2013 08-07 Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet hosted by Deborah Marxsen

Such a relaxing evening with my Book Junkies @ Jimmie G's. We discussed Deborah's book Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Well Deborah you can relax because everyone enjoyed your book. At least I know of 8 folks who did. Sorry the rest of the group couldn't join us because we had a great time and the food was pretty tasty and plenty of it.

Book is about Henry Lee and the long boarded up Panama Hotel where belongings of Japanese immigrants were stored after they were herded into camps. The book jumps between 1986 and 1940 where Henry meets Keiko at the age of 12 and falls in love. A forbidden love because he is Chinese and she is Japanese.
The book shares the attitudes of the time period and the predjuices.

The items found in the basement of that hotel opens the door to a flood or memories. 

This book lets you know there is time for forgiveness. You can see human nature at it's best and at it's worst. 

Many teared up while reading this book. Did you?

Okay next to Choose is Denise. Her choice is The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry. 






Until we meet again...The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't.  ~Mark Twain~

Carla

2013 06-27 Hope:A Tragedy by Shalom Auslander hosted by Dawn @ Italiano's

Well we were small in numbers but big on friendship and talk. When has this group ever been quiet? mmm Nope can't think of a time. Sorry the rest of ya couldn't join us. Hope those of you who couldn't join us had fun on your trip, took care of business and I really hope everyone feels better. Suz and Sandy are recovering from surgery and Kathy was feeling under the weather.

Now what can I say about the book? Well according to Dawn she picked this book because of the other books she's read by Auslander. He's humor is dark but you're generally laughing but this book missed the mark and Dawn hated her own book.  She was very disappointed in this Auslander book

The book tended to be so repetitive. Solomon kept putting store bought vegetables, fruits, and even ground meat out on top of the soil in his mother's garden trying to fool her into thinking it all grew overnight. Really. And the mother coming into the house all excited about the crop. 

I got tired of his constant complaining and whining about his mother, about the smell of his unwanted house guest and his constant paranoia. All the characters have issues and are not very appealing. Not even poor Kugel's son who is sickly.

I won't spoil the ending for those of you who want to finish the book hoping for redemption or a great reveal.

No one but Gaye actually liked this book. This Dawnie, was a little weird book even for you. Sorry.

The book may have gone astray but the group enjoyed the evening and the company.

Now for our next book.............................Deborah chose Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. Next meeting will be on Wednesday August 7th.

Next to choose will be Denise, Diana, Ed or Gaye! Be ready guys.

Your unofficial secretary/photographer

Carla

2013 05-04 Street Heat by Will Graham Discussion hosted by Carla in her home

A person couldn't have asked for a nicer day to have people out for

a little book discussion. We started off on the new Texas Star dining room table with brunch and moved straight into discussion of my book choice and picking on I mean picking William's brain on the whys, how to's, where'd ya get that kinda questions. 
For dessert we had Chocolate Spiced Cookies made by Brenny. Yum Yum. They're all gone now. Can't even share a picture. Forgot to take a picture that day. Thanks so much Brenny

And Kathy thanks for bringing me fresh grown tomatoes.

I was nice and shared 1 with Brenny but that's it and I've been working on the rest. mmmmmm. Okay so I finished them all off after I took this picture. 

Yes Ladies and Gents I know my book choice wasn't as meaty as some but it was a fast fun read. I enjoyed the book and expect to see a sequel. I mean did Peter Chance really get the serial killer or not? But I was informed, "No there will not be a sequel" or did I see a smirk on William's face? mmmm

So yes Ladies and Gents we did in fact have a special guest amongst us around the table. The author Will Graham aka as I know him William Simon and his lovely wife Donna joined us. 

