This Mother's Day

On this Mother's Day, they sit dressed in various shades of black and white - sisters from different corners of this southeastern state with the uncanny ability to show up in complimentary outfits.  They are all mothers, but they are not here together to celebrate this day set aside to honor that distinction.  Instead, they rally around the daughterless mother who moments ago sat in the front row and watched her daughter transition from present to past tense.

Karen was a tall woman.  She dwarfed her mother and her mother's sisters - all slight in body but incredibly strong in spirit.  That much is clear as they hold hands and share stories and swap tissues.  Karen, too, shared in this strength.  The gray-blue urn at the center of the room is too small to contain her.  Her brother jokes, "She hated to be the center of attention."  Yet there she sits.  She does not linger on the perimeter of the room as she so often did at family Christmas gatherings.  But even then I could always find her - a gentle presence next to my mother, her friend and family confidant, sharing their own knowing smiles like secret sisters.

The Friday before Karen died I stood by my mother and held her hand, the cash box, and a blinking LED balloon at Relay for Life.  As the balloon slipped from my fingers and soared alone into the night sky, I thought of Karen and the kidney cancer that had invaded her body overnight.  On Sunday, I donned my purple t-shirt to brag about the money we had raised -$6000 in all.  That night my mother called.  "Karen's slipped away."  Like that balloon right out of my fingers, floating up to the heavens out of sight.

So on this Mother's Day, I dressed in black crepe and sat between my mother and hers to celebrate a mother of four.  I held each of her children because she couldn't today.  I winked at her granddaughter, and I watched the sisterhood that is larger than life mark this day of celebration with another tragedy.  I wouldn't have chosen this way or this day, but I'm grateful for the time we shared.

Review: The Night Cicus by Erin Morgenstern

Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus cannot be reviewed; it must be experienced.

Morgenstern has created a story as intricate and amazing as the circus she so artfully describes. Each vinigette is its own black and white striped tent - the contents of which will astound and mystify the reader.

The Night Circus captivated my imagination and promises to be a novel I will return to again and again - each time unveiling a new and fascinating portrait of the mysteries that lie at the heart of each shade of grey.

I wrote the lines above long before I finished The Night Circus. They are as true then, having finished the novel, as they were when I was only just beginning it. As one of the characters states,

Someone needs to tell those tales.  When the battles are fought and won and lost, when the pirates find their treasures and the dragons eat their foes for breakfast with a nice cup of Lapsang souchong, someone needs to tell their bits of overlapping narrative.  There's magic in that.  It's in the listener, and for each and every ear it will be different, and it will affect them in ways they can never predict.  From the mundane to the profound.  You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose.  That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words.

It's a novel about a circus, yes, but the circus itself is merely the stage for an epic exploration of the art of storytelling.  The non-linear plot requires readers to immerse themselves in that element of the story much like the circus patrons entering into a different tent each night and becoming enchanted by its contents.  In fact, Morgenstern's writing style reminds me very much of Nicole Krauss' in The History of Love, one of my favorite books of all time.  There's a central slow-burn romance, which is full of so. much. longing that when Morgenstern finally brings the characters together in two simple sentences, I cried.  Even though the lovers themselves are central to the story, the novel follows many characters, weaving them together artfully, exploring love, friendship, passion, and obsession in a variety of mediums.

Best matched with rêveurs.

Read for the Reading Outside the Box Challenge hosted by Kate at Musings of a Book Lover
Level Four: 5 Star Day (and it earned every one of them)

Recommendation: Gifts for Bibliophiles

Graduation is swiftly approaching as is the season of weddings and baby showers.  Mother's Day is around the corner.  Throw in a couple of summer birthdays, and your gift list will be a mile long.  Cruising around the Internet on my lunch break today, I stumbled across several fantastic gifts for the bibliophiles in your life.  After shouting at my officemate to come look at my computer screen every 30 seconds, I figured I needed to broaden my bookish gift fan base.  Thus this totally spur of the moment post was born.  Enjoy my bookish finds from around the web on this May Wednesday, and consider snagging something for the book lover in your life!

I am a sucker for things that are decorative and functional, so I cannot stop obsessing over these books turned iPhone docks by RichNeelyDesigns.  I so want the Jane Eyre one.  The red stitching would totally match my home decor although I also love the light green Jane Austen Persuasion one as well!  There are tons of book designs to choose from - classic to contemporary.

