Yay, I did it! I managed to record three videos in one day. So if care to squeeze me into your streaming schedule for the day, I got a little someth’n for ya!
Here I am Counting My Blessings.
Here I am talking about what I read in the month of March.
And, as usual, if you’d like to read or watch the book reviews of everything I read in March, be sure to visit my Lit Carnivale blog.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords
Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.
Optional Monthly Question: If you could pick one place in the world to sit and write your next story, where would it be and why?
It’s not so much where in the world would I write, but how much time do I have to write? Wherever I am, if I could clear my schedule and just write and breathe fresh air, I’d need about a month. But, for the sake of this question, I’d like to spend a month either on a temperate island or a temperate forest, in the Fall or Spring.
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Newsletter Member Spotlight.
Congratulations to Cathrina Constantin on her September spotlight. She’s also a co-host this month.
Today is the last day for IWSG Anthology submissions.
Our August/September book is Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice by Betsy Lerner. Discussion Fun Day will be September 25, 2019. Until then, enjoy this freebie created by one of our book club moderators, Juneta Key: Story Study Checklist Click on the link to open and then save the PDF to your computer. Join Us.
WEP-IWSG
I didn’t submit this time around, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the stories. If you have the time before the submission date, please check these storiesout. The next sign up begins October 1.
Today I’m sharing a book review.
Micah dreams of someday being a famous explorer who discovers hidden treasure all around the world. But there’s one major problem: he’s afraid of the Unknown.
One day he discovers a mysterious door that reads “Treasure Inside!” He reluctantly opens the door and is whisked away to a strange new land. Once there, he learns of a lost treasure that is his and his alone — but first, he must make his way through the Unknown.
Join Micah as he travels into the Unknown and learns that what you find isn’t always what you’re looking for… sometimes it’s even better.
My 5-star review:
A little boy afraid of the unknown is willing to risk it all to go in search of treasure and finds the greatest treasure of all. The story begins and ends at the boy’s home, but the places he travels in between are quite an adventure.
This is such a cute and impactful book. It seems simple, at first, but upon a second reading, all the layers are revealed. The illustration is calming and inviting, with colors that aren’t too bright but still warm and comforting. The characters are wonderous and cuddly. I love the facial expressions of the main character.
The message is astounding. Aside from the overall lesson being taught, there are several other messages to discover when reading between the lines, and they are all good. I can’t wait to share it with my students.
Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Now, on to the personal updates.
So, my day job is good. Even when it’s not good, it’s still 10 times better than my last job. I really like what I’m doing. But, as much as I like what I’m doing, I still have other goals, dreams, and interests to pursue. My current challenge is just finding the time to pursue it all.
Margie the Scaredydog is getting older, but she’s more well-adjusted than she’s ever been. Still, she struggles with anxiety. Considering she’s a rescue who’s scared of her own shadow, I feel confident and proud that my husband and I have given Margie a good life. She now sits for treats, plays with us when there’s food around, and runs to us (instead of away from us) when she’s scared…Unless there’s thunder, to which she wraps herself around one of my old skirts that now belongs to her. I do feel bad that I haven’t illustrated the stories I’ve written about her or tried to publish them. I’m sure I’ll get to it one day.
I’ve been reading a lot and have been trying new or less preferred genres to expand my horizons. I recently read a contemporary book by an author I already adore, but never picked up this title before. I haven’t written my review yet, but FYI- Better Than Perfect by Tricia Drammeh is a wonderful 5-star read.
Lastly, I’ve been writing a lot. I mean, a lot, but I haven’t finished anything. I’d like to start sending out some of my short stories for critique and perhaps publish an anthology, but who knows when that will happen.
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So, if you could, where would you go to write your next story?
Thanks for stopping by.
It may take some time, but I will stop by your blog too.
Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.
For those who don’t know, I’m still in recovery, so this will be a little different than my usual IWSG post.
Optional Monthly Question: What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?
For the first time, I’m skipping the optional question, though it is a pretty good one.
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Today I’m sharing a book review and a spotlight.
Goodreads
What would you do if your hubby signed the two of you up for an extreme diet?
