Barrie Summy

The Book Review Club (December 2009)

2009-12-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Come in! Grab a coffee or, better yet, some warm apple cider and a plateful of homemade holiday cookies. Yes, those shortbread are from my kitchen.

Welcome to our last Book Review Club meeting of 2009. Wow! How time flies when you've got good books! We hope you enjoy our book reviews and maybe get a few ideas for holiday gifts!

I LOVE this book! Or, as 14 year-old Georgia Nicholson, the protagonist would say, I LURVE this book! A lot of other people love this book too. The first in a series of ten, it debuted in 1999 to a starred review from Publishers Weekly. And it was a Printz Honor Book.

It is an absolutely, laugh-till-you-cry funny young adult novel! You know what would be really fun? Getting invited to a cocktail party with the author, Louise Rennison, who is actually a British comedy writer.

From the back cover:

Her dad's got the mentality of a Teletubby (only not so developed). Her cat, Angus, is trying to eat the poodle next door. And her bet friend thinks she looks like an alien--just because she accidentally shaved off her eyebrows. Ergghhhlack. Still, add a little boy-stallking, teacher-baiting, and full-frontal snogging with a Sex God, and Georgia's year just might turn out to be the most fabbitty fab fab ever!

Told in diary form, this is the story of Georgia and her BFF, Jasmine, and some other girlfriends and how they navigate school, boys and friendship. It's a YA version of Bridget Jones Diary--only much funnier!

Guess what else? This book was made into a British movie, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. Which will be released on DVD on this side of the Atlantic on DECEMBER 22. Yes, it's at the TOP of my Netflix queue!

Here's a link to the official movie site and delightful movie trailer.

I've giggled my way through this entire review. :)

Now .... Onto to our brilliant reviewers and their brilliant reviews...

YOUNG ADULT BOOK REVIEWS

Keri Mikulski: SWEET TURNAROUND J by PV Beck (young adult)

Thao of Serene Hours: BLOOM by Elizabeth Scott (young adult)

Kaye of the Book Review Forum: THE HUNDRED DRESSES by Eleanor Estes (lower middle grade)

Stacy Nyikos: BULL RIDER by Suzanne Morgan Williams (upper middle grade)

Sarah Laurence: I SO DON'T DO SPOOKY by Barrie Summy
**Seriously, folks, I did not pay Sarah to do this!! Although now I'm thinking I'd pay her to take down the photo of my as a 16 year old!!**

ADULT BOOK REVIEWS

Kathy Holmes: MISTLETOE AND MURDER by Florence Case (romance)

Scott Parker: HOLMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS, edited by Martin Greenberg, et. al. (mystery short stories)

Jenn Jilks of My Reflections: A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES by Ruth Rendell (mystery)

Alyssa Goodnight of the Writers' Road Less Traveled: FAST WOMEN by Jennifer Crusie (humorous women's fiction)

Patti Abbott: LANDSCAPE WITH FRAGMENTED FIGURES by Jeff Vande Zande

Linda McLaughlin: THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown

NONFICTION REVIEWS

Ellen Booraem of Freelance Ne'er-do-well: RESTORATION LONDON by Liza Picard (adult)

Sarahlynn of Yeah, but Houdini didn't have these hips: THE SURRENDERED WIFE by Laura Doyle (self help)

Staci of Life in the Thumb: SEW WHAT! 18 PATTERN-FREE PROJECTS YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE TO FIT YOUR NEEDS by Lexie Barnes

**Exceptional previous reviews are only a click away.**

Note to Reviewers: You know the drill.:) If I missed you, leave me a comment and I'll rectify the situation straight away. And award myself one less cookie today!

Kelly Couric interviews SUSAN VANHECKE

2009-11-29T10:23:00.000-08:00

(boa waving madly) It's ME. Remember ME? KELLY Couric, the slightly chubby, super sassy and trailer-trashy twin sister of Katie Couric?!

I'm back and I'm so taking over the blog today while Barrie is hanging out over at Shari Green's blog. She doesn't even know I'm here.

And she definitely doesn't know I've arranged for an author interview with....the one...the only...

AUTHOR SUSAN VANHECKE

This is Susan. Doesn't she look creative and artsy? In fact, she's SO creative and artsy that she has TWO books out recently! TWO!

Susan co-wrote Rock 'n Roll Solder: A Memoir with Dean Ellis Kohl. This young-adult book is the true story of how Dean formed a rock 'n roll band in Vietnam during the war. We're talking having to find instruments, musicians, playing for the troops, worrying about staying alive. Yowzer! This book even has a forward by Graham Nash. Without going into too, too much details, let me just confess that once upon a time I was a huge CSN&Y groupie. I'm sure Graham still remembers me! (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

This is the cover for Susan's PICTURE BOOK (that's how versatile she is!): An Apple Pie for Dinner. It's the story of how Old Granny Smith (get it!!!?) trades a bunch of stuff to get apples so she can bake a pie. The very cool, 3D-ish illustrations are by Carol Baicker-McKee Here's a great book review by Sarahlynn of Yeah, but Houdini didn't have these hips.

Okay. Now that I've done my intro, I'll let Susan in. She's been waiting patiently for me to give her the "signal" for "the indepth interview is about to begin." (Kelly places the tips of her index finger and third finger against her lips and... whistles really really loudly. The door creaks open.)

(Susan enters slowly, blinking.) Was that the sign? Can I come in now? How long was I out there? More than a day?

Ha, ha, ha! Very funny. See, folks, she creative, artsy AND funny. (rubbing hands together). Let's dive into the interview. Susan, now that you've achieved your publishing goal, are you actually working on anything new? Or do writers publish, then chill on the couch, guzzling cocktails and bonbons?

Well, I don't know if I'd call it chillin' on the couch, exactly. More like collapsing, then praying that the synapses will recharge. But there's definitely loads of chocolate involved, the darker the better. New stuff? Yeah, there's always a bunch of new stuff waiting for some writerly love.

Chocolate and chillin'? I like the sounds of your lifestyle! So, be honest. Do you pay for your ideas? If not, where do you get them?

