Kreativ Blogger Award - Friday 56 - Friday Find

I'd like to thank Vicki over at Reading At the Beach for sending this lovely award my way! 

My favorite 7 things are:

Family

Books (of course)

Chocolate

                                        My Pets

                                        House MD, Bones, CSI

                                        Camera

                                        Playing Games

And I'm awarding this to:

Laurel at, well she has 13  blogs so I'll pick my fav  http://rainysnowday.wordpress.com/

Sassy from Alternative-Reads.com

Lisa from Book Blab

Amy from House of Seven Tails - Love her kitties!

Tea from I Love To Read

Thanks again Vicki!

Over at Sassys site  she  posted Friday Finds hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.

I found  The Magicians Elephant  and  Wishin' and Hopin': A Christmas Story by Wally Lamb.  Couple more for my Christmas list!

Laurel  and Missy posted The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is hosted by Tonya at Storytime with Tonya and Friends .

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Mine comes from Double Cross: A Novel  by James David Jordan:

"Hold on, Ms. Mason,"  Sandra Said.  "Nobody is accusing you of anything. I'm just trying to figure out what happened. The fact is that you two found the note, and part of the paper is obviously missing."

I love these little memes! Whats your Friday Find or Friday 56??

Happy Friday!  

Daddy Goes on A Trip Book Review and Author Interview with William G. Bentrim

Daddy Goes On a Trip: Dealing With Travel and Deployment  by William G. Bentrim


Who can forget that heartbreaking picture of the little girl who ran to her daddy and wouldn't let go of his hand because she didn't want him to leave for war.
Children can be so confused and frightened when parents have to leave for an extended periods. This book is an awesome teaching tool for young kids. Cute bear illustrations and words that little kids understand. With explanations on why daddy has to leave, how they can communicate with daddy while he's gone and how they can d...more
Who can forget that heartbreaking picture of the little girl who ran to her daddy and wouldn't let go of his hand because she didn't want him to leave for war.
Children can be so confused and frightened when parents have to leave for  extended periods. This book is an awesome teaching tool for young kids. Cute bear illustrations and words that little kids understand. With explanations on why daddy has to leave, how they can communicate with daddy while he's gone and how they can deal with their emotions.
A book highly recommended for military parents with young children. 

I'm so excited to do my first author interview! 


So without further ado,  William G. Bentrim:


So, tell us a little about yourself and other books you have written/published.

So far I have “I Like To Whine” and “Daddy Goes On A Trip” published. 

“I Like To Whine”is a series of scenarios of animals whining and the wise old owl gently chiding them and making suggestions as to why whining is inappropriate.   At the end of the book there are some parenting strategies and activities for dealing with whining children.  

“Daddy Goes On A Trip” is a book that addresses current event issues.  Children today are often exposed to things that their parents never had to face.   Military deployment was practically unknown for a generation.  Two income families have become the norm.  Kids are often confused and even frightened as to why Daddy or Mommy has to travel.   Taking the time to clearly explain can make a world of difference for the child’s emotional and mental stability.  This book hopes to be a useful resource for parents addressing these travel or deployment issues.

Why children’s books? What’s your inspiration?

I taught school as my first real career.  It was a self contained 5th grade classroom.  It was one of the better experiences in my life.   After I left education I coached every sport my two boys played until they hit their teen years.  I was also a room parent for 9 consecutive years.  You may see a theme here.  I have enjoyed all my encounters with children including those with my own and my grandchildren. 

My inspiration may have come from the time I spent as guidance counselor in the public schools.  I found there were very few resources for dealing the stresses faced by the very young child.  Being gregarious by nature, in discussion with other professionals I accumulated a bevy of topics on which to write.   I sold my computer business three years ago and finally had time to address my need for writing.  That bevy of topics will be turned into books as rapidly as I can write them. 

Where do you write and are you currently writing another book?

