Author, Wife, Busy Mom, A Woman after God's Heart.
Hello everyone,
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“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”“A person’s a person, no matter how small.”“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!”“Step with care and great tact, and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.”“I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells.”“Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn’t come from a store.”“I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful one-hundred percent!”“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”
Today is Dr. Seuss’s birthday. His books played a huge part in my life in helping me become a better reader. Dr. Suess books have been part of the National Association for Read Across America Program for over two decades.
I read these books to my younger sister and to my two daughters who just adored and devoured his stories. His books are poetic, funny, tongue-twisting, and downright silly.
These days, his books are now being considered racist because in this one article, “researchers concluded that only 2 percent of all the characters in Dr. Seuss books are characters of color. What’s more, that the majority of the depictions of these characters were aligned with harmful racial stereotypes and tropes.”… Instead we need to become, “more culturally responsive and racially conscious.”
I get this. But really? What do children ages 2-7 know about race and color? Unless we make it a big deal about differences of skin color, it will always be the focus. I have to believe we are brighter than the color our skin. Integrity sees no color. Respect sees no color. Talent sees no color. Goodness sees no color.
The Bible even tells us we are made in God’s image and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Let’s focus on that instead!
Psalm 139:13-16 13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Unfortunately, we are living in #cancelculture where if it doesn’t agree with one group, we outright remove it. This Virginia school district is no longer emphasizing Dr. Suess books during #ReadAcrossAmerica. Look at what’s happened with #AuntJemima syrup and #MrPotatoHead, and countless other products.
How do writers become better writers if they are not reading different books? We can’t change history, but we can definitely learn from it.
“Only you can control your future.”
One writer had a good point from this article, “The point was, here’s what this book does well,” Saxena says. “Maybe they weren’t everybody’s favorite books, but they were good examples of … the craft of writing.”
“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”
For as long as I’ve known, today is #DrSeuess birthday and today is #ReadAcrossAmerica.
References:
Is Dr. Seuss Racist? Is Dr. Seuss Canceled? Racist Undertones, Explained (distractify.com)
Six Dr. Seuss books won’t be published anymore due to racist imagery (msn.com)
Dr. Seuss Books Can Be Racist, But We Still Keep Reading Them : Code Switch : NPR
I’ve never done a review of this magnitude, but I feel that it warrants the deserved praise and experience of having read it. If there was such thing as a 10-star for a book, I’d give it and then some.
I just finished reading the NKJ Bible in chronological order of events. I started in Jan of 2019 and finished Feb of 2021. I have to tell you it was not an easy read. I enjoy inspirational/Christian fiction because that’s what I write. I’ve dabbled in historical fiction; I like some crime/government conspiracy fiction as well. What this incredible book of over 900 pages offered me, no other book ever can. There was mystery, elements of miracles/mysticism, inspiration, gore and death and tragedy which I can’t always stomach, but there was something else. The Bible offered the remarkable accounts of God’s purpose for our existence, his detailed construction of our humanity, his undeniable love for each and every one of us. HIS jealous rage for when we move away from HIM. HIS fatherly wrath for when we disobey. HIS continuous call for us to return to HIM, and all the heroic messengers/prophets/apostles who helped spread the WORD all over the world.
There were bravery and stupidity among the kings and rulers. The fighting for territory and power. There was graphic mass genocide and destruction of nations as well. But then there was hope in God’s begotten son Jesus! The parables, the stories, the miracles, and then a senseless death of man who was crucified for telling the TRUTH. Until a miracle…How one man overcame the world through HIS death and resurrection.
There are so many emotions that I experienced. But none more amazing than reading the book of Revelation where everything is coming to pass and being revealed right before our eyes. There are still so many things I can’t understand, but one thing for sure is our salvation is in Jesus Christ. We need to get right this moment.
This incredible book has been translated in over 700 languages while some portions have been translated in over 3000 languages.
With almost 4 billion copies sold, I highly recommend this book. It is life-changing and heart-changing. You will want to read it again and again.
References:
Bible translations – Wikipedia
How Many Copies of the Bible Have Been Sold? (reference.com)
Chronological Bible Reading Plan for 2021 – Daily Bible in a Year (biblestudytools.com)
Are you a writer because you drink? Or, are you a drinker because you write? Do these two sentences say the same thing, or are they different? Hmmm… Now that is the question.