I follow the rainbow to its end and steal 'em from that big iron pot while the leprechaun's sleeping it off. You know, the pot with all the gold in it too. Hey, wait, it probably would be smarter – and a whole lot less work – to just take the little man's gold. Gotta try that next time.

Oh wow! I didn't realize you could actually get gold from the end of a rainbow. I thought that was, like, a fairy tale. Thanks for the tip. Next writing question: Do you outline?

Outline, shmoutline. I don't know how all those super-efficient, hyper-organized author types do it with their whiteboards and post-it notes and computer spreadsheets. If I get too [anal]ytical, it sucks the life right out of my writing. I'm more of a jot-the-story-arc-on-the-back-of-a-grocery-receipt type of gal, myself.

I agree. I could never outline. Never. (Kelly leans forward conspiratorially)Tell us something weird about yourself. Preferably juicy and scandalous. We're all friends here. Seriously. What's said on this blog, stays on this blog.

Just between you and me, Kel, I'm a book-sniffer. Total addict. Monkey on my back since grade school. I get a new tome in my hands and lose all control. Hardback, paperback, textbook, cookbook, it doesn't matter. I've got to crack that baby open, plunge my face inside, and breathe deep and long. It's a sickness, Kel, I know. But I'm handling it. Really. Maybe when I hit rock bottom – crawling the shelves at Barnes & Noble, pupils dilated, froth at the mouth – I'll consider rehab. Or maybe there's a 12-step I can look into. You familiar with Book Sniffers Anonymous?

No, I'm not familiar with that. But I'll ask around. And guess what I sniff? (pause) New shoes! (Kelly's stomach grumbles.) Time to talk food. What is your favorite dessert?

Oh, come on now, this one's too easy! You've got to know I'd answer apple pie! I'm so crazed for it that I actually applied to be a judge at the 2010 National Pie Championships in Orlando next spring. Hundreds of contestants, thousands of pies, from fruit and nut to cream and custard. Pie heaven! Hope I make the cut (no pun intended, Kel); keep your fingers crossed for me! Oh, and the recipe included in my picture book An Apple Pie For Dinner is the most delish ever. You can find it at www.AnApplePieForDinner.com; click on "Bake Your Own Apple PIe." There's even a step-by-step video to show you how to make it.

Oh, duh! Apple pie, of course! You know what I've learned from this interview, Susan? I could totally be an author. Totally. I can chill and eat chocolate. I know what a rainbow looks like. I'll start sniffing books and baking pie. I am so going to be published!

Oh, ack! What's that sound? Is that Barrie back already? I thought she'd stay way longer at Shari Green's blog. She loves Shari and all her questions. Susan, quick! Go! (Kelly opens back door and pushes Susan through.)

Microphone in hand, Kelly turns to the audience. "And that folks was one of the most outside-the-box interviews with Susan Vanhecke than you'll find anywhere on the Internet. AUTHOR SUSAN VANHECKE--you met her here first!
Later gator!

FIFTY-ONE eggs + links!

2009-11-26T01:39:00.000-08:00

a clump of eggs (one of many clumps!)

FIFTY-ONE EGGS!!

Holy Fertile Myrtle Reptile!!

It's late. After 1:30 a.m. and Child #2 are headed to bed. He dug up all those eggs. What a trooper!

And totally changing gears:

A shout-out to Larramie of the Divining Wand who posted an interview with moi.

Another shout-out to Bookworm Readers who posted a review of i so don't do spooky and rated it an overall A!

Thank you, blogettes!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ONE AND ALL WHO ARE CELEBRATING!

Our veiled chameleon is laying eggs!!!

2009-11-25T22:00:00.000-08:00

About 3:00 this afternoon, she began lumbering down the side of the cage. This time, she went straight for the "birthing chamber" (!!). We use the same 5-gallon flower pot each time. This is her third clutch.

Here she is digging away. About 3:20 pm.

Here's the progress she's made after about 40 minutes. I think she'll be done about 11:00 pm.

Below is a video of her digging. To set the scene: The room is warm with three heat lamps on three cages. Crickets are chirping merrily. There is a scritching sound as she digs a tunnel in the damp sand. It's very exotic and doesn't feel at all like a bedroom in suburban San Diego!

Sad News from the Chameleon Cage

2009-11-25T00:01:00.001-08:00

It is with a heavy heart that I post today.

The first baby veiled chameleon died last night. :(

I could tell the end was coming. We just couldn't get him to eat. Instead of opening his little mouth and sticking out his tongue, he'd walk past the crickets. We tried everything we could think of. Pinhead crickets, small crickets, keeping the baby super hydrated and the cage warm.

Even sadder, the sibling is not far behind. He won't eat either.

I'd read of this online. Baby veileds who won't eat. If the temperature fluctuates or is too hot in the incubator. Our local reptile store thinks the first batch of eggs just wasn't a hardy batch. Of the original 23 eggs, only two hatched. There are still 3 eggs from this clutch in the incubator, but they've pretty much collapsed in on themselves, and I don't think we'll see any births. The other 42 eggs in the incubator are from the second clutch. And, as I've mentioned, the female is heavily pregnant again.

Sigh. This whole pet thing is not for sissies.

My Town Monday: Dudley's Bakery, Santa Ysabel

2009-11-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

I've written a couple of My Town Monday posts about Julian, CA. The posts have been about the Julian gold mine and the Observers Inn Planetarium.

If you're in the vicinity of Julian, you'll definitely want to hit Dudley's Bakery.

Dudley's Bakery was started in 1963 by a man named Mr. Dudley (big surprise there!) Pratt who'd owned a bakery in the town next door to me, El Cajon. Dudley's Bakery is located in Santa Ysabel, about 50 miles northeast of downtown San Diego.

Mr. Pratt used to close Dudley's Bakery for a couple of months each year so that he could take off for Europe in search of new bread recipes. He didn't wite these recipes down, but memorized them. Which seems a little dicey to me, but presumably Mr. Pratt's memory was better than mine. He was also on the lookout for new ovens and other baking paraphernalia.

This is one of my favorite breads from Dudley's. It's Baja Jalapeno. The top seller, though, is the date, nut and raisin bread. There are about 15 different varieties of bread. There was a time when the bakery offered over 40 varieties!

Yes, for you sweet-toothed people, there are fresh pastries.

