Teaser Tuesday's - The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from page 69 of The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts:

The smell of honeysuckle drifted over her.  But this time she didn't feel the hand stroke her

hair.

NaNoWriMo 2012

It's no secret to any long time readers that I ama big fan of the craziness known as National Novel Writing Month - or as it is commonly known, NaNoWriMo.  The idea is to write a 50,000 word first draft og a novel during the month of November; that's 1,667 words per day.  This challenge has been such a wonderful thing in my life as a writer.  I have had the fortunate pleasure of meeting other writers, challenging myself in more ways than one and being a part of something really wonderful. 

I am about to conclude day two and already I've written 4,000 words.  SO far, I am really happy with what I've written, too.  If you have a novel waiting to be written - I highly recommend this challenge.  It's not too late to staqrt, either.

Teaser Tuesday's - Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from page 3 of Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews:

I'd been up at dawn cruising the still-darkened lanes of Savannah, trying to beat the trashmen to the spoils of the town's leading lights.  I looked like hell.

Teaser Tuesday's - Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from page 5 of Joshilyn Jackson's Backseat Saints:

She saw me whole, inside and out, as if my skin was made of glass.  She laid her tarot cards for me, and that reading...it was like she took my life and ran it through a Cuisinart.

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon

Today is the day for the Autumn edition of Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon.  I am sadly late in getting started.  I just was not able to face a five a.m. start time, though.  I've been reading for a little over an hour now - so I missed a quarter of the event.  That's all right though.  I fully intend to make the most out of the time I have left.

Right now I am reading Joshilyn Jackson's gods in Albama.  It's a really good book and I hope.  I am slos starting Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.  This one I am reading to and with my children.  Here is a picture of the stack of books I have sitting on my side table:

The second book from the top with the plain black spine is actually my Nook.  Of course it is loaded with lots of good reads.  So, I am really looking forward to the rest of the readathon.

Oh, and my youngest daughter just asked me for nachos.  That sounds like a yummy, indulgent snack.  I think there may just be a plate of them in our near future.

Wordless Wednesday - Seashells at the Seashore

Teaser Tuesday's - gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from page 16 of Joshilyn Jackson's gods in Alabama:

"I'm asking you to introduce me to your family.  That's all.  I'm asking for a commitment, Lena.  We've been together two years now. 

Musing Monday's - Series

Musing Monday's is hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. This week’s musing, — courtesy of http://ladywithbooks.wordpress.com– asks…
Do you have a favorite series? Do you have a favorite book out of that series?

My favorite series is J.D. Robb's In Death books.  I was rather late getting into this series, too.  I have been a huge Nora Roberts fan since college but had always been afraid to try her In Death series as JDR.  I'm not really a fan of gruesome books and I thought this one would be like that. 

WHile I was pregnant with my first child, she released a book called Remember When.  The first half of the book is written as NR and modern; while the second half is written as JDR, in the future In Death Manhattan.  I devoured the first half f the book and was left hanging for the resolution and cautiously read the second half.  That was all it took and I've been a huge fan of the series ever since.  I went back to the beginning and read the series in order.  It took me a while to catch up but now I chomp at the bit waiting for the next installment to come out.  In fact, I'm currently number two on the library waiting list for the latest.

As for a favorite in the series - Vision in Death.  I have to say though that the characters and the love story between the Eve and Roarke are definitely what keep me glued to and happily invested in this series.  The homicide cases are very interesting and well done but it's the relationships that keep me coming back for more - time and again.

Teaser Tuesday's - The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from page 47 of J.K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy:

Simon's aversion to naming his home bordered on the superstitious.  He not only disliked visitors - invaders of his privacy and possible despoilers of his property - but he saw Hilltop House as inviolate, immaculate, a world apart from Yarvil and the crashing, grinding, printworks.

Romance Junkies Read-a-THon

It's time for the Romance Junkies readathon.  This one will go through Saturday.  I am so excited about this one.  I will be reading as much as possible over the next few days; definitely while my kids are in school and at night after bedtime.

