Quick Lit: Read Alouds For Kids

For this month's quick lit I thought I would share some titles I found in an old notebook that I had jotted down to read aloud to my kids. Since I haven't read any of these I am not vouching for them, just saying to put them on your radar and see if they would be a fit for your child. I thought perhaps some of you could put them on hold at your local library or independent bookstore!

Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett 

When the Germans attack their Romany encampment during World War II, Andrej and his younger brother, Tomas, flee through a ravaged countryside under cover of darkness, guarding a secret bundle. Their journey leads to a bombed-out town, where the boys discover a hidden wonder: a zoo filled with creatures in need of hope. Like Andrej and Tomas, the animals—wolf and eagle, monkey and bear, lioness and seal, kangaroo and llama— have stories to share and a mission to reclaim their lives.

The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton

Ten-year-old Persimmony Smudge lives a boring life on the Island in the Middle of Everything, but she longs for adventure. And she soon gets it when she overhears a life-altering secret and suddenly finds herself in the middle of an amazing journey. It turns out that Mount Majestic, the rising and falling mountain in the center of the island, is not really a mountain - it's the belly of a sleeping giant! It's up to Persimmony and her friend Worvil to convince the island's quarreling inhabitants that a giant is sleeping in their midst and must not be awakened. The question is, will she be able to do it?

Bigger Than A Breadbox by Laurel Snyder

A magical breadbox that delivers whatever you wish for—as long as it fits inside? It's too good to be true! Twelve-year-old Rebecca is struggling with her parents' separation, as well as a sudden move to her Gran's house in another state. For a while, the magic bread box, discovered in the attic, makes life away from home a little easier. Then suddenly it starts to make things much, much more difficult, and Rebecca is forced to decide not just where, but who she really wants to be. Laurel Snyder's most thought-provoking book yet.

The Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill

When Jack is sent to Hazelwood, Iowa, to live with his crazy aunt and uncle, he expects a summer of boredom. Little does he know that the people of Hazelwood have been waiting for him for a long time. . . .

When he arrives, three astonishing things happen: First, he makes friends-not imaginary friends but actual friends. Second, he is beaten up by the town bully; the bullies at home always ignored him. Third, the richest man in town begins to plot Jack's imminent, and hopefully painful, demise. It's up to Jack to figure out why suddenly everyone cares so much about him. Back home he was practically, well, invisible.

The Mostly True Story of Jack is a tale of magic, friendship, and sacrifice. It's about things broken and things put back together. Above all, it's about finding a place to belong.

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

A hilarious Southern debut with the kind of characters you meet once in a lifetime 

Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known. 

Full of wisdom, humor, and grit, this timeless yarn will melt the heart of even the sternest Yankee.

A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd

Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart.

But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to change. A "word collector," Felicity sees words everywhere---shining above strangers, tucked into church eves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears---but Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word "home." And then there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster. 

Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been cast over the town . . . and her mother's broken heart.

A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff 

Told in multiple viewpoints, A Tangle of Knots is a magnificent puzzle. In a slightly magical world where everyone has a Talent, eleven-year-old Cady is an orphan with a phenomenal Talent for cake baking. But little does she know that fate has set her on a journey from the moment she was born.  And her destiny leads her to a mysterious address that houses a lost luggage emporium, an old recipe, a family of children searching for their own Talents, and a Talent Thief who will alter her life forever.  However, these encounters hold the key to Cady's past and how she became an orphan.  If she's lucky, fate may reunite her with her long-lost parent. 

Lisa Graff adds a pinch of magic to a sharply crafted plot to create a novel that will have readers wondering about fate and the way we're all connected.

All The Answers by Kate Messner 

What if your pencil had all the answers? Would you ace every test? Would you know what your teachers were thinking? When Ava Anderson finds a scratched up pencil she doodles like she would with any other pencil. But when she writes a question in the margin of her math quiz, she hears a clear answer in a voice no one else seems to hear.  

With the help of her friend Sophie, Ava figures out that the pencil will answer factual questions only – those with definite right or wrong answers – but won't predict the future. Ava and Sophie discover all kinds of uses for the pencil, and Ava's confidence grows with each answer. But it's getting shorter with every sharpening, and when the pencil reveals a scary truth about Ava's family, she realizes that sometimes the bravest people are the ones who live without all the answers...

What Worked For Me This Week

Every Wednesday I try to post a few things that worked for me in the past week. It's fun to recall what worked-- no matter how small-- instead of dwell on what didn't. Here's my list for this week:

This post I wrote, then had to go back and re-read for myself after a particularly bad mothering day. This is called preaching to oneself, something I have to do more than I'd like to admit. I am the worst about forgetting the things I should remember. (See Sherlock Brain post from Monday.) 

Stopping to inhale this just-bloomed honeysuckle. No candle or fabric softener or perfume can replicate this smell. 

