Thursday, February 28, 2013

Cat Thursday: Happy Birthday, Alice!



Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

Alice's 6th birthday was this past Sunday. We're lucky because we know the exact date of her birth, February 24 (thanks to the nice people we got her from all those years ago). We couldn't be any more lucky. She is a wonderful part of our family...sweet and good-natured. And she's awesome for accepting her new little sister, Arya, with open arms paws. Happy Birthday, you gorgeous, black beauty! Of course, the boys had to get in on the act. ;O)







Alice wasn't exactly loving it this year. LOL!

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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

TuesBookTalk March Selection: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro


TuesBookTalk Read-a-Longs on Twitter (@tuesbooktalk  #tuesbooktalk) and on Goodreads will be reading the historical fiction title, The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, in March. Our first discussion will be on Tuesday, March 5.  Our chats take place on Twitter at 9:30pm ET/8:30pm CT on Tuesday nights (see hashtag above).  If you can't join us on Twitter, feel free to share your thoughts in the Goodreads group.  Get the full reading schedule HERE.  Hope you will join us!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Auto-Buy Authors


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

(Note: I generally do not buy books when they first come out, but these are the authors whose books I will buy no matter what; also, I didn't list any classics authors because it's a given that I buy classics)

  1. Anne Rice - Of course! She has been my favorite author since my late teens. Although there is another author on the list that I've been reading longer (see #2), Anne will always be my favorite. Even though I still haven't made it through all of her titles (though I have reread Vampire Chronicles book 1 - 4 and Queen of the Damned, Book 3, four times!), I love her work and I think she is an awesome human being. Just join her page on Facebook and see how she interacts with her fans. You'll see that she is truly wonderful.
  2. Stephen King - Another no-brainer! Anyone who knows me, knows I love him. I mean, I've been reading him since I was in junior high. In fact, I'm reading him now (The Shining and Book 4 of the Dark Tower series, The Waste Lands). I've always enjoyed being scared and Stephen King knows just how to scare us. It's not always obvious and then sometimes it is, but either way, he is the master of scary, in my opinion. (Check out my perpetual Stephen King reading challenge HERE)
  3. Terry Brooks - I fell in love with this fantasy author's writing with the Magic Kingdom of Landover series. Of course, he also wrote the Shannara series, of which I've only read the first book, but I have almost the entire series and I will continue to look for the rest, as well as buying anything new he has to offer.
  4. J.K. Rowling - I will probably buy anything she writes. I haven't purchased The Casual Vacancy yet, but give me time. I'm just loyal to an author who could create the incredible world of Harry Potter. 
  5. Ken Follett - I'm not a fan of the genre Follett typically wrote in previously...basically espionage/war time thrillers. Then my library was recommending The Pillars of the Earth as their book club selection and I checked it out. My life was changed forever. It was incredible. I have since read World Without End, the second Kingsbridge cathedral book, and these remain two of my favorite historical novels. I own Fall of Giants and I will continue to auto-buy Follett, as long as he keeps writing in the historical genre.
  6. George R. R. Martin - Discovered in 2011 with A Game of Thrones (my favorite read that year), I now know that I will read anything he writes.
  7. Peter Straub - Another horror author who scared the crap out of me with Ghost Story. I have all of his books and will continue to buy his new ones.
  8. Christopher Gortner - He wrote a fantastic historical novel about one of my favorite historical figures, Juana of Castile, The Last Queen, and his novel about her mother, Isabella of Castile, The Queen's Vow, was equally good. I will continue to be a loyal fan of his work.
  9. Robert Parry - I have never been floored so much by an independent author's work as I was by Parry's Virgin and the Crab. A meticulous and well-researched fictional account of the relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and John Dee, I was so impressed by it that I know any work by him will have the same effect. (I'm currently reading The Arrow Chest and will be reading his new book, Wildish, soon)
  10. M. J. Rose - I have read two books in her Reincarnationist series and will be reading her new title, The Seduction, coming up this summer. She writes with a wonderful blend of the past and present and I really enjoy that. 

