Rocks In My Dryer

If I Don't Write It Down I'll Forget

I'm trying to grease up these rusty brain cells of mine and get back to writing the occasional blog post--not a bad thing to do when one has, you know, a blog. I've been working on a post documenting the vacation we took over the holidays, but as the story involves abject humiliation, I've been understandably reluctant. (More on that later. Maybe.) Instead, here's a few random questions, comments, and general wondering-ments.

1. My daughter got a Puff the Magic Dragon book for Christmas, including a sing-along CD. And never mind that I am 37 years old with a mortgage and four children and a PTA membership card--I am unable to listen to that song without blubbering over my lost childhood and bereft dragons. But what in the heck is sealing wax? (Also, please do not tell me that song is actually about drugs. I-have-my-fingers-in-my-ears-and-I-can't-hear-you-la-la-la.)

2. Thanks to my patient and crafty sister-in-law, I'm learning how to crochet. I can't get enough of it! I'm not exactly good at it yet, but I can stitch the heck out of a rectangle. If you know me in real life, congratulations--you're probably getting a scarf this year. Please act happy.

3. Over the holidays I've been plowing through my reading list. This and this were both outstanding, and this was really good, too. This was a fascinating concept, but I thought it came up short at the very end--it's so disappointing when that happens. I'm reading this now, and this is next on the list. What's on yours?

4. American Idol is back underway, and can I just tell you how much I love the "Pants On the Ground" guy from the Atlanta auditions? Here's a great post about him, including his history marching with Dr. King in the '60's. (On the occasion that A Particular Son Of Mine Who Shall Remain Unnamed thinks it might be funny to try the whole droopy-pants thing, I remind him that I have a staple gun in the garage and I'm not afraid to use it.)

5. Does anyone reading this know anything about chronic headaches (possibly migraines) in children? One of my kiddos is struggling with this, but I'm not finding a ton of resources online.

6. Please remember to consider Compassion when you plan your giving for the Haiti crisis. Follow their Twitter feed for helpful updates. While you're at it, see Ree's great giveaway to help raise some more Haiti funds. Another great effort to raise funds is underway here.  Whatever you do, please give.

Have a good weekend, and remember to keep praying for our friends in Haiti.

Everything You Never Wanted To Know About the Book-Writing Process

So many of you have dropped kind emails and comments, asking about the progress of the TypePad book. Sometimes I forget that I haven't blogged more about the process--instead, I've been unloading it all on my ever-patient husband and real-life friends who are thinking, I'm sure, yes, please unload this on your blog friends for a while.

So here's the scoop, in numbered list format, because now that I'm writing a technical book I think in numbered and bulleted lists only. 

1. We're almost finished.

As of this week, the book is now officially, 100% written. If you heard shrieks of joy coming from the general vicinity of Oklahoma, that was Melanie and me, clicking the send button on our last manuscript deadline. A happy, happy day.

Even though the manuscript is written, we're by no means done. There's about a month of rigorous editing left, so we're still at this task full time. You TypePad users know how many changes have been rolling out this fall, so we'll be doing some rewrites and updates, to be sure the book covers the absolutely most recent versions of the platform. We hope (pretty please? fingers crossed?) that the entire project should be put to bed by late November or early December.

2. The book is going to be really good.

Why yes, I believe I'll toot our horn for a minute, thanks. Melanie and I feel so good about what we've been writing. This book will have an audience with wide-ranging experience levels--some readers will only just now be understanding what a blog is, while others are moderately experienced TypePad users who want to take their blog to a more sophisticated level. Walking that line has occasionally been tricky, but we feel like we're doing it really well. There is a lot of information in this book for true beginners at TypePad, including an impressive number of easy-to-follow tutorials (the kind Melanie is known for--she's the Tutorial Queen).

For bloggers with a little more experience, there's plenty of good stuff, too. There's a whole section on the book called "Taking Your Blog To the Next Level"--it's all about monetization, domain mapping, advanced templates, custom CSS, etc.

And for long-time TypePad users who are a little befuddled by all the changes to the platform, this book should be a really helpful tool.  We're writing it to the new version of the TypePad, documenting all the latest and greatest features.