P.S. The vintage cookbook set for an iPad would be great for the kitchen when you're following an online recipe!

Speaking of electronics, if you want to keep your iPhone or iPad safe and stylish while on the go, outofprintclothing.com has amazingly durable and decorative cases in classic book designs.  My best friend got me the peacock inspired Pride and Prejudice iPad case for Christmas. (which is why she is my best friend ;-)  They also have great t-shirts and bags. (The new Little Women one is to die for!)

If you or your reader prefer a more subtle profession of your love for a book or character, jewelry may be the way to go.  Etsy has the best selection by far.  My favorites are the Snape confession necklaces and the Jane Austen cuff bracelets, but I'm sure you can find just the right piece for any literary lover.  If you really want to make a statement, Tiffany & Co. has designed a set of Gatsby headpieces to celebrate the upcoming release of the Baz Luhrmann The Great Gatsby film.  A little over the top, but so is Gatsby.  Tres chic!

Every good bibliophile loves nothing more than curling up with a steaming cup of [insert your chosen drink here] and a good book.  A mug with a line from a favorite novel, like this "I am half agony, half hope" Persuasion mug, would be the perfect compliment!

Finally, we've all got keys - a literary themed key chain would be a great way to keep up with them!

Have I collected some fun book-themed gifts for readers of all types?  Maybe.  Have I created a list of literary collectables I would love?  Most definitely.  So maybe this post was a little too self-indulgent, but I hope you had as much fun browsing as I did!

Liebster Blog Award

Stormy at Book.Blog.Bake nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award aaagggeeessss ago.  I feel like it may even be rude to post my acceptance now since so much time has passed, but I really did (and still do!) appreciate the nomination, and part of what took me so long to formulate my acceptance is that Stormy asked some hard questions!!  I gave it my best shot though, and I want to thank her again for sharing the blogging love.  I always enjoy reading her very thoughtful review posts, and this award highlights what is best about the blogging community - the sharing of ideas and support in a collaborative space. 

In order to accept and participate, here are the steps laid out:
1. Tell 11 things about yourself.
2. Answer 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you.
3. Post 11 questions for those who will be nominated by you.
4. Nominate 11 bloggers who have less than 200 followers.
5. Get in contact with those 11 bloggers in order to inform them that you nominated them.

About Me

I don't have an "About Me" section on my blog because I don't like to put a lot of personal information out there.  Ironically, blogging itself is pretty personal because I am posting my personal reactions to and assessments of the books I read, which often include stories about my family, friends, or students. However, for Stormy, I will acquiesce and list eleven things about me.

1. I collect Betty Boop memorabilia - I have coffee mugs, stamps, signs, notepads, figurines, and even a Madame Alexander doll.
2. I was born on Father's Day.  I was my parents' first child; what a great Father's Day present, no?
3. I've sung in the Vatican.  I attended Peace College (when it was all-women - but that's another story), and I was a member of the Chamber Singers there.  During the summer of 2007, we went on a European tour and sang at different churches and venues in Spain, France, and Italy.  One of our singing stops with St. Peter's Basilica.  It was a once in a lifetime experience.
4. I have several notebooks full of the poems and stories I wrote from about third grade to tenth grade.  I was convinced I would be an author when I grew up. 
5. Confession: Half of the stories mentioned in number 4 are boy band fan-fiction.
6. I used to play piano and guitar.  Singing is my true musical passion and the one I've continued to cultivate as an adult; however, I took piano lessons as a child and guitar lessons while I was in college, but I didn't keep up with either.  I wish I had.  I can pick out notes and simple songs on both instruments now, but I won't be rocking a music hall near you anytime soon.
7. I am obsessed with Frank Warren's Postsecret Project.  I own all the books, and I read his Sunday Secrets blogspot religiously (pun intended).  I used to teach Postsecret in my composition class at N. C. State.
8. I was a cheerleader in high school and competed in the Miss Cheerleader of America pageant, where I was one of the top ten finalists, and in my hometown Jr. Miss pageant.  (I felt like I was writing about a different person when I just typed that sentence!)
9. Despite number 8, I still can't do a cartwheel.
10. I come from a long line of long marriages - both my grandparents have been married for 60 years, and my parents have been married for 30.    
11. I was an active participant in the Annual Livestock Show and Sale through 4-H from ages 9-16.  I raised, showed, and sold lambs mostly, but I did have a goat one year.

