Sweet and Simple Story about Christmas

A Christmas Prayer by Amy Parker tells the true meaning of Christmas. It’s well done with the child thanking God for each person and animal in the Nativity – Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, of course, but even the donkey, the star, the manger and the shepherds. The book is beautifully illustrated and perfect for a young child. This is a book that can be read on Christmas Eve and any other day of the year. It reminds us all of the spirit of Christmas and all of our blessings.

Amy Parker has written a simple but quite effective story for any child and parent to enjoy.

Don't Waste Your Time

The Falling Away by T.L. Hiines is a difficult book to read. Dylan Runs Ahead, a Native American, is addicted to prescription drugs. His white friend Webb is addicted to alcohol. They are involved in a drug deal where two men are murdered. But Quinn, a homeless woman who turns out to be one of the Chosen, is out to save Dylan (also Chosen). In the meantime, she kills a state trooper. Bizarre? It gets better (or in my opinion, much worse). Throw in a cult whose leader takes over people’s bodies and minds.

The storyline is rather disjointed and it takes awhile to figure out who’s wearing the white hats and who’s wearing the black hats. But once you think you’ve figured out who the good guys are, the story takes another bizarre twist. It’s basically confusing right to the last page, where the story ends rather abruptly.

Now maybe this storyline just isn’t to my liking. So go ahead and give it a shot. But even if you love suspenseful stories with a good deal of violence there are other well written books out there. This one is totally disjointed and confusing to read. My opinion – don’t waste your time on The Falling Away.

Let's Do Lunch!!!

Well, I’m always ready to do lunch - maybe that’s why I’ve been overweight for years. I’ve been on many diets and always have a problem sticking to the diet after a couple of weeks. No, I don’t need to lose 230 pounds like Roger Troy Wilson did, but maybe his book can help me lose that last 10 pounds! So I picked up a copy of his book, Let’s Do Lunch.

I’ve never heard of a diet quite like Wilson’s but I certainly see how it can work. Eat fruit, fruit and more fruit to take away the urge to satisfy your sweet tooth. I think that could work for me. Then he suggests lunch should be your main meal and contain all your protein for the day. I agree that’s a healthier way to eat. But could I do it? Maybe some days but my schedule just wouldn’t allow me to do it on a daily basis. But Mr. Wilson has an answer for that too. There are ways of “doing lunch” at dinner if that’s necessary for your particular schedule.

It all started with frozen grapes! You laugh but I’ve actually been eating frozen grapes as a snack for years. They’re delicious! But I never thought of them as a means to losing weight. Mr. Wilson created an entire diet that began with a simple plate of frozen grapes.

Other than eating lots of fruit for breakfast and dinner and having your protein at lunch, this is basically a diet that eliminates sugar and flour. Also, he suggests eating corn and beans (with the help of Beano for those who may need it), which will take away the urge to eat the fattening white foods – bread, potatoes, rice and pasta.

Let’s Do Lunch includes many delicious recipes and two weeks’ worth of suggested menus. Mr. Wilson also claims there’s no need to exercise while dieting. This is probably where I disagree with him, but it’s his story that’s a success – not mine. So give it a try – with or without the exercise.

I think I’ll give it a try to see if I can lose those last ten pounds – maybe with some exercise. See you! I’m off to stock up on lots of bananas, grapes, peaches and plums. Yummy!

Let the Great World Spin

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann is a series of short stories that come together in the end. The stories are about individuals living in New York City during the famous tight-walking episode in 1974. Each tale tells what people were doing while a man was doing interesting antics on a tight walk extended between the World Trade Center towers.

The individuals or group of people are from different walks of life – very different. From priest to prostitutes to poor Blacks to high society, each had his or her own story to tell. Their lives, amazingly, all overlap. However, the actual telling of the stories seemed a bit disjointed. This made the book less enjoyable to read as I would have liked.

Each entity is well written but the coincidence of how all touch each other is a bit coerced. Getting beyond that, it is interesting how McCann brings it all together in the end. Again, a bit coerced but doable. Although the tight-walking episode is fact, the rest of the book is fiction.

Let the Great World Spin would make a good book for a book group discussion – a where-were-you-when type of discussion.

William F. Buckley, by Jeremy Lott

Jeremy Lott’s William F. Buckley is a short book about the man’s life, beliefs, and endeavors. Buckley lived through and influenced many of the major events of the 20th Century. Although Buckley is far too conservative for my tastes, I must admit the book is well written. Lott did a good job of showing why Buckley did what he did, supported who he supported, and believed what he believed. It’s an easy book to read and quite interesting. Just not my taste. Based on my personal feelings, I must give it a lower rating but a more conservation person may think it’s a 5-star book.