When we're closer to publication date, I'll post a more complete summary.

3. It will be on bookshelves in late February.

But you can preorder it at Amazon right now.

(Well that sounded like an infomercial. Maybe I should offer you a can opener if you call in the next 15 minutes.)

(I'm kidding. I only have one can opener, and it's crusted over with Spaghettios, which is all I've had time to feed my family for the last two months. Which brings me to my last point...)

4. This has been really hard.

Much of this project has been great. Working on a day-in, day-out basis with Melanie, of course, is just like a big party. Or, at least, the kind of party where you sit around with your nose in a laptop and drink copious amounts of Diet Coke and talk about capitalization and hyphens. Which is, come to think of it, my kind of party. It will embarrass her if I say this (though you'll notice that's not stopping me)--Melanie's technical writing skills absolutely blow me away. I have learned so much from her. Our editor Susan is my new hero--Melanie and I count our lucky stars that we were assigned such a patient and informative editor for our first book project.

And, of course, it's great fun to write about TypePad, a product I've loved and used for so long. I know so much about it now that (I'm not kidding) I dream about the TypePad dashboard when I sleep, and I can't wait to have enough time to walk some TypePad buddies through all the new updates personally.

But yes, it's been hard. Melanie and I entered this project with our eyes wide open--we knew the deadlines were fast and furious, and that many software changes were afoot, even as we wrote. The hard part has been balancing this with family. This is the first time I've worked a solid 40-hour (or more) week in over 12 years, and integrating that with an extraordinarily busy family life has been really, really, really, really (I'll say it again) really hard. I know, women do it every day, for many long years at a time--if you're one of them, my hat is absolutely off to you.

So that's it, in a nutshell. Thanks for your patience as posting as been so sparse (fair warning that it will continue that way for a while, especially once the book is officially finished and I crawl in a cave to nap for three weeks).

Is This Thing On?

Hi, blog friends. I'm back. Or at least back-ish. It's been a long and strange several weeks: the normal madhouse of back-to-school chaos (including our first year of middle school), plus the frantic pace of a book deadline, plus the sudden death of my father-in-law. (And by the way, many thanks to those of you who sent such kind expressions of prayer and sympathy--that meant more than you know.) I'm not sure I've ever been sprinting in so many directions at once.

Case in point: I went to curriculum night at my kids' school a couple last week, dashing out the door after a full day of writing and a thrown-together meal of macaroni and cheese. I talked with all the teachers, and I had a nice chat with the PTA president and principal and several other parents. As I was leaving the school, I looked down to see that the entire evening I'd been wearing a giant, streaky blob of macaroni and cheese stuck to the front of my shirt.

NICE.

While I'm quick to kick myself for letting things get so chaotic, I don't want to miss the lessons in the mayhem. Times like this have a way of forcing me to focus on what's important: Turn off the computer and enjoy the cool evening. Love my husband. Check my shirt for wayward pasta. Live and learn.

The good news is that the book is going very well. We're almost to the halfway point, and we're so proud of what we've done so far. You TypePad users already know how many changes are taking place as the new version continue to get up and running, and we're writing this book to the new version of TypePad, not the old one. This has meant many, many hours of poking around in my dashboard, learning the new lay of the land (and, by the way, loving it. I don't always love change, but this new TypePad design has really grown on me.) If you're a new TypePad user (or you're an old one who is still getting up to speed on all the changes), I really think this book is going to be a great help. Sit tight--I'll tell you more about it soon.

In the meantime, I'll continue to be in and out here at my blog, until we hit our final deadline later this fall. OH, the irony that spending many hours a day writing a book on blogging doesn't leave any time for...um, blogging. Also, a quick note--I'm using my personal blog as a guinea pig for implementing some of the TypePad features I'm writing about. Hopefully the changes will be (mostly) unnoticeable to you, but if anything seems wonky, now you know why.

Enough about that. What's new with you?

