Showing posts with label Shakespeare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shakespeare. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

IWSG Wednesday AND Did You Know Thursday

 


 

The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. IWSG was formed by Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh. Members post about their doubts and fears, discuss struggles and triumphs, and offer words of encouragement to others who are struggling.

 

Twitter handle: @TheIWSG  

Hashtag: #IWSG 


Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!


Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for

June 3 posting of the IWSG are Victoria Marie Lees, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and C. Lee McKenzie!


Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Remember, the question is optional

June 3 question - Do most of your story ideas come from one place (the news, dreams, etc.) or do they hit from all over the place?

 

That’s an interesting question.  I’d have to say all over the place. I’ve written books around a particular book title I’d decided on, an unusual topic on the news, and movies and movie stars that inspired me. One of my books was written at the request of my brother. He was fascinated by an 1873 Model Winchester that was found in the Great Basin National Park leaning up against a juniper tree in 2014. How it got there was a mystery. Hence Geller’s Find.😊.

 

May/June Reviews in no particular order.

* Disclaimer. If I run into an occasional typo, I ignore them and don't factor them into my review.

 

GIANT SHREWS FROM OUTER SPACE by Sylvia Kay Rose

SHREWS is another dark comedic, sci fi horror written in Rose’s uniquely audacious style. Teenager Claire Lawford and her mother Linda end up in the dying town of Abundance, Ontario when Linda’s car gives up the ghost. Unfortunately, the town’s residents aren’t particularly friendly to strangers and gouge Linda for everything she has, which isn’t much at this point. But that’s the tip of the iceberg for our heroines’ travails. The people in town are disappearing and being murdered in a particularly gruesome fashion. Now it’s up to Claire and her new friend Andy, that she meets while she and her mother are stranded, to save the town and its people. Throw killer shrews from outer space and ghosts from an abandoned mine into the mix and you have an entertaining read that’s hard to put down.

The characters are well-developed. The conversations are fun and engaging. And the world-building is first rate. I highly recommend it for readers that enjoy humor and sci fi intertwined with their horror or those that just want an entertaining, well told tale by an author who delivers.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

HOMEPORT by Nora Roberts

An art expert—Dr. Miranda Jones—and an art thief—Ryan Boldari—find themselves joining forces when Dr. Jones reputation and life are on the line. This is probably my favorite romantic suspense by Nora. She delivers a strong romance interwoven with chilling suspense that will keep you reading.  A must for Nora fans.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

 

 

 

DIE TRYING by Lee Child

I’m a huge Jack Reacher fan. DIE TRYING is one of Child’s earlier Reacher novels and like the rest of the series, delivers. As usual, Reacher finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

When a young female FBI agent gets abducted, he gets caught in the net too. Unfortunately, the FBI thinks Reacher is one of the kidnappers and plans to deal with him according.

If you are a Reacher fan and haven’t read this one yet, I highly recommend it.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

 

LOST SISTER By MK Alexander

In Book 4 of the SEVEN SISTERS Series, Milo and his crew set off for the Lost Colony. A voyage from which no one has ever returned. The journey is filled with peril and unexpected challenges, along with a new birdman friend and a mechanical man, whose handshake dispenses Urchin worms. One obstacle after another is thrown in their path but they persevere until they finally arrive at the Lost Colony where they will face the greatest challenge of all.

I thoroughly enjoyed the read and recommend it to anyone who loves steampunk sci-fi or a well-told tale.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

THE SECRET OF SECRETS by Dan Brown

Dan Brown once again weaves an intricate, suspense-filled puzzle with his latest rendering. As with his other novels, there’re unexpected twists and turns when Katherine Solomon’s—Robert Langdon’s current love interest—manuscript on consciousness is stolen and destroyed, and people they know are being murdered. Once again Professor Langdon’s knowledge of symbols and codes will help him solve the mysteries of the murders and discover who has gone to such lengths to make sure Katherine’s manuscript is never published…and why.

 Available at Amazon

 

AND

Did you know, the phrases: In a pickle, Green-eyed Monster, Dead as a door nail, All of a sudden, Off with his head, Night owl, Wear your heart on your sleeve, and Fair play all originated with Shakespeare?

For more information: 150 Interesting Facts About Our Favorite Authors [Infographic] 

 


 

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

IWSG Wednesday and Did You Know

 


 

The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. IWSG was formed by Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh. Members post about their doubts and fears, discuss struggles and triumphs, and offer words of encouragement to others who are struggling.

