I have an overstuffed green chair in my living room that is perfect for curling up in. There is a lamp behind it, and my favorite throws are nearby in case I need to warm up. Love the picture; it makes me wish I had a giant bear to cuddle!
I have been a library manager/administrator for over 30 years, in Ohio, Florida, Arizona, and, now, Indiana. Winner of the 2011 Arizona Library Association Outstanding Library Service Award. I am a contributing Book Reviewer for Library Journal, Mystery Readers Journal, ReadertoReader.com and VibrantNation.com. Winner of the 2009 and 2010 Spinetingler Awards for Best Reviewer. First Fan Guest of Honor for Desert Sleuths Chapter of Sisters in Crime, Write Now! Conference.
It's an honor to be asked to review books, and I'm grateful to all the publishers, publicists, and authors who send me books. Thank you. Reviews will appear on my blog if I've had a chance to read, and finish, the book. If I do not finish a book, I won't review it, and I will not respond to emails asking when, or if, I'll be reviewing a book.
My reviews are only my opinion, and do not reflect the views of the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library.
I will not review self-published books, and, at the present time, do not accept books in e-book format.
What An Animal Reading Challenge VI - Completed
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I finally completed another reading challenge. This is one that I host, What
An Animal Reading Challenge VI.
Here are the books I read:
1. Trouble in ...
Memorial Day Weekend
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Painting by N.C. Wyeth
Remember the men and women whose sacrifices made and continue to make it
possible for us to live in a free society.
*"If you don't...
Hello From Phoenix Comic Con
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Having a fabulous time so far. Yesterday’s fun included embarrassing the
heck out of author Kevin Hearne, having a limo ride with Grant Imahara, and
sharin...
New Hardcover Mysteries for June 2013
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[image: New Hardcover Crime Fiction from the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books]
The Hidden Staircase Mystery Books has updated its list of new hardcover
mys...
Saturday Snapshot
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I was lucky enough to spend Mother’s Day week in Hilton Head with my mother
and sister. We made day trips to Charleston and Savannah while we were
there. ...
Weekend Cooking...Ra Ra Ramen!
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"Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese style wheat noodle
served in a meat- or (occasionally) fish-based broth often flavored with
soy ...
My First Blurb Moment
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by Kaye George
Jenny Milchman does a series of guest posts on her blog by authors who have
achieved their Made It Moments. I’ve even had the privilege of ...
Once Upon a Body: a guest blog by Michele Drier
-
*JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Michele Drier's first mystery, EDITED FOR DEATH,
got **an enthusiastic thumbs up from her fellow reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan
. Mich...
Guest Author Kim Fay
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Today, the fabulous Kim Fay. I met her at one of the many literary events throughout southern California. She's bright and charming and you can't help but li...
The Plans Are Afoot Weekly Link Round-Up
-
I have a feeling that you can tell how successful a vacation is by how
quickly you start planning the next one. I'm moving through all our UK trip
phot...
Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann
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*[image: 15847640]*
*“I’m not sure if it’s a blessing or a curse,” Helena said. *
* “At least it’s something different,” Nick said. “No more goddamn
ra...
Nancy Lynn Jarvis Talks About her AARP Gang
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*We*l*come to Mysterious Writers, Nancy. Tell us how your senior gang
came about.*
**
*Mags and the AARP Gang* Wasn’t My Idea.
I was finishing up the...
We've been here before
-
If you've gotten close to a writer lately, you'll probably witness plenty of hand wringing and gnashing of teeth over the seemingly Apocalyptic changes in th...
The Chard Challenge
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We are always looking for ways to sneak more vegetables into our meals.
Everyone around here likes veggies, but we just get tired of same old same
old....
Moments in History: Always Present
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Larry and I are vacationing in New York City. We're visiting friends and family, and taking in the sights, sounds, and sensations of the local environment. W...
Mykonos, Listen to the Music. Please.
-
I’m wound up. Translation: Pissed off by an argument I had with an
arrogant rent-a-cop type who told an elderly tourist couple walking beside
a wall ...
Placeholder of the continuing bad news variety
-
The hellhounds have stopped eating again. I had another
four-hours-of-sleep night last night. The vets had only had some of the lab
results back today,...