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Friday, February 22, 2013

HFVBT: {Review and Giveaway} A Tainted Dawn by B.N. Peacock

GIVEAWAY WINNER:  LINDA (winner has been emailed)


My thoughts:
I have to say that I'm somewhat puzzled by the mixed reviews this book has received. One reviewer on Goodreads gave it a very low rating due to spelling errors and its being poorly produced...having read only 6 pages in. Really? In my case, I must rule on the side of the more favorable reviews. I found myself captivated early on by Peacock's portrayal of the era. I really felt as if I was present in the story. However, it's when we arrive at the seagoing portion of the story where Peacock really hits her stride. A very interesting and often disturbing look at what life must have been like on the ships of the 18th century. No thank you, I say!

In all, the story of the three boys...Jemmy, Edward and Louis...makes for very interesting historical fiction. This being the first book in a planned series, I'm looking forward to reading the next installment. A promising debut for this author.

Note: I really took to heart something the author said in her acknowledgements, "And last, to my mother, who longed for, but never lived to see this day." Thank you, Ms. Peacock. I have been talking about writing my book for years (I have actually started it) and it is something my mom has dreamed for. You have inspired me to get moving. I want my mom to be around when my book is finally published.


About the book:
Publication Date: March 1, 2012 | Fireship Press | 352p

August 1789. The Rights of Man. Liberty. Equality. Idealism. Patriotism.

A new age dawns.

And yet, old hostilities persist: England and Spain are on the brink of war. France, allied by treaty with Spain, readies her warships. Three youths--the son of an English carpenter, the son of a naval captain, an the son of a French court tailor--meet in London, a chance encounter that entwines their lives thereafter. The English boys find themselves on the same frigate bound for the Caribbean. The Frenchman sails to Trinidad, where he meets an even more zealous Spanish revolutionary. As diplomats in Europe race to avoid conflict, war threatens to erupt in the Caribbean, with the three youths pitted against each other.

Will the dawn of the boys' young manhood remain bright with hope? Or will it become tainted with their countrymen's spilt blood?

Praise for A Tainted Dawn

"As America is born, the superpowers of Europe clash with one another for power and territory. A Tainted Dawn is a historical novel set at the end of the eighteenth century, as the powers of Europe head off to war. Following youths of these nations as they find their way through their lives and the conflict, A Tainted Dawn creates a riveting setting with plenty of twists and turns that should prove difficult to put down, very much recommended." - The Midwest Book Review

"Barbara Peacock has a masterful knowledge of both nautical lore and the history and politics of the age. Her characters are sympathetic, and they come alive though her writing. She deftly captures the spirit of this fascinating and critical time, both its positive and negative aspects. Her characters inhabit a world that is squalid, gritty , and dangerous, but not without hope." - Robin E. Levin, The Death of Carthage


About the Author:
B. N. Peacock’s love of history started in childhood, hearing stories of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire from her immigrant grandparents. They related accounts handed down from their grandparents about battlefields so drenched in blood that grass cut there afterwards oozed red liquid. Such tales entranced her. These references probably dated to the time of the Napoleonic Wars. No wonder she was drawn to this time period. 

In addition to history, she showed an equally early proclivity for writing, winning an honorable mention in a national READ magazine contest for short stories. The story was about history, of course, namely the battle of Bunker Hill as seen from the perspective of a British war correspondent.

The passion for writing and history continued throughout high school and undergraduate studies. She was active in her high school newspaper, eventually becoming its editor-in-chief. After graduation, she majored in Classical Studies (Greek and Latin) at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. In her junior year, life took one of those peculiar turns which sidetrack one. A year abroad studying at Queen Mary College, University of London in England led to the discovery of another passion, travel. She returned and finished her degree at F&M, but now was lured from her previous interests in history and writing.

Her work continues on Book Two in The Great War series, tentatively to be called Army of Citizens, with new trips planned to England, France and Belgium.


Visit the other stops on this tour HERE
Twitter Hashtag: #ATaintedDawnVirtualTour

GIVEAWAY: I have one copy of A Tainted Dawn for one winner! Open internationally. To enter, leave a comment below telling me what is your favorite historical fiction novel. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact the winner. Last day to enter will be Friday, March 8 at 11:59pm CST. Good luck!