Who as I posted on Face book and told him that day "I see you in a whole new light after a couple of pages in the book" It's like you know your parents had sex but didn't want to acknowledge it kinda thing. I'd never heard William talk like that. I almost blushed and I did crack up.     LOL  

And William-Donna Thank you so much for the lovely cactus

garden. David noticed it right off and thought it was awesome. Scary part is now I have to keep it alive. eeekkk. I have a sign I hung on a pot outside that said "I tried, It died". I'll do my best to not hang it on the cactus garden. Took this picture with my phone. Not so good.
Just the Facts (and trust me there were plenty I didn't get in my notes)

• The book was originally written for a TV series called Midnight Caller but got scrapped.
• William is a Computer Forensic Analyst and an avid reader so he has plenty of experience and friends to draw inspiration from. 
• I met William while working at Cypress Book Store that sadly no longer exists. He was one of our best customers, then he did a little computer investigating and then became an employee during the day.
• Author name Will Graham that William wrote under is the main character in the book the Red Dragon 
• the cover design for the book came from his wife.
• in so many books the club reads they mention other books and Street Heat is no different. Mentions a book called Meet the Tiger by Leslie Charters. It is a real book. Published in 1928 and thus began the saga of The Saint series
• William has been writing since he was 7. He used his mother's portable Royal typewriter.
• While the rest of us in 3rd grade did book reports on Dick and Jane or Little House on the Prairie William read From Russia with Love by Ian Fleming. He got an "A" only after the teacher confirmed with the parents it was okay he had such a book. LOL
• In the Street Heat Peter Chase was interviewed by Playboy...so I wondered if maybe William had such an interview. No but that is every writers dream.
• Peter Chase's and Sarah's song was "Lady" by Kenny Rogers but it wasn't Donna and Williams. Theirs was "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis
• When asked who his favorite authors were he came back with Agatha Christi, John Sanderford, the Prey series, John Patterson the Alex Cross series and many other classics.
• In 2004 Murder by Magic was published the traditional way but has since gone independent. William wrote his short story in 2 days
• Book suggestion for the club from William was Black Stiletto by Raymond Benson

Whew, I think I covered everything well almost. I couldn't write it all. If I missed anything or misquoted anyone oops. 

We did end up out on the patio finally for photo's. What a beautiful

day.

Thanks everyone that made it out. I know it was out of the ordinary which made it difficult for some folks to join us.

Plug for William ...he does have other books out there on Amazon and is about to release another in a week or two called "One Minute After Midnight". William continues to grow with

each year and each book. He did a little book signing in the end for those of us who had books.

Okay here's what everyone has been waiting for ..... TA TA DA next book choice is by Dawnie.

Hope: A Tragedy

by Shalom Auslander

Oh and the next to choose will be Deborah, Denise, or Diana   

You can see more pictures on the photo gallery 

So until next Meeting... a quote from William who took it from Dean Koontz ~ "A writers mind is like a giant cauldron where an idea will pop out"~  (might be slightly off but I'm close on that quote)

Your unofficial secretary/photographer

Carla

PS: I don't have an editor so excuse any typos be it grammar or spelling. LOL

2013 03-21 Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson Hosted by Cheryl Fee in Her Home 3/21/2013

A mostly true Memior, sorta. Jenny holds nothing back and tells about her rural Texas upbringing. If cussing or the use of the “F” word offends you this book ain’t for you. But if you want to read funny and unfilter’s story’s this is your book. She has a unique style by all means.

Lancaster: What’s it like to ride around in your head for the day?

Lawson: Cramped. Exhausting. Exhilarating. Baffling. I have no way to compare it, but                 whenever I let slip the bizarre things I’m thinking about, people seem alarmed and step                    away slowly, so I think “disorientating” is probably fair as well.

Okay that’s the way I felt when I started reading this book. I kept thinking please don’t let the whole book read like this. Even though I hadn’t finished at the time of the meeting I do want to finish so I can understand what was so funny.  I was told to just keep reading and it will get better.

Cheryl had an awesome turn out! 13 folks invaded Cheryl and Jerry’s lovely home. Thanks to you both for

hosting. And the food was ever so tasty. Our menu was Mud Bugs, Squirrel, Salad and rice. Actually it was shrimp and chicken for inquiring minds who didn’t make it that night. And for dessert we had Brenny’s favorite…..Petits Fours. That girl does love her tiny little cakes. I have to admit these were the best I’d had mmm since I left WTS and that was a long time ago. Wow how time has flown and things have changed.

Almost everyone thought the book was funny, hilarious and several committed they liked it because Jenny was unfiltered. Had to Laugh because Dawnie said Jenny was unfiltered like she was….. Was?   Most Loved Loved the book.

And yes Wall, TX does exist if you had any questions. Susan S’s nephew was/is the basket or base ball coach.  I wrote BB but can’t remember which B sport it was now that I’m typing.

