It’s good to be home, don’t get me wrong, but after a month-plus in Connecticut it’s a little weird too.
Here’s why:
- It’s not raining. (In CT it never stopped raining, or so it seemed.)
- My body is still on Eastern Standard Time.
- There’s way too much mail to sort through.
- I have to get back to doing real life things, like going to the dentist tomorrow.
- I watched the Republican debate at 5 instead of at 8. (Does Rick Perry have a neck? His collar was really high – or something.)
- I’m hungry for no good reason.
- My car’s tires are kind of flat.
- There are ants in the house.
- There’s a dog in the neighborhood that suddenly barks a lot.
- I’m out of new books for my Kindle. (Suggestions are welcome.)
- I need to resume my writing routine.
- I need to resume my walking routine.
- I need to call friends and say, “I’m back.”
- I need to get some sleep.
Vacations are great and I really enjoyed myself while I was away. But it’s hard to re-enter reality.
I don’t know what you like to read but writers’ group I’m a member of has some authors who have put out books on Kindle & Nook:
William Graham — “Street Heat” and “Sometimes There Really ARE Monsters Under The Bed”
Meb Bryant — “Harbringer Of Evil”
Nina Cordoba — “NOT Dreaming Of You” and “Don’t Make Me Make You Brownies” (Romantic Comedies)
(There’s several others from my chapter with releases, but if I named them all it would be an extremely long list LOL)
My favorite book of all time, The Brothers K by David James Duncan (it’s got baseball, but it’s about Vietnam, 7th day adventists, India, and most of all family – I laughed out loud and cried at other parts)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Brothers-K-ebook/dp/B003VS0NDC/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1315484602&sr=8-1
The Moonflower Vine by Jetta Carleton. Set in the early part of the century, written in the ’60s, but it feels like it was written today.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. A gothic novel, which I normally am not that into, but the stuff she writes about books and reading is great.
Just about anything by Julia Glass, Kate Morton or Ann Pachett.
Thanks, Bethany. It’s good to hear that members of your writer’s group are publishing and being so productive! Their work is duly noted.
I think you’ve mentioned The Brothers K before, Melissa, and I’m glad you reminded me of it. And I forgot about Julia Glass whose books I mean to read and keep forgetting to. Much appreciated.
I hear ya. Back 2 life, back 2 reality ain’t a whole lotta fun, esp. after your “Euro”-style vacation (i.e., taking the month of August off). Sorry your weather was horrid. I shared it, but even we got a break from the weather gods; those last days of August/first of September were gloriously sunny and NON-humid up in the hills of Virginny. Then home to work, chores, humidity, rainrainrainrain…
So…you watched the elephants go at it on their debate last night? I bet you were tempted to suggest that Guv Perry’s collar was high to hide the redness of his neck. Methinx he’d be an e-z target for the donkeys to kick next year, but then again, which of the pachyderm pack isn’t??
Now, I know I’m a “left field” opinion, if that, for a possible book to read. But Melissa’s “fave book” comment, and her “gothic novel” comment, got my cogwheels rolling. Two or three years ago, my sister the Francophile sent me a book for Xmas that I just loved. It’s titled “Labyrinth” by Kate Mosse; she knew I was into all that Knights Templar & Holy Grail stuff, but this is a different spin. It’s a novel about two women, separated by 600+ years, written by a woman (are you still reading this?)…set in the south of France (hence the connection), a dramatic & passionate story that switches back & forth in time, and features the Cathars, a now-extinct religious offshoot who were horribly persecuted (and massacred) by the Pope & the King of France in the Albigensian “Crusade”…as compelling a book as I’ve ever read…and it’s mystical, too…if a Neanderthal like me can love it, maybe you ladies can consider it…!
Yes, I watched the elephants, Dave. They’re so entertaining. Actually, I think Perry’s collar was hiding a turkey neck. Maybe he needs a nip/tuck. Thanks for your book recommendation. I usually don’t read historical novels of a mystical nature but your enthusiasm for the story certainly piqued by curiosity.
i hope you are settled back into your house and your routine and are on west coast time so you can watch the games that are way to late for me the next two series. i love talking books and i don’t know what you like to read but these are some i liked:
The history of love by Nicole Kraus
Random acts of heroic love by dan scheiman
The school of essential ingredients by bauermeister
Healer by carol c???
Girl in translation
Swan theives
Love in the present tense by Catherine ryan hyde
Belong to me by marissa de lose santos
Every last cookoo by kate malloy
let the great world spin by colum mcann
little bee by chris cleave
lake of dreams by kim edwards.
and for more fun, anything by jane heller!
I’m almost back to west coast time, Barbara, and will definitely be watching the games out here. (Well, maybe not tomorrow night; we have dinner plans.) I really love hearing what everybody’s reading so thanks for your list. Some of the books you mentioned are familiar (I plan to get The History of Love, and Catherine Ryan Hyde is a local author here). I have a craving for fiction lately but for some reason I just ordered Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, which I’d never read.
Some other good reads are: The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barberr, The Sisters From Hardscrabble Bay by Beverly Jensen, and The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer.
Thanks, Freya. Much appreciated!
I hope you are adjusted to your real life now . I would recommend these books : State of Wonder by Ann Patchett , Mudhouse by Hillary Jordan , and The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan .
I’m not adjusted yet, Sister Sue, because our weather has been just as crazy as it was back east! (Well, almost.) We have “severe thunderstorm warnings” in effect again today and it NEVER rains here at this time of year. Plus there have been six wildfires in the past 24 hours thanks to lightning strikes. Just bizarre. I’ll continue to keep reading on my Kindle, so thanks for the recommendations. Others have mentioned State of Wonder, but I think I’ll pass on it. She’s such a good writer but the subject just doesn’t interest me. I’ll check out your other suggestions though.