Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: My Favorite Song Lyrics

 

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews asks that you share your link on their weekly post on their website (it will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they discuss that week. Comments are appreciated. 

Happy hump day! I promise I haven't forgotten my blogging friends this week. I will visit you and respond to your comments. Between today and tomorrow, my schedule is tighter than an elephant's girdle, but Friday should bring with it some breathing room. 

Today's topic for the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is favorite song lyrics. I am 57 years old, a former dancer, and I love singing. Can you imagine how many favorite song lyrics I have rattling around my brain? Here are a few you might know:

And I felt a rush like a rolling bolt of thunder

Spinning my head around and takin' my body under

Oh, what a night

"December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)" by the Four Seasons

Disappointment followed him home

He hoped for so much more

But he saw himself in a light

He had never seen before 

'Cause if the priest who failed could find the grace of God to be enough

Then there must be some hope for the rest of us 

"We Fall Down" The Best of Mark Lowry Volume Two

I, I did it all

I, I did it all

I owned every second that this world could give

I saw so many places

The things that I did

Yeah, with every broken bone

I swear I lived

"I Lived" by One Republic

She loved more than anything else

She loved with all of her heart

She loved everyone she believed in

She loved, oh, she loved

"She Loved" by Jeff & Sherri Easter

And when you're weak, I'll be strong

I'm gonna keep holding on

Now, don't you worry, it won't be long, darling

And when you feel like hope is gone

Just run into my arms

"One Call Away" by Charlie Puth

This, this is for all the girls 

Boys all over the world 

Whatever you've been told

You're worth more than gold 

So hold your head up high 

It's your time to shine

From the inside out it shows 

You're worth more than gold

(Go-o-o-old, you're go-o-old) 

You're worth more than gold

(Go-o-o-old, you're go-o-old)

"Gold" by Britt Nicole

Looking forward to checking out your favorite song lyrics. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Recent Romances Added to My TBR List & Tell Me Something Tuesday: Romance Book Recommendations

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

The week has settled on Tuesday. Seems as if I will be playing a week of catch-up. Sigh. Thanks for sticking with me as I do my best to juggle my creative life with my professional one. 

We had a Love/Valentine's Day Freebie for this week's Top Ten Tuesday. I am opting to share the most recent romances that I added to my TBR List. 

A Saltwater Christmas by Laurie Beach

It Shouldn't Be You by Jessica Wakefield

Operation Mistletoe by Elizabeth Maddrey

Christmas at Whispering Creek

by Barbara M Britton

Christmas on Reindeer Road 

by Debbie Mason

Chapters and Second Chances

by Evelyn Grace Berry

Stay for Love by Katherine Karrol

Hearts in Harmony by Traci Summeril

Resthaven Cottage by Karin M. Thompson

Cowboy's Bookshop Bride by Clara Pines

Thanks to Freepik for the image

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

This week's Tell Me Something Tuesday is asking us to share romance book recommendations. I am going to dig back into the earlier days of my blog for these recommendations. 

If you like historical romance, try Noble Cause by Jessica James, which is set during the American Civil War, or any Regency romance by Hazel Statham.

Looking for romantic suspense, consider Beyond the Code of Conduct by K. M. Daughters, which is about past lovers involved in law enforcement reconnecting to solve a crime. 

Is Amish romance what you are in the mood for? Anything by Charlotte Hubbard will draw you in. I loved her Promise Lodge series. 

If you enjoy an entertaining romantic comedy, then you need to get your hands on A Comedy of Erin by Celia Bonaduce. 

What is your favorite subgenre of romance? If you could only take one romance novel with you on vacation, what would that book be?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - Feb 8

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Welcome back to Monday! My weekend went by in a flash. How about yours? I knew last week would be full, and then the Lil' Princess came home for the weekend! I would share photos from her time here, but I practiced being present and didn't take any. She flew in on Friday night, and we spent Saturday together shopping and hanging out. Then, we drove her back to the airport on Sunday afternoon. She might try flying home for a couple of days in March. If not, we won't see her again until the end of April. 

Travis and Dwight took over within moments

of me putting clean sheets and blankets on the bed

I made a strawberry and blueberry crisp

on Friday night

Shifting to reading, I finished Chapters and Second Chances by Evelyn Grace Berry. Look for my review soon. 

