50 Not So Boring Ideas for Staying At Home

Does it sound like this in your home?

“I’m bored.”

“Can we go do something?”

“Do we have to stay home?”

“Mom, did you know some people go to the beach?”

“You just want me to do chores.”

“When can I go to school?”

“I already washed my hands.”

“I don’t want to stay home.”

“Can I walk the dog, again?”

“Read? Why?”

Not everyone likes staying at home but it can be fun. There are so many fun things to do and none of them are on television!

Here are a few ideas to help make the stayathome situation better.

Most of these require adult supervision:

1.       Read to each other (Prizes for best listener?)

2.       Bake something together

3.       Play board-games or invent one of your own.

4.       Plant a container garden

5.       Use a Karaoke App. (There are many)

6.       Dance together

7.       Learn to crochet or start a new crochet or knitting project

8.       Pull out the Play Doh and make beads for key-chains.

9.       Let the Lego imagination take hold of your inner creator

10.   Sew pretty pillows and don’t forget to have a pillow fight.

11.   Mix some fruity, non-alcoholic cocktails. Cranberry juice and pineapple?

12.   Have you ever made ice-cream?

13.   Plan an appetizer menu where everyone contributes something unique.

14.   Jigsaw puzzles will make the time fly by.

15.   Practice reading or math with flashcards.

16.   Paint a room together. Get help with the masking tape.

17.   Coloring books are not just for kids anymore.

18.   Camp out in the backyard with a tent and maybe S’mores

19.   Learn to set a fancy table with cloth napkins

20.   Assemble a centerpiece from silks, or arrange flowers from the garden.

21.   Take photos and make a collage. Old magazines might help too.

22.   Draw or paint a painting of birds, flowers, bunnies or butterflies.

23.   Do you know how to play chess? I bet someone would like to learn.

24.   All right, a few computer games won’t hurt.

25.   Wash and dry the family pets. Take photos.

26.   Don’t forget to pray together or at least quote an inspirational Psalm.

27.   Practice handwriting and penmanship or calligraphy. It’s a lost art.

28.   Call your far away relatives and make sure they’re okay.

29.   Write follow-up letters to those same relatives. Add decorative stickers.

30.   Press some flowers into the pages of a thick book.

31.   Write poems or haiku

32.   Find an exercise video or play virtual sports on a Wii.

33.   Make some bread dough and create the world’s greatest pizza

34.   Braid a rag rug from scraps and old sheets.

35.   Make paper mâché from old newspapers and some flour.

36.   Keep a quarantine journal to look back on these strange times.

37.   Rearrange a closet or pantry and recruit some helpers

38.   Learn to play an instrument by watching YouTube videos.

39.   Go for a nearby hike but practice social distancing

40.   Make candy—taffy, toffee, brittle, honeycomb, divinity, fudge, etc.

41.   Make a fort or castle with old boxes.

42.   Have you ever tried tie-dying a tee-shirt?

43.   Learn a new language. There are so many to choose from!

44.   Time to organize the photo albums or create a scrapbook

45.   Put on a family show! Costumes, makeup and lots of laughter!

46.   Can you do macramé? Flower pot holders? Christmas gifts?

47.   Memorize one poem by a famous poet.

48.   There’s upholstery, woodworking, sculpting, weaving and more.

49.   Make a jewelry box with fabric, shells, buttons and glue.

50.   Okay, binge-watch any television show you want. 😊

Above all, stay healthy and STAY HOME!!

Love and My Fear of Cooking

My people show how much they love you by serving massive amounts of food. Then, if you don’t eat several portions, they feel that you don’t love them back. It’s a common disorder and painfully difficult to navigate. Let’s say I invite family from far away. If we’re not going to a restaurant and the kitchen is available, they will make themselves at home and prepare some delicious comfort food. Gigantic vats of the stuff. During the meal they’ll keep checking my eyes to make sure I love their creation. If I try and act cool, they will ask, “Do you like it?”