This shot of a street I walk down almost every day. I love the arching trees and all the green. Looking for and capturing this kind of beauty on film helps me keep things in perspective. It's also good to look up at towering trees and remember just how small you really are. 

Going on a little photo scavenger hunt while I was walking. This time I kept my eye out for purple flowers, which I found in abundance! 

Snapping this photo of our dog and then sending it to my college daughter in the middle of her exam week with a note that the dog misses her. She was like, "Mom, you're crazy." But I know it made her laugh and took her mind off her stress for a moment. 

This lake (glorified pond) is in our neighborhood and I've been making more of an effort to route my walk to at least go see it. Being near water always makes me feel more peaceful-- like all is right with the world. This particular view of the bench by the water is one of my favorites. It's ridiculous to live near something this lovely and not partake in it with some degree of regularity. 

So what about you? What worked for you this week? 

Sherlock Brain

It is a phenomena my best friend and I discuss often. We call it "Sherlock Brain," (derived from the clip at the bottom of this post):

Sherlock brain- the brain's tendency to discard the things it doesn't need in order to retain the things it does. This includes all kinds of info that, for some people, seem paramount but to others, extraneous. It varies according to your profession, your stage in life, your personality, etc. 

For instance, I know lots and lots about women's fiction-- authors, new titles, backlist titles, upcoming release dates, themes and premises and lots of other things that other people do not know or care about. This is important to me because I am a women's fiction writer and because of the coverage we provide on She Reads. I need to know these things.

But.

This means that there's not room in my brain for other things-- things like the political climate in our nation, headlines, the latest gossip at my kids' school, and yes, the solar system. (That will make more sense once you watch the clip.) My brain sloughs off anything not pertinent to my work or family. It is on a "need to know" basis. If I don't absolutely need to know it, it's gone.

This is also why I love lists-- because once I make a note of it, my brain doesn't have to hold onto whatever it is any longer, leaving more room for the things it does. Things like writing ideas, children's schedules, family needs, etc.

So the next time you feel addled, confused, overwhelmed, etc. don't beat yourself up about it. Just remember the Sherlock Brain concept. You're not being forgetful, you're choosing to remember the things that are most important to you. Sherlock is brilliant-- and I think what makes him most brilliant is that he knows what to let go of, what to hold onto, and most importantly, not to apologize for it.

(Here's the clip that brought about the terminology. The part you're looking for occurs at about minute 1:32. But watch the beginning because... well... it's Sherlock.)

What Worked For Me This Week

This week a lot of things worked... It was a good week.

This fun printable list to kick off May. I am challenging myself to do at least some of them. (It's an easy challenge, considering all of them are good things to do.)

My best friend, She Reads partner and official other half of my writer brain, Ariel Lawhon and my list of what we were into in April, which is always so fun to pull together.

This humorous look at how hard May can be-- and some good tips for surviving it.

Saying yes to time with a friend on a Saturday. Most of my ordinary Saturdays are spent at home putzing around with home and family stuff. I rarely leave the house on Saturday unless it's to run errands or take a walk. So when my friend Tracy invited me to a benefit event for the afternoon I nearly said no, reasoning that I need my Saturdays. In the end we had a lovely, memorable day and I was so glad I varied my (boring) Saturday routine! We even squeezed in a trip to our local indie bookstore and a glass of wine at a nearby pub with outdoor seating on a gorgeous spring day! 

After that lovely Saturday, followed by a very full Sunday with church, lunch, and then a friend's daughter's play at her school, the house was showing my neglect big time. So I got out my trusty wipes and went to town. It took most of my Monday morning but when I was done the house felt so much better. When my house is disorganized and unclean, I am completely at odds until I get it back in order. 

Playing tooth fairy. This is my youngest showing off the loss of the tooth that seemed like it was never going to come out. She's nearly ten and my time of playing tooth fairy isn't going to last forever. In light of that, let's just say the tooth fairy has gotten increasingly more generous. (Sorry older kids.) 

Taking my phone with me when I walk. Now when I pass gorgeous flowers like this one I can capture them to enjoy later. 

I have used the same kind of lotion (Suave or Vaseline Aloe) since I was 15 years old. Let it never be said that I am not a creature of habit. So when I saw this new Suave Sea Mineral lotion I broke out of my own mold and gave it a try. It smells really good, in my opinion-- fresh and clean without being too floral or cloyingly sweet. I have enjoyed the nice new scent this week and it feels good to try something different. And also, since it's Suave brand, this little splurge didn't break the bank. 

How about you? What worked for you this week?

Ten Tips For Writers

I stumbled across these notes from an old workshop I gave on writing and thought that, instead of letting them molder in my files, I would share them here. (And even if you're not a writer, there's still some good tips in here.)

