First Day of Fall

Fall is my season.  Something about this time of year brings out the best in me.

I'm far more content than any other time of year and I find my lost creativity returns.  Spring does nearly the same although it usually brings back my desire of health and minimalism.  It's interesting how as I get older, I've come to terms with things that are just me.  Fall makes me want to listen to deep music... like some Mad Season... And write poems, lots of poems.

And read, but then again, I always like to read.  Today I read a book of poems.  Lullabies by Lang Leav.  I really enjoy Lang Leav; her poems remind me of my style of writing.  I find that she taps into my inner voice and makes me thing about things from long ago... memories good and bad. Her art is quite lovely too; like it be belongs in a children's book.  I highly recommend Lullabies or any of her books. 

I'm going to be doing some traveling again here in a few weeks.  Josh & I will be celebrating our 8 year anniversary by taking a trip to southern Florida, Ft. Lauderdale to see Phil Collins in concert then a few days in Key West and Miami.  Hopefully the hurricanes stay away. Ernest Hemmingway's house is definitely on the to-do list.I then am headed back to Minneapolis for work for a week.  Fall in Minneapolis is pretty great as well.

In November I'm headed to Orlando for a week; a work conference, but I am looking forward to it still.  I'm hoping to get to see some friends who work in my field while there. 

Bookish goals

Well I skipped blogging the whole summer.  I dunno know happened.  I wasn't too busy... I just forgot to blog.  I guess I was probably distracted by books.  Reading books.

I love to read and sometimes go through these phases where I read a book every day or two.  That's what happened this summer.  And it hasn't really let up. Although, I admit, the book I am reading now currently hasn't been quite as engaging.  So what did I read this summer?  A LOT!

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
Michelle McNamara
3/5 stars

I wanted to love this book.  I picked it up right around the time that arrest was made of the alleged Golden State Killer so I was able to follow what was happening on the news as well.  But I was disappointed.  The personal details about Michelle and her life (and marriage to Patton Oswald) were some of the better parts but the telling of attacks by the Golden State Killer were drawn out way too long.  I found myself more interested in the author than the crimes that were committed.

Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days
Chris Guillebeau
4/5 stars

My desire to constantly have a side hustle brewing often encouraged by the words and stories of Guillebeau.  I'm not one for business or get rich quick books and this is nothing like that. Guillebeau speaks of life of freedom supported by side income that can ultimately lead to full time income and greater happiness.  I've read everything that Guillebeau has written to date and there is a reason why is driving a movement towards more fulfilled work and life.

Oddfellow's Orphanage
Emily Winfield Martin
4/5 stars

I'll be honest.  This book was going to get a high rating from me just because of the artwork and whimsical style of Martin. Emily Winfield Martin is a favorite artist that I have purchased from several times and her work adorns my home.  When she started creating books, I was thrilled.  Oddfellow is a children's book about misfits who live together at an orphanage and find happiness in being surrounded by other's who are different like they are.  The book is a quick read with great illustrations and leaves your mood a little lighter after a read. I have her next book, Snow & Rose on my TBR shelf.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Gail Honeyman
4/5 stars

I've heard people either love or hate this book.  I loved it.  It is a bit sad and depressing as Eleanor has a sad and depressing life but parts of it resonated with me.  I've had moments in my life when I've been utterly and completely alone for months on end I recall how those times felt, like not a soul on earth could understand how I felt let alone understand where I was coming from.  We make up our own realities and that's exactly what Eleanor has done in her life...

Summer of '79
Darren Sapp
2/5 stars

As a child of the 80's I really thought this book would be reminiscent of my childhood and bring back all those old feelings I get when I watch Stranger Things.  No such luck. Honestly, this book could have been set in any time period... it was very light on the nostalgia.  The book was meant to be a mystery but was very predictable and the writing was fairly immature.  I'd pass on this one.

Not That I Could Tell
Jessica Strawser
3/5 stars

Set in suburbia is the story of neighbor women who one night drink a little too much and when they all get up the next morning they learn that one of the women is missing.  This was a pretty quick read but had some predictable parts but did leave for a surprise ending.

The Last Time I Lied
Riley Sager
4/5 stars

I'm really digging Riley Sager lately.  I didn't know who Sager was until a few months ago when I picked up Final Girls.  Sager, although male, feels like he intimately knows is lead women characters and has deep insight into how his main character feels.  The Last Time I Lied is incredibly suspenseful and reads like a movie.  I wouldn't be surprised it was made into one next.