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Cat Thursday: Random Funnies




Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

Hope everyone is having a good week. Of course, I have come down with some crud again. Anyone with kids in school can relate. They are always bringing home lovely germs. Ugh!

I have some random funnies for you today...





And, of course, a final word from Grumpy cat...



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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

HFVBT: Anne Easter Smith, author of Royal Mistress #RoyalMistressBlogTour



Looking for Richard
By Anne Easter Smith
Author of the soon-to-be-published Royal Mistress


Many thanks for hosting me today!

So now we know! It was Richard III under the car park in Leicester, and the exciting announcement on February 4th made me cry. Now all of us who are Richard fans will have somewhere to go and pay our respects. It appears Leicester has won out in the re-interment battle between there and York Minster. A ceremony is being planned for early 2014, I understand.


The discovery of a skeleton beneath a municipal parking lot in Leicester last September sent a shiver of excitement through the history world and especially several thousand fans of England’s much maligned king, Richard III.

When I heard that an archeological dig was being considered to find the last remains of my favorite king, I quickly opened my wallet and donated to the attempt. How could I refuse? After all, Richard is the only crowned king of England whose grave has remained shrouded in as much mystery as his life has. And he is featured in all of my books!


The venture was to be undertaken by the archeology department at Leicester University, but the force behind the dig was a fellow Ricardian and president of the Scottish branch of the Richard III Society, Philippa Langley. She was convinced her exhaustive research would uncover the remains of the Greyfriars Church, where Richard’s battered body was lain out for “all men to wonder upon” before being given burial, with little ceremony, somewhere inside the church. We only have a couple of references to where it might have been, but I’ll get to that later.

I happened to be in England when they first began to dig on August 25th, so I was privy to more media coverage than perhaps was first given in the US. The Society had approached the BBC about including the dig in its popular “Time Team” program that documents archeological digs all over Britain. They refused at first, but a barrage of emails from Ricardians and enthusiasts all over the world got their attention, and when artifacts from a well-endowed building were uncovered in two trenches, they changed their minds. You can be sure they were doubly glad when, on September 12th, a skeleton was unearthed in a third trench that had uncovered the nave and its shallow burial crypt beneath.

Lo and behold! A solitary skeleton of a male was discovered, its skull caved in by some sharp instrument, an arrowhead still lodged in its spine, and, most curious of all, a curvature of the spine that would have made the man’s right shoulder higher than the left. The news raced around the world that finally, King Richard III’s grave may have been uncovered.


But why only now? It seems history forgot Richard after the Tudors sowed their damning seeds about the last Plantagenet king to shore up their own feeble claim to the throne. Henry Tudor, earl of Richmond, who became Henry VII, chose to date his reign from the day BEFORE the battle of Bosworth, thus making it possible to proclaim Richard’s supporters traitors, and Richard’s body to be treated with despicable irreverence.

After the battle, with a halter around its neck, Richard’s naked, battered body was thrown ignominiously over the back of a horse and taken back into the city of Leicester and given over to the monks of Greyfriars to lay out for public viewing. After two days, the monks were given permission by the king to bury him somewhere within the monastery walls.

At some point in the next ten years, however, the notoriously stingy Henry must have felt guilty for his ill treatment of an anointed king’s remains, and he managed to untie his purse strings to pay one James Keyley to fashion a small alabaster monument to be placed over Richard’s grave. Unfortunately, the Greyfriars monastery and church went the same way the rest of England’s Catholic bastions of religion went during Henry’s son’s reign forty years later. Monks and priests were strung up, churches stripped of all their treasures, monasteries ransacked and burned and tombs overturned and desecrated. In fact, some history books will state that Richard’s bones were found and thrown into the nearby River Soar and his stone sarcophagus (of which there is no mention in the contemporary chronicles) used as a water trough for horses.


In 1611, John Speed (of map fame) wrote a history of Great Britain based on his travels around the country. He writes that a mayor of Leicester owned the now secular Greyfriars monastery as a pleasant residence, and the alabaster monument was still in what was now the garden, albeit covered in nettles and weeds. A traveler in the 18th century also wrote in his journal that he had seen the same monument, but since then the old house has disappeared and the land was subsumed by the city of Leicester. At the time of the dig last year, it had been a parking lot for many years; the city allowed the excavation to take place before the lot is built on yet again.

