NOSTALGIC NOTES: BOOKS

I've always loved to read. I remember, as a child, riding in the cart while at the grocery and Mom telling me if  I was good I could have a book. Yeah, you'd better believe I was good. I wanted a Little Golden Book. And yes they sold those at the grocery when I was a kid. 

I know I had tons of books, but there are ones that stand out for me. The first one I remember reading on my own was LGB Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

I loved the story of a woman learning to be a witch and flying a magic bed to a magical kingdom. I remember having to go into Mom to have her help me pronounce Naboobu. Other than that, I could read the book all on my own. 

Another book I loved was another LGB called The Monster at the End of the Book

It was so daggone cute and I read it over and over. I loved Grover. When I was old enough to jump to "chapter books" Mom started getting me Nancy Drew.

I thought Nancy's life was so exciting as she drove around in her fabulous convertible and solved crimes. I loved the books so much, Mom signed me up for a Nancy Drew club and they would mail us a two book set each month. I couldn't wait for the book to come in the mail. 

I know I've mentioned it before in past blog posts, but The Secret Garden was my very favorite book.

My grandma bought it for me and I devoured it. I still have that original copy she gave me as well as many others. I can't even tell you how many times I've read it, but when she first got it for me I bet I read it four or five times. As soon as I finished it, I would restart it. She also got me Little Women and I liked it, but nothing close to The Secret Garden.

Another girl detective I loved was Trixie Belden

I discovered these on my own on one of our many trips to the bookstore. I was hooked from the first book and Mom was so thankful she had a new idea for gifts. 

In the middle of reading girl detectives, I also discovered romance novels. I was probably 12 when I read my first one. Unfortunately, this was back in the 70s when the books weren't good at all.

Yep, I read the above book. And when I finished, I was sorely disappointed. Not only did they kill off the "indian maiden"-- Yuck--but the author did it in a graphic horrible rape scene. When I finished the book, I thought, I can do so much better. There was one book I really loved though. It was called The Windflower by Laura London

I liked the book because there were parts of it that made me laugh. That was the first time I realized that romance novels didn't have to be all serious. Yes, he was a total jackass (as all men were in novels of this period), and I would have so kicked him to the curb. But the book was fun and that's what made it different. 

Now run out and see what books the other bloggers wax nostalgic about. I'll see you next week! -- Gwen

Bronwyn
Kellie

APRIL PROMPTLY PENNED

Hello! If you haven't seen a Promptly Penned post before it's really simple. We are all given the same prompt and we have to craft a small piece. Easy? Sometimes and other times not so much. This month the prompt says:

You stumble upon old home videos of you and your siblings as toddlers. Nostalgia fades when you realize something isn’t quite right. 

*que ominous music* Bwahahahahaha! Okay so here goes:

Images flickered across the screen as Tara slowly sat forward in concentration. She’d recently had her family’s old, fragile 8mm films transferred to DVD, but hadn’t watched them. Until now.

Making a night of it, she’d popped popcorn and settled in to indulge her need for family long gone. Aunts, uncles, grandparents and parents, long passed, danced and laughed silently across her television screen. Her older siblings and cousins, just small children, ran and chased one another as they engaged in silent screams of happiness.

At the start of the evening, she’d laughed and kept a mental file of things to tease her brothers and sisters about. Hairstyles and clothing choices, so fashionable in the seventies, were ones they wouldn’t want to be reminded of now. As the late in life baby, she’d thankfully missed feathered bangs and bell-bottom jeans. She’s also missed time with her parents who had died when she was only eight.

Nostalgia though had taken a backseat when she’d seen a man moving through the flickering frames. He’d appeared in the first film her grandfather had taken in the early sixties. She’d noticed him because he was so handsome, with dark curling hair and high cheekbone, and she didn’t recognize him. He wasn’t family, she was sure of it.

As she’d continued to view the films, she become more focused, because every time the camera panned around, the man was there, watching, staring. At her? Tara shivered. Stupid thought. What was she twelve? So what an unknown man popped up over and over through the films. So what that he always looked the same no matter what year it was. And that was stupid too. People aged, it was inevitable. The films were taken with an old technology that made things grainy and slightly off.

Yawning, Tara knew she should turn the DVD off. She had to work the next day, but still she watched. The search for the man was like a macabre game of Where’s Waldo. Every single time, just when she thought he wouldn’t be there, he’d show up. Family friend? And, if he were in all the films, why wasn’t he in the family pictures? He wasn’t. She knew he wasn’t. She’d looked through the pictures all the time growing up and this man hadn’t been there. So why did he appear now?

And that was a crazy question. He didn’t appear. He’d just happened to be at all her family’s gatherings. Or at least all the ones they’d filmed.

She moved to sit closer to the screen, unable to stop herself. Because she’d noticed something else. No one spoke to him. Not one person turned to him and smiled. They acted as if he weren’t there. As if he was …

“Enough,” she said aloud.

Grabbing up the remote she forced herself to stop the DVD and eject the disc. She was tired, that’s all. Tomorrow she’d call her sister, Hannah, and they’d laugh at her overactive imagination.

