Reading Round-up for February

What do you think of the new heading? I'm still looking for a good midcentury font. This is getting closer. February was an eclectic reading month for me. I found myself sampling everything from self-help to psychological thrillers. Lucky for me, all the books I read were winners! THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon I know it's only February, but The Frozen River is already a contender for Best Book of the Year. First, you've got a murder. Then there's a rape. Lastly, there's the protagonist, a midwife who knows the town's secrets. She's based on a real-life midwife who documented the rape in...

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Going Narrow and Leaving Substack

Two weeks into 2024, I got the green light to proceed with a proposal I’d submitted about Syndrome K, a real-life imaginary disease created by Italian doctors as a way of hiding Jewish citizens from the Nazis.  This good news meant a giant shift in my 2024 timeline....

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Of Pizza, Books, and Going Viral

A few weeks ago, Dave Portnoy, owner of Barstool Sports, posted a video review about the pizza at my friend’s bar. For those who don’t know, Barstool Sports is a podcasting, video, and blogging empire known for its rabid fanbase, controversy, and yes, pizza reviews....

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Barb’s Book Reviews

Seeing all the posts touting how many books people read in January is making me feel guilty. My reading output was low last month. I managed 4 ½ books. Of course, 1 ½ of those were research books. I blame holiday burnout and vacation. Hard to read when you're...

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For Writers: The Two Biggest First Chapter Mistakes

I’ve spent the last two weeks writing the opening pages of my WIP. After 5-6 versions, I think I’ve landed on one that will stick around until I get further into the story. Then, chances are, I’ll go back and revise it again. By the time I’m done, I will probably have...

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Two Reviews and a Rant

Happy First Friday of 2024!  First, The Reviews December is never a big reading month for me. Making the holidays happen takes up too much time. Plus, I was researching for my new book which meant a lot of my free time was spent online reading Italian magazines and...

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The Phrase for 2024

Last year, my inspirational word was Everest. Earth’s highest mountain (above sea level) seemed an appropriate metaphor as I strove to conquer a new type of writing. Jumping from genre fiction to book club fiction certainly felt like a climb. What made Everest so...

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