I am almost done with The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes.  This is a really good book! it's made me cry a couple of times but I really, really like it! Next up I have the new one from J.K. Rowling, The Casual Vacancy.  Then I'll pick up something from Lorelei James.  I'm in the mood for the next in her Rough Riders series.

That feels like a good start for me.  Now I'm off to Twitter to post the link for this and get in on the readathon fun.  Have a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday - Caramel Apples

Teaser Tuesday's - The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:


- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from page 59 of The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes:

And for that reason I have lain awake for the last two nights, hating myself for the one decent thing I have ever done.  Forgive me.

Musing Monday's - Hobbies and Collections

Musing Monday's is hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. This week’s musing, courtesy of http://carabosseslibrary.blogspot.com– asks…
Do you have any hobbies outside of reading?
Or do you collect anything?

This is a fabulous musing! My hobbies outside of reading are mostly craft related.  I crochet, scrapbook, take a LOT of pictures, and have recently started teaching myself to sew.  My friend also sent me items to learn knitting - which I am very excited about.  Also, my children love puzzles and I really enjoy doing puzzles with them.

As for collections; Aside from my BOOK collection, my husband and I have quite a music collection.  We both came into our marriage with quite a lot of vinyl records (yes, I'm aging myself, I know), CD's and even some cassettes.  Most of the cassettes have gone now but we still have the CD's and vinyl.  And our children are beginning to love collecting music, too. 

I also have a Duran Duran (my MOST FAVORITE band EVER!) collection.  In addition to their music (yes, on vinyl and CD) I have all their merchandise that I collected during my teen years: posters, pins, books, a purse, a jacket and many, many t-shirts.  A lot of my Duran Duran t-shirts have been purchased during my adult years.  In fact, they have a store on their official website that has a lot of stuff I want - like coffee mugs! I WILL be getting the mugs very soon.  Oh, and some more t-shirts, of course - for myself and my children.  I'm happy to say my Duran Duran love has been inherited by my kids.  LOL

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon is quickly approaching.  This Autumn, it will be held on Saturday, October 13th.  I've been participating in this twice-yearly event for a few years now and I can honestly say that I love it! I look forward to it, actually.  It is exactly as it states, an event for the bookish who wish to spend a large chunk of time reading.  There are also fun mini-challenges based on books and authors.  And if you wish to make it a charitable event, you can.  Click on the link above if you're interested in participating in a really wonderful, bookish event.

The Last Day of Summer

I can not wrap my mind around where 2012 has gone.  Yes, I know there are still a little over three months in the year but I swear it has flown right on by so far.  With this being the official last day of Summer, my mind, heart and internal clock are yearning for Autumn.  It is still in the high 80's and low 90's here in Southern California.  And honestly, it usually stays this way until the end of October.  Whining about the weather isn't my point with this post, though.  My point is, I love, love, love Autumn! Although we don't have the glorious leaf-changing colors like New England does, I still adore the orange, red and gold hues that still begin to pop up all over the place.  Pumpkins, apples, squash in all the produce aections.  I'm not much of a cook but my husband is and it makes me happy to know he'll be using the previous ingredients.  Plus, we continue a tradition my Grandma started when I was little; apple and pumpkin picking! My husband and I take our kids apple picking and we all love it so much!

Another thing that I love about Autumn are the books! I adore that there are holiday themed books beginning to show in bookstore displays.  Yes, I still go to the bookstore; often, in fact.  I adore and use my Nook regularly but there is nothing like the real pages of a book to me.  Anyway, I've realized in the past few years that I read by season.  I like lighter, less mentally demanding themes during the summer, mysteries and something a little spookier from the end of September through to Halloween and Christmas themes during December.  I don't know if this is a result of really good marketing but it is absolutely true for me.  For example, I am waiting for Stephen King's The Shining to come in at the library.  I'vbe never read the book and have decided that this is the year I'm going to rectify that.

How about you? Do you love Autumn? Do your reading preferences flow with the calendar?