I finished I Heard the Bells. Look for my review soon. 

I did not listen to Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor this week, but I have appointments that will keep me in the car, so I plan to put this back on. 

I started reading Creepy Kid by Caleb Roehrig. Love it! 

I need to start Dream Facades: The Cruel Architecture of Reality TV by Jack Balderrama Morley soon. I only have it on NetGalley for 41 more days. It sounds fascinating! 

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

Since I am totally disregarding my promise not to buy more books, I might as well keep going. I pre-ordered This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman for Audible based on its description. 

Dr. Holstein sent me her latest book, Women's Freedom: The Dawn of Possibilities, to review. 

Two Bodies Are Better Than One by Erica Ruth Neubauer is the first in a series. I grabbed this as an Amazon First Reads. 

At least I am keeping my promise not to overcommit to book reviews. :) 

Upcoming Events

Winter's Season by R. J. Koreto - Feb 13 (Spotlight)

I Heard the Bells by Darlene L. Turner et al - February (Review)

Chapters and Second Chances by Evelyn Grace Berry - February (Review)

Hook, Line, and Murder by GG Calpo - Mar 2 (Interview)

Agatha Christie, She Watched by Teresa Peschel - Apr 15 (Review)

Christmas Year Round

Christmas Year Round's latest "Journey through Christmases Past" reflects on Christmas 1865 and how the Civil War changed Christmas, and led to it being named an official holiday. You can find that here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

I reviewed Evan's Gift by Karen Charles at my kid's book blog. You can read that here. I also decided to join the Grow Your Writing Challenge. You can read the details of this challenge here.

Laura's Little Houses

We wished Laura Ingalls Wilder a happy 159th birthday this weekend. You can read my post here. 

That's it for me this week. I look forward to checking out your blogs today. 

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Will You Watch the Super Bowl? Why or Why Not?

 

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews asks that you share your link on their weekly post on their website (it will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they discuss that week. Comments are appreciated. 

Here we are on Wednesday. How is your week going? Mine is oddly fine, considering I am appreciating the new boundaries I implemented this year. We will see if I can stick with them. 

Today's topic is sports-related. Football, to be exact. It has been seven years since the New England Patriots won a Super Bowl (had to look that up). They have won six Super Bowls, tying with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most wins--if the Internet is correct. Their opponents, the Seattle Seahawks, won Super Bowl XLVIII back in 2014. 

I guarantee you that the Super Bowl will be on in our house, since my husband will definitely be watching it. I will make supper early so that he doesn't miss the kickoff. I will likely be up in my office doing something else during the game. However, if the score gets close, I will come down to see if the Pats win. It is our hometeam, so I should. But I don't like football, don't understand the rules, and certainly wouldn't bother if the Pats weren't in this year's Super Bowl. 

Do you like football? Do you have a favorite team? Are you rooting for either team in this year's matchup? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Book Covers Featuring Cool/Pretty/Unique/etc. Typography & Tell Me Something Tuesday: If You Could Invent a Holiday, What Would You Celebrate?

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

Happy first Tuesday in February! The groundhog saw his shadow yesterday, so it looks like we are in for six more weeks of winter. Does that make you happy or grumpy? While I am ready for spring, we can get snow into April, so I'm okay with whatever happens. 

Today's Top Ten Tuesday is asking us to share book covers featuring special typography. Let's see what I dig up for that. After 19 years, I'm sure to find a few. 

Top Ten Book Covers Featuring

Cool/Pretty/Unique, etc.

Typography

The metallic, beveled script has a neat forged look.

The curves and color palette for the author's name are an elegant typography that echoes the flow of the woman's gown. 

The clean, modern typography is specifically placed over a band across the woman's eyes, creating an emotional impact. 

The bold curves and strokes contrast nicely against the simpler font for the author's name, providing a warm feel despite the title showing that tragedy is about to strike. 

This reimagined take on a classic features decorative and playful typeface, giving it an energetic and contemporary feel. 

This book features smooth curves and generous spacing. It's almost like they are writing a letter to someone. 

Though the brush lettering is youthful and energetic, the white text almost seems like chalk lines, giving the book a mysterious flair. 

