What are you reading?
We were at a Canada Day party recently (well, on Canada Day, duh) when a friend asked me what my favourite book was. And then LISTENED FOR A RESPONSE. A brave man, our friend. Or perhaps really, really bored. Asking me about books is like asking our spaniel about food. Specifics don’t matter. The answer is YES YES YES, GIMME GIMME, MORE MORE MORE.
My favourite book of all time is, of course, Barbara Kingsolver’s Poisonwood Bible, for many reasons. (Ask me, next time you’ve got a couple of hours to kill.) But I’ve read many other good ones lately. Last night, I finished The Marriage Bargain, by Jennifer Probst, and it was great! (I’m fond of her publisher, for reasons I will announce shortly. Stay tuned, fans.) I enjoyed Goodnight Tweetheart, by Teresa Medeiros – it’s a good story, AND I learned a bit more about Twitter. Sworn to Silence, by Linda Castillo, is a great, gripping thriller set in Amish country.
And then of course… there’s the Shades of Grey trilogy. I read the first two, grudgingly, as research. (It’s true! I’ll tell you more about that soon, too.) But I confess that part of me wanted to know just what all the hoopla’s about. Literary pop culture; I like to have one section in Trivial Pursuit that I have a chance at winning!
I won’t add to the plethora of scathing criticism about her wordcraft. (I try not to say bad things about other writers… we have feelings, you know.) It’s not my favourite book, HOWEVER, Ms. James has done a great job creating a multi-faceted, tortured hero in Christian Grey, so props to her for that.
Anyway… it’s time to get back to work. But I’m curious: what are you reading right now? What’s your favourite book of all time?
Do You Like Cowboys?
- At July 01, 2012
- By Roxanne Snopek
- In Life, Roxanne Writes On, Uncategorized
- 0
I know I like cowboys. Always have. I love horses, too, even owned one for a short time. About 14 years ago, as a surprise birthday gift, my Mr. (Always)Right had some photos taken for me. Now understand, horseback riding isn’t really his thing. He’s what you might call a reluctant cowboy, but he knows my weakness, so he duded himself up with chaps, boots and hat, and found a friend with a cooperative horse.
For a touch of “bad boy” he even attempted to add a cigarette! (Of course, since he doesn’t smoke, all the pictures are of him either coughing or laughing.)
Why am I talking about cowboys today? Well, (drum-roll please!) in August, Entangled Publishing will release my first book featuring, wait for it: a reluctant cowboy.
This book will be available in digital format only, at least initially, so if you don’t have a Kindle or Kobo or iPad or Android… well, get into the twenty-first century buckaroo. It fits way better in a saddlebag than 43 paperbacks.
Take that, cholesterol.
- At June 07, 2012
- By Roxanne Snopek
- In Life, Roxanne Writes On
- 2
With all the comings and goings in our house lately, proper meals are a hit and miss affair. I know it’s typical of this stage of life; kids hopping up and down on the brink of the nest… dad finally trading his 60-hour work weeks for some fun stuff … and me with my predictably random schedule. (By the by, did you know that the term “freelance” comes from the Medieval name for soldiers who hired themselves out for whoever would pay them. Game of Thrones calls them “sellswords.” Boom. You’ve just been Clavened.)
But as I was saying, thank goodness for frozen thin-crust spinach pizza. And tortellini, without which I believe my youngest would have succumbed to starvation. Alone in her room. Neglected and forgotten, as last-borns always are. Or so they believe.
Yesterday, however, we are all around to eat at the same time, so I made a proper dinner. Salmon with lemon-dill sauce, my famous Kitchen Sink salad (don’t ask for the recipe, it changes every time) and fresh asparagus, grilled and tossed with olive oil and lemon juice. Check out the plate: more than half-full of veggies.
I feel so virtuous, I may have to go to Starbucks for a lemon-cranberry scone.