Tough Choices

For about ten minutes, I considered, since this post would go live the day before a highly contested presidential election, that I might talk about politics. Then I slapped myself.

I will say this, though. Many of us are making tough decisions. Let's show a little grace toward those who stand on the other side of the aisle--or who have camped out at various places in the aisle. And prayers for grace and healing for our nation come November 9th, regardless of the outcome.

Have you been searching for a great reader blog?

Search no more! 

Carrie of Reading Is My Superpower (aka Meez Carrie) has just what you’re looking for.

I’ll let her tell you about herself and her blog:

Hi! I’m Carrie aka Meez Carrie
Avid Reader. Book Reviewer. Story Addict.
KissingBooks Fan. Book Boyfriend Collector. ESOL Teacher. Cool Aunt.
I love Jesus and THE Story a whole lot.

Why blog? Considering that my first word was “book”, it was pretty much a given that I would be a voracious reader. Though my tastes have broadened from Nancy Drew, Little House, and The Secret Garden to include a bevy of marvelous genres and authors, I still love to read.  Talking about these beloved books seemed like a natural extension of my superpower, and thus a blog was born.

What can you expect from this blog? Books reviewed honestly and from the heart, written out of my love for stories and my knowledge of what makes good fiction. Interviews with some of my favorite authors. Giveaways of some of my favorite books. Top Ten Tuesdays. Gushing over my latest book boyfriends. (Sorry, oh-so-tolerant hubby!)

The highlight of blogging for me is when I am able to introduce you to your next favorite read or a new-to-you author!

What kind of books do you review? My passion is Christian fiction, but I have a handful of go-to authors in the general market as well. I love to laugh. I love books that touch my heart too. I read both historical and contemporary fiction, and I’m always on the outlook for another great kissingbook! If it’s got suspense, all the better. You won’t find much science fiction/fantasy here, other than fairy tales and the occasional nod to Narnia or Harry Potter. No vampires or werewolves, either.

Do you ever do anything besides read? Not willingly.    Actually, in my other life, I live in Kentucky with my hubby of 15 years and our quirky dog Zuzu (who also happens to be my unofficial official blog mascot).  I’m the long-distance cool aunt to NINE nieces and nephews, and I teach English as a Second/Other Language to International Adults. When I’m not blogging here at RimSP, you can find me at RT Book Reviews Magazine and Straight Off the Page.

One of the most fun things about the blog, besides Meez Carrie herself, is the lively comments section. Lots of book discussion and recommendations and lots of “can’t wait for this one” comments that let you know about upcoming delights you might have missed. Plus, she is very author friendly and loves to give new writers a nod.

And I love Meez Carrie’s lists. For example:

Kissing Books 101
Kissing Books 101, Lesson 2
Ten Books to Read if You Love Jane Austen
Authors I’ve Read the Most
Best Book Boyfriends
Swooniest Heroes
Why I Love Christian Fiction
First Line Fridays (my special favorite!)

And I’m very pleased to see that she is a supporter of the use of fainting couches, something of which we see far too little in these modern times.

So if you’re looking for fun, informative, always-fresh blog about Christian books with a lot of giveaways and other cool stuff, this one is the best I’ve found. Meez Carrie reviews so many books, reading truly is her superpower!

Please note: Meez Carrie does on occasion review or feature a giveaway with books that are not specifically Christian. These books are generally clean, but if there are any language, intimacy or other concerns, she’s very good about stating clearly what they are.

So give Meez Carrie and Reading Is My Superpower a try. Anyone who loves Jane Austen or any of the classic romance writers will especially enjoy it!

READING IS MY SUPERPOWER    

CLICK THE LINK -- YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!

A Different Kind of October 31 Movie

It’s October 31, so that must mean it’s time to steal some chocolate from the kids’ haul and put in a scary movie, right? What’s that? Gratuitous blood and brain matter are not your choice for a weekday evening? Well, then, let me suggest a movie celebrating that other October 31 holiday, Reformation Day.

Did you know Reformation Day is an actual civic holiday in some parts of the world? It commemorates the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Supposedly, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the Wittenberg church door on October 31. His choice of venue and timing make sense. Posting messages on the door was common during that era, and the following day (November 1) was a holy day of obligation when everyone would have gone to church. You know, it was kind of like putting a notice on Macy’s door on Black Friday.

Martin Luther wasn’t the first person to call for reforms in the church, only the most successful. For several centuries, clergymen such as Wycliffe, Hus and Erasmus had voiced concerns about perceived abuses. Church leaders burned Hus at the stake in for his troubles and exhumed Wycliffe’s body 40 years after his death so they could do likewise to his corpse. Challenging the church was dangerous business in 1517. But Luther had two things going for him: a new invention called the printing press (which let his words be widely published) and a sympathetic ruler (Frederick of Saxony) who protected him from the wrath of the established church.

The 2003 film Luther tells the story of the young monk who agonized over his sin until he read about God’s grace.

