Friday Fill-Ins

So...here we go!

1. One of my strongest beliefs is everyone should have fun on Halloween.

2. The full moon is huge!

3. The sky is cloudy with a threat of rain and wind and cold, so bundle up and keep warm.

4. A cup of tea is comforting to me.

5. I always thought I'd be rich and famous (LOL).

6. I watched a little TV and then I went outside to look at the full moon.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to celebrating my grandson's birthday, tomorrow my plans include finishing up some writing and Sunday, I want to relax!

Joshua and Aaron: ITP Book Two

By David Gelber

From the back of the book:

“Joshua Smith faces the ultimate challenge as he stares down Death in the thrilling sequel to Future Hope. Follow Joshua as he faces a cosmic challenge that calls on him to use every ounce of his remarkable ingenuity, intelligence and insight to save mankind from its own excesses.”

I reviewed Future Hope last March and gave it a four-book rating because I truly did enjoy it. As a result, David Gelber asked if I would like to read the second book in the series and I couldn’t pass up the offer.

What I enjoy most about David’s books is his awesome imagination. In Future Hope, he takes us to Heaven and to Eden. Joshua and Aaron brings the reader to the depths of Hell as the main character faces the demons who threaten to take over the world.

Throughout the story, Joshua and Aaron are mortal enemies. Aaron is a big wig businessman who is just a tad bit crooked. His one dream is to bring down Joshua and he’s given orders to his hit man to kill Joshua on sight. Joshua takes on another identity to avoid his protagonist and sets out to turn the tables on Aaron.

But, as in real life, other events happen at the same time, which Joshua must become involved in. Soon, his main focus becomes finding the man who developed the means to create a society of brainless humans who follow the orders of the powers that be and have no independent thinking. The inventor is presumed dead, but another has found the computer chip and is determined to create a world without war or evil.

This is a fascinating book and I enjoyed reading it. In fact, I’m quite anxious to see where David takes the next book in the series and I hope he invites me to read that one as well.

The series is pure fantasy and set in the future, but don’t let that discourage you if this isn’t your usual genre of choice. The storyline is so intriguing in this series, I just know you’ll enjoy reading David’s books.

Friday Fill-Ins

So...here we go!

1. Wow, it's starting to get cold at night.

2. The changing leaves of fall are beautiful.

3. My favorite way to start a day is with something cold to drink.

4. The little goblin was dressed in costume and he walked in the door holding a pumpkin.

5. I look out my window and see the sun shining and the crisp air.

6. A nice vacation is what I've been thinking about lately.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to finishing the book I've been reading, tomorrow my plans include dressing up for the local art gallery's annual auction and Sunday, I want to take a quiet drive in the country!

Blog Tour: Beyond Justice

By Joshua Graham

From the back of the book:

"The descent into hell is not always vertical ... Sam Hudson, a reputable San Diego attorney, learns this when the authorities wrongfully convict him of the brutal rape and murder of his wife and daughter, and send him to death row. There he awaits execution by lethal injection. If he survives that long."

Can you imagine anything more horrific than facing induced death for a crime you didn't commit? Do you give up and await what cards fate has dealt or do you still attempt to convince others of your innocence?

The main character in this story does, indeed, fight for his life and is eventually exonerated. Now, he finds himself faced with an unthinkable challenge ... he must find a way to forgive the person who did murder his family.

This is a story of faith and the power it can have in our lives.

I found this story quite interesting and it was difficult to put down. It's one I would consider reading again in the future, which is very rare for me.

I hope you'll think about reading this book because I know you'll also enjoy it. To see other posts for this blog tour and to learn about this author, visit Pump Up Your Book.

Garner on Language and Writing

By Bryan A. Garner

 From the forward by Ruth Baber Ginsburg, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States:

“Lawyers serve their clients best when their readers can quickly and firmly grasp their points. … Bryan Garner has made the promotion of good legal writing – prose both comprehensible and engaging – his lifelong endeavor. … Garner’s essays not only instruct by prescription, they also teach by example. His prose is a model of precision, elegance and clarity. I am glad to add Garner on Language and Writing to the collection of Garner’s works kept within reach of my writing table.”

Bryan Garner is the ultimate authority on writing, having written and-or edited dozens of books on the subject. Some of the most familiar ones are Black’s Law Dictionary, Garner’s Modern American Usage, The Elements of Legal Style and A Handbook of Family Law Terms.

These books and others provide writers with all the information they need to compose sentences that will meet all the guidelines necessary for proper grammar and punctuation. Although his books deal with law, these guidelines are the same for any type of writing you may do.

I was particularly impressed with this book. I have quite a collection of writing books (as do most writers I know) and if I’m going to add another to my reference shelf, it has to be useful to me. Otherwise, it just takes up space.

“On Language and Writing” is a great addition for me. This huge book (700-plus pages) covers such a variety of topics that I’m sure I will refer to it often. Some of the chapters include persuasive writing, legal language, legal lexicography, citations, autobiographical essays and more.

One of my favorite chapters is about what Garner calls bizarreries – words that are used incorrectly, resulting in unintended humor. Included in this chapter are puns and cruel and unusual English.

This is a wonderful book and if you do any type of writing, you’ll want to consider adding it to your collection of reference books. I’m definitely glad it’s now on my shelf.