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Series Review – Annie’s People by Beverly Lewis

14 Oct

I have just finished a series by Beverly Lewis. A trilogy, if you want to be persnickety about it. It is Annie’s People, a three book series that delves into an Amish community in Paradise, Pennsylvania. Despite the town name being about the best you could hope for, there are plenty of problems brewing in this community.

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A Preacher’s Daughter, book 1 – Annie Zook harbors a serious secret, one that has already cost her her beloved. Painting is like breathing for Annie, unfortunately, it is forbidden. She will have to choose between the pull of her People and the pull of her passion – but her heart longs for both.

Louisa Stratford is Annie’s long-time pen pal in the fancy world. Feeling betrayed by her parents and fiance, she decides to get away from the chaos of her world and visit Annie. But in trying out the simple life, will she nudge Annie back toward the Plain life, or furthur away from it?

The Englisher, book 2 Trying to respect the promise she made to her father, Annie  struggles to stay away from her art and follow the rules of the People.  But in the midst of this struggle, another one appears. Ben Martin is an Englisher who is falling fast for Annie, for her though, he is just as off limits as her art.

Louisa can’t seem to bring herself to leave the Plain community, but will a visit from a friend pull her home?

The Brethren, book 3 –   Living with her shunned friend, Annie Zook is caught between two worlds. Which will she choose – the People or the Outside? And will she be able to be with Ben Martin?

Her choice made, Louisa struggles with her decision. Her head and heart are one place, while her body is another. Will she adjust?

My Review:

I didn’t share as much as even the backs of the books have on them to not give anything away. I read these one right after the other, completely sucked into their world! These books touched on different aspects of the Amish world (and just regular old life problems) that I have never seen before. I appreciated it, it brought a bit of the nitty gritty into the story. Obviously one of the main themes is Annie seeking if she belongs with the People or not. Some of the others discussed are : marital longings/needs, abortion, materialistic vs. faith/family focused (outside vs. People) , following the Ordnung vs. faith in Christ, miscarriage, etc.  I greatly appreciated how she handled the faith portion. Also, the marital needs was handled very well, nothing skanky in how it was presented but it was consistent throughout the books.

Because of that, I would not recommend them for younger teen girls – I won’t put an age on that because, not having kids of my own, I couldn’t properly judge that. BUT, I will suggest someone reading them first before giving them to a younger teen.

I greatly enjoyed these books – as I said, I read one right after the other! The ending was a bit of a twist than what I had decided it would be earlier on in the series. Because we all do that right? Decide how the book will end three chapters in?

Right?

Aside

A little Reminder today

6 Oct

“A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love” – Max Muller

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Exciting plans for today friends! Read: DMV and a bit of grocery shopping…….and possibly a bath for my smelly dog. Even though life has thrown me some curve balls these past few days I am going to keep my chin up and a smile on my face as much as I can today.

Be someone’s Sunshine today!

~Laura

Book Review – Sept 2015

2 Oct

Happy October, Readers! The month for pumpkins, pipes and puppies. (read: pumpkin patch, firepit evenings and a new puppy in two weeks!) I started this book review the beginning of this week but kept realizing I had forgotten another book I had read. Whew! I will, in order to relieve your mind, tell you that some of these I started the end of August. I did not read a dozen odd books in four weeks. Because that is kind of insane. More like six weeks. Somehow that’s better…??

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The Time Machine by H.G. Wells – An Inventor travels first thousands of years, and the millions, into the future and comes back with a fantastic story of his travels.

– short synopsis for you but this is a very enjoyable read. The tale he tells is engrossing. All a little fantastic, but it’s time travel, it’s supposed to be.

Quilter’s Daughter by Wanda E. Brunstetter Daughters of Lancaster County book 2 – When Abby Miller comes to Lancaster County to help her pregnant mother, she leaves behind a full life – a quilt shop and loving fiance. But when tragedy strikes, her faith is shaken and she seeks answers to her questions. But where will she find them – in her love of quilting? her past? the heart of an overlooked Amish man?

