Tag Archives: reading

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It’s Been Awhile, Hasn’t It?

My life began taking a few different turns which I will expand on in future posts. But now I feel the writing bug creeping to the top again. I never stopped reading – don’t think that will happen until I’m dead.

Of course, maybe Heaven is like an unending library…

Anyway, hope everyone is doing fine. Here’s your chance to shine. Tell me of your latest accomplishments, life-altering decisions, joys or sorrows.

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It’s July and we’re still in a pandemic…

I hope you are, like me, only going out when you need to and staying safe. You know the deal – wash your hands, wear a face covering and wait at least 6′ away from others. Remember, these guidelines may be irritating and sometimes problematic but it’s what is going to save your life!

So, now that’s out of the way…what are you doing to keep your sanity during this pandemic?

I am:

  • Reading of course. I’ve collected a small bookcase of books picked up at random book sales and thrift stores over the past couple of years. So, I’ve been working my way through them not wanting to deal with library books handled by others. After things get back to normal, well as normal as we can, I won’t feel guilty in filling up that bookcase again with new books.
  • Writing of course. I’m trying my hand at a mystery with romance.
  • Hobbies are good. I play games on my phone and laptop. I build miniature dollhouses (see post: How to Have Fun With Miniatures ). I’ve dug out my old stamp collection and have enjoyed looking over them again. A great way to relax and pass the time is to color in an adult coloring book. I’m also addicted to jigsaw puzzles.
  • Landscaping our yard. My husband and I have planted trees, spread bark in the flower beds and have planned/scheduled a garage to be built just behind the house.

What are some things you are doing? Maybe it will give others ideas if they are running on low and tempted to go out in public.

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Top Ten Book Hooks That Work For Me

Welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday blog post.

(For info on TTT and to join in, check out That Artsy Reader Girl)

Top Ten Tuesday logo

What makes me pick up a book to read?
  1. Title – can’t resist a catchy title. For example: Chose The Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger by Beth Harbison. Love that title 🙂
  2. Cover – I’m a very visual person so I like a colorful cover. One of the best ones I’ve seen is The Azalea Assault by Alyse Carlson (the paperback version). It’s truly a work of art.
  3. Locale – I love to read about far away and exotic places so locales of dreamy islands or Asian countries will grab me (and anywhere in the Carolinas since I’m a newbie Southerner).
  4. Romance – I especially love the enemies to lovers theme with funny banter between the couple while they resist the attraction.
  5. Mystery – I don’t always enjoy books that are only romance. To me they need to include a mystery of some kind (who’s stalking the heroine, who’s stealing company secrets, who murdered the butcher, etc.)
  6. Suspense – Who doesn’t love a little nail-biting suspense? Nothing stirs up those desires better than a little danger to the hero and heroine.
  7. Characters – Of course this is a major element. If you don’t care about the characters you won’t be able to enjoy the story.
  8. Length – This is a lesser element for me except if the book is longer than 350 pages you better have a pace that keeps me turning the pages.
  9. Author – I’m always on the lookout for new authors but with the authors that I know I enjoy, I will definitely try anything they write.
  10. Time period – I enjoy Historical but mainly just in the 1800’s or else the current time period.
So what kind of book hooks grab you?
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The Great American Read

Are you participating in The Great American Read?

The Great American Read

100 books were chosen for the possibility of becoming America’s Favorite Book. There’s also a 8-part series on PBS where they talk about the books and the influences they’ve had on us. You are encouraged to read as many as you can and vote for your favorites.

To see the complete list, click here.