Some trivia: About 5,000 loaves are baked a day. The bakers start at midnight and work all night long, filling the four large ovens (each oven holds as many as 120 loaves, if I've done my math right!). Dudley's bread is a common school fundraiser in these parts. There has been talk of Mr. Pratt as a friendly ghost who hung around the bakery. But he hasn't been "seen" in about 15 years.

Here's a link to Dudley's famous bread pudding.

And here's contact info for Dudley's Bakery:
30218 Highway 78 (Julian Road)
Santa Ysabel, CA 92070
Phone: (760) 765-0488
Dudley's Bakery website

Oh great. Now I'm hungry and have nothing decent to nibble on!

Click here for links to more My Town Monday posts. (Thanks Clair for hosting) Also, if you're even mariginally thinking about writing a My-Town-Monday post, please do! Fair warning, though, it's addictive! Write your post, then leave a comment here and we'll link to you.

Sources:
http://www.dudleysbakery.com/history.html
http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/places/dudleys-bakery/http://www.dudleysbakery.com/images/calfarmer_article.pdf

News from the incubator!!

2009-11-18T22:00:00.000-08:00

Something incredible has happened in our incubator.

Two itsby bitsy teeny weeny baby veiled chameleons fought their way out of their respective egg.

I know you want pictures.

Here's a shot of the deli dish in the incubator. This is the second chameleon battling his way out of his egg. It took each baby over a day to get free of the egg. The first was completely out on Saturday; the second yesterday.

Here's a closer-up shot of the photo above. For the first day or so, the chameleon drags around, from it's tummy, a little ball of egg material. I think it serves as nutrition, but it sure trips up the baby a lot. The little ball shrivels up after a day or two. In this picture, you can see that the baby's has some vermiculite (dirt stuff we put in each deli dish) stuck to him.

Here are the two babies. It's a sibling photo. They're hanging from the top of their cage, bonding and perhaps wondering if any additional brothers or sisters will be showing up. This lighting is not showing up their colors. However, the baby born on Saturday is much greener than the more recent baby, who is a boring brown.

Ahhh.....

You can how they're very cute. Probably the cutest veileds ever laid! And, no, I"m not prejudiced.

Additional details:
-There are three more eggs from this clutch. Hopefully, they'll hatch too.
-These eggs incubated for a little less than six months.
-We still have 45 eggs to hatch. Three of the eggs should hatch any day now. If you do the math, you'll see that we have 42 more eggs that should hatch around the end of Feb.

In other chameleon cage news...the female is pregnant again!! Also, we've separated the male and female. According to the reptile pet store, he's stressed and getting too thin. So, we now have three veiled chameleon cages. Our house is noisy with singing crickets. Craziness!

Oh yeah and...., the female is pregnant again!! We've separated the male and female. According to the reptile pet store, he's stressed and getting too thin. So, we now have three veiled chameleon cages. And our house is noisy with singing crickets. Craziness!
\

My Town Monday: Ann Arbor, MI

2009-11-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm still in Ann Arbor. In fact, I won't be back home until late tomorrow night. DH (Darling Husband) somehow thinks I'm ready to come home. However, I'm definitely enjoying hotel and restaurant life!

The water polo is going really really well. Child #3 is playing superbly. I don't want to jinx us, so all I'll say is that our two last games are tomorrow.

I'm going to do wimp out and mostly do a pictorial visit to Ann Arbor. It's late here and I have to get up early to watch the first game and I'm on the east coast, but still on west coast time. Or some time zone in between...

From the book signing...

Robin Agnew, me, Jamie Agnew, lovely and gracious owners Aunt Agatha's Mystery Bookstore

Clair of Bo Fexler, PI and our My Town Monday host. Clair has this terrific wry sense of humor. It was wonderful sitting and chatting with her.

Stacy of The Cat's Meow. Stacy is just as interesting and insightful as I'd imagined. I'm so happy we got to meet IRL.

From the streets...

a street near the University of Michigan

You have to really watch out for pedestrians in this town; they'll dart out into traffic anywhere, anytime.

an overly friendly squirrel

Squirrel is DH's favorite meat. And I'm not even kidding. This little guy is lucky he didn't go back to California as a souvenir.

a brick street.

Very cute and full of character, but the bricks are way uneven. You do not want to be dashing across this street.

a poster for the card game of Euchre, which I spent hours and hours playing as a tween/teen.

All in all, I'm having buckets of fun! There's something about a college town...

Click here for links to more My Town Monday posts. (Thanks Clair for hosting) Also, if you're even mariginally thinking about writing a My-Town-Monday post, please do! Fair warning, though, it's addictive! Write your post, then leave a comment here and we'll link to you.

A Book Signing and A Birthday

2009-11-12T17:27:00.001-08:00

I will be at Aunt Agatha's Mystery Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan on this coming Saturday, November 14 @ 1:30!!!

Ann Arbor, Michigan? Yes! Child #3's very talented water polo team will be competing in the Speedo Cup (top 12 8th grade and under boys' teams IN THE NATION. And the top 12 girls teams will be there as well). The games take place at the University of Michigan's pool. That would be Michael Phelps' home pool!

When I was in Ann Arbor for this competition last year (did I mention how talented Child #3's team is??!), I wandered into Aunt Agatha's, had a great chat with co-owner Jamie about mysteries and Nancy Drew and I forget what else.

And this year, I'm doing a signing there! The paperback of I So Don't Do Mysteries was released TWO DAYS AGO!

So, at the signing, I'm doing a short, fun presentation. There will also be free bookmarks, pencils and chocolate.

I'm really hoping to see Stacy of The Cat's Meow , Clair of Bo Fexler, PI and our My Town Monday host, and Patti of Pattinase. (Patti probably can't make it, but I can still hope.)

Thank you, Stacy for this My Town Monday post about Ann Arbor restaurants . I'll definitely be wanting to eat while there. Several times.

So....if you're anywhere near Ann Arbor, I'd love to see you! Aunt Agatha's is at 213 South Fourth Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 (phone: 734.769.1114)

And birthday wishes to Neil Young, whom I have loved for many years. I have worn t-shirts and pajamas proclaiming this love. Neil, my birthday is in August. Any chance you could write a song for me? xo

Sorry. No My Town Monday post.