Is the skeleton Richard’s? Scientists are using DNA from a descendant of Richard’s sister, Anne, to try and ascertain that. Other tests like carbon dating should also help, and a reconstruction of Richard’s face can be done with the latest technology, which will be exciting. By the time you read this, we should know, and I for one wish I could be on hand to witness a more fitting re-burial for this unfortunate, misunderstood king.

About the Book
Publication Date: May 7, 2013 | Touchstone | 512p

From the author of A Rose for the Crown and Daughter of York comes another engrossing historical novel of the York family in the Wars of the Roses, telling the fascinating story of the rise and fall of the final and favorite mistress of Edward IV.

Jane Lambert, the quick-witted and alluring daughter of a silk merchant, is twenty-two and still unmarried. When Jane’s father finally finds her a match, she’s married off to the dull, older silk merchant William Shore—but her heart belongs to another. Marriage doesn’t stop Jane Shore from flirtation, however, and when the king’s chamberlain and friend, Will Hastings, comes to her husband’s shop, Will knows his King will find her irresistible.

Edward IV has everything: power, majestic bearing, superior military leadership, a sensual nature, and charisma. And with Jane as his mistress, he also finds true happiness. But when his hedonistic tendencies get in the way of being the strong leader England needs, his life, as well as that of Jane Shore and Will Hastings, hang in the balance.

This dramatic tale has been an inspiration to poets and playwrights for 500 years, and told through the unique perspective of a woman plucked from obscurity and thrust into a life of notoriety, Royal Mistress is sure to enthrall today’s historical fiction lovers as well.


About the Author

Anne Easter Smith is an award-winning historical novelist whose research and writing concentrates on England in the 15th century. Meticulous historical research, rich period detail, and compelling female protagonists combine to provide the reader with a sweeping portrait of England in the time of the Wars of the Roses. Her critically acclaimed first book, A Rose for the Crown, debuted in 2006, and her third, The King’s Grace, was the recipient of a Romantic Times Review Best Biography award in 2009. A Queen by Right has been nominated by Romantic TImes Review for the Best Historical Fiction award, 2011.

Visit the Tour Schedule
Twitter Hashtag: #RoyalMistressBlogTour


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Monday, February 18, 2013

A Reading Life with Mailbox Monday


This feature was inspired by It's Monday! What are you reading? hosted by Sheila at Book Journey and also by The Sunday Salon.

Listening To:  Walgreens has those little portable speakers for portable audio equipment on sale so I'm hoping to get one for my CD player so I can finally start listening to The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater while driving.

Book finished: Since my last Monday post, I have finished Persuasion and The Forgotten Queen by D.L. Bogdan.  (Click titles to read my reviews)

Reading: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (still), Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, The Shining by Stephen King, Crime and Punishment by Feodor Dostoyevsky,  The Waste Lands by Stephen King (I'm SO behind on this read-a-long).

What I have left to read this month...Yikes:  A Tainted Dawn by B.N. Peacock for review (book tour) on Friday, Dune by Frank Herbert, The Plague by Albert Camus. Dune is for the SciFi Experience, but I may have to switch to a shorter book to complete the "challenge." Maybe The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? I'm also supposed to be catching up on review books. Doing a stellar job...not! I might be able to squeeze in The Arrow Chest, at least. *fingers crossed*

Coming Up Next:  My Classics Spin book (#14 on my list) is Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons.  In March, I'm participating in the Take Control of your TBR Pile challenge. I have no tours scheduled and will only be reading books from my personal library although I might allow myself one review book.  ;O)  Not quite sure what titles I'm reading yet...well, except for Cold Comfort Farm that is!

