SERENDIPITOUS MOMENTS: SPILLS, ETC. — JUNE 27

Welcome to another Booking Through Thursday, our bookish place to explore intriguing topics.

Today’s Pondering:

Inspired by a conversation with a coworker the other day:

It’s time for summer reading, so … today’s question? What’s the worst thing you ever did to your reading material? Sand in the bindings from the beach? Dropped into the pool? Covers smeared with sunscreen?

And, if you’ve never done actual summer-time damage … have you EVER damaged your book/magazine/paper? Dropped it in the bathtub? Used it to kill a bug? Spilled with coffee?

***

Ah, yes, the food and drink on the pages!  I am usually very careful, but unfortunately, sometimes spills happen.

Probably the worst one yet was one day when I was enjoying dinner and a glass of wine at Marie Callender’s, and also finishing up a book I was enjoying…well, I did fine.  Until it was time to pack up the carton with leftovers…and as I began, I clumsily hit the still half-full glass of wine and toppled it onto the book.  Thoroughly soaking the pages! 

I was distraught.  Not only because I was afraid the book was ruined—but that I appeared clumsy…and perhaps drunk?  But I swear I was just clumsy…lol.

Fortunately, the book dried and I was able to finish it.  But the pages are still stained.  A memento, if you will.

It was The Turnaround, by George Pelecanos:  click for review.

What is your worst tale?  Was it as embarrassing as mine?  No worries….just share.

SERENDIPITOUS THURSDAYS — BOOKISH MOMENTS — APRIL 11

Welcome to Serendipitous Thursdays, and pull up a chair while we talk about bookish things in the Booking Through Thursday event.

Today’s Prompt:

What’s the last book that made you spring to your feet, eager to spread the word and tell everyone how much you enjoyed it?

***

Funny you should ask, as I just finished a book that I thought would be lovely, but which turned into something so much more.  There were secrets, a bit of a mystery, and a suspenseful journey through Europe to right a wrong.

The Summer of France (click link for my review) was that book, by Paulita Kincer (Blogger at An Accidental Blog).

I could not put it down!  I got my copy as an e-book….and Sparky traveled with me everywhere until I turned the last page.  It was true serendipity!

***

What was that book for you?

 

 

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY: SPRING FORWARD, OR THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGING — MARCH 7

Good morning…and welcome to another bookish event:  Booking Through Thursday.  We share our thoughts about books, reading, and those things in life that affect our reading.

Today’s Thoughts to Ponder:

Clocks change this weekend here in the US, which means one less hour to read … does anybody else begrudge that hour like I do? Wish the Powers That Be would just pick a time-frame and stick to it instead of inflicting clock-driven jet lag on an innocent public twice a year?

(Yeah, so not a question so much about reading … except, of course, you do need to use your electric light to be able to read, so the hour it gets dark IS relevant!)

***

Oh, yes, I do wish they would pick a time-frame and stick to it!  In fact, I do recall a time way back in the day when they didn’t switch…something to do with saving energy.

That didn’t last, though.  And here we are again…It seems like we just changed the time!

There are some additional reasons why I don’t like the time changing:  my numerous clocks!

Clocks over the Mantle

 

Coca Cola Clock in the Dining Room

Then there are other clocks…in the office, in the bedroom, and the phone clocks.  A clock on the VCR…yes, I still have one, in addition to my DVD player…lol

Office Clock

 

I especially don’t enjoy changing the collectible ones, because I have to take them all down, change the time, and reposition them on the wall.  Using a ladder!

But aside from that….I do like having more light at the end of the day.  So my vote would be to have daylight savings time all year long!

What about the rest of you?  How do you roll on this issue?

 

 

 

SERENDIPITOUS RESOLUTIONS: BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY — JAN. 3

Welcome to our special Thursday event:  Booking Through Thursday, the place to go when you want to talk books.

Today’s Prompt:

Any reading resolutions for the new year? Reading more? (Reading less?) Reading better books? Bigger books? More series? More relaxing books?

And hey, feel free to talk about any other resolutions you might have, too … or why you choose NOT to have any.

***

Speaking of reading plans, my New Year’s Resolutions this year are simple.

  I want more balance in my life, along with peace and harmony.

Vowing to make healthy choices tops the list, too.

Learning to say “no” to review books that don’t appeal to me.  I’ve been working on this one for awhile.  I hope to get better at it this year!