2009-11-09T01:42:00.000-08:00

That's me. Only less frazzled looking!

Sorry. No My Town Monday post this week. :(

I have to read the galleys for I So Don't Do Makeup. This is my last chance to make changes. Gulp.

I'm still wrestling with the outline for I So Don't Do Famous. The resolution doesn't feel resolved enough.

We refinanced and have to sign docs this week.

I'm going to Ann Arbor, Michigan on Friday for water polo with Child #3.

Ack.

The Book Review Club (November 2009)

2009-11-04T02:20:00.000-08:00

Welcome one and all to the TENTH get-together of The Book Review Club. The TENTH! I can't believe it! Although considering that last month, I posted it was the NINTH meeting, you'd think I would've realized where we were headed!

Anyway, please pull up a comfy chair. Inhale deeply; the room is filled with the friendly aroma of coffee and sugary donuts. Gaze around. Our shelves are stocked with books. Exceptional previous reviews are only a click away. Oh, but it's great to be here.

SEEING IS BELIEVING. It's the 6th book in this annual Ripley's Believe It or Not series.

How did this book go over in my house?

Well, here's child #4 reading it.

And here's Child #3 following suit.

And here's child #...oops...It's my DH (darling husband)!

The hardcover book is filled with colorful photos and odd and obscure facts. Way-out-there obscure facts. And yet I managed to relate a few of them to my own little life.

Did you know that... "the World Cube Association holds an annual contest for solving a Rubik's Cube--while blindfolded. In 2008, the winner solved the puzzle in just 48 seconds." To give you a little perspective, I once solved a Rubik's Cube by peeling off all the little colored squares and sticking them back on the right order. It took way longer than 48 seconds.

Did you know that... "at O. Noir restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, customers dine in total darkness. There are no lights, no candles, and all cell phones and glowing watches must be removed." I once went on a blind date that might've gone better in this restaurant.

Did you know that... "a dental technician from Utah is one of the world's best tooth artists, having illustrated teeth for more than 20 years...Customers can have anything they want to display on their teeth, including many famous faces from the worlds of sports, politics and entertainment." Oh, oh, oh! Are you thinking what I'm thinking?! Book covers! I could have my book covers tattooed on my teeth!

In my family of four children, three of whom are boys, Ripley's Believe It or Not! SEEING IS BELIEVING is....a coffee table book. And there really is nothing odd about that!

Onto to our brilliant reviewers and their brilliant reviews...

PICTURE BOOK REVIEWS

Sarahlynn of Yeah, but Houdini didn't have these hips: AN APPLE PIE FOR DINNER retold by Susan Vanhecke and illustrated by Carol Baicker-McKee

YOUNG ADULT BOOK REVIEWS

Stacy Nyikos: BUTT WARS: THE FINAL CONFLICT by Andy Griffiths (middle grade)

Ellen Booraem of Freelance Ne'er-do-well: FORTUNE'S FOLLY by Dave Fagan (middle grade)

Kaye of the Book Review Forum: THE BLUE STAR by Tommy Earley

Thao of serene hours: TEACH ME by R.A. Nelson

Linda McLaughlin: BABY BE-BOP by Francesca Lia Block

Keri Mikulski: THE NAUGHTY LIST by Suzanne Young

Patti Abbott: ROCK 'N ROLL SOLDIER by Dean Ellis Kohler and Susan Vanhecke

Jody Feldman: FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER by E.L. Konigsburg (middle grade)

ADULT BOOK REVIEWS

Sarah Laurence: THE CONFESSIONS OF EDWARD DAY by Valerie Martin (literary/thriller)

Sandy Levin of Peaceful Heart Stained Glass: STILL ALICE by Lisa Genova

Scott Parker: HEAT WAVE by Richard Castle (adult mystery)

Jenn Jilks of My Reflections: LOST IN THE BACKWOODS by Catherine Parr Traill (1802-1899) (biography)

Alyssa Goodnight of the Writers' Road Less Traveled: HOME TO BIG STONE GAP by Adriana Trigiani (women's fiction)

From the Desk of Bee Drunken: THE GREAT LOVER by Jill Dawson

NONFICTION REVIEWS

Kathy Holmes: GODFATHER OF NIGHT: A GREEK MAFIA FATHER, A DRUG RUNNER SON AND AN UNEXPECTED SHOT AT REDEMPTION by Kevin Pappas

Note to Reviewers: Our desktop computer was carted away, comatose and ill with a trojan, to the Geek Squad. So, if I missed anyone's review, it's due to technology! Well, maybe I can't blame it all on the sick computer! So, if I missed you, leave me a comment and I'll rectify the situation straight away. And award myself one less cookie today!

My Town Monday: Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

2009-11-02T01:59:00.000-08:00

And here we are again--another My Town Monday post!

We're back in Hollywood. Fair warning--I crammed so much into my recent weekend away in LA/Hollywood/Beverly Hills that I could write SEVERAL My Town Monday posts on this area!

Today, we're at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (circa 1927) where I dragged Famous Author and Newbery Winner Susan Patron and Mary Hayward, Employee Extraordinaire of the Yellow Book Road (the children's indie bookstore near me in San Diego).

Susan and Mary were uber helpful and patient as we poked around the hotel, doing research for Sherry's fourth adventure, I So Don't Do Famous. I can be quite embarrassing and relentless with my camera (after all, I'll need all sorts of details for the book and have a memory like a sieve), but they were good-natured and helpful about it. We had A LOT of fun.

me, Mary Hayward, Susan Patron (The Higher Power of Lucky, Lucky Breaks and other wonderful books)

In this photo, we're lunching at 25 Degrees (a 24/7 restaurant at the Roosevelt). Here's the description from the hotel website: "....whose name refers to the temperature difference between a medium rare and well-done burger, has a playful 'Bordello meets Burger Bar attitude..."

Is the Roosevelt haunted?

Apparently so. Marilyn Monroe's spirit lives in a mirror there, and she occasionally dances in the ballroom. Montgomery Clift plays his bugle on the 8th floor. Also, there are a couple of room with ghosts.

Guess what the staff at the front desk did?

