
About the book, The Black-Marketer’s Daughter Category: Contemporary / Literary Fiction / Multicultural Publisher: Atmosphere Press Date of Publication: October 13, 2020 Number of Pages: 166 pages Zuleikha arrives in the US from Lahore, Pakistan, by marriage, having trained as a pianist without ever owning a real piano. Now she finally has one-a wedding present […]

About the book, River Sing Out Categories: Contemporary / Literary Fiction Rural Fiction / Crime Fiction / Coming-of-Age Publisher: Blackstone Publishing Date of Publication: June 8, 2021 Number of Pages: 315 pages “And through these ages untold, the river did act as the lifeblood of all those things alongside it. Jonah Hargrove is celebrating his […]

About the book, Christmas at the Marshmallow Cafe When downtrodden checkout assistant Bonnie Green receives a letter from a mysterious uncle, she can hardly believe her eyes. Gifted a hundred-year lease on a famous cafe situated in the middle of a mythical theme park, Bonnie sets off with her best friend Debbie on an […]

About the book, Christmas in Cockleberry Bay Publication date : November 13, 2020 Print length : 237 pages Word Wise : Enabled Publisher : Nowell Publishing (November 13, 2020) Meet old and new characters in the Bay for Christmas fun and frolics. With both the Corner Shop and Cockleberry Café in safe hands, Rosa turns […]

About the book, You Never See Rainbows at Christmas Paperback : 170 pages ISBN-10 : 0992867282 ISBN-13 : 978-0992867287 Published : November 17, 2020 Like a rhinestone Miss Havisham Eloise plans to spend Christmas alone, lying on the settee, crying her eyes out and listening to Dolly Parton’s Greatest Hits. But a fall in the […]
Books! What a role they played in our home.
“Don’t tell me you are bored”, my mother would admonish,”go read a book!”
And other times ” You always have your nose in a book, go get some fresh air.”
Fresh air and books, those were my mother ‘s recurring themes.
And so I cannot be without a book, and if I am at a cafe, the beach or waiting anywhere I have a book.
And on days when I don’t have a new book to read I’ll read an old favoite. sort of like re-runs but better, no commercials.
When Melissa was a sprite with two bouncng braids, thick glasses and the vocabulary of Miss Ann Shirley, she was never without a book.
I would call out to her in the morning to encourage her to get through her bathroom routine and come down for breakfast.
Finally, sounding just like my mother I would say ” Miss Melissa Annette put the book down!” her response ” Moooom, I am not reading!” And then I would here the clunk of a book being dropped.
Living in La Paz, Baja California Sur, where there is one bookstore with limited to no English language books, no libraries and it is near impossible to have books mailed, makes the desert we live in feel more bare and dry. When clients and friends say they are coming and ask for a list of essential items for themselves, and something I might like, I always say BOOKS! And they bring them, their favorites or a recent bestselle or a specific genre or author that I request.
Powell’s Books in Portland will send books to Mexcio without freight charges. We have tested it, the system works.But it takes weeks.
There is not a big culture of reading, whether it be for busines, research or pleasure, especially pleasure, among the local Pacenos ( La Paz natives). My Spanish teacher said she is amazed that wherever she goes in town, and especially in cafes and at the beach, Americans and other foreginers are alays reading. She thought it was nice, but wondered why people would travel to a foreign country just to read!
Those of us that read, and cannot bear to be without a book in progress (or two) need to promote reading to children the world over. Melissa your choice of charity for this year’s blogathon has made me proud again.