Thrity Umrigar’s The Space Between Us was probably my favorite read from 2009. So I was excited to learn about The Weight of Heaven and thrilled to participate in an on-air chat with Umrigar. And, equally disappointed to learn it has been postponed. (It had been set for tonight.)
I had planned to save my review for after the discussion, but since I’m not sure when it will be rescheduled, I just can’t wait.
The Weight of Heaven returns readers to India, this time with a young American couple who recently lost …

If you’ve been reading here, you know I have a good friend who is a songwriter. And, you might remember that one of his songs was selected from about 2,000 to be in the top 10 of a Country Music Television (CMT) songwriters award. From there, it is listeners’ choice. Fans vote online as much and as often as they like to determine the winner.

Well, today is Derek’s birthday, and to celebrate and hopefully give him a final push in the CMT songwriter’s contest, I thought I’d host a …

Wow.

This has been an amazing year. As I’ve shared before, when I started this, I had the expectation of maybe a dozen folks reading here. My real purpose was twofold: to keep me accountable to recording what I read & my thoughts about those book and to start writing again on a regular basis.

Since that February Friday afternoon a year ago, I can’t believe how much has happened. I’ve “met” some amazing folks who love books as much as I do and are as weird as I am …

Dear future novelist,

If you were not raised below the Mason-Dixon, please do not try to write about the South in your first attempt. All Southerners appreciate your love of our culture and our people, and your desire to express that adoration by embracing it in your craft.

However, there are subtleties and nuances about the South that you probably don’t get, no matter how many of us you love and admire, and so being able to translate these elusive concepts to paper takes the skill of a well seasoned professional. …

I have never wanted to edit a book so badly as I’ve wanted to for the first 80 pages of Saving CeeCee Honeycut. Actually, I’ve never REALLY wanted to edit a book. I’m not that type. This one is driving me nuts.
Let’s start with my general objection: show, don’t tell. Fundamental of Creative Writing 101. When Miz Hobbs is first introduced it would have sufficed for Oletta to have pounded the dough loudly (she does this near the end of page 69) rather than CeeCee saying (at the top of …

It has been a long while since I’ve written a post about my current reads, but since (1) I am reading two books at time – which I never do – and (2) I’ve started an audio book that is 20 disks long, I thought this was a good time for such a post.
First, my audio book. In my quest to read prize-winning authors that I’ve never read before, Wally Lamb is on my list for this year. I now own She’s Come Undone, but I recently picked up The …

I’ve been debating if I should post a review on this one or not, and obviously I decided in favor. When I started this blog I never would have imagined not reviewing every thing that I could, but I’m realizing that for some books, it is hard to get “up” for it – do you know what I mean?

I didn’t especially like David Guterson’s Our Lady of the Forest, but it wasn’t horrible either. It is the story of Ann (called Ann of Oregon) – a teenage runaway who lives …

The Memory Thief by Rachel Keener tells the story – in alternating voices – of two young girls, both victims of abusive homes and in search of freedom.

Hannah, raised by strict religious zealots – albeit wealthy, experiences her first bit of freedom during a summer when her parents move to the South Carolina coast for her father’s job. Succumbing to many ‘firsts,’ she finds herself pregnant. In an attempt to save the reputation of the family, Hannah’s mother gives the child (and $6,000) to the first person who agrees …