I have attached a photo of my work area.  I park myself in front of one of my computers for hours each day.   I hope to have “Mommy’s Black Eye” out in the next month or two.   It deals with helping children cope with domestic violence.   I am also in the midst of editing my first pre-teen adventure. 

“The Adventures of Hardy Belch” will document the escapades of a 12 year old boy and his 240 pound dog.  It is light hearted with an attempt to provide positive, non-violent story lines with happy endings that still appeal to the middle school child. 


About Me

I often wonder who I am.  I am retired computer guy with 30 years of experience in microcomputers and  a retired school teacher and counselor with 10 years of experience in the schools.  I am a father and a grandfather.  I’ve played many roles.  The role you chose to play is the one you are at the time of the show. Some roles overlap and are played simultaneously. Some roles are never to be repeated. I am someone who cares about the people around me, who wants to improve the society we all live in, who hopes on a daily basis to leave the planet a little better than it was the previous day and who is cognizant that the impact I have on the world is minimal. Tilting at windmills is a part of my character as is a deep love for all those who need to be loved. In my own mind I am a complex, multi-layered, unique character in the kaleidoscoping drama of life.

Sometimes I write merely to keep my head from exploding with ideas.  I’ve always had a need for self expression which runs the gamut through performance, many types of media expression and word.   I greet and end each day with the hope that I might make some small change that will improve life for someone.   Some of what I write is to entertain, hopefully with some redeeming aspect being illustrated.   My naiveté and cynicism clash with great frequency.  25 years of working with technology challenged my intellect but did little for my soul.  I write to nourish that part of me that needs to feel like I am positively impacting life. 

Thank you so much Mr. Bentrim for doing this interview with me!!

Daddy Goes On A Trip and I Like to Whine  are both wonderful books for young children, easy to read and cute pictures on each page to keep their attention. They would make great gifts!






   

 Best Regards,   

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday!

Teaser Tuesday !

Well I'm a little late with my Tuesday Teaser!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  

My teaser comes from the book Double Cross: A Novel   by James David Jordan

"She jumped back and screamed.  I took a breath and ran into the garage."

I'm lovin this book so far. Reminds me of a Sue Grafton book. 

Whats your teaser?

 Best Regards,

Teaser Tuesday !

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 
  
•  

My teaser is from the book : The Book of Samuel by Erik Raschke

 "I filled up the tub, stripped, and making sure the window curtains were closed and none of my friends could have the slightest chance of discovering my secret, opened the sink cabinet and took my box of plastic boats from behind the cleaning products.  Soon I was completely surrounded by destroyers, battleships, and aircraft carriers."

   I just started reading this and I think the boy is about 13 or 14.  I guess your never to old to play with toys in the tub hahahahaaa.

Have a wonderful day!!

Best regards,

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:

Filled with stunning parallels to today's world,

The Postmistress   

is a sweeping novel about the loss of innocence of two extraordinary women-and of two countries torn apart by war.
On the eve of the United States's entrance into World War II in 1940, Iris James, the postmistress of Franklin, a small town on Cape Cod, does the unthinkable: She doesn't deliver a letter. In London, American radio gal Frankie Bard is working with Edward R. Murrow, reporting on the Blitz. One night in a bomb shelter, she meets a doctor from Cape Cod with a letter in his pocket, a letter Frankie vows to deliver when she returns from Germany and France, where she is to record the stories of war refugees desperately trying to escape.
The residents of Franklin think the war can't touch them- but as Frankie's radio broadcasts air, some know that the war is indeed coming. And when Frankie arrives at their doorstep, the two stories collide in a way no one could have foreseen. The Postmistress is an unforgettable tale of the secrets we must bear, or bury. It is about what happens to love during wartime, when those we cherish leave. And how every story-of love or war-is about looking left when we should have been looking right.

..She kept speaking into the microphone, her eyes on the man across from her, whose fingers had closed on the button. And she started to hum-Da da da Dum....