Some of the girls thought some of the stories were normal living to them. Now you know how we all say “It taste like chicken” well Susan S. says not so of a Boa Constrictor. She said it was tough and tasty. Gaye thought nothing of the story about the cow birthing. Dawnie related to several of the stories. Go Imagine. We decided several of the girls should write a book of their lives. This group knows some of the stories but there’s a lot more out there that they could share in a book.

Now I found this interesting.. Suz said she didn’t like to laugh too much! What! Since when my friend? Actually she didn’t find the book that funny because Jenny’s story sounded logical to her.

Now when Jenny would say her Dad was weird everyone would say yeah so is mine but I don’t think too many of us could say our Dad collected “COLLECTED” bobcat urine or bobcats,  turned a squirrel into a hand puppet that would tramatize any young child if you asked me, or throw a bobcat at guest in your home. Thank goodness Victor  took it all in stride and still hung around and eventually married Jenny. Don’t want to give Victor a big head but everyone thought he was amazing. Wonder if we could find pictures of the wedding on the web.

If you didn’t get enough of Jenny Lawson and her unfiltered life go check out her blog The Bloggest @  http://thebloggess.com/  I’ve started following it. Now she also tweets if you’re into twitter.

So for our next book choice………….. I chose Street Heat by Will Graham. Now I happen to know this author, another reason I chose this book but he said he would come to the meeting to answer any questions we might have. So be nice boys and girls. I guess I’ll have to come up with a good introduction for him at the meeting.  I threw out the suggestion that we have the next meeting at The Kennedy Patio and no one complained to my face. To do that though in light of distance and traffic it would be best hold the meeting on a Saturday.

Saturday

May 4^th

11 am

 Next to choose is Cindy, Dawnie, Deborah.  I know Dawnie is ready if Cindy isn't.

Your unofficial Secretary/Photographer 

Carla

Elegance of the Hedgehog Mtg January 17, 2013 hosted by Brenda Willson

Well Ladies and Gents

This post has been a long time coming. For now I'm posting What I can since I wasn't at the meeting unfortunately. While y'all were toasting the 16th anniversary, Me and Jan I was having wild dreams. Not very nice ones either. Me and drugs don't always work well together. In fact by midnight that nite the special cocktail shot the doc gave me after the surgery wore off and I was an unhappy camper. I'm finally able to walk with out a limp until I get tired but pain is gone unless I twist the wrong direction. I know I shouldn't do that. ;o)

From what I heard the meeting was a great success. Way to go Brenny. Wish I'd been there but the knee surgery took precedent. Especially since David decided I could go first and now it looks like he won't have to have major surgery after all. Well at least not for now. The bum.

Here's a recap of what I got from Brenny:
  We had a toast to you last night for all your hard work over these years, and to Janice for starting the club. Dinner was great and the company was as well. Cheryl F, Dawnie, Gaye Marie, Diana D, Lisa Rhodes, Debra, Janice Leone, and Susan Shultz were there. The discussion was lively, so it looks like the choice of book turned out to be a good one.  I think it was agreed that Ms Fee would write the review of this one since you weren’t there. We did get some group photos. Diana brought her camera and had our waiter take the pics.  

Cheryl chose Let’s Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoire) by Jenny Lawson as the next book. 
It was funny because Dawnie is reading it now and it was going to be her pick when it came her turn. She said it’s hilarious and describes her life. I think she’s going to let you pick next, since Ms. Fee stole her book and now she has to find a new one (and because we don’t want you to miss your turnJ). I think it was agreed that Ms Fee would write the review of this one since you weren’t there. 

That's it for now Ladies and Gents. When Cheryl gets time and can get me her review of the meeting for Elegance of the Hedgehog I'll add it to this post but for now you got me. And maybe Diana Davilla will share her pictures with me and I'll post her pictures of the nite at Harvest Organic Grille

Your unofficial secretary/photographer
Carla

DRAGONFLIGHT by Anne McCaffery hosted by Suzanne Graska 12/18 in Her Home

I really meant to get this typed up and sent out WEDNESDAY but it's been a busy time of year and I'm just slow.
Had a great time as always with this band of readers. Wish everyone could have made it but that's life. The evening was a success. We ate pizza, had wine or soda and discussed the book. Now I'm not saying we didn't get side tracked. HA That's and impossible feat with this group.
Suzanne loves her SciFi/Fantasy books and the book she chose for us was Book 1 of a series of 12 if I remember right. You don't know how hard it was for me to convince her to choose a SciFi book. So many of you nixed those kind of books right off in the beginning of the club but HA to your surprise it wasn't so bad now was it? You may not be a hard core lover of SciFi but there were aspects of the the book you liked. Suzanne I believe was very please to hear the positive comments about reading this book Dragonflight by Anne McCaffery.

