D is for Dexter

If you know me at all, you know that I am a huge fan of the Showtime series Dexter. I watch it regularly during the season, watch repeats during the off season, and I own every DVD out there. I watched the entire first season when I was home sick with the stomach flu, just before the second season started. I was ecstatic to then find out that it had been based on a book series by Jeff Lindsay.

I stumbled upon the paperbacks when I was perusing my local Borders store. At that point, only the first two were available. I bought them both and easily devoured them within a few days. The Showtime series very closely parallels these two books, Darkly Dreaming Dexter and Dearly Devoted Dexter. There are a few major differences, which I will not share with you, should you decide to read them.

Starting with the third book, Dexter in the Dark, the TV series and the book series take a massive departure from each other. Usually I get annoyed when TV and movies take their own path along a story's trajectory and differ so much from the book series. But with Dexter, it somehow makes it more fun for me. It is as if the two Dexters are in parallel universes. Each one has its own intrigue and dark side. I love to compare and contrast the two.

The third book, Dexter in the Dark is probably my least favorite. It reminds me more of a Stephen King story as it focuses on the monster known as the Dark Passenger. I love Stephen King, but that style just didn't work in this series.

The fourth book, Dexter By Design, is probably my favorite. I have the fifth book, Dexter is Delicious, but I haven't yet read it. I think I have made it through the first chapter. It's not that it isn't interesting; I just haven't had a chance to read it.

So, if you are feeling the need to feed your Dexter fetish, check out these books!

C is for Capote

A few years ago when all of the movies were coming out about Truman Capote, I finally gave in and read In Cold Blood. It's not that I didn't want to read it; I just hadn't yet gotten to it. There was extra buzz about the movies here, because Phillip Seymour Hoffman grew up just outside of Rochester. (Personally, I almost preferred Infamous, as the character was more believable.)

It was a little long to get into, yet intriguing at the same time. It was the first time that anyone had tried to write a true crime story. Better yet, the author developed sympathy for the bad guys. This part really comes to light in the biographical movies about Truman Capote.

I like to read classic novels and try to imagine what it would have been like reading them for the first time, back when they were originally published. In a time of crime being broadcast all over every form of media, it is difficult for us to imagine the shock value this book had.

It also had a lasting impact. One of my favorite authors is Jon Krakauer, You may know him from Into Thin Air and Into the Wild. He has also looked into other famous murders and wrongful deaths, and writes about them in a captivating way. Perhaps without Capote, he would not have been able to do so.

Capote was also famous for penning the story that propelled Audrey Hepburn to iconic status. His story Breakfast at Tiffany's was later turned into the classic movie, giving us the image we all know and love.

Sometime you should also check out the original In Cold Blood movie.....

B is for Bronte

Ah, the Bronte sisters. Timeless classics. I first read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte in 8th grade and I enjoyed it. In 1996, I saw the theatrical interpretation of the book, starring William Hurt, Charlotte Gainesbourg, and Anna Paquin. I fell in love with the story and reread the book. I bought the movie on DVD and reread the book a few more times.

A couple of years ago. PBS did their own version of Jane Eyre as a mini-series. This version, being much longer, was able to incorporate even more of the book. I thought it was excellent, and eventually procured my own copy.

I still love reading the book, and have downloaded a free version to my Kindle. It is going to keep me company one of these days when I have to wait a while somewhere, or in the middle of the night when I can't sleep.

I heard there is a new theatrical version coming out. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I mean, why do we have to keep redoing stuff? I guess it is to get the "younguns" interested again? I just hope it is worth it.

I have a couple other Charlotte Bronte works. Once at an antique store, I picked up a copy of The Professor that also included several of Charlotte's poems. I started the story and enjoyed it. I just haven't yet gotten around to finishing it. I also enjoyed the poetry, even though I don't often read poetry, unless I am in the mood. I also recently picked up a copy of Vilette.

As for Emily Bronte, she is famous for Wuthering Heights. I think I need to read it again. I remember watching the Laurence Olivier movie version of the book, and thought it was okay. Several years ago, at the urging of a good friend, I finally read the book. I didn't like it. But I can't remember now if I didn't like it because of the story, the writing, or if the characters just made me mad. I will have to give it another shot.

And, of course, there is Anne Bronte, the lesser-known Bronte sister. She wrote a lot of poetry and a couple of novels. They were Agnes Gray and Tenant of Wildfell Hall.. I picked up a used copy of her poems several years ago. I have read through many of them. Again, I have to be in the mood for poetry, but she was also quite talented. I have not yet tried her novel, but I will look for it.

