Petit Fours » Books

From the Keeper Shelf by Constance Gillam

Constance Gillam — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 05:02:35 +0000

Do you ever wonder why some books appeal to you and others don’t? Do you ever get a recommendation from a friend about a great book, then read two chapters and give up? Reading is a very subjective thing. What works for one person doesn’t always work for another. Some readers like mystery, some comedy, some suspense, some horror. For example, I don’t understand the fascination with zombies and the series, “The Walking Dead.” To each his own.

I selected four books from my keeper shelf: Cry No More by Linda Howard, Rangoon by Christine Monson, A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux, and Timeline by Michael Crichton. At first glance, four very different books. “Cry No More” is a contemporary suspense, “Rangoon” a historical, “A Knight in Shining Armor” is a historical time travel and “Timeline” is a historical time travel mixed with science fiction.

So why are such different books on my keeper shelf?

I’m not an emotional person. It takes a lot to make me cry, and you’ll never see me cry in public. It turns out that under my tough exterior, I’m just an emotional softy. With the exception of the Crichton novel, these books were an emotional read. I cried copious amounts of tears in the beginning, the middle and the end. So why would those novels appeal to me? A catharsis read? Maybe. A release from the stress of work and day to day life? Maybe. Whatever it was, it worked for me. I love science (my college major) so Crichton’s book is a little more understandable.

What works for you? What’s on your keep shelf and why?

On Reading Romance

Susan Carlisle — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 05:34:43 +0000

By Susan Carlisle

Susan Carlisle

“Hey, Miss Maggie.”

“Hi darlin’. How you doing?”

Miss Maggie poured a cup of tea and placed it on the bar in the kitchen as I slid onto one of the stools.

“I’m great. I’ve just been sitting by the fire reading a romance. ”

“Then maybe you can help me. Since it’s almost February, I was wondering if you had any ideas about good romantic books that I could read?”

“Shoot, yeah. How about the oldie but goodie Pride and Prejudice, Dr. Zhivago or maybe the Sound of Music. Another that always gets me is Gone with the Wind. What’s not romantic about Rhett Butler?

Miss Maggie’s white curls bobbed as nodded. “I’ve read most of those. Got any more modern day ones that might be super romantic?”

“How about Shanna, The Perfect Hope, Flirting with Forty. Oh, this one is one I think you will really like. Love Comes Softly. Maybe Winter Sea. Or one written by my housemates, the Petit Fours and Hot Tamales!”

“I already know that those are romantic.” Miss Maggie chuckles.

“Thanks for the tea. I’m off to find another good book in the Library.”

Can you help Miss Maggie out with a romantic book recommendation? She’s a voracious reader and could use a long list.

New Year’s Traditions

Bryonna Nobles — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 05:05:20 +0000

Traditions. I think its safe to say that we all love them. Certain times of the years, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, we have traditions to hold onto and help us remember why we love those days and, sometimes, why they’re not that special.

Events in our lives shape these traditions. I use to make a popcorn garland for my tree every year but now, with my beagle, my tree would be destroyed if I dressed my tree up in her favorite treat.

I always find traditions fascinating. Staying up until midnight, popping the bubbly, and ringing in the New Year. Sharing a kiss, sometimes with a stranger, the first kiss of a new year. Some people stay up all night and greet the sunrise.

Did you know that the most commonly sung song by English-speakers on New Year’s Eve – and also the song that almost no one knows the actual lyrics to – is Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns in 1796?

Robert says that he refined the lyrics after hearing an old man in Ayrshire, Scotland singing it. Auld Lang Syne literally means “old long since” and means “time gone by.” The song asked if old friends and times will be forgotten and promises to remember people of the past with fondness. ”For auld lang syne, we’ll tak a cup o’kindness yet.”

Traditions are everywhere and different all over the world.

In Britain, they celebrate with First Footing – this was someone special who would come to your house baring gifts. People hit the streets at midnight, visiting houses. Usually, you would be visited by a neighbor who would bring coal for the fire or shortbread. It was considered especially lucky if the first visitor to your home on the New Year was a tall, dark, handsome man.

The Dutch actually burn Christmas trees in the street on New Year’s night. They, its a great way to make sure you get rid of your tree for the coming year, right?

Over in Spain, to insure twelve prosperous months, they eat twelve grapes at midnight. While in Greece, they bake Vassilopitta – or St. Basil cakes. This is a cake with a gold coin baked inside. Whoever gets the coin will be especially lucky that year.

New Year’s is the most important holiday in Japan as it is a symbol of renewal. They hold Forget-the-Year parties all through December to bid farewell to the problems of the past year and prepare for a new beginning. Grudges and misunderstandings are forgiven and major cleaning is done to the house. It is said to be very bad luck to start the year off in a dirty house.

At midnight on New Year’s Eve, Buddhist temples strike their gongs 108 times to expel 108 types of human weakness.

On New Year’s day, no work is done. A day of joy, children recieve small gifts with money inside. Sending New Year’s cards is a very popular tradition in Japan. In fact, if it is postmarked by a certain date, the post office guarantees delivery of all New Year’s cards by New Year’s Day.

Then you have the various American traditions. Watching New York’s ball drop – we also have the Peach Drop here in Georgia. The New Year’s Ball in Time Square actually started in 1907. Back then, the ball was made of iron and wood. Now its made of Waterford crystal.

I didn’t really watch the ball or Peach drop until I was much older. Even now, its rarely on my television. Probably because I didn’t grow up with it.

My tradition came because of my situation with my parents. They divorced when I very young, not even two yet. As I grew older, I would spend Christmas with my mother and New Year’s with my father. This means that my dad and his girlfriend would be passed out drunk before ten and my little brother fell asleep watching some movie.

I’d stay up late, curled up on the couch with a soda and a book, reading until I heard the neighbors shooting off fireworks. Looking up, I would see it was a few minutes passed midnight and everyone in the house was sleeping.

Getting up, I’d so out on the porch, freezing cold and clutching my paperback and I’d watch the fireworks the neighbors were shooting off. This was in Alabama, too, so they were really good fireworks.

Its funny because fireworks and noise makers are in most New Year’s traditions. It goes back to ancient times when people thought that fire and loud noises would keep evil away.

My father-in-law, in fact, rings a giant bell that hangs outside in his yard every year at midnight.

When I got older and started staying in Georgia to ring in the New Year, I did go to my share of New Year’s Eve parties. But I find now that I am married with a home, I am content to spend New Year’s at home, curled up with a good book and drinking pink champagne as my husband plays video games.

This year’s reading choice: Last Chance to Run by Dianna Love.

While that might seem boring or sad to some people, honestly, I love having that time to dive into a great story. Do I feel like I missed out sometimes because everyone else was sleeping? I used to but not so much anymore. I had my own tradition, even if it wasn’t a common one and now its one I take comfort in.

New Year’s day we’d come home from Daddy’s and my mom would fix collards and black eyed peas and to this day, I go to my mom’s New Year’s day for just that meal. After all, collards brings dollars and peas bring pennies for the coming year. Its important to eat lots of them. hehe

What are your traditions? Do you have any non-traditional traditions of your very own or are you our partying until the sun comes up? Share with me and you could win your own, brand new copy of Last Chance to Run - the very book I ran in 2013 with just a few days ago. A fabulous Romantic Thriller autographed by Dianna Love herself. It’ll be personalized with the winner’s name and believe me, this is one fun and riveting read.

And I just want to take a moment to thank Dianna for her donation. I’ve been enjoying this book and was thrilled when she agreed to give away a signed copy of it on our blog today.

Oh, and for anyone out there even a little curious about what they’re singing when the clock strikes midnight:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne.