31 Day Blog Writing Challenge 2019

December 1, 2019

I’ve signed up to join the Writing Challenge by Muppin.com. I am going to give it a try and blog for 31 straight days in order to get into the habit of writing more often. I will be using the hashtag #31dayblogchallenge2019 on social media. I had the pleasure of meeting Cheryl Sleboda who did a presentation at both of my Quilt Guilds. Cheryl is amazing and I was so excited, I may have embarrassed myself. 

There are some suggested prompts and I may or may not use them.  

In addition to quilting, I read and review books for authors, agents, publishers,  and for fun! I publish my reviews on this Blog, Goodreads and in various FB Groups. I am also a member of an online FB Book Club/ Swap, the  The Whimsical Wings. (a subgroup of the Book Hive Book Club) My current book to read for the month of December is the idea of you by robinne lee. More on the book later in the month.

I am a member of two Quilt Guilds which meet monthly and are an amazing group of quilters!

Brandywine Valley Quilt Guild meets the second Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 pm.
Calico Cutters Quilt Guild meets the second Wednesday each month from 9:30 - noon. 

Both Guilds are very active in charitable and educational activities. 

The activity that really warms my heart is sewing with the children at Children's Hospital and Shriner's Hospital in Philadelphia. I volunteer for a nonprofit organization, Case for Smiles

Whew! Day 1 is done, stay tuned!

 Follow me on IG at kathy.nester


#31dayblogwritingchallenge2019 

The Boy With Blue Trousers

The Boy With Blue Trousers by Carol Jones. Head of Zeus, 2019. 432 pages. ****

It's 1856, on the Pearl River Delta in China, and Little Cat is tired of picking leaves for the ungrateful silk worms. She'd rather be "trading punches with her brother, listening to gossip in the girls' house or daydreaming under the nammu trees." Each member of her family has a role to play and a job to do to keep the family silk business and the family fed. Little Cat and her twin Second Brother were friends with Young Wu, the son of the wealthy landowner, who held their future in his hands. Second Brother decides the only way to acquire more land for his family is to travel to New Gold Mountain in Australia and prospect for gold. Much to the chagrin of Little Cat, Second Brother gains the support of the Mo elders who guarantee money for his passage. Little Cat finds herself in the position of having to flee her hometown and pleads with Second Brother to take her with him.

It's 1856, in Robetown, South Australia, and Violet Hartley is governess to the children of a wealthy family. Violet has fled from her home to South Australia under questionable circumstances. She's young, beautiful, and on the lookout for a wealthy husband. When one of the children in her charge dies and she is dismissed from her position without references or money, she begs to accompany two hundred Celestials on a perilous journey to the goldfields.

Carol Jones has written an historical fiction novel about the hardships of survival in the mid 1850s in China and South Australia. Women were at the mercy of the men in their family and marriages were arranged more for acquiring wealth and stability than for love. Little Cat and Violet's paths cross on their journey to the goldfields and their lives will never be the same. I thoroughly enjoyed this harrowing tale and look forward to more from Jones.

Discussion questions available https://caroljonesauthor.com

I received an ecopy for a review and to participate in a blog tour.

Carol Jones was born in Brisbane, Australia, but has lived most of her life in Melbourne. She has taught English and Drama in secondary schools before working as an editor of children's magazines. Jones has been a full-time author since 1999. The Concubine's Child is her first novel for adults.

#historicalfiction #theboywithbluetrousers @caroljonesauthor

The Book Charmer

The Book Charmer (Dove Pond Series, Book 1) by Karen Hawkins. New York: Gallery Books, 2019. 344 pages. ****

Sarah Dove, the librarian in the southern town of Dove Pond, North Carolina, and talks to books and they talk to her. The Dove girls all have special gifts and Sarah's is to place every book in the hands of the perfect reader. Sometimes, before the reader wants or needs the book. Sarah is the seventh Dove daughter and history has proven that when this happens, good things come to Dove Pond. The town has become depressed since many businesses have moved out and taken jobs with them. When the books start whispering that something out of the ordinary is happening, Sarah starts looking for signs and is hopeful when the flowers in the town square change color. After the death of her sister Grace Wheeler moves in with her niece and aging foster mother and Sarah is convinced that Grace is the one to save the town. Grace, however, tells anyone who will listen that she is there for one year and moving on as soon as Mama G's memory improves.

