Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Author Interview: Elizabeth Heaney


Elizabeth Heaney left her private therapy practice to work with returning war vets and their families. Her new book, The Honor Was Mine: A Look Inside the Struggle of Military Veterans, tells the story of her experience and gives voice to their stories.

Elizabeth recently answered questions for Rose City Reader about her work and her new book.


How did you come to write The Honor Was Mine?

As I started listening to veterans and their spouses, I felt deeply changed by their struggles and concerns. I had to face how very little I knew about military life and the world of combat veterans. Civilians tend to hear about veterans’ issues (PTSD, homelessness, suicide), but we don’t hear these very personal accounts of the hidden costs of war. I wanted to share the stories so that others’ perceptions could change like mine did as I came to see the essence of the veterans’ humanity. One of my reviewers wrote, “The Honor Was Mine is not a book about war; it’s a book about humanity.” I couldn’t agree more.

Why did you leave your private therapy practice to work with returning war vets and their families?

To be honest, it wasn’t out of any dedication to the military at all. As things sort of shut down for me in Tucson, I simply needed to find a new source of income and a new place to live – the military counseling job would provide income, and it would move me around the country so I could check out places where I might like to live. It didn’t take long, though, for my motivation to shift. Quite quickly, working with the service members and veterans felt like a calling – albeit one I “stumbled into”!

When did you know you were going to write about your experience working with veterans?

I didn’t think of writing about my work until an incident happened during my second assignment. The battalion I was working with learned one of their soldiers had been killed in combat in Afghanistan. I thought they would be rather stoic, that they would be “used to” this kind of tough war news; I thought they would simply “soldier on” in the face of their buddy’s death.

I was so wrong.

No hardened warriors that day, just men and women who felt the loss with a raw, stunned vulnerability. They talked about the good times with their friend and remembered arduous days of combat training together. They spoke with choked voices about their concern for his wife and children. Our conversations were hushed and painful and deeply poignant.

That evening in my hotel room, I pulled out my laptop and opened it to a stark blank page. My heart felt tattered with everything I’d seen and heard that day, so I sat in the soft glow of the desk lamp, writing about a battalion’s grief. I wrote to make room for the next day; in a matter of hours, I’d be back in those battalion hallways, listening to those whose friend was gone.

Who is your intended audience and what do you hope your readers will gain from your book?

I had always hoped the book would speak to both civilian and military readers – and from the earliest reviews, it seems clear both of those groups have found the book tremendously helpful. Civilian readers tell me the book has changed their view on the military, giving them more compassion and more respect for what combat veterans endure. And military readers feel seen and heard, validated, by the book. Perhaps the book can help close the substantial military-civilian gap. With only 1% of our population serving in the military, it’s easy for most civilians to be detached and unaware of the military world.

Can you recommend any other books about the emotional challenges faced by combat veterans, the struggles of military families, or working with veterans?

What Have We Done: The Moral Injury of Our Longest War by David Wood has just come out. He’s a Pulitzer prize-winning war journalist and a fabulous writer.

The Long Walk and All the Ways We Kill and Die by Brian Castner are very fine books that offer a gritty and personal view into combat experiences.

Tribe by Sebastian Junger speaks to the bonds warriors treasure and the effect of isolation when returning home.

I could go on and on. There are really wonderful books by military spouses (Siobhan Fallon, Melissa Seligman), women veterans (Kayla Williams, Jessica Scott) and retired/separated military service members, all of which help fill in the blanks in our familiarity with the military world.

What did you learn from writing your book – either about the subject of the book or the writing process – that most surprised you?

Writing the book, sitting so intently with the stories as I tried to hone them, brought me even deeper into a state of compassion and respect for veterans and their families. Hours upon hours of sitting at my desk, recalling the exchanges and bringing to mind (and heart) their journeys truly deepened those feelings. As for the process of writing, someone asked me once what I had learned about the writing process that I didn’t know before I wrote the book and without thinking I said, “Stamina.” I had no idea the stamina that was required for the long, long haul of getting a book into print. No complaints . . . I’d do it again in a heartbeat! But the stamina required was astonishing!

