We have few people to buy gifts for this Christmas. No parents. The honorary grandkids want gift cards. I made a deal with my brother. We told each other about something we want but haven’t bought for ourselves. That’s how I know I’m getting a bonsai tree and a growing kit!
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A definite upside to narrating and editing audiobooks is getting to absorb their content. Derek is on a roll with a bunch of non-fiction books in a row. Some are more interesting than others, but I find that all self-help, you-can-do-this books are uplifting. It’s not a chore to listen to my husband read words of affirmation and encouragement for several hours as I help with editing.
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Make mine a virgin, but I’ll still raise a glass to a couple of wonderful women who host the podcast: Moms Sipping Sangria.
…The strangest thing occurred recently. My Mother and Father went out in the evening. For hours. Wearing clothing that had buttons and zippers, and real shoes with laces and everything. Mother’s shoes were shiny and had heels! The shock of it was almost too much to bear. What was happening?
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A teenage girl who grew up in California dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Her family moved to the US when she was a toddler. She got excellent grades and anticipated going to university and then law school. She was prepared to work to pay for her education. After all, it’s the American Dream. And in America, you can be anything you want to be.
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This came to my email last weekend. My initial reaction was disgust. Who is this guy and what gives him the right? But I investigated.
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Phil Collins gets it. He was ubiquitous for a long time (some say too long) in the 1980s. Even he got tired of himself. …
A DIY Gift for Book Lovers Dec 19/16
We are a nation of book-lovers. For many people, a couple of shelves full of beloved books provide comfort and make us feel at home. Even though we’ve embraced E-readers, there’s still nothing like cracking the spine of a brand new book. …
…just open it again. That’s how doors work! …
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a Grisham novel. I was an early fan but he lost me when he evolved into a non-legal-affairs writer. …
After the delightful story I reviewed yesterday I ignored my own best judgment and downloaded a book I hoped beyond reason would be funny. Alas, it was not! Â …
Last week I went to the annual Veteran’s Art Sale at Parkwood Hospital here in London. Many people call it the ‘veteran’s hospital’.  I attended the sale last year, too, and I think it will be my own little tradition. …
I’m really torn about this review.  They say film critics are failed film students.  Well I wouldn’t call myself failed but I do know how hard it is to write fiction. …
Some days I really think I ought to stop thinking of myself as bright! Â …
We are quick to criticize politicians when things aren’t going well. Â Today I want to commend one for doing something right. Â …
With the increasing popularity of ereaders and tablets comes the stance against change.  “I love the feel and smell of books”, they say.  I know, I said it too. …
The Naked Truth has been out for about a month and a half.  In that time I’ve learned a lot about this new world of ebooks and how to navigate through it.  And I’m pleased to say that as a first-timer, I’m doing alright. …
If you remember Wong’s “Lunch With…” series in the Globe and Mail you’ll probably recall that she was a true journalist. Â She didn’t suck up to her subjects who ranged from the famous to the notorious. Â She sometimes ripped them a new one for everything from table manners to the way they answered questions. Wong was a marquee writer for the Globe for two decades until she wrote an article that inspired death threats and instead of backing her up, her employer hung her out to dry. Â …