“Of course, of course. It’s delicious,” I answer, knowing how hard it is to make a great dinner. Plus, they came from far away and deep inside, I know, I should have cooked. Of course, I thankfully slurp up every morsel of the meal, mainly because I’m pretty easy to please, but subconsciously, I’m looking for a good reason to overeat. How can I argue with home-cooked and mouthwatering? Forgetting my doctor’s warnings about portion control, I inhale every fattening, delicious calorie. I take seconds to prove my love.

The reason I didn’t cook is, I’m not sure they’d like it. I guess it’s called experience. Everyone has varied tastes these days. Honey and nut allergies, milk sensitivities, etc. Few things can be as unsettling as rumors about how your fancy dinner caused a family member to go into anaphylactic shock. Ever since, I have cooking trepidation—there’s really a phobia—Mageirocophobia. (The fear of cooking). Fortunately, it’s not a severe case and I don’t need treatment. When it comes to love, I’m not a quitter.

The younger relations wash sugar-free and fat-free down with copious amounts of craft beer. Moments later, they begin a lecture about a new workout, while smoking. The older ones prefer bland over spicy. Teenage girls are in a vegan phase, which is a good thing but this usually lasts until they taste a brew-house burger. The boys like barbecue, but they haven’t yet studied carcinogens in school.

There's also the internet educational system. It’s enough to make you choke. Suddenly, everyone is a chef. Do I used grass-fed meat and range-free chickens? No, I use what looks  best at the supermarket and just like grandma, I rinse everything. Still, the dinner conversation can turn ugly. I must be out of touch or cruel if I don’t watch those movie documentaries about the truth behind our food. Don’t I know about the unethical treatment of animals? The crowded chicken coops? The thrashed wheat? 

Salad ingredients seem to be controversial too. Especially the dressing. Too sweet—too cheesy—too oily—too tart. Some don't like arugula, others hate cilantro. There's a romaine lettuce recall. Have I heard about it? Yup, I'm not serving it, am I? Help. And why do people pick fruit out of their salad?  I’m back to casseroles. They seem safe enough and contain a fair amount of vegetables.

PicJumbo picture by Viktor Hanacek

And don’t get me started talking about dessert. Let’s say, I spent hours baking, frosting and decorating something amazing.But instead of appreciation, tell me why I'm being quizzed about ingredients? Did I use flour? Did I use sugar? If I pull something ready made from the freezer, “does it have artificial ingredients? Food coloring?” They look at me as if I want to poison their children. “Yes, it has sugar. It’s called dessert.”

But sadly, I’m back at that casserole. I still worry when placing the big dish in the center of the table. After all, I put my heart into it.

Speaking of hearts, it's aflutter. I search their eyes while perspiration breaks from my temples. If they don’t immediately look impressed, I’m all worried they won’t like it. If they don’t take seconds, my day might be ruined. Scooping almost full plates of food into the garbage pail, makes me want to cry.

You see, it’s a vicious cycle, fighting a nation of fast food.  But a cycle of love. Someday, as my family DNA dissipates into the ether, there will be other, worse issues than this one. I imagine my future descendants screaming at each other about carbs, gluten and the Keto diet, which is also called the Caveman diet. The cycle has progressed to the point that the Stone Age has returned. Clubs have been replaced with modern weapons and hunting for the exact taste, the perfect morsel of food to satiate immediate desire, is only one freeway ramp away. And love.....Humans will have to find new ways to express their feelings. 

As for my house, there’s this persistent issue connecting food with love. The slow cooker is simmering and the aroma is floating throughout the house. My husband is a great cook and whether I like his masterful concoction or not, I’ll be taking seconds.

Good excuse, huh?

A Tasty Serving of Amazing Authors!

 Three Dog Night for background music

When it comes to reading, I enjoy a little variety. After all, isn't it the spice of life?

Though I've never been to Spain, I understand they eat dinner with small, tantalizing appetizer-type plates called tapas. A little plate of olives, another of cheese and a plate of cold-cuts or fish, alongside a basket of bread, a plate of marinated peppers, capers and sun-dried tomatoes, with a serving of chilled Sangria. In other words, a little something for everyone. Yummy. 