THEY DIMMED THE LOBBY LIGHTS AND TOLD US HOTEL GHOST STORIES! It was wild!

Will the Hollywood Roosevelt be featured in I So Don't Do Famous?

Oh, I think so.

Click here for links to more My Town Monday posts. (Thanks Clair for hosting) Also, if you're even mariginally thinking about writing a My-Town-Monday post, please do! Fair warning, though, it's addictive! Write your post, then leave a comment here and we'll link to you.

Please check back Wednesday when I'll be hosting The Book Review Club. We have some great reads lined up!

Sources:
http://www.hollywoodroosevelt.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roosevelt_Hotel_(Hollywood)

On my nightstand....

2009-10-31T10:04:00.001-07:00

When I woke up this morning, there was a note waiting on my nightstand.

It's from Child #4 who knows and shares my love of candy and jewelry.

Happy Halloween back at you Child #4! We are going to have buckets of fun today. You will be a beautiful Cleopatra this evening. And I will be a scary pirate.

Happy Halloween to all of you!

Beauty in a box...

2009-10-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

This morning, there was a knock at my door. When I opened it, a large cardboard box sat on the stoop.

My author copies of the paperback version of I So Don't Do Mysteries! They'll be in bookstores around Nov. 10. For now, they're in my living room. And in my kitchen. And in my office. I'll probably carry them around with me for a few days, showing them the house, making sure they feel welcome.

I'm really excited about the paperback and the new cover.

But I'm also a little sad to say goodbye to the Sherry on the hardcover of I So Don't Do Mysteries. Of course, she'll always be on the hardcover of Mysteries, but that's the end of the line for her. She won't be featured on the hardcover of I So Don't Do Spooky or I So Don't Do Makeup or I So Don't Do Famous. Sigh.

And then I remembered a post I meant to put up back in September when I got back from Oklahoma. A post that really shows the old Sherry in a great light.

Take a gander at the size of that cover!!

Who created this amazing masterpiece?

MARYANN WALLS! She's a talented artist, mother, and volunteer at Oakdale Elementary in Edmond, OK. Here's Maryann Walls' website

Here's a shot of Artist Maryann Walls standing next to Sherry.

This is Robbie Wheeler, School Librarian Extraordinaire, who set up the school visit. There are many things to love about Robbie. She's friendly, organized, laughs at my jokes and brought me lunch. Not to mention that she loves putting students and books together.

Thank you, Robbie Wheeler for inviting me for a school visit. Thank you, students and staff of Oakdale Elementary for a fun time. Thank you, Maryann Walls, for this larger-than-life Sherry!

My Town Monday: Back in Hollywood

2009-10-26T01:37:00.000-07:00

I was at the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association Authors' Feast this weekend. I got to hang out with lots of indie booksellers and lots of authors. Can I just say--people who love books know how to have a good time!

While up in that neck of the woods, I returned to HOLLYWOOD.

Hollyweird, oops, I mean Hollywood figures heavily in book #4, I So Don't Do Famous. So, armed with notebook and camera, I headed out to do some research. And,yes, Uncle Sam, I will be writing this trip off come tax time.

I took a tour of Grauman's Chinese Theater. The theater opened in 1927 and premiered The King of Kings. After a visit to China, Sid Grauman fell in love with the culture. He imported all manner of Chinese artifacts for the theater and even had Chinese artisans come and produce pieces. Today, this theater continues to be much sought after for movie premiers. Also, three Academy Awards have been held here.

And now for some trivia I picked up on the tour.

As you all know, outside the front of the theater are concrete blocks with celebrities' signatures, handprints and footprints. There are 247 of these blocks. According to Tour Guide Levi, they won't run out of room for 45-50 years. So, for those of you with this particular dream, THERE IS STILL TIME.

One fine day in 1927, Silent Movie Actress Norma Talmadge was walking in front of the theater when they were pouring concrete. By accident, she stepped in said concrete. Sid Grauman saw this, had her add her signature and handprints and a tradition was born. Lucky for Norma that she walked through Sid Grauman's wet cement and not mine. I would've yelled at her for messing up my new sidewalk.

Hugh Jackman is the most recent addition to the forecourt (April 2009). Levi the Tour Guide may have shared with me who's next. Send me $100 and I will tell you whether or not I know.

Marilyn Monroe wanted a diamond to dot the "i" in her name. The powers of the time refused on the grounds that the diamond would be stolen. Instead, they inserted a rhinestone. Within three days, someone tried to pry it out and succeeded in breaking off part of the stone. You can still see the knife marks. Not sure why anyone thought a rhinestone would be a safe bet!

Anyway, I had a very fun weekend. My family, of course, missed me dreadfully and fell apart at the seams. Okay, fine, they had a fun weekend themselves back in San Diego with the school's Fall Carnival, a few water polo games, and a Brownie activity. Dorothy the Dog, however, really did miss me because no one fed her dinner for two nights! Lest you be tempted to call the Humane Society, let me assure you that she did have food and water, just not her FAVORITE dinner fare.

Click here for links to more My Town Monday posts. (Thanks Clair for hosting) Also, if you're even mariginally thinking about writing a My-Town-Monday post, please do! Fair warning, though, it's addictive! Write your post, then leave a comment here and we'll link to you.

From the chameleon cage

2009-10-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

There was a bit of a scuffle in the chameleon cage this morning when she ACCIDENTALLY stepped on him. He swiftly turned and bit her on the arm.

Here is my lecture to him:

If you don't want to get stepped on, quit making yourself look like a ficus leaf. Also, I understand that in the wild you two wouldn't choose to mate for life. Here in the Summy cage, though, we're all about monogamy. So, play nice, share the crickets and remember the golden rule. She's the mother of the 47 eggs currently basking in the incubator. For that alone, she deserves some respect.

And here he is, looking all contrite and apologetic.

Sorry for the absence. I'm "swamped." (a little chameleon humor....they live in rainy places) Although I truly am crazy-busy.

I have a library visit at 5:30 - 7pm at the Santee Library. I'll be there with Cindy Pon and Laura Preble. Should be fun. I have a joke gift for them. I can't tell you what because you never know who's lurking. Mwaaaaa!