I want to read more books from my own stacks and pick books that I initially bought or accepted because I think I’ll enjoy them.

***

My challenges for this year mesh nicely with these resolutions.  Like the Mt. TBR 2013.  In previous years, I’ve joined challenges like this one and whittled down those stacks.

Then there’s the Sequels Challenge, which will allow me to focus on the series books that I haven’t finished.

Some of the books I really enjoy are the Cozies, so Cruisin’ Through the Cozies was another choice for me.

Finally….the Women’s Murder Club Challenge will help me grab those James Patterson books that I enjoy.

I love a nice mix of books.  So between these challenges, and saying “no” to review books that don’t absolutely entice me should make for a great reading year.

What about you?  What will your 2013 look like?

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! — NOV. 15

 

 

Welcome to another bookish Thursday, with Booking Through Thursday, where we chat about our reading, blogging, etc.

Today’s prompt:

What’s your favorite place to read? Do you have more than one? Can you read anywhere, or do you need things to be “just right?”

Bonus points for sharing a photo of your favorite spot. (grin)

***

Yes, I must admit that I do have a favorite place to read.  I have “arranged” several such spots around the home, but the first choice for me is usually this long sofa that is so comfy…and has lots of pillows.

And another favorite place, usually if I’m reading and eating:

 

But because I might have grandchildren using the living room sofas, I have another favorite:  my office has a pretty comfy couch, too.

And at the end of the day, here’s another favorite spot:

 

Even when I’ve found the perfect spot, I have to have a place for my favorite drinks nearby.  And there have to be comfy pillows!

 

What about the rest of you?  Do you love to curl up in one particular spot?

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY: COVER, BLURB, OR SERENDIPITY? — OCT. 18

 

 

Welcome to Booking Through Thursday, the bookish event that spotlights our reading choices.

Today’s Prompt:

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but there’s no question that it can make a difference!

What book(s) have your favorite covers? Something that’s perfect for the story, the tone, the colors, the mood…

And did you pick up the book BECAUSE of the cover? Or were you going to read it anyway, and the cover was just serendipitous?

***

To answer this one, I glanced over my list of favorites from 2011, and certainly there were some great covers in the bunch.

Like Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, by Beth Hoffman. (Click to read my review)

Or The Violets of March, by Sarah Jio.

Then there was Never Knowing, by Chevy Stevens.  That cover seems to symbolize the tangled journey of the MC.

 

But I don’t really pick the book for the cover.  First I notice the cover, but then I read the inside flap.  And before that point, I’ve also read what others have written about the book.  Book recommendations have as much to do with my final choices as the cover, or even the blurb.

So it’s a combination of the cover, the recommendations, and hey, SERENDIPITY, since we’re at this blog.  What contributes to your book choices?

 

THURSDAY MEMES — THEMES & BOOKING — NOV. 17

Good morning, and welcome to another Thursday event, presented today, serendipitously, here at my Serendipity blog.

Theme Thursdays is presented by Reading Between Pages; and you can find our other event at Booking Through Thursday.

Our theme today is CHARACTER DESCRIPTION, to be illustrated with a snippet including one.

I am excerpting from Armed:  An Alex Harris Mystery, by Elaine Macko.

The first person narrator is describing a victim, while tapping her pencil:

“I didn’t know her well on a personal level.  She could be gruff at times but also very efficient.  She had high standards, but modern technology intimidated her.”  I stopped the tapping and looked sternly at Detective Van der Burg.  “Detective, I don’t feel comfortable talking about someone who just died.  I’m not trying to besmirch her good name.  Mrs. Scott was a nice person.  She had her idiosyncrasies just like anyone else.”

***

What did you discover in your search?  I hope you’ll come on by and share!

***

Now for our bookish prompt:

Of the books you own, what’s the biggest category/genre?

Is this also the category that you actually read the most?

If I were to examine my bookshelves, which are located in every room including the bathroom and pantry, you would definitely find a lot of women’s fiction and literary fiction; you would also see many mysteries laced in among the others; and finally, there are plenty of memoirs.

And yes, this pretty much sums up my reading, too.  This week, I’m reading two mysteries and two women’s fiction novels.  I think this is somewhat representative of my tastes.  And on my stacks are several memoirs, including Carrie Fisher’s Shockaholic.

In the past, you would probably  have seen more “women’s issues” on my shelves due to the “revival” of feminism in the seventies.  In the sixties, you might have seen me reading more historical and literary fiction, including my favorites from those Russian guys.