House of Secrets
V.C. Andrews
3/5 stars

I've read a lot of V.C. Andrews over the years including originals by Andrews herself and then after she passed and her work was continued by Andrew Niederman.  House of Secrets is like most Andrew's books is full of teen angst and incestuous relationships It had actually been years since I had picked up one of her books and found it disappointing.  It might be the writing just isn't as a good or maybe I've just grown up?  My Sweet Audrina still is my favorite book by Andrew's of all time.


I've realized that I've read way more books over the summer than I even realized... and thus must continue this into another post.  Look for the second half of my summer list in the next few days.

Book Review: Kill Creek: A Novel by Scott Thomas

I recently finished Kill Creek by Scott Thomas.  The story is set just outside of Lawrence, Kansas. I didn't realize this at the time that I started reading the book but quickly realized that much of the information about Kansas was accurate.  I quickly looked up the author, Scott Thomas, and realized that he was in fact from Kansas - very cool.

Kill Creek is the story of four famous horror authors who agree to stay overnight in a supposedly haunted house and be interviewed as a publicity stunt. Each author has their own experiences in the house that sparks a fury of writing once they all return to their homes -- each aggressively working on their next horror novel. The authors begin to realize that they have similar strange ideas, eerie thoughts, nightmares while writing, that tie back to the Kill Creek house. They join back together again at the haunted house to find out what is causing these strange behaviors and what is really going on in the Kill Creek house.

I enjoyed Kill Creek.  I found some parts very predictable and others parts surprising. There is some edge of your seat suspense and a few graphic horror parts but overall nothing I couldn't stomach. One of my favorite parts are all the references to my home state and the towns of Lawrence and Kansas City.  It feels like a great book to make into a movie... I'll be interested to find out if that happens.  I'd definitely pick up another book to read by Scott Thomas in the future.

4/5 stars

Literary Travel - US Literary Landmarks

This post is a long list of literary landmarks in the United States that I have been maintaining for my own travel and thought the rest of the internet might be interested as I have yet to see a comprehensive site with all this information.  I will continue to add to and edit this list as time goes on

Included in the list are places that tie back to an author or book such as a childhood home, statue, or museum.

A * signifies if I have visited the location.

Alabama 

Monroeville
    Harper Lee - Monroe County Museum - To Kill A Mockingbird
    Truman Capote - Truman Capote Historical Marker
Montgomery
    F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Fitzgerald Museum - Tender Is The Night
    Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald - The Fitzgerald Museum - Save Me The Waltz

Alaska

Arizona

Payson

    Zane Grey - Zane Grey Cabin & Museum

Arkansas

Piggott
    Ernest Hemingway - Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum & Educational Center

California

Big Sur
    Henry Miller - Henry Miller Memorial Library
Carmel
    Robinson Jeffers - Tor House
Danville
    Eugene O'Neill - Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site - The Iceman Cometh
Glen Ellen
    Jack London - Jack London State Historic Park
Martinez
    John Muir - John Muir National Historic Site
Salinas
    John Steinbeck - National Steinbeck Center
San Francisco
    Jack Kerouac - The Beat Museum
St. Helena
    Robert Louis Stevenson - Robert Louis Stevenson Museum

Colorado

Colorado Springs
    Helen Hunt Jackson - Helen Hunt Jackson Pioneers Museum
Denver
    Jack Kerouac - My Brother's Bar
    Neal Cassady - My Brother's Bar

Connecticut

Hartford
    Harriet Beecher Stowe - The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
    Mark Twain - The Mark Twain House & Museum -  The Adventures of  Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer
New London
    Eugene O'Neill - Monte Cristo Cottage - The Count of Monte Cristo
West Harford
    Noah Webster - Noah Webster House

Delaware

Florida

Cross Creek
    Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park
Daytona Beach
    Stephen Crane - Stephen Crane House
Key West
    Ernest Hemingway - The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum
Vero Beach
    Laura Riding Jackson - Laura Riding Jackson Foundation

Georgia

Atlanta
    Alice Walker - The Alice Walker Literary Society
    Joel Chandler - The Wren's Nest
    Margaret Mitchell - Margaret Mitchell House - Gone With The Wind
Columbus
    Carson McCullers - McCullers Center - The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter
Macon
    Sidney Lanier - Sidney Lanier Cottage
Milledgeville
    Flannery O'Connor - Andalusia Home of Flannery O'Connor
Savannah
   *Flannery O'Connor - Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home