1. Notice. Pay attention. To smells, colors, sounds, tastes. Compare them to other things-- similar and different.

2. Listen out for interesting words. Look for alternative verbs and other ways to say things. Get an old thesaurus and thumb through it. Words are your friends; make some new ones.

3. Keep a list of first lines as you think of them. Even if you don't have a use for them yet. The best first lines immediately draw the reader into the story question-- inviting them in by intriguing them so much they simply must read on. When you're reading, notice first lines that do that for you. Why?

4. Watch people. Potential characters-- and character traits-- are all around you. The young. The old. The beautiful. The undesirable. Soldiers. Teachers. Librarians. Cooks. Artists. Service people. How do they carry themselves? What do their faces tell you? What tics or idiosyncrasies do they have that you can steal borrow?

5. Keep a journal. Write down quotes that capture you for their poignancy or spot-on observation about life, God, writing, story, etc. Use the journal to capture your life as it is right now. There is no right way to journal. Pick a journal that doesn't feel too formal, too big, too official, etc. Make it work for you. And find a good pen that writes well so you will actually want to write.

6. Read widely. Fiction. Nonfiction. Memoirs. Cookbooks. Biographies. Newspapers. Magazines. Let the reading inform you on everything from what other people are concerned with to story ideas to what good writing looks like, as well as what bad writing feels like.

7. Ask yourself "what if?" often. The what if is a muscle and it gets stronger as it is worked out. Ask yourself "What if?" after you read a newspaper story, a Facebook status, a blog post, a story a friend tells you, a tv show you watch, etc. This two sentence question can generate more ideas than you can ever write.

8. Go to live writer events. Pay attention to who's coming to your local indie bookstore for a signing, what literary events might be going on in your town or a nearby one. Subscribe to stores' newsletters so you can stay informed or subscribe to your favorite writers' blogs or follow them on Twitter or Facebook so you can stay up to date. Other writers can encourage, inspire and inform you, injecting that shot of enthusiasm at the perfect time.

9. Eavesdrop. Listening to the flow-- or lack of-- of real conversations can help your dialogue read better. Most every writer I know admits to eavesdropping.

10. Pay attention to good grammar. Good writers know the mechanics of language. And if you didn't pay much (any?) attention in English class back in the day, well then get some books like The Forest For The Trees or The Elements of Style and teach yourself. It's never too late.

I hope these tips encouraged and inspired some of you.

A Friday Song

Today I thought I'd post a song (and fun video to go with it) to kick off your weekend. If you're on Facebook you might've seen this pop up on your feed a time or twenty thousand. For good reason.

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, I hope your weekend is excellent. See you back here on Monday!

What I've Learned This Month (April)

I believe in always learning, always seeking to grow and change, always looking for ways to improve. For these reasons, Emily Freeman's linkup each month is right up my alley. Here's what I've learned in the month of April:

• As I'm starting over with the publishing process this quote is something I need to remember. All the time. Learned? Published authors are to be admired for their sheer tenacity and thickness of skin. I think it's nearly impossible to be an author and not face rejection in some form. 

• I value the books I pay for more than the ones I get for free. If I've paid for something, I will be more likely to move it to the top of the list, and actually read it. Learned? We place value in what we pay for. Having some skin in the game, in whatever form, really does make a difference.

• Taking a break is not always easy. You might find yourself wanting to go back. But you should stick with the time you set and lean into whatever the break will reveal. See it through. And in the process, see whatever you need to see. Learned? The built in break times of the year (lent, Christmas, summer, etc.) provide us with a good excuse. We should take advantage of these excuses.

Yeah, learned this too. I learn this one a lot. 

• Sometimes we take things out of God's hands. When we realize we've done that, it's good to give it back. Learned? Pray. 

• Beauty really does invigorate the soul. Spring is a time of renewal not just for nature, but for us too. Breathing in the floral scented air, seeing the trees outfitted with their new green leaves, hearing the birdsong has been so good for me this month. On the bad days my husband quickly learned to say, "Go for a walk. Get outside." The treadmill can't live up to that experience. Learned? When it doubt, or in pain, or in flux, or in blah mode... get outside. 

Could Vs. Had: A Post For Moms Everywhere

The other night I had the occasion to spend some time with a devoted mother. She was clearly very aware of every nuance of her child's life. As she asked me questions about my son, who is the same age as hers, it was clear that I... wasn't quite as aware. And I have to admit, there were a few minutes there that I felt like the bad mother, that little voice inside my head saying, "See? She knows these things. Why don't you?"

And so, though hopefully no one would realize, I had a little debate in my head between me and myself. And in the end, I realized that I wasn't being fair to myself. Yes this mother-- who has one child-- was far more in tune with her child's life than I-- who have six children-- was. That is a fact. But I was also having this conversation with this mother in order to help my child with something that was important to him. I took time to arrange a meeting and go to it; through my actions I said to my child You Matter. And while I haven't done everything there is to do for this child, I have done what I could.