What is the most valuable advice you’ve been given as someone working to help war veterans and their families?

There’s a wonderful article by Jim Gourley titled “Of Lepers and Caves” that affirms the need to stay close and very present with those grappling with PTSD (or war memories). Staying non-reactive, accepting, deeply engaged has been key for reaching out to those suffering whether the veterans or their family members. I had a client once tell me that he could “never” speak about the horrors he had witnessed because people would think he was a monster. When I reassured him he could say anything at all and I wouldn’t judge him, he began to share things he’d never talked about before. As he spoke, I felt as if I could literally see the burden beginning to lift off of him.

What’s next? What are you working on now?

Something completely different! A novel about a young man who travels to India to see Moghul ruins that he had read about as a child – beautiful stories about the Moghul empire had somewhat saved him during a difficult childhood, so his journey to the ruins holds intricate meaning for him.


THANKS, ELIZABETH!

THE HONOR WAS MINE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE OR ASK YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE TO ORDER IT!

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Teaser Tuesday: Secondhand Smoke by M. Louis



I'm up later that morning at the crack of ten. . . . I look out at the gray skies and mist as I sip my first cup of joe.

Secondhand Smoke by M. Louis. Jake Brand is a 21st Century Portland private eye and Louis makes the most of both the city and the best private eye traditions in his neo-noir thriller. There are hints of everyone's favorites, from Philip Marlowe, Lew Archer, maybe some of the guys from L.A. Confidential, and even a little Jason Bourne.



Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.

Saturday, November 26, 2016

2016 CHALLENGE: Foodies Read, Wrap Up Post


COMPLETED

I finished the Pastry Chef level this year, which means reading four to eight food books in 2016.


BOOKS FINISHED

Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz

A Little Dinner Before the Play by Agnes Jekyll (reviewed here)

I Remember Nothing: And Other Reflections by Nora Ephron

Stuffed: Adventures of a Restaurant Family by Patricia Volk

Shaken and Stirred by William Hamilton


Heather at Based on a True Story hosted the Foodies Read Challenge for 2016. Margot from Joyfully Retired started this popular challenge, then passed the torch to Vicki from I'd Rather Be at the Beach. Thank you, Heather, for hosting this year!


WEEKEND COOKING

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Book Beginning: Secondhand Smoke by M. Louis



THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening (Happy Thanksgiving!) for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

TIE IN: The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice is a natural tie in with this event and there is a lot of cross over, so many people combine the two. The idea is to post a teaser from page 56 of the book you are reading and share a link to your post. Find details and the Linky for your Friday 56 post on Freda’s Voice.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING



He thinks he's safe. But he's not.

Secondhand Smoke by M. Louis. This is the second in a mystery series featuring Portland PI Jake Brand.

Jake is solidly in the tradition of Philip Marlowe or Lou Archer -- but don't let his wise cracking, self-deprecating ways fool you. I think he's going to catch the bad guys, even if he doesn't end up with the girl -- yet.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Author Interview: Julia Laughlin



When Julia Laughlin was 21, she was sexually assaulted by a man she had known and trusted, a man later tried for her assault and as a serial killer of other women. Now, over 30 years later, she has published her memoir telling the story of her attack, the enduring trauma in her life, and her path to healing and forgiveness.

Julia wrote her book to share what she discovered about sexual violence, how it affects a person, and how to find a way to live with and heal from from trauma so that others whose lives has been marred by sexual violence might also find a way to heal. She recently answered questions for Rose City Reader.


How did you come to write The River and the Sea?

