Saturday, March 20, 2021

I Did a Thing Thursday...

 

The only side effect I'm "suffering" is the bottomless (and perhaps boneless) hunger to stay up late at night reading this amazing-ass book in one last sitting... 



With that said, HAPPY READING!  And take care of yourself!

Tuesday, March 16, 2021

GUEST POST: The Jackdaw and the Doll by John Biscello (Illustrations by Izumi Yokoyama)

 



"K. leads a double life. Timid office clerk by day, storyteller by night. But not just any storyteller. Transforming into a jackdaw, K. takes secret night-flights around the city, collecting moments of inspiration. Confronted by sickness, and “The Shroud” which has haunted him since childhood, K., joined by his new love, Dora, moves away from home to The City of Birds. It is there that he will meet a young girl, heartbroken over her lost doll, and be given a golden chance to share the healing magic of storytelling.  A fable about love, compassion and creativity, inspired by a story about the writer, Franz Kafka."


IZUMI YOKOYAMA: Izumi Yokoyama is a multi-media artist who lives and works in Taos, New Mexico. Born in Niigata, Japan, in 1980, Yokoyama graduated with an MFA from San Francisco Art Institute and moved to the high desert. Yokoyama’s artwork, which has been presented locally and nationally, spotlights apparitional motifs while celebrating the juxtapositions of living and dying. The Japanese culture and desert stories significantly influence her creative process. She works in ink pen drawings, installations, murals, calligraphy, and interactive community projects. 


JOHN BISCELLO: Originally from Brooklyn, NY, novelist, poet, performer, and playwright, John Biscello, has called Taos, New Mexico home since 2001. He is the author of three novels: Broken Land, Raking the Dust, and Nocturne Variations; a collection of stories, Freeze Tag; two books of poetry, Arclight and Moonglow on Mercy Street, and an adaptation of classic folk tales, Once Upon a Time: Classic Folktales Reimagined.

  

Sunday, March 14, 2021

Quick Reading Check-In on In Death Series...

I’m between courses now and decided to spend the week catching up on one of my top favorite fictional cops, Eve Dallas.  Undressing this series requires no undressing.  I’ve been talking about this series for years and, until book fifty-one, Shadows in Death, thought I was about to take a break from reading the books.  But why?  Shadows came out back in September, and since then I’ve tried four times to get through page number three in the book.  Something seemed off to the point where I could never find myself able.  Very seldom does an In Death book not hook from page one till the end.  Weird stumble, indeed.  I took it as a sign that I may just need to take a break from the series.

Until I waltz into my library’s used bookstore and saw a copy of Robb’s recently release, Faithless in Death, sitting on a display for $5.  There was absolutely no way I was going to pass that up.  It was a clearer sign.  And I took it and ran with it.

As I write this, I’m ninety pages away from the end of Faithless in Death.  I'm super happy I took on both books this past week.  I’m still crazy about this series, after all.  Yes, thirteen years and over fifty books and short stories later.

Once I wrap Faithless in Death, I’m going to put this bookshelf together to house all my In Death books (which, naturally, I own them all).  I’ve been moving books around on my shelves as new books come in, and some of the real estate surrounding my In Death books ate a chunk of that space.  So, some adjustments were necessary.

What can I say?  I’m loyal to the series.  The books need their own bookshelf.  It's that many books.  And it's that serious.

Monday, March 1, 2021

#MarchMysteryMadness Prompts & THANGS

Just a friendly reminder, #MarchMysteryMadness starts today.  And yet, here are the prompts for this year...

For further information you can join #MarchMysteryMadness Discord Group.

ENJOY!

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Black & LGBTQ Mysteries Birthday Haul



So, after recently reading the second book in Paula L.Woods’s Charlotte Justice police procedural series, I quickly booted up the laptop to order the final two books.  And, well, those suckers are HERE.  I desperately (I understate a little “desperately”) want to get started on reading the third book, Dirty Laundry.  Of course, only to follow it up with the fourth and final book, Strange Bedfellows.  It’s one of those scenarios where you’re hungry to devour the series, but you also want to savor the experience with sips.

Nevertheless, the rundown goes:

Friday, February 12, 2021

My Sister is so Nice & Message of the Week & #FridayReads

My sister ordered me a good ole copy of Cicely Tyson's memoir, As I Am, for my birthday.  Just waiting on this thing to come on.  I put it on hold at the library (with a little begrudge and potato salad on the side), but still gunning for my own copy to place nicely on my shelf.  A necessary copy.  Indeed.  Here's to waiting... impatiently... but allowing God to do His work.  I'll cry happy tears.


In the meantime, the message for the week is...


As for #FridayReads...

Earlier this week I chomped down big on A More Perfect Union by Tammye Huf for the #ReadSoulLit Read-Along.  I'm a little over one hundred pages from its ending.  I'll probably finish it early next week, or even over the weekend.  It's so cold outside that I don't want to even go anywhere.  But I definitely want to finish it before the end of next week.  Unfortunately, the connection and resonance isn't as profound as it was during my earlier experience of reading A More Perfect Union.  Maybe it's because I'm juggling three books... or maybe because...

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