Watching:  Yes, I'm pissed at "Downton Abbey"...again! I'm sure everyone who watched last night (pretty much) is. No spoilers, but let me know if you're hopping mad too. "The Walking Dead" last night was SO intense. Edge of the seat...loved it! I saw "Django Unchained" on Saturday. What a fantastic film! I'm a huge Tarantino fan anyway, but this movie was just unbelievably good. I finally rented "Paranormal Activity 4." Pretty scary and creepy. They seem to get more scary each time a new one comes out. Or is it just me? I will say, mom was pshawing at first and then ended up thinking it was scary too. LOL!

Making:  My cooking continues to be a hit with the boys. Makes a mom smile. Last week, I made a sour cream enchilada recipe with chicken. I'm going to try it this week with beef. My meatloaf is a big hit too.

Grateful for:  My ob/gyn doctor. It has been four years since I last saw her and she is SO wonderful. She talked with me at length about my life now. All the changes with the separation and all and it really helped a lot. Sometimes speaking with a neutral third party is what a person really needs.

Looking forward to:  the OSCARS on Sunday! Woot! I've seen a lot of the films that are nominated this year which makes for a better experience while watching, in my opinion. I'm really rooting for Anne Hathaway for Best Supporting Actress. Not sure who else yet. There are so many great performances. Hopefully, I will get to see "Lincoln" or "Argo" this weekend before the airing of the show.

Picture: My grand nephew who turned one last week.  Isn't he a doll!?



***************


Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia and is being hosted by Unabridged Chick this month.  (You can click the book covers in the BookBox to view the book(s) on Amazon)


BookBox: embed book widget, share book list

FOR REVIEW/BOOK TOURS:
Anastasia by Colin Falconer...from the author

HFVBT--book tours--
The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau (April)
The Seduction by M.J. Rose  (June)

Lifetime of Achievement: 7 Goal Setting Strategies that Work by Jordan Maylea Ramirez...Pump Up Your Book tours

WON:
A Thing Done by Tinney Sue Heath...from Andrea @ A Chick Who Reads
The Lobotomist by Jack El-Hai...from Wonders & Marvels giveaway

LIBRARY SALE:
The Blood of Alexandria by Richard Blake
The Owl Killers by Karen Maitland
Sunflowers by Sheramy Bundrick
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry
Bloody Mary by Carolly Erickson
Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran
The Vanishing Point by Mary Sharratt
Going Bovine by Libba Bray
The Sonnet Lover by Carol Goodman
The Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman


BOMC2:
2013 Stephen King Desk Calendar

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Friday, February 15, 2013

Releasing in paperback! The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

The Book of Lost Fragrances is being released in paperback with a gorgeous new cover! I reviewed this wonderful book last year and you can check out that review HERE.


Paperback Publication Date: March 13, 2013
Publisher: Atria Books
Paperback; 384p
ISBN-10: 1451621485

SYNOPSIS: A Secret Worth Dying For.

Jac L’Etoile is plunged into a world she thought she’d left behind when her brother, coheir to their father’s storied French perfumery, makes an earthshattering discovery in the family archives, and then suddenly goes missing— leaving a dead body in his wake. In Paris to investigate his disappearance, Jac becomes haunted by the legend of the House of L’Etoile. If there is an ancient perfume developed in Cleopatra’s time that holds the power to unlock memories of past lives, possessing it is not only worth living for . . . it’s worth killing for, too.

Fusing history, passion and suspense in an intoxicating web that moves from Cleopatra’s Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet’s battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris, this marvelous, spellbinding novel comes to life as richly as our most wildly imagined dreams.

Read an EXCERPT.

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound

Praise for THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES

Selected by Indie Booksellers for the March 2012 Indie Next List

Selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the Top Ten Mystery/Thrillers Spring 2012

"Compelling... suspenseful tale. Once you catch a whiff, you will be enchanted". —Associated Press

"Rose has entered another realm and written what is bound to be one of this year's best books." —Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"From 18th-century Egypt and France to present-day Paris, New York, and China, Rose's deliciously sensual novel of paranormal suspense smoothly melds a perfume-scented quest to protect an ancient artifact with an ages-spanning romance. Rose imbues her characters with rich internal lives in a complex plot that races to a satisfying finish." —Publishers Weekly, Starred and Boxed Review

"Amazing... utterly engrossing. Elegantly written, with unforgettable characters. Will keep you up all night—and leave you with powerful feelings of revelation, wonder, and the infinitude of human possibility." —New York Times best selling author Douglas Preston

"A simmering brew that mingles the erotic sensuality of Patrick Suskind's Perfume with the dark and timeless obsessions of Rider Haggard's classic, She." —New York Times best selling author Katherine Neville


About the Author
M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE. You can also find her onFacebook and Twitter.