Although fairly well written, it definitely comes from a biased point of view. I feel nonfiction should always be unbiased. But if you’re a Buckley lover, you’ll enjoy Lott’s William F. Buckley.

Interview with Zetta and Mitchell Hupf

I had the double pleasure of interviewing Zetta Hupf and her son and co-author Mitchell. Zetta and I became friends through her blog, The Book Cubby. She has interviewed me in the past and I’m excited she agreed to an interview herself along with her very talented son.

Zetta and Mitchell are co-authors of several children’s books including Alex Fox Moves to Town, Max and Daisy’s Adventure to the Big Woods, Henry Goes to the Park, and Detective Buddy and the Case of the Missing Football. Her books are available on Amazon.com and through her website.

But enough about that. On to our interview.

BJS: Tell me a little about yourself.

Zetta: I am originally from a small town called Thomas, WV and now live in Wisconsin. I joined the army straight out of high school. and met my husband, Chris, while serving. We have a 12-year-old son, Mitchell, who is the co-author of our children’s books. I am a huge dog/animal lover. I guess that’s why our characters are mostly animals.

Mitchell: I’m 12 years old and love the outdoors. I enjoy hunting, fishing, football, riding ATVs and most anything to do with wildlife.

BJS: What is your latest published work?

Zetta: Detective Buddy and the Case of the Missing Football.

BJS: Why did you write this book?

Zetta: We had recently adopted our dog Buddy from the Humane Society and loved watching him try to sniff around and find things.

Mitchell: He reminded us of a detective trying to find his clues. So he soon became Detective Buddy!

BJS: Where do you get your ideas?

Zetta: We like to get our ideas from everyday life. Things that we like to talk about and things that we think other children will enjoy reading about. Or playing out the scenes after reading the story.

BJS: What are you working on right now?

Zetta: We have two stories in the works right now.

Mitchell: The first is: My Dad is a Soldier, Yes, He Is. It’s a story of a little child missing his dad who has gone off to war.

Zetta: Our second is The Hunt For Underwater Treasure. It’s a story about Tony Turtle, a young turtle who has heard many stories about a treasure lost at sea. Tony sets out to find it.

BJS: Do you use a set process when you write such as outlining, or do you just sit and type?

Zetta: We usually create drawings while watching a movie or by playing our travel game. One makes a squiggle and the other has to create something out of it. Once we have a character drawn that we really like, then we’ll sit together and write in a notebook the type of story we could see that character in. We really feed our ideas off of one another.

BJS: What do you like the most about writing?

Mitchell: We really like seeing the story take shape and can’t wait to see the completion. It’s truly amazing to see the story bring the characters to life.

BJS: Who is your favorite author and why?

Zetta: Jane Austen-Her stories are so pure and truly amazing for her time.

Mitchell: S.E. Hinton (The Outsiders), J.K. Rowlings (the Harry Potter Series) and Gary Paulsen (Brian Saga)

BJS: Do you have any advice for other new or wannabe authors?

Zetta: Stay true to yourself. Always write about things that you believe in. Try writing with a child, it is amazing. You will get wonderful ideas from a kid’s point of view, not to mention how much fun it is to create together.

Mitchell: And never give up.

BJS: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Zetta: You can find out more about us and our stories by visiting us on our website.

BJS: Thank you so much for taking the time for this interview.

Get the Tissues Ready

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore is a well-written true story about two men from two totally different backgrounds. Ron is a white Texan who makes a very good living as an art dealer. He and his wife Deborah live the good life but also want to do the Christian thing in helping others. Denver is a black man who grows up poor as a “free” version of a slave. He makes what little money is to be had by picking cotton for “The Man,” but he never manages to get out of debt. He finally decides to hop a train and leave Louisiana for good. He ends up in Texas but lives on the streets until he finally meets up with the Halls.

Denver is not a nice man as he has to live tough to survive. Ron wants to look good but his heart isn’t necessarily where Deborah’s is. They work at a homeless mission where all three lives finally cross. It’s not happy ever after from there though. It’s a struggle to befriend Denver. And it’s tough for Ron to completely open his heart. But Deborah manages to handle both men and eventually a true friendship develops.

The story is told by each man from his own point of view. It’s well done, except for some redundancy in their stories. That’s the only part of the book I didn’t care for as I felt they were telling me the same thing over and over again. But no one can read this book without being touched. And no one will be able to read it without a lot of tissues.

Deborah, or Miss Debbie as Denver refers to her, is the woman who pulls the men together. This is a story of this remarkable woman told by two remarkable men. Same Kind of Different as Me will definitely touch whoever reads it.