Month: December 2012

Literary Friday ya’ll…

Friday. Sad news in the world today. Terrible Tragedy. 😦

 

#literaryfriday news:

1. Deep South Magazine– most overlooked books of 2012 (one of my fav authors, Kimberly Brock made that list), bookish gifts, peacock ornaments (beautiful ornaments, nice looking gifts for friends or for yourself- and cheap! Less than 7 bucks!), 9 ways to live like Hemingway, and much more.

Today’s Deep South Mag #12daysofgiveaways is also posted: I’ll Be Home for Peacemas by Shannon O’Neil. Make a comment by 12pm CST to possibly win. And check back daily- Deep South Mag has a new giveaway each day.

2. Today’s the last day of the Meg Donohue giveaway for Cupcakes & Books-  get those entries in for Cupcakes & Books! Diamonds are nice, but sometimes a cupcake is a girl’s best friend.

3. #fridayreads is The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro. Interesting book so far. Like the plot. 110 pages into book- and wanting to sit down and read more.

4. Claire Cook– author of MUST LOVE DOGS and WALLFLOWER IN BLOOM is giving away 10 copies of Wallflower to a lucky book club. I signed up- you should too!

5. Today is my 1 year anniversary as a blogger- it’s been a year of challenges, ups and downs, fun times, and more. Look for a blog post later today with a more in-depth talk about my first year of blogging. Also big thanks to @MVBClub for writing a guest blog to help celebrate my first anniversary as a blogger!

Happy Reading- and hug your loved ones tonight.

 

Guest Post by MVBClub (Happy Birthday Traveling With T)

Deidre and the MVBClub wanted to help me celebrate my 1 year anniversary as a blogger and my blog Traveling With T. MVBClub has been very supportive, a huge help in questions & answers, guest blogging opportunities, and more. Thanks MVBClub (and specifically Deidre)- for all that you have done. Words cannot express my gratitude.

 

MVBClub Guest Blog

Blogging is something that I had always wanted to try. I just didn’t know how to get started. I signed up on Twitter which is a great way to get yourself comfortable with a blogging in 140 characters or less. I, finally, had the courage to set up a WordPress account last December after having a hilarious conversation with some of my Twitter friends about Men and Reading.

These same friends became apart of the Man Vs Books Club team that runs the blog which focuses on encouraging Men to read more. On our blog we discuss the classics such as the works of Jane Austen as well as more modern books such as Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, and the Hunger Games book series. We welcome guest blogs from Tamara W. and other bloggers whom we also met through Twitter.

I am proud to say that I am finding my voice as a newbie blogger. I find the experience to be very rewarding. I hope that in time my writing will continue to evolve as time goes on. As my team and I prepare for our upcoming 1st year anniversary we are looking forward to reaching more men and women and getting them excited about reading in general.

Also on behalf of the MVBCLUB, Tamara we congratulate you on your 1st year anniversary. We enjoy following and reading your posts. You have truly inspired us.

DP ~MVBCLUB
manvsbooksclub.wordpress.com

Characters: Love, Dislike, Love to Hate

Some of what I love, dislike, and love to hate about these characters potentially will spoil the book. So I tried to keep the description somewhat vague.

Characters I Loved in 2012

1. Amy- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Without spoiling too much about Amy for the people who have not read the book, Amy was, without a doubt, one of the best characters of 2012 in my opinion. Witty, bright, cunning and way more than that. Amy is the kind of character that gets people talking.

2. Roslyn- The River Witch by Kimberly Brock. Broken and damaged by things of her past, Roslyn is a character that pulls at your heart-strings. The reader can tell she’s got strength, that she will rise above her broken past.

3. Elizabeth- The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D by Nichole Bernier. This character made me think, made me want to discuss in depth with people my thoughts and reactions to her actions, her story.

4. Mariella- Hemingway’s Girl by Erika Robuck. Mariella- strong, determined. At a age where she shouldn’t be worried about being the head of house- Mariella is a character that makes readers sit up and take notice. You laugh at her humor, admire her grit and weep when she’s sad.

5. Tess- The Mermaid Collector by Erika Marks.  Tess is artistic, looking for love in the wrong places, and wanting 2 things: Love and Acceptance (not necessarily in that order).  Tess is a beautiful character- a character that makes you think of 2nd chances and true love.

6. Katniss and Peeta- The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I love these characters. Love what they represent. Who they were in the book. #hungergamesnerd what can I say?

7. Bailey Weggins- So Pretty it Hurts by Kate White. Bailey is a crime writer, a snoop, a sleuth. I love her nosy ways.

Characters I Disliked in 2012

1. Daisy- The Great Gatsby. I finally read the book, but gee whiz, Daisy. She got on my ever-loving last nerve.

2. Leo- Love the One You’re With by Emily Giffin. Just grated my nerves. He knew that he could not give Ellen what she wanted, and yet- he continued to pursue her.