Let’s Roll on Out, Steve
-
The news that actor Steve Forrest died on May 18 at age 87 put me
immediately in mind of his two most prominent leading roles--in the
1966-1967 British cri...
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
-
*Eleanor and Park* is a love story for readers (like me) who don't usually
like romance. Author Rainbow Rowell has reminded me why I keep turning to
YA fi...
Rick Atkinson: A madness in his method
-
BookPage contributing writer Alden Mudge was excited to have the
opportunity to interview Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Rick Atkinson for
our June issue...
-
*“You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Rêves and into the
creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus. *
* You are ...
Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: May 24
-
Here are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week@JensBookPage. Book Lists and Awards Winners of the 2012 Andre Norton Award have been an...
Get Whimsey for Free - this weekend only!
-
**
**
**
*I'm having a Memorial Day Weekend Promotion Event for WHIMSEY: A NOVEL. *
**
*The Kindle version will be available for free (Kindle Only!) at amaz...
Crime Fiction Friday: JOE CLIFFORD
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Joe Clifford is a rising star in the world of crime fiction. His new novel
Junkie Love is getting great reviews, and his short story collection Choice
Cuts...
The Monster In My Elbow.
-
from Jacqueline
I guess I've not been paying attention over the past year, or perhaps, what
with one thing and another, my mind has been on other things. ...
Barbecue Mysteries
-
*Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend. *I'll be posting a *Memorial Day
Crime Fiction list*, but in the meantime, I thought I'd *update *my *Barbecue
Mys...
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND DIGITAL-EDITION SALE
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Are you starting to put together your summer-reading list? If you have an
e-reader, you’ll find it easy to download and enjoy EQMM while traveling.
And to ...
Monday Mornings - Dr. Sanjay Gupta, M.D.
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*Summary: *Every time surgeons operate, they're betting their skills are
better than the brain tumor, the faulty heart valve, the fractured femur.
Somet...
Forgotten Book - Murder Isn't Easy
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Is it a typo? you may wonder. Is he thinking of *Murder is Easy*, the far
from forgotten title by Agatha Christie? Well, the answer to both questions
is no...
Inferno by Dan Brown – Audiobook Review
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Inferno by Dan Brown, narrated by Paul Michael Published in audio by Random
House Audio, published in print by Doubleday Books, both imprints of Random
Hou...
Frozen in Time - Mitchell Zuckoff
-
Subtitled: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of
World War II
Mitchell Zuckoff's name might already be familiar to you - he's al...
Kill the Boss Good-by / Mission for Vengeance
-
I think most people who have been reading this site for a while know the
score: When you see another book from Stark House Press, you know you are
going to...
Days of Renewal
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After this week of such horrible loss and devastation in Oklahoma, it’s
hard to think about what to write that doesn’t sound trivial. When faced
with catas...
Three Types of Good Story Repetition
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Today I'm over at K.M. Weiland's Blog, WordPlay (a fantastic writing craft
blog, if you haven't visited),
talking about three types of good repetition...
Five on Friday - Linda Barnes
-
Happy Friday everyone! Hope you're enjoying your week and have some fun
plans for the holiday weekend.
A few things to share with you before we get to toda...
Smart Men
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I love smart men. I mean ladies, we all know the sexiest part of a man is
his brain. Don’t get me wrong, I like eye candy too, but I’ll take a brain
over...
Pardon Me While I Back The Bus Up
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*by Sue Ann Jaffarian*
Okay, okay ... I know last week’s question was on favorite reference
materials and this week is my week to post, but I just have t...
Help Needed - Janie Bolitho website
-
A new website has been set up for the late author Janie Bolitho:
janiebolitho.info and the webmistress Jolene needs your help.
Biographical detail on the a...
Favorite TV Theme Songs Ever
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[image: Favorite TV Theme Songs Ever]
Yesterday, I heard that actor Steve Forrest had passed away on May 18 at
the age of 87. Even though he appeared in m...
Ocean Beach, by Wendy Wax
-
I typically choose beach reads in the fall or wintertime. As temperatures
drop below 50°F, cover images with hammocks and cerulean blue seas become
irresi...
Friday Finds (May 24)
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FRIDAY FINDS showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your To Be Read
(TBR) list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the
library —...
Review - Undercurrents
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I reviewed the first book in the series, Endangered (click here) and the
second book, Bear Bait (click here) as well as interviewed the author (click
here....