– Ahh, I enjoyed this book. I like reading these types of novels when life is hectic, for the pace of the Amish is slower than ours, and for those moments I’m in their world, riding in a buggy to town, baking bread or knitting by the fire. They are busy but not at the mad-dash-pace of our world. I always feel slightly lazy though…

The Bishop’s Daughter by Wanda E. Brunstetter Daughters of Lancaster County book 3 – After her father, Bishop Weaver, has an accident, Leona finds her faith shaken. While teaching at the one-room schoolhouse, an Englisher in search of his family, Jimmy Scott, is hired to paint it. They are drawn to each other, even knowing the obstacles in the way. Will Leona find the answers she needs, will Jimmy find his real family? Will their love survive?

– This book was a great end to the trilogy. Seeing the characters develop and grow from the first and second books was enjoyable. I also like how Brunstetter brings faith into her novels – it’s not in-your-face but still a central theme. I feel like her books would be a great option for girls just starting to read more ‘adult’ books, a good transition point.

Francesca’s Kitchen by Peter Pezzelli – Francesca Campanile loves to cook for her family. But with her children grown, she feels useless. When she finds an ad for a part-time nanny, she is sure she’s found the answer to her problems. Loretta Simmons is a single mother of two, struggling to make ends meet. She’s not sure what to make of her new nanny, but both women are surprised to learn how much they needed the other.

– I fall in love with Francesca every time I read this book. I also wish she was my grandma. A perfectly normal reaction, trust me. Her memories of raising her kids are spattered throughout as she tries to connect with the new generation focused on video games and junk food. My mouth waters as time and again, she cooks these wonderful dishes – full of cheese (i’m dairy free so bear with me with that remark…) that just makes me want to hop in the kitchen as well. The only negatives I can really say about this book is one insinuation that I really just want to block out  because it adds absolutely nothing to the story line. And Loretta does go on a date with a slime ball who tries something but it’s very minor and not graphic. Francesca is Catholic so that is brought into the book but it’s not a major theme or preachy. Mostly she mentions a few saints, goes to confession a few times and tries to do what she feels God is calling her to do. Overall, I am glad I ran across this book years ago! A good read.

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells – A young scientist becomes obsessed with finding a way to make things invisible. When he does create the serum, he tries it out on himself. Beforehand, he could only see the benefits of such an existance – freedom! – but reality sets in and with it, a descent into madness.

– I finished this just the other night and AH!! I enjoyed this immensely, even more than the Time Machine. I scored this book at Barnes and Noble on the sale on a sale on a sale rack – being a 2 books in 1 situation, I couldn’t pass it up. I’d never read Wells before but at least these two will be ones I come back to. I didn’t anticipate the ending at all.  And that makes me happy. I enjoyed the different ways the characters were brought into the story, and the adventures of the invisible man. I found on youtube that they made a movie in 1933 that I have simply got to own now.

The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis  -Man has been plagued by one question for years – ‘if God is good, why does he allow pain?” Lewis, who is known as the ‘greatest Christian thinker of our time’, answers this complicated question and seeks to heal a hurting world

-Lewis writes very differently than I am used to, so I am frequently re-reading sections in order to better grasp his point.  I am in the last few chapters now, it has moved from my bedside to the table so I read it while eating breakfast most mornings. I intend on putting it on the ‘read yearly’ list. There are many ‘ah-ha’ moments in it. Well worth the read.

HTML and CSS : Design and Build Websites – My OH got this for me and I intend on devoting a whole post to it once I’m through it. For now, let’s say that they have done a fantastic job on making it a book that while it teaches you how, it doesn’t intimidate the socks off of you at first glance. A huge bonus for me. I intend to work through it as it teaches, being more of a hands-on learner. Don’t hold your breath for the full review though – I have no idea when it’ll be.

The Count of Monte Cristo  by Alexandre Dumas – On the brink of the happiest day of his life, Edward Dantes is thrown in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Years later, he learns of a treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo. He then focuses on escaping the grim fortress and, after finding the treasure- exacting revenge on the three men who ruined him.

– Since I was reading this on my phone last month, I have somehow stopped reading it. Guess I called it when I said I need to get an actual copy in order to finish it.  But don’t take my not finishing it as a sign that it isn’t a good read for it is! The development of the characters and the descriptions of what is going on are great.

And there you have it for September’s book review! Are any of these your favorites?