She put the disc on top of the player and headed to her bedroom. Tara decided she’d read for a while then head to bed. No more videos. No more strangely handsome strangers. And the guy wasn’t a stranger. And there’d been nothing weird. Overactive imagination fueled by too much popcorn and too much work.

After brushing her teeth, Tara climbed into bed and plumped her pillows up. The ceiling fan whirled softly as she leaned over to set her alarm. As she settled back against the pillows she noticed an odd glow emanating from her living room. It was the television. She obviously hadn’t turned it off.

Rolling out of bed, she moved through the dark house. The light flickered and she walked into the room to find images playing across the screen. Her grandmother laughing as she moved her lips, obviously talking to someone off camera. What? No, that wasn’t right. She’d ejected the DVD. She knew she had.

A movement to her right caused her to stumble back as the man from the film. The man who looked no older than he had in the sixties, stepped towards her.

“Tara, I’m so glad we can finally meet.”

Now go over and check out what the other ladies have done with this.

Bronwyn
Kris

WRITING STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Hello and welcome to the randomness that is Wednesday. For my first fabulous trick let me unveil Wednesday Male Hotness

*sigh* The pics always make my day start out brighter. You? Anyway, today we're chatting about our writing strengths and weaknesses. I'll start with my weaknesses since, for me, the downer stuff is so much easier to list. The reason is, I often focus on that stuff first. 

My weaknesses are my procrastination in writing. I'm sure you've noticed since I haven't finished a book in . . . yeah, I'm embarrassed to even mention how long it's been. I put it off and put it off and never get anything done. Next, when I do write I'm never satisfied. I have to keep going back and fixing. I will admit I've gotten better at this since I used to polish and polish . . . a first chapter. Yeah, can't put those on the market. Last, I can't stay focused on one project. I jump from book to book, which is another reason I never finish.

See, easy to do. I whipped those out in less than a minute. 

Okay, now for my strengths. First, I never lack for ideas. Dreams,  songs, a story someone tells me, it doesn't matter. My mind instantly starts spinning a story. I've always done this, which is why my grades were so poor in school. I could sit and daydream an entire class away without hearing a word the teacher said. Second, it doesn't hurt when I put on my editor hat to hack and slash through what I've written. I know that sometimes getting rid and rewriting is the best thing an author can do. I'm not so enamored of my own words that ever one is sacred. *snort* As if. Which leads me to my last strength. I can take criticism. In fact, I like it as long as it's constructive. The only way I'll ever get better is for someone with insight to give me guidance. And, as long as someone can give me a good excuse why something needs to be done, then I'm all on board. Like I said, I'm not so enchanted with my own words that I won't change or delete. Hell the book I'm working on now has taken so long because I've basically rewritten the entire thing. 

So, there you have it. What I consider my writing strengths and weaknesses. Now, run and check out what the other bloggers have to say. And if you want to leave a comment below I read ever single one. See you next week! -- Gwen

Bronwyn
Jessica
Kris
Jessica D

TALES FROM A BOOKSTORE PT. 2

Hey! Okay, so if didn't know I work at a bookstore. Most of the customers are totally awesome. In fact, I have regulars I deal with who are tons of fun. Then again, we get those special snowflakes we have to deal with that try every one's patience. This is one of those stories.

This story is totally true and, unlike the last post, this actually happened to me. Truly.

The phone rings and I give my bookstore phone spiel. A guy on the other end tells me he needs to return a book. That, in and of itself, is no problem, especially if the customer has a receipt and it's inside the return window. Yeah, but this isn't that easy. Remember we're dealing with a "special" snowflake.

The book happens to be for school. In fact, the book is a textbook. Even bigger fact that this guy has already unwrapped the textbook from it's protective shrink wrap. Whoops! 

"I'm so sorry," I say. "Once you take the book out of the wrap it's non-returnable."

"Yeah, but you don't understand," snowflake says. "It's not the right book. Once I got into the class and started working in the book I realized it's not the right one."

Wait! What?? Oh yeah, he'd already highlighted passages in the book . . .with a yellow highlighter. Then he realized it wasn't the right book and he wanted to turn it to us and he wanted a full refund.

"So let me get this straight," I say in the voice I used to use while teaching 5th grade, "you purchased the wrong book, opened it, marked in it and want to return it to us?"

"Right," he says, "it's not the right book and I paid over $200.00 for it. I still have the receipt."

"The receipt isn't the issue. The issue is you took it out of the packaging and wrote in it. That makes the book non-returnable."

"But it's the wrong book," he says, as if I'm the idiot.

"I'm sorry," I say, grabbing for patience. "But, you ordered the book and you wrote in it. We can't take it back."

He huffs out an exasperated breath. "It was over $200.00 and I can't use it. I need to get the money back so I can get the right book."

"I'm sorry," I say, again, "but we can't take the book back."

"Look, let me just talk to a manager. I'm sure once I explain they'll understand."

As if I didn't understand some mysterious something that would make me take this trashed book back. And, because I'm not in charge, I tell him to hold on. I contact the manager on duty and explain what happened. The manager actually hurries across the store so he can look me in the face to find out if I'm joking. Yeah, unfortunately not.

