For the last two weeks or so I’ve been listening to the radio station I listen to at work advertise Fiddler on the Roof starring Topol. I’ve been sitting at my desk wishing I had a ticket for what has to be a fantastic show. Today I decided that there was really no harm in getting online and checking out prices. Called Mike, my husband and said would you like to go? I’d really like to go. He of course can’t go because of work commitments, but he said I could go. Okay, how fast can I get online and buy a ticket? Should I be really cheap and buy any ticket, or do I deserve a great seat and maybe even valet parking? Debating this makes me think of trips to the bookstore. How often do I go thinking I need a book such as The Warrior by Sharon Sala (who also happened to have been the phone in guest for this week’s DFWTEA READERS dinner), but end up bringing home a huge stack! This week’s question is are you impulsive like I was on Wednesday, or do you plan precisely and stick to the plan. If you are…

Sandi has a sweet spotOriginally uploaded by freshfiction This last week found me once again attending a book signing with the wonderful ladies of the DFWTEA Readers. We were attending assigning Jen Lancaster who was signing copies of her latest book Pretty In Plaid. Per my usual style I arrived with plenty of time to spare. As I wandered the bookstore I noticed it was 4:00 and that would mean plenty of browsing time before the 5:00 dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. As I browsed I saw that there were already people sitting in the chairs at the signing area and the signing didn’t start until 7:00! Never having read Jen Lancaster before I really didn’t understand why these people would be lining up (well sitting) so early. Later I would find out, but that’s another story! So anyway back on track…with them arriving so early I wondered what kind of person some of you are. Are you like me and like to be early, and might find a corner to read in while waiting? Are you a right on time sort of person? Perhaps you are a better late than never type of person. Until next week I wish…

When I sat down to write this blog I really wanted to write something that would honor the connections between books and mothers. My first instinct was to talk about some books were mothers where featured prominently such as Shades of Grace by Barbara Delinksy, but then I worried that you as readers of the blog would want to know some impression I had from the book and while I read it and can remember totally loving it, I can’t remember anything else about it, and felt that was cheating. So now I think that I’m going to take this opportunity to publicly thank my mom, Betty for fostering my love of reading. Growing up there were things I didn’t want to do such as wearing my glasses, taking various meds when ill, doing my math homework if I did these things for a specified period of time I would get a new book. What a wonderful treat! So with the thought of honoring a special woman in your life is there someone who helped to foster your love of reading? How did they do that? If you can’t recall a special woman who fostered your love of reading, is…

Recently I attended a book signing for Kate Jacobs the author of several books including The Friday Night Knitting Club, Comfort Food, and Knit Two. Ms. Jacobs was promoting the paperback release of Comfort Food, and as she read a scene from the book it made me want to race home, and find the book in my TBR stack (well, really on my Kindle, but we won’t argue the semantics of it), and begin reading immediately. What you ask stopped me from doing just that? Two things…one I was already in the middle of a great romantic suspense, Behind the Shadows by Patricia Potter, and two I have review books that I am committed to getting finished before I do any pleasure reading. Can you hear the big sigh I have given out for not being able to just read whatever book is sounding good to me at any given moment? One solution that I have come up with is to do the audio version of the book yelling READ ME RIGHT NOW!!!! However, that’s not really the best solution either because my audio pile is also growing, so when I hear about a good book that I have on…

On Tuesday I let my emotions get the best of me and stormed out of my job in the direct vision of my boss, and quite possibly other employees. Did I care? No, not really. Was I thinking sanely? More than likely I wasn’t. What did I do next? What any self respecting woman/bookaholic might do I took myself out for some retail therapy. Where else would a self proclaimed bookaholic go for retail therapy, but to the bookstore? My reason for going to the bookstore was really twofold….one in my haste to leave school I had left my book, and two who knew what new treasures might be awaiting me? I went to Half Price Books, a chain store that sells used books, music, DVD’s etc. If you’re just going to wander and don’t have a specific title in mind you might be able to spend hours and hours in the store. If however you want a specific title and don’t find it your disappointment might be so overpowering that you leave the store almost immediately. The book I was hoping to find a replacement for was Behind The Shadows by Patricia Potter. Unfortunately for me they didn’t have…