The contrast of the rigid letters for the author's name against the script typeface for the title ramps up the drama.

Strong, classic, and with wide spacing, this typeface speaks to the authority of the author and the book's contents. 

Clean and crisp typography, just like a winter's day. 

Thanks to Freepik for the image

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

This week's topic asks us to invent a holiday and explain what we would celebrate. I admit that I needed AI to help me flesh out this idea more fully. My holiday is...

Turning Home Day: A Homecoming to Self

Celebrated annually in the fall, this is the time when a woman who has spent decades caring for everyone else turns inward and gets back into balance. This is about being present for herself. She wakes without rushing. She releases what no longer belongs, and she reclaims what she seeks. Then she takes a walk with no destination. She has a simple meal and intentionally retires early. 

It is a day when she doesn't need to...

• Impress anyone,
• Post about what she's doing, or
• Explain herself.

This holiday should adapt with her, as she grows and changes. 

Turning Home is not a retreat from love, but the moment love remembers where it began.

Artsy Rambler: Mindful Journeys to Paris and Beyond by Evy Journey with Rich Journey

 

Experience the transformative power of art when you see the rich and vibrant city of Paris through the eyes of a mindful artsy traveler. From the light-inspired grandeur of Gothic cathedrals and the fresh beauty of Impressionism, sinuous forms that speak to our innate sense of beauty, and the rare library that helps one define oneself; to the role of French cuisine and cultural events in shaping the city's uniqueness, this collection of essays will take you on a journey of discovery and self-reflection.

Amidst the charm and allure of Paris and its art, questions arise and conflicts are explored. Can art truly enrich our understanding of life? Can it help extricate us from constantly waging wars? And how does a urinal become a symbol of controversy that challenges our conception of art?

If you enjoyed A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway, this thought-provoking and sometimes meditative collection of essays will unveil the beauty and complexity of the world around you by unleashing the power of art as you satisfy your wanderlust.

Read sample here.

Artsy Rambler: Mindful Journeys to Paris and Beyond is available at Amazon.

Prologue—How It All Began

I ran after my brothers and their friends—empty cans in their hands—as they rushed to a pond to catch tadpoles. They filled their cans with water from the pond and dropped the tadpoles into the cans. What they did with those tadpoles, I would never know. Later in the afternoon, they flew kites when the wind was good. Or they rode astride a water buffalo that took them across an open field behind the few houses in the neighborhood. 

They refused to take me on those little adventures—I was a girl, wore dresses, and could never keep up with them. That was what they said as they ran faster so I couldn’t catch up. I was unhappy at being excluded. Who wouldn’t be? But I had, by then, started to learn to live with being alone.

I spent my first six years with adults—my Lola (grandmother) and her two young unmarried daughters—in a town eight hours by slow train from the big city where my parents lived. Having no one my age to play with, I conjured up an imaginary playmate who stayed with me until we no longer needed one another. I had a big brother who kept my mother’s hands full as she took care of him and worked to secure a permanent position as a teacher. 

In my Lola’s little town, no family owned a television to entertain them. But on occasional nights, sweet and sentimental tunes accompanied by a guitar pierced the dark silence just below the closed window in my aunts’ room. The serenaders were young swains courting one or the other of my pretty aunts who, if they liked these suitors or how they sang, invited them into the living room. There, singing went on for another hour or two. My youngest aunt who had a nice voice and knew some English songs was always invited to sing. 

Read the rest of this excerpt on Amazon.

Evy studied psychology (M.A., University of Hawaii; Ph.D., University of Illinois) initially to help her understand herself and Dostoevsky. Now, she spins tales about nuanced multicultural characters negotiating separate realities. She believes in love and its many faces.

Just as she has crossed genres in writing fiction, she has also crossed cultures, having lived and traveled in various cities in different countries. Find her thoughts on travel, art, and food at Artsy Rambler.

She has one ungranted wish: to live in Paris, where art is everywhere, and people have honed aimless roaming to an art form. She visits and stays for a few months when she can.

Evy’s latest book is Artsy Rambler: Mindful Journeys to Paris and Beyond.

Visit her website at https://evyjourney.net.

Connect with her on social media at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evictoriajourney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eveonalimb2

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/evy-journey 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14845365.Evy_Journey