~Laura

*I’d like to note that any books I read are free of foul language or any immoral …stuff. If there is a hint of it, I will tell you but that is the most that I will read, and by default, will share with you. Not everything I read is faith-based though, so keep that in mind if that is your priority. *

*If you click any link here and buy from amazon, I will get a percentage from the sale. Just a way I’m trying to make a little money from this hobby of mine*

The O’Malley Series Review

29 Sep

I’m switching it up a bit and reviewing a whole series for you today! Yes, I read this series this month, and yes you’ll be getting a post reviewing the other books I’ve read. Have I done anything else this month, besides reading? Apparently not. Because that’s a lot of books!

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This is the O’Malley Series by Dee Henderson. If you haven’t read anything by her, you must – you simply must. I haven’t found even one book of hers that I didn’t like. She writes Christian suspense novels and has won awards for them.

If you’ve been following SGL for a while, you’ve seen at least a few reviews on Hendersons’ books. But this. This series is fantastic. I have picked all seven of them up at garage sales and thrift and used book stores over the years but when in the midst of book four, I realized I didn’t own book five! A tragedy there, my friends. Amazon was there to save the day though and the morning after I finished book four, book five came in the mail.

Now, when I say it’s seven books, that’s not completely accurate. Technically, there are only six in the series. But she wrote a prequel that I count as one of the series. Because it flows. And it’s just as good as the others.

I thought I’d give a brief description of each book and then review them as a whole. Grab your mug of hot tea, cocoa or coffee and get ready to fall in love with the O’Malley’s.

Danger in the Shadows (prequel)  – Sara has been hidden away in protective custody for years. Adam Black is a  former pro-football star. Falling for him could very well risk her life.

The Negotiator – Being an FBI agent, Dave Richman’s job is to keep people safe. Kate O’Malley is a hostage negotiator that doesn’t hesitate to step in the middle of danger. Falling in love with her is easy, but Dave is about to find out that keeping her safe isn’t.

The Guardian – Marcus O’Malley is a U.S. Marshall and his job is to keep the only witness of a judge’s murder safe. Shari Hanford unexpectedly steals his heart, and in the process, changes his life. The only problem? She’s in the center of an assassins crosshairs.

The Truth Seeker – Being a forensic pathologist keeps Lisa O’Malley surrounded by dead women. Solving mysteries is her job. But this time, she’s found the killer and now she’s gone missing. Quinn Diamond, U.S. Marshall, has slowly fallen in love with her. Now, he has to find her before time runs out for both of them.

The Protector – Fireman Jack O’Malley has an arsonist to catch – the man is targeting his district, shift and friends. Finding him means protecting the woman Jack loves, for she saw him…

The Healer – Working for the Red Cross in the midst of disasters, Rachel O’Malley is one of the best. But when a school shooting occurs and she knows the kids, dealing with the trauma and helping them proves too much.

The Rescuer – Stephen is a paramedic running from the pain of his past. Meghan is blind and caught in the middle of a criminal conspiracy. As she shows him God’s love, he finds himself falling in love with her. But then she’s kidnapped in the midst of a tornado….

Review: Faith is very much a part of each of these books. I like the fact that Henderson has each person have a different point of difficulty for believing. But there isn’t too much preaching going on – even I start skimming when someone preaches for a few pages straight. The characters are well developed and you become jealous of their sibling relationships! They adopted each other, choosing a last name to share, and that bond created is amazing. I enjoy stories that involve careers so far removed from what I know. I have read these books for years, and will continue to do so in the coming ones.

*I’d like to note that any books I read are free of foul language or any immoral …stuff. If there is a hint of it, I will tell you but that is the most that I will read, and by default, will share with you. Not everything I read is faith-based though, so keep that in mind if that is your priority. *

*If you click any link here and buy from amazon, I will get a percentage from the sale. Just a way I’m trying to make a little money from this hobby of mine*

Character Development – Amelia part 2

24 Sep

If you stopped by in the beginning of this week, you caught the first part of  developing my main character – Amelia. I found these tips and decided to go through them. If you go to the page I got them from, you might notice I have changed/skipped a few but if it doesn’t work for me, I’m just going to move along instead of trying to make it work. I hope that by sharing my process through developing a character, you will get inspired in your writing as well!

chrctrdevelopmentAmelia

4. If your character were an animal, which one would s/he be, and why?

Do the same exercise for:

a piece of music
food
a building.

