Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Sharing Books with Little Free Libraries: Columbia River Gorge, Part 2

Columbia River Gorge...been there and done that, but I don't mind doing it again. Donating books that is. With a short stack of my latest, Hanging Around for You, and some fresh corner bookmarks, I did the rounds. First stop was on the Washington side of things...

White Salmon, WA
SE Wyers Street

Then we crossed that crazy, narrow Hood River bridge to the Oregon side and made our way to the Rockford area, passing the beautiful Marchesi Vineyards and Winery to find this gem, "I brake for Little Free Libraries." A new one for me...

Hood River, OR - Inside
Alameda Road

Hood River, OR - Outside
Alameda Road
 
Hood River, OR
Montello Avenue

Afterward, we drove the winding stretch of I84 alongside the Columbia River rapids to the city of The Dalles. With two more books in hand, we chose to donate to these cute libraries: one by the high school and one made out of metal, holding the American flag.

The Dalles, OR
East 10th Street

The Dalles, OR
West Scenic Drive

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"When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy."~ Rumi

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Free eBook on Amazon...Today Only!

Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Today only on Amazon!

Free ebook alert! Hanging Around for You is available on Amazon today only, expiring at midnight. Grab a copy and enjoy a young adult romance with a side of gingerbread house, and I mean that literally.

See, the family had every intention of decorating the cookie ski chalet from my childhood cookbook, given to me in 1976 by my grandparents. Oh, how I used to love baking and cooking! I made this when I was a kid and wanted to recreate a similar experience for the holidays with my favorite peeps...

Cookie Ski Chalet, page 40
 
Earlier, we stirred up the dough, measured and cut the pieces, baked them, and then right before the frosting and decorating...well, all I can say is: FAIL.
 
2020 Gingerbread House...Yum!
 
Not a fail like last year when the dog climbed on the table and demolished our decorated houses made from a kit. No...a fail like we made the gingerbread from scratch. Big mistake! We were just too tempted to indulge. Nobody cared to play around with the candies and pretzels when molasses-flavored walls were under our noses. After a quick vote, we all agreed...let's eat!

So good...nom, nom, nom.

The moral of the story? Go eat a gingerbread house and read my book, Hanging Around for You.

Oh...and please support my writing by leaving an Amazon review! So very appreciated. :)

Merry Christmas, ya'll!
 

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"The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail." ~Anon
 

 

Monday, December 14, 2020

Sharing Books with Little Free Libraries: Lake Hills, Bellevue, WA


Books and Stuff

I've geared up for the giving season by making holiday-themed corner bookmarks, sorting through tree ornaments, and pulling together a book pile. It's the perfect time of year to donate to those cute Little Free Libraries. South Bellevue, here I come...

"Garden rules: Listen to the birds, feel the breeze, read a book, take a nap, sip a drink...relax."
SE 43rd Street

Dealing with Blue
"Popeye's Little Library of Eastgate"
149th Ave SE
 
"Robinswood Readery"
151st Ave SE
 
Lake Hills
158th Place SE

145th Avenue SE

 
147th Place NE
 

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

December 2020 Reading Challenge: Christmas Book Binge Reading

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we've no place to go...let it snow, let it snow, let it snow." ~ Dean Martin

The snow isn't piling up in my neck of the woods, but the books are...and just in time for this month's fourth annual holiday binge reading challenge. Some are corny, some are dull, but somewhere in that stack has to be a Christmas gem, I just know it.

The Snow Pile

Get ready -- brew the tea, don the slippers. 

Get set -- turn Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite Opus 71 down low and cuddle up with a blanket and a furry pet. In my case, two dogs. Nab a book off the pile and...

Go! 

Below is a mix of genres including children's picture books, middle grade, young adult, and romance. If the book made it on my good-read meter--meaning I'd recommend--then I made it bold and inserted a link. I'll be updating this list throughout December, so stay tuned while I dig out those Christmas gems for you.

"Man, it doesn't show signs of stoppin' and I brought me some corn for poppin'. The lights are turned way down low...let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" ~ Dean Martin

 

CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS

1.) Snow by Manya Stojic
2.) A Flower in the Snow by Tracey Corderoy & Sophie Allsopp
3.) Penguin and Pinecone by Salina Yoon
4.) Snow by Walter de la Mare
5.) Little Fox in the Snow by Jonathan London
6.) Millie in the Snow by Alexander Steffensmeier 
7.) A Whisper in the Snow by Kate Westerlund
8.) Toot & Puddle: Let it Snow by Holly Hobbie
9.) A Dot in the Snow by Corrinne Averiss & Fiona Woodcock

10.) Diamond in the Snow by Jonathan Emmett
11.) Samson in the Snow by Philip C. Stead
12.) Footprints in the Snow by Mei Matsuoka

 

13.) Iguanas in the Snow by Francisco X. Alarcon
14.) No Two Alike by Keith Baker

15.) William's Winter Nap by Linda Ashman
16.) Bear and Hare: Snow! by Emily Gravett
17.) Nanuk the Ice Bear by Jeanette Winter
18.) Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak
19.) Flora and the Penguin by Molly Idle
20.) Mice on Ice by Rebecca Emberley
21.) Imagine a Night by Sarah L. Thomson

22.) The 12 Sleighs of Christmas by Sherri Duskey Rinker
23.) Snowflakes Fall by Patricia McLachlan
24.) Millions of Snowflakes by Mary McKenna Siddals
25.) Santa Claus vs. the Easter Bunny by Fred Blunt
26.) Eloise at Christmastime by Kay Thompson
27.) Santa's Littlest Helper by Anu Stohner
28.) The Snow Angel by Christine Leeson
29.) On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
30.) The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson
31.) Penguin's Christmas Wish by Salina Yoon
32.) Waltz of the Snowflakes by Elly Mackay
33.) Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs
34.) Ninja Claus! by Arree Chung
35.) The Christmas Wish by Lori Evert

36.) Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins
37.) The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming
38.) Olive the Other Reindeer by J. Otto Seibold
39.) Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Yee

40.) The Winter Fox by Timothy Knapman
41.) The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
42.) Winter's Coming by Jan Thornhill
43.) The Winter Train by Susanna Isern
44.) Winter Woes by Marty Kelley

 45.) Little Red Sleigh by Erin Guendelsberger

  MIDDLE GRADE

46.) A Very Babymouse Christmas #15 by Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm
47.) The Sugar Mountain Snow Ball by Elizabeth Atkinson


YOUNG ADULT

48.) Snow in Love by Claire Ray 
49.) Snow in Love Anthology by Melissa De La Cruz... Five stars for "Snow and Mistletoe" by Katie West

50.) Home for Christmas by Daphne James Huff, Kayla Tirrell, and M.F. Lorson
51.) Snow: A Retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Tracy Lynn

 

ROMANCE

52.) Dear Santa: The Party by Mona Ingram
53.) Small Town Christmas by Magdalena Scott
54.) Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis
55.) Christmas in the City by L.J. Shen
56.) Christmas Magic by Beth Barany
57.) Baby, Let It Snow by Bevery Jenkins and Elaine Overton

 

2020 Christmas good-read meter = 8 book(s) to recommend, so far.

 

 
"I'm yeti for winter!" ~ TeeTurtle

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