Key of Light by Nora Roberts


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
OK, call me a book snob but I didn't expect to enjoy this Nora Roberts book as much as I did. When I thought "Nora Roberts," I thought romance fiction similar to the type I hadn't read since I was a teenager.

But this book was much more. Romance, folklore, the supernatural and a touch of suspense ...

Can't wait to read the next one in the series.

I apologize, Ms. Roberts.

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A Redbird Christmas: A Novel by Fannie Flagg


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A very sweet book and a good Christmas read. Merry Christmas.

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Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another great, great book by Adriana Trigiani.
One-third of the way through the book I was wondering how well I'd like this "young adult" novel, but thought I'd continue.
Thank goodness, that I did.
Trigiani fully develops each of her books' main characters, and the same is true with young Viola. She tells the story of a girl just entering teen-dom, moving away from home and her beloved New York, and growing up amongst three vastly different roomies.
Is Trigiani's portrayal of life in a dorm at a private boarding school correct? I can't tell you that, but I also don't think I would have enjoyed the book as much if they'd been back-biters.
Trigiani creates young women who we'd all like our daughters, nieces and granddaughters to be ... like us in that they wonder about boys, the first kiss, etc., but they won't let their gal pals or their drive for excellence take a backseat to boyfriends.
Hope to read more about Viola and hope she goes back to the boarding school, if only for a visit.

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"Read Your Life Backward" - UpWords - Week of Nov. 27 - Dec. 3

"Read Your Life Backward" - UpWords - Week of Nov. 27 - Dec. 3

Jackie Smith: My Life After 'Charlie's...

Jackie Smith: My Life After 'Charlie's...

Photo courtesy of The Oak Ridger/Scott Fraker


MEMORABLE NEWS STORIES

I thought I'd start including links to some of the memorable news stories I've done in the past, at least the ones I think people who live outside our county might find memorable.
The first one? A story with Lisa Ling months prior to her sister's capture and the release by the North Koreans.
'It's Time to Take the Initiative'

SPIKE LEE

‘Find out what makes you happy’ - Oak Ridge, TN - The Oak Ridger

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Leslie Haskin: Trusting God in a Post-9/11 World

Leslie Haskin: Trusting God in a Post-9/11 World

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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a lovely book, much like an old classic. One friend described it as a "modern-day 'Jane Eyre.'" I think it more like a 1940s-era "Wuthering Heights," written or edited by Jane Austen with a heroine pulled back in time from 2009.
Whatever it is, it's great.
Written in the form of letters, it tells the story of a writer .... I'll go no further.
I was educated to the history of the German occupation in the Guernsey Island. I was taught about these Channel Islands off the coast of England.
And I was reminded of what a good book is all about.

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Daily Express | Showbiz :: The curse of Charle's Angels

Daily Express | Showbiz :: The curse of Charle's Angels

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Visit Web site to help Oak Ridge Animal Shelter - Oak Ridge, TN - The Oak Ridger

Visit Web site to help Oak Ridge Animal Shelter - Oak Ridge, TN - The Oak Ridger

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Lake City celebrates 100 years - Oak Ridge, TN - The Oak Ridger

Lake City celebrates 100 years - Oak Ridge, TN - The Oak Ridger

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ADVENTURECON
Spent a few hours Friday and Saturday at AdventureCon in Knoxville. Got autographs, photos made, and spoke briefly with actor William Katt of "Greatest American Hero," "Carrie," and the newer episodes of "Perry Mason," and Margot Kidder aka as "Lois Lane" of "Superman" fame -- "Superman" being the now deceased actor, Christopher Reeve.

Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Adriana Trigiani's Big Stone Gap stories are my favorite, but this is a strong second. I loved it. I feel like I've taken a vacation to Italy myself, enjoyed an international romance, and learned the fine-art of custom shoemaking -- and living and surviving an Italian family.

My only gripe -- I would have changed the ending slightly. But it's not my book, is it?


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A WOMAN TO ADMIRE ...
Love this excerpt from the June 2009 issue of Oprah. It's an interview she does with Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former presidential candidate John Edwards. Elizabeth has a new book out, Resilience, in which she talks about, among other things, finding out about Edwards' affair. The Edwardses lost their teen-age son before they came into the public eye for most of us. Elizabeth also has terminal cancer. Anyway, here's the part of the interview, I love ...

OPRAH: In your book, you say, "Death looks different to someone who has placed a child in the ground."
ELIZABETH: It's not as frightening. If thee's an ever after -- please, please, please -- I would be leaving part of my family, but I can go and join another part, and wait for that day when we're all together again....

I fully agree.

Kirk Cameron at Women of Joy Conference

Friend Ellen interviewed Kirk before his talk the first night of the conference. Read her story.

HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS ...

Registration opens today for next year's Women of Joy conference in Sevierville. Announced guests include author Karen Kingsbury, speaker Kay Arthur and .... MICHAEL W. SMITH & STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN!! Tickets go fast.

WISDOM ON A WALL
Spied for the second time an inspirational message on a plaque that I'm touched by and need to try to remember:

Grief looks down;
Worry looks around;
Faith looks up.

9,000 WOMEN OF JOY

I've just returned from the Women of Joy Conference in Sevierville, Tenn. I had a really good time and feel that God was speaking to me through one speaker, Carol Kent.
Will write more in later posts, but until then I'll wet your reading whistle via a preview story from The Mountain Press in Sevierville, written by my friend Ellen. Enjoy.

When 9,000 females visit the Smoky Mountains this weekend for the Women of Joy Conference, the city of Sevierville will be ready. ...

CHANGE

Just a note that I've removed the News of Interest I'd included for this site. It was powered by Google and using my keywords it was supposed to include news containing "Jesus," "Christianity," and few other related words.

Well, today I visited my blog and didn't approve of the "news" on the top link. I'm not censoring the discussion, but if anybody wants to talk about the subjects it was touting let them go there from a site other than mine.