Lifelines Returns

Hi Again!

It's been a while since I posted, but I plan to get this blogging thing going again.

I do have some news since I was last here. Lifelines, the poetry collection put together by my group The Poetic Muselings, is back in print and newly available in digital form.

Link to Lifelines print book.
Link to Lifelines for Kindle.

Here's our lovely new cover, photo by group member Michele Graf.

Lifelines New Cover

Suggest a Purchase

If you can't afford a book but still want to read it, remember to use your library. Library purchases still support authors. Most libraries have a way to request a purchase. Here's what the form looks like on the Salt Lake County Library site.

If you don't know how to request a purchase for your library, simply ask the librarian. They are there to help you. You can get info from the Amazon listing on the ISBN, publication date, publisher, etc. Support both your authors and your local library.

L is for Library

This week is National Library Week. Last year, I created a book spine poem from books at my local library. The poem represents what the library means to me.

Brink of Chaos
The Great Escape
Gateways
Haven

I could spend all day in a library. After my senior year of high school I spent the summer working at a library as a page. I confess, I wasn’t the best employee. I was too distracted by the books. It’s not the most efficient to stop and flip the pages of a book while shelving. I’d love to work in a library again. I truly do love the atmosphere.

In honor of both library week and poetry month, I have written another poem.

My Second Home

The library was my first love
perfect for a book-a-holic,
no budget could sustain my obsession.

A sacred space filled with treasures;
fingers trail on book spines…
so many choices
each one a new adventure--
Do I read an author tried and true?
or experience something new?

Some days I come
not for the books
but the atmosphere.

Sit back in an armchair
wrapped in hushed air,
soak in the rich love of words
infused between these walls,
let it inspire me…
flow through my fingertips
to fill the pages of my notebook.

Books, Books, and more Books

First, a book review:
I finished reading Model Spy by Shannon Greenland. Absolutely love it. Thankfully, the second book in the Specialists series comes out this September. The Specialists are a teen spy organization. They are all children from the system - no parents, shuffled around from one foster home to the next. These delinquents are invited to the team for their unique specialties: computer techie genius, martial arts, electronics, chemistry, et al. Here they find family. Kelly Spree becomes GiGi, girl genius. The book is first person through her perspective. Her teenage attitude brings me back to those days, and she became very real for me. I empathize with her. She may have model looks, but she's a clutz with computer technology on the brain. I rooted for her every step of the way as she grew throughout the book.

The library trip:
I made it to the library on Wednesday. Not a very wide selection of books, but I did pick up a few. Mystic Empire by Tracy & Laura Hickman, book three of The Bronze Canticles. I own the first two so will likely buy this one eventually. Justine Larbalestier's Magic or Madness, which just won the Andre Norton award. I read Justine's blog, and have been wanting to pick this one up for a while. Wolfskin by Juliet Marillier. I love her Sevenwaters Trilogy, so thought this would be a good time to try another of her books. The Dragon's Son by Margaret Weis, sequel to Mistress of Dragons. There were other books I wanted to check out, but 1) that branch didn't have any copies; and 2) as a new patron, for the first month I can only have 5 books out at a time. Next time I'll have to request books sent over from the other libraries in the network, or go to a bigger library.

A tribute:
Lloyd Alexander, author of more than 30 books for children and adults, died yesterday. I remember reading the Chronicles of Prydain. He was one of my favorite authors growing up. I learned about his death on the Endicott Studio blog, where they have a beautiful entry to him. I cannot do him justice, so go read the entry for yourself.

Promoting:
Shannon Aviles, publicist and media specialist, will be guest-blogging for Erica Ridley next week. Head over now to post some questions you'd like her to answer.

Need to Read

I think part of my problem writing lately is I haven't been reading much fiction. I've read a little online, but the only books I've been reading are poetry and nonfiction. The last fiction I read was almost a month ago! No wonder I'm feeling out of touch. Unlike lizbit, I don't have an excuse not to go to the library and pick one up. I'm itching for a good fantasy. I'm saving up on MyPoints for a $25 B&N gift card, but can't wait until then to read something.

Next Wednesday I will find the closest library after my son gets on the bus for preschool, get me a library card (hubby has one, but I don't), and check out a big stack of books. In the meantime I can make a list of books to read, and read my WIP.