I'll Be Back

Last August, I made an important mental note and filed it away in the dark recesses of my brain.  It went something like this:  Every year, you forget how busy the back-to-school season is.  You overcommit and over-extend yourself, and you make your family a little crazy, what with all the emotional breakdowns and carryout pizza.   Don't do it again this year.  Simplify, simplify.  Clear your schedule. Whatever you do, do NOT--I repeat--DO NOT take on any additional projects in August and September.

Unfortunately, also lurking in the dark recesses of my brain are a bunch of empty Diet Coke cans, reruns of Diff'rent Strokes, and badly-conjugated French verbs.  Very important mental notes can get lost in there, as evidenced by my curious decision to write a 350-ish page book in 14 weeks spanning across (yep) August and September. 

(It's going really well, by the way.  Melanie and I are managing to carve out big chunks of time at the library, and we're chugging along.  We'll chug better once the kids are in school, but still, we're making good headway.) 

Our writing schedule, as you might imagine, is pretty rigorous; coupled with the demands of the busy back-to-school month, it's a lot to manage.  I'm going to slip away and take a bit of a blog break, because something really has to give.  If something doesn't give, my kids may very well look back on August 2009 as the The Month That Mom Went Crazy.

I'm stepping away until Labor Day, so I can work on the book, enjoy the last 18 minutes of summer with my favorite people, and elbow my way through the school-supply aisle with the rest of the free world (I am not afraid to FIGHT for twenty-cent bottles of Elmer's glue).  I'll run a few things from the archives, in the meantime.

Hope to see you back here in September, my friends. 

I Think This Makes Me a Professional Dummy

So.

I'm writing a book.

Yes, really.

This has all happened very suddenly, and I didn't want to spill the beans until things were absolutely official.  They are official now, and I can finally tell you the scoop.

Wiley Publishing produces the best-selling Dummies books--you've probably seen them around your bookstore or library.  They've actually made quite a name for themselves in the technical category, publishing titles such as WordPress for Dummies and Google Blogger for Dummies. Wiley contacted Melanie and me a few weeks ago to ask if we'd be interested in writing TypePad for Dummies (TypePad, if you're a blogging newbie, is the name of the blogging platform I use to write and manage my blog).  I'm not a technical writer by trade, but I have a long history (in blog years) with TypePad, not to mention a deep, possibly fanatical affection for their service. 

(A funny aside:  When I taught a beginning blogging class at SheSpeaks last year, I frequently referred to my fondness for TypePad.  There was a lot of "TypePad this," and "TypePad that", etc. Finally someone raised her hand and asked, "What is this Top Hat you keep talking about?"  The moral of the story is that the word TypePad, while an excellent blogging platform, may not translate well to an Arkansas accent.  Thankfully, this isn't an audio book.)   

But back to the story:  Between my freakish TypePad love and Melanie's expert technical writing skills, we were really excited to take on this project.  We've already started, in fact, and it's going great.

Here's the kicker. 

By the time Wiley hired us, the TypePad book already had the green light from their editorial people.  Unlike many book projects, which can sometimes take months to get rolling, this one is already barreling down the tracks.  It's a tight deadline--(roughly) 14 weeks to write (roughly) 18 chapters.  I only bring that up to explain why things may be a little sparse around here for the next couple of months--posting may be even lighter than normal, and you may see a few re-runs from the archives.  Now if I can just figure out a way to serve old blog posts to my family for dinner, we'll be all set.

More updates to follow...

Because We Could All Use a Book With the Word "Sane" In the Title

Yesterday I told you about my friend Mary's new book,  A Sane Woman's Guide To Raising a Large Family (you can read my detailed review here).  Want to win an autographed copy?  Just leave a comment below, answering the following question:

What aspect of motherhood has surprised you the most?

(If you're not a mom yet, no worries, just tell us what aspect of motherhood you're looking forward to most.)

I'll draw a random winner on Thursday morning.  (U.S. mailing addresses only, please.) 

Book Review: A Sane Woman's Guide To Raising a Large Family

It was a special thrill to have the chance to review Mary Ostyn's new book, A Sane Woman's Guide To Raising a Large Family, over at Parenting today.  (And that's Mary of Owlhaven, if you hadn't made the connection--the gracious, funny and laid-back mom of ten we all know and love).

