Monthly Archives: October 2017

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia

For the last two months, Ama had been cooking night and day. The counter was piled high with Pyrex dishes. cheese grits, green bean casserole, fried chicken, and of course Bing cherry salad – which was really a fancy name for a jello mold with cherries, pineapples, and coca-cola in it. It only sounds mundane here. The book is about witch-like beings. Ambrosia of The Purple Booker hosts Teaser Tuesday. To play along, grab your current read, open to a […]

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Suzie’s House 514 : It’s Alright My Boy, You’re Here Now

The cars whizzing past trailed streamers of light like a high budget art movie. Sunlight in the air put brilliant gold on every speck of dust and time became a relative thing. As far as flashbacks went, this one was both much better and much worse than the average. Better simply from the sheer beauty of Madison Wisconsin in the early Fall. Most trees still shone green, and a clear, powder-blue sky loomed overhead. The hoards of high school kids […]

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Eating Greenland Shark

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Sleepy Hollow Take 2

Old man Matheson flicked his rod, letting the line out fast so the floater could land in the river’s current. That should get the hook and fly into the eddy far enough away that his daughter’s shouts wouldn’t disturb the fish. Not that it mattered. Really, he should probably shout back to her, calling her to enjoy this glorious sunset. But sunsets were for quiet, and thinking of all the times you were too foolish to take them in, and […]

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The Selection by Kiera Case

When I got the letter in the post my mother was ecstatic. She had already decided that all our problems were solved, gone forever. The big hitch in her plans were me. I listened to this on audio book in one day. This is the first few sentences. It’s about a future in which the country is on the brink of economic and political ruin under a monarchy too far removed by a caste system. Ambrosia of The Purple Booker […]

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Sleepy Hollow

Liam, Alicia, and Sally walked home from school along the twisting dirt road. Already the days grew short and cold. The ordinary became spooky. “I heard there is a haunted tree along here,” Alicia glanced over her shoulder. “Oh! I know just the one. It’s right around the bend.” Sally pointed ahead. “Who are you trying to fool with a story like that.” Liam sneered, but he also walked faster. “Whoooo!” called an owl from the depths of the hollow […]

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13 Leaves

Ok, so maybe it’s a bit more than 13. My eyes blur when I try to count. As to the ones in the background, they don’t count at all, do they? What amazes me is that there are still so many leaves on the tree when so many more are already on the ground. They are like pretty snowdrifts on my sidewalk. Now where did I put my rake?

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Smokejumper by Jason Ramos

His men lay on the muddy tunnel floor, writhing and moaning in the sweltering darkness. One man stood up and made a desperate rush for the entrance. Polanski barred the way and drew his pistol. “The first man who tries to leave this tunnel, I will shoot,” he said. It was August 20, 1910 in the Coeur d’Alene forest near Wallace Idaho, and outside the world was burning. I’ve been “reading” audio books lately. I find I’m enjoying a lot […]

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Suzie’s House 513 : Frozen

Ben and Lisa walked home from school together – home being Ben’s house. Lisa’s mom had been kind of busy the last few days, so Lisa and Tracy both ate with him. Tracy’s mom even paid for it, like it was a business deal. Board without the room. Ben mostly didn’t care. It was only for the next month anyway. How many times would it be his turn to cook? Besides, Lisa and Tracy took turns too. “So I think […]

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The Raven King by Maggier Stieffvater p44

“No homework. I got suspended,” Blue replied. [paragraph or two abridged for space considerations] “For what?” “Emptying another student’s backpack over his car. I don’t really want to talk about it,” “I do,” Ronan said. “Well, I don’t. I’m not proud of it.” Ronan patted her leg. “I’ll be proud for you.” I love the way these characters fit together. Ambrosia of The Purple Booker hosts Teaser Tuesday. To play along, grab your current read, open to a random page, […]

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Icelandic Music

I’ve been playing with youtube playlists lately.  I made myself one of Icelandic musicians. Here are a few from the list. 1.

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Ship of Fools

While the party raged below decks, Anita considered her next art showing. It wold be in SoHo, of course. If only she had some idea what to put in it. Despite the balmy, moonlit night, all she could think of were out of season icebergs, homicidal gun collectors, and crazy presidents. By the time she’d made enough pieces to show, would there be a world left? “That’s it!” She shouted, overturning her deck chair. “Zombies! Everyone loves zombies.” The Challenge: […]

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Suzie’s House 512 : PDA

“I don’t like it,” Gene mumbled to Tracy as they sat across from each other at a long table in the lunchroom. He could see a dozen girls looking at him from different parts of the room. Normally he’d have focused on the others at their table instead, but none of them had shown up yet. “Just ignore them.” Tracy shoved her sandwich into her mouth like she couldn’t care less, but Gene knew she’d been getting looks from guys […]

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