December is a month of challenges, so it is hard to remember to choose joy during those times. I lost my mother a couple of months back and circumstances connected to her passing made my relationship with my siblings even more strained. Then there are the regular stresses in December Read more
My husband and I always try to take a fall trip and this year we went to Lake Chelan and Leavenworth, Washington. On our drive, the sun highlighted the various shades of golds and red foliage peaking between the tall evergreen trees as we drove along Hwy 14. It’s only Read more
Dear Edward, by Ann Napolitano, would not be a book I would recommend to anyone who is afraid of flying. This book is about twelve-year-old Edward, who is the sole survivor of a plane crash that took his mother, father, and his beloved older brother. You get to know Edward and Read more
When October comes around, I think about Halloween. Every year, my husband and I have enjoyed taking our granddaughters to pick out costumes at the Halloween Store. Sometimes it’s only helping them construct the character costume they want to be. From what I hear, costume picking is a big deal Read more
A Cleft In The World by Elizabeth Sumner: I picked up this book because I admired the marketing Elizabeth does for her books. I found I really enjoyed the story of French Professor Georgie Bricker. Due to her agoraphobia, Georgie has stayed content not leaving the life she built at a Read more
Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover: This is my second book by Colleen and I love her writing style, though I understand many don’t. What makes her books stand out for me is how much character interiority she shares with the reader. She picks difficult topics to write about, but being Read more
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave: This is a suspenseful, heart-gripping story about a woman who, after she finally finding the love of her life, her husband disappears. Following his last request, she must do whatever she can to protect her stepdaughter as her husband’s secrets are Read more
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin was on my radar because it was a bestseller. I found that at the heart of this story was a friendship that started between the two main characters, Sam Masur and Sadie Green. The friendship started early on in their lives and Read more
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus: Set in the 1960s, our protagonist, Elizabeth Zott, is a woman who challenges the status quo of women in the workplace. Elizabeth is determined to make her mark in the world as a scientist. She is left-brain smart and an outspoken woman who ruffles Read more
Living Through a Transition “Life is a story of transitions… you are always leaving one chapter behind while moving to the next.” ~ Anonymous When I took my first community college writing class eight years ago, I was looking for connection and a creative outlet. I had retired early from Read more