The book is even better than I expected (and I expected a lot).  Please head over to read the review, and come back here tomorrow for a giveaway of an autographed copy.  (But not my copy.  Mine is too full of underlining and Post-it notes, and I'll never part with it.)

Book It

It's spring break this week, and I had great dreams of gentle, quiet leisure time, with our noses in books and not an ounce of bickering of the siblings or destroying of my house. 

But then I woke up.

It was a nice dream while it lasted, and the truth is that I could really use a week with my nose in a book.  My to-be-read list is bulging, and I have grounded myself from even clicking over to Amazon until I have whittled down the stack that currently sits next to my bed:

I don't know how they all got there; I can only guess that they are multiplying while I sleep.

(If you're curious and can't make out the titles in the picture, the books are Walking On Water, The Last Sin Eater, The Pixar Touch, Rain On Me, A Sane Woman's Guide To Raising a Large Family, The Irrational Season (Hubs noticed that one and asked, "Is it about you?" Cheeky.) Divine Commodity, The Summer Of the Great-Grandmother, A Circle Of Quiet, Bird By Bird, The Complete Stories Of Flannery O'Connor, and Fields Of the Fatherless.)

I am seriously counting on there being books in Heaven someday.

(And, though I may be sorry I asked because this pile will inevitably grow, I still want to know--what are you reading?)

Book Report

I used to keep careful track of the books I read--not because I'm so organized, but because I have ZERO reading retention abilities.  I've gotten sloppy on this over the last year, so before I forget, I thought I'd share a few notes about some of the notable books I've read since January.

Two-Part Invention by Madeleine L'Engle

I'm adding this to my list of favorite books ever.  I already loved Madeleine L'Engle (I sort of have this mental fantasy in which we would have been very dear friends had we ever met in real life, and she would have been the smart one, and I would have just nodded and smiled a lot).  This particular book of hers is a memoir of her marriage, and it's one of the loveliest things I've ever read on the subject.  I don't easily cry while reading, but this one had me in a puddle of tears.  And thanks to this book, I've added several pages to my quote collection, including these gems:

Every fate is to be overcome by bearing it.

--and--

But we do have to know in the very depths of our being that the ultimate end of the story, no matter how many eons it takes, is going to be alright.

--and--

A love which depends solely on romance, on the combustion of two attracting chemistries, tends to fizzle out.  The famous lovers usually end up dead.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

This book is proof that there are still page-turning stories to tell.  It's gothic and mysterious, in the same vein as The Woman In White and Jane Eyre (two of my other favorites).  It has a good, old-fashioned surprise ending; I wish more contemporary novels were like this.

A Distant Grief by F. Kefa Sempangi

I read this on the airplane to Uganda this past winter.  It is the true story of the persecution of the Christians under Idi Amin.  Beautifully written, this book is inspiring and chilling all at once.

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

My favorite kind of book is one that makes you hungry to turn the pages without, in its urgency, sacrificing lovely, poetic writing.  This book fit the bill perfectly.  Similar in tone and genre to The Thirteenth Tale (above), it was impossible to put down.

Afternoons With Emily by Rose MacMurray

I am a sucker for historical fiction, especially the kind that features an actual historic figure.  This book--which I randomly pulled off the shelf at the library, something I almost never do--is about a fictional woman and her friendship with the poet Emily Dickinson.  If you love Dickinson, you will be captivated by this book.  And the story behind the book is Dickinsonian, itself--the author, Rose MacMurray, wrote only this one novel, and she told her children about it just a few days before she died.  Her family had it published posthumously. 

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

This is the story of a missionary family in the Congo in the 1950's.  I read it just after I got back from Africa, so I was reading it with especially raw emotions.  Gorgeously written, with a spotless narrative rhythm, it was entertaining and squirm-in-your-seat uncomfortable all at once.  This particular missionary family shamefully rejected the local culture, and they paid a high price.  A friend wondered to me if this book was just a missionary-bashing novel, and I really don't think it is.  I think in demonstrating so obviously what grace isn't, it actually demonstrates what grace is, if that makes any sense.

