Reading is Fundamental

I've been told that one of the best things a writer can do is read. And, I do. Not as fast as I used to, but I still knock off 2-3 books a month.

I would like to share my thoughts on three of the books I've read over the last couple of months. These are recommendations, not reviews, although I will comment on each.

The first is 11/22/63 by Stephen King. I always enjoy a good King. Wait--that doesn't sound right. I enjoy reading a good Stephen King novel. This one was particularly interesting to me because of the setting. I was raised in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area (or Ft. Worth/Dallas area depending on your affiliation), I grew up in the era depicted and his description of Texas is spot on.

This is not scary King, it's suspenseful, fantasy, time travel King. It has to do with the Kennedy assassination, but I will go no further than that. You have to read it to find out the details. He still manages to throw in a few creep factor things that give you that 'something's not quite right feeling.'

11/22/63 gets four out of five stars. The only reason it's not five is because of the length. I am not averse to reading long tomes, but I know the average reader might balk at it's 842 page length.

(I'll let you in on a secret. Before I started revisions on my book, it was well over that. Suffice it to say, I am cutting).

The next book is The Help by Kathryn Stockett. This is a great read, and again it's the era I grew up in. It's set in pre-integration Mississippi and is written from the perspective of three women, two black maids and a young, white journalist/wannabe novelist. Their collaboration makes a powerful, poignant, funny, entertaining read about women and how they overcome their fear, make discoveries about themselves, and form a bond, regardless of race, in a time of unrest in the South.

If you're not a reader, see the movie. It follows the book well enough. This one I give 5 stars for a heartfelt story, and characters who became my friends.

The last one is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. This is my genre! If you love paranormal fantasy, this is a must read!

A circus that only opens after dusk and closes with the coming of dawn (and it's not about vampires). It's existence based on a wager made by two rival magicians. The book is richly dark and sensual. It brings to my mind a marriage of Something Wicked This Way Comes, Wuthering Heights, with a little Cirque du Soleil thrown in.

I read this book on my iPhone. Yes--I said iPhone. I think that speaks volumes that I was willing to continue to read it in that format and not stop long enough to buy the physical book. Of course, I now would like to have a copy in my library.

Absolutely 5 stars for this one. Entertaining, exotic, sensual, mystical, imaginative and just an engaging read all around (a book tailor made for Tim Burton's directing--just sayin').

Thank you for indulging me in my opinions. I hope that they might encourage you to pick up one or all of these books and that you enjoy them as much as I did.

R.G.

A Peek into Wayward

Finally! I make good on my word to bring a little tidbit of my novel, Wayward.

It's just a little taste, but hopefully enough to whet the appetite. My protagonist's name is Simon Farrell and he's just been through something weird and unsettling with more to come. 

Go ahead, you know you're just itching to get into Wayward, even if we don't visit this time. Read this snippet and let me know what you think. 

Regards,

Robin

WAYWARD - CHAPTER ONE

I’m going to land hard, and there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s as if my soul is being sucked back into my body at high velocity. The impact is so abrupt I slam my head into the headboard. A second of blinding white flashes behind my eyes.

“Aw shit,”

I grab my head and wince in pain. My heart hammers in my chest, I gasp for air as though I’ve run a marathon. Sweat drips from my face and runs down my neck.

Just minutes ago, my father chased me out of Cusack’s Shack. Then everything disappeared, went pitch black. A magnetic sensation took over, and I sped through darkness until I could see myself hurtling toward myself. It makes no sense and yet, it does.

Go Ahead--Call Me A Slacker

I haven't been on here for awhile. I have to get more consistent with this blog thing. Part of my absence is that I said in my last post, that I would be including an excerpt from my book, Wayward, in the next post. Trouble is, I can't decide what to post. Do I pick something from my first chapter? Do I pull out something from another chapter? What's just enough to make you want more? Well, you see where my head went with this.

What it really boils down to is me, getting in the way of myself. I just need to kick myself in the posterior and get disciplined to blog at least once a week. Sheesh, what a slacker!

So, this is my apology for being remiss. I'm going to pick out a little tidbit from the novel and post it!

Within two days of this post there will be and excerpt of my book.