Soon after the attack happened I knew I had to write this story—a story of healing from sexual violence, or from rape as I called it then. It wasn’t even a thought so much as this was something I had to do. The idea came to me; I didn’t seek it out. I was already writing about my experiences, I had journaled for years and wrote short stories, so in that sense it wasn’t a foreign idea. But I felt compelled from the beginning to share this story, to write a book about healing from sexual violence to share my experiences to help others heal. Though it never occurred to me that I had no idea what healing was nor what that healing for me would entail.

So the first book I wrote, I knew as soon as it was finished it was not the book I intended to write, a book on healing. It told the story of the two years it took to prosecute him for the rape. I suppose I had to tell that story first. It was cathartic. It was the next layer, of release and facing all that raw emotion and anger of not only going through the experience but then having to fight it through the justice system. That in and of itself was horrendous.

Your memoir is an intensely personal account of being raped and tortured and your struggle to heal from that trauma. Was it difficult to tell such an intimate story?

Yes, it was extraordinarily difficult. I am an intensely private person; I prefer to be in the shadow than in the light. Though it was always my intention to write this story and publish the book, I had to write it as if no one was ever going to read it, otherwise I would have censored my writing. There had always been this internal back and forth struggle about having to write this story and my desire to not ever tell a soul. But during the time I was working with the editors and the designer, when the book was becoming a reality, the struggle intensified and at times nearly crippling me emotionally, especially when I would read the manuscript again and wish I didn’t have to include some particular part.

Who is your intended audience and what do you hope your readers will gain from your book?

People who are victims and survivors of sexual violence who are struggling to heal, and family and friends of victims who want to understand. My hope is that in sharing my story of healing, it will help others to find their way out of their torment, finding a path to move forward, and to help others feel less alone. It is also to give voice to what this type of violence does to a person, by naming it, putting light on it, and ending our silence. Healing is possible, a return to wholeness is possible.

But it is also for those who have not had any experience of violence. We need to open a dialogue, a discussion of how violence affects a person and all those around them, the ripple effect it has in our communities. All forms of violence and sexual violence in particular affect all of us in ways we haven’t even begun to calculate.

What did you learn from writing your book – either about the subject of the book or the writing process – that most surprised you?

That producing a book is a long process, there is a lot of hurry up and wait. It was excruciating and frustrating to watch my deadlines fall by the wayside one after another. When I began working with the editor, I expected to have a finished book in six months, nearly two years later I was finally holding that book in my hand. It was a full time job (in addition to my full time paying job). It was consuming and it took over my life; I cut everything out that didn’t support the book. The writing itself takes time and then working with others means their schedules are not necessarily aligned to yours. After all, I was only working on this book while I was only one of many authors they were working for. I am not a patient person, and publishing a book is an exercise in patience.

Some of the most moving insights you share have to do with your relationship with your daughter and how your trauma affected her. How did you come to that realization?

That is a difficult question to summarize in a few words. I have always been open and honest with my daughter. And I have seen with painful truth the difficulty for her of having this mother who was shattered. So I think it comes from not denying how I treated her, and being willing to see clearly and honestly that I was hard on her or that she was affected by my crippling trust issues. It was also listening to her, supporting her in her efforts to come to terms with this. Probably the most important lesson my daughter taught me was about perception. Perception matters in everything, and it was her perception that mattered, not how I thought I was coming across. From this I began learning to see from her point of view. That was a huge shift in understanding and growth, because my interpretation of interactions was fairly skewed.

What can friends and family of trauma victims do to support them?

Don’t blame. Nothing the victim did caused this to happen. Not expect someone to “just get over it” or “move on”. Try to understand how deep this trauma runs, spreading into every aspect of their lives, and what it takes from a person. How it causes them to view the world differently, and how it affects their ability to trust, and be present in the world. Recovery and healing aren’t on our timeline, they are not linear, it is a process, a journey without a destination. What they are doing is learning how to live with the trauma so it no longer poisons their life, but what happened doesn’t go away, you cannot make it not to have happened. And most importantly, believe them, don’t judge, or question their story; be there for them and offer them unconditional love.

What resources would you recommend for survivors of sexual violence? How about for their loved ones and supporters?

Seek help, whether through individual counseling or support groups. Seek outside help from sources that have an honest and in-depth understanding of sexual violence. Just because a professional has worked with victims of sexual violence doesn’t mean they truly understand. Not all the professionals I sought services with did, despite having worked with victims. The same for their family and friends – seek help; and also read others experiences and educate themselves on how this invasion of a person’s self affects the victim and those around them. When we learn this has happened to others, and others have felt this way too, it helps us to feel less alone and lessens the feeling of being an outcast. It removes the isolation. The most important words I can offer a victim is: forgive yourself; love yourself.

What is some of the most valuable advice you’ve been given as someone working to heal from rape?

There are two pieces of wisdom that I have carried with me. The first was when the second assistant district attorney assigned to the case told me, “Courage—it doesn’t mean you are not afraid; it is being afraid and doing it anyway.” It lifted a huge weight off my shoulders, it gave me the freedom to be afraid while I was sticking with the case to prosecute him, even though I was afraid he would come after me, and I had no guarantee of the outcome of the case.

The second was what my therapist taught me about living with the trauma while I was struggling through the fallout, “Life is about the small moments and then we string them together.” It taught me to quit looking for and expecting some big moment, or epiphany and then I would be fixed and everything would be normal. It opened the door to letting go of the expectation of a “cure” and accepting that there is no making it go away.

In addition to writing your memoir, have you found other ways to help you heal from your experience?

What I came to understand about healing, is that there is no one way to reach it, no one moment when I realized I had healed; nothing fixed as “this is the way.” It was changing my thinking more than anything else, my perspective, in doing that I was able to reach forgiveness. Forgiveness allowed me to detach, let it go and let him go, opening the way to healing.

On the day to day it was as my therapist taught me, “First we start with the dishes,” meaning you do one thing at a time and that leads to the next, and so on. It is a way to make it through those difficult days when you can barely get out of bed. What I did along the way though were things such as journaling, playing my guitar, listening to music, walking and hiking with my dogs, running and the other physical training. And I sought professional help, without that I wouldn’t have made it.

What’s next? Are you working on new projects?

The first book I wrote that tells the story of the two years to prosecute the perpetrator. It is written but now I need to begin work with an editor. It is a solid draft, but needs to be flushed out, though it will not take nearly as long nor be as arduous as The River and the Sea. Also, I have plans to begin a third book in this series that recounts the years I worked with the therapist; I have lots of notes and material, but haven’t started it yet. In addition, while working on the current book I began work on a history of sorts of our current attitude and belief in the system of punishment and retribution as justice. I think it is time to accept that our current system no longer works.


THANK YOU, JULIA!

THE RIVER AND THE SEA IS AVAILABLE ON LINE FROM LAUGHLIN DAUGHTERS PUBLISHING HOUSE, OR ASK YOUR LOCAL BOOK STORE TO ORDER IT.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Teaser Tuesday: The River and the Sea




The forgiveness had opened the door to healing. It was not only forgiveness of him; I had to forgive myself too.

The River and the Sea: A Story of Forgiveness by Julia Laughlin.

When Julia Laughlin was 21, she was raped and tortured by a man she knew and had trusted. In this memoir, written over 30 years later, Julia writes with candor and honesty about how the attack affected her as a woman and mother, and the legacy it left on her daughter. She hopes her story will help others whose lives have been marred by sexual violence find a way to heal.


Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Mailbox Monday: Secondhand Smoke

I got my first book from Audible last week. What books came into your house last week?



Secondhand Smoke by M. Louis. This is the second in a mystery series featuring Portland private eye Jake Brand. I just started it but it takes right off into an organized crime story right here in my home town.




Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday, a weekly "show & tell" blog event where participants share the books they acquired the week before. Visit the Mailbox Monday website to find links to all the participants' posts and read more about Books that Caught our Eye.