Oy, i just cannot get ANYTHING for this one! I know I said above I wasn’t trying to follow the tips completely, but I’ve waited almost a week to post this just because of this exercise. But, I’m moving on, I’ve got way too much other work on my book to worry about it =)

5. In which ways would your character behave differently when interacting with –

mother – nervous, apologetic, clumsy, dutiful and daydreams a lot
aunt – a bit clumsy, dutiful, loyal and caring
friend – adventurous, easygoing, caring and loyal

stranger –  curious, easygoing, trusting and apologetic
(potential) love – clumsy, daydreams, innocent and shy

6. Write a short poem in your character’s voice.

Good luck!

Colors bright and bold flutter in the breeze

attached to a basket, sturdy and strong.

The colors unfold by several hands pulling, pulling, pulling

until they lay flat against the vivid grass.

Round bubble goggles are snapped on a forehead,

gloves are pulled on and the scarf is tossed across a shoulder.

The adventure of flight is about to begin.

A turn here and kick and shove there and soon a noise fills the air.

The colors expand and start to float above the proud basket.

Soon they shadow everything around, a large cloud of ingenuity.

What glories await up in the sky, hanging aloft in a big

hot air balloon.

Give yourself Permission, It’s OK

21 Sep

Ah, the plans I had for today, friends, the plans I had.

I just conceded them to the inevitable and put my yoga pants (no, i don’t actually do yoga in them…) on. I have been trying to psych myself up to go run my errands and do some cleaning around the house but my body decided that a shower was all it could handle.  So I have come to the conclusion once again, that you just have to give yourself permission to not feel good and to do nothing.

If you’ve heard of the spoon theory, made typically in regards to Lupus, this is one of those days where I have started with less ‘spoons’ than normal, and therefore, must alter my plans.

(if you don’t know about this spoon theory, go check out this article)

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So, I’m going to continue laying on the couch with my dog snoring close enough I can reach out and scratch her head, with a cozy crocheted blanket over me and try not to notice the mess of my house or remember the list of errands that need doing.

Happy Monday and next post will be more on character development,

Laura

~if you want a great show on netflix that is worth binge-watching, over and over : Leverage. Interesting enough to keep you focused on it and not your pain but not too involved that you can’t keep up with it.

Character Development – Amelia

13 Sep

I just found this site that has writing prompts, and I’m excited to find this section, as I’m realizing that creating backstory for my characters is something I need to work on. There are six areas, I’ll do three today and three next time!

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Here’s the link again for where I got these Writing Exercises.

Developing Your Character

1) Write ten ‘factual’ statements about your character, then ten lies, then ten odd/bizarre statements.

Truths

1- She is 15

2- She loves to read

3- She longs to explore the world

4 – She can’t please her mother

5- Proper etiquette eludes her

6- She doesn’t worry over fashion statements

7- She has 3 brothers

8- She is tall

9- She hates practicing piano

10 – Favorite time of year is when her aunt visits

Lies

1- She is an impeccable dresser

2- Her mother is her best friend

3- She doesn’t have any friends

4- Her hair is straight

5- She’s an only child

6- She never wants to leave her hometown

7- Her only goal in life is to be a homemaker

8- She is fat

9- She has a close relationship with her father

10- Reading is boring to her

Odd/Bizarre –  

  I tried to fill these out, but i drew a blank

every time, so I decided to skip it. no use wasting time. Shrug.

2. Write a back-story – very important

Your character should have a back-story, because this can help you decide how s/he might behave in present situations. Here are some questions to answer about your character:

Background:
Gender: female
Race: white
Social class : middle in small town, upper in city
How many siblings: 3
Parents’ relationship: strained/polite
Neighbourhood: nice but not high class
Health/disability: healthy
Religion: ??
Level of education: ??research

Present circumstances:
Age: 15
Political views:starts having some as she gets older
Appearance: red hair, rather tall, pretty
Habits : reading,
Fears/ phobias : disappointing her aunt, not getting to travel, heights?
What s/he gets upset about :
What s/he gets excited about : the theater, good books, travel, writing
What s/he really dislikes in other people : superficiality, dishonesty
What s/he admires in others : being true to themselves, even against society

3. Give your character a few contradictory traits.

No-one is ever that straightforward:

Currently Is:

Imaginative   Apologetic    Innocent   Likeable   Loyal    Clumsy     Caring     Curious   Insecure

Dutiful    Easy Going     Graceful    Shy   Thoughtful     Trusting   Adventurous    Sensitive

Is going to be:

Determined    Responsible   Wary    Ambitious     Independent     Bold   Calm   Cautious (in relationships)

Opinionated

Stays:

Adventurous    Loyal  Caring     Curious    Thoughtful   Likeable   Innocent    Sensitive

Imaginative   Clumsy   Insecure

And that’s it for today! Come back later in the week for the last part, if you want of course.