My Town Monday: Library Panels, San Diego

2009-10-19T23:59:00.000-07:00

(L to R) The suspects: me, Cindy Pon, Laura Preble, Marlene Perez, Mary Pearson. This is pretty much a local yokel panel, although Marlene actually lives a little north of here, in Orange County. Oh, and, thank you, Mary, for the photo. I remembered to charge my camera, but then forgot to put the battery back in. This is only one of many reasons why I'm not a professional photographer.

As previously mentioned, last Friday, I was on an authors' panel at the extremely cute, has-an-ocean-view Encinitas Library. It was part of the San Diego County Library's Book Festival. Very fun! And Marisa Lowe, the teen librarian from my very own branch, did a super job moderating.

There were several things I liked about this event. I think we did a good job answering the questions. We were having fun, and I think that made the experience fun for the audience as well. I'm not particularly talented at speaking off the cuff, so I'm glad I had a chance to practice this. In terms of writing, it was interesting to see what we had in common and how we differed.

And I LOVED the little personal connections I made with the other panel members. Laura Preble and I have 16 year old sons who were in the SAME class from fourth through eighth grade! Marlene Perez and I both have four kids, are at least slightly sleep-deprived and like Thai food. I'm aiming to be as thoughtful and professional and put-together as Mary Pearson. Also, I want a skirt like hers. Oh, and Mary can drink a lot of iced tea. Cindy Pon? Well, she has a wicked sense of humor, is refreshingly honest and has no sense of direction.

Andrew Smith, Cindy Pon, Laura Preble, me

This is Saturday's author panel at the Poway Library. Also a very fun time and I enjoyed meeting Andrew Smith. As the only male around, he kept us on our toes. Plus, he had some GREAT one-liners. Which I will probably steal.

I'll be at the Santee Library (9225 Carlton Hills Blvd, Santee, CA 92071, (619) 448-1863) with Cindy and Laura for a discussion on writing (informal and fun, I hope) and book signing this coming Friday, Oct. 23 @ 5:30. In fact, I have a little surprise gift for each of them.

Click here for links to more My Town Monday posts

Thank you, Cassandra!

2009-10-16T23:45:00.000-07:00

Today I met Cassandra. That's her in the photo above. And that's me next to her in my new orange sweater.

Cassandra came to an authors' panel held today in Encinitas.

The panel consisted of Mary Pearson, Marlene Perez, Laura Preble, Cindy Pon and myself. On Monday, I'll write more about the panel and about tomorrow's panel at the Poway Library. I'll probably reveal a few of the panelists' deep, dark secrets (not any of mine; my life's an open book!). But that Cindy Pon...

Meeting Cassandra was a wonderful opportunity for me.

Because she is an expert on Sherry and company, having read I So Don't Do Mysteries five times. And, yes, my heart did speed up just typing that.

Here's the deal. I did something very mean to Sherry at the beginning of I So Don't Do Famous, the book I'm working on. Very mean. Editor Wendy doesn't know about it. Nobody knows about it. Except for me and Sherry. And now Cassandra.

I was thrilled to be able to confide in Cassandra, a real live avid reader, and to hear how she felt about it. Cassandra said it was okay to be that mean on one condition... No problem. I'm on it.

Cassandra, it was a pleasure meeting you, and thank you for being there for Sherry and me!

Draining Advice

2009-10-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

We have three toilets in our house. Two were sluggish. One was downright comatose.

And I was throwing a party. It was either call a plumber or rent a port-a-potty.

Enter Josh the Plumber.

He snaked our toilets and offered a bowlful of drain tips. Which I'm passing along to you.

1. NEVER use Charmin toilet paper. No matter how tempted you are. Even if it's hugely on sale. Even when they tell you it's ultra strong and ultra soft.

Apparently, Charmin' is more like a kissing cousin to paper towel (thick) than to other brands of toilet paper (thin).

2. When you pay your rent/mortgage (that is, once a month), dump 1 cup of bleach down each drain in your house. Let sit for 30 minutes, then pour down hot water.

3. For sluggish toilets in high-calcium areas (like San Diego), pour ten seconds' worth or 1/4 cup of CLR down the little white pipe thingie (yes, this is a professional plumber term) under the lid at the back of your toilet. Let sit for 30 minutes, then flush.

4. For kids' parties, remove paper towel and Kleenex from the bathroom.

5. For kids' parties, only put out single ply toilet paper.

6. Hold kids' parties at Chuck E. Cheez or at a local park. (Kidding. This wasn't part of his advice.)

And that, my dear friends, is a little (probably unexpected) practical advice from my corner of the world.

My Town Monday: Beverly Hills, Hollywood revisited

2009-10-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

This Monday, I'm playing catch-up. I promised a Hollywood post back in August. Which I neglected to deliver. Today's the day!

Remember I attended the SCBWI national summer conference and met Editor Wendy for the first time ever?

Well, one fine morning, Editor Wendy and I boarded a bus to go on

**A TOUR OF THE STARS' HOMES!!**

I took boatloads of pictures of celebrities' homes. Boatloads.

Unfortunately, I can't remember who lives where!

Isn't this a beautiful home? It might belong to Meatloaf or Courtney Cox or Harrison Ford or Keanu Reeves. Or none of the above. Sorry. Paparazzi I am not.

For some reason, I do remember that the Jonas brothers recently moved. Did I tuck away that useless bit of trivia for Child #4? Anyway, Editor Wendy very kindly sent me her photos with a list of homeowners. Unfortunately, I can't get the photos to upload to my blog. (Thank you for the effort, though, Wendy.)

Obviously, I am just not meant to write THAT kind of a post about stars and their homes. Perhaps if we'd had an invite INSIDE...

Anyway, I did discover that I have something HUGE in common with Madonna. HUGE. As in she may be adding me to her Christmas card list.

Madonna and I both grow agapanthus in our gardens. Yes, we're like gardening BFFs!

Part of the tour included time on the **Hollywood Walk of Fame** and at **Grauman's Chinese Theatre**.

Here is ONE of Gene Autry's stars. He has the most stars of anyone ever--five (one in each category). This is a picture of the Live Stage Performers' category.

