Fatal Illusions: Book Review

I am finally getting around to posting my review of this enthralling mystery. Fatal Illusions by Adam Blumer. I haven't read a mystery in a while so the idea of reading and reviewing a mystery was a welcome change.


I loved the characters in the book, they were the neighbors you might have. The descriptions of each character whether one of the Thayers or the antagonist Hayden Owens. Their problems seem believable. The plot moves and draws the reader in. When everything in Gillian Thayer's world seems to be so bleak her faith seems so reachable.

Most of the mysteries I have read fall into the mainstream media category so I was reluctant when it came to a Christian Mystery, but I was happily surprised to be drawn farther and farther into the story.

Since this story deals with some adult concepts I would not recommend it to a younger teen but perhaps reading it in a group setting with older teens would be reasonable. It was a page turner from the very beginning.

The Flower of Grass

James E Robinson's book "The Flower of Grass" is more than a Prodigal son's tale. I was sent a copy of the book to read and review and decided after reading the back cover that this was something special.
I was right.
Personal unfinished business, we all have something hanging there in that closet; this story does a wonderful job of dealing with the demons and the unfinished business of returning home. The characters are colorful holding a depth in them that shows the reader a real world. Love and morality along with the sanctity of marriage are prominent themes while answering the age old question "can you ever go back". While this is Christian Fiction, it does have adult themes so I would recommend it to a child, maybe an older teen but only as a group read in a family setting.
The characters in the book come of the page and seem so honest and real. I fell in love with the Preacher., the dialogue between the preacher and John Allen is trapped between the here and now and the chaos of dementia and old age but still has the pure honest emotional ties to the preacher's own marriage.
I also grasped onto "El" and her innocence. The youthfulness and pure out right honesty reminds the reader than young adults and teens understand more than we really give them credit for.
Again, I would recommend this book, I was able to read it in a couple of days (actually late nights... ), it is a great summer read at just over 250 pages. Enjoyable reading..
After sitting on the read for a while, I have to say I will read this again.

Book Reviews

Over the next week I will be posting several book reviews.
I am posting them here as well as my other blogs, I decided to post them here as every writer should be reading something new as a way to grow.
The first review should be up tomorrow and a second will follow hopefully tomorrow night or Tuesday.
I will be reviewing Christian Fiction as well as Religion/Theology , and homeschool/ children's books. I hope you will enjoy this new area of the blog, I will still be writing just putting it on the back burner while I sort out some stuff in my chaotic mind...

Time and Place

A time long ago,
A place I know,
where two hearts
joined, ne'er apart.
In love, in peace
in friendship will ne'er cease.
Today, a new
a hand to get me through.
Friendship that will last
Words that will get me past.

Ask, Knock , Seek

Ask and ye shall receive, Knock and the door shall be open, seek and ye shall find....

On a Spiritual level these words are meaningful, but have you ever considered them in your everyday life.

Ask,
ask for that time,
ask for a moment
ask for that one last kiss to say good-bye.

Knock,
knock on that new door,
knock down the walls,
knock down that barrier between you and your dream.

Seek,
Seek knowledge,
Seek the answers,
Seek the beauty in life that only you can see.

Catching up...

I have not abandoned this project , just set it on the back burner for a while. I have a couple ideas tossing around in my head that I will try and post here as they find their way to the surface.
I am gearing up for a Creative Writing Class with a local homeschool co-op so I will be working this summer trying out some new ideas. I am also going to try out a couple ideas for scripts I have in my head...

Stage Fright?

Adrianna paused, frozen in the moment; 'what is the line' panic started to set in, 'what is it?'. She looked out toward the audience not sure what to expect; she glanced toward the off stage curtain looking for a clue; she looked around her, nothing , this was her monologue, she was alone and no one could help her. 'Where is everyone?' Stage Manager, the rest of the cast, the Assistant Director, no one. Stepping to the right, she took a breathe, a deeper one, pause, stepping to the right, 'make it fit the scene, go with it, something will come to you' the voice in her head wasn't helping the situation. This was her monologue and her worst nightmare was coming true. Stage fright didn't happen here, this theater was her second home, 'what is going on?'

"Patience and Love...." a soft voice from backstage fed the begining of the next line to her. Adrianna took a deep breathe and stepped forward with the confidence she had begun the scene with only a short time before and continued the lines through end.

"What the heck was that?!" a quiet but harsh voice caught her from behind on the way off stage. Jessica looked at Adrianna with a furious confusion.

"I DON"T KNOW." Adrianna continued on through the corridor to the dressing room to prepare for the next scene. ' is this what it is like, Stage Fright?'

One Minute writer: Influences

Influences

Addie sat quietly at her desk, daydreaming if you will , wondering how she had gotten here. So many people had been a part of this journey, wonderful people and not so wonderful people, some a little crazier than others, some a little too controlling , and some gentle caring people that knew when to push and when to back off. As her mind wandered farther and farther away, images of Thom kept coming back. He knew how to guide her creative process, ' Backstage in a confusion of darkness' her mind wandered through the images. 'I can feel your arms wrapped around me, comforting me, guiding me'. Thom was so near , boosting her confidence, constantly pushing her that little more, not taking excuses, and reminding her of her passion for the art.

written at the pub..

(I use to hang out at a couple local pubs to write, since the kids I don't get to do that anymore... Well the other night I met my husband and the in-laws for dinner at one of those local pubs... since I had to wait for them to arrive I decided to write some.... This is what I came up with...)


The soft sound of the jazz bass surrounded Addie as she waited at the bar. His arrival hung heavy on her heart; seeing him closing night stung her soul as an old wound quickly torn open. Life in the theater healed her wounds, renewed her passion for life again after the long dark nights of her separation. As cliche' as it sounded, Addie felt the pain return just seeing him.
"Did I keep you waiting long?" his voice burned straight to her heart, awakening a desire in her more powerful than the hurt.
He touched her should guiding her to the table in the center of the room. The room was lit with a faux stain glass mural glowing, adding an ambiance tot he room, a casualness that somehow comforted Addie making this a safe environment.

JACKPOT, well kind of...

I was cleaning my office tonight and found 3 old journals, 2 spirals full of writing (misc stuff from the 90's), as well as my old college binder full of charts, lists, forms, idea starting bits, etc... I'm sorting through the piles now and clearing out the trash and saving the notes and useful stuff...

Here's hoping this will help keep me focused and writing more...

We now return to the normal ramblings of this writer...