RV Living: The Naked Hippies Way

RV LIVING: The Naked Hippies Way

Live Your Dreams. Don't wait for "Someday"

The sub-title of this book, SUCH good advice. 

But all too often, it's so easy to put our dreams on hold for "someday". 

And that day might never come. 

Although I have no interest in become a full-time RVer, I just LOVED THIS BOOK!

RV Living by Trisha Barnes is so much more than just a guide to living the RV lifestyle. 

The author's story (actually her and her hubby's) and their advice may be helpful to anyone who is contemplating a lifelong dream, perhaps sitting on the fence about a decision to change their own lifestyle in a big way, starting over, second chances, shifting gears...the list goes on and on.

Interesting, funny, practical advice and most of all, oh so inspiring!

I was so impressed by this book that I plan to follow up (and SOON) with their mentoring program, offered at the end of the book. And offered in a friendly, non-pushy way! I appreciated that as there is nothing that turns me off more than resource books that are just one big ad for the author's other products/books. You definitely(and thankfully!) won't find that here.

From the Amazon product page:

Living in an RV is not everyone’s dream …but everyone has a dream. 

This is not an RV living for beginners "how-to" guide…it is written as a motivational "why to" live YOUR dreams NOW, no matter what your dream is. 

Whether you dream of full time RV living or your dream is far removed from the RV living lifestyle, the story of how we began living the RV dream will be one that will give you hope, encouragement and belief that anything is possible and your dream can come true, just as it did for us. 

RV Living: The Naked Hippies Way will show you that: 

No dream is too big or off limits. 

The stories shared about our how our dream of RV living full time came true are meant to inspire and motivate you to live your dreams, all of them, no matter what your dreams are. There is no dream that is deemed off limits. The life you want also wants you. 

Waiting for “someday” is betting against time. 

Far too many people put off living their dreams thinking there’s still time, later on, to do what they love … that someday they will do what their heart continually tugs at them to be and do in life. We learned from personal experience that waiting for “someday” is not an option. The only time is NOW to begin to live your dreams. 

Miracles happen when your desire to live your dream is unshakable. 

Whatever is holding you back from living your dreams now, our experiences shared in this book will help you begin to put into motion the creation and manifestation of your dream right now. You’ll begin to see that anything is possible, that unexpected miracles and synchronicities will come your way ... and that whatever you think right now is your reason to wait ... that will change and dissolve as you move in the direction of your dream. 

You can start from where you are, with what you have. 

The starting point for living your dreams is first the desire, then the decision, which is exactly how our dream became real. We didn’t know how or when it would happen; we didn’t even have the means to purchase an RV. We just never gave up on the dream and continually believed in it happening … and it did. 

And for the RVers and RV Dreamers: 

Because we do live, travel and work full time in our RV on the never-ending road trip, included in the chapters are some of our RV living secrets that have helped us live and travel simply, cheaply and safely which will definitely help anyone who is thinking about or already living the RV dream. You'll discover there are always solutions and opportunities to live your dream now instead of waiting for “someday.” 

Well done Naked Hippies ;-) you are my kind of people!

Overall rating for this eBook: Excellent. 5 out of 5

Mr. Cheddar's Meowsings! Kibbles of Wisdom from a Wise and Witty Feline

Mr. Cheddar is now a published feline!!! ;-)

You can read all about his new ebook here. 

Happy Reading and Week from me and (feline author): Mr. C!!!

A Body at Bunco (Myrtle Clover cozy mystery series, book 8 )

A BODY AT BUNCO 

When I noted this cozy mystery by Elizabeth Spann Craig (click to visit her site/blog) at Amazon recently, it was the word "bunco" in the title that caught my attention first.  

Many years ago, my mom hosted bunco parties. 
At that time, I was a little girl, sneaking out of bed to see what was going on with all these ladies moving around our living room and porch, the tables, the treats...what a nice memory it brought to mind. :-)

And In case you haven't heard of BUNCO, it's a dice party game that is apparently still quite popular now.

A Body at Bunco was a real treat and Myrtle Clover is my kind of main character.

 Myrtle is spunky, sassy, opinionated (in a good way) and lives life on her own terms. 

