Back to My Roots

I'll be visiting Michigan for two weeks. I was born there but have lived in southern California for most of my adult life. I still have family and friends there, and favorite places to visit. But things change over time, and my memories of how a place looked don't jibe with the way the same place looks today. I suppose change means progress but I'm comforted when I see things that are unchanged. It's like an anchor to the past. When you visit Europe you see buildings that are hundreds of years old. Of course the U.S. hasn't been around that long, but it's not uncommon to tear down a fifty-year old building for something more modern. Where is the history? Still, it will be nice to catch up with those who watched me grow up. Do you ever visit your old hometown and reminisce?

Book Review

Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been a fan of Anna Quindlen and enjoyed this book, but it's not my favorite. RISE AND SHINE is the story of two sisters, Meghan and Bridget, who live very different, but intertwined, lives. Their parents died when they were young and they were raised by a loving aunt with no children of her own. Meghan, the older of the two, is a successful, wealthy, anchor of a morning news show called "Rise and Shine." (think Katie Couric on "Today") Bridget is a social worker in the worst section of the Bronx. The novel is told in the voice of Bridget. As she narrates the events in their lives, she goes off on a tangent frequently. Although this fleshes out the story itself, I found it distracting to the flow of the main story. When Meghan makes a major faux pas on air, the day after her husband tells her he's leaving her, her world spins out of control. The remainder of the book focuses on how Bridget helps pull everything together, while dealing with her own life crises. Figuring prominently in this is Meghan's son Leo, a really sweet character. There are major plot twists but the end is realistic and satisfying.

View all my reviews

Book Review

Nothing to Lose by Lee Child
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Reacher said nothing." This is my second Reacher novel and it appears that this phrase is Lee Child's "go to" comment when Reacher is in the midst of controversy, which is always. This time Jack Reacher is traveling in Colorado and wanders into a town called Despair. He tries to buy a cup of coffee and finds that not only is his business not wanted, the townspeople want him out of Despair. Why? Reacher can't ignore a puzzle like this. With the help of Deputy Vaughn, of the Hope Sheriff's Dept., he uncovers the real reason the town is off limits to almost everyone. Of course this involves his return to Despair several times, each time being more dangerous, as he tries to investigate without being seen. Vaughn has her own sad story, which makes her willing to go along with Reacher. It wraps up in the end with a very strange twist. Reacher is now free to leave the area. After bidding good-bye to Vaughn, we see him heading toward San Diego, with only the clothes on his back, as usual.

View all my reviews

Words to Live By

Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. . . I can't take credit for coming up with this, but wanted to share these words of wisdom with you.

Two Minutes - To Pass or Fail

I recently attended Literary Orange, an annual day-long event held at the University of California, Irvine. It's a love fest for authors and readers, with well-known authors as keynote speakers, and morning and afternoon workshops covering a variety of writing and publishing topics. One of the workshops I attended was on the topic of fiction, and how to get "lucky", which to a writer means, how to get published. One of the panelists, a publisher, discussed her approach to manuscripts sent to her. She expects the writing to be transcendent. When asked to give an example of something she recently read (a current book perhaps) where she thought the writing was transcendent, she couldn't provide one. But the real jolt was when she said she gives each submission only two minutes. Two minutes! Granted, some writing can be so awful that two minutes is probably all it takes to know it should not be published. But don't the majority of submissions deserve more time than that? Not all books start off with a bang. I can name many popular books which started off slowly, but once the story unfolded, they were well worth reading. They would never have made her two minute limit. So good luck, all you writers who hope to be published. If you happen to encounter this particular publisher make sure you're not only transcendent, but that your transcendency is apparent in the first two minutes. Oh, and don't forget, the publishing world is very subjective. We all know about the best sellers that received numerous rejections before finally finding the right publisher. If you've worked at your craft, then have faith in yourself, even when it's easy to become discouraged. The right fit is out there.

My Interview at Literary Orange - April 14, 2012

Book Review

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a well written and complex book, involving the lives of three graduating college students, Madeline, Leonard, and Mitchell. The story begins on graduation day but flashes back and forth into each person's life, their hang-ups, aspirations, and ultimate choices. Along the way there is adventure, excitement, and heartbreak. In addition to the three main characters, around which the plot revolves, there are many, many side characters who come in and out of each of their lives and either add or detract from them. The story wraps up satisfactorily, but not in a way the reader might expect. Yet, given the ages, and dreams, of Madeline, Leonard, and Mitchell, the ending makes sense. This is not a book you can skim over. Every line is loaded with meaning. Eugenides is a terrific writer and it will be interesting to see what he comes up with next.

View all my reviews