This got me to thinking. When my children are all grown up and their raising is "in the books" so to speak (though I know that point never really gets reached) what do I want to be able to say to them? What can I say with confidence and certainty? And here's what I arrived at: I want to be able to say I gave all I could. But there's a flip side to that statement. I don't want to say I gave all I had.

To me one of those statements is reasonable. The other is exhausting. One is restorative. The other is depleting. One breeds goodwill. The other breeds resentment. I gave all I could means as a mother I took in my own personality, my own limits, my own interests, my own desires. I kept my marriage above my kids. I remembered I was a person before these little people came into my life and I will be a person after they wing their way into the future God has for them. I made sacrifices, yes. But I kept some things that were still just mine, just for me.

I gave all I had means as a mother I spent and spent and spent, sowing into my kids with no regard for me, leading to exhaustion, depletion and resentment. Giving all you have means you've somehow equated performance with worth, forgotten your own happiness in the name of theirs. And the danger there is that eventually all this martyr stuff will catch up with you. If not now, then later when they turn to teens who no longer think you hung the moon, or even later when they, according to plan, leave.

Of course there will be times-- seasons-- when you by necessity give all you have. Illness, newborns, special needs situations and other issues come to mind. That is not what I am talking about here. I am talking about the daily flux of motherhood. And the way that these people (kids) will take whatever we give them. And we get to decide just how much that is.

Here are some examples:

• Giving over control of the car radio to them. Listening to music you don't want to listen to in order to make them happy. Who's driving? Shouldn't the driver enjoy the ride more than anyone? 

• Not going on dates because they don't want you to leave them. 

• Participating in sports leagues and sacrificing entire weekends for the whole family in order to attend game after game. (If your child is a prodigy and this is a sincere investment in their future, go for it. But if they're mediocre and you're just out there because it's what everyone else does well...)

• Functioning as a short order cook in order to provide food everyone at the table likes. 

• Scrambling around to provide something they need because they forgot to give you adequate warning. 

• Forgetting that they won't remember every detail of their childhood, and that includes all those sacrifices and efforts you made. And making decisions accordingly. Sometimes good enough is just that. 

• Not taking time to do the things we love(d) to do, invest in friendships, or just be alone for a bit. Without feeling guilty about it. 

I'm not saying any one of these things from time to time is bad (Lord knows I've done them), but to ask yourself just how often you are doing these things and, more important, how you feel when you do? If you feel blessed and rewarded and called and validated, then keep doing what you're doing. But if you feel stressed and strung out and your blood is reaching a slow simmer, maybe rethink your approach. You might be giving all you have instead of all you can. (And if you need permission to stop the madness, consider this just that.)

And I'm also not writing this as an excuse to be neglectful and call it "taking care of you." Your kids need you. You. Not a sitter, not a chauffeur, not a cook. They need your eyes on them. They need your voice speaking to them. They need your arms around them. They need your applause, your affirmation, your validation. They need to hear You Matter from you. Your role is important and the balance must be struck. You still have to show up, put the time in, make the effort. You can't outsource parenting and you shouldn't.

But you can create boundaries that allow for both you and them.

Giving all you can is, to me, the healthy way to mother. Giving all you have is dangerous. Because the point of motherhood is to work your way out of a job. And if you've given all you have then that will mean there is no you left. Giving all you could means you preserved some bit of yourself, even if it's just the smallest fraction that you can build on as you have the space and time to do so. Recognize your limits. Regard your feelings. And go from there, in freedom. Give all you can. But beware of giving all you have. It's a subtle distinction, but an important one.

The Age Of Adaline (review)

I will admit that I hadn't heard anything about this movie when I got invited to attend a preview. I almost said no because of that, but then I decided to watch the trailer. (Below) And it drew me in and made me decide to go see it. I was astonished when my husband said he thought it looked good and he wanted to go. What? But ok. A date night it was.



First we went to Dean and Deluca near the movie theater and had salads. My salad was laden with all the things I love-- artichoke hearts and grilled chicken and kalamata olives and tomatoes and carrots and cucumbers and-- oh yeah-- lettuce, topped off with a delicious sesame vinaigrette dressing. It was one of the best salads I've ever had. If you've never had a make your own Dean and Deluca salad and you have one near you, what are you waiting for?? Treat yourself to one asap! But I digress. This is not a post about salads. It's about this new movie that is out today.

After we ate, we went to the movie, which was... not the best date movie we've ever been to. It was just a bit too girly for my husband. I'm not sure what he thought it was going to be but... it wasn't whatever that was. I think he thought there'd be more history involved? More science fiction uncovery of why this woman never ages? More chase scenes? It was none of that. So I kept looking over to make sure he was awake. And to his credit he stayed awake for all of it.