Diana got excited about reading this one when Denise told her it reminded her(Denise) of Avatar but alas Diana had a hard time reading this one.. This was a book she needed to be able to concentrate and that was hard to do with the distractions on the plane. Now Brenda listened to DragonFlight by Anne McCaffery on tape. She said it was very enjoyable.
Now get this... the one person that shocked us was Pam for 2 reasons. LOL She told Suz that she read the book and SHE liked it. Cheryl like the dragons best and then all the other animals. She actually wouldn't mind having one to jet fly around town on. I forgot to ask Cheryl what color she wanted but I know it has to be vegetarian. LOL. Cheryl Wasn't impressed with their eating habits.

Okay I screwed up I had Tamica on my email list but forgot to add her to our EVITE. I am so sorry Tamica... You're welcome to join us at anytime. I'll add you to the permanent email list and EVITE if you like. Just let me know.

Suzanne told us that the people from Pern originally came from Earth and in the second book you learn more about their origins. So I'm gonna have to read the 2nd book to find out more.

Not that I really want to know the future but it would be kinda cool to fly between times on my super uber cool shiney Purple Dragon. Yes Purple. I bet Suz would agree seeing that's her favorite color. Once most of us figured out the human from the dragon names it got easier or at least for me.

Cheryl said she wasn't a convert but did like this book and Thanked Suz for picking it. Lauren was already a fan and had already read all 12 in the series. Jan even liked the book. Right? Did those of you who couldn't make it... Did you read the book and did you like it.

At one point of course we got off topic imagine and got to talking about trips, roommates and traveling period. Several were talking about how they hated when they had a roommate. Cindy you should have been there because I brought up the story when you some how got locked out of yours and Cheryl's room in nothing but your t-shirt and had to go to the front desk. Of course they wanted ID. Ummm yeah. LOL And Pam you were mentioned to. I was gonna call you a..... oh well never mind. LOL. Sorry folks you had to be there.

Everyone who wasn't able to join us missed a good time, good friends, and good pizza even a blue cheese pizza. Yum who would have thunk it?  

Oh wait talking about Friends..... Guess who was there?  Kathy made it!! She was moving slow but she made it. Glad she did too. 

And a surprise guest was Janie Mendoza. It was great to see her. I hadn't seen her in a really really long time. Hope you enjoyed yourself. Did you find her over on the right by Kathy?

                       Oh   okay   DRUUMMMMMM ROLLLLL PLEASE..........................................

Brenda was ready with a book choice and it is The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.
Please get in and get your book so we can meet on January 17, 2013.
That is our anniversary. Sweet 16. Can you believe it? 16 years we've been together.

Next to choose will be Carla, Cheryl, Cindy or Dawnie.

Oh Brenda and Jan got the door prizes for being the first ones to reply yes and show.

Okay that's it. You know the book title and the date so do your part and start reading.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

See you next year!

Your unofficial secretary/photographer
aka Book Nasi

Carla

Dry by Augusten Burroughs hosted by Barbara @ the Red Onion

6 seems to be the magic number the past couple of meetings and tonight was no different. We met up at the Red Onion to discuss Barbara’s book choice Dry by Augusten Burroughs or should I say book choices. She also left you the option of reading Sarah’s Key by Tatiana De Rosnay. Word of warning I won’t  let that happen again you only get to have one book choice for the group but you can suggest that they might another book to read when they have time kinda thing. LOL
Of the 6 only 3 read Dry, 1 read Sarah’s Key, well 1 hadn’t started reading either book and 1 of us had read almost 50 pages but after listening to the discussion I’m ready to continue to read and I want to read Sarah’s Key. I didn’t realized Augusten was the same person who wrote ‘Running with Scissor’s not that I’ve read that book but I remember how popular it was when I worked in the book after school. Actually I noticed he’s written quite a few different books.
Dry is Augusten Burroughs memoir. Augusten looks like every other business person but then you might notice he smells like alcohol. Where you or I might have a drink or 2 or 3 Augusten would have 12+.  Dawn pointed out that he had No Off Button. Or when the crowd would start leaving around 12 he'd close the bar and maybe not even go home.

