Behind The Scenes Of Our Blog Header (Writer's Workshop)

This vlog is in response to Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop prompt: Tell us the story

behind the title of your blog. What is it? What inspired it? What other options did you consider? Are you happy with it? (I am very happy with it but forgot to mention that little fact in the video. My cats really cooperated nicely for me and were very patient. We tried four times to do this and I'm still not completely satisfied with it. I wanted to do it at the dining room table where I've been stacking the books, but the lighting wasn't good enough there.

Notice, you cannot make cats do anything.  You can only suggest, entice and wait patiently for them.

Check out our book giveaway of "I'm Outnumbered--One Mom's Lessons In The Lively Art Of Raising boys" to a mom (or gift for a mom)--winner to be announced May 1 so you have it in time for Mother's Day.

"Gone" by Lisa Gardner is Good!

Gone by Lisa Gardner is another suspense thriller that is fascinating. Rainie is the wife of a semi-retired FBI profiler (Quincy), a child advocate for 7-yr-old Dougie who has issues, and an alcoholic who is kidnapped on a stormy night from her car on a desolate road in Oregon seven days after her husband left her. It’s a race against the clock to find Rainie before it’s too late. The cops really have no leads and are at the mercy of the kidnapper who calls the shots. Quincy and his daughter, Kimberly—an FBI agent from Atlanta both become actively involved in the investigation. When Quincy overhears the kidnapper’s voice he is shocked as was I at who it was.

My favorite part of this book was Rainie fighting to figure out how to escape and protect Dougie. Dougie was a very interesting character who kept my interest. He provided an interesting facet of this novel. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a thrilling mystery.
(Karen's review)

Check out our book giveaway of "I'm Outnumbered--One Mom's Lessons In The Lively Art Of Raising boys" to a mom (or gift for a mom)--winner to be announced May 1 so you have it in time for Mother's Day.

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"The Maze Runner" by James Dashner Transports You To Another World! (UPDATED)

Karen was wowed by The Maze Runnter and wanted me to read it. It is about a bunch of young boys trapped in a maze. Why, they do not know. Thomas is the last boy to come in. I thought the action really picked up when Thomas figures out why they are in the maze and who put them there. I enjoyed it! It's a quick read with most of the real action in the last 70 pages or so. I wasn't "wowed" by it like Karen, but it is pretty good. Well worth you reading it!
(Gerard's review 4-26-11)

(Karen's review 4-1-11)
I just finished reading The Maze Runner by James Dashner and now can’t wait to read the next two books in this trilogy:  The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure.  I loved The Maze Runner!  Thomas, with memories of his life gone, is mysteriously transported to the Glade where only boys live.  The boys all have assigned jobs, the most prestigious of which is the maze runners who go out every day into the surrounding maze in search of a way out.  The boys have been there for two years and Thomas arrives with the ambition of being a maze runner and finding a way back.  Thomas is smart, kind, compassionate, courageous and likeable.  When a girl arrives just two days later, things start to change and the end is near! 

This teen science fiction novel is full of adventure, suspense, mystery but also interesting characters involving leadership, friendship and perseverance issues.  I liked the way the kids worked together to help each other.  It held my interest from the start.  It’s a far out story I found captivating and entertaining.  I would describe The Maze Runner as a cross between The Hunger Games (in that it takes place after a world catastrophe and kids are placed in a strange place and observed and manipulated by the creators) and Lord Of The Flies (in that the kids are on their own and have to run their own community).  If you like science fiction, adventure, mystery and stories about teens, I recommend this book!  It’s great!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help the people in Japan through Samaritan's Purse by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in April. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

Teaser Tuedays: "Ender's Game," "Live To Tell" and "Gone"

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should  Be Reading,. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just do the following

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on  that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!   You don’t  want  to  ruin the  book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR  Lists  if they  like your teaser. 

Karen's: (One teen science fiction and one suspense)

Science Fiction:

There's only one thing that will make them stop hating you. And that's being so good at what you do that they can't ignore you. I told them you were the best. Now you damn well better be.

Taken from p. 35 of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. (This was such a good book, I just had to take a teaser from it. Be sure to see our review of Ender's Game!

Suspense:

"According to the foster family, however, Dougie is making it all up because he's finally met his match in their 'tough love' parenting style.  I should add that Dougie already has a long history of theft, animal cruelty, and petty arson."
"How old?" 
"Dougie's seven."

Taken from p. 33 of Gone by Lisa Gardner.

Gerard's:

In your words, this type of crime generally has a singular approach. We now have two scenes where an entire family was eliminated using three separate methodologies, and the murder weapons were found inside the home.

From page 130 of Live To Tell by Lisa Gardner.  Click the link to read my review.  Karen will be reading this one too after Gone.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Check out our book giveaway of "I'm Outnumbered--One Mom's Lessons In The Lively Art Of Raising boys" to a mom (or gift for a mom)--winner to be announced May 1 so you have it in time for Mother's Day.

Lessons From The Easter Bunny

All I need to know I learned from the Easter Bunny!

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.

There's no such thing as too much candy.

All work and no play can make you a basket case.

A cute tail attracts a lot of attention.

Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.

Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.

Keep your paws off of other people

's jelly beans.

Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.

The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.

To show your true colors, you have to come out of the shell.

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.

May the joy of the season fill your heart.
AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

Happy Easter! Check out our book giveaway of "I'm Outnumbered--One Mom's Lessons In The Lively Art Of Raising boys" to a mom (or gift for a mom)--winner to be announced May 1 so you have it in time for Mother's Day.


You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.