Heaven, Hit TV Shows, and Digging Cemeteries
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By Elaine Viets I’m still unpacking from my "Board Stiff" book tour, but I wanted to give you some of the highlights. The tour got off to a rousing start at ...
Witches Are Wonderful!
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by Anna Campbell
Don't you just love book recommendations? I do! I still think I pick up my best reading via word of mouth. I've come across some of my favo...
Heist Society by Ally Carter
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Katarina Bishop comes from a family of skilled art thieves. She's been
participating in heists of famous artwork since she was a child, but now
she wants...
Made It Moment: Kay Kendall
-
I love Kay Kendall’s Moment because it reminds us all to focus on the
moments–plural–along the way, and that is a lesson that every writer must
learn. Self...
One Minute History--Roman Basilica
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Circa AD 100, when London had been a city for at least fifty years, the Roman inhabitants built what we call a basilica approximately 500 feet long, larger t...
Everybody Reading Books: HGRB Has Evolved!
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Everybody Reading Books: HGRB Has Evolved!:
everybodyreadingbooks:
[image: image]
Welcome to the evolved and more-inclusive and evolved *Everybody Readin...
Surefooted: A Visual Definition
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I’m taking the visual dictionary approach today. This is hard for me. You
know how I like to talk. But I’ll look at it as a spiritual discipline. The
Word ...
An Unexpected Performance by Kim Smith
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I am very proud to present to you my latest book, and it's cover art
reveal. I worked really hard on this artwork, let me tell you. My good
friends here on...
Bookish Thoughts: Never Tell by Alafair Burke
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*Never Tell by Alafair Burke*
Harper, 2012
Crime Fiction; 368 pgs
When sixteen year old Julia Whitmore's body is discovered in her bathtub,
it seems ...
Review : Dead Cold by Louise Penny
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Dead Cold by Louise Penny (U.S. title : A Fatal Grace) Pages : 408 Genre
: Mystery Series : Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, book 2 My Rating : 4/5
What it’...
Review: CORELLI'S MANDOLIN, by Louis de Bernieres
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**
*Corelli's Mandolin*, by Louis de Bernieres. Published 1994 by Vintage.
So, it took me almost a month, but I finally finished Louis de Bernieres's
wond...
Las Vegas Periphery | Photographs by Laurie Brown
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Las Vegas Periphery: Views from the Edge Photographs by Laurie Brown, with
an Essay by Sally Denton The concept of simulacra is fascinating. We have
a nee...
That's a Rap
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While we're baking celebratory cakes today for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,
let's bake another one and send it to our friend J. Kinsgton Pierce over at
The Rap ...
Nature's Reset Button
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Amazing how the writing mind can bounce back with a little time away, and
some exposure to nature. The last two days have been great. Here are a
few pix...
BOTNS #231: Unlikeable Characters
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This week: May short-story read-along, a new Q&A feature, our thoughts on
“unlikeable characters,” and A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. I’ve
announced t...
Beck and Davenport
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I've been reading through Maj Sjöwall's and Per Wahlöö's Martin Beck series
from the 1960s-70s. Since books in (there are 10 in the series), the
stories va...
Learning to Use Ravelry
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Back in 2009 I signed up for a Ravelry account to keep in touch with a
friend, and to find some fun crochet and knitting patterns.... then I kind
of lost...
The Light Between Oceans
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The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Fiction
2013 Scribner
Finished on 4/24/13
Rating: 5/5 (Excellent!)
*
*
*An extraordinary and heart-rending boo...
As I Lay Dying
-
A number of characters die in my new novel, Angel Baby. Ooops! Was that a
spoiler? Well, it’ll be the last one, I promise. Anyway, from the beginning
I kne...
Big Library Read is Here!
-
Yesterday was the rollout of the Big Library Read pilot. This pilot program
allows millions of patrons from more than 7,500 participating libraries to
si...
Selling ads by time, not space
-
I just saw some mind-bending work Chartbeat is about to release about
measuring the time users spend exposed to an ad online. As background, to
quote Chart...
Going North. Way, way North!
-
I get excited about all my travels, but this one looks to be something
really special.
I've teamed up with my good friend and outstanding writer Barbara Fr...
[TSS] The Week That Got Away From Me
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It’s been one of those weeks – you know the kind, where at first glance it
doesn’t look like you have too much scheduled, and then you find out first
glanc...