Nowadays, I’m even venturing into Paranormal and YA books, because of Book Blogging…and Cozy Mysteries have been added recently.

Would love to know your answers…so please stop by and leave your links!

THURSDAY MEMES: BOOKING & THEME THURSDAY — JUNE 23

Welcome to our Thursday Memes:  Booking Through Thursday and Theme Thursdays, hosted by Reading Between the Pages.

Here’s our prompt for Booking:

What, if any, kind of music do you listen to when you’re reading? (Given a choice, of course!)

I don’t choose to listen to music while I read.  If there is music on, it needs to be the kind of background music that doesn’t interfere with my concentration.  Although I have been known to read with the TV on in the background…but only if it isn’t a show I watch.  Like my grandson might be watching cartoons.

***

THEME THURSDAYS:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is

MALE PERSON (Father, Grandfather, Brother etc)

Mine today is an excerpt from The Magnolia League, by Katie Crouch.

In the first person voice of the MC, Alexandria Lee:

Most likely I take after my dad, whom I’ve never met but who is someone—or something—called “Wolf Man.”  The only thing Mom ever said about him was that he was good with the herb and a real hit with the ladies—probably in the parking lots of Phish shows.  Whatever.  p. 14

I can now visualize that guy, can’t you?

What did you all decide to share today?  I hope you’ll stop by and comment about your choice.

THURSDAY MEMES: BOOKING & THEMES — MAY 26

Of all the Accidental Moments in life, discovering these Thursday  Memes has been one of the most delightful ones recently.  Booking Through Thursday is an event in which our leader poses a question or prompt for us to explore.  In Theme Thursdays, our leader asks us to excerpt from our reading, spotlighting certain aspects of the book…like characteristics, etc.

Today’s Booking Prompt:

Do you ever feel like you’re in a reading rut? That you don’t read enough variety? That you need to branch out, spread your literary wings and explore other genres, flavors, styles?

That may have been true at one point, but once I started blogging and entering reading challenges, I began to spread my wings.

Some of my current challenges expect me to do just that.  Like the Awesome Authors Challenge, which directs us to read from new (to us) authors.

Or the Nicholas Sparks Challenge (I hadn’t been a reader of his books), which offered the opportunity to explore or really go all out.

Every week, I participate in one or two memes that showcase books that others are reading.  Through these events, I’ve had the opportunity to really branch out and explore.

****

Theme Thursday Today:

This week’s theme is:

CONVERSATION

This conversation is excerpted from A Pug’s Tale, by Alison Pace.

“I’m Chaz Greene,” he said to me, extending his hand.  I stepped forward and shook it.

“Hope McNeill,” I said, and as I leg go of Chaz’s hand, Elliot appeared at my side and shook Chaz’s hand as well.

“Elliot Death,” he said.  Even as he pronounced it “Deeth,” I couldn’t help thinking of the word “death”—the death of our careers, or worse. (p. 71).

What are you chatting about today on your Thursday Memes?  I hope you’ll stop by and chat a bit here.

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY — KNOW ME THROUGH MY BOOKS — APRIL 14

Welcome to today’s Booking Through Thursday topic.

I was reading the other day a quote from JFK Jr who said on the death of his mother, that she died surrounded by family, friends, and her books. Apparently, Jackie’s books were very much a part of HER, her personality, her sense of self.

Up until recently, people could browse your bookshelves and learn a lot about you–what your interests are, your range of topics, favorite authors, how much you read (or at least buy books).

More and more, though, this is changing. People aren’t buying books so much as borrowing them from the library. Or reading them on their e-readers or computers. There’s nothing PHYSICAL on the shelves to tell strangers in your home, for better or worse, who you ARE.

Do you think this is a good thing? Bad? Discuss!

 

Even though I’ve recently acquired a Kindle (and I’ve even named her “Sparky”), my personal preference is to have the physical book.

I love being surrounded by books, as evidenced by my pictorial displays in last week’s topic.

I could probably download hundreds of e-books, but I still have plenty of physical books to show strangers and friends who I am.

Recent Reads

Or how about some of these?

Some Old Favorites

These are from still another shelf….

 

As you can see from this visual journey, I proudly showcase my books from all different phases of my life…and there are even more shelves that tell more of the story.

What about you?  Do you love showing yourself through your books?