“Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 25 in 2009). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.” (Source: Wikipedia)
Today, as I observe Memorial Day, I will send my prayers to the families of our soldiers… those in active duty, retired, or lost in duty. Without our soldiers, I would not be allowed the freedom I so love and have the safety and security of living in this great land.
(Note: In observance of the holiday, there will be no Monday’s Movie post this week.)
This week was an emotional one for me. There are feelings just racing about and dreams that are filled with people that I’d just rather forget. I’m trying to convince myself to be and feel a certain way, but it’s like wearing a mask… I know what’s underneath.
This week was just… plain and simple… hard. It was watching my memories fly away like beautiful butterflies… and me calling them back, “Wait!”
On the flip side of my emotional paralysis… I have some exciting “Blog News.” A Novel Menagerie has just broken the 100K hits mark! I never thought it could happen, but it has. I am overjoyed and grateful for everyone who has stopped by, read, voted, skimmed, or clicked on. Thank you so very, very much!
This Week’s Reads
This week, I read and reviewed:
In My Mailbox for Review
As I am participating in Lisa’s Summer Book Tour, I received Beach Trip by Cathy Holton.
Contests
You only have until Monday night to get in your votes for A Novel Menagerie’s First Annual “My Beautiful Baby Contest.” We’ve got three front-runners who are in a battle for the win! I know their mommies would appreciate your votes!
I am giving away 3 copies of April & Oliver by Tess Callahan and 1 copy of Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Home this week. Please see the links in the sidebar or hit the “Contests” button above to enter.
Reading Challenges
On J. Kaye’s 100+ Reading Challenge… I’m at 70 books done. Therefore, my statistical update for this challenge is that I’m 70% completed with 40.28% of the year completed. This puts me ahead of schedule by 29.72%.
Lainey Grace Update
Even though Lainey Grace finished her round of Chemotherapy and had headed home last week, she ended up back in the hospital. It wasn’t until Thursday of this week that they finally gave her the green light to go home. It’s because her white blood cell count just keeps jumping all over the place. Her mommy, Lori, tells me that this is completely normal.
I’m not sure if Lori will be displeased with me sharing a part of her story or not… but, I just wanted to share the greatness of God in every day life. This story just so simply shows it.
The story begins as Lori is trading her bedside spot with her husband so that she spend some time at home with her boys and get a little bit of rest. Lori hasn’t left Lainey’s bedside since all of this happened, but she needed just the smallest break from the hospital to regain her strength via sleep. So, her husband brings her the boys at the hospital and Lori and the boys head back home. This drive is long and it is on stretches of highway that aren’t highly populated in many areas. Unfortunately, Lori runs out of gas. Having the boys with her, she is very concerned. She locked up the van and safely heads down the highway to an exit that has a gas station. (I ask her as she recounts the story, “You have Triple-A, right?” She tells me that they didn’t renew it because they never use it. Tell me about it… I’ve been cutting excess costs, too!)
First, a trucker stops and offers help. She politely declines as she is most concerned about her boys safety. And, even though she has her cell phone she is careful to protect her boys and avoid help from an unknown man. Next, a nice SUV pulls up. Inside is an armed forces officer. He presents her his identification and assures her that he is a safe and honorable man. He was in route back to the local base and she sees his fatigues on the passenger seat. As they briefly discuss her predictament, he tells her that he just happened to throw a gas can in the back of his truck before he left home that day. He said that it was just in his garage and it occured to him to bring it in case he was lower on gas than he thought on the long drive. He then told her that he usually never has it with him, just today he thought to bring it. Lori offered to pay him for the gasoline and would accept no less than him taking the money. She paid him $20 and his honesty was further demonstrated when he told her how much it actually cost and gave her change! Shortly thereafter, he is able to give them a short lift to their van. He watches as Lori safely gets the boys inside. He gets the gas into her vehicle and makes sure that she is safe and on her way.
So, as Lori is telling me this story… like it was NOTHING… she just quietly says, “Oh, it was just The Lord taking care of me.” I’m practically shouting at her through the phone, “This is HUGE, Lori.” I go on and on telling her that I believe that The Lord is just so overwhelmingly all-knowing and all-encompassing. How he spoke to that officer in the recesses of his mind and told him to bring that gas can “just in case!” God knew that Lori wouldn’t have taken help from anybody other than a very safe person and how grand it is that he provided a noble man who understood that! I found that God’s reminder in this story was that he takes care of all the details… big and small. God will take care of his children just as we look after ours. He will look after our safety and provide for us!