See you Friday, February 17th, 2012.
Robin

Random Acts of Kindness Continue in 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope that everyone will have a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012!

The first week of this new year did not start with a bang, but it did have a couple of nice surprises. Once again, someone bought my breakfast in the Starbuck's drive through. This is an awesome practice and I've now participated in it as well. Even if you only do it once this year, choose a random person behind you in the drive through line, and pay for their Starbuck's. It will make you feel just as good to give as it does to receive this token of kindness.

The next surprise was  from the people I work for. I was given a thank you card . I was not expecting what was in it. Three crisp, new twenty dollars bills to thank me for my kindness. I can't tell you how much I thank these people for their kindness in return. I haven't work there long, but they've made me feel welcome and appreciated.

I hope that random acts of kindness and generosity continue to happen all year long for everyone. The world would be a better place for it.

That's all I have to write this go round. My next blog will be a teaser from my book. I hope you all will check in and read it.

Blessings in the New Year!
Robin

'Tis the Season!

I believe in Christmas!

One of my favorite Christmas carols is 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.' The message of comfort and joy is what I wish for everyone in this season of giving and love. I know there are those who celebrate this season differently, but the message is universal. Love one another.

I ask that God blesses each and every one of you now and in the New Year. 

Merry Christmas!

Robin

The nativity story and the miracle of it, the supernatural awesomeness of it are what I believe. It's the story of the ultimate gift. Everything else pales in comparison and it doesn't stop at a celebrated birth. 

The Little Things

Little, random things make me happy. Sometimes they even restore my faith in humanity or at least make what's rude in the world a little less so.

What triggered me to write this, is a random act of kindness. I sat in the drive through of Starbuck's Wednesday morning, ready to pull up, give the barista the gift card I'd received two days prior, and grab my order, only to be told that the lady in the van ahead of me had paid for my breakfast. We both exclaimed at how generous and kind that was as she handed me my scone and coffee.

I hadn't recognized the van, and I couldn't see the drivers face, so I have no idea if I knew the person, or if it was a total stranger. Did the season prompt her to do this? Could she see the stress and distraction on my face? Was it simply a kindness that she felt compelled to do?

None of this matters. What does, is the fact that there are still people in this world who perform random acts of kindness. This person, whether I know her or not, can be sure that I will pay her act forward at the first opportunity. I believe in this philosophy and wish that more people would.

Thank you, whoever you are. I pray you are blessed for your generous spirit. Your simple gift made my day and boosted my outlook. The warmth of this act stayed with me that day and will for some time.

My wish for everyone today, this Christmas season, and all year is that you experience this phenomenon at least once, either as a recipient or as the benefactor. Either way, it makes the soul sing.

Warmest regards - Robin

The voices in my head.

I hear voices. I know what that sounds like...crazy.

The loudest voice in my head is my character Simon. Lately he's been nagging me to get on with revisions of "his story." Yes, he is a little possessive of the novel since it is about him. I won't argue with the fact that he did have something to do with the direction it took.

Lately, Simon is competing with Grace, who is a new character in a new idea for a novel. Unlike Simon though, Grace is content to sit back and wait her turn. She does; however, get a scene in when Simon shuts his mouth.

There are also, Hayden and Blush, characters from a short story that I wrote, which won 2nd place in The Creatively Crazy Writing Competition. They are biding their time until I decide to write a full length story about them. They whisper now and then, never raising their voices, just reminding me that they should get a turn eventually.

By now, several of you are contemplating a call to the nearest asylum. I don't blame you, I might have too if someone told me this a little over a year ago. That was before I started writing my book. Now, if I don't hear from one of them, I worry. I need them to motivate me, but not just my characters, I need my friends, family, and followers to encourage me as well.

I want to see Wayward published, so does Simon. He's very adamant about that. Actually, so is Grace, because the sooner that happens, the sooner her story gets told.

I hope you all get where I'm coming from and understand. My mother told me once that when I was little, and she would put me in time out (usually for my smart mouth), she would hear me telling stories. Making them up where I sat on the little red bench, in the hallway, by myself. So, obviously, I've been hearing voices most of my life. If only I had listened to them sooner.

: ) Robin