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 the October 1 posting of the IWSG are Beth Camp, Crystal Collier, and Cathrina Constantine!
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

 

October 1 question - What is the most favorite thing you have written, published or not? And why?

As far as readership, Silverhills.  As far as my personal favorite, Keeper Tyree. I like the character. He’s middle-aged, flawed, rough around the edges and a hard man. But he’s fair and he’ll go to the wall, and beyond, for anyone he cares about.

September/October Reviews in no particular order.

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

 

MIRACLES AND GHOSTS PAST by D. L. Finn

This is a delightful collection of Christmas shorts with a twist. In each story there’s a ghost to lend a helping hand.

In THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN MYSTERY a woman’s first step to a new beginning is a murder/mystery dinner train trip.

CHRISTMAS RESCUE~*~ If you read many D.L. Finn stories, you know that somewhere in the book you are going to encounter an animal rescue. This is the story😊

IS THERE A SANTA?~*~ To my mind, of all the wonderful stories, this is the best. The characters are extraordinarily  developed and their emotions pour off the pages as a widower tries to hold his family together at Christmas.

SHE’S HOME ALONE~*~ A young girl must outwit an intruder.

AFTER A WAR COMES CHRISTMAS ~*~ This story centers on civil unrest and is timely considering the unease in America right now.

A GIFT FOR KATIE~*~A woman in need gets an unexpected inheritance and  is unsure whether she should accept it.

CHRISTMAS AFTER LOSS~*~A mysterious soldier throws light on Sheila’s  husband’s unexpected death.

ELEVATOR SANTA~*~Mindy gets stuck on the elevator with an unexpected passenger.

I highly recommend this book of shorts. It’s perfect for the Christmas season. So, grab your cocoa and cookies, put up your feet and enjoy the read.

Available at Amazon 

 

GUARDIANS OF MOTHER EARTH by Zea Perez

These are such sweet stories. And more importantly they impart information to our young people about ecology, and the importance of being a caretaker of the earth. Each story centers around a plant or tree or other forms of nature learning how important they are to the universe and that no matter how small, they can play a large part in saving their own personal piece of the universe. Among the cast of characters are Bon, the bonsai tree, Pitchy the pitcher plant and Venus the flytrap plant. All on a mission to save their homes.

A fun read and a lovely teaching tool with entertaining illustrations.

Available at Amazon 

 

FIRST FROST by Craig Johnson. Book 20 in the Longmire Series.

I love Craig Johnson's writing.  The Longmire Series is outstanding. This story for me was entertaining and had plenty of twists and turns, but it just wasn't quite as good as some of his others. Though, not quite as good, is still heads above many other reads that are out there:)

Available at Amazon 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AND

 

Did you know, the author of  Rip Van Winkle--and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow--Washington Irving, suffered from insomnia? 

 

Sources: 

100 Interesting Facts about Famous Authors – Interesting Literature 

Washington Irving, New York Writer, Sleepy Hollow | Literary Traveler 

 

 

 

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 the July 2 posting of the IWSG are Rebecca Douglass, Natalie Aguirre, Cathrina Constantine, and Louise Barbour!

 

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!

July 2 question - Is there a genre you haven't tried writing in yet that you really want to try? If so, do you plan on trying it?

Nope.

When I first started writing, I was all over the board. I wrote whatever genre tickled my fancy. Fiction (of various genres). Non-fiction, you name it. A writer friend suggested I find a genre and stick with it. I didn’t pay any attention to that sage advice until  I started writing Westerns and realized I’d found my niche. I do occasionally meander in to time travel and shapeshifting😉 but whatever I write must have a Western theme.  Don’t misunderstand me. My sales aren’t anywhere near where I’d like them to be, but more solid than any other genre I’ve ever written in.  What about you, have you found your niche or is there something new your muse is urgently whispering you try?

 

June/July Reviews in no particular order.

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

 

GRATITUDE AND NO FAIRY TALE by D. L. Finn

This is such a wonderful collection of poetry.  It both concentrates on nature and shares a part of the author’s inner self, the poems written with a delicate, expressive style.

 I loved all her works but my absolute favorite was The Door.

The opening lines:

“You thought you had found it;

Your forever home,

As they carried you through the door.

You ate, you slept, you loved them,

And there’s much, much more in this vein.

I’m a Finn Fan and highly recommend this addition to her collection of poetry.

Available at Amazon 

 

AUNT SOPHIE’S DIAMONDS  by Joan Smith

This is a reread for me and to my way of thinking one of Ms. Smith's best.  I love a good regency when I'm after escapism reading.  To my way of thinking Joan Smith and Marian Devon were the best authors of this genre.  Their style: witty and entertaining, with just the right amount of romance sprinkled in.

Highly recommended. Available at Amazon

 

 

 

 

WILES OF A STRANGER by Joan Smith

Another great Joan Smith read filled with her classic wit and humor, with just the right amount of romance thrown in. Highly recommended. Available at Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NIGHTSHADE by Michael Connelly

Another winner.

Some of Connelly’s books, I really enjoy. Others I’m lukewarm on. NIGHTSHADE turned out to be a ‘really enjoy’.  The author has introduced a new character, Detective Stilwell who has been transferred to Catalina Island because of inner office politics.  The rural setting suits Stilwell to a T. Then the country quiet erupts, as murder raises its ugly head. Now its up to Stilwell to bring justice to the deceased.

Connelly has created a character who is a bit more subtle and less in-your-face than Bosch. Though thankfully, he retains Bosch’s refusal to quit until the crime has been solved, regardless of the consequences, attitude. Highly recommended.

Available at Amazon 

 

PIONEER SUN by MK Alexander

Insightful. 

Calvin Hobbes, from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, visits retired engineer Henry Humes. What he learns there upends his life and sends him questing for answers about a magnetic field in interplanetary space. And modern algorithms may help him find them.

While Calvin’s team is searching for what’s out there, what’s out there is keeping an eye on earth, where political unrest has only gotten stronger and is spreading throughout the world. Now earth must figure out if there are aliens among us and do they mean us harm….and vice versa.

MK Alexander is a master at world building and character development. I found PIONEER SUN to be a very insightful read—especially considering the times we live in—with some unexpected twists. Highly recommended for MK Alexander fans. If you enjoyed his other works, I suggest you add this to your TBR list.

Available at Amazon 

 

AND

 

Did you know,  Washington Irving (author of Rip Van Winkle) first used the term "Gotham City" to describe New York? 

 

150 Interesting Facts About Our Favorite Authors [Infographic]