Spent the weekend in Alabama at a wedding. My great niece. A beautiful young lady married the man of her dreams. He’s a wonderful guy and is clearly gaga over her. It made me happy to see how in love they are. I see great things happening to them as they make a future for themselves.
I loved Peter Tork of the Monkees. He was just so cute and was the funniest of the group. All my friends were into Davy Jones but I adored Peter.
I saw them in a reunion concert in my late 20s and Peter had held up the best of them all. He was still very handsome.
A bit over a week ago, I posted the trailer for this book and promised a review when I finished reading the story and closer to the day you can actually buy it (February 1, 2011) here: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/StoreFront.bok Stephanie Burkhart has written this second installment in her Hungarian series. The first book was called, fittingly enough, The Hungarian. This second installment is called The Count’s Lair. And lair is an appropriate word for his home.
I’m a huge history buff and have always been. I adore reading historical novels. I love the setting of this story. Budapest, Hungary is a beautiful city. Lots of old, gorgeous buildings and bridges. Ms. Burkhart does a great job in describing both sides of the city. On one side of the river is Buda and on the other is Pest and each has different characteristics. Ms. Burkhart also is quite good at descriptions of the foods and atmosphere of the city in 1901. I wanted to eat some goulash as I read this book and ride in a motor car complete with a driver (not at the same time).
The Count certainly comes across as a handsome, decent man, albeit a man with secrets and a past that makes him vulnerable. I truly liked this hero. He falls for the heroine, Amelia, a concert pianist. He’s afraid they can’t have a life together and offers her a series of clues to guess his secret.
The story moves along through the Christmas season and culminates in an interesting outdoor scene in the middle of winter. This hero truly has to work to win the day.
I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it. I’m now going to have to read the first one as my interest has been piqued to learn the history of The Hungarian. Pick both these up and enjoy! 
Justin Abdelkader’s Stanley Cup
LORD STANLEY”S CUP
I love hockey and follow the Stanley Cup race and playoffs. I watch on television as I live in North West Florida and we have no NHL team here. One of my friends asked me once how I could follow the puck on tv as it moves too fast for him. Don’t understand that at all. I think you can follow it if you want to bad enough.
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
A book that changed my life would have to be The Collected Tales of Sherlock Holmes. I was very young when I started reading them. They made my imagination soar and I could picture the smoggy, dreary London of the era. It made me read all I could about the history of the British Isles. I think it was the spark that lit the fire for me to want to be a writer. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a master and his detective had a huge impact on me. Who doesn't love the line, "the game's afoot."
I've been to the museum at 221B Baker Street and have had a pint or two at The Sherlock Holmes pub. Good times!
FACEBOOK? Is it Taking the Place of Real Faces?
Facebook has really affected families, I believe- both in a good way and a bad way. I know I’m more up to date on my far flung relatives than I ever have been. It’s nice to be able to jot them a quick note and see what’s up with them and their kids.
The downside, I think, is I sometimes see people who are either in the same house or across the street from each other posting to each other’s wall. That seems inane and isolating- Are we not talking to each other in real life in the same house or town?
Just a small vent. A week ago, I was attacked by a person for no reason in a series of vituperative emails. I’m not a grudge holder but I have vowed to steer clear of this person. Now it seems like I’m going to have to take a stronger stand than I intended. What I’m planning to do may cause some hurt feelings but I have to look out for myself. I refuse to be a victim of this person. I may be making an announcement here soon about what I’m thinking about doing- unless I change my mind.
I’m in a state of flux in my writing life. Not sure about this mystery I’m writing either. I think I need to get some perspective on a lot of areas of my life. Not sure how to go about it since I seem to be too busy for my own good. Wish that new horoscope thing would make me be less of a Capricorn. Alas, it is who I am and I can’t seem to turn off the type A thing and the urge to overachieve. Makes me cranky.
Just finished reading an advance reader copy of this book and I’ll be posting a review of it both on this blog and my alter-ego’s blog. I thought I’d share the beautiful book trailer with you all before I get the review done- whet your appetite so to speak. This book comes out in February from Desert Breeze Publishing http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/StoreFront.bok. The book is by Stephanie Burkhart. Enjoy the trailer!
I’ve been on stage in many capacities. I was a dancer for years. Ballet was my love but I was much better at jazz and tap since I’m not the most graceful person on the planet. I had delusions that I was as suave as any prima ballerina but I really was more of a “jazz hands” kind of girl than a lovely “en pointe” beauty (kind of like this photo here- doesn’t she look like she’d be better off in jazz? Note the bent legs and bad back posture).
I’ve also been on stage playing in an orchestra- violin.
Been on stage as Dorothy in a toga in a production of “The Wizard of Oz” in a competition- for a district wide Latin classes event- in high school- think, “There’s no place like Rome” and “Leones, et tigres, et Orsi, oh my.”
And lastly, as a lawyer speaking at seminars. So, I run the gamut here.
It’s awesome that I hate woot and squee!
I use awesome a lot. WAAAAYY too much, really. I need to stop all the awesomeness.
Ones I hate and never use: squee and woot- hate them- a lot!! They drive me over the edge every time I hear or read them.
Ramblings of a Writer 