~Laura

Book Review – August 2015

28 Aug

Happy end of August! Not that it’s really sunk in yet that summer is pretty much over – we are looking forward to vacation next week (finally one we are going on together!!!) which includes a wedding, lots of time with friends and family and possibly buying a car! EEK!

This month has been one full of reading a rather random assortment of books. But, really, it would be boring to read all one genre in a month wouldn’t it? Aug2015bkrvw

The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas On the brink of the happiest day of his life, Edward Dantes is thrown in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Years later, he learns of a treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo. He then focuses on escaping the grim fortress and, after finding the treasure- exacting revenge on the three men who ruined him. — I am reading this on my phone, which means it’s going much slower than if I had a book to pick up! I am loving the complexities of the story, and realizing that, of course, the movie changed some major components of it. I might need to get a copy just so I can actually finish it.

The Problem of Pain – C.S. Lewis – Man has been plagued by one question for years – ‘if God is good, why does he allow pain?” Lewis, who is known as the ‘greatest Christian thinker of our time’, answers this complicated question and seeks to heal a hurting world.  – I have this next to my bed to read before falling asleep = it’s taking me a very long time to get through….But I am learning from it and figure it will become a yearly read.

The Storekeeper’s Daughter – Wanda E. Brunstetter – Daughters of Lancaster County, book 1 – In Amish country in Pennsylvania, tragedy strikes  – Naomi Fisher’s mother dies in an accident. At the time when she should be going to singings and riding in a courting buggy, she is instead taking care of her seven siblings and helping her father in the family store. Just when she thinks she can’t take one more day in the restrictive world she now finds herself, the unthinkable happens. And any confidence she, or her family, had in her is shattered – will she be able to continue on? – This was a re-read for me but still just as enjoyable. Brunstetter rarely lets you down with her novels. The gospel message is clear throughout, without being overkill. I hope you know what I mean by that….I enjoy the slow-paced nature of books set in the Amish world, and inevitably feel incredibly lazy with having washers for clothes and dishes….and plenty of time to read novels!

The Hero and the Crown – Robin Mckinley – She had always known the story of how her mother, the witchwoman, had used a spell to get the king to marry her. Aerin had heard it from beginning to end many times – how, after giving birth to a daughter instead of the longed-for son, her mother had turned to the wall and died of despair. Being the daughter cast her into a difficult position – one with a destiny she couldn’t see. But through determination and with a willing war-horse, Aerin would learn that her destiny was far greater than anyone believed – she was to be the hero who would wield the Blue Sword, Gonturan.   I picked this book up (along with #2 in the series) at Jupiter’s bookstore in Cannon Beach Or. Seriously, I love going to that bookstore. No matter what else I do while in the cute seaside town, I spend at least an hour in the cram-packed-full-of-used-books bookstore. I have read a few of Mckinley’s books – Beauty being one of my favorites – so I decided it was worth risking it. It is fantastic. A new world and language to get sucked into, plus it’s about a sword-wielding heroine? Yes please. The twists and turns and the growing that the heroine does from beginning to end are engrossing.

The Secret – Charlotte Bronte  – A collection of short stories by Charlotte and her siblings are in this light read. Each are set in the imagined world of Verdopolis and are full of intrigue, lies and love. – These were very fun to read even though due to taking so long to read them I did get a little confused about the repeating characters. The heroines are all gorgeous and brave and true while the heros are handsome and trustworthy and the villians easy to spot by their dark brows and evil intent  – all in all, very charming stories.