Hawaii

Haiku

    M.S. Merwin - M.S. Merwin Conservancy

Idaho

Hailey

    Ezra Pound - Ezra Pound House

Illinois

Chicago
    Upton Sinclair - Union Stockyard Gate - The Jungle
Galesburg
    Carl Sandburg - Carl Sandburg State Historic Site
Springfield
    Vachel Lindsay - Vachel Lindsay Home

Indiana

Indianapolis
    James Whitcomb Riley - James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home
    Kurt Vonnegut - Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library
Miller Beach
    Nelson Algren - Nelson Algren Museum
Oak Park
    Ernest Hemingway - Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Home Museum
Rome City
    Gene Stratton-Porter - The Gene-Stratton Porter Historic Site

Iowa

Iowa City
    Kurt Vonnegut - Kurt Vonnegut House - Slaughterhouse Five

Kansas

Independence

    Laura Ingalls Wilder - Little House on the Prairie Museum - The Little House on the Prairie

Lawrence

    Langston Hughes - Langston Hughes Lawrence

Wamego

    L. Frank Baum - Oz Museum - Oz, the complete collection

Kentucky

Guthrie

    Robert Penn Warren - Robert Penn Warren Birthplace

Louisville

    Hunter S. Thompson - Hunter S. Thompson Childhood Home

Louisiana

New Orleans
    Francis Parkinson Keyes - The Beauregard-Keyes House & Garden Museum
    Ernest Hemingway - Hotel Monteleone & Carousel Bar & Lounge
    William Faulkner - Hotel Monteleone & Carousel Bar & Lounge
    William Faulkner - William Faulkner House

Maine

Bangor
   *Stephen King - Stephen King House and entire town of Bangor
Portland
    Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Wadsworth-Longfellow House
South Berwick
Sarah Orne Jewett - Sarah Orne Jewett House Museum - Deephaven

Maryland

Baltimore
    Edgar Allan Poe - Edgar Allan Poe Grave

Massachusetts

Amherst 
    Emily Dickinson - Emily Dickinson Museum
    Eric Carle - Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
Boston
    Anne Sexton - Forest Hills Cemetery
    Charles Dickens - Omni Parker House - A Christmas Carol
    Edgar Allan Poe - The Poe Statue
    Sylvia Plath - Sylvia Plath Childhood Home 
Cambridge
    Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Longfellow House
    Julia Child  - Julia Child's House - Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Concord
   *Henry David Thoreau - Walden Pond State Reservation  & Thoreau's Cabin Site - Walden and        The Maine Woods
   *Henry David Thoreau - Sleepy Hollow Cemetary Author's Ridge
    Henry David Thoreau - Thoreau Farm
   *Louisa May Alcott - The Wayside
    *Louisa May Alcott -  Orchard House  - Little Women
   *Louisa May Alcott - Sleepy Hollow Cemetary Author's Ridge
   *Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Wayside
   *Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Old Manse
   *Nathaniel Hawthorne - Sleepy Hollow Cemetary Author's Ridge
   *Ralph Waldo Emerson - The Old Manse - Nature & Selected Essays
   *Ralph Waldo Emerson - Sleepy Hollow Cemetary Author's Ridge
Haverhill
    John Greenleaf Whittier - Whittier Birthplace
Lenox
    Edith Wharton - The Mount  - The House of Mirth and Ethan Frome
Lowell
    Jack Kerouac - Jack Kerouac Grave
Pittsfield
    Herman Melville - Herman Melville's Arrowhead
Salem
    Nathaniel Hawthorne - The House of Seven Gables - The House Of Seven Gables
Springfield
    Dr. Seuss - Seuss in Springfield
Yarmouth Port
    Edward Gorey - The Edward Gorey House

Michigan

Saginaw

    Theodore Roethke - Theodore Roethke Museum

Minnesota

Sauk Centre
    Sinclair Lewis - Sinclair Lewis Boyhood Home
St. Paul
    F. Scott Fitzgerald - Fitzgerald in St. Paul
Walnut Grove
    Laura Ingalls Wilder - Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum

Mississippi

Clarksdale
    Tennessee Williams - Clarksdale Historic District & Clark House
Columbus
    Tennessee Williams - Tennessee Williams Welcome Center
Cummington
    William Cullen Bryant - William Cullen Bryant Homestead
Jackson
    Eudora Welty - The Eudora Welty House
    Margaret Walker - Margaret Walker Center
New Albany
    William Faulkner - Union County Heritage Museum
Oxford
    William Faulkner - Rowan Oak Home of William Faulkner

Missouri

Hannibal

    Mark Twain - The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum
Mansfield
    Laura Ingalls Wilder - Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum
St. Louis
    Kate Chopin - Kate Chopin House
    William S. Burroughs - William S. Burroughs Childhood Home

Montana

Nebraska

Bancroft
    John G. Neihardt - The John G. Neihardt State Historic Site
Red Cloud
    Willa Cather - Willa Cather House

Nevada

New Hampshire

Cornish
    JD Salinger - JD Salinger House
Derry
    Robert Frost - Robert Frost Farm

New Jersey

Asbury Park
    Stephen Crane - The Stephen Crane House
Long Branch
    Dorothy Parker - Birthplace

New Mexico

New York

Austerlitz
    Edna St. Vincent Millay - Edna St. Vincent Millay Society at Steepletop

Brooklyn
    Truman Capote - Truman Capote Apartment
Chittenago
    L. Frank Baum - All Things Oz Historical Foundation
Huntington Station
    Walt Whitman - Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site
New York
   *Dorothy Parker - The Algonquin Hotel 
    Edgar Allan Poe - Poe Park
    Herman Melville - Woodlawn Cemetery
Pocantico Hills
    Washington Irving - Washington Irving's Sunnyside
Sleepy Hollow 

    Washington Irving - Sleepy Hollow Cemetery - The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
West Park
    John Burroughs - Slabsides

North Carolina

Asheville
    Thomas Wolfe - The Thomas Wolfe Memorial
Flat Rock
    Carl Sandburg - Carl Sandburg Home

North Dakota

Ohio

Cincinatti
    Harriet Beecher Stowe - Harriet Beecher Stowe House
Columbus
    James Thurber - Thurber House
Dayton
    Paul Laurence Dunbar - Paul Laurence Dunbar House

Oklahoma

Sallisaw

    Sequoyah - Sequoyah's Cabin Museum

Tahlequah

    Will Rogers - Will Rogers Museum

Oregan

McMinnville

    Beverly Cleary - Walking with Ramona Tour

Portland

    Beverly Cleary - Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden

Pennsylvania

Perkasie
    Pearl S Buck - Pearl S Buck House
Philadelphia
    Edgar Allan Poe - Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site - Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales & Poems
Pittsburgh
    Gertrude Stein - Gertrude Stein House
Shillington
    John Updike - The John Updike Childhood Home

Rhode Island

Providence
    HP Lovecraft - Lovecraft Arts & Sciences

South Carolina

Beafort
    Pat Conroy - Pat Conroy Literary Center

South Dakota

De Smet
    Laura Ingalls Wilder - Ingalls Homestead

Tennessee

Henning
    Alex Haley - Alex Haley Museum

Texas

Austin

    O. Henry - O. Henry Museum

Kyle

    Katherine Anne Porter - The Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center

Utah

Vermont

North Bennington
    Shirley Jackson - Shirley Jackson Homes

Virginia

Richmond
    Edgar Allan Poe - The Poe Museum

Washington

Washington DC

Frederick Douglass - Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

West Virginia

Hillsboro
    Pearl S Buck - Pearl S Buck Birthplace

Wisconsin

West Salem

Hamlin Garland - Hamlin Garland Homestead

Wyoming

Literary Kansas

In anticipation of nicer weather, I have been looking for some day trips that my family can do over the weekend to shake things up a bit (or pull everyone away from their phones!)

As I was researching places to go, I came across the site, Map of Kansas Literature created by Washburn University that has a lot of information about writers who have ties back to Kansas.  It has a pretty good list started but would be great if it had more information about what is available to visit/tour in Kansas in honor of the writers.  I discovered some writers that I never knew were from Kansas originally. When driving on vacations, we typically do an audio book in the car for everyone to enjoy and then discuss. I am looking forward to seeing how we can fit some of the Kansas authors on this site into our excursions.

Final Girls: A Novel by Riley Sager Book Review

Each year, I set a goal for how many books I want to read using the Goodreads App on my phone.  I usually come up short of meeting my goal  but I find that it keeps me motivated to read throughout the year which is something I want to do, love to do, but can sometimes lose sight of with all the competition of TV shows, crafts, Internet browsing, and plenty of other unproductive activities.  Reading isn't unproductive to me, though. It feels like one of the most productive things that I can do.