I found this book at my local library and perused the contents. It is very interesting and has great drink recipes from famous authors, poets, and playwrights on what they drank while perfecting their profession. Check it out…
I consider myself a decent cook, but I can’t bake for nothing. My chocolate chip cookies come out like communion wafers, my muffins come out like ballooned portabella mushrooms, and any boxed cake I try to bake, turns out like runny glue, if of course there is such a thing as runny glue.
But, experimenting with alcohol recipes, well, now were talking. No, I’m not an alcoholic, but being Italian, I grew up drinking wine during meal time. And, I often helped my dad and uncle make homemade wine every October. It was hard work pressing the grapes into juice in our “spotless” garage. Spotless you ask? Of course! You can’t make wine in a dirty and cluttered garage. We had to wash the cement floor with soap and water prior to setting up our tools and machine to squeeze the grapes. There’s no fooling around in our house when it came to winemaking.
Our family wine-making days are over, my father is too old. I do miss the good ol’ days that’s for sure. But now, there are so many different ways of making wine. I’ve included a few links below if you’re curious.
How to Make Homemade Wine: 13 Steps (with Pictures) – wikiHow
Homemade Italian Wine – How to make wine at home from grapes without yeast and sugar – Bing video
Homemade Italian Wine – YouTube
As I’ve gotten older, my tastes have matured. I still love wine for dinner, but I also enjoy whiskeys and bourbons.
All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon.
So, what’s the difference between the two? Find out for yourself:
Bourbon vs. Whiskey: What’s the Difference? | Taste of Home
What’s the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey? | Southern Living
The difference between rye, bourbon, and scotch – Bing video
Is there a correlation between libations and writing? In my humble opinion, no. It seems that writers have been associated with drinking alcohol for centuries. In fact, Ernest Hemingway said it best…
I don’t need alcohol to write. In fact, I prefer water. There are days or nights while editing that I might have a cocktail to help ease the tension of correcting my writing. I’ve only been in a euphoric zone of writing on a few occasions, and that’s hard to do. What is “euphoric zone”? It’s my made up term for when you have those crazy, haunting ideas swelling your brain, and then you’re trying to write those thoughts down as fast as you can without losing it. It’s a glorious feeling when it has happened; I’m so immersed into what I’m writing that I can’t stop. Its’ heart beating and exhilarating—that’s Euphoric Zone.
My advice to you for when ideas hit so strong, is to park your butt in a seat and write, type, or dictate. Otherwise, the ideas will disappear.
As for making drinks, I’ve seem to have perfected the “Art of Making Limoncello”. At least that’s what my family and friends tell me. It’s an Italian liquor made from lemon zest; a drink served before or after a meal to aid in digestion. I’ve been making it for years and even documented the process. Click below for my three-part Limoncello-making series.
Part 1: A Writer’s Adventure to Making Homemade Limoncello
Part 2: The Mid-Process Peek. A Writer’s Adventure to Making Homemade Limoncello
Part 3: Reaping What You Sow. A Writer’s Adventure to Making Homemade Limoncello
Here are a few other links to making Limoncello:
What Is Limoncello and How Is It Made? | MyRecipes
What Is Limoncello & How To Drink Italian Limoncello (bespokeunit.com)
So, I may not have the gift of baking, but I can surely make you a drink.
Until next time friends, cheers! Be responsible.
I almost passed it up driving south on Oak toward downtown Bartlett. Turning back, I pulled onto a blacktop drive and parked in front of the Bartlett Coin Shop.
The Booklady’s Book Attic was situated on the corner of a house which was also occupied by a women’s fashion boutique, Little Shop on Oak.
At the entrance, I hesitated a bit before turning the knob. You see, I’m a sucker for bookstores and even though I couldn’t resist going in, there was this exciting apprehension surging through my body of discovering the unknown behind the steel-framed door.
When I pulled open the door, a long, brown staircase greeted me. To the right, stood a black rolling cart with numerous books, all organized by height. A colorful sign announced that the books were $1.00 each. On my left, there was a bronze stand with three rows of books. These were the free copies.
I placed my booted shoe on the first step. It creaked as I began my ascent up the stairs. The walls were painted an egg-shell white, and brightly colored sticky notes of testimonials and customer signatures, provided a warm accent in the vestibule.
At the first landing, hand-crafted fishing signs hung from the wall. And, when I reached the top floor, a small, dark brown and beige-topped wooden desk stood in front of crowded shelves of books, toy figurines, and store advertisements.
The surroundings felt familiar and homey to me. Having worked at a Barnes and Noble bookstore, the smell of wood, leather, and cardboard boxes filled my senses. A radio played light rock music in the background.