And In spite of being in her 80s, she is not portrayed as some achy, whining older woman (which has all too often been the case in other books I've read), who is past doing anything constructive or exciting, Myrtle is still living life full-tilt and making the most of every day! ;-)

The story has LOTS of twists and turns and red herrings left along the way. Had me guessing who the real killer(s) was too, I like that. I don't like stories with obvious finales almost right from the start, that are too obvious.

Another plus with this series, the stories can be read in any order. Too often books in a series don't make sense, unless they are read in order from book 1...I appreciate that. 

I will definitely be reading more from the Myrtle Clover series! :-) Just delightful.  

Overall rating for this book: Very Good. 4 out of 5

Have a Beautiful, Memorable Summer! :-)

I'm taking a blog break for the next few weeks, at all of my blogs. 

I will still be writing a few reviews at Amazon.ca and Amazon.com during that time, so if you have a book or product you'd like me to consider for review, you can send me an email with your proposal. (See the top of the home page here for more info. about submitting review proposals.)

I'm going to be spending more time outside, enjoying the sunshine and working on a few projects too. 

I'll be back before autumn, with more reviews and hopefully some new contests too. Hope to see you then.

In the meantime, have a safe and happy summer. I hope it's your best one ever! :-)

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy

This really WAS one of the best $1's I've ever spent, for this kindle book. ;-)

An amazing book, from start to finish. Life-changing!!!

Read my full review here.

Happy Reading! :-)

Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5. 

Murder & Moonflowers by Leslie Leigh

Woohooo...my 1000 Amazon review, posted today! :-)

Murder & Moonflowers by Leslie Leigh  (click to read full review)

A fun cozy mystery with a delightful twist. 

Happy Reading and Weekend, G


Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5. 

Street Magic by William Hammett

This is one of the best novels that I've read in a LONG time! 

And even better, this story was written by a long-time, talented blog pal of mine: Billy Hammett.

Read my full review here.

Happy Reading!

Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

Cookbook Countdown!!!

I've made the end of February, my deadline for completing my newest cookbook.

You can read all the details here, including an upcoming free Kindle book promo and sample recipe.

Wish me luck! :-) 

Happy Cooking and Weekend. 

Believe by Louise

I just love this little eBook! 

I re-read it several times a week, on my Kindle Fire HD. 

A quick pick-me-up that always makes me smile! :-)

Read my full review here.

Overall rating for this eBook: Excellent. 5 out of 5

Getting to Mr. Right by Carol Balawyder

This is a terrific new book written by my long-time blog pal: Carol Balawyder.

You can read my full review here:

If you are looking for a good book to curl up with this weekend, you might want to check this one out!

Happy Reading and Weekend! :-)

Overall rating for this book/eBook: Excellent. 5 out of 5

How I Roll by J. Bryant Neville Jr.

How I Roll by Bryant Neville Jr. is not the kind of book I normally pick to read. But I noted it on one of the Top 100 Kindle lists at Amazon recently, for inspirational books and decided to give it a try. I'm so glad that I did.

I was inspired by Bryant's true life story of how he has faced his disability head-on, from the young age of 17, when he was involved in a car accident to the present day, at age 47.

I learned a lot about the reality of what it means to live life in a wheelchair and how a person with a disability like this must learn to adapt to so many "givens" that we take for granted, like going to the bathroom, bathing, showering... etc. Although I'm rather a squeamish person, I did not find these references particularly gross or hard to read; just enlightening. 

It certainly put my own (by comparison, small) challenges over the years into perspective too. How Bryant has adjusted and gone on to having a very successful life in every way, is truly inspiring for anyone who reads this book. 

His disability obviously changed his life forever, but it certainly didn't defeat him. He has accomplished so much, in spite of his disability including: graduating from college, rising up through the ranks for several upper-level employers and raising a family of his own.  

I thought the book was well written, in a realistic but still for the most part, sensitive way.

Bryant has an incredible family who really helped him to get to where he has in life, in spite of his disability. I was touched by the love that he conveyed for all the people who are close to him, including many friends who stuck by him, through the years. In that respect, Bryant is blessed so much more, than many people in similar circumstances.

There was only one sentence that I found a bit surprising and insensitive and this was not in relation to Bryant's injury. It was in reference to a weekend at the Daytona 500 when one of the drivers was tragically killed in a race. 

When asked by a friend after the weekend was over, how things had gone and if he had HAD FUN, Bryant replied: 

"Absolutely! The seats were amazing and everyone had a blast."

Wow, that didn't sound right and it bothered me, reading this. 

Other than that, a good book and one that I definitely think would help a lot of people who are struggling with big challenges and adjustments in life (of any kind) as Bryant has so capably done.

I did not find the book overly religious either. I don't like that in a book and I didn't agree with some comments from other reviewers over at Amazon, in this regard. Obviously, Bryant's faith is important to him and that is conveyed throughout this story, but not in a preachy or overbearing way.

Overall rating for this Ebook: Very Good. 4 out of 5. 

Book Launch: Laughing AT the Grim Reaper!

Ta da....

My newest book/Ebook is now available at Amazon.com. 

You can read all about it here.

A labor of love, comes to fruition! 

I'm smiling, in a big way. :-) People were telling me when I was out and about today, that I was actually glowing!!!  

Happy Reading and Weekend!

First Sight by Danielle Steel

I was a fan of Danielle Steel's novels, about 20 years ago.

 

A good friend of mine at the time, got me "hooked" on her books and I read more than 20 of them during the next few years. But for reasons unknown, I gradually stopped reading her new releases and moved on to other authors.

I noted the book cover for First Sight by Danielle Steel a novel published this past summer, while I was doing a recent browse at the Kindle store and thought I'd give this author another try.

 

I'm a sucker for great book covers (aren't we all) and this one certainly is. 

 

And I was curious to see if I would enjoy one of this author's more recent books, as much as I had her earlier novels.

So, I got a copy from our local library and settled in for what I hoped would be a satisfying escape from the dreary grey afternoon that we had that day.

 

Well, as they say: you can't always tell a book by it's cover.

 

And in this case, it was all downhill after turning that first page.

Wow, what's happened to Danielle Steel's writing?
 

I got as far as Chapter 2 and that was it for me.

I remember her books from years ago as: easy, entertaining stories with believable characters, often exotic settings and travel. And with dialogue and narration that flowed smoothly.

 

This story was, in a word:

 

ANNOYING!

Oh (spare me!!!) the details, repeated over and over and over....

Yes, I got it (the first time):

 

-the protaganist: Timmie is a good but not flashy dresser.

 

-yes, Timmie is a good employer and her staff love her.

 

And yes...

 

- Timmie has had a series of bad relationships with toy-boys hanging on to her coattails for whatever they can get.

 

And stop talking incessantly about wearing a real fur jacket and carrying an alligator handbag Ms. Steel. It's no longer considered to be in good taste or chic and by a lot of people, to be wearing animals; haven't you heard?

Boring, pretentious and just plain bad.

Now, I HAVE read my last Danielle Steel novel, that I am sure of.

 

And yes, I'm so glad it was a copy from the library. 

 

Overall rating for this book: BAD. 0 out of 5

The Goodbye Quilt by Susan Wiggs

                                                               

You know those days when you've already put in a busy, busy morning and happily, the afternoon is free? The sofa beckons invitingly, to curl up for the afternoon with an entertaining book. And one with a story that's not too much work by way of  plot twists and turns.  Well, I had one of those days yesterday and I completed: The Goodbye Quilt by Susan Wiggs before it was time to start supper.

I enjoyed this book for many reasons: Ms. Wiggs  has a true gift for bringing her characters and their surroundings to life adding to the story with each turned page. And I have always loved quilts and the (idea of!) making one. A very special quilt plays a key part in this story of a middle-aged mother (Linda Davis) and her teenage daughter (Molly) who together embark on a trip across the U.S. to arrive a week later at the college town where Molly will soon begin a new and exciting phase in her life. It was an engaging read that continued to entertain to the last page, complete with a happy ending!

A lot of memories and thoughts from the past came back to me, reading this book. Some good, some sad... My own relationship with my dear mom when I was in my late teens. The "I know it all and so much more than you do" attitude that we (my friends and I) all seemed to have in regard to anyone over 30, our parents especially. The gentle coaxing (to no avail) of my parents when they could see I was heading in a direction (I left university to get married) that I would live to regret years later. It all came flooding back as I came along for the ride with Linda and Molly.