He laughs and takes the phone call and tells the guy on the phone the same exact thing I've been saying. Once he hangs up, he looks at me and we both laugh. Because, really what else can we do. 

So, if you order a book for school, take it out of the protective wrap, and write in it I won't take it back. No matter what. Just letting you know.

See you later! Gwen

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: SADNESS

Welcome back to the randomness that is Wednesday on the blogs. Today, we're wordless, which, for me, you know is never the case. Oh first let's showcase WMH

Okay, so today's topic is sadness. Yeah, I've been fighting a battle with depression for . . .  almost a year now. Some days I'm good, some I'm ehhh, and others it out and out sucks. So this topic is tough. Let's see how we can "lighten" sadness up, shall we?

  

When all the books have been read

Now run over and see what the other ladies have come up with and I'll see you next week.

Bronwyn

Kellie

Jessica D

Paige

Kayleigh

MARCH PROMPTLY PENNED

Hey! And welcome to my first Promptly Penned. If you've never seen this before, we're given a writing prompt then have to jump off from there. Each of us has the same one so it'll be fun to see how we use it. Okay, so here goes.

“I thought I’d made it clear we have a no abduction policy.”

Jayne peered over her glasses at Tessa, pinning her with a gaze. Undaunted, Tessa stared right back

"She wasn’t cooperating. What did you expect me to do?”

“Not kidnap her, Tessa,” Jayne said, as she tossed her expensive eyewear on the desk. “Is that too much to ask?”

“Kidnap is such an ugly word. I liberated her, borrowed her if you will. You wanted her here, she wouldn’t come. I asked nicely, she slammed the door in my face. Besides, weren’t you the one who said don’t take no for an answer.

“I didn’t think you would abduct her.”

Tessa shook her head. “Doesn’t matter, she’s here now and totally unhurt. So, now you can talk to her and I can get back to my vacation.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Jayne said, rising to her feet. “Once Natalie and I speak, if she’ll speak to me, you have to take her back.”

Tessa wearily rubbed her face. “I do one tiny favor for you and this is what I get. Grief, grief and a need for more favors.”

“You’re my only operative able to take her back. The only one I trust.”

“Boy, I bet that killed you to say that.” Tessa said, stunned. “Fine, I’ll take her back, but not today. I’m tired and need to get some rest.”

“I doubt she’ll talk to me anyway,” Jayne said.

“What do you expect? You haven’t seen your daughter in…what? Ten years? And you think she’d going to welcome you with open arms?”

Jayne dropped back into her desk chair. “I’ve written letters. Tried to explain.”

“Yeah, well she didn’t act as if she wanted to have anything to do with you. I’m sorry, but that’s the truth.”

“Truth or not, she’s almost twenty-one. If her powers kick in when mine did she could die without help.”

Or kill people, Tessa thought, but didn’t say it out loud. Killing people was so much worse, especially when they were your family or, at least, the only family you knew. Don’t think about it, she told herself, didn’t do any good. It was old news and something she couldn’t fix.

“Then you’d better talk to her and convince her to get tested,” Tessa finally said. “If she’s normal then no big deal, she can go back to her life. If she’s not, she needs to know now. Not after she goes nova.”

“Thanks, Tessa. I appreciate the zeal in which you completed your assignment.”

She huffed out a laugh. “Zeal? I like it. Better than kidnapping, I suppose.”

Before Jayne could say anything else, Tessa left the office and headed toward her rooms. She needed to lock herself down before the power in her system flashed. Unlike others of her ilk, Tessa’s power seemed limitless, but there were…drawbacks. That’s how the scientists had put it. Drawbacks. She rolled her eyes. Yeah, blowing up was a drawback alright. 

Now go over and check out what the other bloggers have written.

Bronwyn
Kris
Paige
Kayleigh

TALES FROM A BOOKSTORE

I started working at an unnamed bookstore last June. I love books, obviously, and being around them all the time seemed like the perfect place for me. And it is . . . other than the customers. 

Okay, don't get me wrong. Not all the customers are facepalm worthy, but there are quite a few who aren't playing with a full deck. So I thought I would share some of the more fantastical stories I've collected. What I share with you is 100% real. These are really real people who are out there living in society and, somehow, walking around taking care of themselves. I know, I know, I'm stunned too. 

Oh, jeez, where to begin. Okay, so this one didn't actually happen to me, but to someone I know (code word for coworker).

A customer walks into the bookstore and comes up to the desk to inquire about a book. Now sometimes you get the people who don't know the author or the name of the book. Hell sometimes you get people who just tell you the book is blue and expect you to know which one they mean. Nope, not this Einstein.

This lady comes up and asks for a copy of Medea

Now before you get excited, let me stop you. This fabulous customer then goes on to say . . .

"Now I know it's written by Tyler Perry, but I'm not sure what part of the store I'd find it in."

And yes, this is a truly true story. Bless her heart.

And have a truly wonderful day. See you Wednesday!! -- Gwen