Here are a couple of random thoughts on the movie if you're considering seeing it:

It is a love story of several things-- yes love of course-- but also of dogs, and the city of San Francisco, and aging. In a youth-obsessed culture it was refreshing to see aging approached as something to be desired. If we stay young forever how will we ever experience the full scope of life seemed to be the story's throughline. And it was a point well-made. I liked that. And it did make me think.

But...

I did not find the love interest attractive and I think that affected my ability to get swept into the love story. Blake Lively was, to me, far more lovely than he was handsome. This is me, showing my age. But that's ok because I learned from the movie that age is a good thing.

Also?

Some of the plot lines seemed contrived.

And?

Blake Lively's breathy voice got on my nerves.

But-- but!-- I do not think I am the target market for this film. I think the two twentysomething girls sitting next to me with their salads on their laps and their big hoodie sweatshirts-- who bawled their eyes out through the last twenty minutes of the movie-- are the target market. And judging from their reaction, the movie should do pretty well.

So if you fall in the target market-- or know someone who does-- send them to this movie this weekend. But if you don't then proceed with caution. And you probably shouldn't take your husband if he likes a lot of action-- and the occasional gun-- in his cinema experience.

What Worked For Me This Week

On Wednesdays I try to share things that made life easier or better. Here's the list this week: 

These shoes. They are by Sperry and I have no idea what they are called but they're kind of like espadrilles or Tom's. So easy to slip on and go. And that's what I've been doing nearly every day. The neutral color means they go with pretty much everything and they definitely match my usual "jeans and tee shirt" errand uniform. They were a little pricier than my usual flip flop but I can definitely say I'm getting my money's worth I wear them so much. They're kinda boring mom shoes but I love them.  Because let's face it, I am a boring mom. 

Finding and appreciating the beauty of spring. Whether it's on my long walks or right beside my back door (like this azalea), I've been trying to really soak in and savor the gorgeousness of spring. 

Refrigerating some leftover homemade cake frosting (because why would I let that go to waste?), then later buying some plain sugar cookies at the grocery store and letting my 9yo go to town with decorating them. She had a blast and the family enjoyed partaking in her handiwork afterwards. 

Taking my oldest to a Women's National Book Association event at our local indie bookstore. That's not how it started out-- he just said he'd meet me beforehand so we could have dinner around the corner from the event. After we finished eating I told him to at least come up and meet a few of my friends who had never met him. And he totally surprised me and ended up staying. That's him on the right with authors David Joy (Where All Light Tends To Go) and Leigh Ann Henion (Phenomenal). And yes, he did talk me into buying him David's book. And what mom can resist a kid-- no matter how old-- who wants to read?

I am a teensy weensy bit hooked on these right now. I am sure they are bad for me (don't tell me!) but you would not believe the amount of water I am willing to drink if these things are involved! So. Good. And only 5 calories a packet! 

Why I Don't Have My Favorite Songs on my iPod (Or, Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder)

Into The Mystic by Van Morrison is one of my all-time favorite songs. And, for a time, I had it on my iPod. Because, you know, iPods are the receptacles of all your favorite songs, right?

Except. Turns out, for me, they're not.

Sometimes the songs we love the best aren't the ones we should have accessible at all times. Sometimes the songs we love should be the things we happen upon, the things that are precious because of how rare they are. Sometimes happening upon our favorite song on the radio or hearing it piped through the speakers in the grocery store can feel like magic. In the midst of our ordinary, the right song at the right time can feel downright holy.

I took Into The Mystic off my iPod and decided for it to wait to come to me when I needed to hear it most.

And so I am sharing the video today, because it's Monday. And it rained all weekend in my neck of the woods. And it's a new week full of possibility, and also, responsibility. And we could all use a bit of magic, courtesy of Van Morrison:

What I've Been Reading

I am linking up to Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit roundup today.

First of all my apologies for being gone so much longer than I planned. When I set the date of my return to blogging, I wasn't thinking about spring break following the end of Lent. We went on a quick trip to the beach while the kids were out of school and, upon returning from that and getting back into the swing of school again, life has been crazy.

But I'm back now, and plan to return more consistently next week.

For my return post, here's what I've been reading lately. I've got some good books to share!

Gods In Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson: Anyone who knows me knows I love Joshilyn's writing. This was the only book I hadn't read by her and I think I was kind of hanging onto it because I didn't want to be done with her books. (At least until the next one's out.) But one day I decided to read it, and 24 hours later, I was done. This one was every bit as good as the others and I highly recommend it. 

