It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - July 15

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

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 and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.   

Welcome back to Monday! We arrived home on Saturday to an overgrown garden and a blazing hot house. Good thing the cats had the basement, which is like an icebox year round. 

Celebrated my latest birthday on Friday. Here's to life at 56! If you would like to see more pictures from our vacation, they are on my Facebook page.  

Real estate consumed some of my time. I read less than planned, and still need to finish an editing project and finish reading that friend's manuscript. 

Posted my review of this fabulous historical crime novel last week. You can read the review here. 

I am reading these two.

Next up are these. I am also beta reading a manuscript for a friend. 

After these, maybe something from my huge TBR pile. 

Upcoming events:

• The Righteous Arrows by Brian J. Morra - July (Review)
• Truth and Dare by Ann M. Trader - August 5 (First Chapter Review)
• Affiliate Marketing for Beginners by Audrey K. Andado - August 12 (First Chapter Review)
• Dishing Love Daily by Susanne Clark - August 14 (First Chapter Review)
• Knowing by Mark Cox - August 22 (Review)
• Death in St. George's by M. A. Monnin - August 23 (Review)
• Hollywood Underworld by Lindy S. Hudis - August 30 (Review)

You can read the latest Christmas news at the Christmas Year Round blog. Check it out here.

I have a hectic first day back, so I might not visit your blogs until later. Hope you have a nice day!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Apr 15

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday.   

 

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 and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.   

Happy Monday! Here in Massachusetts, we are celebrating Patriots Day, which commemorates the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The 128th Boston Marathon will take place, and it is also the start of school vacation week. I kind of forget about that one since the kids are no longer that age.

Last week was stressful with work and trying to balance everything. I also had trouble sleeping. I've found I've gotten away from meal planning, daily prayer, and journaling, which felt like it kept me centered. I'm renewing my commitment to all those and am hopeful that will help. 

In my reading and reviewing world, I'm also seeking focus. 

On Saturday, I reviewed this personal growth book. You can read my review here.  

I started this one on Audible, but have determined it is not for me. 

Our book club met on Wednesday to discuss The Secret Garden. You can find my review here.

 

Though I didn't read any of this one, but I need to get back to it. 

I read some of this one. 

I need to start this one. 

I'm listening to this one on Audible.

I need to finish this one for an April 25th review. 

I need to read this one for a May review. 

This is our selection for May's book club, so I need to get back to reading this. I started it when it first arrived, but review books tied me up. Then I wandered off to read other things. 

I also need to start this one for a May 31st review.

I would really like to continue with this series after I catch up on review books. 

You can find books I have listed for sale on ebay by clicking here. I will be adding more soon. 

Upcoming virtual book tours:

• It Will Have Been So Beautiful by Amanda Shaw - Apr 25 (review) 
• My Career Journal by CareerTuners - May 1 (review) 
• Be Resilient in Your Career by Dr. Helen Ofosu - May 16 (review)
• Mastering Your Scenes by J. A. Cox - May 17 (review)
• I Will Ruin You: The Twisted Truth Behind the Kit Martin Murder Trial by Emilio Corsetti III - May 31 (review)

At the Christmas Year Round blog, we are talking about the filming of a new movie in historic downtown Long Grove, which stars Mario Lopez as the mayor of the town. You can read more here. 

 

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Nothing this week, but as you can tell, I  have enough books to keep me busy. 

Looking forward to visiting your blogs today. Hope you have a nice week!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Apr 8

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday.   

 

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 and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.   

Posting early this week since the morning is busy. Still wishing you all a happy Monday. I hope you had a nice week. My week was filled with meetings and appointments, but I came away feeling productive because I reworked some of my marketing materials for consultations.

We are dog sitting for a couple of days while my brother-in-law takes his family to see the eclipse. Anyone else traveling for it?

You will see Travis is up to his old tricks of hopping into any open door or cabinet.

In my Facebook memories, the last photo of Yia-yia popped up. Today marks one year since she left us. I had no idea when I took this photo it would be the last one. I only took it so my daughter, who was coming home the next day, would see she was safely with us. I'm glad I was inspired to take it, because she had such a great day with us. It was almost like she was her old self before her dementia diagnosis. 