I also love that I can listen to audio books on the Audible App and multi-task. My favorite thing to do is listen to a book while working on cross-stitch projects.  I'm pretty much obsessed with cross-stitch these days spending hours each evening listening to books and stitching away.  It is my happy place.

I came across the book Final Girls by Riley Sager on Audible while on-sale during the holidays and had been waiting to finish to other book, The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter (not a favorite),  that I was reading before starting Final Girls.  To be honest, I usually have about 4-5 books going at once because my taste changes each day and the platform with which I want to read as well changes.  It isn't unusual for me to have a book going on my Kindle, an audio book, a paperback or hardback book on my nightstand, a professional book for work in some medium, and another book on the Kindle app on my phone.  I know it is strange to read two separate books between the Kindle App and the Kindle itself but that's apparently how I do things....

Final Girls is a mystery-thriller-horror; a genre that I have started reading more the last few years.  The novel is about a final girl named Quincy Carpenter who survived a massacre at a cabin where she and friends were staying and brutally attacked one night by an escapee from a mental institution.  Quincy is one of three final girls that have all survived similar horrific experiences and she hates the thought of being considered a final girl, constantly gawked at and treated like a rare gem.  She just wants a normal life and to forget the past, pushing the awful memories down deep.  When another final girl turns up dead, the story all three final girls intertwines, forcing Quincy to deal with the events that occurred the night of the massacre.  The story moves back and forth between present day and the past, the night that the massacre happened at the cabin.

I loved this book.  It was well written and so suspenseful I couldn't stop.  Situations and people aren't at all what they appear to be. While I had some speculation of the ending, my opinions changed over and over throughout the book leading toward the revealing explanation of what is really happening and happened in the past.  It is rare that I don't turn on the TV for a week but that is what happened this last week... I raced through this book, spending 2+ hours happily listening and stitching my evenings away.

I highly recommend if you are a reader who likes the suspense with plenty of twists and turns along the way.

Poulet a la Moutarde and Julia Child

It has been a month since I was in Paris.  And I have this strong desire to be there again, like I was meant to be there even belong there.  I have always been a bit obsessed with the French and apparently my visit to Paris has reignited that obsession.  

When talking about France, one can hardly dismiss the food.  Unfortunately the food isn't low carb and that has definitely hindered my weight loss over the last month.  That isn't to say that I haven't been back on keto for days at a time but then I come across a nice cheese and baguette at the store and I cave.  I so wish bread wasn't a carb...  

I have managed to make one fairly low carb french meal that I thought I would share with you. Poulet a la moutarde otherwise known as chicken in mustard sauce.  I am a big fan of chicken dishes with mustard so when I came across this recipe from Mon Petit Four I decided to give it a shot.  To be honest, I don't cook with wine often and was a bit concerned that my family would even like it.  The dish did not disappoint.  In fact, I didn't even have leftovers!  The flavors are rich yet mild and the the dish was simple to make.  A good dijon mustard like Maille is key to getting a good sauce flavor.  My local grocery store Dillons sells Maille so I was in luck.  Unfortuntately, there aren't many options for shopping for European groceries in Wichita or at least that I am aware of.  I am kicking myself for stocking up on some French essentials while I was there.  I am on the hunt for my next french recipe that I wish to try.  I've been thinking about getting the mother of all French cookbooks, Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, just to give it a whirl.  There are actually plenty of meat and vegetable dishes which are low-carb, they just require me to step outside my obsession with pastries, crepes, and croque monsieurs (which I have also learned to make, yum!).  I am currently reading the autobiography of Julia Child, My Life in France.  I am loving it but then again I love France and I love Julia Child.  I've also seen/own the movie Julie and Julia which is a true celebration of French cuisine and Julia Child. 

This weekend I will be celebrating my 40th birthday.  My family and I will be heading to one of the only French restaurants we have in Wichita, Georges French Bistro.  I have been a fan of Georges since they opened and I can't wait to go back.  

I apologize for lack of photos this post, I did take some great photos of the chicken dish but lost them in transitioning to my new phone.  I'll try to grab some next time... and believe me, there will be a next time.

Spring is coming

I'm ready for a season change.  Not that we've had terrible winter weather in the Midwest but it has been overcast for months now and I am ready for spring to arrive. I've definitely been short on motivation although my creativity has been flowing freely.  I thought I would just share what I've been into lately...