The Blue Sword – Robin Mckinley  – Harry Crewe, newly orphaned, has come to the desert land of Damar, a place of secretive, magical Hillfolk and the Outlanders. Her life is a bit dull and ordinary – until she is kidnapped by Corlath, the king of the Hillfolk. She begins training in the arts of war, even though she doesn’t understand it.  –  This is the second book in the series (not sure it’s actually a ‘series’ though) of the world of Damar. Absolutely engrossing so far. Fantastic characters and I do love a bit of magic in my novels. And when a book can make me forget I’m eating lunch, well, you know it’s good.

Hope you find something to fill the coming weekend,

Laura

What are you reading lately?

Dealing with the Pain of a Disappointing Doctor

21 Aug

I am sure that we have all had one – the doctor that doesn’t listen to what we say but focuses on what they want and hands you another prescription and says ‘good day’ as they pry the ridiculous price for their time out of your stunned fingers.

Okay, maybe not the money part although sometimes it feels that way.

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Today was the final appointment with my doctor. I was disappointed last time I went to her (my second visit) but after a few phone calls back and forth with her office, I decided to give her one more try.

My expectations for this visit:

1)she would apologize for making me feel attacked because I don’t have health insurance.

2) she would apologize for making me feel as if she didn’t really want to care for me because I don’t have insurance.

3) she would offer at least one option that wasn’t a prescription, but rather natural, for my migraines.

4) she would listen.

What actually happened on this visit:

1 )She didn’t apologize – at all

2) she didn’t have any clue (or notes apparently) to remind her of what we had talked about the last 2 visits

3) she didn’t remember what tests i had/hadn’t done – neither did she have the necessary ‘reports’ back from them

4) she didn’t listen. At all.

5) Offended me by asking me a question she had no right to ask

6) Only backed off – sort of- on a topic once i told her i was getting stressed just thinking/talking about it.

Disappointment and frustration? Big time. Going back to her? No way.

I might be old-fashioned, or small-town, but I believe that a doctor, especially one who is getting paid over $150 a visit, should be prepared for each patient. And, i don’t know, actually care what they want. Sigh. So, I am currently doctor and plan-less. The search for a new doctor begins again.

Part of the problem of having a doctor like this is what happens behind the scenes – in the mind and emotions of the patient, the one who is living with chronic pain. Questions arise, those questions that we would rarely put to voice – for then we would be revealing just how vulnerable we are.  I have talked before about how the pain  doesn’t just mess with your body but with your mind as well and having to deal with a doctor like this only increases this dilemna. Already we can feel a burden to those around us, but when someone we are paying through the teeth for, doesn’t seem to find our pain sufficient cause to legitimately TRY? Our confidence in ourselves, and our ability to ever get better, gets smacked in the face.

I don’t want to sound like I am lumping all doctors together in one -not-caring-lump because I have had some wonderful doctors. And, perhaps, those that seem to be uncaring, really aren’t but have gotten caught up in the day to day paperwork and little things and don’t realize that they’ve lost their focus. We really can’t know what’s going on behind the scenes – no one can in anybody else’s situation really.

So, for now, I am going to start taking Evening Primrose Oil and see if that helps ease anything during that fabulous hormonal freak-out time. The positive things that have happened in the last three months are that I now get five straight hours of sleep a night instead of waking up every hour; and if i’m lucky, i can fall back asleep within one to two hours. Backing significantly off of salt has helped eliminate my dizziness/vertigo which is a wonderful blessing! Getting off the BAD prescription pain pills has decreased the severity of my migraines – they still are very bad and almost every day of the week but nowhere near what they were five weeks ago. I am now on clonidine, and have hopes that with a new doctor with a natural approach, I will be able to get off that prescription as well.

Have you had a doctor that ignored your wishes? What’s the most important quality in a doctor for you?

~Laura 

A Thought about Writing…errr, Reading…

18 Aug

I had a fun realization the other night that I wanted to share here on SGL! I have been reading a book by Robin Mckinley (review to come end of the month!) and as it is a book for young readers, the area i’m wanting to get into – it has been good to read for more than just the obvious fact that it’s a great book!

dragon readingforblog

When working on being a writer —-reading becomes research.

Score.

I’ve been researching for years and didn’t even know it.

So here’s to finding books that not only draw you into their worlds and make you sad when it’s over, but that also make you think about story structure, word choice and if, perhaps, you really do need a dragon in your novel.

Happy writing friends!

~Laura

~I got the picture here ~