Lainey is getting ready to head back to the hospital this week for another round of Chemotherapy. The prayers that I am asking for this week are for not only Lainey, but for Lori as well. It is hard for her to be distanced from home and her family for so long! She never wants to let Lainey down and she always wants to be there. Lori is a beautiful person and the best mommy I know. She’s always patient and she’s always focused on loving Lainey. I wish to ask for prayers that Lainey manages this round of chemo as easy as possible. I ask for her body to be healed and for her spirit to remain strong. For Lori, I ask for “mommy prayers.” I ask for mommies to send her our best thoughts that she is able to manage this next long stay away from home. I pray for her ability to find some peace admist the chaos of the hospital and the revolving door of doctors, nurses, and medical staff. I pray that she is able to get more rest this visit. I pray that she and Lainey have an easier stay, all around.
For all of you who have kept this family in your prayers, I personally want to thank you, again! In case you haven’t read Lainey Grace’s story, you can access it by clicking HERE.
At Home & On TV
The voters have spoken and Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas won by less than 1% of the votes. Gilles took the news with so much grace and dignity. Of course, I was all bummed out because I loved Melissa and Tony. But, I didn’t see how they would have the chance of winning based on her limited popularity. In the Finale episode, I loved The Roast they did on the contestants.
American Idol grabbed a lot of attention this week. First, I’ll share what I did like in this way-too-long finale:
Kara DioGuardi blowing that stupid blow-up doll out of the water by singing “Vision of Love” properly.
Lil’ Rounds and Queen Latifah. I really liked that song they sang, so I downloaded it off iTunes.
Steve Martin’s song with Michael Sarver and that chick. I can’t believe I forgot her name already! But, that song is so precious. So, another download off iTunes. But, in the iTunes version, it’s Dolly Parton singing it! COOL!
The Black Eyed Peas’ performance. Although Fergie was cracking me up a bit with those fingernails and those ridiculous shoes, it was a good preformance. I’ll bet you can guess… it’s downloaded, too!
Simon was wearing something other than a t-shirt.
Kris Allen winning.
What I didn’t much care for:
Adam Lambert screaming again.
Singing “We Are The Champions.” It seemed over-indulgent to me.
Adam Lambert’s stupid boots.
Tatiana Del Toro getting more attention. When will it be enough?
Adam Lambert’s bad make-up job for the Kiss montage
Bikini Girl.
Adam Lambert’s cocky and LAME reaction to getting a brand new hybrid from Ford. Ungrateful little worm!
Randy’s outfit. What’s up with that, Dagh?
Adam Lambert’s stupid expression on his face when they were going to announce the winner.
So You Think You Can Dance started up this week. Did y’all see it? I LOVE LOVE LOVE that show. I was a dancer growing up and I am a huge fan of dance. I like this show more than Dancing With The Stars and I typically go sand see the road-show after the season is over. So many talented dancers. Did y’all know that Lacy Schwimmer and Chelsie Hightower both came to Dancing With The Stars from So You Think You Can Dance (as did Dimitri). So, auditions were aired on Thursday Night and I can’t wait to blog about this show because I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
The Bachelorette. I know that I said that I wasn’t going to watch it because I didn’t much like Jillian on The Bachelor. But, I’m weak. I can’t resist it. I keep telling myself that it’s because I want to stare at 25 HOT GUYS. I hope that I start to soften about Jillian and come to like her more.
Pride and Prejudice. Well, what an experience that book and movie have been. I’m still working on my review posts.
Well, thanks to everybody for reading my MEGA LONG post.
As always, my thanks to all of you for reading not only this post, but the others as well. Your readership means the world to me! AND, your comments are invaluable to me!
“Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated community without questioning the fact that her father has three wives and she has twenty brothers and sisters, with two more on the way. That is, without questioning them much—if you don’t count her secret visits to the Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meetings with Joshua, the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her.”
But when the Prophet decrees that she must marry her sixty-year-old uncle—who already has six wives—Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family forever.
(Above excerpt is from theback cover of The Chosen One)
The Review
This novel was inspired by a real-life story that was told by a girl who escaped from her polygamist society. Carol Lynch Williams, an experienced and award winning author, took this girl’s harrowing tale and wrote a novel about how being brave enough to live your truth will set you free.
The thought of being forced to marry your own uncle who is fifty years older than you… with age spots and yellow teeth… NO NO NO! I wouldn’t do it. I couldn’t do it. I could live in the mind of Kyra and completely understand her repulsion to this insistence by her family and her community. There is absolutely NO WAY that I would do that!
