Rosepoint Publishing

So Much Owed: An Irish World War 2 Story – Book Review

So Much Owed: An Irish World War 2 Story by Jean Grainger

Genre: Best Seller’s Rank #2 in Kindle eBooks, Literature & Fiction

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, LLC

Publication Date: December 1, 2013

So Much Owed – Great Cover

Early protagonist Dr. Richard Buckley survives The Great War, but as with present day PTSD, not without scars–visible or not. He has seen far more than he ever wanted and it still tears him up.

His wife, Edith, bears twins James and Juliet, the latter of whom is spirited enough for both she and her much more reticent twin, James. Dr. Buckley is sickened at heart, but tries to take his place in his beloved Dunderrig, (West Cork) Ireland to serve as physician. He has brought with him the French bride, Solange Allingham, widow of his best friend, with whom they’d shared a pack to care for the other’s family in the event of the death of the other. Continue reading “So Much Owed: An Irish World War 2 Story – Book Review”

Winter May Be More Attractive South of I80

Just over 30 years old, Interstate 80 runs across the United States from San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey, which is actually in the New York Metropolitan Area, according to Wikipedia. The interstate is the second longest in the US (after Interstate 90) at 2,899 miles. Started in 1956, it wasn’t actually completed until 1986!

From California, the highway progresses over the Sierra Nevada range, through the barren, windy desert and over the Rockies, where it finally drops into the plains. This time of year that means everything from more rain in California, blizzard conditions in the mountains, and treacherous driving and flying most everywhere else.

More than half the country is expected to receive a major wallop in the next week with three successive storms. Meanwhile, there has been a wild variety of temps along the I80 corridor demonstrating what an expansive, topographically diversified country in which we live.

Around here they can’t remember a recent winter with this little snow (18″), but they are expecting small amounts from these systems. Meanwhile, it was 75 degrees in Goodyear AZ today. ©2017 Virginia Williams

Cat in the Flock

BOOK TOUR REVIEW –

Title: Cat in the Flock by Lisa Brunette

Genre: Currently #4380 in Best Seller’s Rank for Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Supernatural

Publisher: Sky Harbor, LLC

Publication Date: July 2014

Cat in the Flock – Cover conveys ethereal quality

Born into a family of “dreamslippers” that skips every other generation, protagonist Cat McCormick is the lucky generation to receive “the gift.”

Part of the “Dreamslipper Series” by Lisa Brunette, “Cat in the Flock” introduces a sideways twist to the always fascinating study of psychic or mystic receivers. Still struggling with how she will come to terms with this unusual paradigm, the recent college graduate has had problems finding employment in St. Louis and accepts an offer from Granny Grace to join her in Seattle where she will be groomed to take over Granny Grace’s PI firm as she carefully mentors her granddaughter in controlled dreamslipping as well. Continue reading “Cat in the Flock”

Celebrate Another President’s Day–It’s Not Just Another Day Off Work

We are about to celebrate another President’s Day weekend, and with good reason: We’ve had some amazing presidents!

Most of these men issued forth a veritable number of memorable quotes. So it is here that I shall honor just a few:

George Washington-Born February 22, 1732-Died December 14, 1799

Actually, this quote was shortened–the full text was: “Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for ’tis better to be alone than in bad company.”

Thomas Jefferson-1743-1826

“When angry, count ten, before you speak; if very angry, a hundred.”

Abraham Lincoln-quote — **Excellent quote for today’s president–yes?**

Abraham Lincoln – 1809-1865

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt – 1882-1945 “The only thing to fear is, fear itself.”

Harry S. Truman-1884-1972

“I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.”

John F. Kennedy-1917-1963

Ronald Reagan-1911-2004

“The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave.”

Of course, there are the memorable quotes made by others regarding our presidents, such as the one from Ann Richards about George W. Bush:

“Poor George. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.”

And then, there is the one from William Taft that all authors and writers can take to heart: “Don’t write so that you can be understood, write so that you can’t be misunderstood.” Good one, Bill! Thanks to BrainyQuote.com for all the great photo pins! ©2017 Virginia Williams

Growth and Change Are Highly Overrated-a Review

Title: Growth and Change Are Highly Overrated by Tom Starita

Genre: Currently rated Best Sellers Rank #5022 in Kindle eBooks, Literature & Fiction, Humor & Satire, General Humor

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, LLC

Publication Date: December 2016

Growth and Change Are Highly Overrated – I did not like the cover; cannot read the author’s name

Protagonist Lucas James is a middle child and an over-the-top narcissist. His whole world revolves around his becoming a major musical god. Truth be told, he’ll tell you up front, his music, his songs, his next gig will always be #1 on his mind, in his thoughts, and his only real drive in life. Continue reading “Growth and Change Are Highly Overrated-a Review”

Not Your Grandma’s Library Anymore!

Lake Co Public Library-Merrillville — **Sunday Afternoon at the Lake County Public Library – Merrillville**

OMG, have you been to a library lately? What is this nonsense about reading being dead? Libraries are huge, newer, and offer SO many services these days; they are way beyond a normal repository for books. I’ve always enjoyed using libraries, but a quick trip to my local neighborhood depository discovered it’s no simple store of books anymore.

Beyond books of information and education–a storage of knowledge–libraries now have information specialists. Find the answer to any question–but not necessarily in books. Now the world wide web is at your service with internet access provided. Continue reading “Not Your Grandma’s Library Anymore!”

Let’s Go Audio-Books

Perhaps you are one of the folks out there who just love the kinesthetic feel of your books, and I’d agree with you–most of the time. (I love the feel of those books, too.) In the four years since we left Idaho, however, our print book library has taken a major hit. Indeed, we finally had to sift through even our old college books and decide whether we really needed to store or lug those poor things around–again. (We didn’t.)

In all the miles we shared on the road either in our car or the RV, one of the things we enjoyed most (after heart-to-heart conversations, of course) was to fill some of those open roads with borrowed audio books or those gleaned from a thrift store for a couple bucks. We listened to a wide variety of genres, and they were as exciting and remarkable for the distracted-free driver as the passenger. Continue reading “Let’s Go Audio-Books”

Stone Song-A Novel of the Life of Crazy Horse – Review

Title: Stone Song by Win Blevins

Genre: Currently Best Seller’s Rank #34 in Kindle Store, Literature & Fiction, Native American

Publisher: WordWorx

Publication Date: December, 2016

Stone Song

Amazon introduction: “Nominee for the Pulitzer and winner of the Spur Award, ‘Stone Song’ is the classic, and extraordinarily told, story of the Lakota Sioux mystic warrior, Crazy Horse. Of all the iconic figures of Native American history, Crazy Horse remains the most enigmatic. To this day he strides across American history as a man who lived—and died—on his own terms.” This is the 20th Century anniversary edition of a book originally published in 1995.

You don’t have to own a horse to get on this one for a wild ride in history. While “Stone Song” by Win Blevins combined a lot of fact with the fiction, it is to Blevins credit that you’d swear he was personally there to share the story (some 553 pages long), intimately involved in an individual so deeply spiritual that it governed his entire life to a tragic end.

Continue reading “Stone Song-A Novel of the Life of Crazy Horse – Review”