Growing with gratitude for life's challenges
I picked up the audio version for free; downloaded it ages ago, thinking one day I’d give it a listen, but was hesitant. I knew a movie had been made of Pat Conroy’s novel, but I hadn’t seen that either. Then I visited South Carolina, and it’s peculiar landscape intrigued me, and when a friend […]
Read MoreA baby dies and the mother is found guilty and imprisoned. It is a heart-wrenching scenario, and begs the question: what happens to the family who have been torn apart by such tragedy? In With Love From the Inside, author Angela Pisel attempts to answer that question through the viewpoint of the mother, and the […]
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 […]
Read MoreI am that kid. First day of school, teacher proudly organized, in charge, forgets she is addressing humans not machines programmed to comply. I cannot tolerate oppression: authority already overbearing in my life. I am a pressure cooker, combustible, ready to explode, like an uncorked grenade counting down the seconds. “We need to set some […]
Read More(Note: Much of my inspiration for writing comes from dreams, which I typically interpret in the form of poetry, but recently I have been challenging myself to write prose. A Bee’s Perspective is the poetic response to the dream behind this piece.) Even as the floorboards beneath her heave and crack with a thunderous roar, […]
Read MoreThe nurse has just left and with her all the warmth in the room. I close my eyes and try to hold onto her essence a little longer: soft brown eyes tenderly gazing into mine, the gentle way in which she tucks me in, how she twists the blinds to blot out the night sky, […]
Read MoreThe Nest, by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney is an ambitious work weaving together many diverse characters and their overlapping storylines. The central plot focuses around a family of four adult children all awaiting their slice of the coveted “nest”: trust money set to be released on the fortieth birthday of the youngest sibling. Predictably something happens […]
Read MoreReminiscent of lazy summer days, right down to the flip-flops, The Wiregrass is a delightful read. Author Pam Webber has captured the innocence of childhood and those undefinable moments when awareness begins to shift. Nettie and her cousins congregate every summer at the small town home of Ain’t Pitty, who aids and abets the children […]
Read MoreOccasionally, I come across a book that I deem worthy of sharing (well, worthy in my humble estimation). Please understand that as most of my day is spent in the horizontal position, I typically have three to five books on the go at any time. Most of what I read does not merit attention here, […]
Read More
One Woman's Quest II 