True Friendship... ...SCOTTISH STYLE!!

 (None of that Sissy shite)

Are ye tired of those piss weak 'friendship'    poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality?   Well, here are a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship... You will see no cute wee smiley faces on this post .  Just the stone cold truth of a great friendship.   

1. When ye are sad --  I will help you get pissed and plot revenge against the bastard who made ye sad.  

2. When ye are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever is choking ye. 

3. When ye smile -- I will know ye are thinking of something that I would probably want to be involved in. 

4. When ye are scared -- I will shake the piss out of ye every chance I get, until you're NOT. 

5. When ye are worried -- I will tell ye stories about how much worse it could be until   YE STOP YER WHINING! 

6... When yer confused -- I will try to use only wee words. 

7... When ye are sick --  Stay the hell away from me until ye are well again. 

I don't want whatever ye've got. 

8... When ye fall,  I will laugh my effin head off at you, you clumsy arse, 

.......but I'll help you up. 

9... This is my oath.... I pledge it to the end. 

'Why?' you may ask; 

Because you are my friend. 

Friendship is like pissing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth... 

Send this to 10 yer closest friends, 

Then get depressed because ye can only think of 4 . 

Burton's Book Review Interview Day!

I was asked to do an interview at Burton Book Review so I thought I would also share this with my followers. You can go to their site and check out other new bloggers  here .


I'm Lisa from Lisa's Loves Books Of Course (http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/). I started blogging about 18 months ago. It was more an exercise to keep my reviews in one place rather than on dozens of sites on the net. I had semi-retired about 4 years earlier and was reading non-stop.
 I'd always read and often had two or three books going at any time. One in every vehicle I drove, one at work and one at home. I found myself buying books that sounded awesome, reading them half way through and realizing that I'd already read them. Awug! So I thought putting them in one place, my blog, would solve this problem. 
Unfortunately, I enjoyed reading others blogs looking for that next great series so much, that though I was still reading a lot, I wasn't getting my reviews written on a timely basis. This is something I constantly struggle with. 
I love to read Paranormals, historicals, some sci-fi, suspense, thrillers, YA's, and about anything that has some romance in it. My reviews are as eclectic as what I read. I don't always read and review the newest books that have just come out. I read what interests me and review them at my speed.
The most awesome thing I've done--raised three great kids who have gotten college educations, much of it with scholarships, to be productive and awesome adults. With one granddaughter, we are starting the next generation on this quest for education with a bang. Can't wait for the next 10 to 15 years as they are going to be freaking awesome.


I have a question for all of you. How do you decide what to read next especially if that series you've loved has finally ended?

Back to School Break

Summer has flown this year and here it is time for the kiddies to return to school (thank goodness!). Seriously, I love my granddaughter  to death but she's got more energy and things going on than a three ring circus. While I've gotten few reviews written this summer, I have gotten a fair amount read while sitting out at the pool while she "swims" (talks me to death). So, though I do need to finalize the "Eyes" contest and announce  the winner, I will be scarce for a few days as I concentrate on writing up several reviews of books I read. Oh, and to all the other moms and caretakers of small children that are returning to school--bless you!

AMAZON- Love/Hate Relationship

I have a Love/Hate relationship with Amazon. They are evil, eeeevil I say.


While visiting BittenByBooks today, I read their review of  Alyson Noel's newest release "Shimmer".

 Alyson Noël, author of the Immortals series, continues her new series about Ever’s younger sister, Riley.
"Having solved the matter of the Radiant Boy, Riley, Buttercup, and Bodhi are enjoying a well-deserved vacation. When Riley comes across a vicious black dog, against Bodhi’s advice, she decides to cross him over. While following the dog, she runs into a young ghost named Rebecca. Despite Rebecca’s sweet appearance, Riley soon learns she’s not at all what she seems. As the daughter of a former plantation owner, she is furious about being murdered during a slave revolt in 1733. Mired in her own anger, Rebecca is lashing out by keeping the ghosts who died along with her trapped in their worst memories. Can Riley help Rebecca forgive and forget without losing herself to her own nightmarish memories?"


While adding this series to my wishlist, I realize I still need a book or two in her Immortals series so I pop over to Amazon just to check on the price and then I get sucked down the rabbit hole.
I stop to check on one book, 1 book, uno! And what do I find? They have it for $2.36. I mean how could I pass it up? And then, of course, I have to get at least $25 worth of books as I'm not paying for shipping and I do have several gift cards out there waiting, enticing me to stop and shop. Though, I need another book like a hole in my head. I have more than I can possibly read in a lifetime. And of course I manage to find four or five other books that I need (really I do) that are buy 4 for 3, so of course these go on my 4 for 3 wishlist which I'll just quickly look at. Okay so what if I do have 8 on here! I do have those gift cards that need to be used don't I? What did I say about getting sucked down the rabbit hole? *****, now look what I did? Save me! I admit it--I'm a bookaholic!
Anyway, just wanted to share what I found on the bargain aisle. Hey, BittenByBooks, you are on my ****list too, cause you started me down that hole.

Esperanza (The Hungry Ghosts)

by Trish J. MacGregor

$5.13

The Werewolf Upstairs

by Ashlyn Chase

$6.99

 

Dust

by Joan Frances Turner

$4.64

Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, Book 3)

by Chloe Neill

$5.85

Give Up the Ghost

by Megan Crewe

$4.50

Shadowland (Immortals)

by Alyson Noel

$2.36

Google Reader- Yea or Nay!

Like many others out there, I use Google Reader to help me navigate the way too many blogs I follow. I've increased by almost double what I can read daily. And yes I spend sooo much time reading others blogs that it has cost me precious reading time. This I hate but don't seem to be able to cut back. And I'm always finding new blogs that I MUST read. Reviews that are about books I'm reading or planning on reading, I flag and read after I've finished the book. If I've already read it or on the fence, then I do read the reviews. But it sure makes it much easier to bypass the many memes out there. But one thing I've noticed is that unless I'm compelled to leave a comment, I don't actually visit the blog. This got me to thinking, if I'm reading the review on Google Reader then the blogger doesn't know I've seen it as it won't show as a hit. Humm, not sure if while the GR is great for the reader, it's not so great for the blogger.

ON STAGE WITH A MOM'S WORRIES-Part 2

Conversely, the preteen will cause your mother worry scale to sky rocket. She will be starting school and exposed to a lot of things that you can no longer control. You will worry that she has “good” teachers and whether she can make simple decisions on her own. Her ability to make and be a good friend will be as important to you as to her. You will worry if she is unhappy if left out of certain activities and may push her to be more outgoing than she is comfortable with. The over scheduled child is as likely to have stress related health problems as a stressed out adult is. The irrational fear that you child is not “popular” may cause you to put more emphasis upon problems that the child would likely ignore if left alone. Rationally you may worry if at this stage she tends to put on baby fat that her health may suffer later if she can’t control it. The irrational fear that she may be picked on because of a weight problem may also rear its head. Unfortunately this can be a real problem and cause self esteem issues later on in life. As a result of these fears, it is important that you don’t project your insecurities to your preteen. She is developing both physically and emotionally into that creature known as a TEENAGER.

            The teenage years will generally leave you wondering how any of them make it out alive. While you worry that peer pressure may put them in danger of smoking, drinking or even pregnancy, you must face the very real danger of her being a new driver. At this time you must trust that the morals the church and you have taught her have taken root and extend the trust to her to do what is right. While rationally worrying that she will have the grades to get in a good college,  irrationally any time she is thirty minutes late, you will picture her car in a ditch. Teenage years are fraught with every worry that you have had up to this stage multiplied tenfold. For this reason it is best to count to ten before having any conversation with a teenager, because a simple question can lead to WWIII in the blink of an eye. The golden rule to knowing your teen is communication. Listen to your teen as well as get her to talk to you. A lot of things that you may worry about, both rational and irrational can be avoided if you take the time to really communicate with them.

            Communication will be especially important in curtailing your fears as your teen becomes a young adult and moves away from home to college. The rational fears every time she takes the road to travel back and forth on holidays will quickly be replaced by the irrational ones. You will worry that she will try to live off of fast food while never touching a green vegetable for months on end. The fear that they will be in physical peril on campus is much higher if your young adult is a female rather than a male. If a male, you worry that they will not bath except when absolutely necessary and will get several days usage out of any and all clothes. One of the biggest worries is that they could meet the person of their dreams, fall madly in love and move away to California or New York.

            Finally, and certainly not the least the adult emerges from the cocoon and you hope that the fears and worries will subside also. This is not to be however. You now worry that they get a good job and have a good marriage. Rationally you know that thanks to God and your nagging they have made it this far. Your fears may subside for a short while but as soon as you are told the great news that your baby is expecting a baby they kick back in again full speed ahead. Now not only do you worry about them surviving pregnancy and birth, you have a whole new generation to turn your worries to.

            One thing you realize is that a lot of your fears were irrational and did not come to fruit. To a certain extent, they didn’t change as much as you once would have thought they would have. Basic worries about health remained the same from before birth till an adult. Only the irrational fears seemed to vary a lot and worries were based more on outside influences rather than things you could control. You think you had fears and worries with your children, just wait till you get that grandbaby in your arms. They ain’t seen nothing yet.

ON STAGE WITH A MOM'S WORRIES-Part1

        You wake up with a jerk! Your heart is pounding out of your chest and your pulse is racing! The nightmare that you have just had causes you to leap from your bed like Superman and race faster than a speeding bullet down the hall to your child’s room. You immediately check to make sure your child is breathing. Sighing with relief that once again all is well, you tell yourself that you are acting irrational. So what if in your dream your house had just collapsed into the river and your child was screaming for help. You don’t live on a river! You know that this is not possible, but there’s no way you can go back to sleep without walking through the house and checking that all is well. The fears and worries that a Mom go through change somewhat as their child’s age changes; but you will have as many irrational fears as you do rational ones.

            Mothers have both rational and irrational fears for their child’s safety and health. They change somewhat as the child goes through the different stages of development, in utero, as an infant, a toddler, a preteen, a teenager, a young adult, and finally as an adult. Rational is defined as sensible or sane, of or based on reason; while irrational is defined as senseless, unreasonable or absurd. Welcome to motherhood, where the rational person becomes irrational at the drop of a hat. You start to have these fears as soon as you begin to consider the possibility of becoming a mother: life as you once knew it will never be the same again.

            As soon as you discover that you are pregnant, the fears will begin to gnaw at you unconsciously while you celebrate the happy news with your spouse. You will rationally worry about how your own health, both physical and mental will have an impact on the baby’s growth. You will cease to have a Whopper for lunch and instead convince yourself you really want that salad with just a little low-fat dressing. You will ask yourself, “Can I be a good Mom? Am I capable of being responsible for another person’s life and well-being? Can we afford a baby?” One thing you will soon realize is if you wait until you can afford a baby, you will probably never have one. If you are an older Mom, you tend to worry more that the baby could have developmental problems than a younger Mom does. If the doctor recommends an ameno, you worry that the test could cause a miscarriage. The pros and cons of this decision are important as they would enable the doctors to perform early surgery in utero if necessary. The love and support of your spouse helps keep the fears at a reasonably controlled level. The irrational fears are usually based on things you have read or horror stories that you have heard from other women who were pregnant. Discussing labor and delivery with other mothers is only helpful if they have the sense not to relate any tragedies that they know of. You don’t need to hear that they were in intense labor for thirty-six hours and that the doctors still had to do a C-section because the baby was breech. The picture on Yahoo showing the twins conjoined at the head should be banned from front page news and inaccessible to the pregnant woman at any and all times!

            As a result of any horror stories you’ve listened to, the first thing you do when they lay that tiny bundle in your arms is count fingers and toes. You will quickly turn the baby right and left to check that the head is nice and rounded as you know all that pushing had to squish the poor thing flat. The nurse will assure you that, “Yes, she’s the most beautiful baby, I’ve ever seen!” while you secretly wonder if she doesn’t look just a little like a dried up little old man. No hair, red and wrinkled skin, big old ears and drool dripping out of that toothless mouth that only a mother could love. At that same instance, your heart swells with more love that you imagined possible and you realize that your days will never again be worry free. Your fears and worries will compile of things you can control, like whether or not to breast feed or whether to use cloth or disposable diapers. The irrational fears such as crib death and a baby smothering in their blankets take on giant proportions. The first time the baby sleeps all night, you will break a leg trying to get to her bedroom quick enough to check on her. Anytime your precious infant is a tad slower at rolling over or crawling, you will immediately pull out the books that you have on babies and check and see if she is developing “normally”. A key to sanity is quickly realizing that normal is different from baby to baby.

Your grip on sanity will be sorely tested as she reaches the toddler stage. She seems to quickly progress from being a lurching, hand-holding toddler to a running, climbing toddler that resists your effort to keep her firmly on the ground. She will climb bookcases with the ease of a mountain goat and you will constantly worry that the bookcases will fall on her or she will fall and break a limb or two. If you have gone back to work the decision of whether to use a day care or an individual to care for this ball of energy was fraught with worries and fears. Rationally you fear that she will catch colds more frequently in a day care but know that there are trained individuals to look after her. Irrationally you may worry that someone will steal her from the daycare while you work. Even at this early age you begin worry if she can cope with peer pressure and whether she will fit in. Hopefully, the hair has grown enough that people realize that “No, you don’t dress your little boy in pink!” If you are smart, you soon realize that lots of the little girls have wispy hair, while the little boys have ringlets that Shirley Temple would have died for. The worries at this stage while many, are still things that you can control and low key.

            PART 2 on 4/1

Screaming at the Masses - Brought to you by Off the Fang at BittenByBooks

This morning while reading my mail and leaving comments here and there like bread crumbs, I ran across an editorial by Jackie at BittenByBooks that made me stop and really go Hummm. What do you think? Here's my response to her comments. Please go by BittenByBooks here and read Jackie's ran. Leave some comments on how YOU feel about negative and hateful reviews. 
Here is my response:
Attacking the author personally is definitely not the way to go. So uncool. If there is a book that I didn’t particularly enjoy, after stating the reasons I didn’t like it, I always state and seriously consider that I may just have not been in the mood for that type of book at this time. I find that if I’ve read a certain genre of book for an extended period, that I need to take a break and cleanse my palate by reading a genre totally different for awhile. After reading paranormal for weeks, I’ll take a YA break or steamy romance break. This keeps me from getting burned out on a genre that I adore. As an older reader(over 50), I have noticed that these negative and hateful reviews seem to have escalated with the rising popularity of reality shows that encourage this type of behavior. When the audience is bombarded with this type of behavior as “normal”, I don’t think they realize the harm they are doing to themselves and others by embracing it. I know that the days of “Leave to Beaver” and “Father knows Best” behavior is outdated but a happy medium would be refreshing. In the meantime, as blogger and avid reader, these viscous and overly negative reviews simply make it easier to clean up my list of blogs that I follow(way to many by the way)by dropping them from my list. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I don’t have to encourage it by reading it.

Mock Nancy Drew---NEVER!

While reading the regular blogs that I check out each day, scoping out new books and reviews of older books I ran across this post that made me long for the simpler times when books were enjoyed just because they made YOU feel good and added a little excitement to your day as you raced to figure out "who dun it" before Nancy did.



(from Deb at readerbuzz) 
If you know me at all, you know that I love children's books.

After all, I'm a children's librarian.

I've never read Nancy Drew.

Everybody has read Nancy Drew.
My mother, for example, adored Nancy Drew. I adored Nancy Drew.
And it's on the list of 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up.
So I've been listening to Nancy Drew on the ride to school every morning.
And guffawing.
(Please, please, don't tell my mother.) Be glad, very glad I don't know your moma or I'd so tell on you.
Nancy Drew is just too ridiculous to be believed. (OMG, I can't believe you said that)
With a copyright date of 1930, right in the middle of the American Depression,
here's the first bit of the first Nancy Drew:
"Nancy Drew, an attractive girl of eighteen,
was driving home along a country road
in her new, dark-blue convertible.
She had just delivered some legal papers for her father.
'It was sweet of Dad to give me this car for my birthday,' she thought.
'And it's fun to help him in his work.'"
The plot has Nancy meeting up with two elderly women, with very little income, who are trying to raise a young niece. Nancy learns that the two women had been promised an inheritance from a rich relative, but instead the relative apparently left all his money to a family with two snobbish daughters. There could be a later will, Nancy discovers, and she is off to find it.
I think it is all the adjectives that are annoying me.
"The pleasant, slightly plump housekeeper."
Nancy's 'tall and handsome father'.
And Nancy is just so terribly nice.
Refusing to engage in gossip.
Cheerily playing badminton with a child.
Never losing her temper despite a long wait at a department store.
So nice.
Have I become jaded?  Am I being harsh in judging    
sweet Nancy to be a goody-two-shoes,
a namby-pamby?  No you aren't jaded, sad to say, you just haven't seen  teens that are like this in such long that you fail to recognize character and wholesomeness.

I read these books as a pre-teen (hell that word didn't even exist then) back in the 60's and I loved them. I raced to the book mobile each time it arrived with my books and loved going to town every other week (yeah ONCE every 2 weeks not every day) where I got to buy the next book in the series.
 I don't think very many of the books from that era would stack up well with the kids of today, I mean really. 1960's-in smalltown, USA-- no cell phones (heck a lot of homes still didn't have landline phones), no internet, no computers, no color TV, no video games, no reality shows where you were trained to be rude and mean to other people. Our sole entertainment was playing outside in the woods or reading during the summer as there was no MTV, Tyra or shows other than soaps on TV during the day. We were taught manners and definitely didn't show our ass in public cause if we did, we knew the consequences when we got home. Yeah, these books probably don't stack up very well to Twilight or Harry Potter but for that era they were every girls dream read as we didn't have 100's of authors to choice from like the kids today. However much I adored them, I don't want to reread them as I'd rather remember them with the love, affection, and excitement that they and the other handful of kids books from that time provided me and thousands of others  who lived for the bookmobile pulling up in our country neighborhoods. 

Carolyn Keene is the pseudonym of the author of the Nancy Drew mystery series, and also The Dana Girls mystery series, both published by the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Stratemeyer hired writers, including Mildred Wirt Benson (who wrote the first 23 books) to write the novels in this series, who initially were paid only $125 for each book and were required by their contract to give up all rights to the work and to maintain confidentiality. Edward Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet Adams, also wrote books in the Nancy Drew series under the pseudonym.

Dana Girls Mystery Stories

1. By the Light of the Study Lamp (1934) (by Leslie McFarlane)

2. The Secret at Lone Tree Cottage (1934) (by Leslie McFarlane)

3. In the Shadow of the Tower (1934) (by Leslie McFarlane)

4. A Three-Cornered Mystery (1935) (by Leslie McFarlane)

5. The Secret at the Hermitage (1936) (by Mildred A Wirt)

6. The Circle of Footprints (1937) (by Mildred A Wirt)

7. The Mystery of the Locked Room (1938) (by Mildred A Wirt)

8. The Clue in the Cobweb (1939) (by Mildred A Wirt)

9. The Secret at the Gatehouse (1940) (by Mildred A Wirt)

10. The Mysterious Fireplace (1941) (by Mildred A Wirt)

11. The Clue of the Rusty Key (1942) (by Mildred A Wirt)

12. The Portrait in the Sand (1943) (by Mildred A Wirt)

12. The Winking Ruby Mystery (1957)

13. The Secret in the Old Well (1944) (by Mildred A Wirt)

14. The Clue in the Ivy (1952) (by Mildred A Wirt)

15. The Secret of the Jade Ring (1953) (by Mildred A Wirt)

16. Mystery at the Crossroads (1954) (by Mildred A Wirt)

17. The Ghost in the Gallery (1955)

18. The Clue of the Black Flower (1956)

20. The Secret of the Swiss Chalet (1958)

21. The Haunted Lagoon (1959)

22. The Mystery of the Bamboo Bird (1960)

23. The Sierra Gold Mystery (1961)

24. The Secret of Lost Lake (1963)

25. The Mystery of the Stone Tiger (1963)

26. The Riddle of the Frozen Fountain (1964)

27. The Secret of the Silver Dolphin (1965)

28. Mystery of the Wax Queen (1966)

29. The Secret of the Minstrel's Guitar (1967)

30. The Phantom Surfer (1968)

31. The Curious Coronation (1936)

32. The Hundred Year Mystery (1977)

33. Mountain Peak Mystery (1978)

34. The Witch's Omen (1979)

Nancy Drew (graphic novels)