3. Demeter- Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand. Selfish, selfish girl. She put acts in motion without thinking of anyone else, but her own selfish desires.

4. Charles- Little Gale Gumbo by Erika Marks. Dark character. Mean. Complex, though. But still mean.

5. Clive-  Man in the Blue Moon by Michael Morris. The man had no scruples, thought he could take everything he wanted. Engaged in terrible acts. Oh I strongly disliked this character!

Characters that I loved to hate in 2012

1. Nick- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Stupid boy. But still appealing. Nick is a character that is hard to explain at times. Was he good? Bad?  Just Stupid? Or almost too smart for his own good? Nick, Nick- I would love to really do an indepth discussion of him.

2. President Snow- The Hunger Games trilogy– Diabolical. Wildly  entertaining, though.

3. The Mastermind- Roses are Red & Violets are Blue by James Patterson. Smart. Cunning. And when the reader figures out who it is- shock. I like that.

*Are these all the characters that I enjoyed over the 2012 year? Not even close. Because a real list would take forever to write. This is just a small sampling of the characters for my 2012 reading year.

 

 

What book characters did you love in 2012?

As I think back over the books I read in 2012 (note: I said read- not published) it occurs to me that yes, the writers make these characters up- from life, people they know, their imagination, whatever. We, as readers, love the authors for making characters we can love, hate, or love to hate- characters that tug at the readers emotions, make us laugh, cry, and close the book feeling tons of different emotions.

But, how about we take the author out of this for now- What characters did you love in 2012? Hate? Love to hate? What characters evoked a reaction out of you? What characters made reading the book worthwhile?

I’m working on my list of characters right now- and just to make it all fun- I’m going to divide the list into sections: Books that were published in 2012, Books that I read in 2012, Characters that I loved, Characters that I hated, and Characters that I Loved to Hate. Sure, there may be some overlap- heck maybe the lists will be eerily similar. We’ll see.

So- chime in. Tell me who makes your list. Discuss. Chime in some more. Discuss again. No judging, no making fun of anyone’s characters- just plain fun 🙂

The Babysitter’s Club- chick-lit for little girls?

Chick-lit. The word makes some people sneer. THOSE people are short-sighted, in my opinion. While I may not read all genres of books- I do not make fun of people and their reading choices. To each their own. Personally, I like chick-lit (maybe not every book in the genre of chick-lit, but quite a few). Ok now that I’m off my soapbokx about chick-lit and the people who dislike it- back to my post.

Recently had a new follower- checked her blog out and I LOVE it. So cute and fun. Today on Julie’s Chick Lit blog- there was a guest post by Libby Mercer discussing the fact of “Was The Babysitter’s Club books chick-lit for young girls?” I’ll be honest- I never thought of it like that; but the case could definitely be made that it was. The BSC dealt with many things that chick-lit characters deal with- just in age appropriate ways!

I’m proud to say that I’ve been a chick-lit fan for many, many, many years- ever since my BSC days (which secretly, or I guess not so secretly now since I’m broadcasting this on my blog- I still love the BSC and have fond memories of the books).

Cruisin’ Thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2013

Cruisin 2013I decided that I’m going to do the Cruisin’ Thru the Cozies Reading Challenge this year. I already read a fair amount of cozies anyway- so it just seemed to be the thing to do. This will be my first official Reading Challenge so I’m excited to begin!

I’m going for Level 3- Super Sleuth- Read 13 or more cozies.  Watch for later posts to see what books I’m picking to read- I know 8 of them, but I’ve got to pick a few more (going to be a good time to get rid of some of those books on my TBR list.)

If you would like to join the Cruisin’ Thru the Cozies 2013 Reading Challenge– the information that you will need is here. Please join!

Cozies I’m Looking Forward to in 2013

I’m the girl who loves to know when the next book of the series is coming out- pretty much just as soon as I finish the previous book. I may or may not mark my calendar to earmark these special days (I’ll let you be the judge of that!) I adore many types of books, but cozies do seem to hold a special place in my heart (sometimes even above other books). While there will be many cozies released in 2013- these are the ones that I already know I’m excited to read.

Feb 5th- Veiled Revenge: A crime of fashion mystery by Ellen Byerrum

Feb 26 – Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen) by Joanne Fluke

March 5th- Nickeled and Dimed to Death- A Deveraux’s Dime Store Mystery by Denise Swanson

April 2nd- Going, Going, Ganache (Cupcake Mystery) by Jenn McKinlay

May 7th- Topped Chef: A Key West Food Mystery by Lucy Burdette

Aug 6th- Seed No Evil (Flower Shop Mysteries) by Kate Collins

Sept 3rd- Murder of a Stacked Librarian (Scumble River) by Denise Swanson

Oct 1- Billionaire Blend (Coffeehouse Mystery) by Cleo Coyle

What cozies are you looking forward to reading?