That's what I love about The Diamond Valley Writer's Guild. No, I'm not talking about their cooking, although that might be good too. I'm talking about the amazing variety of creative books they write. Books available not just to members, but to the general public through Amazon! Yes, you too can share in the feast of their labor by clicking under the book covers below. Taste this, my friends--these are my first selections--from this talented group. Hope my little reviews will have you salivating and asking these authors to hurry up and write some more! Buen Gusto!

Kameleona

Judith Fabris

Kameleona is a well-written and sensitive book about island life on Molokai. You will feel and smell the flowers and taste the fresh Ono. The author will pull you into a forest reserve for a hunting trip or back to an idyllic beach on the other side of the island. On Sunday’s you’ll go to church, because that’s what the residents of Kaunakakai do. They bury the old and baptize the new. Most of all they love each other and they also love living in paradise.
Hawaiian culture, quilting, wood carving, fishing and family lore are infused into what amounts to an exciting story. Beginning with Jack Metzger, throwing a man off a cliff; not just any man, but the new Pastor of the Good News Church. There are shady characters like Joe Obregon, Frank Soriano and tough as nails Charlene Harper whose lives intersect with excellent characters such as Malia, Leilani and Keanu. There’s also George Kapule the Chief of Police. George is no slouch when it comes to solving crimes and keeping the peace. He listens to the war stories carried in on tropical breezes and follows every lead. He’s also friends with Paul Kanga, the Pastor at the Good News Church.
But wait a minute, the Pastor? Is it a mystery or a story of redemption? Read Kameleona to find all the answers. It’s truly an enjoyable and sensational story in a magnificent setting.

Key Largo Blues

 Lynne M. Spreen

There’s a bit of dialogue that sums up this novel: “When does a person ever get old enough to have everything figured out? “
“Never, I hope.” Karen wiped her eyes. Because then where’s the magic?”
Lynne Spreen’s book will take you on a magical journey from South Florida, into Georgia up to North Dakota and even to Spain. Her main character Karen Grace is searching for balance. In other words, Karen wants to be successful at her new business but she wants love too. Plus she has new rules. Can it happen? Hard to say-- Frieda might say that “Life is to be lived.” Good advice, especially for someone young like the other character Jessie, who happens to be tangled into domestic abuse with her boyfriend Lenny.
Spreen is one of the coolest writers I’ve seen for a long time. She has characters that use I Pods, develop Apps and take Segway tours. Instead of pouring a Chardonnay or glass of white wine, she merely writes, “a crisp cold white.” Though romantic and filled with juicy love scenes, the writing is hip and memorable. It’s today’s feelings not some old-fashioned panting, slowly working around a bunch of petticoats and a bustier. His eyes weren’t just blue but “blue like some alpine lake.”
Will Karen Grace find the balance she’s looking for, or is she “probably a cranky old woman with Chihuahuas”? Read Key Largo Blues and find out that Frieda was right all along.

The Turnaround

Karen Robertson

If you enjoy books that grab your heart and take you on a journey, you’ll enjoy The Turnaround by Karen Robertson. Armchair travel, as in reading a good book, is one of my favorite ways to go, and this excellent story doesn’t disappoint. The colorful characters like Leroy and Pete made me smile while others, such as Jerry and Madeline made me mad. The well written descriptions of sights, sounds and even the odors, made me feel that I too was there, suffering along with the main character Grace, who seems to have fallen into a destructive whirlpool during a bus trip to Vegas. The exciting plot builds tension, testing Grace up to the very last page. Meanwhile Phil--Grace’s husband--has to make some choices—some big enough to change his life forever. Will he pay the ransom or has it already been paid? Climb aboard the The Turnaround bus and find out!