If I had to pick out the strongest point of Susan Wiggs' writing style, it would definitely be her ability to breathe life into each character and make them believable throughout the book. One downside: I did feel that the repetitious "whinny" tone of daughter Molly a bit much by the end of the book. True to life I'm sure, for many families with teenagers but it did get to be a tad tedious.

I know that Ms. Wiggs has a large fan base of readers and I can understand why. I plan to check out some of her other novels in the future too.

If you are looking for a light read that will especially appeal to empty-nesters, soon to be empty nesters and quilt-lovers too, you might want to check this one out.

                               

From the Amazon product page: Linda Davis's local fabric shop is a place where women gather to share their creations: quilts commemorating important events in their lives. Wedding quilts, baby quilts, memorial quilts—each is bound tight with dreams, hopes and yearnings.

Now, as her only child readies for college, Linda is torn between excitement for Molly and heartache for herself. Who will she be when she is no longer needed in her role as mom? What will become of her days? Of her marriage?

Mother and daughter decide to share one last adventure together—a cross-country road trip to move Molly into her dorm. As they wend their way through the heart of the country, Linda stitches together the scraps that make up Molly's young life. And in the quilting of each bit of fabric—the hem of a christening gown, a snippet from a Halloween costume—Linda discovers that the memories of a shared journey can come together in a way that will keep them both warm in the years to come….

Overall rating for this book: Very Good. 4 out of 5.

More... Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things from Reader's Digest Books

 I love books about saving money and using every day "around the house" items for double, triple and more duty. I was so pleased to receive a copy of More Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things from Reader's Digest Books, as a gift. It's been a fun and worthwhile read and a book that I have referred to several times already, in the past couple of months.

This is a book jam-packed with all sorts of useful tips and a few, kind of strange but still entertaining.  Brown eyeliner as an emergency lipstick NOT!!! For the most part though, some really good information shared here, all in one nicely presented, large format book over 300 pages in total.

Just a few of the hundreds of suggestions/tips included in this book:

•  use indelible markers to cover up minor nicks in furniture
• use a small piece of two-sided velcro as a temporary fix for a cupboard that won't stay closed
• sooth chapped lips with a drop of olive or canola oil
• cuticles, try a drop of olive or sweet almond oil for discouraging hangnails
• mist a hair-covered (pet) garment with water, put in the dryer with a damp towel and air dry for a few minutes to remove the hair
• repair a sole with a hole with a duct tape as a temporary fix
• tie up a garden hose for winter storage with lengths of cut old panty hose
• repel caterpillers from your garden with onion juice
• reuse an old briefcase as a toolbox. great for car tools for the trunk

The list goes on and on and on....

From the Amazon product page: "The thirteen chapters focus on an integral part of everyday life. For the Cook: Learn how to extend the life of vegetables, tried-and-true methods for baking bread, and 10 kitchen uses for salt. For the Housekeeper: Discover faster, easier cleaning ideas, such as remove carpet stains with peanut butter, and 10 ways to clean with lemon. For the Handyman (or woman): Silence squeaky hinges with shaving cream, remove rust from tools by rubbing them with a slice of raw potato dipped in salt, and 10 neat home-repair uses for nail polish."


Yes, some of these tips I already knew about such as cleaning with vinegar, baking soda, reuseable washable wipes etc. But even for those, it's nice to have them all available in one, big reference book.

This would make a great gift for yourself. Also for students or young couples just moving/starting out. New home buyers as a thoughtful housewarming gift. A lot of money to be saved here and also a fun read too.

A book bargain at Amazon right now, on sale for less than $7! Check it out here.

Overall rating for this book: Very Good. 4 out of 5.

The Official Fan Guide to The Fugitive by Mel Proctor

The Fugitive starring David Janssen was a TV series from the 1960's that had a huge fan base then and that interest  continues 40 years later. There have been years of re-runs on TV and recently, the DVD's of this series were finally released. This again has put this TV classic front and center for past and new fans, young and old.

I was just a kid when The Fugitive was first on the air but I remember it as being "the show" that everyone was watching. When the series wrapped in 1967, the final episode, The Judgement Part 1 and 2 had the highest rating of all time for viewers tuning in to see the exciting conclusion.  Stephen King has said that The Fugitive was the best TV series EVER made. I tend to agree. I don't watch a lot of TV but The Fugitive is still well worth the time. We are enjoying the DVD's now and the stories for the most part, still ring true. Riveting acting and full of suspense and emotion, all these years later.