This one had some great quotes in it, too:

The way I see Africa, you don't have to like it, but you sure have to admit it's out there.

--and--

When I want to take God at His word exactly, I take a peep out the window at His Creation.  Because that, darling, He makes fresh for us every day, without a lot of dubious middle managers.

--and--

I have long relied on the comforts of martyrdom.

Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler

The story of a 40-year-old mother who, literally, walks away from her life, I could never quite decide how I felt about this book.  At times I was furious and frustrated with the main character; at other times I was sympathetically rooting for her.  It wore me out emotionally, which is probably a sign of powerful writing.

My Antonia by Willa Cather

This is the only Cather book I ever read.  It's the story of an immigrant girl on the American frontier, told in the voice of her friend (and a delightful narrator), Jim Burden.  I loved this book.

A Stranger's House by Bret Lott

I love Bret Lott so much that he could spray-paint the alphabet on a cardboard box, and I'd show up to read it.  This book is the story of a young woman dealing with infertility.  The fact that Lott, a man, can write about such a uniquely feminine experience as infertility and maintain such an honest, authentic voice, is just more evidence of what a spectacular writer he is.   

The Emancipator's Wife by Barbara Hambly

This is what I'm reading right now, and it's fascinating.  Again, I love fiction about real historical characters, and this book tells the story of Mary Todd Lincoln and her marriage.  While we generally don't place the words "Abraham Lincoln" and "romance" in the same sentence, this is actually a very beautiful love story.

Now, I may be sorry I asked, because my "to be read" list is already knocking me out, but tell me--what was your favorite book you've read this year?

Works For Me: Mother's Notebook

Note:  I've been away from the computer most of the day, and I returned to see that several people cannot find Mr. Linky.  It appears it was a system-wide glitch that is resolved now.  If you still can't see it, make sure you've refreshed your page.  Thanks!

Next time I'm asked for my best advice for mombloggers, I have a new resource I'm going to recommend.

The publishers of Writing Motherhood (by Lisa Garrigues) sent me a copy of their book to review.  And while it's not a resource about blogging, it's purely about content and writing--an extremely important element in a successful blog.  It's geared entirely toward women who are looking for creative ways to express the ups and downs of motherhood, and it's full of practical advice and some really good writing prompts.  Books about writing sometimes fall flat, honestly--it's a hard skill to teach someone.  But this book delivers helpfully concrete tips, like this one, from page 28:

In my experience, writing to a time limit prompts me to speedwrite, helping me outrun my inner critic, while writing to a page count encourages me to freewrite, letting me fall into the rhythm of my breath as I find my own pace.  You decide what works for you,  But whether you write for two pages or fifteen minutes, once you begin, try not to stop until you reach the finish line.

One of the most practical tips I took with me--and one I've implemented in my own life--is the idea of a "mother's notebook".  It's little more than a journal, really, and I've adapted the author's recommendations for this notebook to fit my own life.  I'm keeping it as a record of our daily events--the things that are too private or too routine to write in a blog post.  I'm not worrying about form or even complete sentences, I'm just jotting down events and emotions I want to reminder.  And I'm trying to do it every day.  I think that, especially when you're a blogger, having a private place to write is actually quite therapeutic.

I highly recommend Writing Motherhood, especially if you're interested in honing your skills as a writing mom.

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Why I Can't Get Anything Done

I am interrupting a frantic reading marathon to stop in and blog about the culprit.  It's the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer (individual books are Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn).  And don't worry, you won't read any spoilers here.

You've probably heard of the series (it's being called "the next Harry Potter", with which I disagree--I'll get to that in a minute), and it seems that everyone is reading them.   They're about--and let's just get this out of the way--vampires. 

I know.  I was skeptical too.  I do not like scary books or movies, and I was hesitant to give these a try. To my surprise, the whole thing works.  They're nice vampires.  Sort of.  In a yes-we're-blood-suckers-but-we'd-prefer-to-be-productive-members-of-society kind of way. 