Life without chocolate and junk food—completely miserable. Finding someone poisoned by a cake—even worse.
Mollie thought she had enough problems to deal with when her husband threw out all of her chocolate and junk food. But when someone is poisoned during a cake baking competition, she’s thrust into another murder investigation.
While she tries to identify the killer, Coconut Cove’s annual boating festival is in full swing. In between getting ready for her first sailing race and cheating on her diet, Mollie and her cat, Mrs. Moto, uncover clues, interview suspects, and do their best to avoid rutabagas.
Can Mollie nab the murderer before someone else is poisoned?
Poisoned by the Pier is the third book in the light, humorous, and original Mollie McGhie cozy sailing mystery series. If you like kooky characters, adorable cats, and plenty of chocolate, you’ll love this cozy mystery. Buy Poisoned by the Pier today and laugh out loud from the first page to the last.
Spoiler Alert: You’ll never look at rutabagas the same way again after you finish reading this book!
Poisoned by the Pier can be read as a standalone book, but you’ll have more fun if you start at the beginning of the series with Murder at the Marina.
Book #1—Murder at the Marina
Book #2—Bodies in the Boatyard
Book #3—Poisoned by the Pier
Book #4—Dead in the Dinghy (late 2019)
My 4-star review: “Actual rating 4.5
This is the third book in this series, but it’s the first one I’ve read. I will definitely go back to read the first two in the series. This was such a fun and cute story, despite the murder.
I haven’t read a lot of cozy mysteries, but if they are all like this, I could definitely read more.
Even though this is the third in this series, I did not feel lost in the plot or disassociated from the characters. Plus, there are pets in this story and I adore animals. If it weren’t for my allergies I’m sure I’d be more of a cat person than I am, but even so, Mrs. Moto stole the show more than once. Just so cute.
My only concerns about this lovely read are: 1) the mystery didn’t begin until almost a quarter of the way through the book. Leading up to the mystery there was some great character development and world-building, but I was beginning to worry I was reading a contemporary and not a mystery. 2) the way the mystery was solved was clever but it seemed a little too easy. Still, it was satisfying. I mean, this is a cozy mystery, not a suspense thriller.
This was a truly fun read. I look forward to reading more from this author and in this series. Highly recommended to fans of cozy mysteries, humorous fiction, and character-driven stories.
Disclaimer: I read a digital ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review. This review is solely based on my reading experience and personal opinion.”
Get your copy of this fun read at the links below:
Ellen Jacobson is one of our lovely co-hosts this month. Be sure to give her a visit.
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Now, on to the personal updates.
I have been very sick for a long time. I’m getting better every day, but it’s been a rough road. I have many things I want to do, but I have to put my health first or I won’t be around to do anything.
Posting my review for Poisoned by the Pier and putting this post together are the most writing I’ve done in a long time (plus, I have so many other reviews that need to be written). I’ve even been struggling to read, which regretfully explains why I haven’t responded to comments on this blog and am still working my way through the WEP submissions for June. I got an email letting me know I won one of the awards. I’m so thrilled and appreciative of what this writing challenge has helped me accomplish. Even though the contest is over, I will still make an effort to finish reading the submitted stories, the topic was so varied and compelling.
I’m trying to get back to full capacity at my day job because I need the money, but it too is a slow process. For that reason, I’m asking for thoughts and prayers. Not just for me, but for any of us trying to do the things we love and live our lives, while also dealing with unexpected and or challenging illnesses.
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Thanks for stopping by. It may take some time, but I will stop by your blog too.
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Margie the Scaredydog is getting older, but she’s more well-adjusted than she’s ever been. Still, she struggles with anxiety. Considering she’s a rescue who’s scared of her own shadow, I feel confident and proud that my husband and I have given Margie a good life. She now sits for treats, plays with us when there’s food around, and runs to us (instead of away from us) when she’s scared…Unless there’s thunder, to which she wraps herself around one of my old skirts that now belongs to her. I do feel bad that I haven’t illustrated the stories I’ve written about her or tried to publish them. I’m sure I’ll get to it one day.