Kimberly Brock and Holidays (in her own words)

Can Kimberly Brock get any more amazing? The girl writes a great book (The River Witch), has the fantastic Joshilyn Jackson write a blurb for it (OMG- really?!!!) and then just has even more amazingly wonderful things happen: Amazon picks the book twice for special sale price/promotion, readers and bloggers are raving about this book, Kim does a fantastic The River Witch tour with Anna Kline and Grits and Soul Band (good music!), and to top it off- she’s hard at work at her 2nd book. Might we say that 2012 was the year of Kimberly Brock and The River Witch?

Another blog, It’s Only a Novel, had the opportunity to interview Kimberly Brock as part of their 12 Days of Christmas. Kimberly is a beautiful writer- she takes the words and just polishes them to they shine and make an impact on you as you read- this is no exception. Read on for Kimberly Brock’s When the River Meets the Sea

 

Giveaways and Best Picks of 2012

With the end of the year fast approaching- it seems many people are posting their “Best Books of 2012” (I’m working on mine!) Liz and Lisa of Chick Lit is Not Dead have posted their picks- got to say many of their picks will probably make my list- They have GREAT taste! Here’s Lisa’s picks and Liz’s picks!

Deep South Magazine is still doing the #12daysofgiveaways- be sure and check daily to see what is being given away!

Meg Donohue is still giving away her How to Eat A Cupcake and Cupcakes! Come on and celebrate National Cupcake Day in style! I’m telling ya’ll National Cupcake Day is def looking like my fav holiday of the year- Cupcakes and Books? Seriously, someone pinch me. It’s like Meg Donohue just knows what makes a girl happy!

After you read Liz and Lisa’s Picks for 2012- do chime in and tell if any of their picks made your own “best of 2012” lists.

 

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Meeting Peggy Sweeney-McDonald…

68402_10100532162538866_1639191985_nI had the opportunity to meet Peggy Sweeney- McDonald, author of Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde, a couple of weeks ago. Peggy created a dinner party show that was also called Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde. In the show, different “foodies” would come and discuss the stories about their love of food, favorite dishes and more. Some of the guests are seriously famous, others are more of local legends. But food is the common denominator amongst these people- they love food- the taste, smell, stories- love how food unites people and creates memories. From the show came the idea of the book. A fantatsic coffee-table book filled with stories from the who-who’s in the food world to the local legends.

Peggy was a charming, fun lady- filled with laughter and fun stories. Listening to her talk, I could have sat with her for some time just to hear the stories, the experiences- she’s like the ultimate cocktail hostess- makes everyone feel comfortable, keeps people laughing and makes the time just fly by.

I’m about halfway finished with my copy of Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde– and it’s just chock-full of good stories and pictures. It’s a perfect coffee table book- a perfect conversation starter.

For readers curious about the title- Peggy’s dad filled me in while she was talking to another couple. He said that Cafe Du Monde had played such a big role in Peggy’s life- it was a hang-out, a place to visit- a place to enjoy good food. The story continues that Peggy and others would gather at Cafe Du Monde and talk stories, and then clink glasses together and say “Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde”- hence the name of the book. Peggy later told me that each person has a story- and your story may not be about Cafe Du Monde- but “Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde” is representative of the good food and stories- no matter where they originate.

Now, my own personal “Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde” story. A few weeks ago, Deep South Magazine was giving away a signed copy of Peggy Sweeney- McDonald’s book, Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde. To potentially win a copy- you were to share your Cafe Du Monde story. I shared mine and Peggy picked mine as the winner.

My First trip to New Orleans was an eye-opening experience. I went with my boyfriend and his family. His mother was determined that I see the real New Orleans- so while we stood in line at Cafe Du Monde for what appeared to me as minitature funnel cakes, I was unsure if this was worth the wait in line. However, once I took a bite out of the powdery sugar goodness- I was a fan. But, my real “Meanwhile Back at Cafe Du Monde” experience  happened a year later. A roommate and I decided to spend our Spring Break in New Orleans. For an entire year- I’d been raving about how the great beignets and we were going to go to Cafe Du Monde. Problem is, I’m directionally challenged. So we left our hotel in search of Cafe Du Monde. And Walked. And Walked. And Walked. My roommate sees a Krispy Kreme and says “Let’s stop here- I’m hungry and a Krispy Kreme is got to be as good as Cafe Du Monde”. I turned around and said “NO! We have to find Cafe Du Monde, we must eat beignets- coming down here and settling for Krispy Kreme is like going to the beach and not getting seafood!” Luckily, we found Cafe Du Monde right after that. We walked in and sat down. Ordered our drinks and planned the rest of our day. Then the beignets came out- all beautiful and sugary. My roommate  took a bite and said “You may be directionally challenged, but you sure know good food. I’ll never doubt you about food again.” We ate at Cafe Du Monde multiple times during our Spring Break trip.