They're young adult fiction, though they've found a widespread audience among adults (especially, I'm guessing, adults of the female persuasion).  Though they are chock-full of teenage angst, the incredibly romantic love story at the plot's center appeals to a wide variety of ages.  I thought a book with this much hype was worth checking out, just to see what all the fuss is over.  (That is my Serious Academic Reason.  Also?  I am a sucker for a love story that has teenage girls all over the world swooning.)

Here's my take (and keep in mind, I'm still only in the middle of the second book.  If you Twilight veterans see that I'm way off base, don't laugh at me.)

The story is engrossing and compelling.  I read the first book in only a couple of days; partly because I was so interested, and partly because it is a very fast read.  It isn't bad writing, though it isn't especially excellent writing, either.  It's a little like reading a screenplay--almost entirely dialogue, little poetic language, and the whole thing just flies by. This is why I can't say that they rise to the level of a Harry Potter series, which had the riveting plot and superb writing.

But the plot is undeniably page-turning and imaginative.  And it is really, really romantic, full to the brim of that most intense and powerful emotion:  first love.  The kind of love that makes you all tingly and breathless.  (Which is not, by the way, the same thing as seasoned love, which is breathless and tingly AND gets up with the baby at 3 am and remembers to take out the trash on Thursdays, but that is a different post altogether.)

In fact, as I kept getting caught up in the first volume, I knew the whole thing vaguely reminded me of something, though it took me until the end to put my finger on it:  goofy, clumsy, capable, delightful heroine falls in love with a brooding, complicated, good, unattainable hero. 

Aha!  It's Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy!  Pride and Prejudice!  Except, you know, with really sharp teeth.  I guess you could say it's a romantic narrative with a impressive track record of resonating with readers.  (Although, Mr. Darcy?  He totally takes out the trash on Thursdays.  I'm sure of it.)

The movie version comes out in November, and I want to finish the series before then.  That shouldn't be hard, at the rate I've been eating these up (an unfortunate choice of words for vampire novels, perhaps).  What do you think?  Have you read them?  Like them?

Wild About Harry

I have been on a Harry Potter reading marathon since early summer.  After I read the third book, years ago, I decided I would wait to read the rest until the whole series was out, and I could read them straight through. 

So back in June I re-read book three, and then I began reading the new stuff.

And you know, if you are a Harry Potter junkie like I am, that the thrilling stories and lovable characters will get so much into your head that you start identifying with them just a leetle too much, sometimes.  I have dreamed about them two of the last three nights.

This was evidenced to me the other night, when I collapsed on the couch after a long day, and I realized that the remote control was across the room.  And I AM NOT KIDDING EVEN ONE BIT when I tell you that my initial thought was to shout, "Accio remote!"

I should probably get out a little more. 

Last night I finally finished the last book in the series, a feat I accomplished with the help of a great deal of caffeine and a very large box of Kleenex.

If you have never read the series, please do not read any further.  I'm serious.  Big time spoilers ahead, because I HAVE TO DISCUSS THIS. 

*scrolling down now*

*still scrolling*

Seriously, you've been warned.

*humming and tapping my foot*

Nice weather we're having, isn't it?

*still scrolling*

Last warning.

You still here?  Okay.  Let's talk.

I know I'm arriving a little late at this party.  Much of the Potter-loving world has already hashed and re-hashed this book.  But you know what?  I HAVE to talk about this book, because OH MY WORD.  That last one absolutely wore me out. 

Just as Rowling promised, all the ends were tied up so neatly (in my opinion), and all the major questions were answered.  There were still a few things I wondered about, though (and this will be totally stream-of-consciousness, because my mind and heart are still racing).

Even though we caught another glimpse of Petunia Dursley in the Pensieve, I couldn't help but find myself wanting to know how and where the Dursleys wound up.  All along, I suspected the series would end with Petunia somehow re-entering the magic world and giving her life for Harry.  I guess something in me needs the bad guys to become good guys.  I wonder what happened to Dudley?