As a retired librarian, I was drawn right into this book. Talking books? Absolutely! From the very beginning, I can picture this story as a Hallmark movie. Grace asks Sarah, "You don't really believe in ghosts, do you?" Sarah replies that she believes in "possibilities." That's what this book is all about---possibilities!! Dove Pond could be any small town, anywhere. Grace is disconnected from life and Sarah is hyper connected to her small town living. This is a poignant story about love, acceptance, and the need for friends. I received it as one of the Whimsical Wing Book Club Books and I am so glad that I did. I look forward to the next book in this series.

From Karen's bio on her webpage... New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Karen Hawkins is known for her wonderfully humorous and emotion-tugging historical and contemporary romances. The author of over 30 novels, Karen writes for a living between shopping for shoes, playing around on Facebook and Pinterest, looking for fun items for Hawkins Manor, and napping, although usually not at the same time. Sometimes, for fun, she takes Instagram pictures of her two rescue dogs, Sadie and Teke, and posts them online.

Yeah, she's a wild one.

Karen lives in snowy Massachusetts, with her husband, aka Hot Cop, and her two dogs. Her children are both out of college and have become productive, non-violent members of society. Karen writes six to eight hours a day when not obsessively reading research books on Regency-era Scotland, snacking on chocolate, or looking out the windows of her house and thinking about gardening. Her hobbies include sculpting, oil painting, playing badminton, and -- ok, ok, she doesn't have any hobbies, but if she did, she's sure they'd be something refined and fascinating.

For a list of the other books read so far, visit Whimsical Wings Book Club


#thebookcharmer #whimsicalwingsbookclub #beehivebookclub

2019 Monthly Color Challenge - November

November - Black Eyed Susan (Yellow)

This month's pattern is available at Patterns by Jen 

I don't have many choices with this month's color. This combination seems to have to have a lot of gold in it. 

 

I love how the polka dots pop!

Pip reminded me that "it's always sunny in Nona's world" so this block is one of her favorite's!

Checkout this month's bloggers:

Patterns By Jen

Kathy's Kwilts and more

Tuning My heart Quilts

The Quilted Diary

Everyone Deserves a Quilt

#2019MonthlyColorChallenge #novemberblock #blackeyedsusanblock

The Museum of Desire

The Museum of Desire by Jonathon Kellerman. (An Alex Delaware Novel) New Yoek: Ballantine Books, 2020. 303 pages. ****

LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis and psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware team up to solve murders all the time, but this latest crime baffles them. Seemingly unrelated bodies posed in a stretch limo outside of a deserted mansion challenges them on a whole new level. The unoccupied mansion is rented out for parties and the limo is discovered in the morning when the cleaner shows up to clear it of debris from the latest underage party.

This latest psychological thriller is fantastic and captivating. I have always enjoyed this duo and this one doesn't disappoint. The plot is complicated, yet weaves together brilliantly! Each victim has his/her own story to tell and it adds up to the horrific revenge inflicted on each of them. Somewhat formalic in the actions of the main characters, (they do have a predictable part to play after all) there is nothing predictable in the story line. Kellerman's books may be read independently, however, once you read one Sturgis and Delaware book, you will want to read them all.

Jonathan Kellerman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than forty crime novels, including the Alex Delaware series, The Butcher's Theater, Billy Straight, The Conspiracy Club, Twisted, True Detectives, and The Murderer's Daughter. With his wife, bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman, he co-authored Double Homicide and Capital Crimes. With his son, bestselling novelist Jesse Kellerman, he co-authored A Measure of Darkness, Crime Scene, The Golem of Hollywood, and The Golem of Paris. He is also the author of two children's books and numerous nonfiction works, including Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children and With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars. He has won the Goldwyn, Edgar, and Anthony awards and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association, and has been nominated for a Shamus Award. Jonathan and Faye Kellerman live in California and New Mexico. For more information jonathonkellerman.com

#themuseumofdesire #psychologicalmystery #psychologicalthriller

Holy Envy

Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others by Barbara Brown Taylor. New York: Harper One, 2019. 238 pages. **** Study Guide can be downloaded.

From the author "It’s called Holy Envy after Krister Stendahl, whose third rule for understanding between people of different religions was “Leave room for holy envy.” The book started out as a classroom memoir, focusing on the teaching of Religion 101 (Religions of the World) at a small liberal arts college in rural Northeast Georgia.  By the time I finished it, the story was also about how teaching the class challenged and deepened my own faith. I hope it is a book that readers of any or no religious identity can enjoy, but I had Christians in mind when I wrote it—because holy envy is a difficult concept for people who have been taught there is only one way to God. Wrestling with that teaching—and others like it—is what this book is about."