Kyra is in love with Joshua… a young man who loves her in return and just as deeply. When he attempts to speak with ”The Prophet” (how they can use that adjective to describe these polygamist LOONEY TOONS is beyond me!) to convince him to allow Kyra to marry him instead of ICKY, OLD UNCLE PERVY! Instead of being met with reason, he is met with violence. After his brutal beating, he is then forced to flee the compound and never return. However, Joshua isn’t the only one beaten over the simple act of loving another. The “Prophet” (ugh, that word again) and his men beat the daylights out of Kyra as well.
It is at this point that I wonder if we can even consider Kyra’s parents to be any kind of parents at all. I mean, what kind of people allow their children to be beaten and forced into a statutory rape situation? I cannot even imagine the amount of severe brainwashing that these individuals must have suffered. Even so, I still DON’T GET IT! I’m a mom. Once you’ve given birth to a child, you would do anything to protect and love it. Anything! Including self-sacrifice. Why Kyra’s mother didn’t stage their escape is beyond me! She is no mother, in my book.
Moving on to more outrageousness… what is the deal with these compounds at their “private police?” (BTW: In this book they are referred to as “The God Squad”… PAHLEASE!) How is it that our national and local security forces are unable to monitor this stuff? I understand that this is private property that it is happening on… however, crimes on private property are still subject to the laws of the city, state and nation. How murders and beatings are occuring without any recourse is beyond me! We have forces at our borders. If this type of insanity is still occuring in our nation, we need boundary patrols of these private compounds. We need to ensure that these children have a means of escape into safety. We need to pass laws to regulate the upbringing of these children. If it is a known fact that polygamy is existing, then we need to ensure that there are regular inspections by child services departments. This type of abuse should NOT exist in today’s day and time. I don’t care what they consider “religious freedom,” this is just child abuse. No 60-year-old man needs a 14 year old bride for a 7th wife. Disgusting.
The last thing that really “got my blood boiling” is this concept that “secular things” are the works of Satan and will cause you to go to hell. I cannot imagine scaring my children with such words. And, these so-called-secular things are books… like Dr. Suess or Bridge to Terabithida. What? A child reads Green Eggs & Ham and is going to Hell? Absolutely absurd! Kyra’s first love with Joshua was also deemed something that she would be sent to Hell for. Ridiculous. So… FEAR, not love is how these Mormon Polygamist Sects control their children? Nice.
On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale:”
Be ready to be impassioned when you read this book. The fact that this novel is based upon a true story is really what sets me into orbit! I just can’t believe that this type of stuff is actually happening within our own country! I am outraged! Don’t get me wrong… I’ve read about this stuff and I watch Big Love. But, I guess somewhere inside myself I thought that the government wouldn’t allow these types of things continue… they wouldn’t let our nation’s daughters be raped by old men and call it “religious freedom.” No… our government has put an end to this… right?
I would allow my children to read this book and find it to be age-appropriate for 10-11 and up. I will share this with my girls and circle back around with you readers to tell you what they think.
This is a very fast book to read. I think I was done within an hour. However, as a mother, I was so completely angry that I had to let this book sit for days before I wrote this review. If I hadn’t… let me tell you that the cursing & swear words would have been everywhere in this post! What I need to remember is that this novel is also the celebration of one girl’s bravery and how that bravery gave her a new lease on life.
For the genre: Fiction:YA, I will rate this book a 10 OUT OF 10. I highly recommend this novel to book clubs (especially mother/daughter clubs) as it will promote A GREAT BOOK CLUB discussion.
My heartfelt thanks to Sarah at St. Martins for this great book!
I wasn’t one of the lucky ones. In this lifetime I wasn’t the girl who would come by love easily and I certainly am not fortunate enough to have been able to make it last. For as long as I can remember, my broken spirit lie adrift in a sea of mistakes. After my first true and young love, every attempt I made at knowing it again was met with failure. But, as fate would have it… I was given another shot at it. Most days it feels as if it were my last.
My love for him came slowly then crashed over me like a tidal wave. I didn’t know how to stop it, control it, nor confine it despite my attempts to do so. I certainly enjoyed the free fall into it and I didn’t stop for a second to insert any logic whatsoever. Within months and then days, he was a part of my home, my family. He became to my children the present father they never had. He became to me somebody to love with a full heart.
