Tag: family histories

What this Blogger is Thankful For…

Thanksgiving, family, food, thankfulIf you’re an American, this Thursday, you will sit down with family and friends to some rendition of a Thanksgiving dinner.  Or you might decide to give Mom/Dad (whoever the cook is) a break and go out to eat this year.  If you are carnivores you will consume great quantities of turkey, ham, giblet dressing, oyster dressing, stuffed deviled eggs, and football.  If you are vegetarian you will consume delicate, beautiful, tasty dishes made with all the food groups except those that had faces.  Football optional.

A bit of trivia:  Historical records strongly suggest that shellfish, geese, ducks, swans, and venison were the meats of the first Thanksgivings....then referred to as the Fall Harvest Celebration which traditional lasted 3 days.   Here’s how Edward Winslow described the first Thanksgiving feast in a letter to a friend:
Continue reading “What this Blogger is Thankful For…”

My momma always said, Life is Like a Box of Chocolates’….or words (part 6)

words, dictionary, writing, writers               My Random House Dictionary weighs at least seven pounds and  it takes both my arms to lug it around.  Its copyright date is 1966 and I think I bought mine in about 1970. Forty three+ years ago.  Its pages are ‘paper-thin’ (pun intended) and very fragile.  It is my reference book when I write this series:  Words being my box of chocolates.
Continue reading “My momma always said, Life is Like a Box of Chocolates’….or words (part 6)”

Trisha Sugarek, Guest Blogger on FreshFiction.com TODAY!

This author is a guest blogger on FreshFiction.com TODAY! Telling the story behind “The Art of Murder” and how it went from an idea to a book to a series.  Trish is currently working on book 2, “The Dance of Murder”  in the series The World of Murder.

Click here:   http://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=5447

Murder mysteries, gift ideas, New York, crime
Book 1 of The World of Murder series

Win a chance to receive, FREE, one of Trisha’s latest novels.

In a special ‘give away’ 10 visitors to FreshFiction.com  will win a book, “Wild Violets” or “The Art of Murder”.

 

fiction, women, flappers, prohibition, San Francisco, roaring twenties“Wild Violets” is also available in Audio Books!

 

The Grande Dame of Historic Fiction was so much More!

romance, historic, fiction, Barbara CartlandYes, the snobs of the literary world might have scoffed at her pink signature Chanel suits, her poofy hats, her Pekinese dogs, and her silly romantic stories.   But, they can’t quite get around her fifty plus years of writing, resulting in over 1,000 million books sold, or the fact that she spent her life  making the world a better place.

Her name was Barbara Cartland.  I know I must have started buying her books somewhere around 1972 because one of her letters to me was dated 1975.  So I have been reading her historic, romantic fiction up until about ten years ago.  Collecting hard covers when I could find them!  I would send them to her and she would autograph them and always, always send a nice note and a little gift back to me.  Most treasured gift was a gold-gilded oak leaf from an oak tree on Barbara’s property.   The “Deer Oak”, which is said to have been planted by Queen Elizabeth the First in 1550, at the spot where she killed her first deer, is on the estate.

Continue reading “The Grande Dame of Historic Fiction was so much More!”

‘Slainte, Prost, Cheers!’ Whatever the toast…..Part 2 An Interview with author, Patrick Taylor

Irish stories, best sellers, Patrick TaylorPatrick Taylor’s characters, Fingal O’Reilly, M.D. and his young protege, Dr. Barry Laverty play word games over a pint.  Trying to out do each other with trivia.  And my readers all know, by now, how much I love words.

Over a couple of whiskeys, at the end of a long day, Barry toasts Dr. O’Reilly, “Slainte”.
O’Reilly responds, “Prost!” and then continues, “Did you know ‘prosit‘ is the third-person singular present active subjunctive of the Latin verb Prosum or the Maltese prosit, meaning ‘bravo'”
“I did not know that.” Barry replied.  “How do you?”  O’Reilly chuckled, “I learnt the Latin grammar in school, and a good thing too, because when I was a student at Trinity some lectures were delivered in Latin.”

My Interview with Patrick Taylor

Q. and the all important: What does the process of going from “no book” to “finished book” look like?

A. You start with a blank screen. I have been writing a series for what seems like forever so I know my characters and the setting. Then I ask myself a question. What if characters A and B were faced with ??? and that is the beginning of the plot. Then I let the characters loose and see what happens Continue reading “‘Slainte, Prost, Cheers!’ Whatever the toast…..Part 2 An Interview with author, Patrick Taylor”

Sure’n It’s Off to an Irish Village, You’ll be goin’…an Interview with author, Patrick Taylor (1 of 2)

P    This blogger was in her home place of Ireland for a month….and each time I read  another ‘Country Doctor’ book by this author, I revisit the home of my heart.  Patrick has given me this opportunity to interview one of my top favorite authors!

AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, PATRICK TAYLOR

Q. Where do you write? Do you have a special room, shed, barn, special space for your writing?

A. In my study when at home. In rented accommodation when we winter in California.

Q. Do you have any special rituals when you sit down to write? (a neat work space, sharpened #2 pencils, legal pad, cup of tea, glass of brandy, favorite pajamas, etc.)

 

A. No. I usually sort out the admin stuff like e-mail then edit what I wrote yesterday and then get on with the new stuff.

Q. What is your mode of writing? (long hand? Pencil? Computer? Etc.)

A. Computer. I used to be a doctor. Nobody can read my handwriting—including me.

Q. Do you have a set time each day to write or do you write only when you are feeling creative? Continue reading “Sure’n It’s Off to an Irish Village, You’ll be goin’…an Interview with author, Patrick Taylor (1 of 2)”

Don’t Miss my Interview with author, Patrick Taylor! Begins this Tuesday!

Irish stories, best sellers, Patrick Taylor        This blogger was in her home place of Ireland for a month….and each time I read  another ‘Country Doctor’ book by this author, I revisit the home of my heart.  Patrick has given me this opportunity to interview one of my top favorite authors!

AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, PATRICK TAYLOR  begins this Tuesday, Nov. 5th in a two part Nov. 7th.


To Read My Review  Click here

You needn’t Suffer Waiting for the New Season of Downton Abbey — a Review

book reviews, best sellers, best selling authors    REVIEW  reviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writing (5 out of 5 quills)

HEIRS and GRACES    Newest book in the Royal Spyness series
by Rhys Bowen

Impoverished, royal Georgiana Rannoch is set another task by HRM, the Queen.  ‘Get thee gone….’to a grand country house and help an uncooperative Heir adjust to his new station in life and  a mammoth fortune.   Said heir, Jack, has been snatched from a sheep station in Australia, brought to England, and is the most reluctant of future Dukes.

‘Jack jumped to his feet. “How can you talk calmly of eating when your son is dead and everyone thinks I stabbed him?” he shouted.
 “Such an outburst, the dowager Duchess said. “Hardly seemly for a duke, John.  Really you will have to learn to control your emotions. Of course I’m upset at the loss of my son.  I am outraged that somebody chose to murder him. But I am also aware that it is up to us to set a good example, chin up, best foot forward and all that.  This household will continue as usual, except for the fact that we be in mourning for the requisite amount of time….’  Continue reading “You needn’t Suffer Waiting for the New Season of Downton Abbey — a Review”

“Fingal O’Reilly, Irish Doctor” A Review of Patrick Taylor’s newest book

reviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writing reviews, authors, writing     5 out of 5 Quills           A Review of Patrick Taylor’s newest release
reviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writing                                  
  ‘yer face is as long as a wet Sunday…’

 review.O'Reilly.Irish.DrOh, I’m a big, BIG fan of Patrick Taylor’s work.  I never miss buying his latest. What’s not to like….for me, the daughter of a second generation Irishman?  In 1998 I spent a month in the west counties of Ireland looking for my paternal roots.  My, my!  Did I find them!  My father’s name still appeared above ‘drapery’ shops in the small villages I traveled to.  So, for me, reading Taylor’s series called ‘Country Doctor’ is like return visits to ‘the ole Sod’.

In this newest offering Patrick Taylor seamlessly takes the reader from his early days as a young doctor (newly graduated) practicing in the slums and tenements of Dublin (in the 1930’s), to twenty plus years later where he has been a GP in the tiny village of Ballybucklebo.

If you start out with the first book, An Irish Country Doctor, and continue reading the series, you fast become one of the villagers. You know everyone and everyone knows you.  The series is the story of Fingal O’Reilly’s life, his patients, his young doctor proteges, his loves and all the people that make up the village of Ballybucklebo.

The charm of Taylor’s language is unparalleled.  “He’s about as deep as a feckin’ frying pan–and twice as dense.” and, “How’s life abusing you?” Bob asked.  “It’s good to be off work and heading to play rugby, I can tell you that for free.” Fin replied.    and
Continue reading ““Fingal O’Reilly, Irish Doctor” A Review of Patrick Taylor’s newest book”

He Always Makes Me Smile…and Think!

famous authors, Charles Bukowski, interviews, best selling authors    More from Charles Bukowski……..His insight is pure truth but who among us would think in quite this way?  Never a glass far from his hand, never a woman far from his arm, never a stubby pencil far from his fingers…the genius wrote and wrote and then wrote some more… and very little of it was false.

 

it’s strange  ©

it’s strange when famous people die
whether they have fought the good fight or
the bad one.
it’s strange when famous people die
whether we like them or not
they are like old buildings old streets Continue reading “He Always Makes Me Smile…and Think!”