I am far from done but I’ve read (recently and in my lifetime):              * = Favorites

  1. 1984 George Orwell
  2. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Mark Twain
  3. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Lewis Carroll
  4. And Then There Were None Agatha Christie *
  5. The Call Of The Wild Jack London *
  6. Charlotte’s Web E. B. White
  7. The Chronicles of Narnia C. S. Lewis
  8. The Clan Of The Cave Bear jean M. Auel *
  9. Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoyevsky
  10. The Da Vinci Code Dan Brown *
  11. Don Quixote Miquel de Cervantes
  12. Flowers In The Attic V. C. Andrews *
  13. The Godfather Mario Puzo *
  14. Gone With The Wind Margaret Mitchell *
  15. Harry Potter J. K. Rowling *
  16. Hatchet Gary Paulson
  17. The Hunt For Red October Tom Clancy *
  18. The Joy Luck Club Amy Tan *
  19. Jurassic Park Michael Crichton
  20. Little Women Louisa May Alcott
  21. The Lord Of The Rings J. R. R. Tolkien
  22. Memoirs Of A Geisha Arthur Golden *
  23. Moby-Dick Herman Melville
  24. The Picture Of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde *
  25. The Pillars Of The Earth Ken Follett *
  26. Rebecca Daphne du Maurier *
  27. The Stand Stephen King *
  28. To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee *
  29. The Twilight Saga Stephanie Meyer

Some of the books listed, I’ve read other books by that same author but not the book on the list.

What books have been your favorites?

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14 most anticipated fall romances – BookPage

I love the monthly newsletter, BookPage, that I pick up at my local library. It shows me the new books, interviews & reviews. On their website you can find even more.

Bookpage…

We’ve already rounded up our favorite romances of the year so far, but hark! Autumnal challengers have appeared on the horizon! (Not to say we make books engage in death matches here at BookPage. Only metaphorically.)

Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews Ace • August 28 We think we’re ready for the final book in Andrews’ beloved Kate Daniels series, which follows…

Source: 14 most anticipated fall romances – Blog Post

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8 Romance Subgenres To Find Your Next Love

It’s March so that means it’s time for Spring and Romance.

Romance

 

The trees are budding and the first flowers are blooming…turns a female heart to her next Romance read.

read romance

With so many Romance subgenres, there truly is a Romance for everyone!

Here is a list of the Romance subgenres and a few authors to try within that subgenre:

  • Historical Romance – That’s right, it’s romance that takes place in the past, most often in the American West, Medieval England and Regency England. Here are some authors to try Mary Jo Putney, Amanda Quick, Beatrice Small.
  • Contemporary Romance – These take place in the present and tend toward humorous and often suspenseful. (This is my favorite romance subgenre and the type of books I like to write.) Some authors to try would be Jennifer Crusie, Elizabeth Bevarly, Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
  • Category Romance – These romances are often shorter and written in series. Some authors to try would be Suzanne Brockmann, Elizabeth Lowell.
  • Futuristic and Fantasy Romance – These romances are obviously written in the future or in an imaginary world. Some authors to try would be Dara Joy, Susan Grant.
  • Paranormal Romance – You guessed it. These romances contain vampires, ghosts or other creatures. Some authors to try would be Susan Krinard, Christine Feehan.
  • Time Travel Romance – Just like the name implies, these romances involve traveling in time. Some authors to try would be  Lynn Kurland, Sandra Hill.
  • Gothic Romance – These are mostly romances of the past with authors such as Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart (I love these old ones!).
  • Romantic Suspense – These books generally involve plots dealing with drug dealers, smugglers and stalkers. Some authors to try would be Susan Anderson, Tammy Hoag, Melinda Leigh.

So go out and try new subgenres, you’re bound to find your next Romance love. And never be afraid to try a new author, hundreds come out each month.

What are your favs when it comes to Romance reading?

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Photo Challenge: How Do You Relax?

This week’s Daily Post photo challenge is about relaxing. Everyone has to find their own way to relax from the stress of everyday life. Below are a few of the ways I relax 🙂

  • I love to go hiking through the woods and climb on rocks. Fresh air, sunshine, nature…what’s not to like.

woods and rocks

 

  • I took lessons from our Aggie Girl, who was an expert on relaxation. (She has recently passed away)  cat on bookshelf

 

  • I enjoy doing yoga to stretch my body and quiet my mind. I even had a yoga buddy.  cat on yoga mat

 

  • Reading relaxes me. I like to escape into the story.  reading on the beach

What are some of your ways to relax?