 

A line from one of my favorite parts of the book. When I first started reading this book, I had a hard time understanding the writing but after reading Ms. Blakes explanation of why she wrote it the way she did, it all came into perspective. The author intertwines the reporter and the war with the families at home, doing their normal daily routine, not affected by it. The title The Postmistress leaves the question, Who IS the Postmistress? The story set in 1940-41, early World War II, main characters are Emma, newly married to Dr Will Fitch. Iris, the postmaster of the little Cape Cod town. Frankie, a radio news reporter for Edward R Murrow, reporting in London. Dr Will Fitch, the small Cape town doctor, gets the news that Maggie is in labor and goes to her. In the meantime- Frankie Bard finds herself in the middle of the bombing, running for cover, lands in a bomb shelter. What happens to Dr Fitch and to Frankie, changes their lives forever and Iris, the postmaster, does the unthinkable, holding onto a letter, keeping it a secret. This book isn't a shooting, bloody war story its about emotion. About how the people that are not in the war don't want to hear about it, don't want it to affect their life but in the end, if affects everything. It doesn't add up.

My favorite character is Frankie - she a tough-bold reporter, willing to face anything for "the story". My least favorite is Iris - she seems like a snobbish prude. The other players in the story are Harry, the towns "watchman", he believes the Germans are coming and he keeps watch for them. Otto is a quiet man in the town and everyone thinks he's a "Kraut" and the town people are leary of him, thinking he's a spy.

I highly recommend this book! 

About the author:

Born in New York City, Sarah Blake has a BA from Yale University and a PhD in English and American Literature from New York University. She is the author of a chapbook of poems, Full Turn (Pennywhistle Press, 1989); an artist book, Runaway Girls \ (Hand Made Press, 1997) in collaboration with the artist, Robin Kahn; and two novels. Her first novel, Grange House, (Picador, 2000) was named a "New and Noteworthy" paperback in August, 2001 by The New York Times. Her second novel, The Postmistress, was by Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam in February 2010. Her essays and reviews have appeared in Good Housekeeping, US News and World Reports, The Chicago Tribun and elsewhere.

Sarah taught high school and college English for many years in Colorado and New York. She has taught fiction workshops at the Fine Arts Works Center in Provincetown, MA, The Writer's Center in Bethesda, MD, the University of Maryland, and George Washington University. She lives in Washington, DC.

The Postmistress   By Sarah Blake

Ohh La La Award!

I'm so thrilled to be awarded  by my friend Laurel-Rain Snow the Ohh La La Award!

Thank you so much Laurel.

She answered some questions that came with it so in keeping with the tradition here are my answers!

1. Where is your favorite place to read a book?
    Sitting back on my comfy couch with a blanket and lots of pillows!
    
2. Bookmarks or dog ears?
   Definitely bookmarks! Would never ruin my books, they are treasured. (I know I'm a little psycho when it comes to books!)

3. What is the best book you’ve read so far this year?
    Ohhhh wow! I can't choose. SOME of my favs this year are well of course Accidental Life by Laurel-Rain Snow! Tender Graces by Kathryn Magendie,  Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain, Hard Way Home by Dennis Wesley Clark , well those are just some of my favs this year.
    
4. Do you like to snack while reading and if so, what is your favorite snack?
    No not really.
    
5. Book borrower or book collector?
   Collector for sure!
   

Now to pass this award on, i'm awarding the people who read their hearts out  for the read-athon!!


Sassy at Alternative-Read

Sheila over at One Persons Journey Through A World of Books

Lisa at Book Blab -

Kristi and Books and Needlepoint.

Great job and congrats to the Read-A Thoners!

Its Monday! What Are You Reading?

Hosted by J.Kaye Book Blog . 

What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading this week? is a weekly event to celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week. Feel free to join in this weekly event if you'd like as well as use the photo/pic/button above. 

Its that time again! Mondays are exhausting for me.

Well, I'm still reading the same books ,  I don't have anything new to say.