For 10 years Arlene has kept her promises, and God has kept His end of the bargain. Until now. When an old schoolmate from Possett turns up at Arlene's door in Chicago asking questions about Jim Beverly, former quarterback and god of Possett High, Arlene's break with her former hometown is forced to an end. At the same time, Burr, her long-time boyfriend, has raised an ultimatum: introduce him to her family or consider him gone. Arlene loves him dearly but knows her lily white (not to mention deeply racist)Southern Baptist family will not understand her relationship with an African American boyfriend. Reluctantly, Arlene bows to the pressure, and she and Burr embark on the long-avoided road trip back home. As Arlene digs through guilt and deception, her patched-together alibi begins to unravel, and she discovers how far she will go for love and a chance at redemption.


My Sunshine Away by MO Walsh: I listened to this one on audio and, while I didn't love the narrator, I loved the story. It will definitely make my top ten list for this year. 

"My Sunshine Away" unfolds in a Baton Rouge neighborhood best known for cookouts on sweltering summer afternoons, cauldrons of spicy crawfish, and passionate football fandom. But in the summer of 1989, when fifteen-year-old Lindy Simpson--free spirit, track star, and belle of the block--experiences a horrible crime late one evening near her home, it becomes apparent that this idyllic stretch of Southern suburbia has a dark side, too.
In "My Sunshine Away," M.O. Walsh brilliantly juxtaposes the enchantment of a charmed childhood with the gripping story of a violent crime, unraveling families, and consuming adolescent love. Acutely wise and deeply honest, it is an astonishing and page-turning debut about the meaning of family, the power of memory, and our ability to forgive. 


Home Is Where My People Are by Sophie Hudson: This memoir about what home means, what it's like to grow up southern, and the power of friendship. Oh, and it's really funny. 

All roads lead to home. It's easy to go through life believing that we can satisfy our longing for home with a three-bedroom, two-bath slice of the American dream that we mortgage at 4 percent and pay for over the course of thirty years. But ultimately, in our deepest places, we're really looking to belong and to be known. And what we sometimes miss in our search for the perfect spot to set up camp is that wherever we are on the long and winding road of life, God is at work in the journey, teaching us, shaping us, and refining us--sometimes through the most unlikely people and circumstances. In "Home Is Where My People Are," Sophie Hudson takes readers on a delightfully quirky journey through the South, introducing them to an unforgettable cast of characters, places, and experiences. Along the way, she reflects on how God has used each of the stops along the road to impart timeless spiritual wisdom and truth. Nobody embodies the South like Sophie Hudson, and this nostalgic celebration of home is sure to make even those north of the Mason-Dixon line long to settle in on the front porch with a glass of sweet tea and reflect on all of the people in our lives who--related or not--have come to represent home. Because at the end of the day, it's not the address on the front door or even the name on the mailbox that says home, but the people who live and laugh and love there, wherever "there" might happen to be.


Those Girls by Chevy Stevens: this one is an advance reader copy of a book coming out this summer. It's gripping and gritty. Chevy Stevens' female characters are so much tougher than me! 

Life has never been easy for the three Campbell sisters. Jess, Courtney, and Dani live on a remote ranch in Western Canada where they work hard and try to stay out of the way of their father’s fists. One night, a fight gets out of hand and the sisters are forced to go on the run, only to get caught in an even worse nightmare when their truck breaks down in a small town. Events spiral out of control and a chance encounter with the wrong people leaves them in a horrific and desperate situation. They are left with no choice but to change their names and create new lives. 

Eighteen years later, they are still trying to forget what happened that summer when one of the sisters goes missing and they are pulled back into their past. 

This time there’s nowhere left to run. 

As much of a thriller as it is a deep exploration of the bonds among sisters, THOSE GIRLS is an unforgettable portrait of desperation, loyalty, and evil.


Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight: I just started this one-- but I've been waiting for it to come out for months. Can't wait to really dig in. 

From the author of the New York Times bestseller and 2014 Edgar and Anthony nominee Reconstructing Amelia comes another harrowing, gripping novel that marries psychological suspense with an emotionally powerful story about a community struggling with the consequences of a devastating discovery.

At the end of a long winter, in bucolic Ridgedale, New Jersey, the body of an infant is discovered in the woods near the town’s prestigious university campus. No one knows who the baby is, or how her body ended up out there. But there is no shortage of opinions. 

When freelance journalist, and recent Ridgedale transplant, Molly Anderson is unexpectedly called upon to cover the story for the Ridegdale Reader, it’s a risk, given the severe depression that followed the loss of her own baby. But the bigger threat comes when Molly unearths some of Ridgedale’s darkest secrets, including a string of unreported sexual assaults that goes back twenty years. 

Meanwhile, Sandy, a high school dropout, searches for her volatile and now missing mother, and PTA president Barbara struggles to help her young son, who’s suddenly having disturbing outbursts. 

Told from the perspectives of Molly, Barbara, and Sandy, Kimberly McCreight’s taut and profoundly moving novel unwinds the tangled truth about the baby’s death revealing that these three women have far more in common than they realized. And that their lives are more intertwined with what happened to the baby than they ever could have imagined.

A Break For Lent

Source: www.openbible.info

I am taking a blogging break over Lent. If you're stopping by between February 18 and April 5, you will find no new posts. I plan to return with new material on April 6th. I hope you'll join me then!

In the meantime, please scroll back through my past posts, check out my most popular posts (in sidebar), and my "About Me" tab to learn more. 

And if you're looking for a speaker for your women's event, check out my "Need A Speaker?" tab at the top of the site. I'd love to come to your neck of the woods and share the "More To Your Story" message. 

I hope you enjoy this time of preparation for Easter. If you're giving up something, what is it?

In Praise of Productivity (A Book Roundup)

With the new year, my thoughts turned to becoming more productive. I am almost certain this happens to everyone around this time, but the difference was, for me, the thought stuck around past January 1. I've continued to read up on and seek out ways to become more productive, motivated, and effective in the areas of parenting, time management, organization, clutter, writing, exercise, etc. It wasn't that I wasn't doing these things before, I am just trying to do them better. As with all things in life, I turned to books to discover new ways I could do that. Here's a list (with descriptions) of the ones I've read or aim to read very soon:

What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam

Mornings are a madcap time for many of us. We wake up in a haze—often after hitting snooze a few times. Then we rush around to get ready and out the door so we can officially start the day. Before we know it, hours have slipped by without us accomplishing anything beyond downing a cup of coffee, dashing off a few emails, and dishing with our coworkers around the water cooler. By the time the workday wraps up, we’re so exhausted and defeated that any motivation to accomplish something in the evening has vanished.

But according to time management expert Laura Vanderkam, mornings hold the key to taking control of our schedules. If we use them wisely, we can build habits that will allow us to lead happier, more productive lives.

Drawing on real-life anecdotes and scientific research that shows why the early hours of the day are so important, Vanderkam reveals how successful people use mornings to help them accomplish things that are often impossible to take care of later in the day. While many of us are still in bed, these folks are scoring daily victories to improve their health, careers, and personal lives without sacrificing their sanity. For instance, former PepsiCo chairman and CEO Steve Reinemund would rise at 5:00 a.m., run four miles, pray, and eat breakfast with his family before heading to work to run a Fortune 500 company.

What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast is a fun, practical guide that will inspire you to rethink your morning routine and jump-start your life before the day has even begun. 

What The Most Successful People Do On The Weekends by Laura Vanderkam

Many of us breathe a grateful TGIF when Friday rolls around, envisioning a weekend full of both productivity and refreshment. Yet too often our precious weekends seem to disappear, eaten up by unproductive work or leisure that fails to energize us. Monday morning comes too fast, finding us still unrested, with too much still undone.

Time management expert Laura Vanderkam, continuing her series on What the Most Successful People Do, shows how we can take control of our weekends to get necessary R&R, while also using our downtime as a springboard to a productive week. 

Drawing on real-life anecdotes and scientific research, Vanderkam explains why doing nothing can be more exhausting than doing something and why happy people make weekend plans in advance. She shares weekend tips gleaned from busy people such as politician and talk show host Mike Huckabee, former CEO Frank Baxter, and TV producer Aliza Rosen. She reveals the kind of weekend activities that make people happiest, explains why it’s important to unplug at least for a little while, and shares the secret of why Sunday night may be the most important part of any weekend.  

What the Most Successful People Do On the Weekend is a fun, practical guide that will inspire you to rethink your weekends and start your workweek refreshed, renewed, and on track.  

How She Does It: An Everywoman's Guide to Breaking Old Rules, Getting Creative, and Making Time For Work in Your Actual Everyday Life by Anne Bogel

Today’s working woman looks a lot like you. 

She’s a: 
• stay-at-home mom, working on her passion at naptime 
• a part-time professional sharing childcare with her husband 
• a full-time creative planning a future on her own schedule 

She’s a woman – like you – with the opportunity to find fulfilling and profitable work without the mother guilt of previous generations. The possibilities are endless for today’s woman in this shifting work place – but the roadmap for getting there hasn’t quite been written. 

Until now. 

In How She Does It, author Anne Bogel unpacks these trends in family & work culture, and gets to the core of HOW you can make your work goals fit into your unique family situation. 

Inside, you’ll find the personal success stories of 30 women who found – by playing to their unique strengths– solutions that really work for their families. 

Better Than Before: Mastering The Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin

The author of the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home, tackles the critical question: How do we change? 
 
Gretchen Rubin's answer: through habits. Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life. It takes work to make a habit, but once that habit is set, we can harness the energy of habits to build happier, stronger, more productive lives.
 
So if habits are a key to change, then what we really need to know is: How do we change our habits?
 