 

Twitter handle: @TheIWSG  

Hashtag: #IWSG 

 

April/May Reviews in no particular order.

* Disclaimer. If I run into an occasional typo, I ignore them and don't factor them into my review.

 

BADLANDS by Jacqui Murray

BADLANDS is the second in Ms. Murray’s Savage Lands Trilogy. In it, prehistoric man takes on nature in all her fury and survives.

While Yu’ung’s tribe led by B’o, Yu’ung’s hunting partner, and Shanadar, a rather unique young man😊, journey to a safer land, Yu’ung and Ocha, the proto-wolf, accompany Old One, the tribal elder, on his final journey.

Danger is faced on all fronts by the split tribe. Stalked by predators both two-legged and four-legged, they race to stay ahead of nature, whose rumblings are loud, long, and life-threatening.

Once again, the author delivers a fascinating fictionalized version of man’s history, wrapped in fact. A must read for Jacqui Murray fans—of which I am one—and for those who love prehistoric fiction or just enjoy a good tale.

Available at Amazon

 

 

TAXMAN by MK Alexander

This is a short fiction about the dangers of trying to improve on democracy, especially where money, politicians and special interests are concerned. The author takes a simple idea for revising the tax code and leaves the reader wondering, what if….

A well-written, thought-provoking read that I thoroughly enjoyed.  

Available at Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

MILLARD FILLMORE: AMERICA’S 13TH PRESIDENT (ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRESIDENTS SECOND SERIES) by Dan Santow

I enjoyed learning about our 13th President. I knew very little about him. Let me rephrase. I knew nothing about him. 😊

My take aways: He grew up very poor, had little schooling, and pulled himself up by the bootstraps. He read everything he could get his hands on and bought himself a dictionary to familiarize himself with every word he came across that he didn't know. AND he belonged to the Unitarian church, which I didn't realize had been established in the 1800s.

To summarize, I found the book well-written, interesting and salient.

Available at Amazon

 

MURDER SHE GLAMPED by April Nunn Coker

This is book 34 of 34 in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles and take place at a camp resort near Magnolia Bluff. As frequently happens in the Magnolia Bluff vicinity, people are getting murdered and it’s happening on Mamie’s watch while she temporarily manages the campsite.

There are plenty of interesting characters to go round in this latest addition of the Chronicles, including two cute dogs and a hedgehog. Christian Cozy Mystery Readers and Christian Romance Readers will especially enjoy this one.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

 

SCANDAL BROTH, M’LADY RIDES FOR A FALL, FORTUNES OF THE HEART, LADY HARRIET TAKES CHARGE, SIR SHAM, ESCAPADE, GEORGIANA, MISS OSBORNE MISBEHAVES by Marian Devon

I had a Marian Devon reading fest. In my humble opinion, no one wrote Regency Romance like Marian Devon. The best in her genre, bar none. When I’m depressed or have jangling nerves from reading too many thrillers, I turn to these old friends. They are light, frothy, humorous and always well-written. Highly recommended if you are looking for fun escapism.

On a personal note, I always love to hear about authors who taught at community colleges. This one taught at Central Piedmont.

Available at  Amazon

 

SAND CITY MURDERS by MK Alexander

This is the first of the Tractus Fynn Mystery Series

Tractus is a polite, well-spoken, time-traveling detective who soft and hard jumps back and forth through time in pursuit of the murderous Mortimer.  He makes friends with Patrick Jardel (again), a small-time reporter with an excellent memory, and enlists his aid in the hunt for Mortimer.

Solving the murders hinge on shoes…or lack thereof.

Besides creating distinctive and well-developed characters, the author excels at world building, making the reader feel they are strolling down the streets of Sand City right beside its citizenry. The mystery is woven into Jardel’s daily life as he tries to solve multiple murders in a timeline that keeps changing. 

Recommended for folks that like their mysteries intertwined with small town goings-on or just enjoy a well-told tale.

Available at Amazon

 

And

 

Are you journaling or writing poetry on the back of a motorcycle like Denise does? There's all sorts of uses for this beautiful notebook. You can find it at the Gratitude Store.



And

Did you know, the term green-eyed monster came from Shakespeare?

150 Interesting Facts About Our Favorite Authors [Infographic]