Cross stitch - I have a new addiction.  In fact, I spent most evenings working on different projects.  I started with a Last Unicorn pattern that I love and then quickly moved on to other projects including learning to make my own patterns.  Etsy has been my favorite spot to shop for new patterns but making patterns is fun for personalizing items.  I recently made this portrait of my cousins and I for my Grandmother for her birthday. I both designed and stitched it.

Paper flowers - I have also been working on making a large bouquet of paper flowers.  I am a bit of a paper collector and it has been fun to learn how to cut, fold, and mold different shapes from paper.

Books - I have started too many books to name but have struggled to get into anything lately.  The last book I finished was in December, it was Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories by Flannery O'Connor.  I loved it as I love all things by Flannery O'Connor but since Dec, I've just been stuck. My attention span hasn't been there.  I did recently buy My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix so am hopeful that it will grab my attention and throw me back into reading again.

Television & Movies - what can I say.  It is easy to stitch and watch tv so I have been doing a lot of that.  It doesn't hurt that there is a lot on right now that I am into.  The Walking Dead picked back up last month and I am still crazy for the show.  A new show called Riverdale started last month as well and I am really enjoying it.  I always loved the Archie comics growing up and this show is based on the newer, darker Archie comics.  Jughead was and still is my favorite. Girls on HBO has been a favorite for awhile - love Lena Dunham and her character.  This Is Us was a show I knew I would love from the previews that came out months in advance.  It has some of the best writing for a television show ever.  I admit, I get a good weekly cry from this show - and Randall is my favorite. And then there are plenty of what I consider cotton candy shows - The Voice, a slew of MTV shows, and all the Investigation Discovery I can fit in.  As far as movies go, we did go see Hidden Figures as a family.  I loved Hidden Figures and highly recommend it to everyone.  I also rented Edge of Seventeen one evening and thought it was cute.  I realize that I will always love all things aimed at teen girls.... oh well.

Unicorns, Lisa Frank, and other colorful things - Speaking of teen girls, my love for all things Lisa Frank is strong going back to the early 80's.  I have really rekindle my love for these things through sharing it with my daughters.  Lisa Frank and Glamour Dolls recently launched a Kickstarter collab for cruelty-free Lisa Frank makeup!  I was the 24th backer so I am not only getting the Lisa Frank makeup collection but also am getting something from the Lisa Frank vault!  I'm most excited about that. We also went to a store party here called Happy Puppy, Sparkly Kitty, Rainbow Unicorn Party.  It was all about the colorful animal stuff.  And my youngest has gotten into baking and loves making colorful treats.  I have started a Pinterest board just for this as we discover things she could make.  She's also already planning her 10th Birthday party and going with the Unicorn theme and I'm not complaining. I actually love that all this stuff I loved as a kid is back "in."

Book Review: Kicking and Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll by Ann and Nancy Wilson

My mom introduced me to the band Heart when I was a young.  I guess I could have been even been listening to their debut album, Dreamboat Annie, while still in the womb. It wouldn't surprise me since their music has made such an impression on me.I recall in the late 80's the Bad Animals album coming out and by that time, my mom had it on cassette tape.  I would borrow her tape and play the song "Alone" over and over on a boom box that I got for my birthday one year.  What a preteen could be contemplating while listening to that song, I always was the moody, pondering type. By the time cds came long, I added The Road Home album to my collection and of course, bought another copy of Dreamboat Annie so I could listen to Heart in the car. I loved the acoustic version of "These Dreams" in my twenties and found it inspirational when I sometimes felt down.

Kicking and Dreaming was another goal fulfilled for me as I work my way obsessively through all that has been produced by the Wilson sisters.  Yes, there are albums which I still don't own and songs which I still haven't heard. I will conquer them yet.  The storytelling felt intimate as chapters were divided between Ann and Nancy, both described their progression over the years. I felt like I was reading a diary of someone's intimate past.  Both so freely spoke about their upbringing, their relationships with friends, lovers, and each other.  I learned that the "Magic Man" was indeed a love interest of Ann Wilson, Michael Fischer, who she had a young, passionate relationship with while she wrote the songs for Dreamboat Annie.  And Nancy Wilson was in a relationship with Michael's brother, Roger, at the same time. Both dated the Fischer brothers for many years.  Later Nancy went on to marry the director, Cameron Crowe, whom she later divorced but also had twin sons with.  I can now tie together the influences Nancy had on one of my favorite film's he directed, Almost Famous. Lyrics were interwoven throughout the book, describing times in their lives because that's what they wrote about.  When the grunge scene hit in Seattle (where they are from), I learned that they not only had close friendships with bands like Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains but heavy influence on who they became.  Grunge bands of the time treated them like Mother Hens.  Ann and Nancy now in their 60's are still writing music and doing what they love.  I really enjoyed this book and raced though it beginning to end.  Last year, Heart was in concert near my hometown and I was able to see the powerful sisters live.  I loved the concert and sang along with them to all the old songs.  Girls who rocked before it was common for girls to rock.  

 

Book Review: The Girls by Emma Cline

Set in the late 60's in Northern Caliform, The Girls by Emma Cline is the story of curious good-girl, Evie Boyd.  Always the trustworthy daughter, Evie had never been much of a rebellious kid.  In her fourteenth year, she itches for some excitement and finds herself fascinated by a group of wild, free-spirited girls she sees at a park.  After being ditched by her best friend, she befriends one of the wild girls, Suzanne, that introduces Evie to a new world filled with free love, drugs, and rock 'n roll.  Evie joins a new family that gives off a cult-like vibe and has ties with a famous musician who somehow funds their way of living.  Unfortunately her new family of friends isn't all about peace and love and as the story unfolds a crime is revealed that forever changes Evie for the rest of her life.

I really wanted to like this book.  I liked the writing style although it sometimes moved a little bit slow for me.  Some of the descriptions the author writes make you feel as though you are right there with Evie or at the very least can relate to her feelings.  What I found lacking was the plot.  I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters other than Evie and the motivations for their behaviors was sometimes vague or just left me feeling apathetic. The genre and setting are right up my alley which is what made me so frustrated with the book.  I wanted to LOVE the book, and in the end, it was just ok for me. I think Emma Cline has some great talent as a writer so I would definitely check her out again and hopes that maybe the next story has a plot that holds my interest more.

Literary Tour Guide to the United States Books - THe SOUTH! NORTHEAST! MIDWEST!

This weekend my husband and I went out and hit up some garage sales.  It was a nice Saturday for getting out and we hadn't been to a  garage sale in a long time.  We hit up about 10 different sales and found a few good deals.  While visiting one sale that I believe belonged to a former English teacher, I came across three books that I was obviously meant to find.  I had never heard of the "A Literary Tour Guide to the United States" books before. They are a part of Americans Discover America Series. There were three of them - The Northeast, The West and Midwest, and South(!) and Southwest.  I was surprised to see Target stickers from long ago still on the books. The books are in excellent shape considering the age. 

I had to check out my own state of Kansas in the West and Midwest volume (by Rita Stein) to see what was highlighted.  It is a sad little chapter that focuses mostly on William Allen White but makes mention of Langston Hughes growing up in Kansas for part of his life. 

I checked out the South and Southwest volume  (by Rita Stein) most extensively as my southern literature, southern gothic in particular, is my absolute favorite genre.  There was mention of many of my favorites including William Faulkner, Eurdora Welty, and Flannery O'Connor. Flannery O'Connor is an absolute favorite and I have visited one of her homes in Savannah Georgia which has now been made into a museum.

The Northeast volume (by Emilie C. Harting) covers many places that my husband and I toured when we did our Literary New England vacation a few years back.  Walden Pond (Thoreau), Wayside (Nathaniel Hawthorne's home), Old Manse (Ralph Waldo Emerson & Hawthorne lived there), Louisa May Alcott's house (now also a museum) and the resting place of many literary greats all are in Concord, MA.  If you love that kind of thing, it is a truly memorable experience. 

I can't wait to dig into these further and plot our next vacation spots!

Must Read Works of Southern Literature

I came across this article this week on BookRiot and wanted to share for those that love Southern Literature as much as me. A fine list indeed.  And some I need to get to reading!

http://bookriot.com/2013/06/20/100-must-read-works-of-southern-literature/

Botanical Style

Maybe it is the change of the season, maybe it has come with age (my mama certainly was blessed with a green thumb in her thirties) or maybe it is just my normal wandering mind. I love decorating my home (inside and out) with plants.  I remember when I was younger going to the garden center with my mom (again) and looking at all the flowers.  She had her favorites -- pansies, petunias, tiger lilies, portulaca, canna lilies, crocus, morning glories, lilac, daffodils, lily of the valley, and who could forget, magnolias!  Oh man, she and my dad loved their magnolia trees. They loved them so much that they would spend hours driving around on vacation with two little girls in the backseat of the car commenting over and over how much they love the magnolia trees. Magnolia. Magnolia. Magnolia.  I'm obviously still traumatized. And now I admit, I love magnolia trees... like mother, like daughter.