I'm totally not bragging here (actually, yes I am), but I saw the Snape thing coming.  At the start of this last book, I even went on record with Hubs (who read it before me), saying, "I KNOW Snape is still a good guy."  That was very satisfying, and when we learned that Harry's middle son had the middle name of Severus...well, a big sob got caught in my throat.

Speaking of sobs, the scene where Harry finally got to talk to his parents in the woods, just before he thought he was dying...was that the most heart-wrenching thing you've ever read?  I positively howled, and books almost never make me cry. 

And, I think I may have missed this--who ended up raising Teddy Lupin?  Was it Bill and Fleur? 

And then--oh, then--there was The Kiss.  When Hermione planted that big one on Ron I nearly came right out of my skin.  And I also nearly woke up Hubs and planted a big one on him in celebration, but since it was 1 am, I restrained myself.

Do you think there's any chance for another series?  Maybe Harry as an adult?  Or little Albus and his friends?  I know, probably not.  A girl can hope.

I know I'm leaving out a dozen observations that were coursing through my brain last night.  I was so eager to find out what happened that I probably read it too fast.  I'm actually thinking about re-reading more slowly, so I can pick up on everything I missed last time.

Go ahead--fire away in the comments section and share your favorite and best thoughts about that wonderful world of Harry.  I don't know when I've been so sad to see a book--and series--end.

How Cute Are These?

I was flipping through Good Housekeeping this week, and I saw that they highlighted this little series of books by Dover Publications.  These classic books are all paperback, they all have these chic vintage covers, and (be still my heart!) they're all only $3 each.  I want them all!

MUST. STOP. WITH. THE. PICTURES.  But don't you just love Elizabeth Barrett Browning?

Love this next one--Tennyson is my favorite poet.  I wanted to name one of our sons Tennyson, until Hubs pointed out he'd be called "Tennis" for short:

Really.  This is the last one.

If You Only Buy One Book This Year, Make It This One

Honestly, I've never found a children's Bible-story book that I really loved.  The stories all seemed a little dry, and they're typically presented in a preschool-ish way that doesn't interest older kids.  Spiritual applications are often watered down, if they're present at all. 

So, with a hefty dose of skepticism, I followed my friend Megan's recommendation recently, and I ordered my kids the Jesus Storybook Bible.

If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know that I'm pretty frugal, and it's rare that I will tell you something is a must-have.  You also know that I generally don't do book reviews.  But this time I'm making an exception, because this book is a must-have.  I've never seen a children's Bible story book like it.  I've never seen any children's book like it.  Case in point, there's this from the opening paragraph:

God wrote, "I love you" -- he wrote it in the sky, and on the earth, and under the sea.  He wrote his message everywhere!  Because God created everything in his world to reflect him like a mirror -- to show us what he is like, to help us know him, to make our hearts sing.

-- p. 12 

The Bible stories are presented with one goal in mind, and it's explained in the book's subheader:  Every Story Whispers His Name.  Beautifully and seamlessly, the story of Jesus is woven through every Old Testament story, explaining why we needed a Savior in the first place.  The stories are the same ones parents have been reading their children for ages, but there is some hefty theology mixed in--seriously, there is some meaty stuff there.  And while that might make it sound difficult for a child to follow, I can assure you that the opposite is true.  These stories challenge the kids, but the gorgeous, lyrical language pull the kids right along.  Here's an example from the story of Noah, in which the meaning of the rainbow (compared earlier to a warrior's "war bow") is explained:

God's strong anger against hate and sadness and eath would come down once more -- but not on his people, or his world.  No, God's war bow was not pointing down at his people.

It was pointing up, into the heart of Heaven.

-- p. 47

We've been reading two or three stories a week, and my three boys are absolutely riveted.  They don't move a muscle.  The rich content of these stories has generated some of the deepest spiritual conversations we've ever had with our kids, and I'm convinced it's because they're seeing Scripture presented in such a fresh and authentic way.  (Amazon advertises a target age of 4-8, but I disagree.  My oldest son, who is almost ten, has been eating it up.  I've actually learned from it.)