1. The Demon of River Heights (2005) (by Stefan Petrucha)

2. Writ in Stone (2005) (by Stefan Petrucha)

3. The Haunted Dollhouse (2005) (by Stefan Petrucha)

4. The Girl Who Wasn't There (2006) (by Stefan Petrucha)

5. The Fake Heir (2006) (by Stefan Petrucha)

6. Mr. Cheeters Is Missing (2006) (by Stefan Petrucha)

7. The Charmed Bracelet (2006) (by Stefan Petrucha)

8. Global Warning (2007) (by Stefan Petrucha)

9. Ghost in the Machinery (2007) (by Stefan Petrucha)

10. The Disoriented Express (2007) (by Stefan Petrucha)

11. Monkey-Wrench Blues (2007) (by Stefan Petrucha)

12. Dress Reversal (2008) (by Stefan Petrucha)

13. Doggone Town (2008) (by Stefan Petrucha)

14. Sleight of Dan (2008) (by Stefan Petrucha)

15. Tiger Counter (2008) (by Stefan Petrucha)

16. What Goes Up... (2009) (by Stefan Petrucha)

17. Night of the Living Chatchke (2009) (by Stefan Petrucha)

18. City Under the Basement (2009) (by Stefan Petrucha)

19. Cliff Hanger (2009) (by Stefan Petrucha)

20. High School Musical Mystery (2010) (by Stefan Petrucha)

21. The Lost Verse: High School Musical Mystery II (2010) (by Stefan Petrucha)

Nancy Drew / Hardy Boys SuperMystery

1. Double Crossing (1988)

2. A Crime for Christmas (1988)

3. Shock Waves (1989)

4. Dangerous Games (1989)

5. The Last Resort (1990)

6. The Paris Connection (1990)

7. Buried in Time (1990)

8. Mystery Train (1990)

9. Best of Enemies (1991)

10. High Survival (1991)

11. New Year's Evil (1991)

12. Tour of Danger (1992)

13. Spies and Lies (1992)

14. Tropic of Fear (1992)

15. Courting Disaster (1993)

16. Hits and Misses (1993)

17. Evil in Amsterdam (1993)

18. Desperate Measures (1994)

19. Passport to Danger (1994)

20. Danger Down Under (1995)

21. Hollywood Horror (1994)

22. Copper Canyon Conspiracy (1994)

23. Dead on Arrival (1995)

24. Target for Terror (1995)

25. Secrets of the Nile (1995)

26. A Question of Guilt (1996)

27. Islands of Intrigue (1996)

28. Murder on the Fourth of July (1996)

29. High Stakes (1996)

30. Nightmare in New Orleans (1997)

31. Out of Control (1997)

32. Exhibition of Evil (1997)

33. At All Costs (1997)

34. Royal Revenge (1997)

35. Operation Titanic (1998)

36. Process of Elimination (1998)

Terror on Tour (2007)

Club Dread (2009)

Gold Medal Murder (2010)

Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew

1. Sleepover Sleuths (2006)

2. Scream for Ice Cream (2006)

3. Pony Problems (2006)

4. The Cinderella Ballet Mystery (2006)

5. The Case of the Sneaky Snowman (2006)

6. The Fashion Disaster (2007)

7. The Circus Scare (2007)

8. Lights, Camera . . . Cats! (2007)

9. The Halloween Hoax (2007)

10. Ticket Trouble (2007)

11. Ski School Sneak (2007)

12. Valentine's Day Secret (2007)

13. Chick-Napped! (2008)

14. The Zoo Crew (2008)

15. Mall Madness (2008)

16. Thanksgiving Thief (2008)

17. Wedding Day Disaster (2008)

18. Earth Day Escapade (2009)

19. April Fool's Day (2009)

20. Treasure Trouble (2009)

21. Double Take (2009)

22. Unicorn Uproar (2009)

23. Babysitting Bandit (2009)

24. Princess Mix-Up Mystery (2009)

25. Buggy Breakout (2009)

26. Camp Creepy (2010)

27. Cat Burglar Caper (2010)

28. Time Thief (2010)

Designed for Disaster (2011)

Nancy Drew Files

1. Secrets Can Kill (1986)

2. Deadly Intent (1986)

3. Murder on Ice (1986)

4. Smile and Say Murder (1986)

5. Hit and Run Holiday (1986)

6. White Water Terror (1987)

7. Deadly Doubles (1987)

8. Two Points to Murder (1987)

9. False Moves (1987)

10. Buried Secrets (1987)

11. Heart of Danger (1987)

12. Fatal Ransom (1987)

13. Wings of Fear (1987)

14. This Side of Evil (1987)

15. Trial By Fire (1987)

16. Never Say Die (1987)

17. Stay Tuned For Danger (1987)

18. Circle of Evil (1987)

19. Sisters in Crime (1988)

20. Very Deadly Yours (1988)

21. Recipe for Murder (1988)

22. Fatal Attraction (1988)

23. Sinister Paradise (1988)

24. Till Death Do Us Part (1988)

25. Rich and Dangerous (1988)

26. Playing With Fire (1988)

27. Most Likely to Die (1988)

28. The Black Widow (1988)

29. Pure Poison (1988)

30. Death By Design (1988)

31. Trouble In Tahiti (1989)

32. High Marks For Malice (1989)

33. Danger In Disguise (1989)

34. Vanishing Act (1989)

35. Bad Medicine (1989)

36. Over The Edge (1989)

37. Last Dance (1989)

38. The Final Scene (1989)

39. The Suspect Next Door (1989)

40. Shadow of a Doubt (1989)

41. Something To Hide (1989)

42. The Wrong Chemistry (1989)

43. False Impressions (1990)

44. Scent of Danger (1990)

45. Out of Bounds (1990)

46. Win, Place or Die (1990)

47. Flirting with Danger (1990)

48. A Date with Deception (1990)

49. Portrait in Crime (1990)

50. Deep Secrets (1990)

51. A Model Crime (1990)

52. Danger For Hire (1990)

53. Trail of Lies (1990)

54. Cold as Ice (1990)

55. Don't Look Twice (1991)

56. Make No Mistake (1991)

57. Into Thin Air (1991)

58. Hot Pursuit (1991)

59. High Risk (1991)

60. Poison Pen (1991)

61. Sweet Revenge (1991)

62. Easy Marks (1991)

63. Mixed Signals (1991)

64. The Wrong Track (1991)

65. Final Notes (1991)

66. Tall, Dark and Deadly (1991)

67. Nobody's Business (1992)

68. Crosscurrents (1992)

69. Running Scared (1992)

70. Cutting Edge (1992)

71. Hot Tracks (1992)

72. Swiss Secrets (1992)

73. Rendezvous in Rome (1992)

74. Greek Odyssey (1992)

75. A Talent for Murder (1992)

76. The Perfect Plot (1992)

77. Danger on Parade (1992)

78. Update on Crime (1992)

79. No Laughing Matter (1993)

80. Power of Suggestion (1993)

81. Making Waves (1993)

82. Dangerous Relations (1993)

83. Diamond Deceit (1993)

84. Choosing Sides (1993)

85. Sea of Suspicion (1993)

86. Let's Talk Terror (1993)

87. Moving Target (1993)

88. False Pretenses (1993)

89. Designs In Crime (1993)

90. Stage Fright (1993)

91. If Looks Could Kill (1994)

92. My Deadly Valentine (1994)

93. Hotline to Danger (1994)

94. Illusions of Evil (1994)

95. An Instinct for Trouble (1994)

96. The Runaway Bride (1994)

97. Squeeze Play (1994)

98. Island of Secrets (1994)

99. The Cheating Heart (1994)

100. Dance Till You Die (1994)

101. The Picture of Guilt (1994)

102. Counterfeit Christmas (1994)

103. Heart of Ice (1995)

104. Kiss and Tell (1995)

105. Stolen Affections (1995)

106. Flying Too High (1995)

107. Anything for Love (1995)

108. Captive Heart (1995)

109. Love Notes (1995)

110. Hidden Meanings (1995)

111. The Stolen Kiss (1995)

112. For Love or Money (1995)

113. Wicked Ways (1996)

114. Rehearsing For Romance (1996)

115. Running Into Trouble (1996)

116. Under His Spell (1996)

117. Skipping a Beat (1996)

118. Betrayed By Love (1996)

119. Against the Rules (1997)

120. Dangerous Loves (1997)

121. Natural Enemies (1997)

122. Strange Memories (1997)

123. Wicked for the Weekend (1997)

124. Crime at the Chat Cafe (1997)

Nancy Drew Girl Detective : Eco Mystery Trilogy

1. Green-Eyed Monster (2009)

2. Green with Envy (2010)

3. Seeing Green (2010)

Nancy Drew Girl Detective : Identity Mystery

1. Secret Identity (2009)

2. Identity Theft (2009)

3. Identity Revealed (2009)

 Nancy Drew Girl Detective : Model Mystery Trilogy

1. Model Crime (Model Mystery) (2009)

2. Model Menace (2009)

3. Model Suspect (2009)

Nancy Drew Girl Detective : Perfect Mystery

1. Pageant Perfect Crime (2008)

2. Perfect Cover (2009)

3. The Perfect Escape (2009)

Nancy Drew Girl Detective : Sabotage Mystery

1. Secret Sabotage (2010)

2. Serial Sabotage (2010)

Nancy Drew Girl Detective Super Mystery

1. Where's Nancy? (2005)

2. Once Upon a Crime (2006)

3. Real Fake (2007)

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories

1. The Secret of the Old Clock (1930) (by Mildred A Wirt)

2. The Hidden Staircase (1930) (by Mildred A Wirt)

3. The Bungalow Mystery (1930) (by Mildred A Wirt)

4. The Mystery at Lilac Inn (1930) (by Mildred A Wirt)

5. The Secret at Shadow Ranch (1931) (by Mildred A Wirt)

6. The Secret of Red Gate Farm (1931) (by Mildred A Wirt)

7. The Clue in the Diary (1932) (by Mildred A Wirt)

8. Nancy's Mysterious Letter (1932) (by Walter Karig)

9. The Sign of the Twisted Candles (1933) (by Walter Karig)

10. The Password to Larkspur Lane (1933) (by Walter Karig)

11. The Clue of the Broken Locket (1934) (by Mildred A Wirt)

12. The Message in the Hollow Oak (1935) (by Mildred A Wirt)

13. The Mystery of the Ivory Charm (1936) (by Mildred A Wirt)

14. The Whispering Statue (1937) (by Mildred A Wirt)

15. The Haunted Bridge (1938) (by Mildred A Wirt)

16. The Clue of the Tapping Heels (1939) (by Mildred A Wirt)

17. The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk (1940) (by Mildred A Wirt)

18. The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion (1941) (by Mildred A Wirt)

19. The Quest of the Missing Map (1942) (by Mildred A Wirt)

20. The Clue in the Jewel Box (1943) (by Mildred A Wirt)

21. The Secret in the Old Attic (1944) (by Mildred A Wirt)

22. The Clue in the Crumbling Wall (1945) (by Mildred A Wirt)

23. The Mystery of the Tolling Bell (1946) (by Mildred A Wirt)

24. The Clue in the Old Album (1947) (by Mildred A Wirt)

25. The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (1948) (by Mildred A Wirt)

26. The Clue of the Leaning Chimney (1949) (by Mildred A Wirt)

27. The Secret of the Wooden Lady (1950) (by Mildred A Wirt)

28. The Clue of the Black Keys (1951) (by Mildred A Wirt)

29. The Mystery at the Ski Jump (1952) (by Mildred A Wirt)

30. The Clue of the Velvet Mask (1953) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

31. The Ringmaster's Secret (1953) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

32. The Scarlet Slipper Mystery (1954) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

33. The Witch Tree Symbol (1955) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

34. The Hidden Window Mystery (1956) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

35. The Haunted Showboat (1957) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

36. The Secret of the Golden Pavilion (1959) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

37. The Clue in the Old Stagecoach (1960) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

38. The Mystery of the Fire Dragon (1961) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

39. The Clue of the Dancing Puppet (1962) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

40. The Moonstone Castle Mystery (1963) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

41. The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes (1964) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

42. The Phantom of Pine Hill (1965) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

43. The Mystery of the 99 Steps (1966) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

44. The Clue in the Crossword Cipher (1966) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

45. The Spider Sapphire Mystery (1968) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

46. The Invisible Intruder (1969) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

47. The Mysterious Mannequin (1970) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

48. The Crooked Banister (1971) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

49. The Secret of Mirror Bay (1972) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

50. The Double Jinx Mystery (1973) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

51. The Mystery of the Glowing Eye (1974) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

52. The Secret of the Forgotten City (1975) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

53. The Sky Phantom (1976) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

54. The Strange Message in the Parchment (1977) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

55. Mystery of Crocodile Island (1978) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

56. The Thirteenth Pearl (1979) (by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams)

57. The Triple Hoax (1979)

58. The Flying Saucer Mystery (1980)

59. The Secret in the Old Lace (1980)

60. The Greek Symbol Mystery (1981)

61. The Swami's Ring (1981)

62. The Kachina Doll Mystery (1981)

63. The Twin Dilemma (1981)

64. Captive Witness (1981)

65. Mystery of the Winged Lion (1982)

65. The Silver Cobweb (1983)

66. Race Against Time (1982)

67. The Sinister Omen (1982)

68. The Elusive Heiress (1982)

69. Clue in the Ancient Disguise (1982)

70. The Broken Anchor (1983)

72. The Haunted Carousel (1983)

73. Enemy Match (1984)

74. The Mysterious Image (1984)

75. The Emerald-Eyed Cat Mystery (1986)

76. The Eskimo's Secret (1985)

77. The Bluebeard Room (1985)

78. The Phantom of Venice (1985)

79. The Double Horror of Fenley Place (1987)

80. The Case of the Disappearing Diamonds (1987)

81. The Mardi Gras Mystery (1988)

82. The Clue in the Camera (1988)

83. The Case of the Vanishing Veil (1988)

84. The Joker's Revenge (1988)

85. The Secret of Shady Glen (1988)

86. The Mystery of Misty Canyon (1988)

87. The Case of the Rising Stars (1989)

88. The Search for Cindy Austin (1989)

89. The Case of the Disappearing Deejay (1989)

90. The Puzzle at Pineview School (1989)

91. The Girl Who Couldn't Remember (1989)

92. The Ghost of Craven Cove (1989)

93. The Case of the Safecracker's Secret (1990)

94. The Picture-Perfect Mystery (1990)

95. The Silent Suspect (1990)

96. The Case of the Photo Finish (1990)

97. The Mystery at Magnolia Mansion (1990)

98. The Haunting of Horse Island (1990)

99. The Secret at Seven Rocks (1991)

100. A Secret in Time (1991)

101. The Mystery of the Missing Millionairess (1991)

102. The Secret in the Dark (1991)

103. The Stranger in the Shadows (1991)

104. The Mystery of the Jade Tiger (1991)

105. The Clue in the Antique Trunk (1992)

106. The Case of the Artful Crime (1992)

107. The Legend of Miner's Creek (1992)

108. The Secret of the Tibetan Treasure (1992)

109. The Mystery of the Masked Rider (1992)

110. The Nutcracker Ballet Mystery (1992)

111. The Secret at Solaire (1993)

112. Crime in the Queen's Court (1993)

113. The Secret Lost at Sea (1993)

114. The Search for the Silver Persian (1993)

115. The Suspect in the Smoke (1993)

116. The Case of the Twin Teddy Bears (1993)

117. Mystery on the Menu (1994)

118. Trouble at Lake Tahoe (1994)

119. The Mystery of the Missing Mascot (1994)

120. The Case of the Floating Crime (1994)

121. The Fortune Teller's Secret (1994)

122. The Message in the Haunted Mansion (1994)

123. The Clue on the Silver Screen (1995)

124. The Secret of the Scarlet Hand (1995)

125. The Teen Model Mystery (1995)

126. The Riddle in the Rare Book (1995)

127. The Case of the Dangerous Solution (1995)

128. The Treasure in the Royal Tower (1995)

129. The Baby-Sitter Burglaries (1996)

130. The Sign of the Falcon (1996)

131. The Hidden Inheritance (1996)

132. The Fox Hunt Mystery (1996)

133. The Mystery at the Crystal Palace (1996)

134. The Secret of the Forgotten Cave (1996)

135. The Riddle of the Ruby Gazelle (1997)

136. The Wedding Day Mystery (1997)

137. In Search of the Black Rose (1997)

138. The Legend of the Lost Gold (1997)

139. The Secret of Candlelight Inn (1997)

140. The Door-to-Door Deception (1997)

141. The Wild Cat Crime (1998)

142. The Case of Capital Intrigue (1998)

143. Mystery on Maui (1998)

144. The E-mail Mystery (1998)

145. The Missing Horse Mystery (1998)

146. The Ghost of the Lantern Lady (1998)

147. The Case of the Captured Queen (1999)

148. On the Trail of Trouble (1999)

149. The Clue of the Gold Doubloons (1999)

150. Mystery at Moorsea Manor (1999)

151. The Chocolate-Covered Contest (1999)

152. The Key in the Satin Pocket (2000)

153. Whispers in the Fog (2000)

154. The Legend of the Emerald Lady (2000)

155. The Mystery in Tornado Alley (2000)

156. The Secret in the Stars (2000)

157. The Music Festival Mystery (2000)

158. The Curse of the Black Cat (2001)

159. The Secret of the Fiery Chamber (2001)

160. The Clue on the Crystal Dove (2001)

161. Lost in the Everglades (2001)

162. The Case of the Lost Song (2001)

163. The Clues Challenge (2001)

164. The Mystery of the Mother Wolf (2002)

165. The Crime Lab Case (2002)

166. Case of the Creative Crime (2002)

167. Mystery by Moonlight (2002)

168. The Bike Tour Mystery (2002)

169. The Mistletoe Mystery (2002)

170. No Strings Attached (2003)

171. Intrigue at the Grand Opera (2003)

172. The Riding Club Crime (2003)

173. Danger on the Great Lakes (2003)

174. A Taste of Danger (2003)

175. Werewolf in a Winter Wonderland (2003)

Nancy Drew Notebooks

1. The Slumber Party Secret (1994)

2. The Lost Locket (1994)

3. The Secret Santa (1994)

4. Bad Day for Ballet (1995)

5. The Soccer Shoe Club (1995)

6. The Ice Cream Scoop (1995)

7. Trouble at Camp Treehouse (1995)

8. The Best Detective (1995)

9. The Thanksgiving Surprise (1995)

10. Not Nice on Ice (1995)

11. The Pen Pal Puzzle (1996)

12. The Puppy Problem (1996)

13. The Wedding Gift Goof (1996)

14. Funny Face Fight (1996)

15. The Crazy Key Clue (1996)

16. The Ski Slope Mystery (1997)

17. Whose Pet is Best? (1997)

18. The Stolen Unicorn (1997)

19. The Lemonade Raid (1997)

20. Hannah's Secret (1997)

21. Princess On Parade (1997)

22. The Clue In The Glue (1998)

23. Alien in the Classroom (1998)

24. The Hidden Treasures (1998)

25. Dare at the Fair (1998)

26. The Lucky Horseshoes (1998)

27. Trouble Takes the Cake (1999)

28. Thrill on the Hill (1998)

29. Lights! Cameras! Clues! (1999)

30. Its No Joke! (1999)

31. The Fine-Feathered Mystery (1999)

32. The Black Velvet Mystery (1999)

33. The Gumdrop Ghost (1999)

34. Trash or Treasure (1999)

35. Third-Grade Reporter (2000)

36. The Make-Believe Mystery (2000)

37. Dude Ranch Detective (2000)

38. Candy Is Dandy (2000)

39. The Chinese New Year Mystery (2000)

40. Dinosaur Alert (2001)

41. Flower Power (2001)

42. Circus Act (2001)

43. Walkie-Talkie Mystery (2001)

44. The Purple Fingerprint (2001)

45. The Dashing Dog Mystery (2001)

46. The Snow Queen's Surprise (2002)

47. The Crook Who Took the Book (2002)

48. The Crazy Carnival Case (2002)

49. The Sand Castle Mystery (2002)

50. The Scarytales Sleepover (2002)

51. The Old-Fashioned Mystery (2002)

52. Big Worry in Wonderland (2003)

53. Recipe for Trouble (2003)

54. The Stinky Cheese Surprise (2003)

55. The Day Camp Disaster (2003)

56. Turkey Trouble (2003)

57. The Carousel Mystery (2003)

58. The Dollhouse Mystery (2004)

59. The Bike Race Mystery (2004)

60. The Lighthouse Mystery (2004)

61. Space Case (2004)

62. The Secret in the Spooky Woods (2004)

63. The Snowman Surprise (2004)

64. The Bunny-Hop Hoax (2005)

65. Strike-Out Scare (2005)

66. Zoo Clue (2005)

67. The Singing Suspects (2005)

68. The Apple Bandit (2005)

69. The Kitten Caper (2005)

Nancy Drew On Campus

1. New Lives, New Loves (1995)

2. On Her Own (1995)

3. Don't Look Back (1995)

4. Tell Me the Truth (1995)

5. Secret Rules (1995)

6. It's Your Move (1996)

7. False Friends (1996)

8. Getting Closer (1996)

9. Broken Promises (1996)

10. Party Weekend (1996)

11. In the Name of Love (1996)

12. Just the Two of Us (1996)

13. Campus Exposures (1996)

14. Hard to Get (1996)

15. Loving and Losing (1996)

16. Going Home (1996)

17. New Beginnings (1997)

18. Keeping Secrets (1997)

19. Love On-Line (1997)

20. Jealous Feelings (1997)

21. Love and Betrayal (1997)

22. In and Out of Love (1997)

23. Otherwise Engaged (1997)

24. In the Spotlight (1997)

25. Snowbound (1998)

Nancy Drew: Girl Detective

1. Without a Trace (2004)

2. A Race Against Time (Girl Detective) (2004)

3. False Notes (2004)

4. High Risk (Girl Detective) (2004)

5. Lights, Camera... (2004)

6. Action! (2004)

7. The Stolen Relic (2004)

8. The Scarlet Macaw Scandal (2004)

9. Secret of the Spa (2007)

10. Uncivil Acts (2007)

11. Riverboat Ruse (2005)

12. Stop the Clock (2005)

13. Trade Wind Danger (2005)

14. Bad Times, Big Crimes (2005)

15. Framed (2005)

16. Dangerous Plays (2006)

17. En Garde (2006)

18. Pit of Vipers (2006)

19. The Orchid Thief (2006)

20. Getting Burned (2006)

21. Close Encounters (2007)

22. Dressed to Steal (2007)

23. Troubled Waters (2007)

24. Murder on the Set (2007)

25. Trails of Treachery (2007)

26. Fishing for Clues (2007)

27. Intruder (2007)

28. Mardi Gras Masquerade (2008)

29. The Stolen Bones (2008)

River Heights

1. Love Times Three (1989)

2. Guilty Secrets (1989)

3. Going Too Far (1990)

4. Stolen Kisses (1990)

5. Between the Lines (1990)

6. Lessons in Love (1990)

7. Cheating Hearts (1990)

8. Trouble with Love (1990)

9. Lies and Whispers (1991)

10. Mixed Emotions (1991)

11. Broken Hearts (1991)

12. Hard to Handle (1991)

13. Junior Class Trip (1991)

14. A Mind of Her Own (1991)

15. Love and Games (1992)

16. Friends and Rivals (1992)

17. The Jealousy Trap (1992)

Thanks to FantasticFiction.com for these lists  You can also check here for a complete picture of the covers. 

And thank you Deb at readerbuzz for getting my brain kicked started before my morning coffee.

CH-CH-CHANGES

Life Changes

      My biggest life changing event happened when my second child graduated from high

school.  I was sitting there in the gym listening to my son give his speech as the class  was readying for graduation..  It was as if I’d been struck by lightning.  My children were almost grown!  Therefore, - dare I say it -I must be getting old.  There it was- that horrible word.  It makes you cringe.  You start looking for gray hairs in the mirror, cellulite anywhere, lines on your face.  My gosh is that a wrinkle!  All of a sudden I realized, not only was my son going off to the cold, cruel, hard world of college but-gulp- my baby girl was starting middle school.  For the first time in twenty years, I would not have a child attending elementary school.  This caused me to stop and realized that some things were changing forever.  No more groups of boys hanging out at my house, no more groups of little girls playing dolls and no more need for their mother, who had spent more hours at work away from her family than with them at times.  Guilt slapped me right across the face. “Where had the time gone?” I cried.

       My son, Michael, was graduating from high school.  He was at the top of his class and would be attending NC State University on scholarships.  I felt that I had missed so much of his growing up because I worked so much.  He had played both basketball and baseball as a youth at the recreation center.  He also played soccer on the school team at the middle school and was on the tennis team at high school.  He had three very special friends and this group of four boys did everything together.  They rotated houses each weekend and spent the night at each others homes for close to eight years.  They camped, swam, fished, and were just generally little boys enjoying life.  We lived the farthest in the boonies and had woods with a creek to play in.  This meant any time it called for snow they would stay at our house as they hoped to be snowed in. Now all these boys would be living in a suite on the campus of NC State.  They would quickly learn to navigate the twists and turns of campus life as easily as they did our 30 acre woods. Many tears would be shed as I worried about my “boys” in the “woods” of campus life.  What would they eat?  Would they wear clean clothes?   Get a bath every night?  Have toilet paper in their bathroom?  How would they survive without their Mom?

       My daughter, Kelsey, was a very sociable little girl. She believed in trying all the sports and never met anyone she couldn’t get along with.  There was no longer a group of little pig-tailed girls at my home playing dolls and going to birthday parties at Hickory Dickory Dock.  They weren’t interested in spending the day at Maw-maw and Paw-paw’s house.  They weren’t interested in going to the creek, fishing, or playing in the clubhouse in the woods.  They weren’t interested in playing t-ball or basketball.  Their interests had done a 180.  They were interested in shopping, doing their hair and watching boys that played baseball and basketball.  They took baths, sometimes as many as two a day.  They spent hours on their hair and makeup, only to wash it off and start all over again.  Instead of Mom painting their nails, they painted each others.  They talked on the phone for hours, at the same time texting half a dozen different people.