Malice Domestic - Great Success
-
We're got back late Monday from the Malice Domestic Conference in Bethesda,
Maryland after a great weekend. It was great catching up with old friends
and m...
Shine and Soar with Bethany Aleshire
-
*Here in the frozen tundra of Minnesota (yes, it's still snowing in May),
most teenagers hunker down and play video games. Not Bethany Aleshire. This
si...
May 2013 African American Book Releases
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Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie A House Divided by Kimberla Lawson
Roby Good Man Friday by Barbara Hambly Little Green by Walter Mosley Love
is P...
Forever Young: Blessing or Curse Promo Tale
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Since my thriller, Forever Young: Blessing or Curse, had participated in
quite a few KDP Select freebie events before this past weekend, I wondered
if the...
Notice a pattern?
-
I still struggle with this blog's identity. When I started writing about
four years ago, I categorized myself as a book blogger. I absolutely loved
to re...
Mailbox Monday
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Pirate Mailbox (image source) So sorry for the delay in posting - the
morning got away from me! Today's mailbox is related to nothing I'm
reading, but se...
Murder Uncorked
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I am pretty sure I have read another mystery by Michelle Scott, and possibly even reviewed it here, but I am too lazy to try to figure that out. I came acros...
Top 10 Thriller Links
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The current Top 10 links at The Thrill of it All:
01 Thriller News: James Bond, Psych, Sherlock Holmes (Feb 20)
02 Complete PETER DECKER and RINA LAZARUS by...
"Must Love Sandwiches" Free March 15-19
-
*Emma has worked hard to establish herself as an artist. The artists'
colony where she lives is heaven compared to the rundown trailer parks she
grew up ...
The Tucson Festival of Books
-
Hello All!
I'm so excited to be participating as a panel moderator at the Tucson
Festival of Books again this year. The Festival is being held the second
...
Coming Soon
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...A new anthology. ...A website redesign. Finally. No, really. This time I mean it. ...Another, standalone website. Time to change things up around here. Ag...
An Open Letter to Barnes and Noble (redux)
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With all the buzz about B&N's plight these days, I decided to resurrect an open letter that four of us wrote to Microsoft last May after they announced they ...
Remembering Audrey 20 Years Later
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I have dedicated my book blog site to, “Audrey Hepburn” on the newsstands
there is a copy of a magazine dedicated to her life and the legacy that she
left...
50 States Challenge 2013
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I came across a book challenge, the 50 States Challenge 2013, on Book
Obsessed which sounded like a lot of fun to me.
The goal: To read a book set in every...
Gigi's Book News
-
It's been a while since the Pens have posted on a daily basis, but we still
keep the site up for the archives as well as to post news of interest about
wha...
film!
-
Sunny, cold - frost warning - temps 5
Wow - how the season's change. Autumn is here - and the leaves are
falling...snow in high elevations.
And the film ...
Eulogy for Julie Cannon by Karin Gillespie
-
*“I **think the key to making a story come alive is being willing to rip a
page from your own life, to draw upon your deepest pain without
flinching~Julie ...
On hiatus...permanently
-
I'm on hiatus for a while - a few weeks - a few months - 'til whenever.
Life is busy and sometimes it is just the right thing to step away for a
time. No...
Getting In: Researching in Hard to Reach Places
-
I had always wanted to write a series of crime novels – not simply a single
thriller, but the books in which readers become attached to the characters
and ...
Making Time
-
One of the problems of owning a bookstore is being surrounded by books but
never having time to read. I am very adamant with the people in my life
that the...
Comic Con Recap
-
Comic Con was a blast this year and as always there were several panels
dedicated to the ways digital comics are changing the industry for
creators, publis...
5 Hand Mode of Blackjack
-
There are two types of online casino: web-based and download-based online
casinos. The first type of online casino can be played in websites that
offer on...
Review: Listen to My Trumpet!
-
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to. Gerald and Piggie are best
friend...
Blogging about Crime Fiction flourishes
-
The sole purpose of this blog page is to point to an enormous range of
crime fiction blogs that you might follow.
They generally provide reviews of books ...
Friday Five: Recommendation Edition
-
revkjarla at RevGalBlogPals posts:
"So, it's the time of year I get inundated with requests for
recommendations for students that are looking to be camp cou...