Yesterday Sara discussed what bugged readers and made them turn away from an author. I want to know why readers read. What is your favorite thing to read about? Do you remember discovering reading? I personally don’t recall when, where, how, or why I learned to read. I also don’t remember the first book I read independently. I do know that my parents thought I could read until they caught me with the book upside down, and backwards, and realized I hadn’t learned to read it all, but had instead memorized it. Buy Your Copy today Buy Your Copy today Buy Your Copy today I’m sure I became a reader because I remember growing up somewhat lonely and friendless. Board games required at least one other person, but reading is totally independent and can be pretty much done anywhere! I know that some of my favorite books were those read to us at school, and to this day I still own copies of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlotte’s Web, and Mr. Popper’s Penguins. I remember being bribed to do things with a new book, and of course that almost always worked, but how do you decide which book? Choices…

Saturday the DFW Tea Readers were invited into the home of local author Dakota Cassidy for a truly delicious barbecue instead of our usual monthly tea. As always the conversation was lively, diverse, and I found myself trying to decide which conversation I truly wanted to follow. However, the one the got my attention was the discussion about book covers. What type of book cover is best? What type of book cover makes you pick up a book to investigate further? What type of book cover makes you think “no way am I reading this book,” and you don’t pick it up to check the back cover blurb. Then came the question I think most authors dread most, “how do you feel when the hero/heroine on the front looks one way, but the hero/heroine in the book is described totally differently.” To be honest I think I do judge a book somewhat by its cover. If the cover appeals to me I’m more likely to pick it up to see the back cover blurb. However, if the cover really annoys me I’m also liable to pick it up to see what deserved such a bad (in my opinion) cover. I…

This week my friend Yvonne is visiting. We’ve of course done some tourist like things and we’ve hit the bookstores looking for some of the recommendations that everyone was so kind to have supplied last week. We went to see the King Tut exhibit that is in my area, and Yvonne bought several souvenirs. I was however a bad hostess, and when we made a pit stop for a quickie snack I promptly forgot I was in charge of them, and lost them! I felt awful when I realized it.The day however turned out to not be a total bust because when we arrived home sitting in my living room was a brand new hand made rocking chair. My 16-year-old son, Brian made it for me. Here is a picture of my new favorite reading place. Do you have a favorite reading place? Is it something special and likely to be handed down for generations like my rocker or is it special just because it happens to be in a great spot and is super comfy? Perhaps even your favorite reading place changes depending on either your mood or the genre of book you’re reading at the moment. Inquiring minds…

In my little corner or the world this past week was quite exciting. I had the chance to not only meet but to have dinner with the entertaining author Lisa Lutz. I got books signed for several of my friends, and managed not to forget one for myself. Saturday my friend Yvonne arrived from England, and her visits are always a pleasure, and while we do many varied things we always hit the bookstores; To help welcome her to Dallas in a way that was more special than how I usually welcome her which is take her home and say now what I took her to dinner with the ever delightful Dakota Cassidy and some friends. While paranormal romance might not be my preferred genre I do read selected ones. So when a box from Amazon arrived on my doorstep I had to open it and see what Yvonne was ordering to be picked up when she arrived. The contents…the three current releases from Dakota Cassidy’s Accidental Series. The explanation…Yvonne said, “I’m meeting the author I’m going to buy her books so I can have them signed, and then read them.” I’m taking this comment to mean that Yvonne’s descent…

Are your real life friends like some of mine and amazed at how much you’re able to read? Do they look at you differently because you’re a reader? How often have they said how do you find time to read? Since you read this blog I’m going to make the assumption that you’re like me and consider yourself to be a dedicated reader. That means you make the time to read anywhere and everywhere! I’m hopeful that many of are like me and household chores are often left undone because of the need to read that one last chapter. I have to know where you think the most unusual place you’ve been caught reading is. Before I started audio books I would read in my car at red lights, during football games or at whatever sporting event my children might have been practicing for. Now I can be found sneaking pages at the bowling center or even during slow times at work. The only place I won’t be found reading is in the bath, as I’m not a bath person at all, and they haven’t (well to the best of my knowledge) found a way to waterproof my book while…