John Cusack is getting a star in 2010. I'm very happy for him. I've had a crush on him for a while. I'm hoping that John'll google himself (he seems like the type who would), read this post and invite me to the "Getting Your Own Star" ceremony. It would the chance of a lifetime for both of us, and I'm pretty sure I can spin it so that DH doesn't mind.

I'm measuring my palm against Marilyn Monroe's handprint. Perfect match! Natch!

We finish off the morning with a humungous California salad for lunch. Here is Editor Wendy bravely tackling her over-sized salad. Seriously, I ate about a month's worth of lettuce in that one meal.

Click here for links to more My Town Monday posts (some more serious than this one)! Also, if you're even mariginally thinking about writing a My-Town-Monday post, please do! Fair warning, though, it's addictive! Write your post, then leave a comment here and we'll link to you.

The Book Review Club (October 2009)

2009-10-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the NINTH meeting of The Book Review Club! That's a lot of books reviewed! That's a lot of cyber coffee and cyber cookies and cyber muffins consumed! That's a lot of cyber calories!

I'll be completely up front and admit that I had a tough time settling on a book to present this month. Not that I haven't been reading. I have. Not that I haven't read some decent books this summer. I have. But somehow I just couldn't stick with a book. Until I decided to totally change gears. And visit my picture book shelf. Well, more like picture book bookcase.

I LOVE YOU LIKE CRAZY CAKES by Rose Lewis (Little Brown & Co, 2000) is the story of a single woman's adoption journey.

The book starts off with:

Once upon a time in China there was a baby girl who lived in a big room with lots of other babies. The girls shared cribs with one another and became great friends. The girls had nannies to take care of them, but each was missing something--a mother.

The story continues:

Far away across the ocean was a woman who also had many friends, but she was missing something, too--a baby. That woman was me.

Then, the woman talks about writing to China, then traveling to China, then finally meeting her baby.

How did this happen? How did someone make this perfect match a world away? Did the Chinese people have a special window to my soul?

I cannot read this book with tearing up. You probably can't either.

The first time I read it to Child #3, he had a visceral response.

I had just returned from Korea and brought back Child #4, who was 5 months old. I opened I LOVE YOU LIKE CRAZY CAKES, explaining to just-turned-five Child #3 how very special adoption was. I got partway through the book, when Child #3 slammed it shut, crossed his little arms and said, "I'll tell you how special adoption is. It means you're not the baby of the family anymore! Take her back to Korea! " And he burst into tears. The next morning, he bounded out of bed, checked the crib to make sure I hadn't made good on his suggestion and said, "I changed my mind. We can keep her. Because she's a cutie patootie." Awwwww....

I should also add that Child #3 was a little miffed that we didn't call the baby MUFFY! But a mother can only let an addiction to Marc Brown's Arthur books go so far...

And while the Korea adoption system is very different from its Chinese counterpart, the agency in Korea did match us up with Child #4. And every day, I look at this petite Asian girl living in a sea of blond-haired, blue-eyed rambunctious older brothers and wonder how a Korean social worker over 6,000 miles away managed to choose the perfect child for our family.

So....swallowing past the lump, please visit the links below. The reviews will be thoughtful and insightful and encourage you to add to your TBR list.

As for me, I'm off to the grocery store to get my flu shot, but will check in regularly today.

YOUNG ADULT BOOK REVIEWS

Kaye of the Book Review Forum: TWO OLD WOMEN by Velma Wallis

Thao of serene hours: FLASH BURNOUT by L.K. Madigan

Stacy Nyikos: HORNS AND WRINKLES by Joseph Helgerson (middle grade, fantasy)

Jody Feldman: DYING TO MEET YOU by Kate Klise (middle grade) *sounds heavy, but according to our review is "totally cute and wonderful"

Linda McLaughlin: LIPSTICK JIHAD: A MEMOIR OF GROWING UP IRANIAN IN AMERICA AND AMERICAN IN IRAN by Azadeh Moaveni (memoir, can also be classified adult memoir).

ADULT BOOK REVIEWS

Sarah Laurence: BUT NOT FOR LONG by Michelle Wildgen (literary fiction), review and author interview

Kathy Holmes: THE EVER RUNNING MAN by Marcia Muller (Sharon McCone mystery series)

Scott Parker: THE BLONDE by Duane Swierczynski (adult pulp)

Prairie Rose of Prairie Rose's Garden: THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown (mystery)

Jenn Jilks of My Reflections: BLOOD LURE by Nevada Barr (mystery)

Sarahlynn of Yeah, but Houdini didn't have these hips: a surprise video about books. Very humorous!

Alyssa Goodnight of the Writers' Road Less Traveled: THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE by Alan Bradley (mystery)

AUTOBIOGRAPHY REVIEWS

Patti Abbott: TIMEBENDS by Arthur Miller

NONFICTION REVIEWS

Keri Mikulski: WHY SHE PLAYS by Christine A. Baker

Note to Reviewers: I think I was pretty organized this month and included everyone with reviews. But if I missed you, leave me a comment and I'll rectify the situation straight away. And award myself one less cookie today!

My Town Monday: Lemon Grove, CA

2009-10-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

Yay! It's Monday. Which means another My Town Monday post. And double yay! It's October. Which means Halloween, that uber fun holiday with treats and costumes and jack-o-lanterns.

Today, I bring you a true mummy story from Lemon Grove, a town of about 25,000 people, located roughly 12 1/2 miles southwest of me here in San Diego County.

In the mid-sixties, two male San Diego teens decided they'd like to be the proud owners of a mummy.

Now, I can totally see this happening. This past Saturday evening, we had ten 16 year olds in our living room. I'm sure if, when offering pizza and snacks, I'd said offhandedly, "There's a mummy in the trunk of my car, would anyone like to take him home?", at least a couple of the teens would've stampeded me in an effort to get to the car first.

Back to the story. The two teens take off for Chihuahua, Mexico. They'd heard that local Indians used to bury their dead in the nearby caves where the cold, dry air would naturally mummify the bodies. The teens spend a month poking around these caves. (Hopefully, they grew up to use such persistence for good, like developing an effective swine flu shot.)

Lo and behold, they find, not one, but TWO mummies: a 15 year old girl and an infant girl.