It wasn’t just the romance, although that was so pure and fun. It was this energy in between that spoke amongst us. It was in the way that we always had to be touching even for the smallest events. Albeit he was handsome by society’s standards, to me he was gorgeous in his human flaws. We quickly became playmates and found so much joy in exploring things together. As we made memories, we formed traditions that quickly were integrated and became a part of “us.” From the smallest foot-fights under the covers to the sweeping sunsets at the beach, there was never a soul that I ever found as much comfort in as his.
I’m used to my destructiveness, but I guess that others aren’t as quite as immune. Within us both, pains rose to the surface to be healed. Yet, I failed miserably. Strapped with a fear disguised as control, I destroyed that bridge between our souls brick by brick, stone by stone. For every ounce of destruction that I brought, our souls fought me to remain together. So, we tried again and again with no regard for making logic prevalent. Like invisible magnets, time lost meaning as we always found a way back to each other. As our dance continued on, somewhere inside myself I knew he’d grown weary. I knew he’d had enough. But, I haven’t let go… not then and not now.
He’s finally healed… or so he says. I know that he must miss me because I feel him in the dark of night and the recesses of my heart. I feel his thoughts when I see the little things that meant so much to us. I ache for him endlessly when I lie in bed and can’t crawl onto his side. But, he’s logical and I’m emotional. I would give anything to have another moment, another minute, another day… But, he’s moved on. He told me so… even after I told him how sorry I was and how much he was missed… and how much my arms ached for him.
I saw her in the photograph… beside him.
Does she know that she’s living the life that was supposed to be mine?
Does she feel my ghost?
Does she know that I still feel it when he is thinking of me?
Does she realize that her love will always be compared to mine?
Will she ever come to love him as much as I still do today?
This FANTASTIC debut novel was written by an artistic mom-of-twins who I just had to ask… “How Did You Do It?”
I am pleased to present you with my conversation with Tess Callahan!
1. Before I delve into your WONDERFUL novel, I must ask… from one mother of twins to another… HOW DID YOU MANAGE WRITING WITH SUCH EXCELLENCE WITH TWINS IN TOW?”
Fortunately, I finished a rough draft of April & Oliver just before my children were born. For me, however, a first draft is a baby step in the process. I had miles to go. As parents, my husband and I tried to maintain continuity with our pre-kid lives. We strapped the babies to our backs, went to museum openings, and took hikes in the woods. I worked on my book while the babies napped, when possible. As a mother of twins yourself, you know how it is̶ they don’t always sleep simultaneously, and by the time you nurse, change diapers, and take a stroll around the block, it’s time to nurse again. Once they were weaned and running around, writing time became even scarcer. Little by little, the book fell to the wayside. For a time, I hired babysitters to give me an hour or two to write, but often I fell asleep at my desk. Nevertheless, I kept a thread of momentum going long enough for a second draft. Eventually, I found myself putting the manuscript aside for weeks at a time, and then years. I completely lost touch with the book. I continued to write in my journal, however, and occasionally characters would appear in my dreams, as if to say, “Wake up! You’re not through with us yet.” Also, members of my writing group pushed me to return to the manuscript.
Through a stroke of luck, my husband won a raffle prize̶a trip for two to a spa in California. Through the kindness of my mother and sister, who watched the kids, we were able to go. In the last minute of frantic packing, I reached into the back of my closet for the dusty manuscript and stuffed it into my carry-on.On the plane, I read the book with a blend of satisfaction and horror. Because so much time had passed, and because I myself had changed, (the stretching effect of parenthood), I could clearly see what rang true and what did not. It was as if I was reading someone else’s manuscript, and knew precisely what to advise her. We landed. The spa sat right on the ocean. My husband took off for a massage and I opened my laptop. Between walks on the beach and meals I did not have to prepare myself, I wrote for hours each day. There was no need for deliberation; I knew exactly what to do. By the end of the five days, the book was finally where it needed to be.
In short, how did I find time to write a book and raise twins? I could not have done it without the help of my husband, mother, sister, writing group, a bit of luck, and lots of stubborn persistence.
2. What, or who, was your inspiration for April’s character?
My sister used to live in Nahant, Massachusetts, in the apartment complex on the ocean described in the book. One day, a nor’easter struck the peninsula so hard that the apartment below my sister’s was completely gutted, all of the furniture taken out to sea. As with many storms, there were reports of those who stayed in their homes. I started wondering about people who would weather a storm in a rented apartment when evacuation teams were there to take them to safety. Might someone stay not because she wanted to protect her belongings, but because she had nothing to lose? Perhaps someone who had already lost a loved one? I started writing a scene about the mounting storm, and a woman materialized with long dark hair, calmly watching her apartment fill with water. Flashbacks revealed that the woman was thinking about her little brother, who she helped to raise, and who had died in an accident. Where this came from I don’t know; writing is mysterious that way.