The Butterfly I See

Suzanne Y. Saunders

As a lifetime student of human behavior, I’m always interested in stories that discuss relationships. Why do people choose to be friends or partners? This Young Adult novel explores the relationships between artistic best friends Amanda and Kristin and how they interact with the male characters Brandon, Matt and Charlie. The Butterfly I See is like a thesis on teenage development. The author covers social networking, body language, psychology, role-playing, facing harsh realities and letting go. Woven into an entertaining story, the author describes abstract art, symmetry, jealousy and intuitive thinking all while making excellent points about the creative process. And in a genius move, Suzanne Saunders makes the reader want answers, resolutions and closure, only making us realize, we might need to grow up.

The Water Jar

George L. Gurney

Last night, I sat down to read a few poems from a book called The Water Jar and while it wasn’t at all what I expected, I have to admit, I couldn’t put it down. The first story reminded me of one of the Letters written by Paul, in the New Testament. The scholarly, well-researched writing mimics the tone and voice of characters that once lived in ancient Jerusalem and Bethany. Eleazar is a young man who carries water in a large jug. He grows up to be a monk, but first there are important lessons to learn from Yeshua the Nazarene.
All the stories seem to have a faith-based connection weaving through the words, as well as a good deal of research. In Brave New World, the author delves into technology, touching on important issues related to the future of war.
My favorite story, called Knights before Christmas, brings together two pilots, during WWI; one British, and the other German. While shot and hanging in a precarious situation, they both communicate and reflect on the meaning of Christmas. I especially loved the quote from his grandmother that Leftenant Brian Goode recalled, about snow covering evil at Christmas, to keep Christ from being offended. I don’t want to ruin the plot by giving more away, but it’s an enjoyable read.
Interspersed with these incredible tales are a few poems. My favorite one is titled, Elsinore Oak, and as my eyes moved down the page, I could almost imagine those vaqueros, driving the cattle through the stifling hot valley. A place that today...could use a hefty Water Jar.

The Road to Machu Picchu

Arch Font

Many years before Columbus sailed towards the New World, the Incan’s built the city of Machu Picchu. After one hundred years, the inhabitants disappeared, leaving mysterious ruins behind. While all of this is intriguing to the main character, Jerry, it also makes for a breathtaking setting for this novel, which consists of a fascinating journey. Imagine traveling vicariously to temples hidden deep within humid jungles to see sacred shrines used for ancient rituals. But wait, this is a romantic comedy sprinkled with travel warnings, tips and even advice about how to handle high elevations, hangovers and motion sickness. It’s a travel book with several threads, connected by real love.
For many reasons, but especially because she loves him, Jerry’s wife gives him a ticket for a cruise to Peru. Meanwhile, his wife’s friend, Rhonda marries Karl the avocado farmer and they unknowingly buy tickets for the same cruise. (Though an enjoyable stand alone novel, it should be noted, that this talented author has another book, a sort of prequel to this one titled: Wrath of Rhonda, which paves a tropical forest path to this read. )
Follow the frustrating pratfalls and one-liners associated with Jerry’s friend Max. Marvel at the author’s clever characterizations of George, Brenda and Inga. George is Karl’s attorney. Brenda is a private investigator from Temecula. (Oh dear, maybe I’ve said too much.) The character development is so thorough that you’ll think you know these people; or at least you’ve seen them in the vegetable section of the supermarket, hemming and hawing above green bananas. The tour guides Buck and Fletch are unique to each other and even the pet parrot, Basil has a distinct personality. The language is colorful and the locations are teetering on a cliff exciting. Read Road to Machu Picchu and if the leaf-cutter ants, scorpions and snakes don’t get you, you might die laughing.

Guess you can tell I enjoyed reading, rather devouring these, and I hope you will too. 

Top 10 Canine Truths Proving It's the Heart and Not the Brains

Yesterday I saw another one of those videos where the dog helps around the house and seems to be able to do everything. Of course, most of these short films are created to make us laugh, but this particular clip was about a service dog that held the shopping basket and ran up and down aisles in a supermarket. This brainy dog could do it all. Made me think of my little mutts, who can’t do anything, except shed hair, make a mess and bark. So the more I thought about it, the more I realized how important they are and all the various things they do to make me happy.