So, yes, Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favorite books and stories. Call it ironic that I now live in Rochester. I highly recommend it, but please feel free to check out any of the books below.



You can also check out some of these DVD versions of these classic books.

A is for Andrews

Did you ever read V.C. Andrews? I started with them when I was either 9 or 10 years old. My cousin, who is 16 years older, had given all of her books to my mother, so that I could enjoy them as I got older. My smart parents decided to put those books away until I got older. Yet, I still managed to get my hands on Flowers in the Attic. I was completely enthralled in the book and read it over and over again. I particularly remember sitting on Saturday, reading the entire book in one day. Then, I found out there was more to the story, so I continued reading the series. I was confused by Garden of Shadows coming out last in the series, especially as it was the prequel to Flowers in the Attic. But, I didn't care.

Next, I read the Heaven Leigh Casteel series. One of my favorites was the stand-alone My Sweet Audrina. I also enjoyed the Cutler series about Dawn and tried the Landry series. The Logan series was my final series.

Alas, V.C. Andrews died before she could complete all of the ideas that she had created. The family wanted to maintain her legacy, so they chose to work with carefully selected authors to bring those ideas to life. Unfortunately, I could tell the difference, and I soon stopped reading. They were all too formulaic and predictable. The new authors lacked some of the magic that V.C. Andrews had.

I still have those books, collecting dust in my attic library. I keep meaning to reread some of them. Perhaps this challenge is the inspiration I need to do so.....

Here is the list of the books I enjoyed reading when I was younger.

A to Z Challenge

There is this fantastic challenge for the month of April, known as the A to Z challenge. The concept is, each day in April, except for Sundays, one letter of the alphabet is assigned to the day. Your job is to blog about a topic that begins with that letter. For some of my sites, this is going to be really easy. For others, such as this one, not so much.

The challenge technically began yesterday. So, I am already a day behind, and scrambling to come up with ideas. I think I will be doing the same as I am doing over at Andi's Kids Books, and will just try to think of different books, series, authors, and/or characters that begin with each letter. I will talk about them, as opposed to doing a traditional review. And, I am going to include Amazon Associates widgets, to help you with your shopping. You will benefit from getting great deals on your Amazon purchases. I will benefit by you purchasing through my links, with a few pennies here and there.

So, thanks in advance for your support. Happy reading!








My other blogs entered into the challenge:

Andi's Kids Books

Montessori Writer

Montessori Writer's Thoughts

Andi's Gardening Experiments

How to Laugh at Alzheimer's

Dracula

Everyone always raves about Dracula, especially in light of the recent obsession with vampires. (Twilight, True Blood). I remember enjoying it when I read it back in 8th grade for school. I keep meaning to reread it, but just haven't gotten there, yet.

So, when I got a Kindle on my Droid X that I got for Christmas, I started searching out free books. I decided that I was going to make my way through as many of the free classics as I could. Dracula was actually the first book I downloaded on the Nook app. (Yes, I am using both Kindle and Nook on my phone.)

Pardon the pun, but I was immediately sucked in. I read it while waiting for my dinner to cook, while waiting in line at Target, at lunch at work. I even found Jonathan's account of being held captive to be somewhat scary, and I don't scare easily.

I also found it intriguing that the word "vampire" doesn't appear for at least the first quarter of the book, if not halfway through? It was almost surreal to me to know that I was reading about Count Dracula being a vampire, because I already knew from common knowledge. But the characters didn't know. And how amazing would that have been to have read that book when it came out, not knowing anything about it? Vampires are such a part of pop culture, that some of the suspense was taken away from me.

Another thing I missed was all of the eroticism that is supposed to be in the book. I keep hearing how erotic it is. Really? Am I missing something? Was the Kindle edition somehow edited to take all of that out? Because I just didn't see it. Or maybe it's because I really don't care for vampires in general. If someone would like to enlighten me, I would appreciate it!

So, all in all, I did enjoy this book much more now than I did 20 years ago. Eventually, I may try to check out the movie.I agree that it is quality literature that everyone should read. And, I don't think it is too racy for young adults. Check it out and enjoy it.

Mrs. Lieutenant

Numerous stories are available about the Vietnam War, especially with the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. We hear heroic stories about the fallen and the survivors. But there were other American faces who were deeply entrenched in the affairs overseas, whose stories are rarely told. Phyllis Zimbler Miller tells us about the devoted wives of those soldiers in her novel Mrs. Lieutenant.

