Muller & Paretsky Short Story Haul

Soooooo, I'm not that great at keeping up with short stories.  But shoottttttt I miss the cheeseburger and FRIES out of reading Marcia Muller's Sharon McCone private-eye stories.  And equally that of Sara Paretsky's V. I. Warshawski series.  I've tidied up these series; totally up-to-date with these two iconic contemporary woman private-eye stories.  Now I really miss these author, and most certainly the voices of their characters.  So short stories it is!  

New Society6 Journal/Notebook/Whatever

Yay!  I got my new journal/notebook/whatever from my Society6 Store today.  And, needless to say, I LOVE it.  Journals like these are the reason I started all this eight years ago–in the first place.  I was tired of searching for new journals to write in.  Only to find those journals featuring wildflowers, cats, puppies, and landscapes.  I wanted something featuring something of my own.  I guess I managed to make that happen!  

Anyway, this is called the "Ain't that Mellow Mellow, Jeremi" journal.  The name is from a song featured on the 1974 Foxy Brown score produced by Willie Hutch.  Yellow.  Mellow.  Get it?

Anyway, this is a side-by-side of my retiring Zazzle journal (I bought in 2016) with my new Society6 one.  As you can see the Zazzle is spiral-bound (larger as well), whereas the Society6 one isn't.

CHOP IT UP: The Black Tower by P. D. James

"ABCD" May Reading TBR

Heyyyyyy. I hope and pray everyone is doing well and keeping safe out there.

So we all like to do little things to create a monthly TBR (given we've decided to make one to begin with). Especially to keep from spending hours or even days between books. And when you factor in today’s virus crisis, now is a good time to get down to reading with a bit of a charge. With a rhythm. With a nice, striding... pace. More so, it's a time to tackle unreads books (I know, I know) that have overdue property taxes on shelf space. Since browsing our favorite libraries and bookstores ain’t happening any time soon, it's an unfortunate but re-calibrating opportunity to play our reading cards. In, of course, fun and interesting ways.

So the first two weeks (or so-so) of May got me creating what I’ve dubbed an ”ABCD May TBR”.

4 BOOKSHELVES. 4 LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET BY ORDER. 4 AUTHORS-BY-LAST-NAME PICKS. 4 UNREAD BOOKS. BOOM!

My first shelf was my “A” shelf. Unread books with "A" last name authors. Alphabet order through the pickings. Let's go! Maya ANgelou’s autobiography, A Song Flung Up to Heaven, beat Margaret ATwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. True enough. Yet, I took a little concession and choose the latter. Why? Two reason. One: never read an Atwood, but read plenty Angelous. Two: because this is an alarming time to explore some disturbing dystopian/totalitarian state novels. And I’m going to throw this out there: Gilead (do your research on that). So let's keep it real with the potential parallels we all fear on the horizon. The phrase "It'll never happen here" comes to mind.

A Special Video Blog Exclusive: "Build Your Investigator" TAG

What's up those who've managed to read this. I'm doing something a little unusual here in two or three ways. First: I've created a TAG video. Two: This video was suppose to be up in March as my last #MarchMysteryMadness video. The lag has to do with me deciding to take some time to be "still" in regards to this virus business ripping up the world. And to spend a little time off BookTube to focus on just life (or preparation in this case) and family matters. I hope everyone is doing okay during this time. Stay safe and keep your prayers up! As for the TAG questions: 1. Name Your Investigator 2. How would your investigator get involved with his/her first crime/case? 3. What's your investigator's appearance like? 4. What's your investigator's financial status and goals like? 5. What's your investigator's background like? 6. What's your investigator's talents, skills and values? 7. What's your investigator's personality like?

Receipting/Journaling/Messing???

I guess I can do this.  Bowling alleys.  Restaurants.  Crab boils.  Christmas gifts.  Out-of-town adventures.  Family-time carousing grocery stores for food for weekend cookouts.  Quarantine purchases.  

While I've skimmed on actually journaling everything I've been up to, I've been keeping receipts in the attempt to go BACK and fill in a few blanks–of some sort.  Instead, I'm going to be super cute (is this cheating?) by taping the receipts in order.  It'll be one of those late-night Saturday projects to get me on the path of journaling regularly.  I'm looking for a fresh start, beginning with buying a new journal.

Of COURSE, I'm going to buy one of my own.  And I've never bought one from my Society6 store.  Needless to say, I'm having a hard time deciding which one I want to get a fresh start with!

Right?

Right?

Ooooo. Somebody Sent Me Books...

What’s happening, all? Well, I guess that question isn’t exactly necessary in our current health crisis climate. So, in saying that, I hope and pray you reading this is doing well and keeping safe. I’ve taken this time to be still. Still reading, but keeping still. Not too much video making and blogging. More like be extra careful of my movements (as I still have to go to work), as well as keeping up with my family’s movements. There is much to say about these last few weeks but, for the majority, me and my folks are doing well. And I pray yours is too.

I’m here to share and shout out Elizabeth from the YouTube Channel, LizziefayeLovesBooks. Last week she sent me some books, y'all! Anyway, her and I have shared a BookTubeship these past few years. That BookTubeship came stirred by our connection in hosting #MarchMysteryMadness together since 2016. There are actual stories behind the book picks she has sent me. But instead of getting into all that on this rainy Saturday, I’ll share her latest video down below. Total appreciation for this.

      

So, yes. This was really, really sweet. And I can’t wait to read them! Folks are out here sending me books, man. How blessed is THAT! THANKS ONCE AGAIN, ELIZABETH!