1.       Good Security

No one had better come within twenty-five feet of our property, even though the houses in our neighborhood are standing about twenty feet apart.

2.       Mail Alert System

It’s like a sophisticated App you can download for your Smartphone. Want to know when the mail arrives? Ask Pinky and Fiona because they will let you know! In fact, they will let the entire neighborhood know. 

3.       Comfort

If I’m tired or sick, they like to snuggle. If I’m angry, they’re on my side. If I’m crying, they will lick my tears away. This alone is worth the price of admission.

4.       Laughter

I love comedies, variety shows and most comedians. I even have a good friend who does stand up. But these two fur-babies, Pinky and Fiona, can make me double over in laughter just from a silly expression. Most of the time, they crack me up.

5.       Exercise

There are several types of exercises associated with Fiona and Pinky. Generally, there’s a daily walk for Pinky. Fiona doesn’t obey anyone so I have to go chasing her around the house or the backyard if I want to find her. There’s also exercise obtained by cleaning up the mistakes. As inside dogs, they get confused about optimal places for doing their duty. I think all this confusion adds a couple of years to my life. Which is a good thing, right? Sometimes I dream of being that sedentary writer who can focus on her manuscript instead of the aroma coming from the hallway.

6.       The Economy

Indisputable proof:
See the big heart?

With pets, it’s hard to save money but spending it helps the local economy. Not only is there some sort of foreign collusion in the dog-toy business but the kind-hearted vets dish it out with a smile. Plus there’s that city license, puppy pads, snacks, leashes, sweaters etc. When a Chihuahua can chew through a fifteen-dollar toy in one day, you know there’s something wrong with this world. Recently, Fiona had a bout of stomach flu and we took her to the Emergency Pet Hospital. Six hundred dollars later, they sent us home with a fancy X-ray and said she’d be fine. I’m proud to say, both dogs are a boost to U.S. capitalism and sadly, cheaper toys are not an option.

7.       Listening

      One major problem with the world is listening. Almost everyone has an opinion. Even the nicest folks go around telling other people what they think without listening to their friends. There are enough people in the world to trade in friends for new ones if they don’t agree. It’s like people who dump their dogs at the animal shelter when they move.  I have high school and college friends who have left me behind for new friends because I may not have immediately rushed to agree with their political viewpoints. Makes me sad but at least Pinky listens to everything I say. Fiona may not always listen to me but she hears me. Her ears move like antenna trying to find meaning in my words that her tiny little mind cannot process but her heart tells her to keep still and keep listening because her mommy loves her very much.

8.       Foot Warmers

There’s nothing better than reading a book and having two very cute friends keeping your toes warm. The downside is that they too are relaxed—leading to not-so-adorable emanations--commonly referred to as Chihuahua farts.

9.       Crumb Catchers

Forget the vacuum. I have built in little sniffers who find every fallen morsel.

10.   Love

There are few places in the world to find unconditional love, that’s why I recommend the Animal Shelter. Both of our pups were rescues and every once in a while, with tails wagging, they come and place a paw on my chest, and look me straight in the eye. That’s when I feel the overwhelming thank you and the love. Of course, it might also mean, give us a snack or we’ll piss in your bathroom, but honestly, I feel the gratefulness.  

Understandably, those clever videos with the smart dogs make my dogs look like dummies, but these two cuties have underappreciated talents and are sweet enough for me.

Do you have super intelligent dogs or lovable dogs like mine? 

The Lady Behind Gourmet Jail Food

Yesterday, as fortune would have it, I attended a meeting of The Friends of the Murrieta Library, where author Louise Mathews spoke about her career and promoted her book titled: Jailhouse Cuisine(From the Right Side of the Bars). I’ve listened to many presentations by interesting authors but this one seemed to be truly unique. First of all, the writer held the attention of everyone for over an hour of speaking, with amazing stories of her career as Chief of Food and Nutrition Services for the

Sheriff's Department in charge of food service management for enormous Prison systems. Feeding over 8000 souls a day had to be a tough job and thankfully, Louise Mathews wrote a book about it.