One more example, because this is so good I have to include it.  This is from the story of Christ's crucifixion:

"Papa?" Jesus cried, frantically searching the sky.  "Papa?  Where are you?  Don't leave me!"

And for the first time -- and the last -- when he spoke, nothing happened.  Just a horrible, endless silence.  God didn't answer.  He turned away from his Boy.

Tears rolled down Jesus' face.  The face of the One who would wipe away every tear from every eye.

-- p. 304

Even the illustrations and fresh and powerful.  The drawing of what it might have looked like when Adam and Eve left the garden brought tears to my eyes.

If I sound ridiculously excited about this book, it's because I am.  I can't think of a book I'd recommend more highly to any family, in fact.  It's available at Amazon for about $10.  It will be worth every single penny.   

Bookishness

I can't resist a good book, and I can't resist a good book meme, either.  I found this one over at Just Peachy.  If you want to play along, leave your link in my comment section below!  (Oh, and by the way, while we're on the subject of books, don't miss the Spring Reading Thing over at Callapidder Days.  It begins March 21.)

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?  Hardback, whenever possible.

Amazon or brick and mortar? I prefer Amazon, because browsing is so easy, and they have everything (not to mention all the access to used books).  Brick-and-mortar bookstores usually tempt me to spend way too much money.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?  Borders. There's one about three minutes from my house.

Bookmark or dogear?   Dogear.  I know, it's an awful habit. 

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?   You mean, there are actually people that alphabetize their personal book collections?  It boggles the mind.  I'm doing well if all the books just make it to a shelf.

Keep, throw away, or sell?   I usually plan pretty carefully what I want to read, so I don't stumble across many "bad" books in my reading.  There all keep-able.  Which means I need a bigger house, at some point.

Keep dustjacket or toss it?  Toss it.  Immediately.  Does anyone think it's ironic that dust jackets seem to attract so much, um, dust?

Read with dustjacket or remove it?  See above.

Short story or novel?   Novel, though I enjoy a short story collection every now and then. 

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?  Both, though I generally prefer a collection.  Here's a good one.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket? I'm wild about Harry.  Go Gryffindor!  My 9 year old is wild about Lemony Snicket right now, though, so that probably means I'll be reading it soon.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?  Chapter breaks.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?  Both.  It totally depends on my mood.  I've been in a dark-and-stormy phase lately. 

Buy or Borrow?  Buy, or borrow from the library.  I don't like borrowing from others, because I shudder at the thought of losing someone else's book. 

New or used?  Used, whenever possible.  Does anyone know how those booksellers on Amazon.com make any money by selling used books for a penny each?  Actually, I don't care, as long as they keep doing it.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse? I really don't like book reviews--reading them or writing them.  I'd prefer a recommendation from a friend who knows my taste in books.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?  Tidy ending, unless it's part of a series--then I don't mind a little unresolvedness.  I read the western classic Lonesome Dove last year, and the random ending nearly made me put my head through a wall.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading? Nighttime.  If I read in the morning I'll fall asleep in my Raisin Bran, seriously.

Stand-alone or series? I enjoy a good series every now and then, but generally I prefer stand-alone books.

Favorite series? Anne of Green Gables

Favorite children's book?  Time For Bed by Mem Fox, and anything by Audrey Wood.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?  Thundering Sneakers, by Prudence Mackintosh.  Her writing has really inspired my own.

Favorite books read last year?  Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen was my very favorite, and Jewel by Brett Lott was a keeper too.   

Favorite books of all time? The Anne of Green Gables series is second only to the Bible in terms of books that have profoundly affected me.  The Hiding Place was another life-changer.  I also love Til We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis (it's generally considered his greatest masterpiece, which should tell you something, since everything he wrote is spectacular).  I love historical fiction; two of my favorites in that genre have been London by Edward Rutherford and The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George.  Ooooo, and Jane Eyre--now there's a book I wish I could read again for the first time.

Least favorite book you finished last year?  I had heard good things about The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley, but it wasn't as good as I hoped. 

What are you reading right now?  The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas.  I'm only a couple of chapters into it, but it is excellent so far.  Anything by her is excellent.

What are you reading next?  Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss