKWvL9e-ZLMiGVD66ts3eRPlk8uoVKRzBVK9W9qXM4DMy8T6wBNO0kRVjR9WRkLEcAgdmUQtMbYeWbBgMSEAQnm3pSiQQD_M1/s200/hero+pic.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Collins Press</div><br /><div>2000</div><br /><div>332 pages</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Anyone who knows me, knows of my love of the Dingle Peninsula off the Southwest coast of Ireland in my favorite county, Kerry. I spend a lot of time(but not nearly as much as I like) in a place called Inch beach- with unparalleled beauty and where the movie, <em>Ryan's Daughter</em> was filmed. A stone's throw from Inch is a little village called Anascaul- a place I've been several times. There's a little pub- unremarkable despite its bright blue and pebble dash exterior, called The South Pole Inn. The pub's former owner was Tom Crean, who made, not 1 but 3 trips to the Antarctic at the turn of the last century in the race to the South Pole. </div><br /><div>I could not put this book down. Initially, I was afraid that it would be one of those dry books that make you dread opening it. Not this. It's written in an easy style and examines the personalities of the leaders, Scott and his disastrous expedition to the Pole in 1909 and then Ernest Shackleton's adventure during the outbreak of World War I when their ship, The Endurance became trapped in ice in the Antarctic and eventually lost to the sea, leaving all 28 men stranded on an ice floe and cut off from civilization.</div><br /><div>But this man, from Kerry, Tom Crean, is truly remarkable. During his second trip to the Antarctic with the tragic Scott expedition, he walked- <em>walked- </em>35 miles in 18 hours to save the life of another man despite the fact that he himself was starving and despite the fact that it was sub freezing temps.</div><br /><div>The photos in the book are fantastic and one can't help but fall a little in love with the mythical figure of Tom Crean. Both Scott and Shackleton wanted him on their expeditions. He's handsome in a rugged way- in a 'come to my Antarctic tent' kind of way.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>The first 2 trips are Scott's attempts to be the first one to reach the South Pole. They had to abandon that goal on the first trip. On the second trek, it was a Norwegian who beat them to the Pole, Scott made it eventually only to die along with his comrades in their sleeping bags in a tent on the way back due to blizzard conditions. The third trip with Ernest Shackleton was not so much to reach the South Pole but to walk across Antarctic itself. That goal was soon abandoned once Endurance was lost to the ice right at the beginning of the journey and they had no contact with civilization. It became a journey of survival and it took them almost 2 years to make it back to civilization. It's a gripping, entertaining read and it's miraculous that they survived at all.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>But on all three treks, Crean comes across as mentally resilient, unafraid of any task and an even keeled kind of fella. Just the type you'd want around in a crisis.</div><div> </div><div>4.5/5</div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-35073011086791647882010-05-19T13:11:00.001+01:002013-01-14T13:55:23.819+00:00FYIThere won't be any posts this week as I am in the middle of moving and the broadband won't be available until the end of the week.<br />
See you soon.Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-58622658935645063302010-05-14T11:00:00.003+01:002013-01-14T13:55:42.284+00:00Guest Blog: Keris Stainton<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaCE4wceKp6U0aaXy3FjIvclFXaGu5JOOlFk24NZRDY6OlFLOydWrjsHOwVlskjLKJ1QHUrYlVDvFDHNnVuukjFP2FXQclnb4Id-G9xDKUgL1VHG3WXmy4wbihvVlR19yuNXFvcur-gf4/s1600/della.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471062791581293762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaCE4wceKp6U0aaXy3FjIvclFXaGu5JOOlFk24NZRDY6OlFLOydWrjsHOwVlskjLKJ1QHUrYlVDvFDHNnVuukjFP2FXQclnb4Id-G9xDKUgL1VHG3WXmy4wbihvVlR19yuNXFvcur-gf4/s200/della.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
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Today, I'm excited to have Keris Stainton as a guest blogger. Keris is the consummate multitasker when it comes to writing. She's written articles for magazines and newspapers and hosts 2 blogs of her own. She is a former book reviewer for Trashionista and now reviews books for Five Minutes Peace. She co founded Chicklish with fellow author Luisa Plaja. I met her through Write Words, an online writing group where she founded and hosted the Chick Lit group. Her first book, <b>Della Says:OMG! </b>was released last week. Today, she talks about her current work in progress- see collage above.</div>
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Keris Stainton:</div>