The next day on the subway, a woman sat down across from me. It was her, the character in my story. I have never had that experience before or since. The woman looked and carried herself exactly as I had described the character in my scene. It gave me a jolt. She stood, got off the subway car, and I never saw her again. She was to become April. I shared the short story at the Squaw Valley Writer’s Conference, where I had the good fortune of being assigned to a critique group led by the late Ted Solotaroff. He said, “This story wants to be a novel.” And so it began. As I wrote, however, I found that the woman’s bereft state of mind in the story was only the entry point into the novel. The dramatic storm scene that I was so proud of was the first thing to fall away. Writing is like that; you constantly have to sacrifice your little gems for the sake of the story’s true trajectory.
3. Does April & Oliver reflect your personal experiences or is it strictly fictional?
The story is strictly fictional. However, like Oliver and his music, I had an affinity early in life. For me, it was art. By no means was I as good at drawing or painting as Oliver is at piano, but the aptitude was there. I had wonderful high school art teachers who encouraged me, but it never crossed my mind to apply to art schools. For one thing, it was impractical. For another, I didn’t believe in myself enough. Like Oliver, I made a pragmatic decision. I got a master’s degree in education so I could teach English abroad and stoke my passion for travel. It wasn’t a bad choice, but my hunger for artistic expression crept back. I kept journals during my travels, and the satisfaction of writing grew in me. If I didn’t have that outlet, I would have shriveled up. In that way, my path was different from that of Oliver, who cuts himself off completely from his creative energy, thus making himself into a walking time bomb.
4. Who is your “favorite” character in April & Oliver?
Favorite character? This feels like Sophie’s choice! I can say that I admire April’s perseverance, T.J.’s simpleminded complexity, Nana’s wit and nerve, Al’s no nonsense honesty, and Oliver’s longing to regain his soul even though he doesn’t realize he’s lost it.
5. April makes some significant changes in April & Oliver. Can you share any significant changes in your life that have shaped the woman you have become today?
These are killer questions! Obviously you’re a pro!
In response to this question, I asked my son if he feels I have significantly changed in his lifetime. He said, “Yes, you’ve gotten meaner.” (Translation: math homework must be finished before playmates can come over). Almost in the same breath, my husband said, “Yes, you’ve become more patient,” and my daughter said, “Nah, you never change.”
I have changed, though. I am less tentative than I was in my twenties and early thirties, when even my drawings were light and faint. As a parent, wife, teacher, and traveler, my life has required more independence and grit than I believed I possessed. Circumstances have forced me to own the authority I preferred to abdicate. Thank God for that, because disowning your power leads to catastrophe, as demonstrated by Oliver. Temperamentally, I would have been well suited to life in a hermitage, but for me, that life would not have challenged me the way my current life does. I still struggle to balance my need for wilderness and solitude with the reality of soccer games and home repairs. But it is all good. There is a Buddhist teaching that suggests the very troubles you wrestle with at any instant in your life hold the precise lessons you need at that particular moment.That has been true for me, although I can’t say I always access the lesson. I am very blockheaded in some ways. But I am where I need to be.
6. This is your debut novel and I am certain it will be met with rave reviews! I’ve read that you’ve obtained your MFA in fiction. I’m just getting started on similar education goals. Although I realize you’ve done considerable writing in other formats, can you share with my readers and me what it is like to accomplish that personal goal of publishing your first novel? Also, was the education that you obtained highly instrumental in your ability to write the novel?
I’ve heard stories of MFA programs churning out technique-oriented writers who sound too much alike, but that was not my experience at Bennington. My teachers, Douglas Bauer, Susan Dodd, Amy Hempel, and Jill McCorkle, encouraged learning from the masters, but blazing one’s own trail. Each taught me something distinct and valuable. For instance, Amy Hempel would cross out a number of lines on the first page of a manuscript, and then write something like, “And so on…,” leaving me to edit the rest. I learned a tremendous amount by noticing what she elected to omit. I did not need the MFA program to write a novel; I was already disciplined and motivated, but it did help me to become a better writer. My main advice to MFA students is to work on a different manuscript with each teacher since they will have wildly different advice; short stories are ideal.