His life had been working for him so far but now it’s starting to spiral out of control and people couldn’t ignore the smell and his co-workers were tired of his attitude and lack of responsibility.
His creative advertising partner and employer’s had an

intervention and convinced forced him to go into rehab. While they suggested The Betty Ford Clinic he himself suggested the Proud Clinic for the gay. In Augusten’s mind it was a great way to get a 30 day paid vacation and rub elbows with the rich and famous. Only Dr. Drew was no where in site when he arrived at the Proud Clinic. His dream smashed into a wall  upon checking into the clinic. There were no grassy park, no pond of coy, or park benches covered by the shade of a tree and surrounded by flowers. This is not what he agreed to. Nothing against Minnesota but going to detox anywhere in Minnesota doesn’t even begin to sound enticing to me personally. Okay so nothing about the process of detox sounds enticing.

Then again all of this was his perception of the Proud Clinic. He didn’t want to be there and all he saw a place of concrete, paper hospital gowns and paper slippers. Staying sober in rehab was like a child molester in jail. Augusten was able to stay sober of course because there’s no alcohol just like a child molester who’s in jail and on good behavior with no children around to molest. So are they cured after serving their sentence in the controlled environment or once released back into their old environments do they go back to old friends and habits.

I was amazed when he wrote on the wall and even he realized just what he was… an alcoholic. He wanted to drink so bad he would take over 12 Benedryl because he was actually allergic to alcohol. With 2 Benedryl I’m sleepy and here he takes 12 Benedryl plus alcohol. How does he function. HOLY COW
.
While in affirmations, group therapy and during the teddy bear song he realized something. ... Drama that's why you go to a gay rehab. Gays don't mind drama in his mind. At some point it hit Augusten he did have a problem. But as he accepts this fact he worries about how to stay sober when back home. He was told he would have to go to AA every day for the rest of his life. His rebuttal was but I can't, I won't have time, I have to work. Rehabs reply you had/made time to drink so now that time can be spent at AA and doing good.

Can you imagine coming home to thousands of empty bottles and cans? He did. Once he thought about it that's why he never had visitors. He never wanted them to see the mess.

Okay now Dawnie I think but for sure Suzanne related to

 Augusten's like for small olives. Suz is right there with Augusten. She don't stop until the bar closes and she doesn't drink at home.
Something else some us learned was that in NY hotels for sure if you go to the mini bar don't touch the bottles because if the hotel can tell you've touch them they'll charge you.
Augusten sat in the hotel room and fondled all the bottles but held strong and never opened or drank anything but the hotel charged him.

The girls liked how Augusten writes using humor to help tell his story. A story that has it's funny moments, it's hopeful, it's heartbreaking and at times it's pathetic. If you didn't read or haven't finished do so it's worth the read.

I didn't get notes on the book Sarah's Key except that after Gaye gave us the run down of the story I definitely want to put it on my to read list. It's about the French yes the French police arresting thousands of Jewish families and held them outside Paris before shipping them off to Auschwitz. It's about Sarah's loss and survival.
Well Suz emailed everyone her book choice "Dragonflight" by Anne McCaffery. And preferably you get the 1988 publication. Yes ladies and gents this is basically fantasy for beginners. I don't want to hear any one say 'yuck or I'm not reading that.' The whole idea and bases for the club was that we would try to read something we would never pick up on our own and read more. So here it is. A challenge to all by me to read this book. I am. I've never read anything like this but I'm gonna try. I may find a new genre of books to read and so might you! Rule of thumb is you need to read at least 100 pages before you give up.
Go ahead I dare you.... Try it, you just might find out you like some of the fantasy books. If you click on the title above it will take you to an amazon link for the book.

So you've got your assignment please don't dally. Get that book and start reading. According to the amazon site it has 800 pages and the meeting is Tuesday November 27th.

At that meeting we'll look forward to Patrick, Angie,  or Brenda picking the next book!

Are your reading the book yet? What are you waiting on?  LOL Get that book.

Your unofficial secretary/photographer