An Accidental Woman

Barbara Delinsky has done it again. She has created a fascinating story that will capture the reader's imagination.
"An Accidental Woman" is the compelling story of a happily-ever-after couple who find themselves faced with the ultimate nightmare.
Heather Malone moved to Lake Henry 14 years ago. She developed a loving relationship with Micah Smith, a widower with two young daughters. Early one morning, police officers arrive at their home and arrest Heather. They claim her real name is Lisa and that she killed a man prior to her move to New Hampshire.
Her best friends set out to prove her innocence.
It's a story of love, honesty, trust and faith. It's also a story about relationships, friendships and endurance.
This is a great book and I found it hard to put down.

I'm done!!!

Whew! I just finished a major writing project. With the Sandhill Crane Festival just around the corner, I was asked to create a special section tab for the local newspaper. I delivered the CD yesterday with all the files on it.
32 pages worth of stories and photos of wildlife.
Not an easy undertaking, but it was a lot of fun to work on.

Sandhill Cranes

Only two more weeks until the Othello Sandhill Crane Festival. I took this photo last weekend while out looking for the cranes.

They are so fun to watch as they strut through the local cornfields foraging for food.

I have an earlier post that tells a little about the festival and the link to the website can be found to the right.

Blue Water

As always, A. Manette Ansay delivers a novel of style and grace.

Ansay is one of my favorite writers. She has a wonderful way of expressing her story in an almost poetic way.

In "Blue Water," the main characters (Meg and Rex Van Dorn) lose their daughter to a freak car wreak. The driver of the other vehicle is drunk and Meg's best friend from high school. After a year of trying to deal with their loss, they decide it's time to leave. Their plan is to spend the rest of their lives traveling the world in a sailboat.

That may sound romantic, but it's not easy spending 24/7 isolated on board a boat in the middle of nowhere. Tension mounts and they begin to drift apart. Rex takes to drinking regularly and Meg only wants to go home.

The book introduces the reader to the few people they meet along the way and the perils at sea. Although sad, it is a charming story with a surprise ending.
This is a great book and one I enjoyed immensely.

RebeccasReads

If you are looking for great book reviews, check out http://www.rebeccasreads.com/.
At one time, this was THE place to go for reviews. Due to a variety of personal reasons, the site went into hibernation.
With the help of a group of reviewers (including yours truly), the site has been revamped and reopened. It has a great new look and there are already many reviews being uploaded.
So, stop by and take a look around.

Nell's Quilt

This story, by Susan Terris, revolves around a young woman named Nell. She is 18, in her last year of high school and her parents have arranged for her to marry a 20-something widower with a 5-year-old daughter. The year is 1899 and that's not unusual for the times.

However, Nell has a different plan for her life. Her grandmother was a suffragist and she wants to follow in her footsteps. Those plans include attending college in Boston.

Her parents will hear none of it. They continue to plan her wedding and she comes to realize that, perhaps, it may be the best thing for her family.

As she gives in, she becomes more and more depressed. She can't eat or sleep. The only thing that keeps her going is a basket of fabric scraps. The pieces are said to be from dresses her grandmother owned and wore. Nell decides to create a patchwork crazy quilt, with each square embroidered to represent a person in her life.

Nell slips deeper and deeper into depression. She becomes so thin that her health is threatened.

What will happen to her? Will she finish her beloved quilt? Will she marry?

The answers to these questions will surprise and amaze the reader.

I really liked this book. Very compelling and well-written. Susan Terris obviously did her homework before writing about Nell's illness and should be commended for the passionate, understanding way she approaches the issue of depression and the side effects caused by it. This is an issue that is timeless and crosses all social boundaries.

Turning Tables

This is a fun little book by Heather and Rose MacDowell.

The story centers around Erin Edwards. She's a successful marketing manager for a boutique firm. When the company downsizes, she is booted out and must find a new job. Unfortunately, openings in her field at few and far between. A family friend pulls some strings and gets her a position as a waitress at a posh Italian restaurant. She is appalled, but she needs to pay the rent.

She's in for the ride of her life!

Anyone who has ever worked for the service industry (including yours truly -- back in high school) will appreciate Erin's predicament and find "Turning Tables" amusing. This book is lightly humorous and a relaxing, pleasant read.

The Long and Short of it

If you like to read reviews, check out Long and Short Reviews. It's a fun site with lots of great information about authors and their books.
Of course, I'm slightly prejudiced as you can find some of my own reviews there -- just look for those by "freesia."
The great folks at LAS Reviews are also running a fun St. Patrick's Day contest. All you have to do is post it on your own blog or website and provide a link to the contest (see "check out these sites" on the right-hand side of this page).
Too simple? Who cares? It's great fun!