       The need of a mother who could wipe tears and put a Band-Aid on a boo-boo was a thing of the past.  I wasn’t needed to pick up a friend so they could spend the night or take them to a sleep over.  They could drive themselves.  They didn’t ask me to pick out their clothes or fight their battles when a friend hurt their feelings.  They were more than capable of buying their clothes (with expert advice from a friend).  They could talk to their friends and handle misunderstandings with ease.  They could make decisions of major importance on their own.

        Then it hit me.  They had matured to the point where they could make these decisions on their own because of the examples their father and I had set for them.  A good work ethic is important in school and later on in life.  This is something they had witnessed first hand from us. We attended all the ball games, PTAs, dance recitals, and family reunions.  We never missed any of their school functions while still putting in many long hours at work.  They could make decisions with confidence because they are confident individuals.  Their father and I have allowed and encouraged them in this since they started walking.

      I decided at this point in my life that after thirty years of working every day, missing the minimum of days during the birth of my children, sickness and deaths of beloved parents, that I and my children deserved my time for their last few years of school and summer vacations.  Due to the loving support and hard work of my husband, we have made this happen.  Time was there to spend with my son during breaks from school.  Time to cook and feed him after months of fast food and pizzas consumed while studying at school.  Time was spent going to Raleigh and attending football and basketball games with him and his friends.  Tailgating before the football games quickly became a favorite pastime.   Time was spent reading his papers and marveling at the skill that he has gained over the years.  Summer has been especially wonderful as my daughter and I have enjoyed raising a new puppy or two and spending long, hot summer days in the sun. 

      Another advantage being at home all the time was that I had time to can and freeze fresh vegetables from my father-in-law’s garden.  Now we aren’t talking about a few piddling rows of corn or green beans.  We are talking serious stuff.  He used to raise tobacco (on the side) so he has the equipment and energy (by the way – he is 86 years young) to plant tobacco rows of corn, green beans and tomatoes.  Just to mention a few.  He plants close to two acres of vegetables every year and gives most of it away to friends and family that are too busy to have a garden.  He makes it a challenge to supply me with more vegetables than I can freeze or can in a day.  Many nights at three AM, I am taking that last canner off the stove and struggling to stay awake.  I figure if he can plant it, pick it, and still sometimes help get it ready to go in the jars the least I can do is get it canned or put in the freezer.  So what if we put up 300 jars of green beans.  Next year there might not be any.  I think I’ve been hearing that for a few years now. Most of my canning experience was learned from this wonderful man and it has been great having the time to match wits with him on things I have tried while canning.  This is an experience that I did not have while working in an accountant's office.  This has been a wonderful change in my life.

       But probably the biggest change has been the opportunity to go back to school.  It has taken me two years to feel that I was ready to do this.  Just taking some classes in things I’m interested in has been both scary and life affirming.  I’m not too old (gosh there’s that world again) to learn and experience new things.  It’s exciting pulling out books that I read for knowledge as much as for enjoyment.  It’s exciting sitting down at the keyboard and trying to type a paper.  My words come out so fast that they just splatter across the paper.  It has been a humbling experience to ask for help from my children on things from how to use a flash drive to being sure I saved this paper correctly. It will be there (wherever that is) tomorrow, won’t it?

     One of the most valuable things that has happened is a deep satisfaction with life and a realization of how truly happy I am.  I have had that most wonderful commodity- time. Time to spend with my friends and family!  Time for me!  I am deeply grateful for the time my family gives to me.  My son’s first summer vacation was spent going to school abroad for the summer.  But before he left he had a week to spend with us.  The weekend was spent camping in our woods with his friends and allowing me the time to cook, wash clothes for him, and generally worry over him.  He allowed me the time and opportunity to be his Mom and baby him and his friends one more time.  Fast forward four years to this winter. He is out of college and working in Raleigh.  I am sending canned vegetables back each time he comes home so that I know he isn’t eating too much fast food.  Three generations of love and tradition in every jar.  He tells me this is what he remembers as he opens these jars.  This weekend as I sit here typing, my daughter and three of her friends are spread out in the den in sleeping bags.  They will watch Moulin Rouge for the five hundredth time and consume pizza and soda as if they haven’t eaten in weeks.  She hugs my neck as she comes through on a forging expedition and tells me she loves me and thanks for letting everyone stay.   I finally decide to call it a night and head to bed.  As I slip into the bed my husband pulls me close and snuggles back down.  He’s always there to reassure me there is no cellulite, gray hair, or wrinkles.  And we aren’t getting older just better.  As I settle down, I realize I’ll always be needed.  Not just for Band-Aids on boo-boos or for transportation or even a handout for money, but just because.   That’s what Moms are for and you never get to old to be a Mom. 

Gone For a Few Days

Just wanted to drop a quick note. It may be a few days before I get back to any visitors. We lost the eldest member of our family, my 92 year old father-in-law suddenly this weekend to a heart attack. I'll be busy with family stuff for a couple of days but will follow up with you later in the week.

Simplification

Dear Bloggers,
 Do not be alarmed if you see I've unsubscribed to your email. In an effort to cut back on the immense amount of emails I get, I've decided to eliminate all emails from bloggers as I already follow  all of you on Google Friend Connect. This seemed a good idea at the time I signed up but I have since realized that I often end up going to your site anyway so why duplicate what I'm reading. 

Should publishing houses charge more for an eBook than a print book?

Once again BittenByBooks has asked a question that I and I'm sure other readers feel very strongly about. So stop by and leave your 2 cents worth. They also always have some fabulous contests and interviews with authors. For my 2 cents check the end of this post.
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Welcome to the Bitten By Books poll of the week!! Polling runs through Sunday 6/27/10 at or around 11:00 pm CST. VOTE on the Right side of their site then stop there to tell them  “Should publishing houses charge more for an eBook than a print book?” And why you feel the way you do.  Tell me too!

Last week’s poll showed 115 out of 309 voters said they loved the book version of Eric Northman. 

Please comment as MUCH as you like. We want to hear from AUTHORS AND READERS alike! 

My 2 cents worth!

I imagine the publishing houses are going to charge the most they can and get by with. All I can say is it’s a damn good thing for them that I’m not the average book buyer. No way in hell would I pay more for a book that I can’t hold in my hands or loan to a friend if I want. I buy 90% MMP. For the same $25 I’d get 1 hardback, 1 1/2 trade size (and don’t get me started on these bulky things that do not fit in a purse) or 3 1/2 MMP. If a book I want to read is only available in HB or trade then I get it from a swap site, which is where I share all my books after reading them anyway. Why would I spend even more to put it on an electronic reader and heavens forbid should I lose it, then I’d be out a $300 ereader and thousands of dollars of ebooks in one swoop? It’s not that I mind spending the money on books, I probably spend $100 a month easily but I expect to get the most for that $100 that I can. Like I said, if all readers bought like I did, the publishing houses would drastically have to change their strategy or they’d go belly up.