Reading

What is on Your Summer Reading List?

By Steve Laubeon July 21, 2014

Since we are in the midst of Summer and I’m on a brief vacation I thought I’d ask you to tell us what books you are reading or planning to read this Summer. I’ll start…

My list is intentionally eclectic because that is the way I graze with my reading:

Deeper Life:
The Spiritual Practice of Remembering by Margaret Bendroth

Publishing:
Just My Type: A Book about Fonts – by Simon Garfield

Mindless Entertainment:
Rat Wars: A Pearls Before Swine Collection – by Stephan Pastis

Fiction:
The Heist – Daniel Silva

Science Fiction:
Influx – Daniel Suarez
Fortune’s Pawn – Rachel Bach

Business:
Pitch Perfect: How to Say it Right the First Time, Every Time – Bill McGowan

What’s in your book bag?

Where are the Worthy Characters?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon June 5, 2014

I just finished reading a general market novel that left me wishing I had used that time to read a good Christian novel instead. I am not going to name the book because it isn’t my intent to offer a review. But the novel reminds me of many others in the general market. Well-written, well-received, heavy with social commentary. And populated with characters I didn’t like and …

Category: Craft, Reading, TamelaTag: Characters, Craft, Reading

How Do You Define Summer Reading?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon May 22, 2014

Now that summer is nigh, I’m thinking about what I’d like to read over the next few months. I have not yet decided. But at least now I can choose for myself. At my college prep school, we were assigned summer reading. To enter eighth grade, we were assigned The Ox Bow Incident and Pride and Prejudice. This went for boys and girls. I’m so glad, because I never would have read The …

Category: Craft, Creativity, Personal, Reading, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Reading

My Most Frequently Used Reference Book

By Steve Laubeon April 28, 2014

by Steve Laube After pulling down this book from my shelf twice this past week I realized there is no other reference book I use more frequently. The book? The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale. I prefer it over Roget’s Thesaurus because it is laid out logically – in alphabetical order. There are multiple occasions where I need an alternative word to the one I’m trying to use. So I …

Category: Book Review, Craft, Creativity, Personal, Reading, Steve, Writing CraftTag: Book Review, Craft, Creativity

Do You Like to Cry While Reading?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon February 20, 2014

I'll have to admit, I don't like to cry. I don't even like depressing songs. Instead I prefer things that are upbeat. For example, here are some of the lyrics to a song that helped me get through my teen years:
Flashlight.
Red Light.
Neon Light.
Spotlight.
Most of all you can funk. Help me find the funk....
Yoww
I think I found the funk!
["Flashlight" was written by Ronald R. Brooks, …

Category: Reading, TamelaTag: Reading

Why Did I Keep Reading?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 30, 2014

As I believe I've mentioned on this blog, along with Christian books, I try to keep abreast of general market books. But I admit, I don't always finish reading the books I begin reading. So what makes me stick with a book from cover to cover? Here's just one example for nonfiction:

Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune by Bill Dedman …

Category: Book Review, Craft, Creativity, Reading, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Book Review, Reading

A New Book by C.S. Lewis!

By Steve Laubeon December 2, 2013

by Steve Laube

If you want the perfect gift for the bibliophile in your life consider this new book from C. S. Lewis called Image and Imagination (under $20 in paperback). To quote the description from the Cambridge University Press site:
This selection from the writings of C. S. Lewis gathers together forty book reviews, never before reprinted, as well as four major essays which have been …

Category: Book Review, Reading, SteveTag: Book Review, C.S. Lewis, Reading

Today is National Buy-a-Book Day

By Steve Laubeon September 7, 2013

by Steve Laube

Philip Athans had a marvelous brainstorm and, together with other like-minded people, established September 7th as the annual Buy a Book Day. From their web site is the following explanation:
The National Buy a Book Day Foundation's primary activity is educating the American people on the importance of books to our culture and community by encouraging citizens to go to any …

Category: Reading, SteveTag: Books, Reading

How to Post a Negative Review

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon September 5, 2013

Posting a negative review is not the same as trashing a book. Sometimes you really are doing a service to let prospective readers know the book in question may not be right for them. Here are a few tips:

Be sure you rarely post a negative review. If you make a habit of posting bad reviews, you'll be known as a grump who hates everything and your words will lose their power.

Approach from a …

Category: Reading, Reviews, TamelaTag: Book reviews, Reading, Reveiws

The First Novel I Ever Read

By Dan Balowon September 3, 2013

It was the summer of 1970…I was dreading a long family car trip mainly because I was 14, I had braces on my teeth and was starting high school in the fall. I was required to be full of dread.

The big hits on pop radio that summer were "Mama Told Me Not to Come" (Three Dog Night), "Close to You" (Carpenters), "Everything is Beautiful" (Ray Stevens), "The Long and Winding Road" by the Beatles, …

Category: Dan, Personal, ReadingTag: novels, Reading, story