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Thursday, February 14, 2013

Wicked Valentine's Read-a-Thon: Plans and Updates

STICKY POST:  PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR NEWER CONTENT
Wicked Valentine's Read-a-Thon
Hosted by My Shelf Confessions:  Sign up by clicking the button

  Guess who my Valentine is this year?  Well, not who, but what.  You guessed it! A read-a-thon! I love, love, love them, even though I never do so hot, I still love the idea, the fun, and ye ole college try.  It starts at 12am EST so a bit under an hour to go!

These are the books I'm reading right now and they're all mostly for read-a-longs so I'm not going to commit to finishing any one book.  I'm going to go with a page goal this time of 1000 pages.  Can I do it in a week?  I hope so!

Final stats = 280 pages  *bleh*

Total pages read as of 2/12/13 = 198 pages

The Waste Lands (Dark Tower #3) by Stephen King (this one I need to finish)
The Shining by Stephen King
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky  53 pages
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo  100 pages
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn  45 pages
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry

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Cat Thursday: Authors and their cats (18) & Happy Valentine's Day!



Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

The second Cat Thursday of each month is Authors and their Cats Thursday.  Each time I will feature an author and their cat(s).

It's back! Authors and their Cats returns after a two month hiatus.  Today I'm sharing with you non-fiction author, environmental activist, and novelist Peter Matthiessen and a friend.  I have a few of his books and I was perusing them the other day while working on organizing my library, thinking to myself, "I really need to read these books."  

What better way to celebrate Valentine's day than to show the love between a cat and its human. ;O)



Happy Valentine's Day, my Cat Thursday friends!



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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

The Classics Spin! UPDATE


Our wonderful club/challenge, The Classics Club, is hosting The Classics Spin.

Full details, as outlined on TCC blog:

It’s easy. At your blog, by next Monday, Feb 18, list your choice of any twenty books you’ve left to read from your Classics Club list – in a separate post.

This is your Spin List. You have to read one of these twenty books in February & March. (Details follow.) So, try to challenge yourself. For example, you could list five Classics Club books you are dreading/hesitant to read, five you can’t WAIT to read, five you are neutral about, and five free choice (favorite author, rereads, ancients — whatever you choose.)

Next Monday, we’ll post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List, by April 1. We’ll have a check in or something in April, to see who made it the whole way and finished the spin book.

My spin list (view my entire Classics Club list HERE):

Five I'm dreading (sort of):
1.  Little Dorritt by Charles Dickens
2.  The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy
3.  The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
4.  A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
5.  Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

Five I can't wait to read:

6.  The Plague by Albert Camus
7.  Queen Margot by Alexandre Dumas
8.  Howard's End by E.M. Forster
9.  Perfume by Patrick Suskind
10. The Once and Future King by T.H. White

I'm neutral:

11. Fingersmith
by Sarah Waters
12. Moravagine by Blaise Cendrars
13. The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble
*14. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons*
15. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Five free choices--rereads/favorite authors:

16. Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott
17. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
18. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
19. The World According to Garp by John Irving
20. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
What's on your spin list?

My Spin selection is Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons.

What was yours?

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Thursday, February 7, 2013

Cat Thursday: Tribute to Zack



Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

Today I'd like to take a moment to pay tribute to Anna's (Herding Cats & Burning Soup) beloved, Zack, who passed away at age 11 1/2.  He had a long life for such a big dog and he sure was a lover of the kitties.  Precious, precious boy...may you meet up with loved ones across the Rainbow Bridge.  Anna and family, please know that my heart breaks for you.  *Many, many hugs* (I hope you don't mind that I used your image)



So we don't stay sad all day (because the more I look at that pic of Zack and baby Gladys, the more I cry), here's a bit of whimsy....




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