My heart began to beat with excitement. This was my territory. Books, books, and books.
A memory suddenly materialized in my mind. It was the summer of 2002, and my husband and I had taken a long weekend vacation to San Francisco. While exploring Fisherman’s Wharf, we ended up walking onto Columbus Ave. to experience the many Italian restaurants and sit “al fresco” for a double-shot of espresso. Dizzy from people-watching, we continued our trek further up Columbus where we happened to stumble upon a bookstore called City Lights Booksellers & Publishers.
Strolling into the retailer, it was as if I had been transported to another time period—a very different time. This bookstore has been a literary meeting place since 1953. City Lights is a landmark general bookstore, internationally known for its expert selection of books and for its commitment to free intellectual inquiry.
I later researched City Lights. It was founded by poet/author, Laurence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin (who left two years later). Mr. Ferlinghetti is the author of many works, including, poetry, translations, fiction, theatre, art criticism, and film narration, but his most famous written work was “A Coney Island of the Mind”—a collection of poetry published in 1958.
City Lights also became a famous hangout for many authors but especially Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William S. Burroughs who frequented the establishment and started what became the “Beat Generation”. City Lights has also been named as one of the top ten independent bookstores in America.
The floors were worn and uneven, the air was dusty and I must have sneezed at least twenty times, but the place was filled with the most eccentric/eclectic books I have ever thumbed through. I shivered with pleasure.
Ah yes, when I close my eyes, I can still picture the dust particles dancing in the air.
But, I digress. Back at the Booklady’s Book Attic, my eyes glanced about, taking in this little book store in what resembled an oversized attic, hence the name.
There was so much to see, I didn’t know where to look first. And, I have to admit, I was the experiencing the same exhilaration of City Lights—beating heart and sweaty palms, and mind you, I hadn’t even browsed any of the books.
The cluttered hallway beckoned me. There were stacks of books: books on the floor, books in boxes, and books in different color bags.
The Proprietor, Ms. Pam, enthusiastically greeted me. We got to chatting. I told her about my published books. Pam is also a great supporter of all local writers. Thank you, Pam!
Here we are pictured together…
She’s been at this location for about two years. Previously, this space was formerly occupied by accountants, contractors, a flooring business, and meeting room rentals. However, prior to the various businesses, this property has had some history of its own. According to Pam and a little investigating on my own (watch out Magnum P.I.), this “house” currently located at 138 S. Oak was once referred to as Block 2, lot 9-10.
Thanks to the Bartlett History Museum, here’s an abbreviated rundown of some its history…
Caption: Here’s a picture of the Stumpf family. Historical information and image provided by the Bartlett History Museum, Bartlett, IL. To learn more about Bartlett history visit, go to: www.villageofbartlettmuseums.org.
But, now it is Pam’s book haven. She is a connoisseur of novel genres who is putting her imprint on her own history and preserving a dying brick and mortar business of bookselling.
The floor creaks; it’s pretty tight—watch for the angled/sloping ceilings. There are secret doors, and maybe even some ghosts lurking around—ask Pam about “Mr. Poe”.
Above all else, there are books for all ages with shelves overflowing with stories that defy time. So many classics; new and old, and forgotten books, to peruse and enjoy. This place is for the book enthusiast….
Just read what some of the patrons have said about the Booklady’s Book Attic from her Facebook page (see link below under References).
The testimonials themselves speak volumes as to the care that Ms. Pam has taken for every author’s written word.
This store is everything I would want and more! Great service, awesome selection, great prices, and Pam gives back and helps others. I will always support someone with a heart like hers!
I finally stopped in at the BookLady’s Book Attic after driving past it everyday on my way to work. What an amazing shop!! A great selection of books that should appeal to everyone! I was particularly impressed by the large and interesting collection of children’s and young adult books. Pam is super friendly and was really great to talk to. I can’t wait to visit again!
Truly a charming and must-see little shop in downtown Bartlett. There are a wide variety of books in all genres and for all-ages available, all in perfect shape and at rock-bottom prices. The owner is probably one of the most friendly people you will ever meet.
This place is amazing!! I feel in love from the moment I walked in, I was in book heaven!!! Pam is super friendly and so easy to approach. My girls loved getting all their new books and can’t wait to go back.”
I hope you get to visit this place. If so, tell Pam I sent you.
Booklady’s Book Attic
138 S. Oak Ave.
Bartlett, IL.
Until next time…
Be well. Be safe. Be happy.
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