For Mother's Day my girls got me a new book, Botanical Style: Inspirational decorating with nature, plants, and florals by Selina Lake.  This book is gorgeous. I love how the style of the book mixes botanicals with vintage.  There are ideas for kitchens, family rooms, outdoor spaces, and offices.

It is packed full of succulents and cactus!

I love the different way that the flowers and plants are displayed, using old bottles, tubs, and jars.

I also love the botanical artwork that is hung in the rooms. I especially love vintage botanical charts.  I have a few in my bedroom that hang above my bed. 

My favorite way to decorate with plants is against natural woods and white. Especially next to my white owls... I might have a thing for white owl statues too. If you are looking for some botanical decorating ideas, this book is awesome.

Meeting Augusten Burroughs

I discovered the author, Augusten Burroughs, several years ago.  It started with the release of his memoir, Running With Scissors.  I enjoyed the book and his writing style which I find to be very unapologetic and direct so I went out and found other books of his, some of which I liked even better!  Magical Thinking, Dry, and This is How.  Magical Thinking is still my favorite full of true short stories from his life which left me cracking up.  In fact, on my first date with my husband we went to Borders bookstore and hung out.  I introduced him to Burroughs on that date and he loved Magical Thinking as well.  By the way, Running with Scissors was made into a movie which is crazy and good but as per usual, not nearly as good as the book.  When I learned that Burroughs would be coming through Wichita promoting his latest book, Lust and Wonder, I had to go.  I saw Elizabeth Gilbert a few months ago and loved it.  The local bookstore here, Watermark, is my favorite and I love that they bring authors to Wichita. I hope they continue!  So my husband and I armed with our copies of Lust and Wonder went to meet him and it was great.  I enjoyed listening to him talk about his life and writing.  We were able to meet him and get his autograph.  My only regret is not bringing our copy of Magical Thinking for autograph as well.  Ironically, I ran into a couple of people I knew who love Burroughs as much as me.  If you haven't read Burroughs and aren't easily offended, I highly recommend checking him out.

Goodbye Harper Lee

A Southern literature legend, Harper Lee, passed away today.

"You never really understand until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." -- To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee

The Stranger Beside Me

For some reason, I've been on a true crime kick lately.  I'm not feeling especially morbid or anything but they are holding my attention quite a bit. I suppose it is my fascination with what prompts people to behave in certain ways... what would made someone want to become a serial killer?

 I had heard about Ann Rule's book, The Stranger Beside Me through a book suggestion.  I had heard of the serial killer Ted Bundy but never really knew the story behind his crimes so I gave The Stranger Beside Me a shot. The book is a personal story of Ann Rule (famous crime writer who past away a couple of years ago) and her friend, Ted, who turned out to be the infamous Ted Bundy.  When Ann first started working on her book, she had no idea her friend, Ted, was a serial killer.  In fact, he was a nice guy who volunteered with her on a crisis line.  She was volunteering in the evenings and writing crime stories for magazines and newspapers during the day while raising her children on her own.  She had wanted to get into writing books and when the killings started happening in her home town, she was able to get a book deal. As the story unfolds, the reader is exposed to Ann's thoughts and judgements about the crimes and slowly begins to understand how so many people were easily deceived by Ted Bundy. The idea that women were so infatuated with him, sending him letters and attending his trial and weeping... crazy!  I especially enjoyed the take this author had on the crimes, coming to terms with each horrific thing that her friend had done, initially in disbelief but ultimately acceptance that he was not the nice guy she knew. 





Ann Rule went on to be one the biggest crime writers of her time writing about many other criminals and this book is what gave her her start. I find her life extremely interesting, maybe because of journey as a writer but also her ability to get inside the mind of a killer and expose how he must have thought.  I just started reading Green River, Running Red: The Real Story of the Green River Killer -- Americas Deadliest Serial Killer.  It also has some personal connections with Ann's life including near her hometown again.  I'll let you know what I think of it once I am done.