Stormy's Thought-Provoking Questions

1. What is your favorite fictional friendship?
No brainer - Halley and Scarlett in Sarah Dessen's Someone Like You.  This is easily one of my favorite books of all time precisely because of that deep-rooted friendship.

2. If you could live the story of any particular book, which one would you choose? The actual plot, not just the world. In essence, you’d replace the main character but have to go through everything they did.
Oooohhhh hard one because I would LOVE to live in Harry Potter's world, but I don't think I'd be brave enough to BE Harry Potter.  (I would definitely not be in Gryffindor - I lack the courage - I would be in Ravenclaw.)  I'm going to take a pass on this one.  Here's why - conflict is a key component of good literature.  It's what makes it interesting and gives the novel some depth.  The conflict can be big or small.  Personally, I am not a fan of conflict in real life; therefore, I would not willingly put myself into a situation in which I would be in conflict with someone, something, or myself.  You can see my dilemma then in choosing a character's life to live. The best ones (Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, etc.) are ripe with conflict.

3. Who is your favorite secondary character in a book who you believe should have really been the protagonist? (ex: If, for example, you believe Hermione or Ron should have been the narrator of HP)
I hate to steal from Stormy's question, but I do really love Hermione.  As I wrote in my Top Ten Kick-Ass Heroines post, I love that Hermione made smart girls look cool.  I would also like to see the character of Ginny Weasley developed further.  Unlike Hermione, Ginny never really becomes a stand out character to me.  First she's Ron's little annoying sister; then BAM, she's all grown up and Harry's love interest.  Yeah, Rowling indicates that she's a rocking wizard (she's great at hexes), but there's little development in her own right.  I think the movies give her a bit more personality, but I would love to follow her character development and really see her come into her own.

4. What is your earliest bookish memory?
Among others...Reading Peter Rabbit books at my paternal grandmother's house - she had a little yellow boxed set, perfect for small hands, that she kept on the top of her dining room hutch.  Whenever I went to visit her, I would make a beeline for that hutch, grab the books, and read and re-read about Peter's scrapes to my heart's content.

5. What book would you really like to see adapted to a movie or a TV show?
Imdb.com tells me that The History of Love by Nicole Krauss is "in development," but it's been that way for a while, and I don't think it's going to happen.  Although this is easily my favorite book, I'm kind of glad the movie will not come to fruition.  This is a very meta-textual book that I don't think would translate well to the screen.  There are just some things you have to read to feel.  However, I do think Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why and Ronlyn Domingue's The Mercy of Thin Air would make great films.  Asher's would be a very important piece about bullying in schools, and Domingue's would satisfy the thirst for a supernatural love story without the fantastical creature element.  Ooohhh...speaking of fantastical creatures, Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races would be an AMAZING film.  I can already imagine sweeping panoramic shots of a desolate but breathtaking island and the heart-pounding excitement of a dangerous horse race.  Who's making this movie?!

6. If you could have the fashion sense of any literary character, who would it be and why?
Someone from historical fiction - I'd like to try on those ornate gowns for a day!  I hate to even put this in writing, especially since it's a book I did not finish, but the description of the gowns that the Duchess of Dunbarton wore in Mary Balogh's A Secret Affair were sumptuous.  Now I just need the figure to go with them...

7. Why did you decide to start book blogging?
As I stated in my introductory post (in June of 2011!), I started book blogging because I was fresh out of graduate school, and I missed having a community of people to talk books with.  What better community to join than the blogging world?  I love getting book recommendations, fangirling about my new favorite read or author, having a sympathetic listener when a favorite author's new book let me down, or reminiscing about books and reading habits that others might find odd.

8. What’s a plot you would really like to see in a book but haven’t yet?
When I find out, I'll write it!

9. What is your favorite POV for a book and why?
I tend to be drawn to YA female perspectives.  It was such a defining time in my life, and I really empathize with those characters. 

10. What instantly makes you love a book?
I love meta-textual books within books or when authors incorporate lines from other books or poems as part of their plot.  See John Green's The Fault in Our Stars and Gayle Forman's Just One Day.

11. What is one book you will insist on your future(or current!) child reading?
My niece is only one, but I already have a space set aside in my office as our reading corner.  It currently houses staples like Digby and Kate and Little House on the Prairie, but I will definitely be introducing her to Harry Potter when she gets older.  I can't wait to re-experience the wizarding world through fresh eyes!