I was very pleased to recently find this book about The Fugitive that was re-issued around the time of the DVD's being released. The Official Fan Guide to the Fugitive by Mel Proctor  is good in some respects, not so good for a number of reason too .

On the positive side, it is an engaging read, if you were ever a fan of this show or David Janssen. For me, that's a given. If I could ever consider myself star-struck, it was all about David Janssen! LOL I even wrote a post about this late, great actor at my poetry blog a couple of years ago, you can read it here.

Author, Mel Proctor provides many interesting stories about the stars of the show, guest actors and some of the behind the scenes happenings that make for interesting reading and a nostalgic trip down TV memory lane. That was all good.

What I didn't like about this book? First of all, the presentation is, in a word is CHEAP. What came to mind, looking through the pages initially was a grade school class report. Cheap paper, very poor quality photo images (copies of originals), page references that are incorrect....

This is the type of book that for fans should have been a collector's item to keep. If it had been produced in a smaller page format, with good-quality paper and photo inserts (even if that meant less images) and a quality cover, it would have been a lot more appealing. I don't know who edited this book (if it was) but it certainly could have been improved in many respects. The subject was a good one, the presentation unfortunately, left much to be desired.

For true, blue fans of all things relating to The Fugitive and David Janssen, this is a book that still may appeal in spite of it's short-comings. I'd look for a sale though, it's not worth the full price currently available at Amazon for almost $25. In my opinion, that's just too much $$$$.

Overall rating for this book: Fair. 2 out of 5.

John Lennon and the Mercy Street Cafe



I found out about: John Lennon and the Mercy Street Cafe as one of the happy results of my blogging experiences over at my poetry blog: My Poetic Path.
                                      
As anyone who blogs knows, one of the best perks of the whole blogging experience is meeting via cyberspace many interesting people we probably never would have otherwise. William Hammett the author of this book is a very talented and prolific writer, blogger and poet who I was fortunate to meet via the blog-o-sphere. When John Lennon and the Mercy Street Cafe was published, I was very eager to read it.

Billy Hammett did not disappoint!

Not only is this a fun read and a real page-turner; it also has a deep and compelling message for the reader to contemplate, throughout. John Lennon spoke for and to a generation: “give peace a chance”, “imagine”, “strange days indeed” .

William Hammett has captured Lennon’s charisma and character so well in this inspiring, entertaining and well-written book. The story takes the reader on a journey that has many a twist and turn along the way and is indeed, magical and mysterious.

From the Amazon product page:

John Winston Lennon was shot outside the Dakota Building on December 8, 1980. In November of 2006, he finds himself standing in Grand Central Station, unaware that he was assassinated. Is he a ghost? Perhaps not. On her way home from work, ad exec Amy Parisi sees the former Beatle sitting alone in the Mercy Street Café in Greenwich Village. There's only one problem: there's no Mercy Street in the Village, and Amy is the only one who can see the café. In the weeks that follow, Amy and Lennon take one of the most incredible road trips in rock and roll history, one far stranger than any acid-induced hallucination from the sixties.

John Lennon and the Mercy Street Café is the story of a man, the voice of an entire generation, who must face the inner demons that plagued both his childhood and his years as the most recognizable figure in popular music. As he does so, he is given the opportunity to leave his indelible mark on the world one last time, showing how hope and the power of music can indeed give peace to a chaotic world.
If you are one of the millions who has been captivated by a man who was both clown and political activist, then step into the Mercy Street Café and meet the legend from Liverpool. But pack your bags for a magical mystery tour that leaves the rational, Newtonian world behind. You are about to enter the world of John Lennon.

This is a novel that will appeal to anyone who enjoys a great read, Lennon fan or not. A book you will truly savor and also want to share. I won't spoil the plot for you. Suffice to say, there is a depth and richness to this book that goes far beyond the cachet of all things Lennon.
                                              
Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

10- Minute Feng Shui

                         

I'm a bit of a neat-freak and I like it!