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I am completely obsessed with New York. I've been five times and think of it as my spiritual home (I'm not sure I'm tough or cool enough to make it my actual home, but still). So when I was trying to think of an idea for my next book, a New York setting seemed like a good one. This was partly because I like to write the first drafts during National Novel Writing Month and so I try to think of things that will make writing every day for a month more enjoyable: researching New York locations and basically pretending I was there for 30 days appealed to me.<br />
I've already forgotten how I came up with the character of Jessie, but Finn appeared in my mind, fully-formed. I just saw him, standing in Times Square, wearing a tuxedo, holding a bunch of red roses and trying (and failing) to hail a cab. I hadn't planned to have a boy's point of view, but I kept coming back to Finn and so the book alternates between Finn and Jessie.<br />
I don't want to say too much since I haven't finished writing yet, but this is the synopsis I sent to my editor. I hope you like the idea, at least!<br />
SYNOPSIS<br />
Jessie and Finn would be perfect together. But first they have to find<br />
each other.<br />
Jessie's had a horrible relationship experience and wants to get away. Far away. Fortunately, her mother lives in New York. Unfortunately, her mother didn't have much time for her when they were living together and Jessie doubts anything will be different now. Particularly since Jess suspects the big-shot theatre producer responsible for taking her mum's play (and her mum) to Broadway may have a more than professional interest... Jessie's dad can't chaperone (or stand to spend the summer with his ex-wife) - he's too busy with his architecture practice and with moving his boyfriend (yes, boyfriend - no one said Jessie's life was simple) in. When Jessie arrives in New York, she notices the good-looking, tuxedo-wearing, red rose-carrying American boy who takes their cab (how could she not?), but she's not likely to see him again in a city of eight million people, is she?<br />
New Yorker Finn has some issues of his own - the main one being that he's completely and utterly in love with his best friend's girlfriend, Samantha. Of course he has no plans to do anything about it... unless Sam and Josh break up. Which could happen, couldn't it? When Finn's not preoccupied with Sam, he's worrying about what he's going to do with his life. His mother's a journalist and theatre critic and his father works in insurance. Finn's not interested in insurance, but he is fascinated by the building his father works in - the Empire State Building. In fact, he wonders if he might like to be an architect. When Finn's running late for his (totally not a surprise) surprise 18th birthday party, he's intrigued by the curly-haired British girl<br />
whose cab he takes. Maybe she could take his mind off Sam. If only she wasn't a tourist - a holiday romance is not what he needs right now. Or maybe it's exactly what he needs. But he's hardly likely to bump into her again in a city of eight million people, is he?<br />
Jessie *hearts* NYC is about first love, chance meetings and travelling thousands of miles to find yourself.<br />
EXTRACT<br />
Since it was a nice day for once, they met in Cathedral Gardens. Molly was wearing tiny cut-offs and causing the boys on bikes to almost wheely straight into the side of the Urbis Centre. Jess sat down on the grass and Molly perched cross-legged next to her.<br />
“So do you want the good news or the bad news?” Jess asked. She was almost certain Molly would ask for the bad news, she always had done before. Although if she asked for the good, Jess was in trouble.<br />
Molly pulled a face. “Bad.” She wrinkled her nose and closed her eyes.<br />
“I'm going away for the summer,” Jess said.<br />
Molly opened her eyes. Wide. “Noooo!”<br />
“Yes. I have to. I can't be around Taylor all summer, I just can't.”<br />
“Oh I know what you mean, but we don't need to go anywhere we know he'll be.”<br />
“He goes to all the same places as us,” Jess said. She plucked some grass and fiddled with it.<br />
“We'll find new places. All our places are shit anyway.”<br />
Jess laughed. “They're not. But they would be this summer. I just can't stay. I'm sorry. I know we had loads of plans.”<br />
“Well, exactly! Plans to do new things! Away from Taylor. You don't need to go away away.”<br />
“But I want to, Mol'. You know how my mum's been--”<br />
Molly leaned forward so fast she almost knocked Jess over backwards. “You're going to New York? Shit! God, I'm not surprised you'd rather go. Bloomingdale's beats The Trafford Centre. God. You lucky cow.”<br />
Jess smiled. “And do you want the good news?”<br />
“You'll bring me back some Krispy Kremes?”<br />
“Nope.” Jess grinned. “You're coming with me.”<br />
-- Keris Stainton</div>
