I can really relate to this book!

I've been reading ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MIRACLE (A Year of Food Life) by Barbara Kingsolver along with her husband Steven Hopp and daughter Camille Kingsolver.
The family moved from AZ to a farm in Virginia and resolved to spend at least a year eating only what they grow or bartering with neighbors.
I'm learning so much about growing vegetables and the science of growing things. I grew up on a farm and we always had a large vegetable garden and most of our meals were centered around these foods, but nothing like this! I'm not sure I could go to the extent that this family did. I'm not one to get my hands dirty. Sure, I enjoy eating fresh herbs from our little garden, but when it comes to digging up potatoes, I'm not so sure.
I told Ron last night that I'd like to visit a working organic farm. You know, spend a week working on the farm, eating food grown right there and plucked minutes before dinner is prepared. I'm not sure what I will do about getting my hands dirty though. Maybe I'll put those pretty gloves I bought a year ago to good use.
I encourage you to read this book. It will change the way you look at food and help you realize that you are what you eat.

Sh*t My Dad Says is hilarious!

I'm reading SH*T My Dad Says and it's cracking me up. You gotta read this unless you're allergic to laughing. It's a small book and can be read in one sitting . . . easily. Heck, maybe you can read it while sitting in one of the comfy chairs at Barnes n Noble. I've been known to do that a time or two.

EXAMPLE: ON THE MEDICINAL EFFECTS OF BACON:
"You worry too much. Eat some bacon . . . What? No, I got no idea if it'll make you feel better, I just made too much bacon."

Sometimes you just have to read something that is corny and "out there." That's also why I like the author David Sedaris. He's WAY out there, but I love to read his books.

During the holidays take time to read.

Reading Julie & Julia

You've probably seen the movie Julie & Julia, but have you read the book? It is so much better than the movie, if that's even possible. The author, Julie Powell doesn't even know how to cook before she embarks on this humongous project of making every recipe in Julia Child's famous cookbook.


I'll tell you one thing, she's got more guts than I do. You wouldn't catch me boiling calf hooves or scraping the marrow out of a cow thigh bone. Her description of boiling lobsters is hilarious. Plus, she has a potty mouth which doesn't come across in the movie.

I can relate to her since I'm writing a cookbook and doing several blogs. Thankfully my husband is very supportive and cooks right alongside me.

As soon as I finish reading this book I'm going to rent the movie again.

I'm so EXCITED I can't stand it!

My latest book has been published and I'm waiting for my proof copy to arrive. It should be here in today's mail. I feel like a kid at Christmas, jumping at every noise, thinking it might be Santa . . .  er . . . the mailman.

My novel, RAIL KILLERS is for teens. It's written from a fifteen year old boy's perspective and it's all about his dream of getting to Woodward West Skateboard Camp. His parents make him earn the money himself and that's no small feat. Especially since he'd rather be skating.

If you are a parent of a teen you will be glad to know my main character "Josh Strong" takes the high road and doesn't compromise his morals.

If you are a teen you will empathize with Josh.

The most important thing about this novel is that 10% of all proceeds on every book sold will be donated to GRIND FOR LIFE, a non-profit organization that helps skaters with cancer. The founder Mike Rogers, has written the foreward for RAIL KILLERS. He is a professional skate boarder and two time cancer survivor.

HOPEFULLY, by the weekend I can give you the link to my publisher and you can order my book. 

Talk about a POWERFUL book!

I read Beatrice and Virgil this weekend. I didn't know very much about the book before I read it, except it's author is Yann Martel. He wrote Life of Pi also, which I found thought provoking.

There aren't too many books that bring me to tears and grip my heart. This one did.

If you haven't read it, I encourage you to do so. I don't want to say much more about it until you do. It's a fast read.

Have you read Suite Francaise?

Beginning in Paris the first night of the Nazi occupation in the 1940's, the novel Suite Francaise, tells a remarkable story of men and women thrown together in circumstances beyond their control.

The locals learn to co-exist with their enemy as they enter their homes and their hearts.

The remarkable thing about this novel is the author, Irene Nemirovsky, a highly successful writer from Paris was a Jew and was arrested and deported to Auschwitz, where she died. The novel was hidden for 64 years and was published in 2007. There is an Appendix at the end with the author's notes and how she intended to end the novel.

I have nearly four hundred books that are begging me to read them in my home library. I have devised a method of choosing which one to read next by reading them alphabetically, by author. My next book will be by an author with the last name starting with an "L". I started with "A" and then went to "Z" next.

So, I'm heading upstairs to my library to choose my next book. 

See you tomorrow!

One Book I Couldn't Put Down!

Have you ever read a book that seemed to be glued to your fingers? You took it to the bathroom, stuffed it in your purse, carried it from room to room and fell asleep with it laying on your chest in bed. You haven't?

Then I bet you haven't read Life of Pi.

Click on this link to view the book on Amazon.
 http://www.amazon.com/Life-Pi-Yann-Martel/dp/0156027321/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290442591&sr=1-1


Have you read it? What did you think? I don't want to spoil the ending if you haven't had a chance to read it, but all I can say is you need to read this book.

Let me know what you think.