Tag: Life

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New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

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Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.

After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?

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Exercise Influences Life: My Review of The Pilates Class by Stevie Turner #FantasticFridayReads #Fiction #Inspiration

What Smashwords Says

The Pilates Class is a humorous look at the lives and loves of several different characters attending a Pilates exercise class for the first time.

Roger is a down-to-earth builder type, Judy is the harassed single mother of four teenage boys, and Thelma is a librarian who usually looks as though she’s been sitting on a wasps’ nest for most of her life.

Neville is on the lookout for a woman (any woman will do), and Julian just wants to be young again. Edie is the wrong side of 70, and Roz is a size zero fitness queen.

These characters, together with one very overweight Alice, all meet up for the first time at their local Pilates class. Petra, the class instructor, has no idea what she has let herself in for!

Buy from Smashwords.

My 4-Star Review

Author Stevie Turner and I have been following each other’s blogs. Recently, she offered a promotion code on Smashwords that would allow readers to get The Pilates Class for free. I took her up on this and am glad I did.

This book definitely has some humor. Although I didn’t care for some of the characters, I liked how others evolved in the course of the story and how some connected with others as a result of the class. I would like to have seen a more satisfying outcome for a couple of the participants. But overall, the ending isn’t bad.

The Pilates instructor does an excellent job describing the various moves. You could try some of them at home before joining a class. But even if, like me, you’re happy with your current workout, you’ll find this book highly entertaining.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

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New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

Photo Resize and Description by

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

***

A Sweet and Funny Romance: My Review of Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan #FantasticFridayReads #Fiction #Inspiration

What Audible Says

“The perfect escape.”—USA Today

“Readers who loved Emily Henry’s Book Lovers are sure to savor Nora Goes Off Script.”—Shelf Awareness

Named one of the Best Beach Reads of Summer 2022 by The Washington Post • USA Today • Cosmopolitan • Southern Living • Country Living • Business Insider • Buzzfeed • Book Riot • The Augusta Chronicle

Nora’s life is about to get a rewrite….

Nora Hamilton knows the formula for love better than anyone. As a romance channel screenwriter, it’s her job. But when her too-good-to-work husband leaves her and their two kids, Nora turns her marriage’s collapse into cash and writes the best script of her life. No one is more surprised than her when it’s picked up for the big screen and set to film on location at her 100-year-old home. When former Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, is cast as her ne’er-do-well husband, Nora’s life will never be the same.

The morning after shooting wraps and the crew leaves, Nora finds Leo on her porch with a half-empty bottle of tequila and a proposition. He’ll pay a thousand dollars a day to stay for a week. The extra seven grand would give Nora breathing room, but it’s the need in his eyes that makes her say yes. Seven days: It’s the blink of an eye or an eternity depending on how you look at it. Enough time to fall in love. Enough time to break your heart.

Filled with warmth, wit, and wisdom, Nora Goes Off Script is the best kind of love story—the real kind where love is complicated by work, kids, and the emotional baggage that comes with life. For Nora and Leo, this kind of love is bigger than the big screen.

Buy from Amazon.

My Thoughts

Although this is considered a summer beach read, I enjoyed it from the comfort of my recliner on cold winter nights. I must admit I was skeptical. For the most part, I think I’ve outgrown romances, and I prefer more mellow stories in my old age. But since one of my book discussion groups is planning to talk about Nora Goes Off Script, I figured it was worth a try and am glad I stuck with it.

This book follows the usual pattern of romance novels. The couple meet and fall in love, are torn apart, and get back together. But when Leo and Nora are torn apart, you don’t think there’s any way they’ll get together again. You’ll assume the book will end on a positive note with Nora coming to terms and moving on. Then, something unexpected happens, bringing the book to a sweet, satisfying conclusion.

That’s what’s unique about this romance. I also like that there aren’t a lot of descriptions of love-making. Parts of this book made me laugh. Hillary Huber is an excellent narrator of this Audible version. If you like a humorous realistic romance with a feel-good ending, Nora Goes Off Script is for you.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

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I’m pleased to announce that from now until March 11th, Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me, The Red Dress, and My Ideal Partner are available from Smashwords ABSOLUTELY FREE as part of its Read an eBook Week sale. You can click here to visit my author page and download these books. Happy reading!

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

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Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

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Straightforward Poetry and Feel-good Stories: My Review of Variety Is the Spice of Life by Sally Cronin #FantasticFridayReads #Fiction #Poetry

What Amazon Says

Variety is the Spice of Life is a collection of poetry and short stories about relationships with others, including pets and animals inhabiting the world around us. The connection with others brings love and friendship, excitement and sometimes surprises, danger, mystery and sometimes the unexpected.

The poetry explores human nature, the fears, desires, expectations and achievements. Nature offers a wonderful opportunity to observe animals both domesticated and wild. Even in a back garden you can observe a wide variety of creatures and the daily challenges to survive a harsh environment.

The short stories introduce you to a healer whose gift comes with danger, a neighbour determined to protect a friend, a woman on the run, an old couple whose love has endured, an elderly retired teacher who faces a life changing accident, a secret that has been carried for over 70 years and a village who must unite as they face devastating news.

Buy from Amazon.

My Thoughts

I’m glad this book is divided into two sections: one containing poems and the other with stories. Some of the poems read like prose, and readers might be confused as to what they’re reading.

I like how the author starts the collection with “Key Words,” a powerful poem emphasizing how three words can change a life. The poem to which I can relate to the most is “Useful,” talking about how smiles can make helping others rewarding. “Neighbourhood Cats” reminded me of how our cats would have gone after birds if my mother had let them.

Speaking of cats, I loved the story, “The Neighbourhood Watch,” in which a cat may or may not have played a role in the death of an abusive husband. When I started reading “On the Run” and realized it was about another abusive husband, I almost skipped it. But since stories I read before it had satisfactory endings, I stuck with it and am glad I did.

Not all stories in this collection are about abusive husbands. I especially liked “The Home Help,” a surprising tale about an elderly woman who gets more than she bargains for when hiring someone to help around the house and garden.

It’s nice to read stories that cover some unpleasant topics but always have feel-good endings. If you like such stories plus poetry that’s easy to understand, this book is definitely for you.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

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New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

Photo Resize and Description by

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

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At Twenty-One #OpenBookBlogHop #MondayMusings #Inspiration

Welcome to another edition of Open Book Blog Hop. This week’s question is: Where were you at 21? How does that reflect in your writing today?

When I was twenty-one in 1982, I entered my junior year at Rocky Mountain College, located in Billings, Montana, about 150 miles north of Sheridan, Wyoming, where I’ve lived since 1973. After attending the local college and living at home for two years, going to school away from home was quite an adjustment. Fortunately, it wasn’t that far away, and I came home weekends when I could get transportation.

I never considered a career in writing at the time. This was probably because my mother, may she rest in peace, rewrote most of my school papers, even when I was a student at Sheridan College. She taught English there and apparently didn’t want her fellow faculty members, from whom I took English, to see my less than adequate writing style. Who knows why she rewrote my high school assignments?

Instead of writing, I pursued a career involving music. Long story short, I became a registered music therapist and worked in nursing homes and other senior facilities for years. I didn’t do any serious writing until my mother passed away in 1999.

How about you? What were you doing at twenty-one? If you’re an author, how has that affected your writing? You can click here to participate in this week’s hop and read other bloggers’ responses.

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

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