Better than Before answers that question. It presents a practical, concrete framework to allow readers to understand their habits—and to change them for good. Infused with Rubin’s compelling voice, rigorous research, and easy humor, and packed with vivid stories of lives transformed, Better than Before explains the (sometimes counter-intuitive) core principles of habit formation. 
 
Along the way, Rubin uses herself as guinea pig, tests her theories on family and friends, and answers readers’ most pressing questions—oddly, questions that other writers and researchers tend to ignore: 

• Why do I find it tough to create a habit for something I love to do? 
• Sometimes I can change a habit overnight, and sometimes I can’t change a habit, no matter how hard I try. Why? 
• How quickly can I change a habit? 
• What can I do to make sure I stick to a new habit? 
• How can I help someone else change a habit?  
• Why can I keep habits that benefit others, but can’t make habits that are just for me? 

Whether readers want to get more sleep, stop checking their devices, maintain a healthy weight, or finish an important project, habits make change possible. Reading just a few chapters of Better Than Before will make readers eager to start work on their own habits—even before they’ve finished the book.

Listful Thinking: Using Lists To Be More Productive, Highly Successful, and Less Stressed by Paula  Rizzo

What do Madonna, Martha Stewart, John Lennon, Ellen DeGeneres, Ben Franklin, Ronald Reagan, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, and Johnny Cash have in common? Each is (or was) a list maker. These successful people, along with CEOs and successful entrepreneurs, all use lists to keep track of their ideas, thoughts, and tasks. Finding enough hours in the day to get everything accomplished and allow for some downtime can be a struggle. It's no wonder so many of us are stressed, overextended, andexhausted. More than half of all American employees feel overwhelmed, according to a study by the nonprofit Family and Work Institute. For the 54 percent of us who feel like we're chasing our own tails, Listful Thinking is here to prove that it doesn't have to be that way. You can still find time to relax, read a good book, and do the things you love. Listful Thinking is the book that will give readers their lives back with indispensible tips on saving time, getting organized, improving productivity, saving money, and reducing stress

Manage Your Day To Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus and Sharpen Your Creative Mind by Jocelyn Glei

Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky

According to productivity expert Scott Belsky, no one is born with the ability to drive creative projects to completion. Execution is a skill that must be developed by building your organizational habits and harnessing the support of your colleagues.

As the founder and CEO of Behance, a company on a mission to empower and organize the creative world, Belsky has studied the habits of especially productive individuals and teams across industries. Now he has compiled the principles and techniques they share, and presents a systematic approach to creative organization and productivity.

While many of us focus on generating and searching for great ideas, Belsky shows why it's better to develop the capacity to make ideas happen-a capacity that endures over time.


Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey

Franz Kafka, frustrated with his living quarters and day job, wrote in a letter to Felice Bauer in 1912, “time is short, my strength is limited, the office is a horror, the apartment is noisy, and if a pleasant, straightforward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle maneuvers.”
 
Kafka is one of 161 inspired—and inspiring—minds, among them, novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians, who describe how they subtly maneuver the many (self-inflicted) obstacles and (self-imposed) daily rituals to get done the work they love to do, whether by waking early or staying up late; whether by self-medicating with doughnuts or bathing, drinking vast quantities of coffee, or taking long daily walks. Thomas Wolfe wrote standing up in the kitchen, the top of the refrigerator as his desk, dreamily fondling his “male configurations”. . . Jean-Paul Sartre chewed on Corydrane tablets (a mix of amphetamine and aspirin), ingesting ten times the recommended dose each day . . . Descartes liked to linger in bed, his mind wandering in sleep through woods, gardens, and enchanted palaces where he experienced “every pleasure imaginable.”

Here are: Anthony Trollope, who demanded of himself that each morning he write three thousand words (250 words every fifteen minutes for three hours) before going off to his job at the postal service, which he kept for thirty-three years during the writing of more than two dozen books . . . Karl Marx . . . Woody Allen . . . Agatha Christie . . . George Balanchine, who did most of his work while ironing . . . Leo Tolstoy . . . Charles Dickens . . . Pablo Picasso . . . George Gershwin, who, said his brother Ira, worked for twelve hours a day from late morning to midnight, composing at the piano in pajamas, bathrobe, and slippers . . .

Here also are the daily rituals of Charles Darwin, Andy Warhol, John Updike, Twyla Tharp, Benjamin Franklin, William Faulkner, Jane Austen, Anne Rice, and Igor Stravinsky (he was never able to compose unless he was sure no one could hear him and, when blocked, stood on his head to “clear the brain”).

Brilliantly compiled and edited, and filled with detail and anecdote, Daily Rituals is irresistible, addictive, magically inspiring.

(I am linking this post to Modern Mrs. Darcy's monthly book roundup.)