When interviewing for the top spot, she told them not to hire her if they wanted good food. Challenge accepted, she went to work changing things from old and outdated ways to new and improved ways such as the cook/chill system and no strip searches outside of the kitchen. Inmates benefited from her “laws,” her humor and her family recipes. Her 42 years of experience earning her a Doctorate of Food Service and many awards.

   "I would not recommend going to jail in many of our states 

as some places are better than others if you find yourself incarcerated."

--From Jailhouse Cuisine by Louise Mathews

 The audience at the library was doubling over in laughter when she talked about her lunch that scurried away in the South or the cake that moved. In her book, she even explains why pie seemed to have "magical wings." Overall, I learned so many interesting things that I had to share this information with anyone interested in the truth behind prison food. I found out what Pruno is, and even the unsavory methods male prisoners use to make it. Her broccoli soup recipe, in the book, points out that it's best to use white pepper instead of black pepper because inmates don't trust black flakes in a white soup, something that sounds helpful for anyone raising teenagers. I even picked up a tip about how to use leftover potato chips but I don’t want to give her secrets away. Find out more by clicking here. Her book is chock full of hearty, well-tested recipes and fascinating stories assembled by a hard working and phenomenally brave woman that I had the special honor to meet.

Distracted By Craziness--Here's My Overdue List of Recent Reads

How can it be that I haven’t shared my book list for almost a year? Let me take the high road and blame my crazy dogs rather than those much crazier debates on television. Hope you find these books as entertaining as I did. 

    

The Probable Future

Alice Hoffman

If you enjoy reading stories about “good witches” or fairy-tales spun from the history of secret gardens and unrequited love, you’ll like this complicated tale about an Angel of Sorrow who appeared in 1682. The child who wandered from the wilderness was Rebecca Sparrow who seemed to portray magical powers such as: she never felt pain and when she whistled, sparrows brought her berries. This book is about modern women in Massachusetts—three closely related generations of the Sparrow family who live in an old mansion called Cake House. Each of these women has inherited a special-paranormal gift such as: dreaming other people’s dreams or being able to tell when someone is lying. The youngest, Stella, recently found out she had the supernatural ability to see the circumstances leading to a person’s death.  This troubling ‘gift’ creates some unintended drama and added family anxiety, taking Hoffman’s novel into unique territory. I enjoyed the book, especially the romantic parts but disliked the way the author intentionally jumped into varying perspectives, racing across town from the library to the lake and from Boston to Unity or across centuries past, the point of view sometimes changing not only in the same chapter but also on the same page. I’ve read other books by this author and usually breeze through them but have to admit this one loaded me down with details like snowdrops, snapping turtles, reeds and roses—all spectacular details for a patient reader. Lastly, if you enjoy mystical adventures filled with love, you’ll want to read this book.

All He Ever Wanted

by Anita Shreve

I really wanted to love this book. I’ve read other books by this author and didn’t expect the old-fashioned tone in the writing, which by the way she did in an exemplary fashion, channeling Edith Wharton in its melancholic prose. The title made me wish and hope for a different outcome and without giving away anything or spoiling the ending, I simply felt like the ash that floats up after one of Shreve’s symbolic fires. A sadder me, mulling over the obsessive side of love and the amazing characters in this book. Clearly historic and well researched; the author describes everything from the temperature to the type of vehicles people drove at the turn of the century, somehow putting fate and circumstance on the same track with literary eloquence and style.