What does it feel like to publish my first novel? Surreal. I had completely given up hope of publishing, but continued writing because I couldn’t help it. The characters had their hooks in me. Although I would not call myself religious in the conventional sense, there are sacred stories that hold great resonance for me. There is one gospel tale in which the disheartened apostles fish all night without a single catch. Finally, Jesus suggests they trying putting their net on the other side of the boat. When they do so, the net fills with so many fish they can barely drag it to shore. I have thought about this passage for years, feeling the nearness of the fish, the emptiness of my net. I spent a long time on the quiet lake without a single catch, which was exactly what I needed. Now, for the moment, the net is full, and I am grateful for that, too.
7. Did you always know that you wanted to be a writer or was this something that came to you later in life?
I had a third grade teacher, Miss Madonia, who encouraged creative writing. I still remember the thrill of feeling a full blown story emerge from me without knowing where it came from. I kept journals throughout my adolescence as a navigation tool, and continue to do so today. For years I wrote solely because I enjoyed it. I was in my thirties before I dared to think I could publish.
8. I hear that you are into art. What medium(s) do you practice? Which is more fulfilling, writing or your art?
I paint in oil and draw in charcoal and graphite. It is purely a creative release, free of the pressure of having to garner money. It’s impossible to say which is more fulfilling, my art or my writing, except that I enjoy the physical aspect of painting, moving in front of the canvas, stepping away occasionally to gain perspective. Writing is more sedentary, but I compensate by taking breaks to think over a scene while walking our dogs. What I love about both art forms is the sense of timelessness that envelops you, the extreme presence of the Now.
Painting has made me a better writer. For years I attended a class with painter Roy Kinzer, who paints sublime aerial landscapes using altered topographical maps and satellite images. He encouraged us to see our subject freshly, without preconception, to notice the negative space as well as the positive, and to work on all sections of the canvas at once, without getting mired down in any one area. These lessons apply to writing, as well. Grass is not always green, clouds are rarely white, and any one flesh tone has dozens of colors within it. He challenged us to not merely look, but to see. Most of all, he constantly pushed us beyond our comfort zones, encouraging us to take risks. And when we failed miserably, he congratulated us on our willingness to blunder. I’ve learned to take risks with my writing, as well, allowing characters to reveal themselves through action without fettering them with my preconceptions.
9. What are your future writing goals? Is there a sequel to April & Oliver (oh, please say “yes!”)?
Presently I am working on a novel set in China, where I lived for two years. I can’t say at this point whether or not there will be another novel featuring April and Oliver. If so, I have no way of predicting what their circumstances or connection would be because it hasn’t been written yet. For me, the story happens on the page, not in my head. Whether or not they resurface is entirely up to them.
10. What are your recommendations for those aspiring writers out there?
At the Squaw Valley Writer’s Conference some years ago, I had the privilege of working with the late Ted Solotaroff. He said in a lecture there that during his tenure as founder and editor of The New American Review, he saw many gifted writers come and go. The ones who went on to become accomplished authors were not necessarily those who showed the greatest natural talent, but those who simply did not give up.
Don’t Forget…
You can check out my review of this wonderful novel HERE!
There is a contest in which I’m giving away 3 copies of April & Oliver to my readers HERE. You only have until May 28th to enter.
April & Oliver was rated a 10 OUT OF 10 and has A Novel Menagerie’s Guaranteed Good Book Seal of Approval!
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Commit to spending five hours doing something that you love. No compromises or interruptions. Five hours of exploring self, finding peace, and replenishing.
This week was an emotional one for me. There are feelings just racing about and dreams that are filled with people that I’d just rather forget. I’m trying to convince myself to be and feel a certain way, but it’s like wearing a mask… I know what’s underneath.
The voters have spoken and Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas won by less than 1% of the votes. Gilles took the news with so much grace and dignity. Of course, I was all bummed out because I loved Melissa and Tony. But, I didn’t see how they would have the chance of winning based on her limited popularity. In the Finale episode, I loved The Roast they did on the contestants. 
This novel was inspired by a real-life story that was told by a girl who escaped from her polygamist society. Carol Lynch Williams, an experienced and award winning author, took this girl’s harrowing tale and wrote a novel about how being brave enough to live your truth will set you free.
Be ready to be impassioned when you read this book. The fact that this novel is based upon a true story is really what sets me into orbit! I just can’t believe that this type of stuff is actually happening within our own country! I am outraged! Don’t get me wrong… I’ve read about this stuff and I watch 
I would allow my children to read this book and find it to be age-appropriate for 10-11 and up. I will share this with my girls and circle back around with you readers to tell you what they think. 