I like to live and work in environments that are neat, organized and as free of clutter as possible.I don't always "walk the talk" when it comes to having every room pristine and every thing in it's place, but I do try. I feel better, work better, think better when I'm in a tidy, clean environment. When I have been in homes etc that were extremely cluttered, messy, sometimes dirty (when house-hunting, the latter comes to mind yikes!!!) I couldn't get out of these places fast enough. I felt the bad energy of being there in a very real way.

I've always wanted to find out more about Feng Shui (pronounced fung shway) but when I've checked out books on the topic previously, I found them to be rather complicated and not that interesting to read. Just lately, while waiting at my bank, I was browsing a book sale they had sponsored that day and picked up this little book. I'm certainly glad I did.

Skye Alexander, the author of 10-Minute Feng Shui (and many other related books)gives a overview of what Feng Shui is all about, in an easy to understand way and also to implement.

From Amazon, about the author: Skye Alexander is the author of the best-selling books 10-Minute Feng Shui and 10-Minute Clutter Control, as well as 10-Minute Magic Spells, 10-Minute Tarot, The Care and Feeding of Your Chi, and many other highly successful books that show readers how to bring new-found happiness, organization, and spiritual balance to their homes and hearts.

Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of placement is thousands of years old, yet until recently few people in the West knew anything about it. Many people today are still confused by what it's all about, the do's and the don'ts of Feng Shui. It can be a complicated topic but Ms. Alexander gives all of us the opportunity to incorporate some easy Feng Shui suggestions in to our living and working environments in easy and usually inexpensive ways.

A few of the many, easy to implement suggestions (referred to as "cures") from this book:

• Display a gold star in your work area. A cure to encourage you to do your best and to succeed financially and professionally.
• Pot a plant in a red container. To stimulate your income, pot the plant in a red container, the color of good luck.
• Burn incense in a ceramic holder. This earth cure encourages comfort and security in a relationship.
• Put a pebble, a seashell,an acorn and a key in a red container and set it in your living room. This cure combines all five elements to encourage balance and good luck.
• Clear all halls, stairs and walkways of clutter. Obstacles in the passageways through your home block the smooth flow of ch'i and the many benefits it brings. 

 (Ch'i refers to a vital energy that animates all life)

What I really liked about many of the concepts of Feng Shui and how this author presents the topic was how much of it is all about a clutter-free, clean and inviting environment to live and work in. It's not that complicated if you aren't planning to be an expert on the topic; that would require a lot more study than what is offered in this book. But if you just want to find out the basics and some fun and easy ways to incorporate Feng Shui into your own life, I think you'd find 10-Minute Feng Shui a very interesting book to read and to use. Would also make a nice house-warming gift or gift-basket addition.

Overall rating for this book: Very Good. 4 out of 5.

On Writing by Stephen King

From the Amazon media review page:

"Stephen King's On Writing really contains two books: a fondly sardonic autobiography and a tough-love lesson for aspiring novelists."

"King also evokes his college days and his recovery from the van crash that nearly killed him, but the focus is always on what it all means to the craft. He gives you a whole writer's "tool kit": a reading list, writing assignments, a corrected story, and nuts-and-bolts advice on dollars and cents, plot and character, the basic building block of the paragraph, and literary model."





                                                
                                             
I have never been a fan of Stephen King's novels but I loved reading this book : On Writing.

As I mentioned in my recent book review of: Writing Fiction for Dummies, there are several writing guides that I have read over the years that I have found helpful and others, not so much.

In the case of On Writing, not only did I learn (or was reminded of) many helpful writing rules, lessons and tips from one of the best-selling authors in the world; I also enjoyed the captivating story of his life to date. The journey that has taken King from his lowly beginnings to the pinnacle of the writing world with millions of loyal fans worldwide.

Ironically (perhaps) many of the readers who love this book are not among the Stephen King fans who eagerly await the release of his latest novel. As I mentioned above, that would include me. It didn't matter though, this was a page-turner of a different kind.

His bio was fascinating including many things I did not know about his "rags to riches" rise to fame and his personal struggles with addiction and years of publishing rejections before his "big break" with Doubleday and his first published novel in 1974: Carrie.