Told from the points-of-view of four women, Miller touches on the courage, fear, heartbreak, and inequality of men and women during the Vietnam conflict. Sharon Gold is a Jewish woman from the North, who is opposed to the War, yet fell in love with and married an ROTC officer. Kim Benton is a Southern Baptist from North Carolina who lost most of her family at a young age, and relies on her insanely jealous husband Jim for love and support. Donna Lautenberg is a Puerto Rican army brat who married a white man. Wendy Johnson is a black woman who grew up in the South, where her doctor dad and devoted mother tried to shield her from the racism so pronounced down there.

Under normal circumstances, the odds are low that these four women coming together as friends during this time period. But they have a couple of fundamental things in common. Each is a misfit of sorts within the society at Fort Knox. And they are bound by intense love for their husbands, and fears of them being sent to Vietnam.

The four women learn how to take on their new roles as Army wives by following rules set forth within a book called, "Mrs. Lieutenant." They share a few of their hopes and dreams, but each one is hiding a secret. Truth comes to light as they get to know one another and learn how to relinquish their former prejudices and ideas.

The almost 500 pages pass by quickly as you delve into the lives of these four women and their husbands. It takes a while to keep each woman straight, especially when so many other characters make brief appearances throughout the story. But each character comes to life in Miller's storytelling, almost as if these were women she really knew once upon a time. Phyllis Zimbler Miller was also once a "Mrs. Lieutenant," and presumably drew upon those experiences to tell her story. The book is dedicated to the wives of AOB 21 during the same timeframe as the book. Sharon Gold, the first character to whom we are introduced, even talks about keeping a diary of her experiences at Fort Knox to later write about them.

You become concerned for each woman and feel her pain as she must come to terms with different decisions made by her husband. You reflect on your own opinions of war, whether it is Vietnam, WWII, or today, as especially the men demonstrate different ideas of the time. You also reflect upon the friends in your own life and all of your preconceived notions and stereotypes.

Mrs. Lieutenant is going to appeal to women more than men. But it allows women a different way to try to relate to the Vietnam War, and introduces it to them in a way that is perhaps more palatable than other war novels. It's also soft enough to teach teenagers and young adults about the era. While I enjoy reading war novels, I did appreciate how this one told the story from a completely different point-of-view.

Purchase Mrs. Lieutenant: A Sharon Gold Novel

Face to Face: Children of the AIDS Crisis in Africa

AIDS continues to be a global epidemic, particularly in Africa. According to the foreward of the book Face to Face: Children of the AIDS Crisis in Africa, 22 million people living in the sub-Saharan African have HIV. 12 million children who live here have lost one or both parents to the epidemic. And they rarely get the help that they need.

Photographer Karen Ande stumbled upon the issue of children being affected by AIDS when she was already in Kenya on assignment. She quickly became involved in raising awareness and money to help the young children, visiting nonprofit organizations in the Bay area and grassroots organizations in Africa. Reaching out to friend and former roommate Ruthann Richter, a medical writer, she hoped to expand her reach. The result was this collaboration.

Ande and Richter spent time meeting people around Kenya, taking pictures and getting to know them. Each one shares his or her story about the virus, and how it has affected them. Focus is placed on the places that specifically help children, such as Mama Darlene Children's Centre, and Saidia Children's Home.

You can't help but be emotionally moved as you read the stories of these beautiful people who have loved and lost so much. Yet, they carry on day to day. I was particularly moved by stories, such as the young boy named Kevin. He was rescued by a man he called "Daddy", after his mother was murdered. Daddy gave Kevin a green jacket. Daddy also passed away, from AIDS. Kevin couldn't be persuaded to take the coat off for weeks, as he hoped wearing it would bring Daddy back. Accompanying this story is the somber, angry face of the young boy wearing the coat, followed by the smile of a boy who is adjusting to his new life.

The innocence shown on the faces of these children compel you to want to reach out and hug them, and do whatever it takes to help them. The happiness and joy captured as they settle into their new lives makes you grateful for every gift that you have. But you also have to wonder how, when faced with such tragedy and misery, they can still seem so happy. Many people who "have it all" cannot express such true joy. The creators wish to create emotions within the readers, and in this they have truly succeeded.

At the end of the book, contact information for each organization profiled throughout the book is provided. Also included are other organizations who can provide help. It is the hope of Ande and Richter that people will be moved to do something to help.

Find more information by visiting their website at http://facetofaceafrica.com/ar.html

Purchase Face to Face: Children of the AIDS Crisis in Africa

The Great Little Book of Fun Things You Probably Don't Know About Ireland!