Burning Questions

1. Classic or contemporary?
2. Character you want to be your best friend?
3. Bookstore or library?
4. Favorite cover?
5. DNF or solider through?
6. Hard copy or ebook?
7. Follow up - Kindle, Nook, iPad?
8. Number of bookshelves?
9. Number one rule of blogging?
10. Favorite reading spot?
11. Follow up - reading alone or reading partner?

Nominees!

Most of the blogs I follow have hefty followings, so the 200 follower limit posed a bit of a challenge. However, I managed to drum up (in alphabetical order - no favoritism here!) some blogs from my feed that I think deserve more love.

1. Book or Big Screen?: Danielle posts excellent and very thorough book vs. movie adaptions.
2. Buckling Bookshelves: Christine and I swap comments often.  Her reading habits and perspective are very similar to mine.  Also, she's hosting a Banned Books Challenge this year!
3. Hitting on Girls in Bookstores: Adam had taken a blogging hiatus, but he's back, and I'm so glad.  It is rare to have a male perspective on YA lit, and his is hilarious.
4. Real Men Read YA: Since YA lit male readers are so scarce, my final nominee is Aaron, who also offers a unique and hilarious perspective on popular YA novels.  Kudos to Christine at Buckling Bookshelves for introducing his blog to me in one of her roundups.

Recommendation: Sunny Point Cafe, Asheville NC (Part 3)

I finally posted Part 2 of my Asheville, NC vacation recap.  I was type, type, typing along when I realized, having carefully cataloged everything we ate from Sunday to Thursday in Parts 1 and 2, I could not for the life of me remember where we ate on Tuesday night.  I called my husband.  "Where did we eat dinner on Tuesday after we visited the Biltmore?" I queried.  He had no idea.  Although I didn't remember any mediocre restaurants on our itinerary, I chalked it up to a nondescript dinner, proofread Part 2, and hit "Publish."  About a week later, it hit me.

Sunny Point Cafe

HOW could I not remember that we ate at Sunny Point Cafe?!?!

This tiny, hole in the wall is off the downtown Asheville beaten track and was recommended to us by the receptionist at The Spa at Biltmore Village, which we had visited a day earlier to book our massage.  It's a casual place, but the food is AMAZING!

Rob and I read and re-read the menu for at least 10 minutes.  We wanted to order two of everything, but we finally decided on the fried green tomatoes appetizer with fresh goat cheese (Yum!!) and the huevos rancheros to split.

O. M. G. I would have taken a picture of the huevos rancheros when they came out because the presentation was beautiful, but I was too busy stuffing my face.  The blend of color and spice was perfection.

Like most places we went in Asheville, Sunny Point is a farm-to-table restaurant, which meant everything tasted oh-so-fresh.  It was definitely one of the top places we ate at, so I thought it deserved its own shout-out.

If you are trekking to Western Carolina for a little mountain air and foliage, stop at Sunny Point for breakfast, and then go back and check out their dinner specials.

Happy dining!

Scribbled Verses: Survivor (An Ode to the Fight Against Breast Cancer)

To support Relay for Life 2013 visit relayforlife.org.

Survivor

Fight the good fight you hear them say

But where are they when the fight gets tough?

Where are they when the enemy starts to take over

And there’s hair on the pillow and the smell of sickness in the air?

They give their money to the cause

But what about their time?

Which do we need to treat more…

The people or the disease?

This four letter word wrecks households and lives

Attacking our womanly assets

Signs of life, sucked dry

And yet, we stand tall

Bald heads shining

Proud of our fight

Proud of our determination

Proud to be a survivor.

Top Ten Tuessday: Book Blurbs (4/30)

I originally wasn't going to participate in this week's Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish because over the past few months, my reading habits have changed quite a bit.  However, I realized that great literature endures because it meets us where we as readers are right now, and as I grow and change, my reading tastes evolve as well.  Also, a book's blurb may catch my attention, but it is not necessarily a predictor of whether or not I will like the content (as my recent Top Ten Tuesday Surprise Reactions list indicates).

So what makes me consider cracking a book's cover?

1. A well-designed, eye catching cover
2. A blurb or recommendation by one of my auto-buy authors
3. Contemporary issues
4. Mythology
5. Family dynamics 
6. Marriage
7. Unrequited love
8. Literary fiction
9. Meta-textual, book within a book premise
10. The promise of a big reveal (i.e. secret revelations) 

Any recommendations for books with these plot points?  What is your book blurb kryptonite?