This is not a book that I would have chosen on my own. I received it as part of a Facebook Book Club, The Book Hive Book Club. It was a fascinating read in the sense that it differs from other religious material that I have read. Reading about some of the tenets and customs from the religions and the students reactions to them was enlightening. An aside--I had this book with me at the dentist's office and the xray technician was very disapproving. She is a Christian and seemed to think that it is sinful and hurtful to read a book about other religions. "Jesus is the one true savior." I listened respectfully, but I kept an eye on the book, I was afraid she was going to pitch it in the trash can. I am intrigued by the concept of "Holy Envy." and questioned my own beliefs and do I have envy of other religions? Raised Catholic, I have my seemingly questionable actions...lighting candles, asking for three wishes when entering a new church, The Sign of the Cross, blessing myself with Holy Water, novenas, and praying the rosary. Yet, these same actions are comforting and rooted in my childhood Catholic school education. My relationship with God has not changed, just my outward actions of going to confession and Mass has changed. One of my friends is reading it as part of her Women's Group at her Church.This book has broadened my understanding of the religions mentioned and I definitely recommend it. 

Barbara Brown Taylor is a best-selling author, teacher, and Episcopal priest.  Her first memoir, Leaving Church, won an Author of the Year award from the Georgia Writers Association in 2006.  Her next two books, An Altar in the World (2010) and Learning to Walk in the Dark (2015), earned places on the New York Times bestseller list.  She has served on the faculties of Piedmont College, Columbia Theological Seminary, Candler School of Theology at Emory University, McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University, and the Certificate in Theological Studies program at Arrendale State Prison for Women in Alto, Georgia.  In 2014 TIME included her on its annual list of Most Influential People; in 2015 she was named Georgia Woman of the Year; in 2016 she received the President’s Medal at the Chautauqua Institution in New York.  For more information https://barbarabrowntaylor.com

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson. IL: Sourcebooks Landmark, 2019. 308 pages. **** Reading Group Guide, Conversation with the Author.

Cussy Mary Carter is a strong independent woman who thanks to Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project works as a traveling librarian. Delivering books from the back of her stubborn, feisty, mule Junia, Cussy provides us a glimpse into a world of poverty, hunger, prejudice, and a people with an eagerness to learn. The only child of a hard-working coal miner, she is determined to stay single and to provide for herself. Her father suffering from a lung disease from working in the mines is equally determined to find her a husband to care for her when he is gone. It's the 1930s and medicine, money, and food are scarce, but the residents of Troublesome Creek look out for their own unless they are people of color. Cussy is the last of her people her skin a light blue, caused by Methemoglobinemia. Many are suspicious of her kind and prejudices run deep causing Cussy to take dangerous risks to deliver the books and find love and friendship along her route.

Richardson has skillfully woven the story of the traveling librarians together with the true blue-skinned-people of Kentucky. I was mesmerized by the life of the characters and stopped midbook to research. Richardson has provided black and white images from the Project, which adds to the story. As a retired librarian, I may be biased in my enthusiasm for her characterization of Cussy. Traveling on horses to deliver books has always seemed adventurous, but the reality of the suffering, hardships, and dangers experienced by the librarians is all too clear in this story. A woman of color traveling alone is an easy target for misguided religious men who are outraged by her mission and the subject of some of the books. I definitely recommend this book even though at times it was a difficult read. The hardships are intense and real. Add it to your "To Be Read" list but carve out some time to be totally absorbed by the story. 

To read more about Methemoglobinemia:

https://www.healthline.com/health/methemoglobinemia#acquired-methemoglobinemia:

Images of the Blue skinned people of Kentucky

Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack_Horse_Library_Project

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/horse-riding-librarians-were-great-depression-bookmobiles-180963786/

Kim Michele Richardson lives in Kentucky and resides part-time in western North Carolina. She is an advocate for the prevention of child abuse and domestic violence and has partnered with the Navy globally to bring awareness and education to te prevention of domestic violence. She is the author of the best-selling memoir The Unbreakable Child and is the founder of the tiny home Shy Rabbit, a writer/artists scholarship residency. Her novels include Liar's Bench, GodPretty in the Tobacco Field and the Sisiters of Glass Ferry.

#thebookwomanoftroublesomecreek #historicalfiction