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Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-48829657576328678472010-05-11T22:52:00.004+01:002010-05-11T23:09:36.749+01:00Review: Saving Grace by Ciara Geraghty<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzxhFSXdGAd6Srih2IjGLzUSUsjdP108Maay5i2ji-ukIMQYIHtdEmCQViqvO2zLyLPlLA2OrQqsVJqQtDmhyphenhyphenH02XoN8mGdDFuQka64uSfLGYsGzFZ15Z2uhnlx0-ER4JRw0UTY2-qEES/s1600/grace+pic.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470133885083207602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzxhFSXdGAd6Srih2IjGLzUSUsjdP108Maay5i2ji-ukIMQYIHtdEmCQViqvO2zLyLPlLA2OrQqsVJqQtDmhyphenhyphenH02XoN8mGdDFuQka64uSfLGYsGzFZ15Z2uhnlx0-ER4JRw0UTY2-qEES/s200/grace+pic.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Hachette Books Ireland</div><div>2008</div><div>440 pages</div><div> </div><div><em>One minute I'm in a long term, if long distance, relationship with Shane. The next I'm waking up in bed beside Bernard O'Malley, geek almighty and newest member of the IT department.</em></div><div><em>Another entry in a list of mistakes. The worst was Spain. What I did there. And what happened to my brother Patrick. Ever since that night things have been spiralling out of control.</em></div><div><em>But what can a girl do except dust off her stiletto boots, have a sneaky cigarette and face another day...</em></div><div><em>I sometimes wonder though, who would be there to save me if I can't save myself?</em></div><div><em></em> </div><div>I took this book out from the library and I loved it so much, that I'm going to have to order my own copy from Amazon. This is by far, the best chick lit book I have ever read. It's not just funny, it's piss your pants, laugh out loud funny. And Grace isn't just a character you'll like, she's someone you'll love.</div><div>The story, set in contemporary Dublin, opens up with a Prologue giving us a glimpse of what did happen in Spain with Grace and her brother Patrick. Fast forward to the present and Grace is waking up besides Bernard O'Malley, geek extraordinaire. Everything soon spins out of control and finally comes to a head at her sister's wedding.</div><div>This fabulous book is not only funny but heartbreaking as well as we watch Grace try to reach out to her mother, who is difficult at best and haunted by what happened in Spain. Single-handedly, she's trying to keep her relationship with Shane afloat despite the explosive chemistry between her and the geek, Bernard. She smokes too much, she drinks too much and she eats all the wrong foods- but you can't help but love her and cheer her on. And the supporting cast of characters are all oddballs and just as hilarious.</div><div> </div><div>On a final note, I'd like to add that as an aspiring writer, Geraghty is the type of writer I'd like to be. But after reading this, I realize I am light years away from this. It made me want to give up writing and spend the rest of my life face down in my bed, that's how good it is.</div><div> </div><div>If you like chick lit, you'll love this.</div><div> </div><div>5/5</div><div> </div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912863499247874297.post-68652803454526920312010-05-06T10:30:00.001+01:002010-05-06T10:34:56.991+01:00Review: Body Surfing by Anita Shreve<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HylshJAXiESE6jjk0emE291JBf-tUHaCcajEMfkoV_qD_bLeF90R2xrOIwir5PaINWF0NvtRmCyJdU5SbXt3HxAtQM6LbHv9aB3jqaaxgCRkqZsoDXB9rGn9kUQmFF_Khg6g9OtR1TvE/s1600/body+surfing+pic.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467520104029163090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HylshJAXiESE6jjk0emE291JBf-tUHaCcajEMfkoV_qD_bLeF90R2xrOIwir5PaINWF0NvtRmCyJdU5SbXt3HxAtQM6LbHv9aB3jqaaxgCRkqZsoDXB9rGn9kUQmFF_Khg6g9OtR1TvE/s200/body+surfing+pic.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Body Surfing</div><div>Little, Brown & Co.</div><div>2007</div><div>264 pages<br /></div><div></div><br /><div><em>At the age of twenty-nine, Sydney has already been once divorced and once widowed. Trying to find her footing again, she answers an advertisement to tutor the teenage daughter of a well-to-do couple as they spend a sultry summer in their oceanfront New Hampshire cottage.</em><br /></div><div><em>But when the Edwards' two grown sons arrive at the house, Sydney finds herself caught up in old tensions and bitter divisions. As the brothers vie for her affections, the fragile existence Sydney has rebuilt is threatened.</em></div><br /><div><em></em></div><br /><div>It's no secret that I think Anita Shreve to be one of the greatest prose writers alive today. Having read her previous endeavors such as <em>The Weight of Water, Resistance, The Pilot's Wife, and Sea Glass,</em> this book only solidifies my opinion.</div><div>I think you could hand Shreve a telephone book and she'd be able to weave something magical out it.</div><div>She tells the story with such simplicity and subtlety that it really is sublime. And the setting- summer at an oceanfront cottage is just gorgeous- reminds me why I love the beach so much.</div><div>I love the evolution of Sydney- at the beginning, after the loss of her second husband, she's obviously detached and somewhat aloof. But as the novel progresses, and she becomes involved with this family, you watch as she slowly drifts back down to earth and reconnects with life.</div><div> </div><div>It's another amazing book by Shreve- read it if you can.</div><div> </div><div>4.5/5</div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01785545203177425334noreply@blogger.com2