The Stranger  by Albert Camus The beginning of this novel is a simplified translation for “American readers” with short, simple sentences in order to hold on to our limited attention spans. Though easy to read, I thought the rather bland beginning made a solid foundation for the much deeper second half. The main character, Meursault, is a pitiful, detached person living from one day to the next—uninspiring and uninspired. He’s like a zombie going to work and trying to stay out of any major upheavals in his apartment building. His blasé attitude attracts the lovely Marie but unfortunately, things take a turn for the worst on a hot day at the beach. Could it be the sun? Heat stroke? What made him pull the trigger and does he really care about the consequences? While reading The Stranger, it reminded me of Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky, except this guy doesn’t feel remorse and doesn’t understand why they are making a big deal out of it. Meursault’s hidden truth relies on the premise that death doesn’t really matter. Or does it? Broken Angel by Sylvia Ney This is a true western filled with horses, cowboys and the difficult life of a family on the prairie. I enjoyed reading it and found the twist at the end very satisfying. If you're looking for a short story to read aloud to a group or if you're short on time and don't want to crack open some long winded saga about the old West, you'll love the way the writer wraps up the tale in less time than it takes to watch a rerun of Bonanza. Kihivas: Alone at the Ends of the Earth (Nonfiction Sailing Adventure Memoir) by Istvan Kopar I love books that take the reader on a journey but usually stick to reading fictional adventures rather than non-fiction but this remarkable tale of heroic achievement didn’t disappoint. In fact, this is a very exciting book that takes the reader around the world in a one-person sailboat. First, the writer describes his maritime past and his future dreams about circumnavigating the globe. For a young man living in a land-locked country his far-fetched ideas sound remarkable to everyone he meets until he constructs his own boat, the Salammbo. After some evening practice sails on Lake Balaton, Istvan sets his course toward Gibraltar, the official beginning of a long, arduous voyage across the Seven Seas. Besides the obvious coordinates and entries into his Captain’s log, are the emotional and physically grueling challenges thrown upon him during immense storms. Storms that tested his courage, determination and his mettle while making him question his sanity. The sensitive addition of reading material, bird-watching, radio chatter with friends and family had entertained Istvan on board, while the waves tossed the vessel through the Indian Ocean and Pacific. Careening through the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties, Salammbo took a beating from giant swells, ice and incredible heat. By the time he reached the Trade Winds on his way home, he had pulled me into his story so deeply that I myself felt slightly exhausted. KIHIVAS-Alone at the Ends of the Earth is an incredible, true story of one man’s solitary triumph and an inspiration for all who set their sights on dreams that sound impossible. The Mark of the Beast Rudyard Kipling I always enjoy Kipling and this one is no exception. Great short story taking place in India about the curse of a nude leper on a man named Fleete, in the temple of Hanuman or the Monkey-God. Kipling created drama while also making me smile. The irony of the English gentlemen defying nature and the symbolic imagery offered by the faceless leper who mews like a cat, adds to the mysterious tale. I liked it and suggest it to anyone interested in something short and eerie. Very Valentine: A Novel (Valentine Trilogy Book 1) Adriana Trigiani There’s a lot to like about this book especially if you enjoy reading about Italian-American families. Adriani Trigiani writes from her heart, carefully placing it full of wonderful metaphors and tons of similes, to keep the family in this book far from the typical stereotypes associated with Italians in the Big Apple. This book made me laugh, cry and towards the end scream but I understand there’s a sequel and hopefully Valentine will realize there’s more to life than just achieving success and you don’t have to wait until you’re eighty to find true love. Or does she? Read about Roman the good-looking chef who knows how to cook but can’t seem to commit to a very passionate relationship. Enjoy the banter between siblings and a rivalry with her brother over the family shoe business. In fact, after reading this book, you may never look at shoes the same way again and you may begin dreaming of the moon in the mist over the Tyrrhenian sea where anything is possible. Glimmer and other stories: Unusual and curious tales of magical realism, horror, mystery and suspense Nicola McDonagh These literary tales surprised me for many reasons but especially for the symbolic thread involving art that runs through most of the stories. A visual palette for the senses, her use of colorful language ties the reader’s attention to the art and then, when least expected, the canvas is torn or the stained glass is broken. My favorite line about an artist appears in Earnest Thirk, “Art was more than the object, more than the value of the piece. It was a way of giving himself to the world without actually having to be part of it.” Her quote might also apply to the artist, Nicola Mcdonagh, who created these riveting works of museum-quality words, thus giving herself to the world, one fearless story at a time. Have you read any of these books? Do you think you might read one or more of these delightful tales?