Sunday, January 30, 2022

BW5: Isn't it Romantic

 



Welcome to February's month of love as we celebrate Creative Romance Month as well as an Affair to Remember month and National Weddings month. And least we forget, February 4th is Thank a Mailman day. Did you remember to send those letters you wrote?   

A to Z and Back Again -  Our letter and word of the week are E and Earnest

Speaking of earnest and romance, our Crime Spree hostesses Sandy and Amy have a challenge for you to partake in.  Take it away, ladies: 


Few things go together better than crime and romance. Actually, there are hundreds of things that go together better, but few things are as exciting to read as Romantic Suspense. These novel are equally balanced with the romance playing as bit a part as the mystery/suspense elements. Are you a fan?

Authors to explore:

For a gothic feel check out: Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart

 If you like modern heroes/heroines escaping likely murder, then check out: Nora Robert/JD Robb, Laura Griffin, Marie Force

For a sweet Christian take on Romantic Suspense: Terri Blackstock and Dee Henderson

Suspense? Romance? Werewolves/Vampires/Ghosts? We got that too! Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, Jayne Ann Krentz

Challenge: Bat your eyes at your favorite getaway driver and read a book featuring someone in love and in danger.


Thank you ladies! Batting my eyes earnestly at Juan, my oh so hunky getaway driver, as we drive hastily away from some serious risky business we found ourselves part of. 

Happy trails, mi amors! 

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Sunday, January 23, 2022

BW4: Bookish Birthdays and Notes


 

Happy Sunday! Today is National Handwriting Day  Which coincidently goes hand in hand (pun intended) with those letters we could have written in week 2. Yes, I know, I didn't either. But I have been having fun writing A to Z and back again stories, all by hand, and currently working on the letter K. How about you? Ready to give it a try yet?   

A to Z and Back Again - our letter and word of the week is D - Deduction


Time for a round of literary birthdays and notes to tempt and amaze you:

Jan 23: French author Stendhal, American poet Louis Zukofsky, and West Indies poet Derek Walcott

Jan 24: American novelist Edith Wharton , English dramatist William Congreve, British novelist and zoologist Desmond Norris

Jan 25: Scottish poet Robert Burns, English poet William Somerset Maugham, and English novelist Virginia Woolf

Jan 26:  American author and activist Angela Davis, and American Mary Mapes Dodge

Jan 27: English author Lewis Carroll,  and  English novelist D.M. Thomas

Jan 28: American author and activist Julius Lester, and French author Colette

Jan 29: American political author Thomas Paine, Russian playwright Anton Chekov and French novelist and Nobel Prize winner Romain Rolland


Finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Awards

Mystery Writers of America Announces 2022 Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominations

Screen grabbers: mysteries adapted for film

Nick Cave on Creativity, the Myth of Originality, and How to Find Your Voice

And Just Like That...Carrie Bradshaw's Library Card is a Must-Have Accessory


Have fun following rabbit trails! 

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Sunday, January 16, 2022

BW3: 52 Books Bingo - Space Opera



Happy Sunday! Today is  Appreciate a Dragon Day, created by Donita K. Paul, author of the Dragonspell Chronicles back in 2004 to celebrate our favorite dragons in books and television. Great series by the way, which I enjoyed and has since disappeared into the book jungle in my son's room. 

Combine dragons, beasts and other fantastical or scary creatures that characters may encounter in outer space with our first 52 books bingo category - Space Operas and what do you have? Scary and/or thrilling, entertaining stories set in outer space, alternative worlds, and other planets. 

I came across Barnes and Nobles 55 Essential Space Operas from the Last 70 Years and took a trip down memory lane as I've read quite a few of these books over the years and still have them in my personal library.  From Harrison and Heinlein, Niven and Asimov to Weber and Donaldson to Scalzi and Chambers.  I currently have a few on the nightstand I haven't read such as Corey's Leviathan Wakes to Vinge's Snow Queen.  They are in the queue for this year.  

11 of the best sci-fi books that transport you to another world reminds me to move Robinson's Red Mars as well as Ursula Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness up in the queue as well.  Both dusty books have been calling to me to read sooner than later. 

And don't forget Star Wars which my son loves to read, as well as Star Trek novelizations. 


A to Z and Back Again - our letter and word of the week is C Conundrum. 


Have fun exploring the outer regions of space! 

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Sunday, January 9, 2022

BW2: Books about Books Bookology - Shion Miura


 

Happy Sunday!  Did you know this week is National Letter Writing week so grab several pieces of paper and a pen or pencil, not a keyboard, and write a letter to your significant other, family member, friend, long lost relative or even an author to thank them for a book you enjoyed.  

Our Books about Books Bookology author of the month is Shion Miura and the highlighted read is The Great Passage:

"Inspired as a boy by the multiple meanings to be found for a single word in the dictionary, Kohei Araki is devoted to the notion that a dictionary is a boat to carry us across the sea of words. But after thirty-seven years creating them at Gembu Books, it’s time for him to retire and find his replacement.

He discovers a kindred spirit in Mitsuya Majime—a young, disheveled square peg with a penchant for collecting antiquarian books and a background in linguistics—whom he swipes from his company’s sales department.

Led by his new mentor and joined by an energetic, if reluctant, new recruit and an elder linguistics scholar, Majime is tasked with a career-defining accomplishment: completing The Great Passage, a comprehensive 2,900-page tome of the Japanese language."

Learn more about Shion Muira through this interview with Sanseidou translated by Story Unlocker.