The boys successfully smuggle the mummies across the border and back to San Diego when it suddenly occurs to them that perhaps their parents won't jump up and down with joy when their sons show up at their respective front doors with stolen Mexican mummies.

So, the boys do exactly what you expect them to do. They call a friend and ask if they can stash the mummies in his garage.

And the friend says exactly what you expect him to say. "Sure. My parents'll never notice." (I'm paraphrasing which is totally my right as the mother of a couple of teen boys.)

FOURTEEN years later, the boys' friend's mother decides to clean her garage.

First off, can I interject to say that any woman who only cleans out her garage every fourteen or so years is an automatic friend of mine. Second off, can you just imagine the scenario? You're minding your business in your own garage, rearranging some sprinkler heads or a bucket of bolts or a few rolls of duct tape, when--YOWZER!--you stumble across a couple of mummies!

Anyway, the woman calls the cops because she thinks there's been two murders. The cops realize the corpses are actually mummies. The all-grown-up teens confess. A San Diego museum asks the Mexican government if they can keep the mummies and put them on display.

The Mexican government replies, "Si."

I'm not sure what happened to the infant mummy. But the mummy dubbed "Lemon Grove Girl" is still on display at the Museum of Man in Balboa Park. And she's the only STOLDEN mummy on display in the ENTIRE world.

Here's Lemon Grove Girl, in her curled burial position. She probably died between A.D. 1040 and 1260. You can find her in the Ancient Egypt and Mummies Display at the Museum of Man.

And that, my dear friends, concludes another My Town Monday post from San Diego.

For links to more My Town Monday posts, click here. Also, if you're even mariginally thinking writing a My-Town-Monday post, please do! Join in! We'd love to have you! Leave a comment and we'll link to you.

sources:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/familyxpeditions/17/mummies.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_Grove,_California
http://www.mummytombs.com/museums/sandiego.man.htm

Live from the Chameleon Cage...SHEDDING!

2009-10-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

Someone should tell our female chameleon that THIS is not attractive...

Look! She's leaving dead skin behind as she moves across the branch.

Even her face is peeling off!

Oh wait! (This is NOT me, by the way.)

She has laid 23 + 42 = SIXTY-FIVE eggs in a little over THREE months' time.

I think our little veiled chameleon is one smart cookie with a master plan. She doesn't want to look cute, foxy and appealing. She wants to turn attention away from the allure of her wandering eyes and the adorable bump on the top of her head. She wants a major break from motherhood. She wants the male to stay in his corner of the cage!

And for those of you who were wondering...my little section of San Diego County has been on red flag warning* since Tuesday morning. It ended 18 minutes ago.

*According to the Weather Service, we were at risk for “explosive fire growth potential” due to a combination of strong winds and low humidity. (http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/?q=node/1924)

A dear friend died

2009-09-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

Near the end of last week, a dear friend died.

Florence Moyer. Flo.

Flo's next book, MISTLETOE AND MURDER, will be released November 2009 as part of Steeple Hill's Love Inspired Suspense line.

About five years ago, a wonderful writer named Misty Simon started an online loop. Several writers joined. We had different goals, but they were all writing related. People came and went from the loop. Some hung in longer than others. Some posted lots; some posted less.

Eventually, there were only seven of us left. Seven writers who stayed. And got closer. And more supportive. And more of us got published. Over time, we've even developed a odd list of expressions specific just to our group. Our own little loop language.

Flo was an integral part of our little clan. She offered words of wisdom, her wit, her very unique perspective on life. She worked hard at writing. She personified persistence. Flo landed her dream agent. She landed her dream editor. Her writing career solidified. Then, unfortunately, cancer knocked at her door. More like pounded it down.

Some of us have met in real life. I've met two of the members. Not Flo.

None of us has met everyone in the group. Today we decided to rectify that. We're planning a get-together for the summer of 2010. In Portland. We'll spend time remembering Flo. And getting acquainted offline. And writing.

Thank you, Flo, for all that you gave. Your input helped me become the writer I am today. I'll never forget you.

xo

Here's the cover of Flo's November 2009 release.

Click for a tribute to Flo by Kathy Holmes

My Town Monday: Seaport Village

2009-09-27T22:33:00.001-07:00

This is a view of Seaport Village from the Embaradero

Seaport Village is a unique shopping area on San Diego Bay.

You park your car in the Seaport Village lot (hint: make sure you get your ticket validated for two hours of free parking, even if it means buying a cup of coffee), then wander along four-ish miles of paths that lead to various free-standing buildings which make up fifty plus shops. There are several restaurants as well. No two stores are alike. For example, there's a kite store, a shell store, a wooden toys stores, a wind chimes store. Oh, and there's a hot sauce store, which figures in I So Don't Do Makeup!

Could a trip to Seaport Village end up being an over-priced bayside shopping experience? Uh, yes. If you let it be.

BUT, you are meandering right next to the water. And there's something exhilarating about that ocean view and air.

AND there's a great grassy area for kite flying.

AND you never know what street performers you'll bump into. Last April, there was a free-of-charge busker festival. (A busker festival features all sorts of street performers from sword swallowers to jugglers to musicians.) At the end of August, there were magic classes for kids. Here's a link to the Events Calendar http://www.seaportvillage.com/entertainment/

This is the sign outside one of my favorite establishments at Seaport Village.

Here's a shot from inside. It really is a terrific bookstore + coffee shop. There are even free board games (like checkers) and tables where you can play.

I always include some time at Seaport Village for my out-of-town visitors.

Seaport Village: West Harbor Drive + Pacific Highway
website for Seaport Village
phone: 619-235-4014.
>blog

And now for a little trivia....Here's what dictionary.com says about the verb "to busk":

–verb (used without object)
1. Chiefly British. to entertain by dancing, singing, or reciting on the street or in a public place.
2. Canadian. to make a showy or noisy appeal.

Say what? "To busk" has a different definition in Canada? I must check with my sisters!

I was also going to include more trivia about the "upstart crow." However, I've run out of time. I'll get to it, though. One of these days.

For links to the other MTM participants, please head over to our My Town Monday blog which was set up by Clair Dickson. Also, if you're even mariginally thinking writing a My-Town-Monday post, please do! Join in! We'd love to have you!

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seaport_Village
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/busker