I listed a few books for sale on eBay. You can find them here. 

With my busy week, I didn't read a ton, but here is what I accomplished. I'm over halfway through this one on Audible. Book club is Wednesday, so I will have to finish it while driving to appointments this week. 

I didn't read any from this graphic novel approved by NetGalley. 

I read some of this one. 

I didn't read from this one last week. 

Didn't read this one on Audible because I need to finish The Secret Garden.

I started this one.

This one might be next after review books. 

This week at Christmas Year Round, we talked about the Christmas in April organization. You can find the post here.

Upcoming virtual book tours:

• It Will Have Been So Beautiful by Amanda Shaw - Apr 25 (review) 
• My Career Journal by CareerTuners - May 1 (review) 
• Be Resilient in Your Career by Dr. Helen Ofosu - May 16 (review)
• Mastering Your Scenes by J. A. Cox - May 17 (review)
• I Will Ruin You: The Twisted Truth Behind the Kit Martin Murder Trial by Emilio Corsetti III - May 31 (review)

 

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

This arrived mid-week for my May review.

So you want to write an engaging scene, do you? This book was written with one main to help give authors a creative boost in their scene writing and toss writers' block into the oblivion of the abyss. In order to accomplish this, each chapter is written in a workbook-like format so that the steps provided can easily be implemented after they are explained. For each element of scene writing that is presented, J.A. Cox explains the How, Why, and When of its use along with his own description so that the information is easy to assimilate. He provides copious examples from his own writing of these elements in action as well as from shows and movies.

Here are the elements that you will be learning:

• Sketching
• Location
• Time
• Characters
• Perspective
• Resistance
• Objective

No new-fangled way of writing is about to be forced on you, but advice offered to help you realize things you are likely not seeing as you struggle to come up with ideas. As you make your way through these pages and consider these elements, you will end up in a state where it is difficult to shut down the tsunami of ideas that will come your way.

Finally, there is a completed outline format that can be used over and over for every scene you write to keep that creative pump primed. Therefore, you will no longer have to fuss over figuring out what prompts or hooks to use to start a chapter as your answer will come to you as you outline your scenes from the various questions provided for you to ask with each element.

This book will revolutionize the way you look at your scenes in the future...

That is all from my end of the world. Hope you have a fabulous day. See you around the blogosphere. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Dec 27

Welcome to It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday.

 

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 and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Welcome to the last Monday of 2021. I hope everyone who celebrated Christmas had a nice holiday. We had family over on Christmas Eve and a few friends over on Christmas Day, so I did a lot of cooking--which I love. It would have felt like a normal Christmas if my son and daughter-in-law were here. They are both sick. We hope to see them on New Year's Day. Here are some photos from this weekend.

The girls finally decorated the main tree.

We had a white Christmas thanks to the surprise two inches that fell Christmas Eve.

The Lil' Diva made an amazing pecan pie.

Dwight loved his new toy.

Christmas tuckered out Theo and Travis. 

The other two cats hid while everyone was here. 

I didn't have time for a ton of reading, but I did polish these two off.

Review at my children's book blog.

Review posted here.

My review of 52 Weeks of Writing is scheduled for December 31. 

I am also still reading this one.

Next up are these books, but I might need to sneak in my first book of the year for The 9th Annual First Book Event hosted by Sheila at Book Journey first. Any guesses as to what it will be? It is written by one of my favorite authors. 

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

My physical mailbox only had books for people as gifts, but I grabbed this Kindle freebie over the weekend.

I also found this one in my stocking. There is a longer edition of this book that I would love to see come back into print. 

I hope you'll join me in praying for all those affected by the horrible tornadoes across the country. If you purchase a copy of my book, A Christmas Kindness, from 4RV Publishing through December 31, 2021, my proceeds will be donated to the Midwest and Southern Tornado Outbreak Relief Fund. Please visit http://www.4rvpublishing.com/cheryl-c-malandrinos.html to purchase. 

See you again in the new year. Wishing you a safe and happy holiday.