Summer Reading

It's July and there's nothing better than sitting on the porch glider with a book.

I've just finished a range of good reads. First there was The GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer. A book written only in personal letters and set in the Channel Islands after WW II. The characters were rich and memorable, And even though it's a work of fiction, I learned a lot about the Germans' presence and how it affected lives during and immediately after the war.

Next, I read SCAT by Carl Hiassen. I've read both HOOT and FLUSH and I'd have to say that this was my favorite of the three because of the hilarious characters and, as usual, his fast-paced plot. I also read A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT by Linda Urban. The jacket said that this was her first middle grade novel and that's truly amazing because every word, every sentence, every paragraph and every scene was deftly written. It's an effortless read, filled with humor and characters that all of us can recognize.

Now, I'm about halfway through the Newbery winner - THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. I'm definitely intrigued and wishing the best for Nobody.

That's my most recent reading for entertainment, as if any book could ever have a better purpose. But some of my reading also serves as research, both for my writing and day-to-day life. I'm in the middle of some nonfiction right now for the next novel that I want to write. And, as always, I'm also learning some things that apply to my personal life.

I have a quote posted in my office: "We read to know we're not alone." It's attributed to C.S. Lewis. It's true, at least for me. I never think about that when I'm curled up with a book, but afterwards there's usually a connection. Sometimes it's with the author who cares about a particular historical period in much the same way that I do. Or I connect to a character through attitude or struggle. As a writer I often connect to the author through his/her words and style. And often I laugh at what I identify as the silliness of my/our human nature. I guess that's why we feel so strongly about some books. We meet others and ourselves again and again, and we do know that we're not alone.