Ireland is one of those countries that people love, and we're not sure why. Robert Sullivan strives to feed our hunger for the Emerald Isle in his collection of trivia called The Great Little Book of Fun Things You Probably Don't Know About Ireland!

The collection is a smorgasbord of information from every aspect of Irish culture imaginable. Find out about their Irish traditions both new and old. Read about some crazy stories from Irish history. Learn the meaning of baby names for boys and girls. And of course, a whole chapter each is dedicated to those favorite Irish sayings and proverbs. Understand "Craic" and Celtic knots.

One of the oddest traditions I saw was a variation on the American tradition of spanking the birthday boy. In Ireland, the birthday boy (or girl) is lifted by his (her) ankles, and the head is bounced on the floor the same number of times as years of age, plus one extra for good luck.

You have seen images of the Irish throwing their waste water into the streets, in movies such as Angela's Ashes, right? The Irish continue to not take care of their aquatic systems, making a fair share of the water undrinkable. So heads up if you ever travel - prepare to buy some water!

Many Americans can boast Irish heritage, including possibly 40% of all Presidents, and of course, Tom Cruise, who is supposedly going to buy the family farm there. (He supposedly bought a plot of land for Katie in my hometown of Toledo, near her parents, so why not partake in his own heritage?)

A whole chapter is devoted to the Irish Christmas. And of course, there are all of the fun and weird traditions about marriage, divorce, drinking, and sobriety.

The book is perfect for those of us who take pleasure in learning as much trivia as possible. It could turn into a fun party conversation, or help you land a role on Jeopardy!

The book is a great deal of fun to read and to share. It's not meant to be a read-through book - unless you are that hungry for information. But it makes a great coffee table book, or even a fun bathroom read!

Purchase The Great Little Book of Fun Things You Probably Don't Know About Ireland: Unusual facts, quotes, news items, proverbs and more about the Irish world, old and new

A review copy of this book was provided by the author. The opinions expressed above are completely honest and my own.

Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Grades 4-8

Title: Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Grades 4-8

Author: Carol Baldwin

Publisher:  Maupin House

ISBN: 978-1-934338-35-3

Carol Baldwin's book Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Grades 4-8 is a beneficial asset to the upper elementary/middle school language teacher's collection. It provides a series of mini-lessons that can supplement the teacher's writing curriculum, in an easy-to-follow format that also incorporates technology into the lessons.

Within the first chapter, students learn how to brainstorm ideas and to outline their story. Important topics include deciding upon a genre, how to write in a detailed active voice, and how to do background research. Though it is possible for a teacher to change the order of lessons, and possibly even skip a few, these all should be taught, as they are the foundation of writing a story.

Next comes a section on creating a believable character. Lessons here reflect upon creating the character's personality, likes and dislikes, and even naming him/her, though use of questionnaires. A few of these points could be combined, if the teacher is short on time.

Setting and mood are essential to any plot. Teaching the Story spends the third chapter teaching children how to utilize the senses when describing a scene, to show the reader the story, as opposed to simply telling it. The abstract discussions in this section could also be served by real-life practice. For example, a recommendation is to take photographs of a scene to describe. The teacher could also bring in objects, or if possible take a short excursion outside of the classroom, to realistically use the senses to describe a scene.

When creating a conflict, the writer must create a believable problem that the character is capable of solving. This section provides more graphic organizers designed to allow the young author to outline her story. She is required to think out each situation, step-by-step.

Baldwin then takes the teacher through teaching how to write out the first draft. Children must collect all of the data thus collected, and assemble these building blocks into the structure of the story.  They also learn how to keep the story within a reasonable length. The length of time required on this part of the book is going to depend on each individual class. Some children will be able to simply whip right through it, while others may suffer from a bit of writer's block.

Once that first draft has been written, it is time to edit and correct any mistakes found within the story. Now is the time to focus on spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes.

In order for children to be effective writers, they will need to learn all of these building blocks. Some are going to find the process tedious. As a young writer, I often had this problem. Nevertheless, the lessons contained within are very beneficial. When possible, the teacher should streamline the process for the children who seem to grasp the concepts, and provide extra help and extra exercises for those who require them. The goal is to not deter children from wanting to write.


It is also refreshing to see such a detailed book on the art of fictional writing for kids. Because nonfiction writing is the trend throughout one's school career, creative writing is often overlooked. Many of the mini lessons taught within this book could also be used by older writers who wish to refresh their writing style.

Accompanying the book is a CD of overheads and printouts that are used to supplement the lessons. This eliminates the need to photocopy the graphic organizers within the book. They are also designed to be used with Smart Boards, keeping in line with the modern technology being used in classrooms all over.