Mailbox Monday is graciously hosted by Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, and Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

2017 EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE: WRAP UP PAGE

The European Reading Challenge
January 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018



THIS IS THE PAGE FOR WRAP UP POSTS.

TO LIST YOUR REVIEWS, GO TO THIS PAGE.

TO SIGN UP, GO TO THE MAIN CHALLENGE PAGE, HERE,
OR CLICK THE BUTTON ABOVE.

If you have finished the challenge at whatever level you signed up for, please do a wrap up post and enter a link to your post here. Please link to your wrap up post, NOT the main page of your blog.

If you do not have a blog, please leave a wrap up post in a comment on this page. Tell us the books you read and, if you reviewed them in comments on the review page, tell us that so we can go find your reviews.

LINK YOUR WRAP UP POST HERE:


2017 EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE: REVIEW PAGE

The European Reading Challenge
January 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018


THIS IS THE PAGE TO LIST YOUR REVIEWS.

IF YOU HAVE FINISHED, WRAP UP POSTS GO ON THIS PAGE.

TO SIGN UP, GO TO THE MAIN CHALLENGE PAGE, HERE,
OR CLICK THE BUTTON ABOVE.

When you review a book for the 2017 European Reading Challenge, please add it to this list using the Linky widget below. Please link to your review post, NOT the main page of your blog.

If you don't have a blog or other place where you post reviews, so don't have a way to link your review below, just post your review in a comment on this page.

NOTE: There is overlap in January 2017 between the last month of the 2016 challenge and the first month of the 2017 challenge. If you participated both years, only count books read in January in one of the years, not both.

Please put your name or the name of your blog, the name of the book you reviewed, and the country of the book or author. For example: Rose City Reader, Doctor Zhivago, Russia.

LIST YOUR REVIEW HERE:


Saturday, November 19, 2016

The 2017 European Reading Challenge is Available for Sign Ups Now!

The European Reading Challenge
January 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018



The 2017 European Reading Challenge is ready now! Find the challenge page with information and the sign up list in the bar above. Or click the picture or here.

Tour Europe through books. And have a chance to win a prize. Please join us for the Grand Tour!

THE GIST: The idea is to read books by European authors or books set in European countries (no matter where the author comes from). The books can be anything – novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, or any other genre. You can participate at different levels, but each book must be by a different author and set in a different country – it's supposed to be a tour.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Book Beginning: The River and the Sea



THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

TIE IN: The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice is a natural tie in with this event and there is a lot of cross over, so many people combine the two. The idea is to post a teaser from page 56 of the book you are reading and share a link to your post. Find details and the Linky for your Friday 56 post on Freda’s Voice.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING



I lay back in bed recovering from knee surgery with my knee hooked up to a cooling pad. I leaned back on the pillows, Missy Higgins singing oon the player, and closed my eyes as the music carried me back to the beach of the Tasman Sea in Punakaiki, New Zealand . . .

The River and the Sea: A Story of Forgiveness by Julia Laughlin

When Julia Laughlin was 21, she was brutally raped, beaten, and tortured by a man she had known and trusted. Now, over 30 years later, she has published the story of that attack, the criminal trial of her assailant, and the enduring trauma in her life.

She wrote this book to share what she discovered about sexual violence, how it affects a person, and how to find a way to live with and heal from from trauma so that others whose lives has been marred by sexual violence might also find a way to heal.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Teaser Tuesday: Babe in the Woods





Never one to dote on my looks or femininity, I see myself now, rough around the edges and more at home in myself in the wild than packaged and polished back in the city. The soles of my feet are as tough as the soles of my moccasins. 

Babe in the Woods: Building a Life One Log at a Time by Yvonne Wakefield. When she was 18, Wakerfield took the inheritance intended to pay for her college, bought 80 acres in the Oregon mountains, and built her own log cabin home.

Wakefield's new memoir looks at her "relationship with woodsy things" and how she built a life for herself after becoming an orphan at 14.




Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Mailbox Monday: True Faith and Allegience

Alberto Gonzales spoke at a book signing event in Portland last week and I got a copy of his new book:

 

True Faith and Allegiance: A Story of Service and Sacrifice in War and Peace. Although he was a controversial figure as George W. Bush's Attorney General, his story of growing up in poverty in Texas, going to Harvard Law, and working his way to a seat on the Texas Supreme Court before joining the Bush administration is inspiring. I look forward to reading his story in his own words.

He was a thoughtful and articulate speaker and it was interesting to get his big picture view of our recent election.


What books came into your house last week?


Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday, a weekly "show & tell" blog event where participants share the books they acquired the week before. Visit the Mailbox Monday website to find links to all the participants' posts and read more about Books that Caught our Eye.

Mailbox Monday is graciously hosted by Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, and Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Book Beginning: Babe in the Woods



THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

TIE IN: The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice is a natural tie in with this event and there is a lot of cross over, so many people combine the two. The idea is to post a teaser from page 56 of the book you are reading and share a link to your post. Find details and the Linky for your Friday 56 post on Freda’s Voice.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING



On the lower berth of the maple bunk bed, my younger sister sobs in bursts and spurts. 

Babe in the Woods: Building a Life One Log at a Time by Yvonne Wakefield. At age 14, Wakefield became an orphan. At age 18, she headed off to the Oregon mountains to singlehandedly build a log cabin on 80 acres, using her college money to buy the land.

Wakefield's new memoir, which includes her original artwork, is the first of three volumes about her "relationship with woodsy things."


Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Teaser Tuesday: The Hot Climate of Promise and Grace



One there was a woman who, through strange and random circumstances, jost her job. She took it hard, as might be expected, for she was down on her luck anyway.

-- From "The Panhandler" one of 64 very short stories about women in The Hot Climate of Promise and Grace by Steven Nightingale, published by Counterpoint Press.

The stories in Nightingale's book really were collected, not made up out of his head. He provides a note before each one explaining where the story came from, usually something about who told it to him and the circumstances of the telling, or that it is a biography of a woman he met or loved. He packs 64 stories into 220 pages, so none are more than a few pages, some are only one page long, all celebrate the remarkable women Nightingale has encountered throughout his life.



Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Mailbox Monday: Al Capone

A new biography showed up in my mailbox last week. What books came into your house?



Al Capone: His Life, Legacy, and Legend by Deirdre Bair. Al Capone's story in Boardwalk Empire was riveting. It made me want to learn more about America's legendary gangster. I'm looking forward to this brand-new biography from Deirdre Bair, who won the National Book Award for her biography of Samuel Becket.




Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday, a weekly "show & tell" blog event where participants share the books they acquired the week before. Visit the Mailbox Monday website to find links to all the participants' posts and read more about Books that Caught our Eye.

Mailbox Monday is graciously hosted by Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, and Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach.

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Book Beginning: The Hot Climate of Promise and Grace



THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

TIE IN: The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice is a natural tie in with this event and there is a lot of cross over, so many people combine the two. The idea is to post a teaser from page 56 of the book you are reading and share a link to your post. Find details and the Linky for your Friday 56 post on Freda’s Voice.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING



Once upon a time there was a cat-burglar who worked assiduously to improve her technique of robbing houses and apartments.

-- From "The Cat Giver," the first story in The Hot Climate of Promise and Grace by Steven Nightingale. This is a new collection of 64 very short stories published by Counterpoint Press.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Teaser Tuesday: Fill the Sky



She thought back to the cold, the water, and tried to remember what had happened. An image began to poke its way through the cotton balls clogging her brain.

Fill the Sky by Katherine Sherbrooke. Three friends travel to Ecuador so one can seek cancer treatment from traditional healers. Their friendship is tested and each faces her own demons, in this sophisticated debut novel that is already getting a lot of attention.



Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.