There are a variety of ways to complete this challenge with plenty of rabbit trails. Read a book with one or more of the following (but not limited too) and have fun exploring a variety of places and topics:

  • Spell out the first and/or last name of the author - one book per letter. 
  • Read the highlighted book or any book written by the author.
  • Read a book written in the country or time period of the author.
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Our letter and word of the week is B - Brevity. During a spurt of creativity I thought of several ideas to share, which may not happen every week and most of time I'll leave it up your imagination. 

Write

Brief, small, saying much in a few words.  Concise, minute and to the point.  A fallen petal from a bouquet tells a story of life, a part of the whole. Petals grow, blossom to fullness, unfold to display a beauty bold, bright, soft and light. Ages, falls to the ground, and withers away. From beginning to end, quiet elegance revealed in a petal, in a moment in time.  

What can you sense?  A touch, a whisper, a sight so bright it stings the eyes. Tears drip at the simple, at things that barely cause a ripple, as you go about your day.  There for your pleasure. A gift nature gives to us if we care to look.

Pick a moment, a fallen petal, a ladybug, ripples from a rock thrown into the river, a dusting of light through the window pane. What do you see, what do you hear, what do you feel? 

    Read 

A short story less than 200 pages, less than 100 pages. A brief written by a lawyer. Now that's an oxymoron.  A brief moment experienced by a character. A brief moment in time in your life. 

Learn 
   
Challenge yourself and write your own.

Flash fiction or Nonfiction with Dinty Moore's The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction or the guide to Flash Fiction. 

Five Books That Have Helped to Define Flash Nonfiction

Goodreads writing flash fiction.  


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Saturday, January 1, 2022

BW1: Welcome to our 2022 reading adventures

 

Happy New Year, my darlings and I’m so glad you are joining me for another round of Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks. Can you believe it's our 14th blogoversary? We'll have to think of a special mini challenge to celebrate. We have some great new challenges this year and as always, you can choose to play along or chart your own path in your quest to read.  

If you are new to Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks, the goal to read 52 books. How you get there is up to you.  We all read at different paces and I don't want anyone to sacrifice quality for quantity by reading short books just to make the goal. I want you to enjoy yourself.  If you have only managed to read one book in a year, challenge yourself to read two.  Five? Then shoot for ten.  Years ago when we started this challenge, there were a few people who were sure they'd never be able to read 52 books in a year.  Maybe 12, maybe 30, but 52, forget about it.  Guess what?  Many are reading 52 books or more.  Never say never. Set your own goal, read what you want, explore and dive into those longer books, engage your mind and soul and don't worry.  Do your best, challenge yourself and see what happens.  

We have some exciting challenges this year including one a bit different - a new weekly A to Z and Back Again reading challenge with a writing element for the folks in our group who like to journal, write short stories or novel length stories as well as fan fiction, flash fiction and non fiction. Each week I'll present the letter and word of the week.  You can read a book or author starting with the letter, or find a character that emulates that characteristic or job.  Find a synonym or antonym; maybe form an aptigram or antigram.  Rhyme or reason doesn't apply.  Write a story or  poem and let your thoughts fly. How you do it is up to you.  This week we start with A, go through the alphabet and back again to end with A on week 52. I'll post a link to an example on My Two Blessings so you can see what my wild and wacky brain came up with in response to the word of the week. I hope you'll play along. 

Letter and word of the week:  A - Antiquary

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And now for something even more exciting.  I'm very happy to announce a brand new Crime Spree reading challenge cohosted by two of our Book a Week readers: Amy (alias – aggieamy) & Sandy (alias- mumto2).  Take it away ladies:

 

We are pleased that you’ve committed to a life (or at least a year) of crime. Consider Sandy and I your get away drivers and accomplices as we delve into just a few of the wonderful sub-genres of mystery over the next 12 months. We’ll start each month with a new challenge and new authors to explore.

This is lighthearted and fun, so tweak the challenges as you want and join the discussion.

Pack your bags. Grab a disguise. Plan an alibi. Let’s go!

PS - And many thanks to the Godmother of our BaW crime family, Robin, for allowing us to hold up the thread once a month.

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We’re going to kick off our crime spree with the beloved writers who started it all: Grandparents of Crime. We’ve chosen to highlight just a few of the famous early writers that produced stories we wouldn’t put down! Have you read any of these authors? Who would you nominate for the prestigious Grandparent of Crime title?

For more information on early mystery writers, check out: goldenageofmystery.com

Authors to explore:

Edgar Allen Poe is not only one of the most famous historical short story writers in the US but also started the mystery genre with his short story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” in 1841. He was writing from 1827 until his death at 40-years-old in 1849.

Wilkie Collins is credited with two important contributions to the mystery genre—inventing the mystery novel genre (The Woman in White) and then inventing the detective novel (The Moonstone). He was writing between 1850-1885.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle could be considered one of the most famous mystery writers, with over 60 Sherlock Holmes short stories and novels published from 1887 to 1927.

Mary Roberts Rinehart is known as the “American Agatha Christie” and is considered the inventor of the “had I but known” literary style in modern mysteries and even better known for creating “the butler did it” trope. Her active years of writing were 1908-1952. 

Challenge: Enter a life of crime by choosing a novel from one of the highlighted Grandparents of Crime or any mystery written before 1910.

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I'm excited and ready to get started. If you're new to 52 books, all the links to the challenges are in the menu bar above.  Our first reading week will run from January 1st through Saturday, January 8th.  Take your time to explore the different challenges, links to book resources, visit your fellow readers and of course, read.  I look forward to hearing all about your adventures. 

~Cheers to a wonderful new reading year!

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Please share your book reviews and link to your website, blog, Goodreads, Google+, Tumblers, or Instagram page. If you do not have a social media account, please leave a comment to let us know what you are reading. The link widget closes at the end of each book week.

In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field paste a link to your post, then check the privacy box and click enter.