A Fond Farewell
-
Thanks for all the years of reading, discussing, laughing. We'll all miss the community we created together. Until we meet again, here's where you can find T...
Moving day at Read Street
-
The Baltimore Sun is shifting the platform for its blogs, so Read Street is moving to a new address: http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/books/read-street. ...
What you need to include in your email signature
-
As a book publicist, I often correspond with journalists and bloggers, via
email as likely as not, these days. If I’m reaching out to someone with an
unsol...
MIA.
-
Hi All! We've been MIA for a little while now, but don't worry we'll be
back in top form soon. We've been working to consolidate all of our
internet presen...
MIA.
-
Hi All! We've been MIA for a little while now, but don't worry we'll be
back in top form soon. We've been working to consolidate all of our
internet presen...
SKINNY by Diana Spechler (A TLC Tour)
-
With summer/swimsuit season around the corner (though that corner is
looking farrrrrrrrrrr away on this dismal day!) and more and more health
issues stemmi...
Santa Fe Favorites and Tips cont.
-
Hey all. One bar I like a lot is at the Hotel St. Francis. The head
mixologist really enjoys making old-time drinks — the stuff of Hollywood in
the 20s — a...
We've moved! Please update your RSS
-
If you read OOM through an RSS, take note: we've moved platforms, which
means you'll need to update your RSS feeds.
Simply go to oomscholastic.com where y...
Sleeping... But Not Gone
-
Seems I was having this same debate about a year ago. Then, as it is now,
it was over Blogger's less than feature-rich commenting system -- plus it
seemed...
MYSTIFY, Book Two of the Mystyx Series
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MYSTIFY: A Mystyx Novel
By Artist Arthur
Kimani Tru | January 2011 | ISBN: 978-0373534319
US $9.99/$11.99 Canada | 256 pages | Paperback
Artist Arthur on Tw...
I Guess I Was Ready
-
Remember* this entire recitative about the Gift of Magic cover I could
never find, no matter how often I scoured used book tables on Sixth Avenue,
so much ...
We’ve Moved!
-
Our new website is up and running. Check us out at
http://awfullibrarybooks.net Don’t worry all of the old posts and comments
moved with us!
Dis-order in the Court!
-
"Right Ginger Tail, just pass me my funny wig and help me into my nice red
robes." I said.
“Yes my lord, they make you look like Santa Claus" replied Ginger...
So Long! (Switch your RSS and bookmarks!)
-
*Book Love Affair* is relocating/renaming to *Dreams and Speculation*.
Please update all your RSS feeds, book marks, and email subscriptions to
the new web...
Ghost Stories by Joyce Lavene
-
Do you believe in ghosts? Asking this question will make most people relate
a ghost story, sometimes from their childhood. They immediately say they
DON'...
The End.
-
Without getting sappy or maudlin about this (okay - we actually are gonna be sappy and maudlin), we've decided that FO has run it's course and we've decided ...
Pun Facts About Hockey
-
By Jo Ella Straley Here is a great example of an unexpected
factoid--something you would normally not even think to wonder
about--making a cool news item, ...
Michael Connelly stars, writes scene for Castle
-
Michael Connelly will tackle the role of a lifetime – playing himself on the season debut of ABC’s Castle, beginning at 10 p.m. eastern standard time on Mond...
Librarian Secret #7
-
Do you need a copy of a birth certificate, death certificate, marriage license, or certificate of divorce and you don't know how to find it or who to contact...
My Oct. 19, 2009 blog provides full disclosure that I only receive review copies of books, with no other compensation. All review copies are marked as such. If there any any questions, please feel free to contact me.
5 comments:
My favorite cuddle spot to read is actually on the couch in our living room, with two cats on my stomach, and the sun coming in the window.
Mine is curled up in my bed with a big pile of blankets/quilts on me and a ton of pillows behind my head (in the winter that is!)
Wendy (ARM Mommy)
Mine's on my bed or on the subway-helps me block out everyone-the picture is so cute!
-Jen
Ah! This is so adorable! Maggie
I have an overstuffed green chair in my living room that is perfect for curling up in. There is a lamp behind it, and my favorite throws are nearby in case I need to warm up.
Love the picture; it makes me wish I had a giant bear to cuddle!
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