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake and Hard Way Home by Dennis Wesley Clark.

After that is The Book of Samuel by Erik Raschke and then Double Cross by James David Jordan.

Well I guess I already posted about it on my last post.

Check out some great giveways to enter:

Revenge of the Book Nerds - 9 Dragons by Michael Connelly and Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

Murder Mystery and Mahyems Spine Chilling book giveaway, 5 books.

Chocolate and Croissants - The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall

My Life In Not So Many Words - Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Just a few that I've entered.



Have a great week!  

Best regards,

Sunday Salon

My first Sunday Salon post.


What is the Sunday Salon? Imagine some university library's vast reading room. It's filled with people--students and faculty and strangers who've wandered in. They're seated at great oaken desks, books piled all around them, and they're all feverishly reading and jotting notes in their leather-bound journals as they go. Later they'll mill around the open dictionaries and compare their thoughts on the afternoon's literary intake....

That's what happens at the Sunday Salon, except it's all virtual. Every Sunday the bloggers participating in that week's Salon get together--at their separate desks, in their own particular time zones--and read. And blog about their reading. And comment on one another's blogs. Think of it as an informal, weekly, mini read-a-thon, an excuse to put aside one's earthly responsibilities and fall into a good book. See below for how to join the Salon.

This week has been busy and i'm still  reading The Postmistress by Sarah Blake . I'm about halfway through and its turning out to be a pretty good read.   At first I was confused by the quick shift in character but after reading Sarah Blakes explanation of her writing, I could picture it clearly in my mind and I can understand now why she wrote it the way she did. 

I'm also working on Hard Way Home by 

Dennis Wesley Clark. Although I haven't read much of it this week but my goal is to finish it by the end of the week.

My goal is also  to finish The Postmistress by the end of the week. Hmmm, I  guess that means staying off of the computer.

So heres my to be read pile

 

My next read are the two books I won from the Early Reader at the Library Thing. 

The first is a book called The Book of Samuel by Erik Raschke .  After reading the reviews on Library Thing, I hope I can read it!

After that is Double Cross by James David Jordan.Sounded mysterious and suspensful . From Amazon:  

 Raised by a father who was a former Special Forces officer, Taylor is beautiful and brilliant and knows how to take care of herself. But she is haunted by her past and the sacrifice her father made to save her from a brutal rape when she was seventeen. After a controversial stint in the Secret Service, she has become the most prominent private security specialist in America. When she discovers the body of a former client’s top assistant, all the evidence points to embezzlement and suicide. But Taylor has no way of knowing that her mother, who ran out when Taylor was nine, is about to reappear and lead her down a twisting path of danger and deceit. It’s a road that won’t end until they reach the spot where Taylor’s father died—where Taylor learns some sacrifices can never be earned. 

 Other news - my husband will be laid off next week. Construction must be slowing down. I just hope there will be some work to carry through to Christmas. Its to depressing to be broke during the holidays. I just want my son to have a nice birthday and Christmas. 

My  husband and son are really into Star Trek. Not the original but The Next Generation and they've seen all of those videos and now they're into Deep Space Nine. Soooo Christmas and Birthday gifts should be prettty eaassyyy.

I took some pictures of Tobey in his favorite climbing tree today. This is one of them.  I took about 10 and had a hard time picking my fav. I think this one is my fav.

He'll be 9 in December! Wish I had a recent picture of my daughter, she'll be 23 in December.  Wow , why does time go by so fast. 

There are a LOT of awesome giveaways and I'm on my laptop or I'd list the sites. As soon as I get on my other computer I'll add the sites. I really want to read Nine Dragons my Michael Connelly and Cindy Woodsmalls newest book The Sound of Sleigh Bells . So i've entered some giveaways for those. I've noticed there are quite a few giveaways for romance type books and I'm just not into those types of books.

I hope you all have a wonderful, successfull reading week!!

Business Card Giveaway !

Win Free Business Cards Printing from Uprinting.com !!