In the writing guide portion of this book, there were many down- to -earth, easy to implement suggestions such as:  "Read a lot and write a lot", putting the manuscript away for a period of time and then taking it out to with a fresh and renewed perspective, the do's and don'ts of grammar. Some of the basics from Strunk & White's 'Elements of Style' but explained here in a much more accessible way. The importance of creating characters who will remain realistic and engaging  for the entire story. The list goes on and on...

A reference book for all writers: novice or more experienced. And for those who never plan to write anything themselves, it's still a book that I would recommend. If biographies are among your favorite type of books, you won't want to miss this one. It is an inspiring story that will ring true for most people, in particular anyone who has struggled against the odds in their own choices of creative pursuits.

Stephen King proves that it's not about where you are coming from or what you've been dealt with along the way, it just matters that you don't get discouraged. give up or give in. Through addictions, health problems, financial woes, a brush or two with death, and a stack of rejection letters that piled up year after year, the difference was just that. Stephen King was not a quitter and he never gave up.

I'm glad he took the time and had the interest in sharing his lessons on writing and his own personal journey in this book. And I'm glad that I wasn't swayed by my dislike of his novels and decided to read it anyways. A 10 year anniversary edition of On Writing, is now available. Maybe it's time for a re-read!

Overall rating for this book: Very Good. 4 out of 5. 

Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson and Peter Economy

It's not very often that my opinion of a book is almost completely opposite to the reviews posted over at Amazon. In the case of: Writing Fiction for Dummies, that pretty much sums it up.

This book and it's authors have a loyal following. And I can understand why in some respects. It certainly delivers "the goods" if you are looking for a "technical breakdown" for lack of a better term on what it takes to write a novel in particular. What it isn't, in my opinion is an easy,engaging or "encouraging-for-the-aspiring- novelist" type of book to read.

It's been one of my goals, dreams, aspirations to write a novel for a LONG time. I gave it a constructive and lengthy try, a couple of times.

During one of those writing blitzes I even had the courage to share my finished pages (as the book progressed) with a friend who regularly read women's fiction along the same lines as what I was aspiring to create. This was also a friend known for "shooting from the hip" and definitely someone who would not hold back with her true opinion and feedback. And that suited me just fine. Her reaction to my weekly offerings  again and again were:

"this is just as good as anything else I've ever read" and "when will you have more ready to read" ...and other similar comments.

Needless to say, I was encouraged. Did I ever finish that book? No I did not. Short version of a long story, mainly because the story line became too emotional and personally painful for me to continue.I'll leave it at that.

The desire to write a novel though, has never left me. Right now I have another story idea in mind that I am eager to pursue. I've been looking for some writing aids in my quest to start and keep on going this time, to see my "great Canadian novel" finally a reality.

So back to Writing Fiction for Dummies. Again, there's no doubt that the popularity of this book and the amount of detailed work that has gone into every chapter is evident. But every time I have gone to read another chapter, I've eventually found myself either nodding off or daydreaming about something more pleasant to consider.

Writing any kind of book, fiction or non-fiction; sure it's work and a lot of work to get it right but should it not also be a creative and satisfying experience along the way? Isn't that what writing or any type of craft is  all about? All I felt after reading through (most not all) of this book was discouragement and boredom.

When I write a story, well... I WRITE A STORY! The polishing, the editing, the re-writing it comes afterwards. I don't want to be weighed down with a lot of the do's and don'ts and attention to the smallest of details that are presented in this book when I'm just trying to type as fast as I can! My main concern at that point in the process is not to "lose the muse or the moment".

From the Table of Contents:

• Exposition: Explaining Cultural drivers through narrative summary.
• Finding Your Category's Requirements and identifying your story's emotional driver.
• Setting Up the Structure of Individual Scenes and following up with the reactive scene
• Fixing Proactive Scenes and examining final results
• Deciding whether to show and tell and following an example of decision making....

and so on and so on...and yawn, yawn, yawn....

I think this book may be a valuable resource for editing after the "meat and potatoes" process of actually writing a novel is complete or almost complete. Or for a writer with a definite analytical type of mind and style of writing. It's not what I'd call a "user-friendly" writer's resource and yes, I have read a few that I would categorize that way. I'll be posting some of my choices for writing guides I have found more helpful, here in the future.

Overall rating for this book: Fair. 2 out of 5.