The movie follows the major events in Luther's life, although it glosses over some of his more controversial opinions. (Some of the film's funding came from the Lutherans.) However, whatever you think of Luther the man, there's no denying he started a movement that changed the trajectory of Western Civilization. Our notions of representative government and individual rights trace their foundations to the Reformation. Perhaps it's not coincidence that Americans will be going to the polls to elect their new president just one week after Reformation Day.

Luther has an all-star cast, period costumes, and a wonderful score. It's rated PG-13 for violence, so tuck the little ones into bed before you put it on the telly. Besides, you don't want them to see you taking their candy.

P.S. I couldn't fit this into the post, but I thought it was too cute to pass up. 

Travel Log: Monterey California

by Anita Mae Draper

It's hard to believe that yesterday I awoke in beautiful Monterey, California, and today I'm back on the prairies and haven't seen a sailboat, sea otter, or a flash of brilliant blue water all day. I was down in Monterey for the Books & Such Literary Management Retreat and this time, my husband, Nelson joined me on my wonderful working vacation based in the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa overlooking Monterey Bay, California.

View of Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa from kayak on kelp bed. Photo credit: Nelson Draper, Oct 2016

The view from our room was breathtaking and we spent many minutes taking photos of the plethora of boats, sunrises, and wildlife. Nelson was especially thrilled with the binoculars left in our room for our viewing pleasure. 

View from our room in the Monterey Plaza Hotel. Photo credit: Anita Mae Draper

The Monterey Plaza Hotel is on Cannery Row which used to be lined with canneries. Some of these canneries are still standing and contain shops and boutiques. Next door to the hotel is one of these old canneries. It appears in many of my photos where it is adorned with gulls, pigeons, and cormorants. This next photo shows the hotel and next-door cannery with the Coast Guard Pier in the background. This beach was below our window and we could hear the surf pounding against the beach and brick throughout the day and night.

Beach below the Monterey Plaza Hotel and next door cannery, Monterey, CA. Photo credit: Anita Mae Draper

From our window, we watched the incredible sun rise while gulls and cormorants greeted the day and seals "porpoised" in Monterey Bay. Here's a video showing seals and birds minutes before the sun appeared with its golden glow. My camera recorded it fine when the seals were slicing through the water, but went out of focus when they dived under water. I couldn't be annoyed however, when the sounds of gulls and barking sea lions carried on throughout this short video I've entitled, Monterey Bay Wildlife at Dawn.

And then the sun rose, washing the bay in light and exposing a thick layer of dew on every standing surface. 

Sunrise over Monterey Bay, California. Photo credit: Anita Mae Draper

While I was busy with the agency sessions on the first day, Nelson spent his time exploring the area around the Monterey Plaza Hotel which included the infamous Cannery Row. On the second day, I was in session when I received a text message from Nelson which said, "Out here in kayak." Gawk! I slipped out with my camera and this is what greeted me. My camera proved its worth as I zeroed in on Nelson in a red kayak way out there, in the centre of this pic.

Nelson Draper (middle of image) kayaking in Monterey Bay, Oct 2016. Photo credit: Anita Mae Draper

Here's a close up of one of the dozen or so I took of him through my Nikon P520 CoolPix camera...

Nelson Draper and friend, Monterey Bay, California, Oct 2016. Photo credit: Anita Mae Draper

Nelson said he'd often heard wings flapping and water splashing while he was out there, but whatever had made the noise was gone by the time he turned around. This photo was a fun surprise for him, however, as he hadn't realized anything was there until I showed him the evidence. 

He took some astounding photos from the kayak including the one at the top of this post showing the kelp and hotel, and this one of the wildlife taking advantage of the sunny rocks on Coast Guard Pier which forms part of the Monterey Harbour.

Coast Guard Pier, Monterey, California, Oct 2016. Photo credit: Nelson Draper

And after three full days in California, it was time to depart. I'll give you one last photo Nelson took while getting up close and personal with the wildlife while kayaking in the bay.

Goodbye from Monterey Bay, October 2016. Photo credit: Nelson Draper

I really enjoyed this second trip to Monterey, and a big part of that was that I was able to share the trip with Nelson and can now share the memory of it with him. Between the photos we took this year, and those I took of my 2014 Books & Such Monterey Retreat, we have many images of birds and animals which we'll be showing on Pinterest, Facebook, and our Draper's Acres blog in weeks to come. I hope you'll keep in touch as we share our journey.

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Anita Mae Draper's historical romances are woven under the western skies of the Saskatchewan prairie where her love of research and genealogy yield fascinating truths that layer her stories with rich historical details. Her Christian faith is reflected in her stories of forgiveness and redemption as her characters struggle to find their way to that place in their heart we call home. Anita loves to correspond with readers through her contact page, or any of the social media links found at www.anitamaedraper.com.

Readers can enrich their reading experience by checking out Anita's Pinterest boards for a visual idea of her stories at www.pinterest.com/anitamaedraper.