Growing with gratitude for life's challenges
There are some issues affecting our society today that feel too hot to handle, but not for author Angie Thomas. In her novel, The Hate U Give, Thomas bravely inserts her main character and narrator into the brutal drama of a black teen being shot by a white police officer. Still a child herself, sixteen […]
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Jacob is a typical, somewhat difficult teenager, according to his father, but when a classmate of Jacob’s is found dead, Andy Barber is forced to take a closer look at his son’s behaviour and determine if he could be housing a killer. William Landay’s suspense novel is told through the perspective of Andy Barber, a […]
Read MoreWhat an incredible story! Claire Fuller creates characters who are flawed and yet sympathetic. Meet Gil, an aging writer and incorrigible Lothario, who sudden obsession with books leads his daughters to be concerned about his state of mind. Meet Ingrid, his wife who has been missing for eleven years, presumed dead, and whose voice haunts […]
Read MoreKaren White’s The Sound of Glass is an entertaining read, or in my case, listen. While many of the messages put forth are cliché, the storyline provides adequate twists to keep the reader engaged. A recently widowed Merritt finds herself inheriting a stately Southern home from a Grandmother she never knew existed. The draw to […]
Read MoreKate Morton has mastered the art of writing a timeless novel: a compelling setting, well-developed characters, the weaving together of unforgettable storylines, and flawless description. The Lake House is a delicious read, the kind of book you don’t want to put down. The Lake House centers around a beautiful estate abandoned under tragic circumstances: a mystery […]
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Yours truly ventured out to an open mic, with the support of two of dear friends. Despite how unwell I was feeling, my companions arranged for me to read my poems before I could retreat. This was only my second visit to an open mic poetry session, and I decided to read a personal […]
Read MoreJust arrived home after attending my first poetry open mic session and am still buzzing. Yes, I got up on the stage and performed! In fact, I volunteered to go third – having never experienced anything like this before. It was a rush! The organizers were very welcoming, the crowd wonderfully warm and receptive and […]
Read MoreJust finished listening to “Carly’s Voice” by Arthur Fleischmann with his daughter, Carly. Carly, unlike her twin sister, did not develop normally, and after a barrage of tests and consultations was determined to be developmentally delayed and mentally challenged – autistic, non verbal. Having stumbled across ABA, Carly’s parents hired one-on-one therapists to work with […]
Read MoreWill has been all around the world, yet has never left home, such is the creative parenting of his single mother, Diane, whose paralyzing agoraphobia keeps them trapped Inside. “If I Fall, If I Die” reminiscent of “Room” by Emma Donoghue, examines the life of a mother and son trapped in isolation, although in Christie’s […]
Read MoreI am contemplating the importance of punctuation when writing poetry. Please be advised that I am not an expert – either of the period or the poetic form – just a woman, who having stumbled upon the possibility of penning a word or two, has found herself questioning (which definitely needs a question mark, doesn’t […]
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One Woman's Quest II 