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2 More Awards!

Real Neat Blog Award

I have recently been awarded the Real Neat Blog and Premio Dardos Awards by Marjorie Mallon at Kyrosmagica. Thank you very much, Marjorie! I really enjoy writing this blog and it’s nice to know that others enjoy reading it.

So here goes…

Real Neat Blog Award

The rules for the Real Neat Blog Award:

  1. Put award logo in post.
  2. Answer 7 questions by person who nominated you (my questions are at the end of this post).
  3. Nominate any number of bloggers (with their links).
  4. Let these bloggers know you nominated them by commenting on their blogs.

Premio Dardos Award

 

Rules for the Premio Dardos Award:

Premio dardos means “prize darts” in Spanish. It is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing.

  1. Post award on your blog with the name of the person who gave you the award and link to their blog.
  2. Pass the award onto 15 worthy blogs.

 

Questions for me:

  1. Do you have any unusual pastimes? – Why yes, I do. I enjoy building and decorating doll houses and miniature scenes. I’ve created two houses, a woodland scene and am now creating a houseboat. This is a picture of one of my houses, my Victorian cottage where a Confederate General’s widow lives with her seven cats.doll house
  2. Have you ever fallen in love at first sight? – Of course, with my husband. We met through mutual friends just after high school and have been together ever since. Let’s hear it for 30 years of marriage!
  3. What kind of books do you like to read and do you have a favorite? – I enjoy romances, which is good since that is what I write 🙂 To get a sneak peek at my new romance, Hong Kong Treasure (released very soon by Assent Publishing) go to Romance by D Dominik Wickles. I also enjoy reading mysteries, young adult adventures and some horror. There are so many good books out there, it is impossible to have a favorite.
  4. If you had a choice of listening to a music concert, going to a film or attend the theater or art/photo exposition, which would you choose? – I love to go to the theater, the stage, the atmosphere and the actors are all stimulating.
  5. If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go? – I have always wanted to see Hong Kong and China. Chinese columns - Morgue file
  6. What is your favorite and least favorite foods? – I’m unusual since I love vegetables and fruit. I won’t eat seafood.
  7. Are you good at keeping secrets? – Yes, I am. In fact, I never told anyone that my friend…oops 🙂

My 15 worthy blogs:

  1. Vegetarian Wife’s Blog – A blog of a wife married to a vegetarian.
  2. Katzenworld – If you love cats, you will really enjoy this blog!
  3. Misifusa’s Blog – “The Presents of Presence.”
  4. Hairball Express – Another wonderful blog about cats 🙂
  5. One Spoiled Cat – Another wonderful blog about cats 🙂
  6. Three Cat Yard – Cats – are you sensing a pattern here?
  7. I Do Wander Everywhere – A great travel blog.
  8. Think Positive, Be Positive – A blog with wisdom and humor about life.
  9. Where’s My Backpack? – “A love affair with travel.”
  10. Wind Against Current – This blog covers a little bit about everything of life.
  11. The Task at Hand – “A writer’s ongoing search for just the right words.”
  12. American History & Ancestry – A blog about American history.
  13. China’s Lost Panda – A great blog about China and the Chinese.
  14. Eating Whole – Plant-based, gluten-free and allergy-free cooking.
  15. Food, Passion & Love – More recipes!

My Questions for My Blog Nominees:

  1. Would you rather read a book or watch tv? What are some of your favorites?
  2. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
  3. Where have you traveled and do you have a favorite place/trip?
  4. Do you have any pets?
  5. Do you believe in romance?
  6. Would you rather get a bouquet of flowers or a bottle of wine?
  7. If you won the lottery what is the first thing you would buy?

 

And there you have it. Hope you connect with some new (to you), great blogs and meet new people. After all isn’t that what this Internet thing is all about? We’ve made the world seem a little bit cozier.

 

Hong Kong Treasure – A devastating typhoon stole Annie’s memory. And now, can a handsome Chinese stranger save her from the danger she has forgotten?

Coming soon! Look for it on Amazon, B&N, Sony and others.